Chapter Summaries

Gao De used Clover Elixir to accelerate his cultivation and strengthen his toxin adaptation, then advanced his Rune Fabrication Technique to the second tier while practicing. As he prepared for the Sea Sentinel retest, he reached 26 drops of Liquid Mana, improved his rune success rate, and learned Mage Armor and Light Step.

• Gao De discovered that Clover Elixir triggered Adaptation, increasing his resistance to toxins, and used its mana vortex to cultivate nearly ten times faster and condense his twenty-fifth drop of Liquid Mana.
• Gao De practiced rune fabrication with the Mandora Demon Eye and Body of Pain Tolerance, achieved the second-tier fabrication level, and then failed his next attempt.
• Gao De established a daily routine of cultivation, rune practice, and Spell Model construction while waiting for the Sea Sentinel retest.
• On Frostgold Month 10, Gao De drank four more bottles of Clover Elixir, reached 26 drops of Liquid Mana, and saw his toxin adaptation stall after he ran out of the elixir.
• Gao De raised his second-tier rune fabrication success rate to nearly fifty percent and constructed Mage Armor and Light Step Spell Models for the combat retest.
• Gao De spent First Circle Origin on Mage Armor, which strengthened the target's physical defense and inflicted physical recoil on attackers.

Gao De arrived at Dorn Harbor for the Sea Sentinel retest and watched the first candidate face Paul, a giant octopus, while the examiners monitored the underwater battle. Bonn Mack was swiftly defeated and failed, leaving the remaining Mages to await their turns.

• Gao De boarded the Interceptor, where more than thirty Mages had gathered for the Sea Sentinel retest.
• Warrant Officer Xilin arrived with three junior Mages and ordered the assessment to begin.
• The examiners introduced Paul, a late-stage First Circle Mutant Giant Octopus, and explained that candidates had to fight it to earn a passing score.
• Bonn Mack cast protective and enhancement spells, then jumped from the deck into the water to face Paul.
• Paul struck Bonn into the sea, later dragged him back onto the deck, and left him visibly defeated.
• Warrant Officer Xilin marked Bonn Mack as failed, and the staff member called Pao Locke next.

Gao De faced the giant octopus Paul in the Sea Sentinel retest after the other candidates failed, and his preparations let him evade Paul's attacks underwater. He marked Paul and began analyzing its weaknesses, leaving the battle still in progress.

• Pao Locke and the remaining candidates were thrown into the sea by Paul and failed the retest.
• Warrant Officer Xilin and the other Sea Sentinel Mages discussed Gao De's exceptional talent and debated whether to relax the scoring standards for him.
• Gao De cast defensive spells and Wolf's Speed+, evaded Paul's tentacle by springing off it, and struck Paul with Magic Missile Burst+, which barely affected it.
• Gao De entered the water, used his enhanced current perception to dodge Paul's underwater tentacle, and cast Hunter's Mark+ and Frostbite.
• Gao De activated his Mandora Demon Eye and Seize the Initiative to analyze Paul and search for its weaknesses.

Gao De battled Paul underwater, using defensive spells, lightning, and Arcane Chorus+ to exploit the giant octopus’s weaknesses before being caught and brought back to the deck. Warrant Officer Xilin praised his performance and marked him as having passed the Sea Sentinel’s second assessment with distinction.

• Gao De endured Paul’s tentacle strikes with Shield Spell+ and Mage Armor+, then used Lightning Lure to conduct electricity through the seawater and slow Paul.
• Warrant Officer Xilin recognized Gao De’s advanced spellwork and combat tactics as Gao De steadied himself and decided to keep fighting beyond what was needed to pass.
• Gao De used Arcane Chorus+ to calm Paul, swam close, and slashed the weak point where its arms joined its head with Primal Savagery.
• Paul broke free of the spell and bound Gao De with several tentacles, but Warrant Officer Xilin ordered Paul to stop and bring him to the deck.
• Gao De told Warrant Officer Xilin that he really was a genius, and Xilin agreed after marking him as passed with exceptional performance.

After Gao De passed the Sea Sentinel retest, Warrant Officer Xilin investigated his origins because he came from Sien Province, now part of the Holy Empire. Xilin confirmed Gao De’s history was legitimate, and Captain Merrick approved his recruitment into the Sea Sentinel.

• Gao De passed the retest while the other mages failed, and Warrant Officer Xilin told him to await the results of a background investigation.
• Warrant Officer Xilin reported to Captain Merrick that a contract and testimony from a surviving merchant linked Gao De to Hogan City and confirmed his past as a beggar and apprentice.
• Xilin recounted how Gao De escaped Hogan City before its Leyline outbreak, attended Ceres Academy, endured imprisonment, and later crossed the mountains into Plantagenet territory.
• Warrant Officer Xilin concluded Gao De’s background was clean and urged Merrick to recruit him as a promising talent.
• Captain Merrick accepted the investigation’s findings and signed the document recruiting Gao De into the Sea Sentinel.

Gao De officially joined the Sea Sentinels and learned how their duties, military merit, and promotion system worked. After completing his registration and receiving his identification, uniforms, and housing key, he followed Melia to collect his required spell materials and a beast pet.

• Melia guided Gao De through the Sea Sentinels' duties, explaining their patrols, assignments, military merit, and performance assessments.
• Gao De learned that newcomers handled inland waterways until they reached the third circle, while sea patrols offered greater opportunities to earn higher-class merit.
• Gao De completed his registration, signed his salary and service documents, and received his identification badge, two uniforms, and a key to assigned housing.
• Melia explained that Gao De would receive an Ocean's Touch spell formula and Spell Elixir, then take a beast pet from the Azure Wave Enclosure.

Melia showed Gao De around the Abyssal White Tower, where he collected the Ocean's Touch spell formula and Spell Elixir and learned about reimbursements. She then took him to the Azure Wave Enclosure to receive a water capybara, which immediately warmed to him.

• Melia explained how the Sea Sentinels bred water capybaras to help locate water beasts and brought Gao De into the Abyssal White Tower.
• Gao De collected the Ocean's Touch spell formula and Spell Elixir from Mage Neil after signing a supply form.
• Melia introduced Gao De to Miss Rosanne, who explained the Sea Sentinels' mission reimbursement rules.
• Melia took Gao De by carriage to the Azure Wave Enclosure, where a caretaker summoned his water capybara with a whistle.
• Gao De declined the whistle and reached toward the wary water capybara, which gently rubbed its head against his palm.

Gao De bonded with a capybara named Tuanzi, completed the Sea Sentinel’s registration and boarding arrangements, and learned that he would undergo Combat Mage training before taking missions. Melia brought him to Collingwood Institute and showed him the dormitory assigned to him.

• Gao De used Beast Bond+ to establish a mental link with the capybara, learned about its detection, speed, and shrinking abilities, and named it Tuanzi.
• Gao De completed Tuanzi’s collection procedures at Azure Wave Enclosure, received his registration certificate and Capybara Pouch, and paid a year’s boarding fee.
• Melia explained that new Sea Sentinel recruits had to pass Combat Mage initial training before they could undertake missions.
• Melia took Gao De through Vantorenn District and showed him Collingwood Institute, where his training would take place.
• Gao De arrived at the Sea Sentinel dormitory in building 6, where his suite was on the second floor.

Gao De settled into Sea Sentinel housing, learned about his initial training, and chose three guiding mages, but all three declined because he was a foreigner or they doubted they could guide him. Captain Merrick assigned him to Mage Nasi, and Gao De arrived at Collingwood Institute for training the next morning.

• Gao De moved into Building No. 6, drank the Ocean's Touch Spell Elixir, and chose Heller, Raven, and Mason as his preferred guiding mages.
• Gao De ate at the Sea Sentinels' mess hall and heard a broadcast reporting military merits and the latest selection results.
• Heller, Raven, and Mason refused to guide Gao De, while Captain Merrick assigned him to Mage Nasi, who had previously guided Mage Jaden.
• Gao De arrived early at Collingwood Institute, presented his identity badge, and was welcomed inside.

Gao De began Combat Mage training under Mage Nasi, who taught him that courage and composure were essential to fighting effectively. Nasi also introduced him to a breathing technique for strengthening Magic Meridians and gave him Vein-Opening Tincture to use with it.

• Mage Nasi told Gao De that his three chosen instructors had declined, then explained that combat skill and judgment mattered alongside power, mana, spells, specialties, and equipment.
• Nasi demonstrated Gao De’s instinctive fear of attacks and began training him to face danger without closing his eyes.
• Nasi took Gao De to a rooftop terrace and instructed him to stand on one leg with his eyes closed; Gao De struggled to hold his balance and was told to practice early every day.
• Nasi explained that breathing techniques expanded fine Magic Meridians to create more efficient routes for magical power.
• Nasi gave Gao De Vein-Opening Tincture and warned him that its toxicity limited him to twenty bottles a month.

Gao De learned the Limitless Breathing Technique from Mage Nasi and used his unusual pain tolerance and Mandora Demon Eye to master it far faster than expected. After sensing his tiny Magic Meridians, he learned that Mage Nasi would explain how to construct primary Magic Meridians during their next training session.

• Mage Nasi gave Gao De a Vein-Opening Tincture and demonstrated the Limitless Breathing Technique.
• Gao De struggled to coordinate his breathing with his mana, but his pain tolerance let him persist through the tincture's effects.
• Gao De used his Mandora Demon Eye to construct a model of the technique and followed its energy routes during his next attempt.
• When the tincture wore off, Gao De persuaded Mage Nasi to let him drink another bottle and continue practicing.
• Gao De sensed the tiny Magic Meridians within his body and initially mastered the Limitless Breathing Technique.
• Mage Nasi explained that Gao De would next choose routes and use mana and medicine to construct primary Magic Meridians, promising to teach him more the next day.

Gao De continued his Sea Sentinel training, mastered Ocean's Touch+, and explored the available Magic Meridian Webs at the Abyssal White Tower. He chose the comprehensive Leo Mon Mana Web, despite its enormous construction demands.

• Gao De asked Mage Nasi for more Vein-Opening Tincture, and Mage Nasi explained the free supply quota as they returned to the Collingwood Institute.
• Mage Nasi told Captain Merrick that Gao De had initially grasped the Limitless Breathing Technique in one day, setting a new Sea Sentinel record, and they discussed which Magic Meridian Web might suit him.
• Gao De formed the Ocean's Touch Spell Model and enhanced the spell, expanding his First Circle Spell library to eighteen spells.
• Mage Nasi brought Gao De to the Abyssal White Tower archives, where he explained how different Magic Meridian Webs suited different casting needs.
• Gao De rejected the available webs as insufficiently comprehensive, and Mage Nasi retrieved the rarely chosen Leo Mon Mana Web from storage.
• Gao De examined the Leo Mon Mana Web's 365 primary Magic Meridians and chose it despite its immense workload.

Gao De began constructing the Leo Mon Mana Web while training as a Combat Mage under Mage Nasi. After ten days, he had built seven Magic Meridians, learned three new spells, and advanced to peripheral-awareness training.

• Mage Nasi warned Gao De about the Leo Mon Mana Web, and Captain Merrick approved Gao De's choice after learning he had made it without knowing Mage Leo Mon's reputation.
• Mage Nasi gave Gao De one hundred bottles of Vein-Opening Tincture and taught him how to open and strengthen Magic Meridians with the Limitless Breathing Technique.
• Gao De began constructing the Leo Mon Mana Web, and Mage Nasi stopped his first day's practice before he drank a fifth bottle of tincture.
• Mage Nasi introduced Gao De to Visual Reaction Training with a Starlight Projector and set the thirtieth light ball as his next-stage goal.
• Over ten days, Gao De improved his toxin resistance, constructed seven of the Leo Mon Mana Web's 365 Magic Meridians, learned Grease+, Longstrider+, and Jump+, and reached the thirtieth light ball.
• Mage Nasi added three more Starlight Projectors so Gao De could train his peripheral awareness while tracking lights in front of him.

Gao De was invited to accept sponsorship from the Burns Family, which promised resources and protection in exchange for his loyalty, but he recognized the control behind the offer and refused to commit. Zuo Wen Burns gave him three days to reconsider, while Wu Er Newman privately revealed the cost of rejecting noble influence and still hoped someone could break through it.

• Zuo Wen Burns and Wu Er Newman approached Gao De and offered him sponsorship on behalf of the Burns Family.
• Zuo Wen showed Gao De a military merit list marked with the names of commoner mages who had refused sponsorship, explaining that sponsored mages received help avoiding failing assessments.
• Gao De understood that sponsorship would bind him to the nobles and said he would think about it, prompting Zuo Wen to give him three days to accept the invitation on its current terms.
• As Wu Er passed Gao De, he privately warned him that he had once refused sponsorship, fallen near dismissal, and eventually submitted to the Burns Family.
• Zuo Wen and Wu Er discussed when Gao De might accept, and Zuo Wen admitted he had chosen Wu Er partly because his former resistance made him satisfying to command.
• After Zuo Wen departed, Wu Er reflected bitterly on the nobles’ control of the Sea Sentinel and hoped a powerful commoner mage might one day give others a path to follow.

Gao De continued developing his magic and completed the institute’s visual reaction benchmark, then impressed Mage Nasi with his precise distance and angle judgments. The chapter left him cleared to skip that training and move on to dynamic evasion.

• Gao De built twenty-one meridians, improved his toxin resistance, and strengthened Feather Fall and Detect Plants and Animals.
• Melia returned from a mission in Oser City and met Gao De at Collingwood Institute.
• Mage Nasi told Gao De that he had passed visual reaction training and introduced movement training.
• Gao De explained that he was unusually good at judging distance and angles, so Mage Nasi tested him with the alchemical machines.
• Gao De accurately called out the soft balls’ angles and distances, convincing Mage Nasi to let him skip the exercise and proceed to dynamic evasion training.

Gao De learned basic Combat Mage footwork from Mage Nasi and completed rope-ladder evasion training well enough to begin practicing with spell enhancements. Mage Nasi warned him that refusing Zuo Wen Burns's sponsorship could bring pressure through Sea Sentinel assessments, while Gao De continued building his Leo Mon Mana Web at an extraordinary pace.

• Mage Nasi taught Gao De more than ten basic footwork techniques, and Gao De learned five during the morning session before mastering the rest that afternoon.
• Gao De struggled through rope-ladder evasion practice and got soaked, while Mage Nasi set the requirement of avoiding the water for more than ten minutes before adding spell enhancements.
• Mage Nasi warned Gao De that Zuo Wen Burns's allies could target his military merit ranking, but Gao De refused an extension to his initial training period.
• Gao De asked Mage Nasi for more Vein-Opening Tincture and revealed that he had constructed twenty-one Magic Meridians; the next day, he received six hundred bottles.
• Over the next twenty days, Gao De's Leo Mon Mana Web reached fifty-three Magic Meridians, and his rope-ladder performance met Mage Nasi's requirements for spell-enhanced practice.

Gao De completed the general Combat Mage training and learned he would soon face an initial training assessment. After visiting Tuanzi, he began arranging to buy a shop in Dorn City and hired Errand Runners to investigate eleven prospects.

• Gao De finished enhanced footwork and stake training, and Mage Nasi explained that specialized combat training would be chosen according to his needs after he gained more experience.
• Mage Nasi told Gao De that his initial training assessment would involve fighting a First Class Apprentice-Mage, and Gao De bought Rainbow Trout Mackerel for Tuanzi at Azure Wave Enclosure.
• Gao De told Tuanzi he might accompany him on missions after the assessment, then fed him the fish as a reward for eating Timothy Grass.
• Gao De asked Melia how to find a shop to buy, and she described the Dorn Grocer's Guild and private brokers while warning him about property risks and hidden defects.
• Gao De joined the Dorn Grocer's Guild, narrowed the internal listings to eleven shops within his price range, and hired eleven Errand Runners to monitor their smoke, drains, and foot traffic for a week.

Zuo Wen Burns arranged for Nasi’s initial training assessment to pit him against Metis, while Gao De received notice that his own assessment had been approved. Gao De arrived at the Collingwood Institute confident despite the unexpected crowd of nobles and Zuo Wen Burns, then entered the venue alone as Nasi was called away.

• Zuo Wen Burns learned that Nasi had applied for his initial training assessment and arranged for Metis to be his opponent, telling Ulver to ensure Metis did not strike too hard.
• Gao De received notice that his assessment would take place the next day and prepared without feeling nervous.
• Melia came to watch Gao De’s assessment, and Zuo Wen Burns arrived to observe as well, challenging Gao De to justify his confidence in rejecting the Burns Family’s sponsorship.
• Several luxurious carriages brought nobles to the institute, and Mage Nasi warned Gao De not to be distracted by the circling sparrows.
• A staff member summoned Mage Nasi to Captain Roll’s VIP room, but Gao De persuaded him to go ahead, then entered the assessment venue alone.

Gao De faced Metis in his Sea Sentinel assessment after Zuo Wen Burns arranged for the dangerous close-combat mage to replace the expected opponent. Gao De defeated and badly injured Metis, then echoed Metis’s earlier apology as he awaited the examiners’ judgment.

• Melia warned Gao De that Metis was a violent close-combat mage, while Zuo Wen Burns watched him mockingly.
• Captain Roll told Mage Nasi that Metis would be Gao De’s opponent, and Nasi chose to watch the assessment with him.
• Metis attacked Gao De immediately, but Gao De dodged the first blow and secretly placed Hunter's Mark+ on him.
• Gao De used Mage Armor+, Grease+, Ignition, and Vermin Swarm+ to weaken Metis, then slashed his face with Cat Claw Spell.
• The examiners ordered Gao De to stop after he had badly injured Metis, and Gao De calmly apologized by repeating Metis’s own words.

Gao De passed the Sea Sentinel training assessment after defeating Metis, then rejected Ulver’s warning that the Burns Family would inevitably suppress him. He later assessed shops in Dorn City as possible sites for a magic materials business, but lacked the funds to buy one and needed a legitimate way to sell materials from the Northern Territory.

• Gao De defeated Metis in the training assessment, and the examiners declared that he had passed without needing a score.
• Captain Roll ordered Metis taken to the Healing Sanctum and invited Gao De to meet him with Mage Nasi, while Zuo Wen Burns silently resolved to target Gao De later.
• Melia congratulated Gao De, and Ulver warned that the Burns Family and other nobles would pressure him; Gao De declared he would become an exception.
• Gao De reviewed the Errand Runners’ reports and eliminated three suspicious shops from consideration.
• Gao De focused on three possible shops, especially a general store near Trollskull Alley that suited his plan to open a magic materials shop.
• Gao De calculated that his savings were insufficient to buy a shop and concluded he would need to sell Extraordinary Materials from the Northern Territory through a legitimate business.