While Rivers was enraged, Enrique was plotting with someone.
The target of their conspiracy was Mina Havelcek, the girl Enrique had pursued intensely the previous year, only to be harmed and abandoned by Rivers.
Initially, Mina Havelcek was about to accept Enrique's advances, but during a "New Blood Support Group" event, Rivers, consumed by lust, lost control and forcibly abducted Mina.
Rivers not only assaulted Mina but also left behind some "photos" and "videos."
Using these to blackmail her, Rivers forced Mina to accompany him several more times until she successfully found an opportunity to destroy the "photos" and "videos."
After a period of self-healing, Mina rallied and decided to take revenge on Rivers.
After careful observation and analysis, Mina discovered a common thread between two girls who had later been harmed by Rivers: they, like Mina, were blonde and blue-eyed.
Coincidentally, a new batch of new blood was arriving, and Mina was certain that Rivers would target this new batch.
The reason was actually quite simple. Mina contacted all the girls in her year and Rivers' year who fit Rivers's XP, using herself and two other victims as examples to expose Rivers's evil.
Afterwards, Mina approached Enrique.
She knew Enrique; he appeared brute but was actually very cunning, power-hungry, and unwilling to be subordinate to anyone.
After several conversations, Mina and Enrique devised a plan to deal with Rivers.
The plan was to ignite Rivers's lust, causing him to suffer the backlash of the "Rage of the Meditation" technique, thus preventing him from becoming a full-fledged wizard.
This way, she would both take revenge on Rivers and cripple him, while Enrique would have the opportunity to take over Rivers's position in the "New Blood Mutual Aid Society." Neither of them would violate the academy's rules and would be punished.
After finalizing the plan, the two divided the work.
Enrique was responsible for arranging "encounters" between Rivers and girls who fit Rivers's XP, igniting and amplifying Rivers's lust.
Mina secretly contacted the girls, using anecdotes and stories from the academy to expose Rivers' true colors and dissuade them from pursuing him.
Molly Kidman was the first girl Enrique arranged for Rivers to "meet" this semester.
What followed was a seemingly inexplicable "threat" from Link, and afterwards, a "girlfriend" kept relaying messages to Molly.
"Are you sure this will really work?"
With everything almost finalized, Mina Havček suddenly felt uneasy.
She had a gut feeling that something had gone wrong.
At Enrique's instigation, Rivers arranged for someone to teach Link Grand a lesson the next day, provoking his anger, and then Mina would lure Molly Kidman somewhere.
Enrique would then tell Rivers that he had Molly Kidman under his control and that Rivers could use her anytime.
Meanwhile, Mina would secretly guide Link Grand to report the incident to the Academy and help him stop Rivers's violence in time, causing Rivers's pent-up lust to backfire.
With the Academy's intelligent law enforcement puppets nearby, there was no need to worry about Rivers resorting to violence.
In this way, Rivers would be punished, Molly Kidman would be unharmed, and everyone would be happy except for Link Grand getting a beating.
"Of course."
Enrique nodded, looking confident. "The entire 'Ragefire Meditation Method' is a meditation technique that only formal wizards can practice. The requirements for its practice are not only a super affinity for fire elements, but also exceptional emotional control, or the use of potions to calm desires. Rivers has none of these, and he's only practicing a fragmented version. As long as we proceed according to plan, constantly stirring up his desires without letting him release them, the final result will definitely be that he's consumed by them."
"What if he loses his mind and
forces himself on us before Link Grand arrives with the intelligent law enforcement puppet, doing something unspeakable?" Mina couldn't help but ask. Her true intention was only to get revenge on Rivers and not to harm anyone else.
"Don't worry, if he loses control and goes berserk, I will stop him."
Enrique patted his chest, making a strong promise.
However, what he really wanted was for Rivers to commit a serious crime and be caught red-handed. Wouldn't that be even better?
The academy would handle the punishment.
Then, Enrique would be sure to secure the position of vice president of the "New Blood Mutual Aid Society."
It was Mina Havercze who wanted to get rid of Rivers, never Enrique.
Enrique only wanted the position, and the resources and hidden benefits it brought.
For this, he was willing to be subservient, becoming Rivers's henchman, all to find the crucial moment to strike decisively.
This was Mina's approach of playing with fire.
After Enrique left, Mina Havercze remained unsettled and anxious.
After much hesitation, the desire for revenge took over.
Ultimately, Mina abandoned the idea of revealing the truth to Molly Kidman.
...
The next day.
Early in the morning, Link went to the Third Botanical Garden.
Exhausting more than half of his mental and magical energy, Link cast the Minor Mist Rain spell to nourish all the Silver Star Flower seeds in the greenhouse.
In fact, the normal consumption of the Minor Mist Rain spell wasn't that great.
With Link's current mental strength of around 21 and the corresponding magical energy reserves his body can hold, he can cast the normal mode of the Minor Mist Rain spell four times in a row.
However, the greenhouse is quite large, and the number of seeds sown is also large, so the normal mode of the Minor Mist Rain spell cannot nourish all the seeds.
Link slightly modified the casting method, choosing to consume more mental energy to extend the duration of the Minor Mist Rain spell and deliver the full amount of rain in one go.
Sitting on the ridge, Link performed a short meditation to fully recover his consumed mental energy and magical energy before leaving the greenhouse and the Third Botanical Garden.
Today is Sunday, no classes.
Link headed to the library, remaining vigilant on the way, wary of any attacks.
The journey was peaceful.
As he approached the corner, nearing the library, several people blocked Link's path.
They were several fifth-grade new members who had joined the "New Blood Mutual Aid Association."
Link remained calm, smiled, and asked, "Do we really have to fight?"
The group exchanged glances, and a new recruit, whose height was no less than Link's, stepped forward and replied, "It's your fault for offending the vice president! Don't worry, we'll only beat you up. As long as you don't report it to the academy, you'll be fine. If you do report it, there will be a lot more trouble later."
Link glanced at the group, a sudden look of contempt on his face. He sneered, "You'd rather be dogs than human! You're supposed to be fifth-tier geniuses, yet you have no backbone whatsoever, letting yourselves be bossed around. It's shameful to share a roof with you."
With that, Link raised his left hand, pointing at the one who had stepped forward: "Look closely, a magic-breaking crossbow, three bolts. Which three of you want to die? Come and try."
The group exchanged bewildered glances.