Core Area (Seeking Follow-Ups, Favorites, and Recommendations!)

Big news—absolutely huge news!

The Furnace had finally launched a war against the outside world!

Everyone knew that The Furnace launched an external war every decade or so.

On one hand, it was to seize resources. On the other, it was to cull its own apprentices and wizards.

The Furnace needed elite wizards and apprentices—the best of the best. Only the strongest could remain and survive!

And how were they selected? Through war, of course!

To Dark Wizards, only those who survived war could be considered elite and were qualified to continue living in The Furnace!

When Lynn heard the news from Colin, his heart jolted.

He had been prepared for something like this. After all, over the past two months, neither Sonia, Colin, his teacher, nor his enemies had come looking for him. Clearly, something unusual had happened within The Furnace.

But when he heard it from Colin himself, his teeth still clenched uncontrollably.

War!

This was no trivial matter.

The Furnace's war was a declaration of war against external supernatural forces, against other wizard factions!

In that kind of environment, Wizard Apprentices were no more than soldiers in an ordinary army. They were practically cannon fodder.

An enemy wizard could wipe out a whole group of apprentices with a casual spell!

Only Official Wizards could be considered commanders on the battlefield and have a chance of surviving such a war.

Of course, that was merely a chance. There had been precedents of Official Wizards falling during Furnace Wars.

After Colin finished speaking, his gaze remained fixed on Lynn's face as he observed his reaction.

When he saw the shock in Lynn's eyes, he nodded in satisfaction.

But he also noticed that although Lynn's heart was in turmoil, he still appeared calm and composed.

"You really can keep your cool... Haha, just as I thought. I couldn't scare you..."

Colin shook his head with a smile, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"No matter when it is, you must stay calm. That's what makes someone good wizard material. I think highly of you, Lynn."

Sonia stood beside them with her hands on her hips and smiled softly. Though she looked somewhat haggard, her smile carried a special charm.

"Hm?"

Hearing the words of the two Level 3 Wizard Apprentices beside him, Lynn became even more confused.

"Let me explain."

Sonia smiled faintly and said softly,

"Although The Furnace has declared war externally, our Potion Garden is the safest place. We're responsible for logistics. Unless The Furnace is overrun by the enemy, we won't take part in frontline battles. So Lynn's safety won't be a problem."

Sonia's words were reassuring, but judging by her exhausted expression, the Potion Garden was clearly not as easygoing as it appeared.

Though they did not need to go onto the battlefield themselves, as a logistics department, they still had to expend tremendous effort and energy.

Compared with wizards who went directly to the battlefield, the Potion Garden's wizards might be able to preserve their lives, but they still could not afford to let down their guard.

"But Colin doesn't seem to work in the Potion Garden..."

Lynn suddenly remembered something.

To his surprise, Colin smiled and casually shook his head.

"I resigned a few days ago. Today, I officially transferred to the Potion Garden."

"Running away right before the battle—aren't you afraid The Furnace will punish you..."

Lynn could not help grumbling inwardly. Seeing Colin look completely unashamed and even rather pleased with himself, he could not suppress a laugh.

Still, with Teacher Rosalind's protection, Colin's safety was not really a concern.

After holding a simple welcome ceremony for Colin, Lynn decided to begin his leave tomorrow and take the opportunity to visit the Spell Testing Room.

According to the rules, every apprentice had two days off each month and could freely choose when to take them.

Lynn planned to rest for two consecutive days and use the time to visit the Spell Testing Room Sonia had mentioned.

The Furnace was divided into several districts: the Potion Garden, Beast Pen, Alchemy Department, Living District...

The Spell Testing Room was not located in any of those districts. It was in The Furnace's Core Area.

The Core Area was a High Tower. Its towering first-floor entrance required a personal identity plaque to enter.

Merely entering this area required paying one point.

Lynn had earned a total of fifty points from his work over the past two months.

But after swiping his plaque just now, one point had already been deducted, leaving him with forty-nine.

"So the reason I don't like going out is because I can't afford to spend money. I might as well meditate in my dorm..."

Lynn muttered helplessly. He raised his hand and swiped his identity plaque, then saw the number on it change from fifty to forty-nine, making his heart ache.

After entering the High Tower, Lynn was stunned by its scale.

The High Tower was extraordinarily tall. Looking upward, he estimated that it had more than ten floors. Each floor was over four meters high, and every level covered an enormous area, creating an awe-inspiring sight.

The moment he entered the tower, he was drawn in by the intricacy and grandeur of its architecture.

Although Lynn had experienced the shock of high-rises in his future life, this High Tower built through wizardry was entirely different from modern reinforced concrete structures. It gave him an unprecedented sense of impact.

"The Spell Testing Room is on the first floor. Just keep heading inward."

Lynn had studied the map earlier, and now he was walking through the first-floor hall.

Although entering The Furnace's Core Area cost one point, the place was not as deserted as he had expected. On the contrary, there were quite a few people.

Tall figures moved through the area, all dressed in The Furnace's standard long robes.

Lynn was still young, and his body had not fully developed, making him seem comparatively slight.

But he was already a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice. The energy particles and presence emanating from him gave him a unique bearing, so no one looked down on him for it.

"Here it is, the Spell Testing Room!"

Upon entering the Spell Testing Room, the first thing he saw was a hall where points had to be swiped. Beyond it, the space was divided into multiple rooms.

When Lynn reached the hall, he found quite a few people already waiting in line. Some rooms were even fully occupied, so it was obvious he would have to wait for a while before testing.

"Could it be because The Furnace has gone to war? Everyone's coming here to test their combat strength, identify their weaknesses, and make up for them in advance to improve their odds of victory?"

Lynn silently guessed.

He walked to the nearest Spell Testing Room, swiped his plaque, and selected the most basic testing option.

The testing fee was twenty points per hour. After swiping his card, he only needed to wait patiently. When it was his turn, his identity plaque would react.

Although this world had not developed high technology, wizardry possessed technological characteristics in some respects, even surpassing conventional technology in certain areas.

And Lynn was not worried about anyone cutting in line. After all, within this Core Area, even Official Wizards did not dare casually interfere with others.

This was right under the Lord of the Furnace's nose. Anyone who caused trouble here would be seeking death.

"I'll wait for a while..."

Lynn muttered to himself. Just as he was about to wait quietly, a surprised cry suddenly came from behind him.

"Lynn!"

Lynn froze slightly and turned around, only to see three figures approaching him.

Though he recognized only one of them, that familiar figure made his brows rise.

It was the youth who had entered The Furnace alongside him and Remy after passing the assessment. Lynn had some impression of him.

Two tall figures stood beside the youth, dressed in heavy robes with their faces hidden beneath their hoods.

Before Lynn could speak, one of the people beside the youth removed his hood. With a faintly mocking smile on his lips, he said,

"So you're Lynn—the Lynn who killed my useless little brother."

At those words, Lynn's pupils abruptly contracted.

He immediately realized the man's identity. His expression darkened as he thought,

Riley Robert!