Chapter Summaries

Jose discovered that Gao De had mastered all ten Zero-Order Basic Runes in one day and decided to nurture him as a runesmith. After a long day of study and cultivation, Gao De inspected his Fire Kiss Ant eggs, disposed of a defective larva, and saw a new entry appear in Wind Spirit Moon Shadow.

• Jose saw Gao De’s ten standardized runes and realized his unusual talent could make him capable of mastering Rune Logic and Computation.
• Gao De drank his specially made Water of No Leakage fruit drink, found that it eased his fatigue, and purchased forty hours of Tier 1 Cultivation Room time.
• Gao De used Detect Poison to move six nearly hatching eggs into the incubator and checked the eggs he had transferred the previous day.
• Gao De judged the newly hatched Fire Kiss Ant larva defective because its back pattern was blurred, then crushed it with Mage Hand and recognized the danger of its venom.
• Gao De focused on Wind Spirit Moon Shadow and saw the new entry, “0-Ring—Fire Kiss Ant (1/7).”

Gao De studied five new basic runes each day while Jose Okenly reduced his workload to protect his talent and motivation. By the end of Darknight Month, Gao De’s Fire Kiss Ant progress was full, and he unlocked an enhanced Mage Hand spell that let him control two hands at once.

• Gao De read materials on rune-drawing techniques and studied five Zero-Order Basic Runes in the Rune Workshop.
• Jose Okenly reflected on Gao De’s talent and decided that five basic runes a day would challenge him without exhausting him.
• Gao De settled into a routine of rune study, cultivation, raising venomous insects, and reading books.
• At the end of Darknight Month, Gao De found that the Origin Progress Bars for his Fire Kiss Ant and Hemp Scorpion were full.
• Gao De used the Fire Kiss Ant’s Origin to activate Wind Spirit Moon Shadow and gained an enhanced Mage Hand spell that could control two spectral hands simultaneously.

Gao De met his Runelore mentor, Jose Okenly, who exempted him from the beginner course and told him to conceal his progress. The chapter ended as Gao De heard about the exceptionally talented new mage Yulan and began his first elective course.

• Gao De struggled with a problem in his Runelore materials and knocked on Jose Okenly’s door for help.
• Jose told Gao De to study directly with him, arranged an exemption from Begg’s course, and instructed him to keep his Runelore progress secret.
• Jose answered Gao De’s question, and Gao De left Gavin Hall pleased to have finally met his mentor.
• Gao De heard that Ceres Academy had admitted twenty-one mage students, including the fourteen-year-old 1st Circle Mage Yulan, who had been claimed by the head of the Department of Spells.
• On Frostgold Month, Day 2, Gao De began his elective course, “Nolan Continent Geography and War Geography.”

Gao De attended Instructor Mosen’s geography class, where he learned about the Northern Territory and its isolation from the rest of Nolan Continent. Instructor Mosen then illuminated a vast eastern region and asked the students to identify it, leaving the class poised to discuss the Holy Empire.

• Gao De arrived early for the first-term geography class and was the only freshman in the classroom.
• Instructor Mosen projected a three-dimensional map of Nolan Continent and explained its shape and the locations of Terra Continent and Midgard Continent.
• Instructor Mosen described the Northern Territory’s harsh climate, nomadic peoples, scarce outside contact, valuable resources, and summer Viking raids.
• Instructor Mosen illuminated a vast eastern region of Nolan Continent and asked the students what it was.
• A noble student answered that the region was the territory of the Holy Empire.

Instructor Mosen explained the Holy Empire’s history, merit-based society, and tensions between old and new nobility, then introduced the Plantagenet Dynasty and its resources, Anti-Magic Stone, and conservative traditions. He concluded that the dynasty’s former golden age had passed and that adapting to changing times seemed impossible for it.

• Instructor Mosen described how the Holy Empire grew from barbarian tribes into a three-continent empire through expansion, warfare, and the recruitment of talented people.
• Instructor Mosen explained that the Holy Empire respected talent in many fields and cited Du Adolf’s rise from a slum orphan to Grand Commander as an example.
• Instructor Mosen noted that old noble families still held power in the Holy Empire and that conflict between old and new blood hindered its growth.
• Instructor Mosen identified the Plantagenet Dynasty as Nolan Continent’s last dynasty, highlighting its fertile lands, major port, and access to the Northern Territory.
• Instructor Mosen explained that the Plantagenet Dynasty’s Anti-Magic Stone let it stand against the Holy Empire, but its devotion to ancient traditions had isolated its mages from modern magical development.
• Instructor Mosen judged that the Plantagenet Dynasty’s golden age had passed and that adapting to change was likely impossible for it.

Instructor Mosen explained the major powers of the Nolan Continent, focusing on Seacoast City’s wealth, trade, and defenses before locating the Sien Duchy in the buffer zone between the Holy Empire and the Plantagenet Dynasty. He ended class by bluntly suggesting that Sien might benefit from joining the Holy Empire.

• Instructor Mosen introduced Seacoast City as the Nolan Continent’s third-greatest power and described its trade routes, port, magical academy, and workshops.
• Instructor Mosen explained that four merchant families controlled Seacoast City and its core technologies, while its wealth and Rune Constructs made it difficult for the Holy Empire to attack.
• Instructor Mosen identified the central region between the Holy Empire and Plantagenet Dynasty as a buffer zone and located the Sien Duchy within it.
• Instructor Mosen said the Holy Empire could conquer or destroy the duchies in the heartland within a year and suggested that joining the empire might benefit Sien’s people.
• Instructor Mosen dismissed the class, and the three-dimensional map vanished after he left.

Gao De balanced cultivation with a demanding schedule of academy courses, learning a breathing technique and studying foundational magic. As Frostgold Month began, he committed himself to mastering the knowledge he had chosen, leaving himself with little time for rest.

• Gao De wondered whether his mentor, Jose Okenly, belonged to the powerful Okenly Family, but decided the shared surname was probably a coincidence.
• Gao De cultivated with Water of No Leakage fruit drinks in a Tier 1 Cultivation Room and noticed that his Guiding Method was nearing another improvement.
• Gao De continued his academy routine, completing a poisonous insect task that increased the Mirage Thorn Centipede's origin collection progress by one.
• Gao De attended his first Mage Fundamentals lesson, where Bowie I taught the Deepsea Breathing Method to improve breathing and slightly aid cultivation.
• Gao De began attending his seven remaining courses and studied their material so intensively that his daily rest fell below five hours.

Gao De continued his disciplined studies and cultivation at Ceres Academy while worrying about his dwindling savings. On Frostgold Month 17, Jerica completed her entrance task and bought Water of No Leakage from him, Gao De advanced his Guiding Method, and he learned that the academy’s credit rankings offered substantial rewards.

• Gao De focused on cultivation, classes, rune study, and raising poisonous insects while most students forgot about him.
• On Frostgold Month 10, Gao De spent 10 gold on 40 more hours in a Tier 1 Cultivation Room.
• On Frostgold Month 17, Jerica completed her entrance task after 43 days and paid Gao De 10 gold for a small pot of Water of No Leakage.
• Gao De’s Guiding Method advanced, giving him enough mana to cast ten cantrips in one breath, though he expected his progress to slow when his remaining Water of No Leakage ran out.
• Gao De learned that Ceres Academy divided students into four credit rankings and awarded gold to the highest-ranked students.

Gao De completed Mentor Shoal’s venomous insect task early, collected the rare Vermin Swarm spell formula, and accepted a new task to hunt escaped Red-Eye Sparrows. After studying the spell, he recognized its unusual guaranteed, immediate effect on any visible target in range.

• Gao De received 5 Sien Gold Coins from Mentor Shoal for the high qualification rate of the hatched venomous insects and returned the Cultivation Room key.
• Gao De collected the task reward, the rare Zero Circle spell formula Vermin Swarm, from the Logistics Department.
• Gao De accepted the academy’s Mountain Patrol task to drive away or kill escaped Red-Eye Sparrows for one gold coin per bird.
• The Logistics Department gave Gao De a back mountain pass, a map of restricted zones, and information about Red-Eye Sparrow habitats and concealment.
• Gao De read the Vermin Swarm formula and realized it could instantly affect a visible target within range without a casting trajectory.

Gao De used Mage Hand to replace a Trial Golem’s depleted mana crystal and reassemble its chest during Falon’s demonstration. Falon was astonished when Gao De completed the task he had presented as a test of advanced spell control.

• Gao De studied the ten-node Spell Model for Vermin Swarm and began trying to construct it.
• Falon explained that a mage’s control and practice could make the same spell far more versatile, then demonstrated Mage Hand by replacing a Trial Golem’s mana crystal.
• Falon asked Gao De to try the task on another Trial Golem.
• Gao De used Mage Hand to open the golem’s chest, replace its depleted mana crystal, and fit the metal components back into place.
• Gao De asked Falon if he had done it correctly, leaving the instructor astonished.

Gao De astonished Falon and the students by using Mage Hand to assemble metal components faster and more skillfully than the instructor. Falon continued with a lesson on spell control and target practice, then dismissed the class.

• Gao De used an enhanced Mage Hand to assemble the components with exceptional speed, leaving Falon and the students stunned.
• Falon praised Gao De and explained how theoretical knowledge, repeated practice, and focused training improved spell control.
• Falon activated a Trial Golem and demonstrated hitting it in rapid-evade mode with Magic Missile Burst.
• Falon explained the Trial Golem's damage readings, spell power measurements, and the importance of matching spells to targets.
• Falon urged the students to practice in the training grounds to improve accuracy and pass the final assessment, then dismissed class.

Gao De successfully constructed Vermin Swarm and used Wind Spirit Moon Shadow to upgrade it, gaining both poison and disease effects. The next day, he rented a testing room and measured the damage and special effects of his upgraded attack spells.

• Gao De constructed Vermin Swarm and spent one Origin point to upgrade it into Vermin Swarm+, which could inflict poison or covertly cause diseases.
• Gao De went to the spell testing grounds, rented a private room, and prepared to test his spells against Trial Golems.
• Gao De tested Acid Splash+, finding that its acid continued dealing corrosive damage after the initial hit.
• Gao De tested Flame Arrow+ and Ray of Frost+, confirming Flame Arrow's high damage and Ray of Frost's slowing and freezing effects.
• Gao De tested Vermin Swarm+ and found its poison damage comparable to Acid Splash, but could not test its disease effect on the Trial Golems.

Gao De entered Ceres Academy’s back mountain to hunt Red-Eye Sparrows, hoping to practice his spells, earn gold, and gain Origin. He killed and collected proof from his first sparrow, then continued searching for more.

• Gao De used his free afternoon to take the Mountain Patrol mission to hunt Red-Eye Sparrows in the back mountain.
• Gao De followed the mission’s habitat clues to a stream and used Detect Magic+ to find a hidden sparrow.
• Gao De curved a Flame Arrow around the fleeing Red-Eye Sparrow and killed it.
• Gao De collected the sparrow’s eyes as proof for mission settlement and gained one gold coin and progress toward an Origin point.
• Gao De continued onward, expecting to find more Red-Eye Sparrows nearby.

Gao De encountered Sadie, chief student of the Department of Magical Potions, while returning from a successful Red-Eye Sparrow hunt. Sadie explained Ceres Academy’s rival student societies and invited him to join the Mutual Aid Society, leaving Gao De to consider what membership would require.

• Gao De hunted five more Red-Eye Sparrows with Flame Arrow+ before running out of mana and heading back to the academy path.
• Sadie stopped Gao De, introduced herself as chief student of the Department of Magical Potions, and explained that she remembered him because of Gerry Harel’s conflict with him.
• Sadie told Gao De that commoner students had formed the Mutual Aid Society to support one another, while noble students had formed the Mighty Lion Society.
• Sadie explained that Gao De belonged to neither group because he had entered with a Letter of Recommendation rather than through an examination or noble connections.
• Sadie invited Gao De to join the Mutual Aid Society and described its resources, expectations of member contributions, and first-year entry benefit.

Gao De agreed to join the Mutual Aid Society but rejected Sadie’s offer to arrange for Yulan to give up the top new-student credit ranking. Sadie warned him that Commissioner Lahr might not return the Spirit Ascension Water he had lent, while she and Leiao later discussed Gao De’s potential and his risk of falling short.

• Sadie offered to help Gao De secure first place in new-student credits by arranging for Yulan to take fewer courses, but Gao De refused and said he would compete on his own.
• Sadie told Gao De that Commissioner Lahr might give any newly obtained Spirit Ascension Water to Triv instead of returning it to him, and Gao De admitted he still intended to compete with Yulan.
• Sadie introduced Gao De to the Mutual Aid Society and the Mighty Lion Society, then warned him that Tony Esar might target him as a potential rival in Runelore.
• Gao De told Sadie that he could repair extraordinary items for Mutual Aid Society members at eighty percent of market price before they parted ways.
• Sadie told Leiao that Gao De had strong potential, and they agreed that his arrogance and his competition with Yulan would become clear through experience.

Gao De earned money hunting Red-Eye Sparrows and discovered that his Create Water+ spell had produced Water of No Leakage again. After settling the task, he visited the library’s restricted second floor to look for spell formulas.

• Gao De received five gold coins for repairing a 1st Circle alchemical creation for a Mutual Aid Society member, but no further repair work came.
• Gao De kept hunting Red-Eye Sparrows until they became scarce, then decided to settle the Mountain Patrol task.
• Gao De found Water of No Leakage in his earthenware jar and planned to turn it into fruit drinks for daily use.
• Gao De handed in 102 Red-Eye Sparrow eyeballs and received 51 gold coins for the task.
• Gao De bought fruit and yeast, went to the library’s second floor, and told the aged mage he was looking for spell formulas.

Gao De spent most of his Mountain Patrol reward on seven Zero Circle spell formulas from Ceres Academy, expanding his options for utility, elemental manipulation, illumination, and combat. Back in his dormitory, he began studying the formulas and converting their Spell Models into coordinate arrays for quicker construction.

• Gao De used his ten academy credits to browse the available Zero Circle spell formulas and chose seven spells.
• The old mage warned Gao De against learning so many spells before reaching Third-Order Apprentice, but Gao De bought them for forty-two gold coins.
• Gao De returned to his dormitory, started brewing Water of No Leakage fruit drink, and entered the Meditation Chamber to read the formulas.
• Gao De studied Divine Guidance, four elemental transmutation spells, Light, and Lightning Lure, considering their practical uses.
• Gao De began mapping the seven Spell Models into coordinate arrays to make them faster to construct later.

Gao De impressed Jose by mastering five basic runes without a single failed attempt, leading Jose to increase his daily workload to ten. Gao De then went to the Department of Magical Potions to choose seeds for his Magic Plant Cultivation assessment, which had only two months remaining.

• Gao De showed Jose his rune practice and explained that shared patterns between runes helped him learn new ones quickly.
• Jose was astonished that Gao De had made no mistakes and assigned him ten basic runes per day, advising him not to rush at the expense of deep learning.
• Gao De went to the Department of Magical Potions to claim a medicinal field and select seeds for his course assessment.
• A Department of Magical Potions student explained the available seeds and the requirements for a perfect score, then advised Gao De to choose plants with short growth cycles.

Gao De chose seeds and a fertile plot for his magic plants, then used spells to prepare and plant the field. He expanded his spell repertoire to twenty-seven spells and enhanced Divine Guidance, which now boosted skill performance for an hour.

• Gao De chose thirty Taro Fruit seeds and ten Thorn Fruit seeds, then claimed the best plot recommended by a Department of Magical Potions student on Sadie's instructions.
• Gao De used Mold Earth and Mage Hand+ to prepare the soil, add fertilizer, sow the seeds, cover them, and water them.
• On the sixteenth day of Mistfrost Month, Gao De bought eighty hours in the Tier 1 Cultivation Room as his planted seeds began to sprout.
• On the twenty-first day of Mistfrost Month, Gao De completed Spell Models for all seven new spells, bringing his total to twenty-seven Zero Circle Spells.
• Gao De spent the Red-Eye Sparrow's Source Point to enhance Divine Guidance, extending its skill boost to one hour and allowing it to apply to multiple skill activities.

Gao De discovered that Divine Guidance+ could greatly accelerate both rune practice and studying by keeping him in a lucid, highly focused state for an hour. After overtaxing his mind, he recovered and realized the skill could make earning first place in credits much easier.

• Gao De cast Divine Guidance+ before practicing rune drawing and felt his mind become clear and active.
• Gao De drew all ten basic runes without a single failure and noticed his skill and understanding had improved.
• Gao De realized Divine Guidance+ could help him reach the first breakthrough in learning and remained active across multiple skill-related activities for an hour.
• Gao De studied Jose's materials under Divine Guidance+ and gained new insights, then nearly fainted from mental exhaustion when the effect ended.
• Gao De resolved to use the skill for learning in moderation and thought it could help him take first place in credits.