Eight Magic Stones

The ultimate purpose of a research lab was to improve one's abilities and reputation as a wizard by completing a particular project.

During experiments, they all needed extra hands to some extent, so they were never stingy about accepting capable students.

To the north was also the Tower of Dawn's busiest wizard market.

North of the Tower of Dawn.

The three of them arrived here, all curiously looking around.

Since coming to the Tower of Dawn, this was Leo's first time leaving Esmond Lodge.

The streets of the Tower of Dawn gave Leo a strange feeling.

Quiet.

Exceptionally quiet.

It was clearly morning, and there were pedestrians on the road, yet it was still exceptionally quiet.

The passersby walked slowly and spoke to one another as though discussing something, but their voices were extremely faint.

Molly cautiously surveyed her surroundings.

Whenever someone looked her way, Molly feared drawing attention and hurriedly lowered her head.

Molly said, "Danville, Chris, it's so quiet here."

Chris said, "I barely dare to speak. I feel like the moment I say something, mine will be the only voice left."

Chris had a booming voice; even through a door, people could hear him loud and clear.

And just as Chris had said, the moment he spoke, Leo discovered that all the surrounding sounds had been drowned out.

Molly covered her mouth, amused, but did not dare laugh aloud.

Just then, an explosion rang out from a building ahead.

The building shattered amid a violent crash.

Sand and stones flung out by the explosion hurtled toward Leo and the others.

Leo stood closest to where the debris was scattering.

Facing the flying sand and stones, Leo swiftly cast Basic Body Fortification, then let the debris strike him.

His fortified body possessed greater defensive power, making his body as tough as steel.

The sand and stones were not even qualified to leave a mark on him.

Meanwhile, Molly and Chris hurriedly dodged aside and were not hurt by the debris.

After the debris had passed, Leo patted his body, which was covered only in dust. However, he frowned as he looked at his clothes and found several tears in them.

Leo then looked toward the source of the explosion.

Figure after figure slowly emerged.

They wore white robes.

Their white robes had been torn and blackened by the explosion, yet they seemed utterly unaffected as they calmly discussed matters.

"Looks like the proportion of white fruit was wrong."

"I told you we should've used less white fruit."

Leo watched them discuss things amid the thick smoke, completely unfazed by the explosion, and his expression became somewhat strange.

Especially when he saw that the people around them were utterly unsurprised and did not even turn around to look, the strangeness in Leo's expression deepened.

Looks like I should get used to this world of wizards as soon as possible.

In the wizard world, failed experiments that could endanger lives seemed as commonplace as eating and drinking.

At that moment, one of the wizards noticed Leo's group and said, "Stop discussing it for now. It seems someone was caught up in our experimental accident."

At those words, the wizards all instinctively looked toward Leo.

When they saw Leo's torn clothes, they began discussing it quietly.

"This is bad. We've already changed locations twice, and this place is remote enough. Who would've thought there'd still be people here? Our research lab is going to lose points again."

"We've already had points deducted twice this month. If we get deducted a third time, our research project may be treated as a failure."

As they spoke, worried expressions appeared on their faces.

One wizard said, "Let's see if we can settle this peacefully."

The young wizard with short hair, however, examined Leo and the others before saying, "Don't panic. They're only Wizard Seedlings. They haven't condensed Spiritual Seeds."

"Only Wizard Seedlings? Then they'll be easy to dismiss."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of several wizards visibly relaxed.

The short-haired young man looked over Leo's group, sensing their not particularly high spiritual energy, and could not help feeling a little disdainful.

The short-haired wizard stepped forward and came before Leo and the others. He first performed an elegant noble's salute, then said, "My apologies, the three of you. Our experimental accident just now affected you. Please allow me to apologize."

"My name is Reeves. I am a Third-Level Wizard Apprentice," Reeves said.

After Reeves spoke, he lightly placed his right hand on the chair beside him.

The chair showed signs of corrosion where Reeves's hand touched it.

The sight made Chris and Molly's hearts leap.

Reeves was not here to apologize at all. He was clearly here to make a show of force!

Leo's gaze shifted slightly. What Reeves had displayed was precisely the phenomenon of spiritual energy corrosion that Leo had spent all night pondering yesterday.

Now that he saw Reeves perform it, Leo's attention was instantly captured.

Chris and Molly had no idea what method Reeves had used. Intimidated by him, they blurted out their true thoughts in fear.

"It's fine, Lord Wizard Reeves. We were standing far away just now and weren't affected by your accident."

"Yes, Lord Wizard Reeves. We weren't affected by your experimental accident."

Facing a wizard, both Chris and Molly behaved with great humility.

Seeing how cooperative they were, Reeves nodded inwardly.

Dealing with people who had yet to become wizards was as easy as turning over one's hand.

Reeves's gaze instinctively fell upon the badges on Chris and Molly's chests.

Ranking badges were worn by students who had yet to become wizards, serving as proof of their identities.

Reeves merely swept his gaze over Molly's Gray Badge, but Chris's badge gave him a moment of hesitation.

Yet that hesitation soon faded.

A Copper Badge was not that precious.

Reeves himself had obtained a Copper Badge back when he was a student.

Then Reeves looked at Leo.

When Reeves saw the Silver Badge on Leo's chest, he abruptly changed his attitude. With a broad smile, he said, "My apologies, sir from the Esmond Gathering. We are deeply sorry that our experimental accident gave you such a fright."

Reeves took out a small pouch and said, "Please accept these eight Magic Stones as compensation."

Leo accepted the Magic Stones and said with a smile, "Honorable Wizard, I seem to have lost my memory. I can't remember what happened just now."

Reeves breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and said, "My apologies for disturbing the three of you."

Reeves returned to where his companions were standing.

The other wizards looked at him strangely.

"Reeves, weren't they just a few Wizard Seedlings? Why did you give them Magic Stones as compensation?"

Reeves's expression turned ugly at those words. "Stop talking. We were unlucky this time. We actually ran into a Wizard Seedling in the top ten of the dynamic rankings—and one from the Esmond Gathering, no less."

After Reeves said this, the expressions of the other wizards changed as well.

As far as a gathering was concerned, they would definitely place great importance on outstanding Wizard Seedlings.

Those ranked within the top hundred might not attract much attention.

But for those in the top ten, if anything happened, the teaching assistants behind those gatherings would certainly step forward.

Of course, gatherings came in all sizes, and not every gathering would take such matters seriously.

But the Esmond Gathering was the number-one gathering. If one of their Silver Badge students was bullied outside by someone from another gathering, the teaching assistants within it—even the mentors—would absolutely not stand by and do nothing. What was at stake was their face!