Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke arrives at Dream Manor, a secluded and private estate near Gran Forest city.
• Harrison, Duke's guide, takes him to Gran Forest, the main Wizard gathering place and resource trading center.
• They meet Horne, the manager of the Giant Rock Merchant Guild's branch, who exchanges Wizard Marks with Duke.
• Duke inspects Dream Manor's defenses and Potions laboratory, finding no issues.
• He records the Flower Sea Plane's coordinates in his coordinate earring and decides to attend an upcoming auction in Gran Forest for a potential crystal core.

Character Developments

• Duke shows caution and thoroughness in inspecting his new residence and its defenses.
• Harrison demonstrates loyalty and efficiency in guiding Duke and handling business matters.
• Horne displays professionalism and respect in his interaction with Duke.

Significant Themes

• Safety and Security: Duke emphasizes the importance of secure environments, comparing Dream Manor to the Black Sail and a barren island.
• Resource Acquisition: The auction in Gran Forest represents an opportunity for Duke to acquire a valuable resource (crystal core).
• Preparation and Planning: Duke's decision to record the plane's coordinates and attend the auction shows his strategic and proactive approach to his goals.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Harrison: They maintain a professional and cooperative relationship, with Harrison assisting Duke in familiarizing himself with the new environment and its resources.
• Duke and Horne: They establish a business relationship, exchanging Wizard Marks and discussing potential future cooperation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter takes place in the Emerald Heart Auction House within a Starlight Ancient Tree.
• The auction begins with the first item, Treant Dew, a rare substance that can extend one's lifespan by fifty years for lifeforms below Level 3.
• The bidding for Treant Dew starts at fifty thousand First-Level Magic Stones and reaches one million seven hundred thousand before being sold at that price.

Character Developments

• Duke, a newly advanced Level 1 Wizard, attends the auction with Horne, a manager of the Giant Rock Merchant Guild.
• Duke shows interest in the Treant Dew but decides against bidding due to his long remaining lifespan.

Significant Themes

• The value and scarcity of rare resources, such as Treant Dew, which can significantly extend lifespan.
• The wealth and power of the Wizards attending the auction, demonstrated by their ability to bid on high-priced items.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Horne interact as they attend the auction together, with Horne providing insights and commentary on the proceedings.
• The auctioneer, Zoe, interacts with the audience through her captivating voice and the auction process.
• Bidders, both visible in the hall and concealed in private boxes, interact indirectly through their bids on the Treant Dew.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The auction features a rare item, Dreamweaver's Cocoon, a spiritual essence that nourishes and strengthens mental power, cleanses mental contamination, and aids in breaking through mental power bottlenecks.
• The starting bid is three hundred thousand First-Level Magic Stones, but it quickly escalates to eleven million due to intense bidding among wealthy Wizards.

Character Developments

• Duke, initially interested in bidding, realizes he cannot compete with the high bids and decides not to participate.
• Duke feels the vast wealth disparity between him and other Wizards, understanding that he is still poor despite his recent gains.

Significant Themes

• The value of wealth in the Wizard world is tied to its convertibility into resources for cultivation and self-improvement.
• The vast wealth gap between Wizards and the struggle of less wealthy ones to keep up.

Character Interactions

• Duke observes the intense bidding for Dreamweaver's Cocoon, feeling the enormous gap between rich and poor Wizards.
• Duke considers borrowing Magic Stones from Horne to afford the Crystal Core he needs.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke participates in an auction for a Water Attribute Crystal Core, the 'Heart of the Deep Sea'.
• The starting bid is 30,000 First-Level Magic Stones, but it quickly rises to 150,000, then to 500,000, and eventually to 1,000,000.
• Duke bids 650,000, temporarily leading at 800,000.
• An unknown bidder jumps the price to 1,800,000, then to 3,000,000, and finally to 6,000,000, securing the Heart of the Deep Sea.
• Duke, unable to match the final bid, gives up.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates his patience and strategic bidding.
• Duke's financial constraints are revealed, with him having only around 3 million First-Level Magic Stones.
• Horne, a representative of the Giant Rock Merchant Guild, offers to lend Duke 2 million Magic Stones.
• Bell, a member of the Crawford Family, is revealed to have advanced to Crystallized Wizard, showcasing the power of inherited Bloodline Power.

Significant Themes

• The rarity and value of Crystal Cores.
• The power dynamics of ancient Wizard families.
• The financial constraints and strategic decision-making of Wizards.

Character Interactions

• Duke interacts with Horne, who offers him a loan.
• Duke encounters Bell, a former rival, who has advanced significantly due to his inherited Bloodline Power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke learns about Bloodline Wizards' limitations and Bell's presence in the Flower Sea Plane.
• Bell outbids Duke for the Heart of the Deep Sea, a Water Attribute Crystal Core, to prevent Duke from obtaining it.
• Duke encounters Bell in the Gran Forest region, and Bell tries to provoke him by mentioning the Heart of the Deep Sea.
• Duke dismisses Bell and walks away, causing Bell to lose face in public.
• Bell threatens Duke, but Duke remains unfazed and leaves.

Character Developments

• Duke: Shows calm composure and indifference towards Bell's provocations, indicating his growing confidence and maturity.
• Bell: Reveals his obsession with revenge and his willingness to spend significant resources to hinder Duke's progress.

Significant Themes

• Bloodline limitations and the struggle to overcome them.
• The importance of dignity and pride among nobles and powerful individuals.
• The consequences of underestimating one's opponent and the dangers of obsession.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Bell: Their interaction highlights the tension and animosity between them, with Duke's indifference further provoking Bell.
• Duke and Horne: Horne apologizes to Duke for the trouble caused by the Giant Rock Merchant Guild, showing loyalty and concern for Duke's well-being.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke discovers that the Giant Rock Merchant Guild has leaked information about his activities.
• He returns to Dream Manor and uses a Dark-Attribute Spell, Shadow Perception, to detect Bell's spies.
• Duke decides to leave Dream Manor and returns to the Wizard Plane via Xio.
• Upon his return to Black Sail, Duke plans to accelerate his strength advancement by learning to refine Condensation Potion.

Character Developments

• Duke shows his strategic thinking and vigilance by detecting Bell's spies and planning his next moves.
• Horne demonstrates loyalty and professionalism in handling the information leak.
• Bell is portrayed as patient and calculating, waiting for an opportunity to make a move against Duke.

Significant Themes

• Security and Surveillance: The chapter highlights the importance of security and the ease with which it can be breached, as seen through Bell's spying and Duke's countermeasures.
• Power Dynamics: The interactions between Duke, Bell, and their respective organizations (Black Sail and Silver Hand) illustrate the complex power dynamics at play.
• Ambition and Advancement: Duke's desire to accelerate his strength growth through learning to refine Condensation Potion underscores his ambition and dedication to self-improvement.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Horne: Duke trusts Horne with the information leak, and Horne assures Duke of his commitment to investigating the matter.
• Duke and Bell: Although they don't interact directly, their actions (Duke detecting Bell's spies and Bell keeping Duke under surveillance) reveal their mutual awareness and tension.
• Duke and Harrison: Duke requests materials to learn refining Condensation Potion, and Harrison agrees to provide them, further cementing their cooperative relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke receives rare materials for brewing Condensation Potion.
• Duke successfully brews Condensation Potion after several days.
• Duke tests and uses the Condensation Potion, noticing its effectiveness.
• Duke dedicates half a month to raise Condensation Potion to its maximum level, gaining the 'Variable-Speed Compression' trait.
• Vivian advances to a Formal Wizard.

Character Developments

• Duke: Shows dedication to his cultivation and brewing skills, demonstrating patience and thoroughness. He understands the importance of steady cultivation and doesn't take unnecessary risks.
• Vivian: Advances to a Formal Wizard after thorough preparation, showing relief and a newfound sense of openness.

Significant Themes

• The importance of balance in potion brewing and cultivation.
• The value of steadiness and thoroughness in cultivation.
• The relief and new perspective that comes with advancement in one's path.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Vivian communicate about their advancements and future plans. Duke provides guidance and support to Vivian, showing a mentor-like role.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke expresses his need for Crystal Cores to Vivian, who offers to help him find some.
• Merrick informs Duke about the upcoming Void Corridor, a damaged plane with abundant high-value resources, which opens once every hundred years for Level 1 Wizards.
• Duke considers recording the Void Corridor's Plane Coordinate to access it freely, but also acknowledges the risks involved.

Character Developments

• Duke: Realizes the importance of resources for his advancement and considers a risky plan to secure them.
• Vivian: Shows concern for Duke's needs, despite her own resource constraints.

Significant Themes

• Resource Acquisition: The struggle to obtain necessary resources for advancement, highlighting the importance of resources in the cultivation world.
• Risk vs. Reward: Duke's consideration of the potential benefits and dangers of recording the Void Corridor's coordinate.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Vivian: They discuss their resource needs and offer to help each other, showing a growing bond.
• Duke and Merrick: Merrick informs Duke about the Void Corridor and offers to enter together, indicating his willingness to support Duke.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Merrick and Duke form an alliance to enter the Void Corridor.
• Duke refines Blood of War to its maximum level, gaining the 'Bloodlust' trait.
• Duke realizes the potential of Bloodlust for creating powerful slave creatures and Wizards.
• Duke extracts the 'Variable-Speed Compression' trait from the Condensation Potion.
• Duke writes a research paper on dynamic energy regulation, earning 100 Arcanist Points.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates strategic thinking by forming an alliance with Merrick and understanding the potential of Bloodlust.
• Duke shows dedication to his craft by refining Blood of War and conducting research on the Condensation Potion.

Significant Themes

• Alliances and Cooperation: Duke's alliance with Merrick shows the importance of cooperation for survival in the Void Corridor.
• Power and Strength: The 'Bloodlust' trait emphasizes the desire for power and the consequences of using it.
• Research and Innovation: Duke's research on the Condensation Potion highlights the value of innovation and its rewards.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick: They form an alliance, showing mutual respect and understanding of each other's goals.
• Duke and the Arcanist Association: Duke submits his research and receives points, showing his commitment to the association and his career as an Arcanist.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke discovers that extracting 'Automatic Meditation' requires less energy due to his previous extraction of 'Variable-Speed Compression'.
• The Arcanist Association invites Duke to participate in the Level 1 Arcanist certification meeting.
• Merrick shows Duke a partial map of the Void Corridor, revealing it as a shattered world with enormous floating fragments.

Character Developments

• Duke shows curiosity and understanding about the interconnectedness of knowledge in potions.
• Merrick demonstrates his experience and knowledge about the Void Corridor.

Significant Themes

• The interconnectedness of knowledge and skills.
• The harsh and dangerous nature of the Void Corridor, where strength and capability determine survival.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick discuss the Void Corridor, with Merrick sharing his knowledge and inviting Duke to act together.
• Duke considers the possibility of encountering Bell in the Void Corridor.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke officially registers with the Third Legion for the expedition into the Void Corridor. Black Sail will submit the participant list to the Wizard Council, making Duke’s involvement easy for Bell to discover.
• Duke expects Bell to enter the Void Corridor, whether to obtain resources or pursue revenge. Although Bell’s realm is much higher, Duke remains confident because he previously defeated Bell while weaker than he is now.
• Merrick briefs Duke on the Void Corridor’s map:
  • Red triangles mark dangerous regions containing powerful monsters or unstable environments.
  • Blue circles mark relatively safe camps and resource sites.
  • Green dashed lines indicate temporarily stable routes between fragments.
• Merrick warns that the routes are unreliable and may disappear, twist, or lead into void turbulence due to energy tides and shifting fragments. Duke recognizes that the old map is only a reference and that he must remain adaptable.
• Master Rand provides the expedition members with Energy Detectors, First-Level Wizard Artifacts capable of sensing energy signatures within roughly one kilometer. They can locate resources, detect people or monsters, and warn of approaching threats.
• At the Crawford Family’s Nandan Valley castle, Bell prepares carefully for the expedition, inspecting potions and Wizard Artifacts.
• Bell will be accompanied by Reed, a Level 1 Crystallization Peak Bloodline Wizard and loyal family servant. Reed’s heavily modified bloodline has stripped away most of his emotions, making him obedient and almost mechanical. His sole purpose is to protect Bell.
• The Crawford Family cannot send a large team into the Void Corridor because teams are limited to two people, a restriction intended to preserve fairness. They have nevertheless registered other wizards, though the Corridor’s fragmented structure makes encounters between them unlikely.
• Bell privately plans to find and torture Duke before killing him and extracting his soul.
• Duke asks Merrick about purchasing powerful combat slaves. Merrick directs him to Black Sail’s internal Slave Creature Legion market, revealing that Duke is unfamiliar with many of the organization’s resources.

Character Developments

• Duke: Shows confidence and determination regarding Bell, relying on his previous victory and improved strength. He also demonstrates practical preparation by studying the map carefully, recognizing its limitations, and seeking additional combat support.
• Bell: Remains outwardly composed and aristocratic but harbors intense hatred toward Duke. His plans have escalated beyond simple murder to torture and soul extraction.
• Merrick: Acts as Duke’s guide and adviser, explaining the Void Corridor’s dangers and helping him prepare for the expedition.
• Reed: Is introduced as a powerful but emotionally hollow protector whose identity and existence are entirely tied to serving the Crawford Family and safeguarding Bell.
• Master Rand: Demonstrates support for the expedition by providing specialized detection artifacts for his students.

Significant Themes

• Uncertainty and survival: The constantly shifting Void Corridor makes maps and preparation insufficient on their own; explorers must remain alert and adaptable.
• Conflict between preparation and unpredictability: Both Duke and Bell carefully gather resources, yet the Corridor’s unstable nature may undermine even the best planning.
• Power, privilege, and fairness: The two-person team limit is designed to prevent powerful families from overwhelming less-connected wizards, though the Crawford Family still benefits from wealth and protection.
• Obsession and revenge: Bell’s hatred of Duke has become deeply personal, while Duke treats their inevitable confrontation as a challenge he is prepared to overcome.
• Loss of individuality: Reed’s altered bloodline and absolute obedience highlight the dehumanizing consequences of treating people as tools of powerful families.

Character Interactions

• Merrick educates Duke about the map, unstable routes, and Energy Detector, establishing a mentor-like dynamic.
• Duke questions Merrick about acquiring combat-capable slaves, revealing his reliance on Black Sail’s internal networks.
• Bell prepares under Reed’s protection, while privately envisioning using Reed’s torture expertise against Duke.
• Duke and Bell do not meet in the chapter, but both are preparing for an eventual confrontation inside the Void Corridor.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke learns he can directly purchase slave creatures from the Slave Creature Legion through Black Sail Wizards, which is more convenient and discreet.
• Duke decides to buy powerful slave creatures to prepare for the Void Corridor, as Black Sail encourages this to reduce pressure during Plane Wars.
• Tom, a Level 2 Wizard handling slave creature transactions, visits Duke on the Elizabeth, a ship with a vast interior housing the slave creatures' quarters.

Character Developments

• Duke shows strategic thinking in preparing for the Void Corridor by purchasing powerful slave creatures.
• Tom demonstrates professionalism and lack of arrogance despite being a higher level Wizard than Duke.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The relationship between Wizards and slave creatures reflects the power dynamics in this world, with Wizards having control over powerful lifeforms.
• Convenience vs. Discretion: Duke values the convenience and secrecy of purchasing slave creatures directly from the Legion.

Character Interactions

• Duke interacts with Lucas, the Black Sail Wizards' leader, who arranges the purchase of slave creatures.
• Duke meets Tom, who shows him the slave creatures available for purchase, providing details about each creature's strengths and weaknesses.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke visits an underground slave market to purchase powerful creatures to bolster his forces.
• He encounters and buys three creatures: Reed, a Kobold at First-Level Peak; a Three-Headed Lava Lizard; and a Storm Dragon Eagle, also at First-Level Peak.
• Duke spends over a million Magic Stones, leaving him with around six hundred thousand.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates his growing power and resources by purchasing three powerful creatures.
• Reed, the Kobold, shows loyalty and respect towards Duke, having previously met him on the Orc Plane.
• The Three-Headed Lava Lizard and Storm Dragon Eagle exhibit their strength and dominance upon surfacing.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The creatures' strength and status are established through displays of power and submission.
• Loyalty and Hierarchy: Reed's loyalty contrasts with the Storm Dragon Eagle's dominance and the Three-Headed Lava Lizard's hostility.
• Resource Management: Duke's purchase of three powerful creatures depletes his Magic Stones, requiring him to wait for his share from the Giant Rock Merchant Guild.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Reed: They recognize each other, and Reed shows deference to Duke.
• Storm Dragon Eagle and Three-Headed Lava Lizard: They display hostility towards each other, with the Storm Dragon Eagle asserting dominance.
• Duke and the Slave Creatures: Duke signs Slave Contracts, gaining control over the three creatures.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke, a Level 1 Wizard, punishes two of his slave creatures (a Storm Dragon Eagle and a Three-Headed Lava Lizard) for infighting using the Slave Mark, causing them intense soul pain.
• Duke uses the Storm Dragon Eagle to travel from the Elizabeth to Barren Island, demonstrating the creature's exceptional speed.
• Duke assigns tasks to his three slave creatures on Barren Island: the Storm Dragon Eagle roams the skies and seas, the Lava Lizard inhabits a small stone area, and the Kobold Reed acts as steward.
• Duke stores the three slave creatures within the Light Divine Court, a spatial artifact, before departing.

Character Developments

• Duke displays his power and authority over his slave creatures, instilling fear and obedience.
• The Storm Dragon Eagle, Three-Headed Lava Lizard, and Kobold Reed show fear and submission to Duke, understanding their new status and the extent of his power.
• Reed, in particular, understands the significance of Duke's spatial artifact and realizes the extent of his new master's capabilities.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Duke's use of the Slave Mark and his ability to store living beings in the Light Divine Court demonstrate his power and control over his slaves.
• Fear and Submission: The slave creatures' fear of Duke and their submission to his authority are central to their relationship with him.
• Freedom and Happiness: Despite being slaves, the creatures find happiness in their new, less restrictive environment on Barren Island.

Character Interactions

• Duke interacts with his slave creatures primarily through commands and punishments, establishing a clear hierarchy.
• The slave creatures interact with each other minimally, with the Storm Dragon Eagle and Lava Lizard showing initial hostility before being punished.
• Reed, as the most intelligent and adaptable, interacts with Duke and the other creatures in a way that shows understanding and acceptance of his new role.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke secretly places the three slave creatures in the Light Divine Court, unseen by others.
• Duke and Merrick travel to Harbor City to enter the Void Corridor, a dangerous and valuable resource-rich realm controlled by the Wizard Council.
• They arrive at the entrance, a vast, icy metal platform with a swirling energy curtain leading into the Void Corridor.
• Lord Alfred, a Fifth-Level Wizard and Sixth-Level Arcanist from the Central Archipelago, oversees the opening of the Void Corridor.
• Alfred explains the rules: the opening lasts three months, participants can leave early but not re-enter, teams are teleported together, and there are only 15 regions with return teleportation arrays.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates caution and secrecy regarding the Light Divine Court.
• Merrick reveals knowledge about the Central Archipelago and its powerful figures.
• Duke experiences awe and respect for Lord Alfred, realizing the strength of a Fifth-Level Wizard.
• Bell, a rival, expresses hostile intentions towards Duke.

Significant Themes

• Power dynamics and respect for authority (Alfred's presence and influence).
• Caution and secrecy (Duke's actions with the slave creatures).
• Danger and opportunity (the Void Corridor's risks and rewards).

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick: They work together and Merrick offers to handle Bell inside the Void Corridor.
• Duke and Bell: They exchange hostile glances, with Bell making a threatening gesture and Duke accepting the challenge.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke and Merrick enter the Void Corridor and appear in a dim, silent forest filled with cursed, withered trees.
• Duke discovers they're near Region Three, and the forest contains Shadow Withered Branches, a rare curse material.
• Merrick absorbs curse power from the trees and harvests them, while Duke declines to collect any due to the trouble of handling the curse.
• They decide to find Kress Grass, a valuable potion ingredient, and use a nearby passage to reach the next fragment region.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates caution and awareness of the dangers in their surroundings, using his spiritual power and Shadow Perception to monitor their environment.
• Merrick showcases his unique ability to absorb curse power, revealing that it might be an innate spell, and eagerly harvests the Shadow Withered Branches.

Significant Themes

• The power of curses: Merrick's ability to absorb and utilize curse power sets him apart and gives him an advantage in this environment.
• The value of rare materials: Both Shadow Withered Branches and Kress Grass are valuable resources that can be traded for magic stones or used in spellcasting and potion-making.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick work together, with Duke providing protection and Merrick utilizing his curse magic abilities to harvest resources.
• Merrick offers to share his harvest of Shadow Withered Branches with Duke, showing a level of camaraderie despite their different approaches to the situation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke and Merrick discover a patch of high-quality Kress Grass, a valuable plant.
• They encounter five hidden wizards (three liquefaction, two gasification) led by Yoni.
• The wizards attack first, but Merrick's curse spell easily dismantles their initial assault.
• A fierce battle ensues, and Duke and Merrick defeat all five wizards, leaving Yoni alive.

Character Developments

• Merrick displays his powerful curse magic, which can neutralize and repel various elemental attacks.
• Duke shows his strategic thinking by asking about the wizards' assembly, indicating he's thinking ahead.
• Yoni, the leader, initially underestimates Duke and Merrick but becomes more cautious as the battle progresses.

Significant Themes

• Power Dynamics: The balance of power shifts as Duke and Merrick prove to be formidable opponents despite being outnumbered.
• Resource Scarcity: The wizards' poverty highlights the scarcity of resources in their world, even for those with magical abilities.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick work well together, with Merrick handling the incoming attacks and Duke strategizing.
• Yoni and his group underestimate Duke and Merrick initially, leading to their eventual defeat.
• The wizards' organization is hinted to be small and resource-poor, contrasting with Duke's wealth and power.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke and Merrick encounter and defeat Yoni's group in the Void Corridor.
• Yoni reveals that his group used a one-use teleportation artifact to gather in the Void Corridor.
• Duke considers the possibility of teleporting into the Void Corridor from outside using the Coordinate Earring.
• Duke carefully harvests Kress Grass, a valuable medicinal plant, while Merrick watches.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates his exceptional skill in potion-making and plant harvesting, earning Merrick's praise.
• Merrick shows disinterest in material gains, preferring to focus on his own pursuits.

Significant Themes

• The disparity in resources and power among wizards.
• The value of rare and valuable resources, like Kress Grass and teleportation artifacts.
• The importance of careful, precise work in potion-making and plant harvesting.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick work together, with Duke handling the plant harvesting and Merrick providing support and conversation.
• Merrick admires Duke's skill and offers him the harvested Kress Grass, as he has no use for it.
• Duke and Merrick discuss the possibility of teleporting into the Void Corridor, with Merrick dismissing the idea as unlikely.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke and Merrick burn the wizard's corpse to prevent energy reactions and curses.
• They decide to travel to the next fragment region via a stable passage.
• Upon reaching the passage, they find a triggered wizard array producing fire pillars, set by unknown competitors to injure or kill those who arrive.
• They decide to leave the area immediately after crossing the array, heading towards safer, mapped regions.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates caution and strategic thinking, considering potential dangers and planning their next steps.
• Merrick shows expertise in wizard arrays, identifying and explaining the triggered array.

Significant Themes

• Caution and Preparedness: Duke and Merrick take precautions to protect themselves from potential threats.
• Competition and Survival: The triggered wizard array highlights the cutthroat nature of their mission, where others are actively trying to hinder their progress.
• Unknown and Dangerous Environments: The Void Corridor and unexplored fragment regions pose constant threats, requiring constant vigilance.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick work together, sharing information and making decisions jointly.
• They trust each other's expertise, with Merrick relying on Duke's Dark Eye and Duke trusting Merrick's assessment of the wizard array.

Summary of “Bloodstained Plains”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Duke realizes the intact Wizard Formation can serve as a signal: the pillar of fire indicates when another group has arrived.
• He and Merrick fly toward the Bloodstained Plains, a barren region covered in ancient dark-red bloodstains.
• The blood appears to originate from a powerful, long-ago battle. It permeates the soil and has some limited value as magical research material, though no widely useful spell or potion has been created from it.
• Although the area is now relatively safe, its security is the result of repeated clearing efforts by earlier wizards.
• Duke detects several energy fluctuations and discovers three separate groups gathered on the plains:
  1. Two foreign-looking wizards in dark green robes, maintaining a defensive formation.
  2. A heavily armored, axe-wielding man and a cloaked figure carrying a bone staff, both carrying the scent of fresh blood.
  3. An elderly Crystallized Wizard in purple robes, apparently protected by an invisible spatial force field.
• Duke and Merrick avoid approaching the others and claim a separate position. The groups silently observe one another, probing each other with spiritual power but refraining from violence.
• Duke concludes that everyone is waiting for something and likely possesses information he and Merrick lack.
• At Merrick’s suggestion, Duke uses the Energy Detector and discovers powerful energy fluctuations coming from a dark forest in the distance.

Character Developments

• Duke demonstrates caution, perceptiveness, and growing strategic awareness. He identifies the different groups’ strengths, recognizes the threat posed by the bloodstained pair, and notices the elderly wizard’s protective spatial field.
• He also reflects on the difficult path facing ordinary wizards, seeing the elderly Crystallized Wizard as a possible image of his own future.
• Merrick continues to act as Duke’s tactical partner, reminding him to investigate the area with the Energy Detector rather than relying only on appearances.
• The gathered wizards are characterized as cautious and experienced. Despite mutual suspicion, none is willing to risk a damaging confrontation inside the dangerous Void Corridor.

Significant Themes

• Danger beneath apparent calm: The silent plains and absence of creatures conceal a history of violence and ongoing threats.
• The legacy of the past: Ancient blood remains embedded in the land, suggesting the enduring consequences of powerful beings and forgotten wars.
• Caution and survival: In the Void Corridor, avoiding injury is as important as defeating enemies; restraint becomes a form of strength.
• Ambition and uncertainty: The elderly wizard’s presence highlights the difficulty of advancing to Level 2 and the role of luck in magical progression.
• Distrust among strangers: Every group treats the others as potential enemies, creating tension without immediate combat.

Character Interactions

• Duke and Merrick communicate discreetly through glances and spiritual messages, coordinating their movements and investigations.
• Duke briefly meets the attention of the two green-robed wizards, but neither side initiates contact.
• The armored man and cloaked figure remain watchful and intimidating, though they do not threaten Duke and Merrick directly.
• The elderly wizard appears absorbed in his book, yet his protective field shows that he remains alert and prepared.
• All three groups engage in silent mutual assessment, maintaining distance while waiting for the unknown event or discovery in the nearby forest.