Formal Wizard

Locke and Lorne exchanged a glance.

Locke asked, "Then, respected Witch Barbara Vayne, what kind of magic does the White Bone Order specialize in?"

"What benefits would we get from joining?"

Barbara Vayne said, "The White Bone Order specializes in the magic of the Spirit Communication School. Our magic in the White Bone Sub-Path of the Spirit Communication School is the strongest in the Southeastern Corner Region."

"Besides that, we are also proficient in the Curse Sub-Path and Hex Sub-Path of the Spirit Communication School."

"After joining us, you can do whatever you want—murder, arson, anything. The Order's most important rule is that every month, you must offer a blood sacrifice to the leader of the White Bone Order. Other than that, we have no rules at all... Hahaha... Do you want to join now?"

Locke was speechless. He wanted to become a wizard, study magic, and explore the truth—not become a cultist.

Then again, what kind of freedom was murder and arson? He was not some pervert. What did he need that sort of freedom for?

Locke declined politely. "Lady Barbara, my primary compatible element is Wood Element. It does not suit the magic the White Bone Order specializes in, so I'll pass."

Lorne hurriedly added, "My primary compatible element is Light Element Particle, and my secondary compatible element is Wood Element Particle. I do not meet your requirements either."

Barbara Vayne's expression immediately darkened. "You two truly refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."

"I am a First-Class Wizard Apprentice, while you are merely insignificant Third-Class Wizard Apprentices. Before me, you are barely stronger than helpless infants."

"In that case, I will take you away by force."

Barbara Vayne lightly tapped the Magic Item in Lorne's hand with one finger. Lorne immediately discovered in alarm that the pale silver glow on his silver cross sword was rapidly fading.

It was swallowed by darkness.

Lorne said, "Why? How could this happen? Why has my Magic Item stopped working?"

Barbara laughed. "You have walked far too little on the path of magic. There are things beyond your comprehension. That was your greatest reliance, and now it is gone."

"So..."

She looked at the Mandrake Vine wrapped around Locke's right hand. "Young man, you have taken the wrong path."

"That plant of yours irritates me greatly. You clearly possess talent for Death Magic. I can see the dense death aura entwined around your soul."

Locke's heart jolted. So that was it. He was the one she had truly set her sights on; Lorne had merely been dragged into this because of him.

She was a Black Wizard and had a high affinity for Negative Energy Particles, so naturally, she could roughly sense his affinity for Negative Energy Particles as well.

He had been singled out.

On this Wizard Ship, many Wizard Seedlings with an affinity for Negative Energy Particles had probably already caught the attention of the major Black Wizard organizations.

Barbara Vayne raised her hand and looked at the Mandrake Vine on Locke's hand. "So, I will remove that eyesore from your body."

"Plant Magic is nothing before Death Magic."

Locke's heart skipped a beat. He had spent two years mastering this Vine Hand spell. If it was sealed like the Magic Item in Lorne's hand, then those two years of effort would have been almost entirely wasted.

But the problem was that he had no idea what method she had used to seal Lorne's Magic Item.

She was a First-Class Wizard Apprentice. He could not understand her methods at all.

Locke was gradually beginning to understand how deadly it was in the Wizarding World when one could not comprehend an opponent's methods.

It meant the gap between two wizards was enormous—so vast that one could not even understand the other's magic.

He had only just entered the Wizarding World, yet he already had to face a relatively mature Black Wizard. It was far too difficult for him.

Just as Locke was about to chant Vine Hand and resist with everything he had, his heart suddenly sank. He felt something pressing down on him. The immense pressure forced both Locke and Lorne beside him to drop to one knee.

But it was not only the two of them. Barbara Vayne, who had seemed so unfathomable before them, also fell to her knees, gritting her teeth.

The thirty zombies surrounding them all exploded in an instant, turning into fragments.

Barbara Vayne seemed terrified. "A Formal Wizard... A Formal Wizard is actually escorting this Wizard Ship..."

"This is bad. There is a Formal Wizard among the White Wizards here..."

The next moment, an even greater Magic Pressure came at her from all directions. Barbara spat out a mouthful of blood and was almost unable to move.

"No, the radiation intensity is too high. Can Magic Pressure like this really be produced by a living being?"

Barbara swiftly took out an unknown potion from her clothes and drank it.

It was not just Barbara. In the black fog above, many Black Wizards were knocked into the sea by the terrifying Magic Pressure.

The various plants on the deck swayed at the same time, as though welcoming someone's arrival.

In an instant, a red flower bloomed atop the head of every zombie on the deck. The flowers absorbed the zombies' nutrients, then rapidly withered and bore fruit.

In the blink of an eye, the rain of zombies was broken.

The fruits fell onto the deck and swiftly withered as well. From the withered seeds flew butterfly after butterfly made of petals. Those butterflies became a sea of sakura blossoms and swept toward the black fog.

Locke heard Mentor Jarvis cry out excitedly from the deck, "It is Lord Zeno Smith, a Formal Wizard of our Four Seasons Garden, casting Sakura Curse."

A wizard appeared between Barbara and Locke and Lorne. He wore a wizard robe embroidered with lily-of-the-valley and hyacinth patterns, along with a Wizard Hat decorated with no fewer than five kinds of flowers.

Terrifying Magic Pressure radiated from his body.

Zeno Smith's gaze was indifferent as he looked down at Barbara Vayne, who was kneeling on both knees. "The little ones from the White Bone Order have become increasingly fond of telling bad jokes lately."

"They have little skill, yet their boasts are endless."

"You said my Life Magic is inferior to your Spirit Magic?"

"For the sake of the experiment I am currently conducting with your teacher, get lost immediately."

Barbara Vayne's face turned pale. She had not expected a First-Ring Wizard from Four Seasons Garden to be accompanying this Wizard Ship!

Without another word, she turned into a cloud of black fog and fled in disgrace.

At the same time, many wizards within the black fog also chose to retreat.

Mentor Jarvis called out, "Lord Zeno Smith, they have abducted at least thirty percent of the Wizard Apprentices. Should we pursue them?"

Zeno Smith did not seem to care much. "Thirty percent? Mm, very good."

"That is ten percent less than I expected."

"Let those Black Wizards go. If they gain nothing at all, they will start a war elsewhere."

He glanced at the Mandrake Vine on Locke's right hand, then turned and vanished from the deck.

Mentor Jarvis seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he merely stood on the deck in silence.

He only said coldly to the frightened Wizard Seedlings on the deck, "Consider this your trial."

"The Black Wizards of the Southeastern Corner Region frequently wage war against us White Wizards."

"Since you have encountered them early, you can learn how to fight those Black Wizards in the future."

After everything was over, Locke and Lorne sat on the deck to rest. They breathed lightly, still unable to escape the shadow of the life-and-death crisis they had just faced.

After a long while, Locke and Lorne smiled at each other. Lorne took the initiative and gave Locke a bear hug.

Having gone through this life-and-death crisis, Locke and Lorne's relationship had grown closer.

Lorne seemed to regard him as a reliable comrade.

Holding the enchanted weapon that had lost its effect, Lorne said to Locke, "That scared me to death. I thought I was going to be forced into becoming a Black Wizard."

Locke looked at his sword. "But can that Magic Item of yours still be used? That is such a shame."

Lorne said indifferently, "There is nothing to be done. Life is more important. Once we join a wizard organization, we will surely find a way to remove the seal."

Locke nodded and said to Lorne, "I need to look for my friends and see whether they are still on this ship."

I hope Patti and Kode were not taken away by the Black Wizards.

Lorne said, "I need to look too. Just now, I saw a Wizard Apprentice from the Schleswig Continent being taken away by those hateful Black Wizards."

"I truly feel sorry for that friend of mine."

"He was too unlucky."

Locke glanced at Lorne. Lorne might feel sorry for that former friend now, but the next time they met, one would be a Black Wizard and the other a White Wizard.

They would be enemies.

Locke quickly searched around the deck and soon found Kode and Patti, who were still trembling with fear.

The two had apparently not been taken by the Black Wizards because they lacked any affinity related to Negative Energy Particles.

Locke comforted them for a few moments, then stared blankly toward the place where the Formal Wizard of Four Seasons Garden had disappeared. After this crisis, Locke's desire for stronger magic became even more intense.

That figure, who had suppressed all the Black Wizards the moment he appeared, had been deeply imprinted in his mind.

Is this the power of a Formal Wizard?

Then I want to possess it too!