Chapter Summaries

After the first selection, Ian became a sought-after connection among younger Wizards and secured support, resources, and potions as he prepared for the second-round combat assessment in six months. He exchanged his great merit for a soul resource that would let him enter the dream thirty times, while the Mist-Dispelling Device arrived at the front lines.

• Gabriel invited Ian to his banquet, where Quentin offered water-aspected resources from the Sullivan Family at cost and Joshua apologized for his behavior at the Eastern Wizard Alliance.
• Renard warned Ian that they might compete in the second round and asked about commissioning a Late Second Ring Witchcraft Artifact, while Monica offered to supply him with potions.
• Jenaire told Joshua that Ian would likely become the Alchemy Department's future Top-tier Alchemist and revealed that Ian had developed a Mist-Dispelling Device.
• Ian planned to strengthen his Wizardry and rhythms for the second-round assessment, then told Darwin he was eighty percent confident of passing if he had enough resources.
• Darwin secured Ian a place in the Alchemy Department Key Personnel Cultivation Sequence, granting him ten units of Elemental Crystal and three hundred thousand in resources each month.
• Ian collected the department's resources and exchanged his great merit for a soul-related resource sufficient for thirty dream visits, while the Mist-Dispelling Device arrived at the front lines.

Ian’s Mist-Dispelling Device weakened the mist across the White Stone Mountains, turning the tide of a major battle and making his name famous among the wizard academies. After receiving an Academy reward and avoiding visitors, Ian entered seclusion to prepare for his Reserve Elemental Child assessment, and a month and a half later Wind Rhythm reached its limit.

• At Scarlet Fortress, Abraham and Adam watched Martin activate Ian’s Mist-Dispelling Devices, which gradually weakened the mist and restored much of the wizards’ strength.
• When White Stone Wizard Academy’s forces attacked, Abraham rallied the fortress defenders, whose empowered cannons killed and wounded dozens before the enemy was defeated.
• Wizards across the White Stone Mountains praised Ian, while Aislin bought information about him, Bobby Emerson put him on White Stone Wizard Academy’s wanted list, and Gray Furnace Wizard Academy ordered its alchemists to study the device.
• Aaron and Simon rewarded Ian with one hundred units of Elemental Crystal, and Ian declined visitors as he prepared for his Reserve Elemental Child assessment.
• After a month and a half of seclusion and practice, Ian’s Wind Rhythm reached its limit.

Ian reached Expert Level in Wind Rhythm, gained a second Replenishment Wizardry from Camilla, and set out to claim the complete Rule Fragment in the Storm Eye. After killing a bounty hunter who tracked him, Ian found a transformed Wind Elemental Envoy guarding the fragment and prepared to fight it.

• Ian completed cultivation in the Wind Abyss, and Gunnar urged Nicole to stay by Ian and avoid displeasing him.
• Ian entered Camilla’s dream trial, reached the middle section of the Storm Eye, advanced Wind Rhythm to Expert Level, and received a second Replenishment Wizardry from Camilla.
• Ian left secretly for the Storm Plains, but a Late-Stage Peak Second Ring Wizard ambushed him; Ian overwhelmed the attacker with a storm and continued on.
• Ian reached the Storm Eye’s core and discovered a Wind Elemental Envoy, changed by the leaking aura of the Rule Fragment, guarding the area.
• Ian drew his staff and advanced toward the Wind Elemental Envoy, determined to kill it and take the fragment.

Ian defeated the Wind Elemental Envoy in the Storm Eye, then searched the unstable core and collected its valuable remains and other treasures. He also found a Life Wizard tracking technique and turned toward the trip’s greatest prize, whose cracked box had just opened.

• Ian used Balance Domain to weaken the Wind Elemental Envoy and matched its storm with his own wind magic.
• The Wind Elemental Envoy shattered one of its cores to strengthen its storm, but Ian overclocked the Four Symbols Furnace and destroyed it, absorbing its remaining cores.
• Ian drove off nearby wind-element creatures, took Monica's potion, and assessed the damage from his overclocking.
• Ian entered the Storm Eye's core and collected natural wind Elemental Crystals, damaged Witchcraft Artifacts, Troy Wood, and other resources.
• Ian found a Life Pattern Tracing scroll from the Circle of Withering and Flourishing in the late second-ring Wizard's storage ring.
• Ian opened the cracked box at the deepest part of the Storm Eye and saw what was inside.

Ian studied the Storm Rule Fragment, improved his Wind Rhythm, and comprehended Water Rhythm at Frostbreath Lake while preparing for the second assessment. The assessment began after he gathered intelligence on the other contestants, though his Storm Inscription’s final supplementary wizardry had not yet reached Master Level.

• Ian sealed the Storm Rule Fragment in a box and discovered that its aura strengthened his Wind Rhythm and offered insight into the Storm Inscription.
• Over the next month and a half, Ian used the fragment to summon stronger storms, raise his Wind Rhythm, and study the Darkfire fragments within his consciousness.
• Ian visited Frostbreath Lake, where Grey guided him to a better place to comprehend Water Rhythm.
• Ian comprehended Water Rhythm, improving the operation of his Transcendent Organs and Four Symbols abilities.
• Ian learned that the second assessment would use groups of five, gathered detailed intelligence through the Edward Family, and continued developing the final supplementary wizardry for his Storm Inscription.
• The second-round assessment arrived with Ian’s Storm Inscription wizardry slightly past Expert Level but not yet at Master Level.

Ian prepared a luxurious set of Witchcraft Artifacts and restorative potions for the second-round group competition. After Gabriel defeated Grey, Ian began his match against Joshua and unleashed a devastating Darkfire attack, leaving the battle unresolved.

• Ian equipped a top Second Ring staff, five Advanced Second Ring Witchcraft Artifacts, and three restorative potions before heading to the arena.
• Aaron announced the group draw: Gabriel faced Grey, Ian faced Joshua, and Cerys received the first-round bye.
• Gabriel overwhelmed Grey with his molten radiance body and won after she conceded.
• Ian and Joshua began their match, with Joshua attacking using a massive hand of earth that Ian's flames melted.
• Ian countered with an enhanced Smelting Hand, infused it with Darkfire, and sent the nearly black Demon's Hand toward Joshua.

Ian defeated Joshua by using Darkfire to sever the earth connection that sustained Joshua’s defense, then watched the other group’s matches and prepared for his next bout. Ten days later, the second round began with Ian facing Grey.

• Ian’s Demon's Hand overwhelmed Joshua’s earth giant after Darkfire scorched the ground and disrupted its connection to the earth, earning Ian the victory.
• Quentin defeated Curtis, and Monica defeated Jasper with potion abilities tied to her Transcendent Physique; Monica told Ian he could buy potions only through her.
• News of Ian’s victory spread through the Academy, and he spent the ten-day break improving his Storm Inscription and training.
• At the second-round draw, Ian was matched against Grey, Joshua against Cerys, and Gabriel received a bye.
• Ian and Grey entered the arena, and their match began at the referee’s command.

Ian defeated Grey in the second-round match by using his powerful Wind Rhythm to break through her preparations against his fire and Darkfire. As Joshua and Cerys began the final match, Ian watched with growing seriousness, realizing he might have underestimated Cerys.

• Grey used potions, her Ice Soul physique, and an ice-filled environment to suppress Ian's fire and keep her distance.
• Ian revealed his powerful Wind Rhythm and used the Storm Staff to tear apart Grey's ice domain and overwhelm her with wind blades.
• After a wind blade cut her cheek, Grey surrendered, and Ian was declared the winner; she accepted that she had been outplanned.
• Ian invited Flynn to a gathering, while Grey left the arena after asking her teacher whether she could have beaten Ian with better preparation.
• Gabriel realized Ian had also comprehended Earth Rhythm, and Simon and the other Wizards began treating Ian with greater respect.
• Cerys and Joshua started their final-round match, and Ian watched Cerys closely as he recognized her strength.

Ian watched Cerys defeat Joshua, then drew a bye in the second-round matches while Gabriel defeated Cerys and Grey beat Joshua. After raising his Inscribed Hurricane to Master Level and perfecting Storm Inscription, Ian agreed to fight Cerys ahead of schedule, leaving their battle about to begin.

• Cerys used her Shadow Wind Transcendent Physique and Wind Rhythm to overwhelm Joshua and win their second-round match.
• At a banquet, Derek introduced Ian to Henry Carpenter and Angelica, and the group shared intelligence about the upcoming assessment.
• Ian drew a bye while Gabriel defeated Cerys and Grey defeated Joshua, leaving Ian with time to improve his Wizardry.
• Ian raised Inscribed Hurricane to Master Level and perfected Storm Inscription, gaining more powerful compression and control over his storms.
• Cerys asked Ian to fight her early so they could conserve strength and prepare for the final match, and Ian agreed.
• Ian and Cerys began their advance battle in a gigantic combat arena.

Ian demonstrated to Cerys that his storm magic far surpassed her strength, then won their staged fourth-round match before forfeiting to Gabriel in the final round. The selection ended with Gabriel, Quentin, Ian, Renard, and Cerys confirmed as provisional Reserve Elemental Children.

• Ian unleashed a storm he estimated was about sixty percent of his full strength, and Cerys admitted she would surrender if they met in the next round.
• Ian focused on alchemy and Wind Rhythm while a week passed, then defeated Cerys in a staged match that secured their places among the group’s top two.
• Ian forfeited to Gabriel in the final round, and Cerys defeated Grey to claim third place.
• Drake defeated Quentin, while Monica secured third place in the second group.
• Cerys defeated Monica in the fight for fifth, completing the five selections.
• Aaron announced Gabriel, Quentin, Ian, Renard, and Cerys as the provisional Reserve Elemental Children.

At the Academy Assembly, Ian and four others received Reserve Elemental Child badges while Kieran and four others were named Elemental Children. Ian discovered that his new status granted extensive resources, training access, and knowledge privileges, and left eager to claim them.

• Ian learned why the five Elemental Children had been selected and celebrated Kieran's appointment with his faction, though he worried it would draw too much attention.
• At the Academy Assembly, Aaron awarded badges to Kieran, Damian, Huo Yan, Ronan, and Stefan as Elemental Children.
• Simon presented Reserve Elemental Child badges to Gabriel, Quentin, Ian, Renard, and Cerys, while the Winston Family reacted with dismay.
• Ian read his new benefits notice, which granted him resource quotas and sites, access to rare dreams and training facilities, knowledge permissions, and other privileges.
• After Aaron ended the assembly, Ian prepared to begin using the benefits of his new status.

After becoming a Reserve Elemental Child, Ian gained influence, resource sites, and access to Peak Second Ring wizardry, while preparing for the next phase of the war. He learned the basics of Wind Curtain Water Wall, and half a year passed as the Winston Family waited for a chance to strike at Kieran and his students.

• At a high-class banquet, Ian met influential wizards, secured a possible trade partnership with the Chaha Family, and learned from Renard that the war’s next phase might begin in a year or two.
• Bryce gave Ian control of three valuable resource sites, and Ian used his selection privilege to obtain the Wind Curtain Water Wall spell from the Academy’s secret repository.
• Ian returned to his Wizard Tower, oversaw work on its elemental channels, and resumed developing the Resonance Laboratory while his Chamber of Commerce expanded its sales channels.
• Elder Winston and the allied family heads rejected making peace with Kieran and decided to wait for an opportunity to attack him and his students.
• Half a month later, Ian mastered the basics of Wind Curtain Water Wall and continued training toward the dream realm’s core while sensing the Storm Fragment; six months passed.

Ian shattered the second dream layer, reached Master Level Wind Rhythm, and uncovered a memory of Metatron hiding four Rule Fragments in an underground laboratory. A week later, Ian entered another dream and found himself face-to-face with Metatron, who told him to call him teacher.

• Ian learned that Henry had advanced to the Second Ring and heard Ian warn him about the Winston Family and its hidden supporters.
• Ian received the Advanced Second Ring Alchemist inheritance from Darwin and reported progress on the Resonance Meditation Room project.
• Ian entered the Storm Eye, defeated the Wind Elemental Envoy, and shattered the dream to reveal Metatron building an underground laboratory and leaving four Rule Fragments there.
• Ian reached Master Level Wind Rhythm and realized he might be able to trigger a limited Rule-based attack using the Storm Fragment.
• A week later, Ian entered the dream again and found himself in Metatron's laboratory, where Metatron corrected him and told him to call him teacher.

Ian developed a prototype for Elemental Transmutation with Metatron's dream guidance and located the laboratory in the White Stone Mountains. As the Academies prepared an alchemy base near the front lines, Ian agreed to go there despite Darwin expecting him to refuse.

• Metatron tasked Ian with perfecting Elemental Transmutation, but Ian initially struggled with the research and gained insights into Water Rhythm and Earth Rhythm from the law fragments.
• Ian reversed the logic of the power of the Four Symbols and created a Wind-and-Fire Elemental Transmutation prototype, which led Metatron to guide him more actively in the dream.
• Ian used landmarks from his memories to locate Metatron's laboratory in the White Stone Mountains and received a password after demonstrating his prototype in the dream.
• After mining in the outer region ended, the Academies began preparing an alchemy base at the front lines, and Darwin summoned Ian to tell him he would be sent there.
• Ian agreed to go to the front lines, surprising Darwin.

Ian arrived at the Alchemy Fortress, where his reputation for creating the Mist-Dispelling Device earned him unusually favorable treatment. When the other academies launched a coordinated ambush and targeted him, Ian killed their newly advanced Peak Second Ring leader instantly and turned toward the remaining attackers.

• Ian traveled with the Academy alchemists and their subordinates to the White Stone Vein region to help build the Alchemy Fortress.
• Clyde welcomed Ian warmly because the Mist-Dispelling Device had saved many Wizards, while Ian received better quarters and a larger laboratory than the project leaders.
• Jasper followed Elder Winston's plan and exposed Ian's information to enemy spies, who arranged for a Peak Second Ring Wizard and three Late Second Ring Wizards to attack him.
• The other academies destroyed the Mist-Dispelling Devices and launched a coordinated assault on the fortress, tying down its defenders.
• Ian lured the four attackers away from the fortress and used Balance Destruction and a storm attack to kill their Peak Second Ring leader instantly.
• Ian faced the three remaining Late Second Ring Wizards and told them it was their turn.

Ian killed the wizards who pursued him, helped restore the fortress’s Mist-Dispelling Devices, and collected valuable loot and knowledge from the battle. As the Winston family faced an investigation over suspected collusion with the enemy, Ian finally found the laboratory’s location.

• Ian killed four pursuers, including a peak Second Ring wizard, then killed Jasper and burned away the traces of the fight.
• Ian repaired two Mist-Dispelling Devices, helping the fortress recover and repel the attack as the warband arrived.
• Stefan praised Ian’s role in the battle, and Ian later sorted the four enemies’ rings and found valuable wizardry knowledge.
• The Academy rewarded Ian with resources and a chance to exchange for top-tier knowledge while he continued searching for the laboratory.
• Elder Winston suspected Ian had killed Jasper and was summoned by the Tribunal Department over the Winston family’s suspected collusion with the enemy.
• One month later, Ian finally found the laboratory’s location.

Ian found Metatron’s hidden laboratory and discovered that its four Rule Fragments and lower floors required a key from the dream to access fully. With the Academies expected to reach the central zone in five years, Ian spent the next three years strengthening his alchemy and preparing to clear the dream laboratory before it was discovered.

• Ian entered the hidden laboratory, activated the Rule Fragment device, and found that he could use the four fragments but could not remove them without a key.
• Ian learned that the other Academies were expected to excavate to the central zone in five years, giving him a deadline to clear the laboratory’s lower floors in the dream.
• Ian continued working at the Alchemy Base, repairing artifacts and conducting experiments in Metatron’s laboratory while the Academies fought over mineral nodes.
• Three years later, Ian had raised his four core alchemical artifacts to expert level and several frontline consumables to master level.
• Ian reviewed his improved skills and talent, recognized that he still needed more elemental crystals, and decided to resolve the Resonance Laboratory’s final issue before applying to advance to the project group.

Ian completed the Resonance Meditation Room project with Augusto’s help, and its performance surpassed the Academy’s existing devices. After returning to the City of Elements, he presented it to the Academy’s review panel, which formally approved the project.

• Ian asked Augusto to help fix the connection between the Resonance Rune Array and the Meditation Room, and Augusto discovered Ian had reached the level of an Advanced Alchemist.
• Ian and Augusto completed the Resonance Meditation Room, which reached an elemental concentration of thirty-five units and repelled the White Stone Mountains’ mist.
• Ian returned to the City of Elements with his project team and took several days off with Audrey, Vilo, and Chris before the review.
• Simon joined the review panel, and the Meditation Room reached thirty-six units of elemental concentration while outperforming ordinary rooms in abnormal environments.
• Simon approved the project after the tests showed over fifty percent greater elemental enrichment, forty percent greater resistance to abnormal environments, ten percent lower resource consumption, and comparable production difficulty.

After Ian's Meditation Room project passed review, he received major rewards and sought approval for a new Resonance Meditation Method project. He became a project team leader and then asked to take the Advanced Alchemist assessment, with the department's alchemists gathered to witness it.

• Simon praised Ian for the Meditation Room project, promised Academy rewards, and said he would seek Association approval for Ian's Resonance Meditation Method project.
• Ian received one major merit, three million contribution points, access to valuable knowledge, and an inheritance crystal containing the Dragon Breath Wizardry.
• Ian exchanged for three more Wizardries related to Elemental Transmutation and submitted his project proposal to the Academy.
• Darwin promoted Ian to project team leader, but Ian asked to apply for the Advanced Alchemist assessment instead.
• Darwin summoned the alchemists to the advanced laboratory, where he announced that Ian wanted to advance and invited them to observe.

Ian passed the Advanced Second Ring Alchemist assessment with exceptional results and received a project leader’s badge. At the Alchemy Department meeting, he was assigned a major airship weapon project with a preliminary budget of ten million contribution points.

• Ian refined all fifteen assessment materials with high recovery rates, demonstrated mastery of alchemical techniques, and crafted three Witchcraft Artifacts with elevated spirits.
• Darwin certified Ian as an Advanced Second Ring Alchemist after Ian explained that he had learned the Flame Spirit Invocation Method from a friend at the Gray Tower.
• Several days later, Ian received his Advanced Alchemist badge and took the fourth seat at the Alchemy Department meeting.
• Ian considered how his new project leader status increased his resource allowance and gave him authority to launch projects and assemble teams.
• Darwin assigned Ian a project to develop a High-Order Second Ring long-range weapon for an Airship, with a preliminary budget of ten million contribution points, and Ian eagerly accepted.