Chapter Summaries

Locke and Great Wizard Sura finalized a deal in which Locke would help complete the Mage Saint Hall City project in exchange for the Plutarch Family sponsoring his research and tournament participation. Great Wizard Sura also lent Locke a ring to suppress his Fated Death spell and revealed that the Demonkin were created by his old enemy, who was preparing an attack on Mage Saint Hall City.

• Great Wizard Sura promised Alicia would use secrets about the Plutarch Family's elders to secure Locke funding, projects, and tournament entry, and Locke agreed to help with the construction project.
• Great Wizard Sura gave Alicia access to the tower's resource stores and advised her on managing the family's industries, while Locke avoided involving himself in her political affairs.
• Great Wizard Sura lent Locke a scorpion ring that hid the mark on his left hand and would block the Fated Death spell for six months.
• Great Wizard Sura explained that a Divination School Black Wizard had strengthened the spell with Ritual Magic and that another Black Wizard had created the Demonkin.
• Locke deduced that the Demonkin were Earth Element creatures corrupted by death, and Great Wizard Sura confirmed their creator was a prosthetist from Spiral Basin, Black Wizard Academy, and Nehel University.
• Great Wizard Sura revealed that his old enemy was gestating a final Demonkin and would soon attack Mage Saint Hall City, while Locke resolved to seek knowledge and build his achievements through the Plutarch Family.

Great Wizard Sura tested how Demonkin demonic energy escaped into the earth veins, and Locke suggested using Magic Plants to contain it but refused to take on another underfunded project. Sura prepared to send everyone back to the Wizarding World, while Locke reflected on the effects of differing time flow rates and the relationship between the body and soul.

• Great Wizard Sura caused one captive Demonkin to die, and its demonic energy passed through the laboratory into the earth veins despite the magic arrays.
• Great Wizard Sura explained that he had been unable to stop the energy from escaping after a Demonkin died or trace where it gathered.
• Locke argued that the energy followed the world's natural earth-energy circulation and suggested Magic Plants might prevent it from entering the earth veins.
• Great Wizard Sura asked Locke to help with the research, but Locke refused because his limited funding and other responsibilities left him unable to take on another project.
• Great Wizard Sura said time passed six times faster in the Mage Plane than in the Wizarding World and prepared to send the group back.
• Locke considered how the time difference affected Sura's bodies and soul, and concluded that the physical body and soul could influence each other.

Sura the Great Wizard sent Locke and Alicia through the Plane Gate, unaware that Jell Fisher had witnessed the departure and was being urged to oppose him. Medea revealed that her prophecy magic had chosen Jell as a vessel and prepared to help Uriel challenge Sura for control of the Mage Plane.

• Sura the Great Wizard sent Locke and Alicia back through the Plane Gate and checked that the natives in his wizard tower remained under Greater Human Charm.
• Jell Fisher regained his memories of the Plane Gate and concluded that Sura secretly ruled the Mage Plane, then agreed to become the prophesied hero after a mysterious voice tempted him with power.
• Medea told Uriel that her First-Ring Fated Death spell had captured Jell as its vessel and that prophecy-driven rumors would interfere with Sura's control.
• Medea said she had guided the chosen native to Uriel and left the plane, refusing to compete for its resources.
• Uriel said Nehel University supported him and vowed not to give the plane to Sura.

Locke returned to the White Dragon Tower and read Hassan’s messages about his new work at Mithril Law Office in the Cloud Marsh Wetland. After they exchanged updates, Locke decided to research the Cloud Marsh Cup mentioned by Great Wizard Sura.

• Locke left Alicia with the Plutarch Family wizards and returned to his residence in the White Dragon Tower.
• Locke considered staying in the Land of Six Towers to benefit from the family patrons’ support and access to the Primordial Fire.
• Locke read Hassan’s messages explaining that he had become a Formal Wizard lawyer at Mithril Law Office and was advancing his Curse Magic research.
• Locke told Hassan that he had secured projects in the Land of Six Towers, then ended their exchange because he had not paid for Gray Mist Slate membership.
• Locke recalled that the Cloud Marsh Cup was held in the Cloud Marsh Wetland and planned to research it in the White Dragon Tower’s library.

Locke visited the White Dragon Tower library to learn about the Cloud Marsh Cup Tournament and discovered that it was a competition created to contain a runaway experiment and identify talented Breeders. The chapter ended with him learning that contestants would use Magic Plants to battle the powerful Mekanians, cyborgs that had escaped into the Cloud Abyss.

• Locke entered the White Dragon Tower library and received Level Two access as Alicia's favored person and an honored guest of the Plutarch Family.
• The library director ordered commoner Wizard Apprentices to find materials about the Cloud Marsh Cup, and a First-Class Wizard Apprentice quickly brought him the documents.
• The library director promised the Apprentice recognition while privately resenting commoner Wizards who sought resources through hard work.
• Locke read that the Cloud Marsh Wetland's Cloud Abyss contained Cloud Lake and sheltered the escaped Mekanians, experimental metallic life-forms armed with mechanical weapons.
• Locke learned that the Cloud Marsh Cup aimed to contain the runaway experiment and select talented Breeders from the Eastern Sector by having Magic Plants fight the Mekanians.

Locke studied the Cloud Marsh Cup and its rewards, then planned to build a team of ordinary wizards suited to the competition’s battlefield and Magic Plant requirements. Alicia secured the Land of Six Towers’ registration and funding, and she took Locke to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion to help him explore the Primordial Fire.

• Locke learned that the Cloud Marsh Cup’s finalists would design Magic Plants for Cloud Lake combat and that the winners could earn contracts with Truth Institutes.
• Locke rejected the idea of recruiting family wizards and ordered records on Cloud Lake and the Cloud Marsh Wetland’s subsidiary planes.
• Alicia told Locke she had secured the Land of Six Towers’ registration and arranged one million Magic Stones for his team.
• Locke chose the overworked First-Class Wizard Apprentice in the library as his first recruit and asked Alicia to organize a public interview for ordinary wizards.
• Alicia invited Locke to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion to purchase materials and formulas and see how he used the Primordial Fire, and Locke agreed to go.

Alicia and Locke visited the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion, where Locke found the Sun Potion formula and learned how its effects could advance his Golden Two-Headed Dragon bloodline. He left with the formula still to obtain through an exchange, but with a possible path toward the Second Ring in view.

• Alicia and Locke entered the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion, a shop run by Half-Dragons that sold potion materials and formulas.
• Alicia explained that the pavilion supported Potion Masters and exchanged formulas it did not already possess for formulas of equal value.
• Locke found the Sun Potion among the pavilion’s most difficult First-Ring formulas and saw that the shop stocked its key materials, Sun Okra and Sunstone.
• Locke concluded that drinking the Sun Potion could complete the embryonic form of his Golden Two-Headed Dragon and bring him closer to the Second Ring.

Locke traded his incomplete Holy Spring Nectar Potion formula to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion for the Sun Potion formula, earning the headquarters’ interest and a promotion to D-level membership. The Pavilion then gave him a one-month potion-making test, which he accepted.

• Locke offered the half-finished Holy Spring Nectar Potion formula, and the half-dragon wizard agreed to trade it for the Sun Potion formula under a contract granting both parties rights to use, teach, and sell the formulas.
• The half-dragon wizard explained that the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion valued Locke’s potion-making idea, then sent the formula to headquarters using the Light Transmission Device.
• The half-dragon wizard told Locke that headquarters had promoted him to D-level membership and invited him to produce an improved Holy Spring Nectar Potion for a future trade.
• The half-dragon wizard gave Locke a list requiring him to make Sleeping Potion, Rage Potion, and Blue Potion within a month using the Pavilion’s formulas and materials.
• Locke recognized the assignment as a test, considered his workload and the help he could get from the Synthesis Cube and Alicia, and agreed to try.

Locke mastered refining Sun Potions with the Primordial Fire and let Alicia imprint it so she could use it too. After discussing the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion, Alicia described the Hand of the Jungle’s influence on the Land of Six Towers, leaving its effects uncertain.

• Locke practiced with ordinary materials, then refined three bottles of Sun Potion and quickly mastered the process.
• Alicia praised the Primordial Fire’s precise heat control and agreed that potions refined with it had one-third less toxicity.
• Locke offered to share the Primordial Fire with Alicia so she could prepare Mammon's Powder Potion more easily.
• Alicia used her Scorpion Woman Bloodline and Locke’s help to overcome the flame’s resistance and imprint it with her Mental Power.
• Locke planned to synthesize the Sun Potions and trade improved formulas to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion for potion knowledge.
• Alicia explained that the pavilion’s D-rank membership offered no practical benefits and wondered whether the Hand of the Jungle’s recruitment of family wizards would help or harm the Land of Six Towers.

Locke drank a perfect-grade Sun Potion, gained the Child of the Sun constitution, and fully activated his embryonic Golden Two-Headed Dragon Bloodline. He discovered that its emerging Golden Force Field could be developed into a powerful defensive spell, and considered combining it with Forest Sanctuary and a genuine dragon scale.

• Locke drank the perfect-grade Sun Potion and gained a stronger perception of Fire and Solar Particles.
• Locke found that his Child of the Sun constitution strengthened his Flamebright Aura and fully activated his embryonic Golden Two-Headed Dragon Bloodline.
• Locke read that young Golden Two-Headed Dragons used the Golden Force Field to suppress life and protect their scales.
• Locke revealed glowing Dragon-Language Runes on his skin and strengthened his embryonic Golden Force Field to the level of a first-ring defensive spell.
• Locke realized he could develop the force field into a defensive spell and considered combining it with Forest Sanctuary and a genuine dragon scale.

Locke reviewed the progress of the three major projects in his White Dragon Tower office, where the Botanical Magic improvements lagged while two Magic Plant cultivation projects neared completion. He left the gemstone plant project close to completion, with the Botanical Magic work still requiring more staff and Locke’s direct effort.

• Wizard Collins reported that Wandering Shadow-Eye Grass had passed its completion review, the project funds and assets had been returned, and he offered to help Locke conduct interviews.
• Locke assigned Claudia work and discussed the slow Botanical Magic project with two Plutarch Family wizards, ordering them to recruit more commoner apprentices and aiming to develop three improved spells within six months.
• Locke learned that all seven Magic Plants for the Holy Spring Nectar Potion had been produced with the Synthesis Cube, bringing that project close to completion.
• Takla reported that the Louis Mine research institute had nearly completed a gemstone Magic Plant capable of releasing substantial energy for attacks and strategic reserves.

Locke tested the reusable Diamond Succulent and planned to combine it with Aura Linkage and Mayfly Firework to create chained blasts. He left to deliver a completed restorative potion and considered how to use unfinished research projects to develop a stronger entry for the Cloud Marsh Cup.

• Locke activated a Diamond Succulent inside a compressed defense field and confirmed its light explosion was powerful while causing little damage to the plant.
• Locke devised a plan to link multiple Diamond Succulents so their explosions could combine and potentially break a Wizard's Permanent Defense Field.
• Wizard Takla offered to help develop the supporting spell, and Locke agreed to study Aura Linkage with him and name him second author on the Diamond Succulent paper.
• Locke took the completed Holy Spring Nectar Potion and other potions to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion.
• Locke judged the Diamond Succulent inadequate for the Cloud Marsh Cup and planned to search the Land of Six Towers for unfinished projects that could provide useful research data.

Locke passed the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion’s first potion test by improving all three formulas, despite producing fewer bottles than expected. The Pavilion offered him C-rank membership and a new test involving the Mastermind Control Potion, which could strengthen the psionic power he needed for Forest Sanctuary Magic.

• Locke presented his potions, and the half-dragon wizard initially judged his yield insufficient before discovering that Locke had improved all three formulas.
• The half-dragon wizard tested one of Locke’s enhanced blue potions, confirmed its effects were at least one-third stronger, and praised Locke’s skill.
• The half-dragon wizard explained the Pavilion’s support for promising Potion Masters and told Locke that headquarters had granted him C-rank membership.
• The half-dragon wizard gave Locke a new test: refine at least fifteen Mastermind Control Potions from thirty sets of materials within a year, without using the Primordial Fire.
• Locke realized the potion could increase Psionic Energy and wondered whether the Pavilion had learned about his needs through an investigation or Divination School magic.

Locke interviewed Montgomery Paul, a commoner First-Ring Wizard and talented Breeder who had secretly written Eric Plutarch’s Breeding Science articles. Recognizing Montgomery’s potential and his need to escape Eric’s control, Locke accepted him onto the Cloud Marsh Cup team, leaving him to wonder whether a notorious Black Wizard from the Spiral Basin had once been exploited in a similar way.

• Locke interviewed Montgomery Paul, who explained that he planned to flee the Land of Six Towers for the Spiral Basin rather than remain under family wizards’ control.
• Montgomery revealed that Eric Plutarch had taken credit for every Breeding Science article Montgomery wrote and had prevented him from leaving.
• Montgomery said he intended to seek protection from the Black Wizard Alliance because the White Wizard Associations might betray commoner wizards who crossed into the Spiral Basin.
• Locke questioned Montgomery about Breeding Science, recognized his exceptional talent, and decided to recruit him for the Cloud Marsh Cup team.
• Locke recalled that a Black Wizard from the Spiral Basin had once competed with Great Wizard Sura and wondered whether that wizard had also ghostwritten for Sura.

Locke recruited Montgomery and three First-Class Wizard Apprentices for his Cloud Marsh Cup team, then studied Tactical Magic Plant design and previous competitions to choose a viable project. Harlan Vela sent him research materials and warned him that the contest was fierce, leaving Locke to decide what tactical weapon his team would develop.

• Locke offered Montgomery a monthly allowance of five thousand Magic Stones, and Montgomery accepted after describing how the Plutarch Family had underpaid him as a teaching assistant.
• Locke signed a contract with Montgomery and selected three First-Class Wizard Apprentices, bringing his team to one First-Ring Wizard and four apprentices.
• Locke reviewed the Cloud Marsh Cup requirements and recognized that his team needed to design a cooperative Tactical Magic Plant operated by multiple Formal Wizards.
• Harlan Vela sent Locke extensive Tactical Magic Plant research and described the fierce regional competition for a Cloud Marsh Cup spot.
• Locke concluded that he needed to analyze previous winning entries and carefully choose a weapon concept to pass the main competition's first round.

Eric Plutarch lost his temper after Locke Augustine recruited several of his ghostwriters, including the witch writing his S-grade paper. He chose not to confront Locke, blaming Alicia instead and deciding to wait for Locke’s projects to fail.

• Eric destroyed office equipment with his Scorpion Woman dark caverns while raging over Locke recruiting one of his ghostwriters.
• Eric told Yulian Plutarch that he expected to gain control of the Jackal-Leopard Bloodline Refining Factory through his son’s marriage and planned to challenge Locke later.
• Eric boasted that his remaining ghostwriters could help him publish A-grade papers and secure an S-grade Bloodline School paper.
• After reading letters, Eric discovered Locke had recruited two more ghostwriters, including the bloodline refininer writing his S-grade paper.
• Eric considered confronting Locke but backed down, deciding to wait for Locke’s projects to fail and blaming Alicia for his troubles.

Wizard Trix and the Cloud Marsh Cup committee reviewed the participating Wizard Lands and contestants, dismissing the Land of Six Towers team while discussing stronger contenders. They expected a fiercely competitive tournament and favored Witch Yennefer of the Spiral Basin as a potential champion.

• Wizard Trix noted that twenty Wizard Lands would compete for ten places, making this the most fiercely contested Cloud Marsh Cup yet.
• Trix and the committee criticized the Land of Six Towers team, judging its contestants unimpressive despite Locke becoming a Liquefaction Wizard at twenty-one, but approved its entry.
• Trix described Wizard Edgar David, a Third-Ring Wizard's disciple, as a powerful contender who had recreated the War Ancient Tree and won the Sunseed Badge.
• Trix revealed that Witch Diana Ward, a direct disciple of a Third-Ring Wizard from the Cloud Marsh Wetland, would also compete.
• The committee discussed championship favorites, and Trix said he favored Witch Yennefer of the Spiral Basin because she repeatedly survived desperate situations and turned defeats into victories.

Locke organized his new research group at White Dragon Magic Gem University and faced the high cost and uncertainty of borrowing Wizard Apprentices. When a Wizard Mentor tried to reclaim a student under pressure from Eric, Locke forced him to honor the contract by promising to confront Eric.

• Locke explained how the Plutarch Family’s conference room could display research materials through its magical paintings.
• Montgomery reported that the group had recruited fifteen First-Class and thirty Second-Class Wizard Apprentices, but borrowing them would cost about one hundred and fifty thousand Magic Stones.
• Barbara and Tacitus warned Locke about the expense of recruiting students and the risk that their Wizard Mentors might withdraw them.
• A Plutarch Family Wizard Mentor asked Locke to cancel his contract and return a First-Class Wizard Apprentice, claiming Eric had pressured him.
• Locke handed the mentor the contract but said he would confront Eric and make him apologize, prompting the mentor to withdraw his request and honor the agreement.

Locke settled a dispute over rules for the research group, rejecting restrictions on students’ advancement and proposing organized records and rewards instead. He then turned the group’s attention to choosing a tactical-grade Magic Plant category to develop.

• Montgomery and Tacitus proposed student stipends and restrictions, including delaying students’ attempts to become Formal Wizards, while Barbara objected to exploiting them.
• Locke ended the argument and said students could attempt advancement, proposing handover procedures, organized records, and rewards for outstanding students.
• The others accepted Locke’s approach, though Tacitus and Barbara still seemed distrustful of each other.
• Locke asked Montgomery, Tacitus, and Barbara to suggest which tactical-grade Magic Plant category the group should develop.

Barbara, Montgomery, and Tacitus debated whether their research team should study healing Magic Vines or Treants for the Cloud Marsh Cup. Locke shared advanced research materials from his school in the Southeastern Corner Region, giving the team access to information unavailable to commoner Wizards in the Land of Six Towers.

• Barbara proposed developing tactical-grade healing Magic Vines, while Tacitus argued that Treants were a safer research choice.
• Barbara and Tacitus debated the risks of their preferred subjects until Locke called for them to remain amicable.
• Locke distributed advanced Treant research materials from the Southeastern Corner Region and offered to obtain further information through his school.
• The Wizards envied Locke's academic network and discussed how commoner Wizards in the Land of Six Towers were shut out of information and opportunities.
• Barbara asked Locke to request materials on both individual-combat and tactical Magic Vines, and he agreed to share them freely.