Stofen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Stofen (斯托芬)
Alias(es)	Wizard Stofen; Mentor Stofen; Instructor Stofen
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Tower of Dawn; Hunting Eagle Faction; Wizard Journal
Occupation/Role	Formal Wizard; director of the Wizard Journal; Bloodline Modification researcher; mentor
Status	Active; preparing for the consequences of Augusta’s Second Prophecy 343
First Appearance	Chapter 237

Background and History

Dragon-blood research and the *Wizard Journal*

Stofen’s pursuit of the Dragon Blood Purification Potion predates his direct involvement with Leo. He established rewards at shops serving new Wizards to encourage Potion Wizards to develop the formula, but repeated attempts failed because dragon blood was scarce and increasingly weak in later generations. The potion remained central to both his Bloodline Modification research and his path toward the Second Circle. 237 266

As director of the Wizard Journal, Stofen maintains strict publication standards. He rejected Leo’s original advertising application because Leo was still a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, condemned Keli’s error-filled potion submission, and was willing to leave advertising space vacant rather than publish poor work. 248 249

Alliance with Leo

Stofen became interested in Leo after detecting dragon blood in a confiscated potion and failing to reproduce it himself. He chose to confront Wizard Sajia’s faction rather than abandon his potion research, personally interrogated Leo with Unfeigned Speech, confirmed Leo had not explored the ruins, and overruled Sajia’s apprentice to secure Leo’s immediate release. 265 266

He gave Leo one year to produce a manufacturing formula for the Dragon Blood Purification Potion, offering a laboratory, monthly Wizard Journal recruitment slots, and required materials in return. Stofen explicitly framed this arrangement as an equivalent exchange rather than using his authority to seize Leo’s knowledge. 267

Conflict with Sajia

When Sajia attempted to seize Leo over the Magic Cube Eyeball research, Stofen publicly declared that Leo was under his protection. He fought Sajia despite the latter’s ten thousand One-Ring Magitech Devices, first revealing nine dragon-based Combination Spells and then escalating to ninety-nine Bloodline Modification Combination Spells. 269 270

Sajia ultimately agreed to leave Leo alone for one year. Stofen later sought a pragmatic arrangement with Sajia, offering assistance with Magitech Item Splitting and Derivation and spiritual-energy recovery in exchange for Sajia protecting Leo if Stofen could no longer do so. 271 281

Mentor of Leo and Phylia

Stofen formally accepted Leo and Phylia as students after testing their instincts for Bloodline Modification materials. He identified their shared aptitude for the discipline and taught them how Bloodline Abilities can be adapted into distinct Combination Spells. 273 274

His mentorship was not impartial. Through a covert falcon messenger, Stofen told Leo that Phylia had been placed beside him by Augusta and ordered Leo to kill him during their future trial. In exchange for Leo’s cooperation, Stofen privately taught him advanced Bloodline Modification methods and supplied the Mind Demon Dragon Scale. 275 276

After Leo exposed Phylia’s shallow knowledge and Augusta’s prophetic enhancement of his apparent talent, Stofen deemed Phylia useless and ordered his death. Phylia was killed moments later by an unexplained explosion, reinforcing Stofen’s belief that Augusta’s influence was more dangerous than he had anticipated. 303 304

Expedition Isle and opposition to Augusta

While stationed at Expedition Isle, Stofen researched methods to strengthen knights enough to contend with First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, an assignment given by Augusta. He rejected Frandi’s proposal to turn knights into Mutated Creatures, agreeing with Leo that the prophecy required stronger knights rather than replacements that had ceased to be knights. 316 317

Stofen later concluded that the Demon Armor used by hostile Sky Knights was essentially a complete version of Leo’s Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device research. He warned Leo to conceal unknown spells and Bloodline Abilities—even from allies—to avoid exposing his full capabilities. 323 324

He suspects Augusta of concealing the fate of several Wizards who sought to advance to the Second Circle, including Stofen’s former instructor and the founder of the Wizard Journal. Stofen asked Leo to investigate and reveal the truth if he himself disappears. 324

Appearance

Stofen’s ordinary appearance is not described in detail. His known transformed form is a Faerie Dragon. 269

• Pale-violet scales and an elegant aura. 269
• Dragon head and horns, with comparatively small dragon wings. 269 270
• His voice becomes ethereal and crisp while transformed. 270
• The form is associated with his Spell Pyramid and Faerie Dragon Bloodline Ability. 269 270

Personality

Stofen is intensely research-driven. He was willing to become Sajia’s enemy to obtain the Dragon Blood Purification Potion, stating that a Wizard’s research takes priority over such political danger. 266

He is demanding but not indiscriminately exploitative. Stofen refused to force Leo’s formula from him despite possessing the power to do so, citing the Tower of Dawn’s principle of equivalent exchange. However, he expects students to value research above personal survival and discarded Phylia once he judged him too willing to sacrifice important work for safety. 267 288 289

His protection of Leo is genuine but transactional. Stofen repeatedly shields Leo from Sajia, Olga, and Augusta’s schemes, yet also treats Leo as a crucial research partner and political asset. After revealing his “world system,” he and Leo continue their relationship on the more explicit basis of mutual interest rather than unconditional trust. 281 288 335

Stofen distrusts authority that substitutes power for knowledge. He warns Leo that Augusta’s superior strength does not make him universally knowledgeable or truthful, and urges him to maintain independent judgment. 343

Abilities & Skills

Bloodline Modification

Stofen is a specialist in Bloodline Modification and teaches that Bloodline Abilities are created by integrating spells from other disciplines into Bloodline Modification spells. He can adjust such spells to better suit a bloodline, creating new Combination Spells. 274 303

• Developed dragon-based Bloodline Modification Combination Spells using the principle he teaches Leo and Phylia. 274
• Advises using lower-level materials with a compatible attribute before attempting to integrate an excessively powerful Bloodline Ability. 276
• Taught Leo the Bloodline Modification Adjustment Technique, allowing him to create his first Combination Spell far ahead of schedule. 275 277
• Recognizes limitations including bloodline uniqueness, sufficient bloodline strength, and the rarity of Wizards capable of properly adjusting these spells. 274

Faerie Dragon Bloodline

Stofen can transform into a Faerie Dragon through his Bloodline Ability. The transformation grants exceptional spellcasting that can contend directly with a Wizard’s spells. 269

• Activates alongside his Spell Pyramid during high-level combat. 269
• Uses the form to command dragon-shaped Bloodline Modification Combination Spells. 270
• Withstood Sajia’s enhanced Magitech assault long enough to unveil his concealed strength. 270 271

Ninety-Nine Dragon Bloodline Combination Spells

Stofen’s greatest displayed combat asset is his collection of ninety-nine dragon-based Combination Spells. Each manifests as a giant dragon formed from a distinct dragon-blooded Bloodline Ability. 270 271

• Initially revealed only nine such spells, leading Sajia to underestimate him. 269 270
• Expanded the number beyond ten, then dozens, until ninety-nine dragons filled the battlefield. 270
• Forced Sajia—who possessed one hundred Combination Spells—to concede and withdraw from Leo. 270 271
• The rarity of Bloodline Modification spells led observers to speculate that Stofen had created many of the spells himself. 270

Formal Wizard Spellcraft

Stofen’s rank gives him overwhelming authority over Wizard Apprentices and exceptional power even with ordinary spells. 266 323

• Cast Unfeigned Speech to verify Leo’s testimony and determine that he had not visited the ruins. 266
• Used Magical Pressure to overrule Sajia’s apprentice and release Leo from detention. 266
• Created a World-Isolation Spell around Leo’s test against two Sky Knights; it could not be broken without Spell Magical Pressure exceeding 10,000. 316
• Destroyed spell-absorbing Demon Armor and its Sky Knight users with a single lightning spell after ordinary apprentice spells had failed. 323

Dragon Blood Purification Potion Research

The Dragon Blood Purification Potion is Stofen’s principal research project and a key part of his intended Second-Circle Path. 237 266

• Collects and studies materials from Dragon-Blood Demonized Creatures. 266
• Could identify dragon blood by scent in a confiscated potion. 265
• Failed to reproduce Leo’s version of the potion, recognizing that Leo possessed a missing technique or ingredient. 265
• Provides Leo with institutional resources in exchange for a scalable production formula. 267

Equipment and Resources

• Silver-white falcon messenger — An ordinary bird without spiritual energy, used to evade surveillance spells while Stofen communicates privately with Leo. 275 276
• Spiritual-energy projection box — Contains a strand of Stofen’s spiritual energy that can manifest his projection when a valued apprentice faces mortal danger. 303
• Stofen Laboratory — A secured Bloodline Modification laboratory with magical identity verification and extensive dragon-blooded creature materials. 273
• Demon Armor research samples — Recovered armor related to the complete Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device, which Stofen studies alongside Leo’s incomplete research records. 334

Relationships

• Leo Danville — Student, research partner, and protected asset. Stofen rescued Leo from Sajia’s detention, trained him in Bloodline Modification, defended him against Sajia, and later relied on him in his struggle against Augusta. 266 269 275 335
• Wizard Sajia — Rival Formal Wizard. They fought over Leo’s Magitech research, after which Stofen negotiated with Sajia to secure conditional future protection for Leo. 269 271 281
• Augusta — Political adversary and source of deep suspicion. Augusta planted Phylia and Frandi around Stofen, seeks to obstruct Stofen’s Second-Circle path, and uses Prophecy Studies to manipulate events. 303 324 333
• Phylia — Former student sent by Augusta. Stofen initially tolerated him for his apparent talent, then arranged for Leo to eliminate him after discovering Augusta’s interference and Phylia’s weak foundation. 275 303 304
• Frandi — Leo’s student and Stofen’s disciple’s disciple. Though Frandi was also sent by Augusta, Stofen continues to guide him and permits him to seek advice. 316 322 334
• Wizard Plaisey — Fellow Formal Wizard and observer of Stofen’s clash with Sajia. Plaisey recognized that Stofen’s willingness to reveal his strength reflected Leo’s exceptional research value. 237 270 271
• Vivian — Wizard Journal envoy who reports applications and research developments to Stofen. 249 254
• Wizard Olga — Fellow Hunting Eagle Faction member whose Abyss Blood Demon research could endanger Leo; Stofen offers Leo protection but acknowledges limits to his influence. 288

Notable Quotes

“To a Wizard, nothing is more important than their own research.” 266

“Strength does not guarantee truth or wisdom.” 343