The Sixteenth

"It was said that Advanced Knights possessed more than five times the physical qualities of ordinary people, with combat power comparable to the Kingdom Generals sung of by bards.

Above them were Great Knights, who could mobilize Life Energy and were practically capable of the strength of ten men!

Their specific performance in actual combat was not as simple as five or ten times stronger.

Used well, they could truly defeat a thousand enemies alone, or even take an enemy commander's head from amid a vast army."

Once this was clear, Roy had a general understanding of his own level of strength.

He was a veteran among Intermediate Apprentices—the so-called "old apprentices" who had strengthened their bodies to around the level of Intermediate Knights.

"But even so, compared to true sorcery, this is still utterly insignificant!

Because even Apprentice-level sorcery possessed attacks ranging from several degrees to more than ten degrees, enough to instantly kill these knights.

And the Level 1 Sorcery used by Formal Wizards had Spell Power of more than forty degrees!

That was arcane power refined through Soul Sublimation. It absolutely could not be calculated as simply as 'forty people joining forces in a tug-of-war'!

Not to mention all kinds of extraordinary methods such as curses, healing, flight, and summoning—they were practically inconceivable...

I still have to hurry and increase my spirit power, learn sorcery as soon as possible, and become a Spellcaster!

This isn't merely a difference in the magnitude of strength. Spellcasting itself represents infinite possibilities!"

After finishing his meal, Roy bade farewell to Renion and the others, who were carrying out their duties as stewards, and went to the library to read.

He had no classes scheduled today and planned to make the most of his time to study and grow on his own.

However, while he was still halfway there, the corner of his eye caught sight of Potterning walking over with a gloomy expression.

Roy immediately became alert.

However, Potterning had no intention of paying him any attention. He merely glanced at him indifferently before leaving.

He seemed not to suspect Roy at all.

Roy was slightly surprised, then suddenly understood.

In other people's eyes, an ordinary, mediocre apprentice like him could never possess the nerve or the means to assassinate someone.

Cattle and horses ate grass, while pigs and sheep were destined to be slaughtered at another's will. How could they possibly resist?

If Roy had carried a knife and stood before him in a furious rage, Potterning might even have dared to stretch out his neck and shout, "If you've got the guts, cut here!"

Roy immediately felt that all the excuses he had prepared beforehand had become useless.

He had been struggling against an imaginary enemy.

However, as he watched the other man's back, his eyes remained icy cold.

"I have to hurry and surpass him!

Whether it's becoming an Intermediate Knight or an Advanced Knight...

Or becoming a Spellcaster!

Only strength can give me true confidence!"

Perhaps killing Trides had completed his transformation from "sheep" to "wolf."

There was no longer the slightest trace of fear toward Potterning in his heart. Instead, he was filled with thoughts of how to surpass him—even kill him!

In the days that followed, Roy devoted himself wholeheartedly to studying and improving.

With the help of various alchemical potions, his cultivation progressed gratifyingly. He could successfully manifest nearly one Will Rune every month.

The fourteenth: Peidroluo()...

The fifteenth: Yar'qiz()...

The sixteenth: Suovilo()...

By late April, he had finally and smoothly manifested the sixteenth Will Rune.

The Alchemy Talent Acquisition in Progress panel had also reached 83%.

"Finally, I meet the Witch Tower's requirements!

I'm now a true veteran apprentice. I can advance another step!"

When the shimmering silver rune appeared in his mind, clearly outlined by his Power of Thought,

Roy immediately went to the Dean's Office to apply for a mentor and the corresponding wizardry inheritance.

That was an apprentice benefit including sorcery and Mage Body Modification.

He could hardly wait to become a Spellcaster. That was the true foundation for establishing himself in this Wizarding World.

However, the steward's apprentice merely spread his hands and told him, "There are temporarily no mentors available for assignment. You'll have to wait for now."

Roy's face darkened. "There are no mentors? What's going on?"

"Because all the Tower Stationed Wizards suitable to become mentors are dead!"

The steward's apprentice spread his hands helplessly.

"Last year's Forbidden Experiment failed, and even blasted cracks into the Astral Void...

Countless wizards, apprentices, and vast quantities of precious materials were reduced to ashes. The Witch Tower suffered enormous losses!"

"What about the wizards fighting outside?" Roy asked tentatively.

The Sacred Law of the Wizarding World stipulated that after being promoted to wizard, one could not remain in their homeland without special permission.

Thus, large numbers of wizards and apprentices fought outside, plundering and colonizing one plane and world after another.

Only a tiny number remained in their homeland and belonged to this tower. Even if they all died, it did not matter; they could simply be recalled from outside.

The steward's apprentice said, "Astral communications and travel take at least years as a unit of time. How could they react so quickly?

"Besides, those people are enjoying themselves outside. Without some earth-shattering benefit, how could they be eager to hurry back?

"If it were me, I'd drag it out for ten or eight years, wait for someone else to clean up this mess, and then come back to take over. It wouldn't be too late."

Roy was stunned when he heard this. "Can't I be given an inheritance first and study it on my own?"

The steward's apprentice said, "Of course you can, if you want.

"But if you do that, then when you choose a mentor in the future, you'll have to obey the assignment."

"Why?"

"Because although Wizard Lords are learned and talented in many fields, they aren't proficient in every type of sorcery. You have to specialize in a suitable field to teach it properly."

"That doesn't matter." After hearing this, Roy gritted his teeth. "As long as the Witch Tower permits it."

The steward's apprentice said, "Wait a moment, then. I'll find the available options for you..."

Soon, a list of available choices appeared before Roy.

The Witch Tower did not offer many sorcery options to its apprentices.

But every one of them was a carefully selected foundation, a correct option refined through countless trials!

For example, spells such as "Fireball Spell," "Rocket Spell," "Wall of Fire," "Explosive Fireball," "Multiple Fireballs," and "Meteor Fire Rain."

The names were numerous and dazzling.

But in fact, they all originated from the same spell—the basic model of "Fireball Spell."

And "Fireball Spell" itself originated from "Elemental Refinement."

Therefore, the foundation needed during the Apprentice Stage did not require hundreds of varied spells. Only "Elemental Refinement" was necessary!

Through it, one could master the key "fireball model," then combine it with the relatively simple "launch model"—or even simply hurl it with enough force...

Naturally, one could derive the Level 0 Spell "Small Fireball" independently.

If one wanted to master more advanced spells such as "Fireball Spell" and "Explosive Fireball" in the future, it would merely be a matter of accumulation.

Roy did not even look at the others. He began by selecting from the branches related to alchemy.

In an instant, relatively mainstream basic projects such as "Acid Crafting," "Poison Crafting," "Elemental Refinement," "Activation," "Transmutation," and "Enchanting" appeared before his eyes.

There was also another category consisting of transplantation, enhancement, and modification plans based on Alchemy Ability or Bloodline Modulation.