Gray

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Gray
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mensis Wizard Academy
Occupation/Role	First-Class Wizard Apprentice; New Blood Apprentice Instructor; disciple of Merlin
Status	Alive; possessed by the Ancient God of Life
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Gray had served as a new-blood instructor for five cohorts over fifty years. His experience made him deeply prejudiced against low-aptitude apprentices; he considered poor aptitude evidence that an apprentice would fail in every respect. During Ahab Gul's assessment, Gray assigned him to the bottom cabin and resolved to provide him no academy resources. 1 2

His attitude shifted after the poisoned-rum incident aboard the Ferry Ship. Realizing that Ahab had deliberately induced the other apprentices to drink poison after acquiring immunity himself, Gray recognized his ruthlessness and cunning. Merlin identified Ahab as an ideal candidate for the Demon Hunter Wizard Project and told Gray to train him; the contribution for cultivating such a candidate was worth ten ordinary apprentices. 3

Gray continued instructing the three surviving recruits, distributing meditation methods according to elemental affinity and using Bill's defeat to teach Tolia about combat judgment. Though he initially regarded Tolia as the apprentice with the greatest conventional potential, Ahab's self-treatment of his tongue wound made Gray reassess Ahab's future prospects. 4 5 7

Merlin later assigned Gray to support Ahab's first demon hunt against Vivian. Gray located Vivian in a rainforest, transported the team there, and led the initial assault. Clifis then exposed himself as a Void Cultist and used the Authority of Banishment to disable Gray's sorcery. 19 21 22

Before the hunt, Gray had secretly been possessed after looking into the Blood Moon and seeing his reflection speak to him. During the battle with Clifis, the possession manifested fully: Gray transformed into a monstrous believer of the Ancient God of Life and fought Clifis using life-draining power. 20 24

After returning to the academy, Gray concealed his betrayal while remaining Ahab's point of contact with Merlin. He manipulated Bill into joining Ahab's Bloodkin mission and supplied him with a potion, intending for Ahab to eliminate Bill and thereby silence a witness to Gray's research into Ancient Gods. 26 28

Appearance

Gray is a relatively young-looking male apprentice who wears the black robes and metal nameplate of a first-class wizard apprentice. 1

• Wears a black wizard robe and first-class apprentice identification. 1
• His left pupil became prismatic during the initial possession, later changing to scarlet. 20 24
• In his transformed state, he becomes a five-meter-tall, black-haired monster with an oversized left arm covered in viscous tentacles. 24

Personality

Gray is pragmatic, ambitious, and highly conscious of academy contributions. His initial treatment of students is strongly shaped by aptitude, and he openly favors talented apprentices who can improve his prospects. 1 4

He is capable as an instructor and observer, recognizing both Bill's weaknesses and Ahab's unusual decisiveness. However, his ambition also makes him vulnerable: the promise of advancement, his desire for Void authority, and fear of exposure drive him into betrayal and manipulation. 5 7 20 28

Abilities & Skills

Apprentice Sorcery

Gray is a first-class wizard apprentice preparing to advance to official wizard. He has mastered sorcery up to 0.9 ring. 22

• Uses Teleportation Sorcery to transport himself and others. 22 26
• Uses Mass Levitation to move a group through the air while tracking a target. 22
• Can freeze atmospheric moisture into objects, including chairs. 5
• Casts a large-scale ice-and-snow storm to clear jungle terrain. 22
• His spell models can be disabled by Clifis's Banishment Authority. 22

Life Perception

Gray can perceive life across a wide area through his altered left eye. 22

• Detected every life form in a primeval forest and pinpointed Vivian roughly 800 meters away. 22
• Appears to use this perception to notice Ahab approaching his laboratory. 35

Ancient God of Life Transformation

Following possession, Gray can transform into a monstrous form associated with the Ancient God of Life. 20 24

• Becomes physically massive and beastlike after Banishment leaves him limited to bloodline-like power. 24
• Drains life force from opponents through tentacles on his enlarged left arm. 24
• This power allowed him to continue fighting despite losing access to all sorcery for the day. 22 24

Relationships

• Merlin — Gray's teacher, a Second-Ring wizard. Merlin orders him to cultivate Ahab as a Demon Hunter Wizard and promises him an opportunity to advance if the hunt succeeds. 3 19
• Ahab Gul — Gray's student and designated Demon Hunter Wizard candidate. Gray begins by despising Ahab's aptitude, later recognizes his potential, assists with his bloodline transplant, and acts as his contact to Merlin. 1 3 21 26
• Tolia — One of Gray's recruits. Gray initially prioritizes her cultivation because of her exceptional aptitude and teaches her by analyzing Bill's loss. 4 5
• Bill — One of Gray's recruits. Gray teaches him the principle of equivalent exchange, then later exploits Bill's hatred of Ahab to arrange his involvement in the Bloodkin mission. 6 7 28
• Clifis — Initially an ally on the demon hunt, later revealed as a Void Cultist. Clifis disables Gray's sorcery, recognizes his possession by the Ancient God of Life, and battles his transformed form. 22 24
• Taize — Fellow first-class apprentice assigned to the demon hunt. Gray leads Taize into the operation against Vivian and Clifis. 19 22
• Ancient God of Life — The entity possessing and controlling Gray, apparently through his reflection and the Blood Moon. Gray refers to himself as its subordinate after his betrayal. 20 28

Story Role / Major Arcs

Ferry Ship Recruitment

Gray conducts aptitude testing for the incoming recruits and becomes responsible for Ahab, Tolia, and Bill after the poisoning drastically reduces the cohort. His discovery of Ahab's role in the incident leads Merlin to designate Ahab for the Demon Hunter Wizard Project. 1 3 4

Early Instruction

Gray teaches the surviving apprentices elemental affinities, meditation methods, and the principle of equivalent exchange. He observes Ahab's ruthlessness and begins to see him as someone with significant potential despite his poor aptitude. 4 5 7

First Demon Hunt

Gray joins Ahab, Taize, and Clifis in hunting Vivian. He tracks her, transports the group into the rainforest, and attacks first, but Clifis's betrayal disables Gray's sorcery. The possession within Gray then erupts, transforming him into a monster that confronts Clifis. 21 22 24

Betrayal Within Mensis Academy

After the hunt, Gray secretly serves an unknown lord connected to the Ancient God of Life. He reads prohibited material on Ancient Gods, plans to silence Bill, and directs Bill's revenge toward Ahab as a means of removing him. 28

Trivia

• Gray's instructor contribution for training a Demon Hunter Wizard is ten times that for training an ordinary apprentice. 3
• He initially considered Ahab a “monkey” whose low aptitude explained his behavior, before realizing Ahab had orchestrated the shipboard poisoning. 2 3
• Gray desires the Void Authority See Through, believing that an official wizard with it could be invincible among First-Circle official wizards. 20
• According to the Future Diary's original timeline, Gray is one of only two first-class apprentices at Mensis Academy to become an official wizard over a century. 48