The Secret of the Crystal

Dark clouds churned endlessly above the Hatak Imperial Nation. Gale-force winds swept the clouds into a spiral centered on the magic tower. At that moment, the sky looked like a gray, murky sea, with every surge of wind and cloud revolving around the brilliant, radiant magic tower.

Such a magnificent spectacle always possessed a peculiar beauty. Although the visual impact of storm clouds pressing down could often evoke unpleasant feelings of oppression, sorrow, and helplessness, perhaps to the powerful mages within the magic tower, a sky that seemed to be brewing something was the most splendid of all.

"I really can't sit still. It hasn't even been ten thousand years, and that desire to pursue enormous profits through adventure has surfaced again!"

Punk lightly stepped away from the window. Shaking his head as he muttered to himself, he calmly teleported back to his laboratory.

Ever since that window had been opened in the walls of the magic tower, Punk would always spend some time gazing at the scenery high above during breaks from his experiments. Speaking of which, this method of occasionally appreciating beautiful views had been "created" by the mentor of Archmage Wedraxia—the Hand of Distant Skies. At least, Wedraxia believed that occasionally emptying one's mind and letting one's thoughts wander helped inspire new ideas, and Legendary-tier alchemical research often needed inspiration most of all.

Punk had followed that "primitive method" as well. Although the caster had yet to gain any true inspiration from it... Punk had come to understand the desires in his own heart a little more clearly.

He did not know when it had begun. Perhaps it was after he had learned Legendary Magic and acquired the basic means to protect himself. Punk, who had never enjoyed "settling down and developing," had found it increasingly difficult