Level Two Training Agreement

"Dear Father and Mother, skipping the preamble, I'm probably doomed this time... Ah, no, wait, I think I can survive!"

Benjamin, who had been "invited away" amid the chaos, was taken by several enforcement wizards in standard wizard robes to a secret chamber deep within the Academy.

The room was not large. Its walls were cast from some kind of cold black metal, with no windows, only a heavy metal door.

Benjamin sat in a comfortable chair at the center of the room. He had been fairly nervous at first, but soon realized things seemed different from what he had imagined.

Although this secret chamber looked tightly guarded, those wizards did not seem particularly concerned about him.

He was neither restrained nor did he sense any coercive energy fluctuations.

The enforcement wizards had merely brought him here, then stood silently outside the door. They neither entered nor communicated with him in any way.

There were even several exquisite little pastries and a cup of drink radiating a warm glow sitting conspicuously on a small round table beside him.

"What is this? A PIAY setup?"

This bizarre friendliness left Benjamin somewhat bewildered, but he still let out a slight sigh of relief.

"Looks like... the problem isn't as serious as I imagined?" He carefully lifted the drink and took a small sip.

The liquid slid down his throat with an indescribably comforting sensation, as though it could ease mental exhaustion.

If he had truly exposed a cultivation system beyond wizardry, or if they suspected him of being a spy, they would never have treated him so politely.

Wizards dealt with enemies—especially enemies who might threaten an entire civilization—with methods that were absolutely cold and direct.

No restraints, no interrogation, even snacks and drinks... no matter how he looked at it, this did not resemble an interrogation of a spy.

Waiting for judgment was never pleasant, yet this pressureless wait instead made him relax somewhat.

He leaned back in his chair, while the Inner Circulation within his body continued to operate without pause. That layer of Adamantine plating also covertly covered his body's surface, ready at any moment to deal with unexpected circumstances.

Who knew how long he waited before the heavy metal door of the secret chamber clicked and slowly opened.

A familiar figure with a slightly balding head, dressed in the long robes of an Alchemy Department instructor, walked in.

Instructor Clark.

Seeing that it was Clark, Benjamin's instinctive fear of his homeroom teacher as a student immediately made his heart leap into his throat.

He promptly straightened his posture, his body taut, barely daring to breathe.

He had assumed that what awaited him would be his instructor's icy questioning and scrutiny.

To his surprise, Clark displayed no attitude of scrutiny or interrogation whatsoever.

His face still bore that usual expressionless look, but his gaze seemed to have lost some of its usual rigidity and gained a trace of...

"How should I put it? It was the look one used to assess the value of merchandise?"

Benjamin's heart was full of questions, but he could not exactly voice them, so he could only quietly await the result of his judgment.

Fortunately, Clark did not beat around the bush. He walked over, sat in a chair opposite Benjamin, and spoke bluntly.

"The White Iron-based Isolation Material you submitted has passed the highest-level testing and evaluation. Its potential is enormous. At the same time, your performance during the sudden incident in the public laboratory—calm, decisive, and accurate in your judgment of the equipment's core—demonstrated exceptionally high responsiveness and talent."

Benjamin swallowed, having no idea what his instructor was about to say, afraid that a "but" would be the next thing out of his mouth.

Things did not develop as he had imagined. Instructor Clark paused, then spoke a term unfamiliar to Benjamin.

"The Academy has decided to activate your Level Two Training Agreement."

Level Two Training Agreement?

Benjamin was momentarily at a loss.

What was that supposed to be?

He had heard Amy and the others mention that the Academy seemed to have some kind of apprentice training plan before, but a Level Two Training Agreement... while it sounded similar, it did not seem to be the same thing.

Instructor Clark seemed to notice his confusion and, with rare patience, explained.

"The Level Two Training Agreement is established by the Star Ring Alliance for apprentices assessed as having the potential to surpass the formal wizard ranks and charge toward higher levels. It represents the entire Alliance's focused cultivation of you."

"The specific privileges include this: your points account has been granted additional purchasing permissions. Ordinary apprentices can purchase at most items and knowledge related to Level 1 Formal Wizards. You, however, as long as you possess enough points, can purchase nearly all non-prohibited goods within the Academy Magic Network, including certain controlled knowledge and items."

"At the same time, you have been granted the qualification to establish a private laboratory. You may own your own laboratory within an area designated by the Workshop, enjoying a better research environment and equipment resources. Naturally, you will have to pay the costs yourself."

"Most importantly, you may sell your research products through Academy channels over energy communications throughout the entire Star Ring Federation. This differs from the energy communications at the mission center, which can only connect within the Academy. It is not merely an on-campus platform, but a trading platform that can cross planes and factions, allowing you access to countless broader markets and resources."

Listening to Instructor Clark's introduction, Benjamin roughly understood the value of this Level Two Training Agreement, but he was still somewhat puzzled.

"Instructor, these... seem to all be qualifications?" Benjamin hesitated. "It feels like there isn't much substantive support? For instance, will the Academy provide large amounts of free materials or points assistance?"

After hearing Benjamin's question, Instructor Clark's eternally unchanging poker face habitually revealed the look he gave idiots.

"Points? Assistance?"

He looked at Benjamin, his tone taking on that analytical manner Benjamin knew well from class.

"Apprentice Benjamin, if you cannot even earn enough points to meet the needs of your own cultivation and research, then you are fundamentally unqualified to receive a Level Two Training Agreement, much less prove that you possess the ability to charge toward higher levels."

"These qualifications are themselves the greatest support. They remove the ceiling on your ability to obtain resources and broaden the channels through which you can acquire them. As for how much you can earn and how far you can go, that depends on your own capabilities."

Hearing Instructor Clark's words, the heart Benjamin had kept hanging in suspense finally settled completely.

So that was it!

It seemed he had not been treated as a spy, nor had they decided he was concealing some earth-shattering secret. Instead, the Academy had confirmed that he possessed "investment value" and "cultivation potential"!

So that meant...

I cleared up the materials issue under the identity of a "genius"?!

At that realization, a feeling of relief instantly flooded over Benjamin.

He was finally safe!

At least, within this Academy, under the protection of its rules, he was safe for the time being!

Benjamin felt a surge of relief, along with a hint of embarrassment.

The enormous shift in his state of mind made him unable to stop himself from smiling, his expression becoming somewhat relaxed.