The red door gently closed, the light in the room growing increasingly dim as Wizard Tuta's gaze carried a profound depth beneath his black hood.
A backup plan that he did not know whether it would play a role.
As an investment, he could pay the rare generosity of a Wizard, though he was uncertain whether it would bring any return.
The reason for choosing this little fellow probably also lay in the other's temperament resembling a true Wizard.
His aged body and fading vitality could not hold out much longer, nor could he attempt to use radiation to affect himself, making this better than nothing.
Escaping this shell could grant long-lasting life, but the severed Wizard path was something he could not accept.
An official Wizard, indeed!
The sigh gradually echoed within the room.
There were five final years remaining.
Shedding the black robe, his lean body showed aged, wrinkled skin clinging to him like a bag of bones, his heart beating feebly, even his breathing nearly vanishing.
Yet a powerful imposing aura burst forth, filling the entire room as the candlelight extinguished one by one.
Terrible creatures of the deep sea lurking around the Wizard ship plunged abruptly into the seabed to hide, as if frightened.
Territory-shaking particle energy flowed within the aged shell, and the release of even the slightest bit of it was high-energy ionizing radiation sufficient to kill all the novices on the Wizard ship.
High-energy reaction detected, extreme danger, please get away from the one-kilometer range as soon as possible.
Holding the wooden box in both hands, the figure walking in the corridor paused in his steps, his sweat-soaked forehead turning back in a start to glance at the red wooden door at the end of the red carpet.
Flapping its wings and making a complete mess of the room, Harak's piercing cries annoyed Ryan, who actually had to play the part of a pooper-scooper to clean up the filth excreted on the floor of the room.
The feeling transmitted by the Seed of Consciousness was endless panic and unease.
Under that wave of high-energy radiation, the range of influence was extremely vast, silently targeted specifically at creatures similar to Harak.
Through the circular window, the sea was still boundlessly dark, far too thick.
Ryan's pupils contracted; he had never carefully observed the ocean, but it should not be an illusion—further away in the darkness, certain behemoths seemed to be churning.
The next day, when Ryan was dumping some filth on the deck, Gray was also carrying a sack of things in a disheveled state, letting the vast ocean accept the gift he presented.
"Did your nurtured creature also experience an uproar?"
Gray touched the few extra bloodstains on his cheek, grimacing in stinging pain.
"This is too abnormal; Kobik went crazy and almost bit me to death."
"My handsome face cannot endure this kind of injury, and if Kobik bites me again next time, I'm going to bite back."
Ryan: "."
"Hey, Ryan, look quickly, Arthur is at it again, acting all gentlemanly while chatting and laughing with Anna, so greasy it's disgusting."
Gray bellowed on the deck, "He's so ugly, and Anna is clearly showing a sense of distance and the intent of rejection. Can skin thickness also enhance Wizard aptitude? Wow, wow, is that something I can try too?"
Her fiery red hair remained eye-catching and attractive, set against a grey robe and a fair, delicate face, with crimson pupils carrying a hint of impatience.
"Anna, may I invite you to dinner this evening?"
"No, Arthur, I am going to delve into Wizard knowledge this evening, and I won't even go to the dining hall."
As she spoke, Anna smoothed a strand of hair from her forehead.
The beginner Wizardry she chose had extremely high difficulty even within the elemental energy series, and once mastered, it would likewise be a tremendous trump card.
Fire Sun Star Wizardry was generally something Rank 2 Wizard Apprentices attempted to master, and did not belong to the category of low-level Wizardry.
She had confidence; after all, upon reaching the academy, there were still six months remaining.
Her talent was also among the best of the numerous novices.
Arthur said nonchalantly, "Anna, top-tier Wizard aptitude is different from those low-level novices. No matter how hard they try or how desperately they research, they cannot smooth over the absolute chasm of the aptitude gap."
Seeming to have noticed something, Arthur looked at the two people not far away on the deck.
Gray, with a forced, dry smile on his face, looked just like someone caught doing something bad.
Ryan gave a faint glance and turned to walk toward the cabin; he never cared about matters unrelated to him.
"Wait for me, Ryan. I remembered my Kobik hasn't been fed today yet."
Arthur's expression carried disdain and contempt. "Did you see that, Anna? That is a typical low-level novice with unremarkable Wizard aptitude and extremely foolish choices regarding Wizardry."
"They don't even have the qualifications to join the elemental energy series chosen by everyone and the Wizard exchange events being held."
"Once they enter the Umbral Wizard Academy and the six months are up, they will be expelled from the academy to become Wilderness Wizards, eventually dying in obscurity."
"You and I are different. Top-tier Wizard aptitude dictates that we will be able to walk further on the Wizard path."
"I am aware of that, Arthur, but I really have no time today. I'm going back to my room first to attempt Wizardry Particle Energy calculations."
Anna forced a smile. Although what the other said was a fact, she was well aware of those little ulterior motives.
Proud as she was, possessing decent Wizard aptitude, the partner she chose would inevitably have advantages that could help her, or higher aptitude.
Arthur could only be considered a secondary choice; keeping him on a leash was enough.
Arthur looked at that graceful back and took a deep breath, as if a trace of Anna's scent still lingered.
The fair-skinned neck and the high-held posture made him obsessed. He had to devour this beautiful white swan.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Harak flapped her wings and squeezed through the circular window just as evening fell and darkness set in.
He closed the window, shutting out the salty, damp sea breeze.
Ryan wore a hint of unease between his brows as he gazed at the rolling waves outside the window. Farther in the distance, everything had already grown dark, resembling a scene from the arrival of the apocalypse.
Ever since the strange fluctuation emitted by Wizard Tuta that day, a sense of unclear anxiety had persisted in his heart, and today was by far the worst.
"Cluck-cluck!"
Eating the meat of the Sea Beast, Harak let out a strange cry while her body trembled in a fit.
Ryan noticed this, and his eyes instantly lit up. Could this be the sign of the wizardry's completion?
The Iron Claw Steel Skin Nurturing Wizardry, as the name implied, could endow the Nurtured Creature with corresponding traits.
Once nurtured successfully, it would advance into a Supernatural Lifeform. No matter how many mortals there were—even powerful knights among mortals—Harak would be able to slaughter them effortlessly.
Her black wings spread out, reaching a full five meters. Her sharp claws easily shattered the floorboards, and her pupils were incomparably blood-red, resembling a demon crow from hell.
A ferocious and tyrannical aura emanated from her body, startling even Ryan. Ordinary creatures or mortals would be paralyzed by the aura and rendered unable to move the very first moment.
Fine blue radiances flowed within her pupils as the Eye of Truth observed.
Ryan revealed an excited smile; the Iron Claw Steel Skin Nurturing Wizardry was indeed complete.
He already possessed the admission ticket to enter the Umbral Wizard Academy.
This was the first step toward the vast Truth.
Target: Harak
Species: Black Feather Crow
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