Recaps

Gao De used the Crescent Gem to gain power and independence while secretly building his magic, earning money, and finding new ways to strengthen himself. The arc ended with him at Hogan City’s trade fair, considering a rusted magical object that might help improve his strength.

• Gao De killed Ilan, and the Crescent Gem activated with an Origin panel that rewarded him for killing humans.
• Gao De completed the Ash-Eyed Rat Origin by killing Gray Rats and enhanced Repair into Repair+.
• Gao De sold Novice Spider Venom and bought the Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, and Resistance Boost formulas from Yom.
• Gao De used Wind Spirit Moon Shadow as a fixed reference to master Acid Splash, then learned Ray of Frost and Resistance Boost.
• Gao De defeated three miners who attacked him in the Slums and learned they had mistaken him for someone collecting rare herbs for Mage Seda.
• Gao De cleared Dark Mire Lurkers from the sewers, gained their completed Origin, enhanced Acid Splash, and repaired Pierre’s Guidance Ring.
• Gao De delivered potions to Phil’s Herb Shop, returned Pierre’s repaired ring, sold more venom, and increased his savings.
• Gao De visited Hogan City’s trade fair and saw a young stall owner refuse a buyer’s offer for a rusted bronze object said to bear the Okenly Merchant Guild’s mark.

Gao De killed Mage Seda in a battle over the potion trial, then took charge of the herb garden and rebuilt its income. He opened Seda’s locked box, learned about his family and magical research, and ended the stretch preparing for danger while choosing a new spell to study.

• Gao De repaired the Veilmist Fang and, after Mage Seda ordered him to remain in the herb garden, secretly prepared to resist him.
• A giant ratlike Leyline Creature attacked the apprentices, and Gao De killed it after Mage Seda wounded it.
• Gao De confronted Mage Seda during the potion trial, using Veilmist, acid, and flour to trap and kill him, but collapsed from his injuries.
• Emil and the other apprentices asked Gao De to become Garden Master, and Gao De accepted while taking over Seda’s ruined herb garden.
• Gao De restored the garden’s income by making and selling Novice Spider Venom, repaired Pierre’s Beast Speech Ring, and bought a Knock Spell Scroll.
• Gao De opened Seda’s Arcane Wooden Box and found gold, a Mage Apprentice Handbook, spell and potion formulas, and letters from Seda’s wife, Misu, describing his family and hopes of returning to them.
• Gao De hid the valuable formulas, coins, and a mysterious scroll, planned to improve the apprentices’ meals and stockpile food, and chose to study Flame Arrow.

Gao De uncovered the Leyline Creature behind Hogan City's disappearances, sold Seda's herb garden, and left for Bremen City. There he rented a house and began pursuing work as a restoration craftsman while planning to use Seda's recommendation to seek admission to Ceres Academy of Magic.

• Gao De bought the Read Magic and Blade Ward formulas from Yom, learned Read Magic, and deciphered Mage Seda's recommendation letter to Ceres Academy of Magic.
• As people continued disappearing in Hogan City, Gao De concluded that a Leyline Creature had entered through the sewers and was responsible for the slime left at the scenes.
• Gao De watched a blood-red vine drain a victim and used Flame Arrow to attack the Red-Eyed Rats, then fled as the City Guard approached.
• Gao De decided to leave Hogan City, enhanced Flame Arrow with Origin, and tricked Oliver into buying Seda's herb garden for three hundred gold coins.
• Gao De left the herb garden to Emil and escaped Hogan City by joining a caravan bound for Bremen City.
• When a Tunneling Grub attacked the caravan, Gao De struck its eyes with Flame Arrow and helped the travelers kill it before selling its corpse to Jose.
• Gao De entered Bremen City, rented a furnished house from Lady Misu, and bought clothes and a pocket watch while watching his savings dwindle.
• Gao De went to the Artisans' Guild to join as a restoration craftsman, and Master Bas tested him by asking him to repair a Light Orb.

Gao De built a repair business in Bremen, secured a recommendation for Ceres Academy, and joined the defense against creatures drawn by a newborn leyline near Hogan City. He then traveled with a mage convoy to clear the leyline’s outskirts, where deadly battles pushed him to improve his spells and consider the Specialties he might awaken.

• Gao De passed the Artisans’ Guild assessment, opened a repair service as Google Ditu, bought four cantrip formulas, and advanced to Second-Order Apprentice.
• Jerica brought Gao De her mother’s cracked necklace, Lake Heart, and he restored its mana-storing and Feather Fall abilities, earning her payment and a calling card to the Lord’s Manor.
• Gao De visited Pierre and Lady Misu, learned more about leylines and the route to Saint Sien City, and received Seda’s recommendation letter for Ceres Academy.
• A leyline opened near Hogan City and released creatures, while Dire Bats threatened Bremen, so Gao De joined Team Seven to defend the city wall and earned gold and Dire Bat Origin.
• After Mage Frey arrived, Gao De agreed to join the operation near the Hogan Leyline and traveled with Mage Wiersa’s convoy, fighting dangerous creatures including Gray Spine Bees and a Purple Worm.
• Gao De used Origin to upgrade Blade Ward and Resistance Boost, advanced his Guiding Method, and chose to continue the mission despite the deaths and injuries among the apprentices.
• After Wiersa and the enforcement mages killed the Purple Worm, Maciej explained how mages could awaken different Specialties when advancing a Circle, leaving Gao De and the other apprentices wondering what they might gain.