'Campus Network'

"Power? What is power?" the old courtier asked curiously.

Downs was stumped.

He scratched his head, revealing a face that was the epitome of blank confusion.

"I forgot!"

His entire reaction highlighted a purity uncorrupted by [Knowledge]!

Normally, such pure flashes of brilliance were only seen in Barbarian class users, universally acknowledged as simple and honest.

But... you're the recognized, knowledgeable, and cultured Mage!

Does your Master know you're acting like this?

(A certain Master, reading only, do not summon)

The old courtier and Ganis's eyelids twitched uncontrollably, but what could they say?

"I want this. Any problem?"

"No, no problem..." they said in unison.

The matter was happily settled. After all, the King himself had ordered Downs to take whatever he wanted. And he, being incredibly polite, only took one high-level item. Even if he didn't know what it was, his magnanimity... anyone who heard of it would praise him as 'proper'.

Meanwhile, Cervantes the King was pacing back and forth, agitated, unwilling to let others know how much his heart ached.

"What if that brat really empties my treasury?"

He was truly consumed by anxiety.

Until he saw a royal guard stride into the hall, he quickly asked, "What did he take?"

"Collection number thirteen."

"Thirteen...?" The King's head buzzed like a gong that had just been struck hard. He clutched the ruby pendant at his chest, his cheek muscles and right eyelid twitching uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty, is there a problem?" Master Famit sensitively detected something was wrong.

The King knew that Master Level experts had extraordinary perception, and his reaction likely couldn't be hidden from his own Master expert. He forced a 'happy' smile, akin to someone about to be hanged.

He stopped pretending and revealed the bitterness of having "lost a hundred million."

"That thing is useless to most people in the world, but to a very few spellcasters, it might be a ladder to godhood."

The King was both indignant and heartbroken. Although he had resigned himself to the fact that he couldn't afford to offend the Legendary Archmage and told him to take anything, to have the most brilliant 'pearl' from his treasury taken away at the last moment shattered his heart.

He vaguely remembered the previous King's dying words: "Some things are not as simple as they appear, like XXX," and collection number 13 was among them.

King Cervantes XIII was, after all, a qualified and diligent King. The heartache was temporary. Soon, he calmed himself with a series of actions, including deep breaths and gazing into the distance, wiping away a few tears that welled up.

"Never mind, don't feel bad for me. The Age of Dharma's End has lasted for a hundred years. Giving something that only Mages can use well to a true Legendary Archmage is definitely the right thing to do. Regardless, since Lord Tesla took this item from us, he owes our country a favor."

The King spoke with such certainty that Master Famit and the others fell silent.

Diplomacy was always built on national strength and military power. Frankly, the Cervantes Kingdom had schemed against the Legendary Archmage's favorite disciple first, and in return, they took a piece of the kingdom's flesh. This reaction was already quite restrained.

Famite really wanted to say to the King: "Your Majesty, just accept it. You can't outplay that Legendary Archmage!"

Interestingly, when Downs returned to Madela Mage Tower and presented the item, which looked like a pair of fishnet stockings, to Lein's view as if offering a treasure, the Legendary Archmage almost said, "Disciple, you truly understand your Master's heart."

After seeing clearly, Lein inwardly grumbled: Pah! For a moment, I thought you'd beaten me to it and gone to some place that 'makes money off other people's wives'.

Ahem! Master is talking about legitimate commercial KTVs, please don't misunderstand.

Looking closer, Lein was shocked.

The System clearly indicated: [Unknown (Magic Web Fragment) -- A product of partially crystallized and uncontrolled magic after a certain unidentifiable magic network shattered. Special note: This (Magic Web Fragment) can be used to build a magic school's (campus network).]

Lein was utterly speechless.

Campus network, a term that filled him with pain, hatred, and helplessness.

The feeling of one person downloading with Xunlei and the whole dorm cursing.

The frustration of a game being close to victory only to be disconnected at 11 PM due to a power outage.

And yet, for some damn elective courses, you couldn't even register without the campus network.

The moment he thought of this term, Lein wanted to... Oh, no swearing. Then I have nothing to say.

Lein never imagined that the tables would turn one day, and he would be the one dealing with campus networks!

Did I do something bad in my past life without realizing it, to be encountering this thing in this life?

Despite his complaints, Lein treated the item with utmost seriousness.

"Downs, come back here for a moment and let me see that thing."

"Yes, Master. I'll leave right away. If Master is in a hurry, I can ride [Bo Le] back overnight."

"No need for such trouble, just teleport." In his urgency, Lein didn't realize he had said something earth-shattering again.

Downs was astonished to see a nearly two-meter-tall oval portal, wide enough for three people to walk abreast, suddenly open out of thin air to his right. On the other side of the portal was the familiar small valley he knew so well!

Downs's respect grew, and at the same time, a question that had troubled him for months was answered—why had Master never mentioned leaving the valley? It turns out Master could leave, he simply didn't want to. With such convenient spatial travel, why would one need a horse, let alone a dragon?

Downs flicked his sleeve, as if to brush off the little dust on him, then cupped the Magic Web Fragment in both hands, solemnly stepped through the portal, and presented the treasure to his Master, who smiled wordlessly before him.

At this moment, Lein was terrified that Downs would blurt out, "Master, here are the fishnet stockings you wanted."

Fortunately, his good disciple hadn't yet been corrupted by those otherworldly Japanese teachers before his Master.

Downs's formal presentation instead made Lein feel a little embarrassed.

Almost as soon as Lein's hand touched the [Magic Web Fragment], the System provided a more detailed explanation:

[System detected, this Magic Web Fragment can be converted by the host into a Magic Campus Web for teaching magic apprentices.]

[Magic Campus Web: The host can customize the specialties of the Magic Campus Web according to their own characteristics. Given the insufficient area and quantity of this Magic Web Fragment, the campus network can currently accommodate a maximum of 5 people. The host can inject up to three (Greater Magic Specialties), 9 Level 0 Cantrips, 8 Level 1 Spells... 4 Level 5 Spells into the network.]

[The magic net's mana is supplied by the academy, with a maximum mana capacity of 100,000 points.]

[The host is by default the highest authority of the campus network; this authority cannot be transferred or changed.]

[The host can currently designate one other person as a magic transmitter. The magic and Greater Magic Specialties they upload can be shared across the entire campus network. The conditions and price required for users to use them are set by the host.]

[Does the host wish to establish a Magic Campus Web?]