Going Out for a Walk

Frank had overthought it. In Adam's mind, there was no such setting as negative emotions arising from killing, so Adam merely waved a hand and declined Frank's kindness.

The "Blood Pool" was actually called the Disassembler. Though it was currently being used as an "incubator," it would also become a tool for processing experimental waste in the future. Adam entered the room where the Blood Pool was located and used telekinesis to toss all the remaining slaves inside in one go. The Disassembler activated automatically, grinding every slave to pieces. Then Adam placed the egg inside. It floated automatically amid the flesh and blood, its shell writhing as it absorbed everything bit by bit.

The scene looked evil beyond measure. In any other setting, he would surely have become a target condemned by the whole world, but on the Mage Plane, this was merely normal.

Over the next seven months, Adam's life at the academy settled into a steady routine. Every day, he inscribed the Master-Servant Contract onto the eggshell, recorded Low-Level Magic in the library, adjusted the Meditation Method according to James and the other two's progress and difficulties, and purchased a new batch of slaves every five days.

Adam was not actually satisfied with this tranquility. No matter how much Low-Level Magic he recorded, he was only using tools made by others. As for his own path, he still did not have the slightest clue.

Though telekinesis had displayed extraordinary usefulness, Adam became increasingly certain that even if it truly could serve as the foundation for advancement, he would not choose that path. Telekinesis was, in the end, the power of an individual. Compared to endless aether, endless planes, and endless knowledge, an individual was truly insignificant. Only by mastering knowledge could one possibly lever the world.

During this period, Adam tested his talent many times, but the results were no different from those on Barren Island. Adam had once guessed that he possessed lightning Elemental Affinity, and had specially recorded several lightning-element spells for that reason. Yet when he used them, they were no different from any other magic. It was as if Adam possessed affinity with every element, but that was obviously impossible.

"I think you're considering this question far too early," Elliot said to Adam during an idle chat one day, quietly pouring a drink he had concocted into the cup before Adam.

Adam was absorbed in his thoughts and failed to notice. He picked it up and took a sip directly. The complex flavors sent back by his taste buds made him frown. "What is this?"

"The latest product from Elliot Potion Laboratory: Blood Potion Drink. The Raw Materials are blood taken from the cores of strange creatures from multiple planes, along with special potions from the Frigid Plane. So? The taste is quite good, isn't it?" Elliot introduced it proudly.

"Heh heh." Adam laughed without emotion, then took out a bottle of water from his Personal Space and drank it.

"Hey, what do you mean by that? My Blood Potion Drink is very precious. This one bottle is worth a full forty units of Energy Stone, and you actually don't like it?" Elliot said indignantly.

Adam did not want to get tangled up with him over this. He cared more about what Elliot had just said. "What do you mean, too early?"

Elliot poured the remaining drink into his own cup, rolled his eyes, and said, "Too early means too early. You've been an apprentice for less than a year. Look at what the apprentices from your batch are doing. It takes them months just to construct a single Rune Array. And you? You've already mastered every spell the library has opened to you. Why are you in such a hurry? As for a path, you'll find it slowly."

Adam's brow furrowed even deeper. What kind of reasoning was that? Because he learned so quickly that there was nothing left to learn, he was supposed to stop and wait for knowledge to come find him? What sort of logic was that? Adam had never believed that anything could be obtained naturally. If the mountain would not come to him, he would go to the mountain—that was his creed.

Elliot took a sip of the drink and smacked his lips in intoxicated satisfaction. He said to Adam, "You're only sixteen, right? You're far too young, my Little Friend. Do you want to break the record for the fastest advancement from apprentice to Formal Mage? There's no meaning in that. James and Frank in your laboratory are both over seventy. They're the ones who should be anxious."

As Elliot said this, a trace of bitterness entered his voice. Though he was much younger than James and had much better prospects, he was still far older than Adam at over forty. He had studied at the academy for nearly thirty years, yet now he was no longer even Adam's match.

"But what is the point of wasting time like this? Formal Mage, knowledge—what exactly are they?" Adam muttered. As his fingers flicked, miniature Elemental Magic spells danced at his fingertips before vanishing into nothingness.

Elliot's mouth twitched as he watched the unbelievable sight before him. In all his years on the Mage Continent, he had truly never seen an apprentice who could master Low-Level Magic of every element. It was not absolutely impossible, but it consumed far too much time. There was no meaning in it.

He had wanted to say that this process was not merely for apprentices to accumulate magic power and learn knowledge; it was also meant to let their way of thinking gradually transform from that of Ordinary People into that of mages. But neither point clearly applied to Adam. However reluctant he was to admit it, Elliot knew that Adam was the only person he had ever seen who had been born to be a mage.

"In any case, don't think so much for now. The trial two months from now is the problem you need to face most urgently," Elliot said, at a loss for words.

Adam rose from his seat, glanced at the three upper floors of the library that he could not enter, shook his head, and walked toward his laboratory.

On his way downstairs, Adam saw many apprentices from his batch. They had changed greatly over the past half year. Driven by the pressure of the trial, the restlessness in their hearts had been scraped away layer by layer. Those unable to bear the pressure had already eliminated themselves ahead of time.

On the Second Floor, Adam saw William. Over the past half year, this Duke's son had undergone a complete transformation. His command of telekinesis and magic had given him confidence—not the false confidence he had once drawn from external things, but a quality confidence born from a clear understanding of himself.

When William saw Adam, he followed after him and said outside the library, "I accepted a combat mission, so I'd like to take leave and get used to battles between apprentices in advance, to prepare for the trial."

"Fine." Adam agreed directly.

William was not surprised either. After more than half a year of contact, he had discovered that Adam was actually very easy to talk to, as long as one did not provoke him. Having received permission, William turned and headed in the other direction, only for Adam to ask, "What kind of combat mission is it?"

William froze, not expecting Adam to be interested. He replied, "The number of wind wolves outside a town thirty-three thousand kilometers from Mordo Element High Tower has surged. The town commissioned the academy to eliminate them." (Kilometers... Also, making up another unit of length would be too troublesome, and readers would find it awkward, so I just kept it.)

"You don't mind bringing me along, do you?"

"Of course... Hm? What?"

Early the next morning, several small teams of apprentices had gathered in scattered groups at the exit of Mordo Academy. They were all Newbies hoping to use the remaining time to adapt to combat between apprentices. William and his two companions were among them.

"Since everyone has arrived, let's set out," said a young girl with long pink hair. She held a staff half her height, and the water-blue Energy Stone at its tip glimmered with a faint light.

"I'm fine with it. William, what about you?" said a young man wearing a Dark Green robe, green Vines wrapped around both his hands. He stood very close to the girl.

William smiled apologetically, then said, "Sorry, Reili, Terry. I didn't have time to tell you. One of my... friends wants to join this mission at the last minute."

The pink-haired girl Reili said unhappily, "William, isn't that against the Rules? We've already signed a contract, and the mission rewards are to be split equally. Adding someone suddenly at a time like this—how are we supposed to divide the rewards?"

The young man Terry also said, "That's right. Even putting payment aside, the two of us invited you because we trust your strength. What if your friend is deadweight and holds us back? A combat mission isn't a game."

"My friend doesn't need any payment." William's expression turned strange as he spoke. "As for his strength... he definitely won't become deadweight."

William could not help recalling his conversation with Adam yesterday. When he heard that Adam also wanted to join the mission, he had been shocked. A mission of this level was fairly suitable for him, but it was clearly beneath Adam's notice. He could not imagine why Adam wanted to participate.

"I just want to go out for a walk." That had been Adam's answer. Even now, William still found it strange. Were geniuses' thoughts all different?

The contract had already been made, and they clearly could not withdraw now. Once they heard that Adam would not take a share of the payment, neither of them wanted to leave a grudge in the other's heart over this matter. Reili muttered, "It had better be that way. Otherwise, we won't spare any attention to accommodate him."

Because they were dissatisfied, neither of them was even willing to ask Adam's name. They knew William was working in Adam's laboratory now, but they could never have imagined that Adam—the legend among apprentices—would actually come.

William laughed soundlessly. Accommodate him? What a joke. It would be good enough if they were not killed for angering him.

Time passed second by second, and the appointed time drew ever closer. Throughout it all, the two forced down their dissatisfaction, determined to give William's friend a Show of Strength.

Near seven o'clock, a commotion arose before the academy gates. Everyone saw Adam flying in from the sky, Reili and Terry included. Reili said enviously, "That's Adam, right? Why is he here? Could he be going out to do a mission too? It would be wonderful if we could become his companions."

At that moment, William stepped forward a few paces, raised his hand, and shouted, "Adam, over here!"

Terry clutched the Vines in his hands in shock, his mouth falling open as he muttered, "My god, the friend William mentioned... was Adam?"