Test area.
In a chilly private laboratory, Ivan met his mentor, who had just extracted himself from an experiment.
As Randall approached, the strong scent of disinfectant assaulted the nose; he plopped down on the beast hide sofa, which creaked under his weight.
“Your strength has improved significantly. Is this a mental power potion you concocted yourself?” Randall eyed his apprentice, noting that his power had climbed another rung, somewhat to his surprise.
“Hehe, you are right,” Ivan said with a shy smile.
“You haven’t been starving the little guys, have you?” Randall’s tone shifted, his gaze turning slightly menacing.
“How could I? You can’t wrong me, Mentor. They are lively now,” Ivan said as he extended his palm, and within seconds, the Silkworm Queen emerged along with five or six robust underlings up his sleeve and onto his hand.
“Dron dron—“
The Silkworm Queen still looked plump as ever as she twisted around and, lifting her head, chirped at Ivan.
These human scents are too unpleasant; I want to go back, right now, immediately.
Ivan glanced awkwardly at his mentor and then realized that Randall probably didn’t understand the Silkworm Queen’s speech.
“Mentor, look, I specifically researched a new recipe for them—Green Mulberry Water. The main ingredients are Plant-type element stones and Green Iron Mulberry Wood.” This was a second-generation product he had developed based on element stone water, incorporating a magicalized plant called ‘Green Iron Mulberry Wood.’
As soon as the potion was produced, the Silkworm Queen immediately stopped her fussing, her eyes glued to the liquid inside the glass bottle.
Just as Ivan was about to feed them some, a flash of golden light streaked by, and his palm sank under the weight of a shiny gold beetle that had appeared.
The beetle didn’t look large, about the same length as the Silkworm Queen, but it was not light, it easily nudged the Silkworm Queen aside, presenting a bossy demeanor.
He sensed the beetle was connected to Randall and didn’t act rashly.
The beetle sniffed at the bottle, then turned to Randall and gurgled something, clearly angry, apparently reproaching Randall for not preparing tasty food, not being diligent, and preferring his own apprentice instead.
In the end, it spat at Randall, and upon contact with the air, the saliva turned into pebbles that flew toward Randall, only to be intercepted by Randall’s fleeting Solidification Magic.
Witnessing this, envy flickered in Ivan’s eyes—this was the hallmark of a Level 1 Sorcerer, Solidification Magic, also known as ‘Talent Sorcery,’ which could be cast instantaneously and consumed exceptionally little energy.
It was this Solidification Magic that created an essential distinction between apprentices and sorcerers.
“Ivan, you’re really doing quite well; I should learn this from you, hahaha.” Randall let out a laugh and beckoned the beetle from his palm to his own.
Could this be the Mentor’s magic pet?
It didn’t seem so; Ivan knew that contracting a magic pet was not something done casually—it required certain sacrifices, and many sorcerers seemed disinterested in having magic pets, even though they were akin to a sorcerer’s second life.
After some covert exchanges with Randall and receiving a promise, the beetle contentedly receded.
“Ahem, you wanted to consult about becoming an official sorcerer, right?”
“Correct, the sooner I prepare, the earlier I can become an official sorcerer,” Ivan replied. He had previously gathered some information, but to truly understand the ins and outs, consulting Randall was more reliable.
“To be honest, with a 3rd Class talent, you don’t have an advantage in the promotion. I hope you don’t rush into advancing; remember this point well, Ivan.” Before addressing the heart of the matter, Randall seriously cautioned him.
He did not want to see his student recklessly force an advancement, only to step down from the ranks of sorcery, a fate he had seen more than once in other apprentices.
“I’ve noted it, I will only start my promotion to official sorcerer after making thorough preparations,” Ivan affirmed with a serious nod. Indeed, for an apprentice with only a 3rd Class talent, the real chance for promotion might come only once—the first time. The odds of success for subsequent attempts were incredibly low, leaving no room for him to squander.
“Let’s talk about the advancement potion. It typically refers to ‘Aqua Alva,’ which has effects similar to the Bubbling Potion, only many times more potent. Once ingested, it vigorously burns the lifeforce inside your body while transforming some of that energy into spiritual power.
Given your inherent talent, the success rate of your promotion upon taking one dose of Aqua Alva is usually around forty percent,” Randall concluded, pausing to give Ivan time to think.
‘Alva’ was actually someone’s name, a name Ivan had encountered. According to records, he was the first sorcerer to land on Moon Pincer Peninsula and the builder of the first Sorcerers Academy. Naming the potion after him indicated its significance.
Ivan pondered for a moment before asking, “Then could I prepare potions rich in lifeforce in advance?”
Shaking his head, Randall replied, “It’s good that you thought of that, but while it is theoretically possible, it doesn’t work in practice. When you are advancing, you’ll be in a very special state; most bodily functions will be suspended, and such potions cannot complete the transformation; their effects are minimal. You can keep them aside to use after a successful advancement.”
Ivan then asked, “Mentor, Combat Energy is a Breath of Life, related to life energy, right?”
“Of course, Combat Energy is also a form of life energy, the shallower variety of it.”
“Then if I were Knight Class, how much could that increase the success rate of advancement?”
“A small amount, about three percent,” Randall estimated.
“And a Great Knight?”
“The Combat Energy of a Great Knight has undergone a more profound transformation and should reach about ten percent,”
Upon hearing Randall’s words, Ivan’s eyes lit up; this seemed like a viable option.
Randall, who knew what he was thinking, advised, “Ivan, as I said before, Combat Energy is a form of life energy, linked to the very essence of life, so never underestimate it just because it seems inferior to the sorcerer’s path.
Just like becoming an official sorcerer, the transformation from Knight to Great Knight is a significant metamorphosis, not something easily achieved. It requires personal accumulation and opportunity, which could take half a year or perhaps a dozen years, or even several decades.”
“I understand,” Ivan replied.
Ivan was well aware of this—he considered his personal accumulation to be substantial.
Personal accumulation refers to one’s mastery and understanding of the Breathing Method and Combat Energy. With the help of the Small Light of Wisdom, his progress had been steady, or else he wouldn’t have ambitiously attempted to develop the ‘Insect Breathing Method.’
What he currently lacked was an opportunity, a chance to have an insight, which would naturally appear after experiencing a variety of events.
Seeing his unconcerned expression, Randall remembered something and couldn’t help but add, “Don’t even think about modifying your body. It’s true that this could help you become a Great Knight, but there are serious drawbacks. It may take you further away from the sorcerer’s path and risk turning you into something that’s neither human nor beast.”
“Mentor, you misunderstand, I really have no intention of modifying my body,” Ivan reassured.
Randall, the giant of a man, was earnestly concerned, and this warmed Ivan’s heart. He emphasized solemnly.
Biological transformation falls under the branch of mutation studies. The name alone suggests the risks—with body modification, one must be prepared for potential mutations. Ivan would certainly not invite trouble for himself.
Seeing his stance, Randall finally felt at ease.
Then, Randall began to discuss the matter of signing a contract with the academy.
For a Sorcerers Academy, each sorcerer is an important cornerstone; with every additional sorcerer, the academy gains more strength. Therefore, the academy offers some assistance to apprentices on the verge of advancement.
A detailed advancement guide, a Level 1 defensive spell, and a bottle of upper-class Aqua Alva.
The precondition is that you need to sign a contract with the academy, which includes all the duties you’ll perform for the academy henceforth. Once the contract is signed, you’ll be tied to the academy.
“Cough, mentor, you said how many years?”
“120 years.”
This time Ivan was sure he hadn’t misheard—once signed, the contract indeed required one to serve the academy for a whole 120 years.
That’s over a century! Comparatively, a thirty-year mortgage from his previous life seemed trivial.
Unwilling to let it go, Ivan asked, “Is it the same for all apprentices?”
“No,” Randall shook his head, then continued, “Those with talent and abilities can have the duration reduced or have looser terms applied, like that apprentice with 5th Class talent from your group.”
“Mentor, what counts as having abilities?”
Ivan eagerly asked, as talent was fixed and not up for discussion, but surely he could be considered as having abilities.
Randall, however, remained silent, responding to his inquiry with silence.
After a pause, Randall said, “That is within the prerogative of the Dean and Vice Dean of the academy; only if they consider someone to have abilities, does he truly possess them. Do you understand?”
Ivan understood—the stipulation was never meant for people of his background.
“What happens if I don’t sign the contract?”
“Then flee as fast and as far as you can, preferably leaving the Moon Pincer Peninsula, or choose not to advance to Level 1 Sorcerer.”
Randall’s words made Ivan realize that they really didn’t have a second option.
The academy was not a charity; without some form of commitment or if they allowed apprentices and sorcerers to leave freely, it would likely decline and not last many years.
Even so, Ivan couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful deep inside and diverted the conversation.
“Mentor, back to the subject of Aqua Alva, how many bottles can one take at most?”
“Usually two, but if you’re willing to risk your life, you can go for one more. Remember, this action poses a severe risk to your life, with a significant mortality rate.”
“Is there another way to obtain Aqua Alva, or perhaps its recipe?”
“Yes, there’s an upcoming opportunity, which involves going to a special secret realm under the Flash Vortex Academy Alliance. If you consider going, I will help you apply.”
Randall responded honestly to Ivan’s questions and provided answers without attempting to influence Ivan’s decisions. Despite his rough exterior, he was indeed a mentor with a delicate heart.
For this, Ivan was grateful in his heart.