Trust

Seeing Iz again, he no longer exuded the almost visible, intense malice.

Kumiloni also seized the moment.

She immediately explained softly, "What Iz used on you back then was likely the Malice Aura."

"This magic emits strong malice, capable of immediately provoking vigilance, hatred, and even fear from any target around you."

"Malice can drive away timid Demonic Beasts, and it can also be used... for trials on people."

"Many academies and training programs use the Malice Aura to increase the sense of crisis during trials, achieving the desired effect."

"But if you know about it beforehand, the effect of the Malice Aura will still be greatly reduced. After all, if you know in advance that the other party isn't actually trying to harm you, the effect will definitely be weaker."

Lu Cang indeed felt less aversion towards Izpalut now compared to before.

Iz still had a look of slight guilt on his face: "I apologize. Due to the special circumstances at the time, I couldn't explain much to you, otherwise, it wouldn't have worked."

"To learn Void Magic, one of the conditions is to exhaust all your magic power under a life-or-death threat."

"In addition to that, I also need to personally set up a corresponding ritual."

Lu Cang felt a slight sense of relief.

Although his guard hadn't completely dropped, at least from the current situation.

The possibility that they were telling the truth was not small.

He had been unconscious for so long...

Iz had plenty of opportunities to kill him.

Even if he didn't kill him.

After what happened, he shouldn't have brought him back.

Should he trust him?

Lu Cang was very conflicted.

To treat being on the brink of death as if nothing had happened felt too magnanimous.

But feeling the "Void Magic" within him.

He had indeed, as Iz said, surpassed his magic limit.

Furthermore, he had indeed learned "Void Magic."

If Iz was telling the truth, and Lu Cang just gave him a cold shoulder and left.

Would that be too heartless?

But if he trusted him again so easily... wouldn't he be too trusting in this otherworld?

Trusting someone who had put him in mortal danger?

Right and wrong warred within Lu Cang.

Lu Cang's mind flashed with the adventurers' enthusiasm for Iz, the sincerity and joy of the apprentices asking Iz questions about magic, and Kumiloni's urgency when she appeared in the dungeon to save him.

Concern and tenderness...

Were these also faked?

He hadn't died, he had been saved... this was also real. Even though the shadow of death flickered in Lu Cang's memory, he made his decision.

Finally, Lu Cang sighed softly.

He said gently to Iz, "Iz, I believe you."

Despite being far more powerful than Lu Cang.

But upon hearing Lu Cang's reply, Iz seemed to be relieved of a great burden and smiled again.

Iz smiled and said, "Thank you."

Iz had no idea how difficult it was for Lu Cang to make the decision to trust him.

Lu Cang had never heard of Izpalut's reputation in this world.

Nor had he heard any well-known legendary stories.

He was merely a transmigrator who had been in this world for less than three days, knowing almost nothing about it.

He only knew that the person he had trusted had plunged him into a deadly abyss.

And now.

Lu Cang had to rebuild trust in this person he had known for less than three days, the same person who had nearly killed him.

This was far more difficult than for those who knew Izpalut's legends.

Lu Cang calmed down and listened carefully as Izpalut explained the entire sequence of events.

He had already planned last night how to put him in a life-or-death situation today.

However, the dungeon had changed from the second-tier Dark Jungle to the second-tier Shadow Cave.

But no matter which dungeon it was, the outcome would be the same.

Iz would personally control the strength of the final dungeon Lord.

Through the magic of "Demonic Beast Control," he would make the Demonic Beasts attack when needed.

Through the magic of "Demonic Beast Frenzy," he would grant the Demonic Beasts strength beyond their original capabilities.

The final result displayed was Lu Cang facing life-threatening danger again and again.

But in reality, this threat didn't exist at all.

It was all orchestrated by Iz.

If Lu Cang couldn't dodge an attack, Iz would find a way to stop it.

And as long as Lu Cang could dodge, Iz would create a perilous situation that was a hair's breadth away from disaster.

Listening to Iz describe everything he had planned, Lu Cang's expression was very complex.

Iz held his hot tea and said, "Your performance was truly astonishing."

"Even the frenzied Dark Serpent, you managed to suppress it, even almost kill it."

Lu Cang recalled the scene at the time and said with his head down, "At that moment, I was just thinking about how I could survive."

Iz's expression also darkened slightly. "I'm sorry..."

"Perhaps I should have used a gentler method."

Lu Cang shook his head. "No... Iz."

"I said I trust you."

"At least, this time I will trust you. After all, you were the ones who brought me out of that place."

The lingering fear remained, and the knot in his heart wouldn't disappear so easily.

However, Lu Cang chose to trust this Mage again.

It wasn't that Lu Cang didn't revere life, but rather it stemmed from the character Iz had shown, everything he had displayed, and his companions by his side...

It was also because "Void Magic" inside him was still operating.

All of this made Lu Cang believe that Iz was worthy of his second trust.

"Tell me about Void Magic, Iz," Lu Cang said with a grin.

Izpalut also showed a smile of relief. "Mm."

"Void Magic (LV:100)(Forbidden)--Eternal operation, magic from the void, all-attribute magic, magic absorption resistance, extremely fast magic recovery speed, continuous Magic Growth"

Iz began, "Only two people in the world have mastered Void Magic."

"One is me."

Lu Cang: "The other is me."

Iz nodded gently.

Lu Cang: "Then, the method to break through..."

Iz: "It only exists in theory, but I have a ninety-nine percent chance of success with this theory."

Lu Cang's mouth twitched.

So he was the first one to try.

Iz, I just regained my trust in you.

Thinking this, Lu Cang still tilted his head and asked doubtfully, "Then why hasn't anyone else besides you mastered it?"

"Didn't you say that two others besides me learned Magic Tide?" Lu Cang's tone was full of curiosity.

Iz: "Level reasons."

"They all broke through to Level 1 Mage."

"To break through the magic limit and learn Void Magic, one must be a Level 1 Mage."

"There is another condition, and that is that Magic Tide must reach the limit of proficiency."

Limit. Does that mean Level 100?

One of the effects of "Divine Proficiency Evolution" was that he could see the progress of his proficiency.

This meant that ordinary people couldn't normally see the progress of their proficiency.

They could only feel their own progress to a greater or lesser extent.

But there should be a way to check, right? Lu Cang guessed in his heart.

"Mm."

"I sensed it the moment you mastered the Magic Tide. With your talent, you'll quickly reach the limit with it."

"You're also the Mage I've seen, besides myself, with the highest chance of learning Void Magic."

"If you don't learn Void Magic at level 1, you'll never get another chance."

Lu Cang nodded gently.

Now that he understood the whole story, Lu Cang could accept the "trial" Iz had set up.

Even if it was psychologically scarring.

"Void Magic doesn't just increase your maximum magic capacity."

"It also allows you to recover magic in any environment."

Iz raised his hand slightly.

Hummm--

The familiar sensation reappeared. Centered on Lu Cang, the free elements within a one-kilometer radius instantly vanished.

This area had become a magic-null zone, incapable of restoring magic.

Iz spoke, "Try to expend some magic."

Lu Cang raised his hand, and an Ice Cone condensed beside him.

Lu Cang increased the amount of magic he was outputting.

He expended 0.2% of his magic.

This 0.2% now was equivalent to the 14% he used when fighting the Giant Snake.

However, the instant the magic was expended...

That portion of consumed magic was instantly replenished.

The magic recovery was completely unaffected by external elements.

Rather...

His own magic wasn't being supplied by external elements at all.

Instead, it came from the void within him.