Major Mentors

The Soul Department's two top mentors:

[Soulweaver] Marfa: the mastermind manipulating the threads of fate, the most dangerous strategic-level Wizard. She excelled at soul weaving and memory manipulation, with research focused on control and intrigue.

Research topic: <Extraction, Weaving, and Manipulation of Soul Threads: On the Anchoring Role of Emotional Energy Within Soul Structures>

Research direction: refined manipulation of souls and the utilization of emotional energy. She regarded souls as the most exquisite threads and focused on techniques for stripping, weaving, and dyeing them.

Her specific research included Memory Weaving, Emotional Soulbinding, Soul Symbiotes...

[Soul-Eating Stranger] Saron: the ultimate predator in the field of souls. He studied the devouring and conversion of souls, and his methods were aggressive and highly dangerous.

Research topic: <Reverse Engineering the Essence of Souls: Analyzing Soul Origin Structures Through Devouring and Digestion>

Research direction: the devouring and conversion of souls. To him, souls were essentially fuel and food, and his research revolved around how to more efficiently and safely "eat" souls to strengthen himself.

His specific research included soul digestive enzymes, trait stripping and purification, Soul Resistance research...

Curse Department mentor—[Eye of Misfortune] Medis: the living embodiment of causality weapons. She specialized in bloodline curses and interference with fate, mysterious and dangerous.

Research topic: <Interference and Resonance of the Strings of Fate: Constructing Long-Range Curse Models Based on Bloodline Connections>

Research direction: interference with fate and conceptual curses. What she studied weren't simple curses of disease or weakness, but vicious Wizardry that directly affected fate, causality, and concepts.

Her specific research included Bloodline Soul-Seeking Curse, Resource Curse, Talent-Stealing Curse...

Modification Department mentor—[Undying One] Zack: an Immortal pathfinder who had abandoned flesh, the pioneer of mechanized Undead transformation.

He advocated completely modifying oneself into an Undead or a hybrid of machinery and flesh in pursuit of "immortality."

Research topic: <Research on the Independence of Consciousness and Carrier Adaptability: On the Necessity and Feasibility of Abandoning the Original Fleshly Body>

Research direction: consciousness uploading and mechanical/Undead ascension. He firmly believed that flesh was weak and suffering, and was devoted to completely separating his consciousness from his fragile original body to achieve another form of eternal life.

His specific research included consciousness digitization, multi-carrier adaptability, collective consciousness networks...

Flesh is weak; machinery ascends!

There were also several other renowned mentors.

For example, the Elemental Department mentor [Withering Chanter] Drake.

The Prophecy Department mentor [Death Whisperer] Aubrey.

The Protection and Barrier Department mentor [Soul Barrier Master] Seraphina.

The Potion and Alchemy Department mentor [Plague Apostle] Naomi.

The Enchantment and Puppet Department mentor [Soulbinding Artisan] Royce.

The Summoning Department mentor [Abyssal Soulcaller] Malcolm, and so on.

After browsing through the information and research directions of the major mentors, Lynn's understanding of Withered Bone Spire Academy deepened further.

As expected of a training ground for Dark Wizards—none of the research topics were normal.

And the mentor Morris had recommended:

Research Department mentor [Hand of Myriad Phenomena]—Gregor

Research topic: <Research on Soul Threshold Breakthroughs and Talent Purification Based on Near-Death Experiences>

Research direction: devoted to creating a controllable "death-like" state, attempting to break the innate shackles of the soul and mind to achieve leaps in talent and spiritual power.

He firmly believed this was the key to breaking through advancement barriers and reaching higher levels.

Because his research required him to cover numerous fields in order to construct complex ritual arrays, he had considerable attainments in Undead, souls, curses, modification, and even elemental Wizardry.

The introduction alone made him seem utterly unremarkable, even somewhat fanciful. His only apparent strength was that he had dabbled in every field.

But such an introduction held no appeal for Apprentices.

As the saying went, "Jack of all trades, master of none." This kind of "all-rounder" was precisely the sort of mediocrity who excelled at nothing.

The other Apprentices from Black Marsh City had also chosen the mentors they favored.

But their talents were poor, and there was a high chance they would be taken away in groups by those obscure mentors.

Alphonse seemed rather interested in [Soulweaver] Marfa.

That surprised Lynn. He had thought Alphonse would choose Victor and become some kind of "Undead Lord."

Meanwhile, Mary's behavior was completely different.

She lingered before several mentors who seemed less dangerous, eventually stopping before [Eye of Misfortune] Medis.

Her gaze locked onto the introduction to Medis's research projects on the light screen—especially Talent-Stealing Curse.

Talent-Stealing Curse: a terrifying ritual that could slowly steal a target's talent through curses and transfer it to the caster.

"Steal talent... through curses..."

Mary chewed over those words again and again in her heart, her breathing growing hurried.

Clearly, she wasn't satisfied with her own talent.

Her spiritual power had already failed to meet the standard, and combined with her low-grade charm talent, it would be difficult for her to survive in the bone-devouring Withered Bone Spire Academy.

She recalled Lynn's enviable superior talent, the humiliation she had suffered at Nightingale Hall, and the meekness and helplessness she had endured along the way.

If... if that kind of talent were mine...

Then I wouldn't have to rely on anyone ever again!

Then no one... would ever look down on me again!

Not long afterward, the mentor selection ceremony officially began.

After an attendant loudly announced the rules, the mentors began selecting the Apprentices they favored.

It was a two-way selection. Mentors chose students, and students also chose the mentors they wanted.

But the mentors didn't accept just anyone, and the Academy couldn't possibly let powerful mentors take all the students for themselves.

Every mentor had a limit on the number of disciples they could accept. Once their slots were full, there was nothing left for you.

Alphons Hess, the young prince, immediately became the focus of several mentors due to his high-grade Death Affinity talent.

He himself had a clear goal. When [Soulweaver] Marfa cast an appraising gaze at him, he elegantly bowed.

"Mentor Marfa." Alphonse's voice carried the restraint and respect unique to royalty.

"My soul tells me that with you, I can find the key to the hall of true power. I long to learn from you the art of weaving fate."

Within the shadows beneath Marfa's hood, that pale smile seemed to deepen.

She could sense the resilient soul within the young man, along with that hidden will to dominate.

"A wise choice, little one."

Her voice carried a faint echo of satisfaction.

"Your soul... has an exceptionally fine texture. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what kind of magnificent tapestry it can be woven into."

Mary, meanwhile, trembled as she walked up to Medis.

When Medis's cold gaze swept over her, Mary shuddered violently and dropped to her knees with a thud, her voice choked with sobs.

"Lady Medis! Please accept me! I... I can endure any hardship and pay any price! I only... only want the power to change my fate! Please give me a chance!"

She raised her head. Her face was streaked with tears, but deep within her eyes burned an almost crazed ambition and obsession.

Medis watched the girl at her feet, like a desperate little beast, with great interest.

Mary's talent was mediocre, but her intense desire and the ruthlessness hidden beneath her humility made for a decent seasoning.

"An interesting soul..."

Medis's voice was unbearably sweet, yet it concealed a poisonous malice.

"Although the quality is low, the flavor is strong enough. Get up, little one. Let me see just how far your 'price' can take you."

Clearly, Medis was looking forward to this little girl bringing a bit of amusement to her dull life.

At those words, ecstatic joy instantly bloomed across Mary's face.

She first kowtowed repeatedly, then cautiously rose and stood behind Medis with lowered brows and obedient eyes.

But whenever she occasionally looked up at the other talented Apprentices, a barely perceptible flash of jealousy and viciousness flickered in the depths of her eyes.