Wizard: Starting from the Skill Tree-Chapter 493: Assignment

In the eyes of these ordinary people, it was unimaginable that the legendary wizards, so powerful, would actually come here, and with so many awe-inspiring miraculous creations, indicating that something serious must have happened here.

"Why have they come to us? What kind of terrifying monster has emerged in the forest that requires such... such..."

Rumors spread like wildfire throughout the territory, with panic taking root among the common folk.

Although Earl Hardy promptly issued a notice of reassurance, declaring that these were powerful allies from afar who had come to help eliminate the demons threatening the forest, the fear brought by the unknown could not be easily assuaged by a mere document.

The entire realm, and even the surrounding territories, were filled with a sense of unease. People gazed toward the forest with worry, and when looking at those wizards and their strange creations, their feelings were a mix of awe, fear, and an indescribable sense of rejection.

However, these complex emotions remained in their hearts, not daring to be expressed in the slightest.

After all, this was Earl Hardy’s domain, and the commoners wouldn’t dare speak rashly of Earl Hardy, let alone the wizards who were nobler than the Earl himself.

Earl Hardy was also working to calm the emotions of the populace within the territory. Most people were still unaware of what exactly was happening, remaining in a rather bewildered state.

They hadn’t directly seen the Void Insect Race, so after Earl Hardy’s reassurance, the panic began to gradually subside, and the entire territory returned to relative stability.

When the muffled, thunder-like explosions, and the occasional bizarre lights flashed across the sky from deep within the forest, the people of Maple Hill County, though still tense, were more inclined to look out from their doorsteps and windows with complicated emotions rather than falling into unnecessary chaos.

Those who could see these disturbances were mostly the commoners from Fengqiu City and nearby villages. Earl Hardy had already sent people in advance to notify them about the upcoming demon-cleansing operations in the forest.

Little did they know that the commotions were actually resolving a crisis concerning their very survival.

Duke and Vivian had recently been observing the forest, performing some auxiliary tasks.

They understood that if the Void Insect Race’s power successfully accumulated, these ordinary people would have little chance of survival.

With the mother nest in the forest’s depths being completely eradicated and purified, both Wizard Herbert and others like Duke understood that this might only be the tip of the iceberg.

Duke and Vivian were quite relieved that they had returned this time. Otherwise, had they been delayed, they might have come back to find a ravaged Maple Hill County.

Many people would likely not have had another chance to be seen again.

This operation’s temporary command center was in a hall inside a floating airship, where Wizard Herbert gathered the main personnel to assign tasks.

"Though the mother nest has been destroyed, the infiltration by the Void Insect Race likely extends beyond this," Wizard Herbert’s voice echoed within the hall, his tone indisputable. "The Florence Continent is vast, and we must conduct a more extensive investigation to ensure that no similar nests are quietly developing in other regions."

A huge illusionary map unfurled before him, marking the primary kingdoms and important geographical nodes on the Florence Continent.

"With limited manpower and resources, we cannot cover every inch of land. Therefore, we will adopt a strategy focused on key defenses." Wizard Herbert’s finger pointed to several locations on the map, "I will lead the main force to establish a front-line command post in the most powerful Lorent Kingdom in the continent’s center. Wizard Ella, you’ll take a team north to Cold Wind Kingdom. The rest of the personnel, branch out to the major cities of the Eastern Alliance and Southern States..."

His gaze finally rested on Duke and Vivian.

"Duke, Vivian, you two are most familiar with the Vera Kingdom and its surrounding areas. This region will be in your charge. Your task is to temporarily oversee the entirety of the Vera Kingdom, dispatch personnel to investigate, particularly in the uninhabited wilderness, deep mountains, and ancient ruins, searching for signs of insect activity, and act as the first response force to handle any sudden small-scale invasions."

"Whenever you need help, immediately contact us through the Wizard’s Mark, or you can request assistance from Black Sail. Though I expect that, for the time being, they aren’t likely to allocate many forces here."

Of course, Duke and Vivian had no objections: "Understood, Master Herbert."

"I will leave you with a small team of official wizards, about ten people. Additionally," Wizard Herbert paused, "I’ll allocate you a squad of slave creatures for you to command."

A squad of slave creatures numbered around a thousand, primarily consisting of Level 1 and below creatures, with several Level 1 creatures and a few Level 2 creatures acting as commanders.

Compared to the forces Wizard Herbert brought, this force seemed rather thin, but it was more than sufficient for the regular patrols, vigilance, and handling of small-scale conflicts within the Vera Kingdom.

Especially since the mother nest here had already been dealt with, it would likely make things much easier in the aftermath.

Yet, what the situation was in other regions of the Florence Continent remained uncertain, and it was likely that the Void Insect Race was still lurking in those areas, which required these forces to assist more urgently.

"Remember, your primary duty is monitoring and early warning. If you discover a large-scale nest or a threat you cannot handle, do not act rashly; immediately request aid through the Wizard’s Mark," Wizard Herbert finally instructed, "Keep communication open, and we will exchange information regularly."

Herbert himself also felt considerable pressure, almost as if he were responsible for the entire Florence Continent alone.

Even as a Level 3 Mage, he found it somewhat troublesome.

Currently, the West Coast was still busy dealing with the issues of the Devourer Plane, and no personnel from the other continents would be dispatched here temporarily.

Because the situation had not yet escalated to that point, only if Herbert felt he could not resolve it would he request reinforcements from above, and only then would new forces be dispatched.

However, by the time things reached that point, many people would likely already have perished.

Ultimately, it was because Florence Continent did not receive serious attention, being the most impoverished continent in the Wizard Plane.

Herbert and his team were assigned here simply to conduct investigations, to prevent the place from becoming a wasteland, and to slow the rapid development of the Void Insect Race, hence why they were sent to curb the growth of the Void Insect Race here.

But it is merely containment, and if it truly becomes unavoidable, the Florence Continent could be abandoned altogether.