Hatching...

"...An Anti-Mage who practiced this Meditation Method needed to torture humans and souls countless times, observing despair to elevate their own soul. They had to carry out this process personally. Negative Energy from finished human products was useless, fit only for casting spells."

Adam could not understand this method of advancement. Elevating one's own soul through the despair of others? Where did the energy conversion come into play?

Black Mage had only given a brief introduction. He had no interest in explaining it in detail. Moreover, if an apprentice who practiced this Meditation Method encountered a Formal Mage, they would inevitably be put to death, because it undermined the foundations of the Mage Plane.

But that was another matter.

The two returned to Bran Town. Black Mage's rescue mission had ended here. The apprentices and townspeople had fallen unconscious after being affected by Negative Energy. Some of those with fragile minds would surely fail to endure their self-denial and head toward death, but Black Mage could do nothing about it. He was not a mage who specialized in the power of souls, and casualties of this scale were permitted.

In the end, it was still because supply and demand had fallen out of step. Mages maintained their rule not through the support and devotion of Ordinary Persons, so naturally they did not care much about whether Ordinary Persons lived or died. No matter how dissatisfied Ordinary Persons were, they had no ability to overthrow mage rule.

Adam did not care whether they lived or died either. First, the soul born from artificial intelligence did not classify itself as part of the human species. Second, Ordinary Persons were of little use to Adam. Neither their strength nor wisdom could offer him any help.

Suddenly, the balloon floated up from Adam's hand and began absorbing the lingering Negative Energy on its own. Centered on the balloon, people continuously rose to their feet in a daze.

The apprentices were the first batch. After Zack and Thomas respectfully bowed to Black Mage, they stepped aside. They had many questions they wanted to ask, but they also knew this was not the time.

William was the same. Once he discovered that Reili had not returned to Bran Town, he knew she was likely doomed. He simply did not know whether Adam had acted against her, or whether that Anti-Mage had killed her.

But not everyone was so tactful. Terry's last memory remained fixed on the instant Adam's fireball was about to strike Reili. Once he regained consciousness, he anxiously searched everywhere for Reili. At last, outside the town, he found the girl's body lying quietly on the ground. Like a madman, he rushed out of town and stopped several meters from Reili's corpse. Then, step by cautious step, he walked toward her, murmuring softly, "Reili, wake up. Don't sleep anymore. Mage Master has already come. We're safe..."

No one paid attention to Terry's actions. Everyone's gaze was fixed on the balloon.

Before Adam, the balloon rapidly expanded and contracted. Adam realized that the devil was about to be born and hurriedly cut open his finger, drawing the Master-Servant Contract in the air.

Black Mage shook his head and said to Adam, "A devil will not accept a Master-Servant Contract. You need to sign a fair contract with it. Otherwise, the devil would rather choose Self-Destruction than be born..."

Yet before he had even finished speaking, he saw the Master-Servant Contract completely fill the entire sphere. Then the balloon contracted inward to the limit before exploding.

Among devils, powerful individuals traded with extraordinary beings, while weaker ones traded with ordinary lifeforms. The purpose of these trades was to obtain souls and all kinds of emotions to complete their own growth. The prerequisite for a trade was that the devil had to be stronger than its trading partner; otherwise, the transaction could not be made. And the lingering Negative Energy in the minds of these weak Bran Town residents happened to provide the Nutrients needed for the final stage of growth for the infant devil in Adam's hand.

This was also a trade.

The devil was born.

They had no fixed appearance. Or rather, they were not Flesh Bodies, but a kind of Will Life.

They possessed marvelous innate abilities. After coming into contact with a lifeform, they could keenly sense the preferences within that being's heart, then adjust themselves into the most approachable and alluring form.

Just like now, the newborn devil looked different in everyone's eyes, yet every appearance was beautiful. They could not help but move closer to the devil.

Terry returned to town carrying Reili's corpse. Reili was his lover. They had once promised never to part for the rest of their lives and to walk the path of mages together, but Adam had destroyed all of it. Terry was determined to avenge Reili, even if it cost him his life.

Yet the instant he looked up, he discovered Reili standing whole and unharmed before Adam, smiling sweetly as she beckoned to him. Boundless delight blossomed in Terry's eyes. "Reili! You're not dead! Wonderful, wonderful!"

He burst forth with astonishing speed and rushed before the devil in an instant, reaching out to embrace it.

Black Mage could have stopped him, but he did not, because devils would not directly kill any sentient being. Adam could have stopped him as well, but he did not, because Adam wanted to see what would happen next.

Just a devil? Not necessarily. After all, it had once possessed the shell of the abyss, and had once devoured countless Flesh Bodies.

The newborn devil was still very ignorant. In its mind, Adam was its Master, Black Mage was a Strong Person it could not provoke, and everyone else was merely food. Two wills were intertwined within its mind. One belonged to the devil and told it that it could not eat people like this; the other belonged to the Abyssal Creature and told it that it was hungry, so hungry—eat, eat.

The devil looked toward its Master and timidly asked Adam, What should I do?

Adam gave no response. The devil's next choice was precisely what he intended to allow.

The devil's reason overcame the chaotic thoughts of the Abyssal Creature. The newborn devil chose to spare Terry, while deciding in its heart that if there was a next time...

Terry embraced empty air. Unwilling to accept it, he muttered, "Reili? You're being naughty again. Don't move. Come back to the academy with me." As he spoke, he reached out to embrace 'Reili' again. This time, Terry succeeded. He held 'Reili' in his arms. The warm, soft sensation beneath his hands was just as it had been before. Drunk with happiness, he said, "You're still alive. That's wonderful."

Something terrifying happened. To Adam and Black Mage's senses, the devil had no concrete form. It was merely a mass of chaos. The instant Terry touched the devil for the second time, the chaos opened a huge mouth and swallowed Terry whole.

The two clearly watched as Terry was chewed into Minced Meat and digested. At the same time, the devil's innate ability ceased. Everyone awoke from the illusion and saw the same scene. One after another, they looked at Adam with extreme terror.

The devil ate humans quickly. After a few chews, it had swallowed everything. Then, like a little beast that had done something wrong, it came to Adam's side and lowered itself humbly, seemingly waiting for Adam's punishment.

Adam gave Black Mage a slight bow and said, "Respected Black Mage, I deeply regret this. I am willing to pay compensation to the academy for this."

Black Mage merely waved his hand lightly. "This is not your fault. Everyone must pay the price for their own stupidity. However, compensation is still required. You can negotiate that with the Enforcers yourself after returning to the academy."

Compared to the life of an insignificant apprentice, Adam's contracted creature intrigued Black Mage far more. Black Mage had never seen an offspring born from a devil and an Abyssal Creature, because in theory, such a thing was impossible. How could a Will Life mate with a Flesh Body?

Black Mage suddenly said, "Adam, would you be willing to transfer this devil to me? I will offer a price that will move your heart."

Adam paused slightly. He had not expected the mage to make such a request. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "My apologies, Your Excellency, but I have no such intention for the time being."

Black Mage did not mind. His suggestion had merely come from a moment of curiosity. After all, he was an orthodox air Elemental Mage and had not delved deeply into the study of lifeforms from Other Planes or souls. It did not matter if he could not obtain it.

Seeing Adam converse so calmly with a Formal Mage, Zack and Thomas became even more wary of him. They had never seen a Formal Mage place such importance on any apprentice, and they could not help feeling fortunate that they had never offended Adam.

William once again felt Bone-Chilling Cold seep into his bones. He still could not let go of Terry and Reili's deaths. Less than a year as an apprentice had not been enough to change his ingrained beliefs.

Several days later, they returned to the academy. Black Mage left directly. After bidding Adam farewell, William went to the Mission Hall to settle his reward. Adam had no interest in the few magic stones included in the reward. After paying a meager compensation, he returned to the laboratory alone.

Within the academy, the Newbies bustled about, all preparing for the trial. The disappearance of two apprentices did not cause even the slightest ripple. In fact, people had been dying continuously during this period.

Even when the jungle law of survival of the fittest was whitewashed by civilization, its position could not be shaken.

In the laboratory, James and Frank were still constructing their Meditation Methods. Aside from the Newbies, the two of them were probably the most hardworking people in the academy. After all, they were no longer young.

Neither had expected Adam, who had gone out on a mission, to return so soon. Startled, they greeted him, "Adam, you completed the mission so quickly?" News of the Anti-Mage's appearance had not reached them, and Adam had no interest in explaining. He merely nodded to them before turning and returning to his room.

The two were accustomed to Adam's indifference as well. They no longer disturbed him and returned to their own tasks.

Adam sat in his chair and released the devil he had confined within a thread. The devil was very dissatisfied with that cramped space. As soon as it appeared, it complained to Adam, "Master, I hate that place. It was too small. I couldn't even turn over."

Adam froze. A few days ago, the devil had only been able to emit vague intent, but now... "You learned our language?"

The devil said smugly, "Of course. Language is merely the most superficial means by which a race expresses its will. I am born able to receive all kinds of information and desires. Learning a language is no difficulty at all for me."