Fate and Choice

Sanders had always been indifferent to Flora's clamor.

The corners of his lips curled in a faint smile, softening his stern features by a few degrees.

"You are very good. You shine into illusion and bring forth reality. Your talent is anything but ordinary." Sanders extended a hand toward Angel, who had fallen to the ground.

Angel hesitated for a moment. The man standing before him was feared even by Formal Wizards. If he refused to take his hand, would he get beaten up? After struggling with himself for a moment, Angel still took Sanders's hand.

Sanders pulled him to his feet and looked at Angel with deep brown eyes. "Are you willing to become my student?"

Before Sanders's words had even faded, the surrounding supernaturals' whispers abruptly ceased, followed by waves of uproar.

"Sanders actually wants to take Angel as his student?! Th-this... this has to be the biggest news in the Southern Region this year!"

"To this day, Sanders has only taken two students. Both of them advanced to become Formal Wizards. This mortal brat has truly stumbled into a great fortune!"

"Hmph, rather than saying he stumbled into great fortune, shouldn't you be thinking about why Sanders wants to accept him as a disciple?"

"That's right, what is so special about him? Could it be that bizarre event that occurred when he spoke about testing talents earlier?"

"Shh—Sanders made such a fierce move just now, rushing into the hall before Heloline could test his talent. Hasn't that already made the issue clear?" someone cried out, plunging everyone into thought.

That was right. Sanders had never acted so excessively before. Even when Lord Jeral and Lady Flora were at daggers drawn outside the restaurant, he had not spared them a second glance. Yet this time, he had acted so impulsively. There had to be something here they did not understand... For instance, perhaps this youth named Angel possessed some special talent that made even Sanders impatient to take him under his wing?

It was just that... no matter how good one's talent was, it could only be considered icing on the cake to a Formal Wizard.

No Wizard would truly use a person's talent as the standard for accepting a disciple. There were simply too many factors to consider when advancing to become a Formal Wizard. Ordinary talents and special talents each had their own advantages.

And once one truly became a Formal Wizard, talent only determined a Wizard's lower limit. The accumulation of knowledge was the most important factor in determining a Wizard's upper limit.

By that reasoning, Angel's talent had actually made Sanders willing to make an exception and accept a disciple.

Then... just how high would Angel's lower limit be after becoming a Wizard?!

Their imaginations ran wild. Every Wizard Apprentice looked at Angel with deep envy in their eyes. Their own futures remained uncertain, yet this youth already had one of the Southern Region's highest-ranking Wizards taking the initiative to accept him as a disciple!

Why was the gap between people so enormous? And this youth's luck was simply exploding! First a gold card, then an offer of discipleship—why did none of it fall to them?

The atmosphere at the scene was strange. Not only were the Wizard Apprentices jealous, even several Formal Wizards felt somewhat envious.

There was an enormous difference between a 1st-level Wizard and a 2nd-level Wizard. If they had had a 2nd-level Wizard personally guiding them, perhaps their current achievements would have been even greater...

Heloline finally understood why she had been so restless all this time. So that was it!

There was no doubt that Angel's talent had to be exceptionally outstanding. Otherwise, why would Sanders have moved before she could appraise Angel's talent?

A genius student who had been about to enter White Coral Floating Island Academy had been intercepted halfway. No wonder she had felt so unsettled!

Heloline's beautiful eyes were filled with struggle. She wanted to say something, but Sanders had never relaxed the pressure he exerted on her. Moreover, the pressure she felt was even greater than before. Now, she could not even move a finger.

Heloline could only pray silently in her heart: Don't agree. Whatever you do, don't agree. Though she knew such prayers were nearly useless.

The discussions lasted only an instant, and the situation in the arena did not change because of their clamor.

Angel felt that ever since he had encountered that strange seabird aboard the Bauhinia, certain things had begun to ferment and change. From beginning to end, he had remained in a dazed state, yet some unknown force had pushed him to where he stood now.

In a daze, he had accepted the gold card; in a daze, he had stepped onto the deck; in a daze, Soup Weasel had taken him away; in a daze, he had chosen the Fragment Mayfly. Just when he had thought this muddled journey was about to end, the noble-looking man before him had extended an invitation to become his disciple.

An unknown force had pushed Angel onward in an unknown direction, and the future had changed amid all those unknowns.

If the Idealist Faction's Philosophers on Earth were to discuss this force, perhaps they would give it a new name—

They called it: Fate.

Whether that mysterious and unfathomable fate was the chief culprit behind Angel standing at the center of this whirlpool, he did not know. The only thing he knew was that he needed to give an answer. Otherwise, never mind the man before him—even the scorching gazes of the other supernaturals around him were like blades, spears, swords, and halberds, making him unbearably uneasy.

"Sir, I promised Lord Moro that I would go to White Coral Floating Island Academy..."

"You wish to save that mentor of yours? Mm, if I remember correctly, his name is Jon?" Sanders asked.

.

"Yes."

"Do you think that after entering White Coral Floating Island Academy, a Formal Wizard will teach you and enable you to find a way to save your mentor within five years?"

"I... don't know, but I will work hard." Angel hesitated somewhat. He had heard Moro say that apprentices entering Wizard organizations would have a Formal Wizard as a mentor, but they were only nominal students. What they learned also depended on the Wizard's mood. Truly becoming a Formal Wizard's disciple was indeed very difficult.

Meanwhile, Heloline wanted to say, "I'll teach you." But she had no chance to speak, and the other Wizards would not possibly offend Sanders by speaking up at this moment.

"Sometimes, hard work does not bring good results. If you take me as your master, I can teach you personally." Sanders rubbed his white glove. "Five years from now, if you still do not possess the power to save your mentor, I can give you a magic-patterned leather scroll capable of freezing any living being in any state, buying your mentor another five years. Of course, if you remain powerless after ten years, then his death will be destined."

Sanders's words made Angel abruptly lift his head.

Ten years.

It had already been nearly half a year since he left Pat Manor, and he had not even reached the Prosperous Continent. Wanting to return within five years to save Jon, who was already at death's door, left him with truly far too little time. Though Angel had not shown it on his face in recent months, he had been anxious all along. Now that Sanders said he could give him ten years, the scales in his heart began to tilt. What he lacked most was time.

"Well? Do you have an answer?"

Sanders appeared utterly relaxed and at ease, as though Angel's choice did not matter to him in the slightest. But only Flora, who knew him best, could see the urgency and obsession faintly hidden in his eyes. Flora even felt that if Angel chose to refuse, Sanders might directly knock him unconscious and carry him away.

"Just what kind of talent is this? It has made Mentor value him so highly." Even Flora felt somewhat envious of Angel's good fortune.

Angel pondered for a moment, then glanced at Moro in the distance.

Moro did not see Angel's gaze, but he noticed someone else's.

Heloline.

Heloline was glaring at him with a vicious look.

At first, Moro did not understand why Heloline was so furiously enraged at him. But when he recalled the regretful look Heloline had given Angel earlier, Moro suddenly understood.

Clearly, Heloline blamed him for failing to notice Angel's talent from the start. Otherwise, how could Sanders have suddenly appeared out of nowhere halfway through?

Moro felt wronged as well. Who could have known, when testing Angel's talent, that Angel's talent was not merely "floating"? Besides, he had only just advanced at the time. In his excitement, a little oversight had been unavoidable.

But Moro did not dare argue with Heloline. If he really argued with her, would he still have a place to stand at the academy in the future?

Seeing Heloline hold a grudge against him, Moro felt a chill seep down his spine. He was merely an apprentice, no different from an ant before a Formal Wizard. Even if Heloline beat him to death, the academy would consider it only natural.

As Moro thought of that unknown and perilous future, his thoughts turned, and he gritted his teeth fiercely, making a decision in his heart.