Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Brock and Tuo Li’s defenses crack during their duel, exposing them briefly. Leo is magically urged to attack, but recognizes the influence as an emotion-altering spell and dispels it.
• Leo tests the danger by sending a Flesh Puppet toward the combatants; it is destroyed by the spell aftershocks. He concludes that approaching or attacking the Formal Wizards would be suicidal, so he retreats and waits.
• Brock and Tuo Li resume their evenly matched battle. Their Permanent Defensive Stances withstand repeated Combination Spells, leaving the fight at a stalemate.
• Rayne intervenes. Though Brock and Tuo Li remain under a spell compelling them to fight, they fear Rayne and become conflicted about whether to flee or continue.
• After Rayne confirms the Instructor will not object, he kills both men with Twisting Power, which overwhelms their Permanent Defensive Stances.
• Leo collects a bloodstained scrap of cloth, hoping the Formal Wizard’s remains may be useful for his necromancy.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo shows caution and sound judgment: despite a spell provoking him to attack, he questions the urge, assesses the danger, and avoids drawing the Formal Wizards’ attention. He also remains opportunistic, preserving a possible magical resource.
• Rayne acts decisively and with confidence, treating the deaths as a practical end to the conflict while acknowledging his former colleagues.
• Brock and Tuo Li are revealed as victims of the Instructor’s research spell. Their fear of Rayne clashes with their compulsion to kill each other.
• The Instructor calmly accepts that Rayne may kill his “research subjects,” showing both detachment and confidence in his power.

Significant themes

• Power and vulnerability: Even formidable Formal Wizards become defenseless when their higher-level protections are breached by a stronger opponent.
• Restraint and survival: Leo’s refusal to act rashly proves wiser than the apparent opportunity to strike.
• Manipulation and loss of agency: The spell distorts both Leo’s emotions and Brock and Tuo Li’s behavior, turning conflict into something engineered.
• Pragmatism: Rayne, the Instructor, and Leo each treat the battle’s outcome in practical terms—whether ending a threat, preserving research, or salvaging useful remains.

Chapter Summary: “Invitation to Join”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the battle between Formal Wizards, Rayne uses magic to restore the destroyed ships and pull all surviving Wizard Apprentices back aboard one vessel.
• The apprentices who had fled—including Leo, Alice, Ilis, Bruce, and Fia—are reunited. Sephir is also unexpectedly rescued.
• Sephir interprets his survival as proof that he is favored by fate and destined to become a powerful Formal Wizard, displaying arrogance rather than gratitude or fear.
• Rayne announces that he is a wandering Wizard from Blackwind Isle and offers the surviving Tower of Dawn apprentices the opportunity to join his faction.
• He claims Blackwind Isle can provide the guidance and resources of Formal Wizards, giving the apprentices a better chance of advancing to First-Rank Wizard Apprentices or even becoming Formal Wizards.
• The offer appeals to many apprentices, who feel neglected by the Tower of Dawn. Rayne gives them three minutes to decide.
• Leo refuses the offer. Ilis and Alice follow his decision, while Fia appears aligned with the same group.
• Alice explains that Formal Wizards may cultivate descendants and talented apprentices not out of affection, but as research subjects to help them explore possible paths of advancement.
• Her explanation causes the group to distrust the supposed benefits of Formal Wizard patronage. Ilis recognizes the same behavior in Tuo Li’s treatment of her.
• Banville is quietly affected by Alice’s words, realizing that his father may have raised him purely as part of an experiment.
• Sephir alone openly accepts Rayne’s invitation, motivated by resentment toward the Tower of Dawn and its perceived favoritism.

Character Developments

• Leo: Remains cautious and responsible, warning the others that the danger is not over. His refusal becomes the basis for Ilis and Alice’s decisions.
• Rayne: Reveals Blackwind Isle’s need for talented recruits and presents its recruitment offer as mutually beneficial, though his cold, coercive manner makes the invitation feel threatening.
• Alice: Demonstrates insight into the motives of Formal Wizards and challenges the assumption that their mentorship is benevolent. Her knowledge suggests personal experience with Wizard Saffi’s methods.
• Ilis: Shows trust in Leo by immediately adopting his decision. She also recognizes that Tuo Li may be treating her as an experimental subject.
• Sephir: His survival strengthens his delusions of exceptional luck and destiny. He turns against the Tower of Dawn and accepts Blackwind Isle’s offer.
• Banville: Experiences a subdued emotional crisis as he confronts the possibility that his father viewed him only as a research tool.

Significant Themes

• The price of power and mentorship: Guidance from Formal Wizards may offer advancement, but it can come at the cost of autonomy and human dignity.
• Exploitation disguised as opportunity: Both the Tower of Dawn and Blackwind Isle treat apprentices as valuable resources, while Formal Wizards may treat gifted individuals as experimental material.
• Loyalty and influence: Leo’s judgment strongly affects Alice and Ilis, showing the trust he has earned among the survivors.
• Self-delusion and ambition: Sephir’s interpretation of his survival reveals his dangerous arrogance and desperate desire to believe in his own exceptional destiny.
• Betrayal of familial ideals: Banville must reconsider his admiration for his father after learning that their relationship may have been motivated by scientific experimentation rather than love.

Character Interactions

• Leo reunites with Alice, Ilis, and Fia, who look to him for protection and guidance after the battle.
• Rayne addresses all the apprentices directly, attempting to recruit them into Blackwind Isle.
• Alice, Ilis, and Leo discuss the hidden motives behind Formal Wizard cultivation, causing the group to reject Rayne’s offer.
• Alice’s explanation prompts Ilis to compare Tuo Li’s behavior toward her with the treatment of research subjects.
• Sephir separates himself from the others by openly accepting the invitation and condemning the Tower of Dawn.

Chapter Summary: “This Couldn't Be Your Daughter, Could It?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sephir criticizes the Tower of Dawn for abandoning talented outsiders while favoring descendants and blood relatives. Claiming to possess Level 6 spiritual talent, he appeals to the Wizard Apprentices’ resentment and encourages them to join Blackwind Isle.
• More than a dozen apprentices choose to follow Wizard Rayne. After the three-minute deadline ends, Rayne threatens the apprentices who refused to choose, causing thunder to gather and everyone to fear an attack.
• Formal Wizards Saffi and Plaisey arrive from the Tower of Dawn, interrupting Rayne’s threat and accusing Blackwind Isle of bullying weaker apprentices.
• Saffi uses a terrifying spell against Sephir and the other defectors. Their bodies swell uncontrollably, and they beg Rayne for help. Leo’s Prismatic Dragon Scale reveals black Prophecy Spell threads connecting them to the Tower of Dawn’s Tower Master, Augusta.
• Leo discovers that Rayne is also bound by Prophecy Spell threads, while Kyle, Virdan, and Kendia are not. Rayne soon suffers a Fatal Curse and realizes Augusta has attacked him through Magic Stones obtained during his earlier plundering of Tower of Dawn Wizards.
• The Instructor explains that Prophecy Spells exploit existing facts and logical consequences. Although the wandering Wizards abandoned their own Magic Stones, their act of looting Tower of Dawn Wizards gave Augusta a basis for targeting them.
• The cursed apprentices explode and die. Saffi then attacks Rayne directly, trapping him inside a giant fox-shaped spell and attempting to destroy his defensive barrier.
• Rayne survives the initial assault and insists that Saffi cannot defeat him, suggesting a long-standing rivalry between the two.
• The chapter ends with the Instructor noticing that one apprentice has hair the same color as Saffi’s and asking whether the girl might be her daughter.

Character Developments

• Sephir emerges as an ambitious and resentful genius who openly challenges the Tower of Dawn’s favoritism. His speech influences many apprentices, but his defection ultimately leads to his death.
• Rayne is shown to be arrogant and ruthless, willing to eliminate those who refuse to join him. However, he is also highly experienced and powerful enough to withstand Saffi’s attack, despite being caught off guard by Augusta’s curse.
• Saffi is portrayed as cold, disciplined, and extremely dangerous. She punishes the defectors without hesitation and confronts Rayne with confidence.
• The Instructor demonstrates strong knowledge of Prophecy Studies and calmly explains how Augusta’s curse works. His observation about Saffi’s possible daughter introduces a new mystery.
• Leo remains observant and cautious. His Prismatic Dragon Scale allows him to perceive the hidden Prophecy Spell threads and understand the danger before most others do.
• The Tower Master Augusta is established as an unseen but formidable enemy who can manipulate fate and attack targets indirectly through objective circumstances.
• The Wizard Apprentices are divided between self-interest and loyalty. Those who defect for personal advancement pay the ultimate price, while the survivors are traumatized by the violence.

Significant Themes

• Favoritism and institutional injustice: Sephir’s speech highlights resentment toward organizations that privilege bloodlines over talent.
• The danger of opportunism: The apprentices’ decision to join Blackwind Isle for personal advancement results in betrayal and death.
• Power and coercion: Both sides use overwhelming force to control weaker Wizards, revealing the brutal hierarchy of the magical world.
• Prophecy and causality: The chapter presents Prophecy Spells as systems that exploit facts and logical connections to force future outcomes.
• Hidden loyalties and identity: The revelation that an apprentice may be Saffi’s daughter raises questions about family ties, allegiance, and the true identities of those involved.

Important Character Interactions

• Sephir and the apprentices: Sephir persuades others to reject the Tower of Dawn and follow Rayne.
• Rayne and the defectors: Rayne accepts their allegiance but shows no concern when they are cursed and killed.
• Rayne and Saffi: Their exchange reveals an old rivalry between powerful Formal Wizards, with each refusing to acknowledge the other’s superiority.
• Saffi and the defectors: Saffi treats them as traitors and allows the Tower Master’s curse to destroy them.
• The Instructor and Rayne: The Instructor explains the mechanics of Augusta’s spell, exposing Rayne’s lack of understanding of Prophecy Studies.
• The Instructor and Saffi: His final question about the apprentice resembling Saffi’s daughter introduces a potentially personal connection amid the larger conflict.

Key plot points and events

• The Instructor uses a spell to make Alice choke herself, testing whether Saffi will protect her. Saffi claims Alice has no value to her and refuses to intervene; Alice dies.
• Saffi retaliates by magically incapacitating Kyle, who falls into the sea. The Instructor remains outwardly unmoved, suggesting Kyle’s loss matters little to him.
• Saffi questions the Instructor’s unknown origins and learns little: he keeps his past secret and says only that he can discuss his research in exchange for information.
• Saffi explains the Tower Lord’s strategy. The Prossian Wizards and the Golden Eagle Faction were meant to fight; whichever side prevailed could serve Augusta’s plans, with the conflict potentially drawing the Instructor into the Tower Lord’s Prophecy Spell.
• Rayne interrupts the proposed exchange, arguing that equivalent exchange is merely a rule Augusta established for the Prophecy Spell. In response to the Instructor’s provocation, Saffi wounds Virdan and Kendia with an unseen cutting spell.
• Rayne attacks Saffi, but she destroys his spell and warns that he is no match for her. The Instructor proposes ending the confrontation to avoid killing everyone present. Saffi agrees.
• The Instructor leaves with Rayne and the apprentices, recovering Kyle from the sea. Saffi then announces she will erase the apprentices’ memories of the conversation.

Character developments and interactions

• Saffi presents herself as indifferent to Alice, but her response may be a deliberate refusal to yield to the Instructor’s coercion. She remains controlled throughout the confrontation and demonstrates overwhelming magical power.
• The Instructor is calculating and difficult to read. He uses Alice to pressure Saffi, provokes her to test or manipulate her, and avoids revealing his past or research.
• Alice is devastated by Saffi’s apparent rejection and dies under the Instructor’s spell. Leo tries to save her, while Ilis reacts with alarm.
• Rayne defends the Instructor’s secrecy and challenges Saffi, but is decisively outmatched.
• Kyle’s apparent death is used as Saffi’s counter to the Instructor’s threat, though the Instructor’s calm suggests little attachment to him.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and emotional leverage: Both Wizards use others’ lives to pressure one another.
• Power and restraint: Saffi can overpower her opponents, yet the Instructor prevents the fight from escalating into mass deaths.
• Secrecy and mistrust: The Instructor’s unknown origins and hidden research deepen the uncertainty among the factions.
• Strategic sacrifice: Alice, Kyle, and the injured apprentices become pieces in a larger political contest.

Chapter Summary: Plaisey Wizard

Key Plot Points and Events

• A spell is cast to seal the Wizard Apprentices’ memories concerning Magic Stones. Leo realizes the spell is a form of Prophecy Spell, but the Prismatic Dragon Scale in his sleeve protects him from its effects. He pretends to have forgotten the conversation along with everyone else.
• The sealed memories are replaced differently for each apprentice, leaving them confused about what had happened.
• Ilis reveals that Alice is still alive. Leo checks Alice and orders that she be given a healing potion. Wizard Saffi provides one, allowing Alice to recover.
• Alice confronts Saffi about failing to protect her. Saffi coldly explains that she only spared Alice because the Instructor had not tried to kill her. She admits she would not have protected Alice, but would have intervened to save Leo because he has greater value. Alice is deeply hurt by this response.
• The ship begins its return voyage, marking the end of the Great Summons for the Centennial Plan.
• Many Wizard Apprentices caught in the battle between Formal Wizards are rescued, but nearly half have died, while most survivors suffer severe injuries or amputations.
• Formal Wizard Plaisey treats the wounded using magical healing plants capable of rapidly regenerating damaged limbs.
• Leo visits Hughes and Lexus, who are both gravely injured. They apologize for ignoring Leo’s earlier warning, but he tells them to concentrate on recovering.
• Plaisey later questions Leo about his Pumpkin Carriage Spell, recognizing that it uses an unusually fast variety called the Accelerated Flying Pumpkin. Leo admits that he cultivated it himself.
• Plaisey asks whether Leo’s work was a formally successful study designed for large-scale cultivation, setting up a discussion about the legitimacy and significance of Leo’s magical-plant research.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates cleverness and caution by secretly retaining his memories despite the sealing spell. He continues to protect Alice and remains compassionate toward the severely injured Hughes and Lexus. His cultivation abilities attract Plaisey’s serious attention.
• Alice: Survives her confrontation with the Instructor but is emotionally shaken by Saffi’s blunt declaration that she has little value compared with Leo. Her resentment and insecurity become more pronounced.
• Ilis: Shows concern for Alice and immediately informs Leo that she is alive, reinforcing her loyalty and emotional attachment to him.
• Saffi: Reveals a strictly utilitarian worldview. She evaluates people according to their usefulness rather than personal loyalty or compassion, though her attention to Alice’s reaction suggests she may not be entirely indifferent.
• Hughes and Lexus: Suffer devastating injuries and regret their failure to heed Leo’s warning. Their dependence on Leo and their remorse strengthen their bond with him.
• Plaisey: Is established as a skilled healer and a specialist in magical plants. His interest in Leo’s Accelerated Flying Pumpkin suggests that Leo’s research may have professional importance.

Significant Themes

• The control of knowledge: The memory-sealing spell shows how powerful authorities suppress information about Magic Stones and manipulate people’s perceptions.
• Value and utility: Saffi’s treatment of Alice and Leo highlights a harsh system in which individuals are judged by their usefulness rather than their humanity.
• The cost of power: The Great Summons ends with mass casualties and crippling injuries, emphasizing the brutal consequences of battles among Formal Wizards.
• Loyalty and responsibility: Leo’s concern for Alice, Hughes, and Lexus contrasts with Saffi’s detached pragmatism.
• Innovation and recognition: Leo’s cultivation of a superior magical plant variety introduces the possibility that his research could earn him influence or status among Formal Wizards.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Ilis: Ilis alerts Leo to Alice’s survival, and Leo immediately takes responsibility for helping her.
• Leo and Saffi: Saffi gives Leo the healing potion and openly identifies him as more valuable than Alice, reinforcing her preference for Leo.
• Alice and Saffi: Alice demands an explanation for Saffi’s actions, but Saffi’s unemotional answers leave Alice devastated.
• Leo, Hughes, and Lexus: The injured brothers apologize for disobeying Leo, while Leo responds with reassurance rather than blame.
• Leo and Plaisey: Plaisey recognizes the uniqueness of Leo’s Pumpkin Carriage Spell and begins investigating the source and scalability of Leo’s magical-plant cultivation.

Chapter Summary: “You Are Undoubtedly a Genius”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wizard Plaisey discusses Leo’s Accelerated Flying Pumpkin variety, acknowledging that it is promising but cannot yet be cultivated on a large scale.
• Plaisey explains the rivalry between:
  • Wizard Nova’s Bird Wing Spell, currently the top flying spell among Tower of Dawn apprentices.
  • Plaisey’s Pumpkin Carriage Spell, ranked second and mocked because it has been surpassed by Nova, who is not yet a Formal Wizard.
• Plaisey reveals that he has funded research into improved Flying Pumpkin varieties for years, hoping to strengthen the Pumpkin Carriage Spell, but the results have been disappointing.
• Leo admits that even his Accelerated Flying Pumpkin is unlikely to make the Pumpkin Carriage Spell superior to the Bird Wing Spell.
• Plaisey shifts the discussion toward Leo’s extraordinary talent. He notes that Leo advanced from a newly arrived apprentice to someone capable of touching upon Combination Spells in only three months.
• Leo attempts to downplay his achievements by suggesting that perfect-quality potions could easily allow apprentices to progress rapidly.
• Plaisey corrects this misconception, explaining that even Formal Wizards find producing perfect-quality potions mentally and energetically exhausting. He compares Leo to Banville, whose Formal Wizard father has supplied him with such potions for a year, yet Leo has still surpassed him without similar support.
• Leo realizes that his effortless ability to refine perfect-quality potions is highly unusual and could attract dangerous attention if discovered.
• Plaisey offers Leo a chance to reclaim the victory and Genius Wizard Title that he believes Leo unfairly lost during the Great Summons.
• In exchange, Plaisey asks Leo to use one of his research opportunities to investigate an improved Flying Pumpkin variety. Leo will have three years to establish a related laboratory, at which point the agreement will be fulfilled.

Character Developments

• Leo becomes more aware of how exceptional his abilities are compared with ordinary Wizard Apprentices, particularly his rapid cultivation and effortless potion refinement.
• He also demonstrates caution and political awareness by concealing the true extent of his potion-making talent from Plaisey.
• Leo’s concern about selling perfect-quality potions reveals his growing understanding of the risks of being noticed by powerful Formal Wizards.
• Plaisey is shown to be ambitious and prideful regarding his Pumpkin Carriage Spell, but also perceptive enough to recognize Leo’s unusual genius.
• Plaisey moves from discussing agricultural research to testing Leo’s abilities and ultimately recruiting him for a valuable research project.
• Banville serves as a comparison point: despite receiving extensive assistance from his Formal Wizard father, he has progressed more slowly than Leo.

Significant Themes

• Genius versus conventional achievement: Leo’s progress is revealed to be far beyond what even privileged apprentices can accomplish with elite resources.
• Hidden talent and self-preservation: Leo must conceal his effortless potion refinement because extraordinary abilities can bring unwanted scrutiny and danger.
• Recognition and injustice: The chapter emphasizes that Leo’s contributions during the Great Summons were undervalued because of political prejudice against the Prossians.
• Ambition and reputation: Plaisey’s desire to surpass the Bird Wing Spell shows how professional pride and public standing influence magical research.
• Talent serving powerful interests: Leo’s abilities attract Plaisey’s attention, but recognition comes with obligations and the expectation that Leo’s talent will advance Plaisey’s goals.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Plaisey: Their conversation begins as a discussion of Flying Pumpkins but becomes a negotiation over Leo’s talent and future. Plaisey flatters Leo, evaluates his abilities, and offers him a potentially valuable reward in exchange for research.
• Leo and Assistant Instructor Sally: Sally’s inaccurate belief that Formal Wizards can easily mass-produce perfect-quality potions leads Leo to misunderstand the significance of his own achievements.
• Leo and Banville: Although Banville does not appear directly, Plaisey’s comparison establishes Leo as more gifted because he surpassed Banville despite lacking a Formal Wizard’s support.
• Plaisey and Wizard Nova: Their rivalry over the ranking of flying spells motivates Plaisey’s long-term interest in improving Flying Pumpkins and restoring his reputation.

Chapter Summary: “Transaction with a Formal Wizard”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wizard Plaisey offers Leo a commission: within three years, Leo must develop an improved Flying Pumpkin variety capable of powering the Pumpkin Carriage Spell to at least the level of the Bird Wing Spell.
• If Leo fails, he must pay Plaisey one million Magic Stones.
• In exchange, Plaisey will help Leo obtain the Genius Wizard Title, granting him five unrestricted research projects. Plaisey also promises support and access to resources for magical-plant research.
• Leo quickly accepts the deal, recognizing that the benefits outweigh the risks. He believes his knowledge of failed Flying Pumpkin varieties and the Spell Pyramid Codex will give him a strong chance of succeeding.
• Plaisey leaves to continue treating the other Wizard Apprentices, while Leo returns to his room to study the Spell Pyramid Codex, which he considers essential for advancing toward becoming a Formal Wizard.
• Later, Plaisey reports to Wizard Saffi that the apprentices have been treated. Their conversation turns to Leo and his potential.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates decisiveness, ambition, and strategic thinking by accepting the dangerous commission immediately. He understands both the value and limitations of Plaisey’s protection, especially recognizing that Plaisey cannot shield him from more powerful Formal Wizards. Leo also becomes increasingly focused on preparing for the threat posed by the Tower Master’s prophecy and his identity as a Prossian.
• Wizard Plaisey: Reveals strong confidence in Leo’s talent, particularly his ability in Flying Pumpkin and magical-plant research. By offering resources and acting as Leo’s contact with the Tower’s research authorities, Plaisey effectively becomes Leo’s patron in this field.
• Wizard Saffi: Shows interest in Leo because of his combat talent, Level 5 spiritual talent, Prossian heritage, and rapid progress. She is portrayed as much more powerful and prestigious than Plaisey, being a renowned Crystallized Wizard.
• The Level 6 spiritual-talent apprentice: Saffi criticizes him for relying too heavily on research paths provided by others. His lack of independent direction is presented as a major obstacle to becoming a Formal Wizard.

Significant Themes

• Opportunity versus risk: Leo accepts a potentially ruinous financial penalty because the research benefits and future opportunities are exceptionally valuable.
• Patronage and political protection: Plaisey’s support gives Leo security within magical-plant research, but the chapter emphasizes that such protection has limits against stronger Formal Wizards.
• Independent research and personal direction: Saffi and Plaisey discuss how apprentices often imitate established Wizards instead of discovering their own paths, suggesting that originality is necessary for advancement.
• Power hierarchy: The differences between Gasified and Crystallized Wizards highlight the vast gaps in power among Formal Wizards and Leo’s current vulnerability.
• Prophecy and looming danger: Leo remains concerned that the Tower Master’s fourth prophecy may target him because he is a Prossian, motivating his desire to become strong enough to confront Formal Wizards.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Plaisey: Their negotiation establishes a mutually beneficial relationship. Plaisey provides Leo with research opportunities and institutional backing, while Leo agrees to pursue the difficult Flying Pumpkin project.
• Plaisey and Saffi: Plaisey treats Saffi with great respect because of her superior status. They discuss Leo’s value and the weaknesses of other apprentices.
• Saffi and Leo: Though Leo is not present, Saffi’s remarks show that she is closely observing him and may have future plans involving his combat ability, Prossian identity, and potential connection to the Wyvern Club.

Chapter Summary: “Flattery, Banville’s Dying Embers”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Formal Wizards Saffi and Plaisey discuss Leo’s importance to the Tower Master’s prophecy. They value him less for his Prossian identity or current genius than for his potential to become the sacrifice required by the prophecy spell.
• Plaisey resolves not to become emotionally attached to Leo, unlike Wizard Esmond, and instead intends to use Leo purely for the Tower Master’s plans.
• Plaisey criticizes the results of the Great Summons, arguing that Leo deserved greater recognition than Banville. Saffi agrees and authorizes Plaisey to award Leo the reward personally.
• Leo emerges from the event with a newly developed ability gained through studying the Spell Pyramid Codex: he can divide his attention, studying while simultaneously thinking or performing other tasks. This greatly increases his future learning and research efficiency.
• Ilis notices Leo’s unusual mental state and worries about him. Leo reassures her, though his praise of her abilities sounds insincere to her.
• Banville is comforted by former companions after his defeat and loss of Wizard Brock’s support. They remind him that he still received the title of Genius Wizard.
• Some apprentices flatter Banville by insisting he was the true victor and dismissing Leo’s achievements, despite Leo killing the Sogra King and defeating Banville.
• Ilis defends Leo, but Leo stops her from arguing. He recognizes that the apprentices’ hostility toward him is encouraged by Formal Wizards who dislike or oppose him.
• Leo concludes that conflicts among apprentices may involve powerful Formal Wizards behind the scenes, so he decides to act cautiously rather than retaliate.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes more capable and efficient through his Codex-derived dual-focus ability. He also demonstrates growing political awareness, recognizing the hidden alliances and dangers within the Tower of Dawn. Rather than reacting emotionally to insults, he chooses restraint.
• Ilis: Remains loyal and protective of Leo, openly defending him against Banville’s supporters. She also feels increasingly inadequate beside Leo’s rapid advancement, though Leo encourages her to believe in herself.
• Banville: Appears emotionally defeated after losing to Leo and losing Brock’s backing, but the flattering praise of his companions briefly revives his sense of superiority and former status.
• Plaisey: Shifts toward a cold, utilitarian attitude toward Leo, deliberately suppressing personal affection because of Leo’s prophetic role. He also shows some fairness by insisting Leo deserves recognition.
• Saffi: Reinforces the view that Leo is primarily a tool in the Tower Master’s larger plan and approves Plaisey’s decision to reward him.

Significant Themes

• Exploitation versus personal attachment: Leo is viewed by the Formal Wizards as a possible sacrificial instrument rather than as an individual, prompting Plaisey to reject emotional investment in him.
• Jealousy and flattery: Banville’s supporters distort the Great Summons results to preserve his pride and curry favor, revealing how envy shapes public opinion.
• Hidden power structures: The apprentices’ behavior is influenced by Formal Wizards, showing that apparently personal rivalries are connected to larger political and research interests.
• Growth and efficiency: Leo’s ability to divide his attention symbolizes his accelerating development and widening gap between himself and other apprentices.
• Caution and political maturity: Leo learns that talent alone is not enough; survival requires understanding the relationships and interests operating behind the scenes.

Character Interactions

• Saffi and Plaisey discuss Leo’s prophetic significance and agree that he should be used without emotional involvement.
• Leo and Ilis have a supportive but teasing exchange about Leo’s mental state, his rapid growth, and Ilis’s insecurity.
• Banville and his friends exchange words of consolation, with the others flattering him to restore his confidence.
• Ilis and Banville’s supporters clash over whether Banville or Leo truly won the Great Summons.
• Leo and Ilis ultimately withdraw from the argument, with Leo emphasizing caution over confrontation.

Chapter Summary: “Lingering Spell”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ilis criticizes Leo for being too kind-hearted, though Leo internally recalls his past violence and finds the accusation amusing.
• After the participants gather on deck, Plaisey announces that he and Wizard Saffi have taken over the Great Summons operation because Wizard Jindeli is unavailable.
• They overturn the previous decision that awarded the victory to the Banville Squad, arguing that killing the Sogra King was more important than eliminating the nobles on the Death List.
• Leo is officially named the recipient of the Great Summons’ Genius Wizard Title.
• Banville, already emotionally unstable, becomes consumed by hatred toward Leo. He blames Leo for his defeat, the deaths of his teammates, his father Brock’s death, and the loss of the title.
• Under the influence of a lingering spell cast by the departing wandering Wizards, Banville attacks Leo with his powerful Combination Spell. However, Leo’s strengthened body easily withstands the flames.
• Plaisey stops Banville with overwhelming Magical Pressure and uses a spell to suppress his rage.
• Plaisey explains that Banville’s emotions were being amplified by an emotion-stirring spell. The spell did not create his hatred, but intensified feelings that already existed.
• Banville apologizes to Leo after regaining control, while Plaisey warns that the spell will continue affecting him until he possibly becomes a Formal Wizard and can break free of it.
• Banville’s former friends avoid his gaze, implicitly judging him for attacking Leo despite Leo having saved his life.

Character Developments

• Leo remains calm and emotionally controlled throughout the controversy and Banville’s attack. His physical strength and confidence are emphasized, as the Combination Spell has little effect on him.
• Banville deteriorates emotionally, revealing deep resentment and an inability to accept his losses. Although the lingering spell magnifies his negative feelings, Plaisey clarifies that the hatred originated within Banville himself.
• After being calmed, Banville experiences fear and regret, recognizing how dangerously he behaved. His social standing also weakens as his former companions distance themselves from him.
• Plaisey demonstrates authority, fairness, and insight. He corrects the biased title decision, protects Leo, diagnoses Banville’s condition, and temporarily suppresses the spell.
• Leo and Banville’s relationship becomes openly hostile. Banville views Leo as the cause of nearly every misfortune he has suffered, while Leo responds with restraint rather than retaliation.

Significant Themes

• Jealousy and resentment: Banville’s envy over Leo’s recognition develops into destructive hatred.
• Personal responsibility: Although the spell intensifies Banville’s emotions, it does not create them. The chapter stresses that external influence cannot fully excuse actions rooted in one’s own character.
• Justice versus biased judgment: Plaisey and Saffi revise the title decision after recognizing that the original result was influenced by personal bias.
• Emotional control: Leo’s composure contrasts sharply with Banville’s loss of control, reinforcing the value of discipline and mental strength.
• Lingering consequences: The wandering Wizards’ spell continues to affect Banville even after they have departed, symbolizing how unresolved emotions and past manipulation can persist.

Important Character Interactions

• Ilis and Leo: Ilis calls Leo soft-hearted, while Leo privately finds the criticism ironic.
• Plaisey and Leo: Plaisey publicly awards Leo the Genius Wizard Title and later protects him from Banville’s attack.
• Banville and Leo: Banville attacks Leo and blames him for his misfortunes, but Leo remains composed and unharmed.
• Plaisey and Banville: Plaisey restrains Banville, explains the lingering spell, and warns him that his emotions will remain vulnerable to its influence.
• Banville and his former friends: After witnessing his attack and emotional instability, they avoid him, signaling their disappointment and growing alienation.

Chapter Summary: “Mobile Disaster of Destruction”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Banville struggles against the emotional influence of the spell cast on him. His anger and helplessness provoke violent thoughts urging him to kill Leo, Plaisey, and the other Wizards.
• Plaisey’s intervention briefly restores Banville’s awareness, but Banville breaks down in tears, revealing how deeply the spell has damaged his mind and emotions.
• Plaisey explains that his suppression spell can restrain the curse for only three years. During that time, Banville must avoid anger or significant emotional fluctuations, or the spell may regain control.
• The Wizard Apprentices realize that Banville has become a dangerous liability. His powerful Combination Spells, combined with his unstable emotions, make him a potential threat to everyone around him.
• Having lost his father Brock and his previous influence, Banville’s social value declines. Plaisey advises him to live alone until he can find a Formal Wizard capable of removing the spell, possibly someone specializing in flesh-and-blood magic.
• Banville returns to his cabin in despair.
• Plaisey announces the recipient of the Genius Wizard Title. Leo receives it individually rather than as part of his team, disappointing Bruce, who had hoped to share in the recognition.
• Alice congratulates Leo, while Ilis praises him enthusiastically. Alice and Ilis’s exchange reveals that they have developed a genuine friendship during the crisis.
• The group returns to the Tower of Dawn. Leo, exhausted by the ordeal, feels as though years have passed despite being away only a few days.
• After resting, Leo visits his mentor Sally, who says she wants to question him about the Great Summons.

Character Developments

• Banville: Suffers a severe psychological and magical breakdown. He recognizes that others now fear him and understands that his unstable condition may endanger them. His loss of Brock, his allies, and his reputation leaves him isolated and hopeless.
• Leo: Gains the Genius Wizard Title and is acknowledged as the decisive figure in the operation. His survival and success further elevate his standing among the Wizards.
• Plaisey: Acts as a stabilizing authority by suppressing Banville’s curse and giving him practical, though grim, advice. He also formally confirms Leo’s victory.
• Alice and Ilis: Move from disagreement and tension toward friendship. Their playful conversation shows increased mutual trust and camaraderie.
• Bruce: Reveals some self-interest and disappointment when he learns the title belongs only to Leo.
• Sally: Reasserts her role as Leo’s mentor and prepares to investigate what happened during the Great Summons.

Significant Themes

• The danger of emotional manipulation: The curse turns ordinary anger into murderous impulses, showing how loss of emotional control can destroy a person’s autonomy.
• Isolation and social distrust: Banville becomes feared as a living weapon, demonstrating how quickly relationships collapse when someone is perceived as unstable or dangerous.
• The cost of power: Although Banville possesses formidable spells, his strength offers little protection against magical corruption, grief, or abandonment.
• Recognition and merit: Leo’s title is awarded based on individual achievement rather than team affiliation, emphasizing personal ability and decisive contribution.
• Friendship formed through adversity: Alice and Ilis grow closer because of their shared experience, contrasting with Banville’s increasing isolation.

Character Interactions

• Banville nearly succumbs to violent impulses, but Plaisey’s direct call brings him back to awareness.
• Plaisey explains Banville’s condition to the group, prompting fear and caution from the other Apprentices.
• Banville asks Plaisey whether the Tower of Dawn can cure him; Plaisey offers limited hope while warning him to remain isolated.
• Bruce questions whether the Genius Wizard Title should include Leo’s team, but Plaisey firmly awards it to Leo alone.
• Alice congratulates Leo, while Ilis openly celebrates his victory and jokes with Alice about their earlier disagreement.
• Upon returning, Leo receives Sally’s request to discuss the Great Summons, setting up the next stage of the story.

Chapter Summary: “Special Spiritual Traits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo recounts the events of the Great Summons to Wizard Sally, deliberately withholding details about his own spells to protect his abilities.
• Sally congratulates him on obtaining the rare Genius Wizard Title, which grants preferential access to resources and five free research-project slots. She warns that many Wizard Apprentices—especially those seeking to advance their own ranks—will try to exploit these privileges.
• Leo says he intends to consolidate his recent gains before deciding how to use the slots.
• Leo asks Sally about Combination Spells, having encountered both Banville and the wandering Wizard Kyle using them during the Great Summons.
• Sally explains that Banville possesses the special spiritual trait “Left and Right Hands,” which allows him to divide his attention and cast Combination Spells using two minds at once. She notes that Combination Spells are a major obstacle on the path to becoming a Formal Wizard.
• Sally advises Leo to study Combination Spells through courses taught by Formal Wizards rather than relying on her limited experience as a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
• Sally acknowledges that Leo has progressed to the point where he must largely follow the Wizard’s path independently. She also tells him that Wizard Nova has requested contact.
• Soon after returning to his room, Leo is bombarded by communications from Wizards—including Charlie, a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice—asking to use his research privileges. Leo rejects and blacklists all of them, receiving more than twenty such requests by morning.
• Leo visits the Pella Research Lab, where Wizard Pella congratulates him and comments on his growing reputation and the large number of people now seeking him out.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates increasing caution and maturity. He protects the secrets of his spells, refuses to waste his research privileges, and plans to consolidate his progress before making important decisions.
• His strength and reputation have grown dramatically. The gap between him and Sally, once seemingly insurmountable, has narrowed considerably in only three months.
• Leo remains independent and resourceful, trusting his own Compendium Manual rather than relying on unsolicited research proposals.
• Sally shifts from being a mentor Leo viewed as unreachable to someone who recognizes that he is beginning to surpass what she can teach him.
• Banville is established as a naturally gifted Wizard Apprentice whose spiritual trait gives him an unusual advantage in mastering Combination Spells.
• Pella acknowledges Leo’s rising status and the attention it attracts.

Significant Themes

• Power attracts exploitation: Leo’s Genius Wizard Title immediately makes him a target for people seeking personal advancement.
• Talent versus effort: Banville’s spiritual trait gives him an exceptional natural advantage, but Sally emphasizes that such talent cannot simply be copied by understanding its principle.
• Independence and growth: Leo is reaching a stage where he must rely increasingly on his own judgment, study, and accumulated resources.
• The cost of prominence: Leo wants to research quietly, but his growing reputation makes anonymity impossible. As Pella observes, those who stand out inevitably attract envy and attention.
• Preparation for higher advancement: Combination Spells are presented as a crucial barrier to becoming a Formal Wizard, foreshadowing a major challenge in Leo’s future development.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Sally: Their conversation combines congratulations, practical warnings, and instruction. Sally advises Leo about protecting his research slots and directs him toward Formal Wizard courses for Combination Spells.
• Leo and the opportunistic Wizards: Multiple Wizards attempt to persuade Leo to lend them his free research-project slots. Leo refuses without engaging and blacklists them.
• Leo and Pella: Pella welcomes and congratulates Leo at the research lab, recognizing his increased influence and the unwanted attention accompanying it.
• Leo and Banville/Kyle: Though neither appears directly, their use of Combination Spells during the Great Summons prompts Leo’s questions and shapes his next area of study.

Key plot points and events

• Pella tells Leo that the research labs are giving returning participants in the Great Summons three days’ rest, as instructed by special envoys. Leo says he only came by to check in.
• Leo visits his Group One plot of Flying Pumpkins. Though it looks healthy, he knows its environment could deteriorate within two weeks, so he makes adjustments based on preparations he had made before the Summons.
• Back home, Leo reviews missed calls recorded by his Lizardman servant. He calls Wizard Nova, who asks him to guard a student—a Third-Level Wizard Apprentice studying necromancy—during an expedition to ruins near the Crimson Sea. In exchange for the two-day job and 10,000 Magic Stones, Nova will consider Leo’s old debt settled. Leo accepts.
• Nova also asks Leo to bring back any ancient books he finds, offering to buy them. Leo recognizes that Nova’s love of books is a major motive behind the request.
• Leo then speaks with Wizard Huangtu. Huangtu congratulates him on earning the Genius Wizard title and thanks him for prioritizing Alice’s safety during the Great Summons. He also asks whether Leo will join the Wyvern Club, explaining that it corners the market in rare materials and takes combat missions against wandering Wizards. Leo declines implicitly, saying he is not a battle fanatic.

Character developments

• Leo shows foresight and careful planning by maintaining his plot and arranging his work so the escort mission fits around his return to the lab.
• His improved standing is apparent: Nova’s favor now has considerable value, while Leo can choose which opportunities to pursue.
• Leo remains practical and independent. He accepts Nova’s straightforward assignment but resists pressure to join a combat-focused organization.
• Nova’s priorities are revealed through his eagerness to acquire ancient books. Huangtu emerges as both politically connected and genuinely grateful for Leo’s help.

Significant themes

• Planning and responsibility: Leo’s preparations protect his plot from future harm, and he takes Alice’s safety seriously because of their agreement.
• Power and obligation: Leo’s rising status changes the value of favors, but he still honors the debt he owes Nova.
• Knowledge versus combat: Nova prizes historical books, while the Wyvern Club emphasizes fighting and control of resources; Leo prefers not to be defined by combat.
• Rest and recovery: The labs’ break for returning Wizards recognizes the toll of the Great Summons.

Character interactions

• Pella gives Leo practical information about the lab’s rest period and permits him to inspect his plot.
• Leo instructs his servant to record future missed calls, relying on the servant’s organized report.
• Nova uses an old favor to secure protection for his student, while openly offering payment and a chance to buy books.
• Huangtu thanks Leo for Alice’s safety and tests his interest in the Wyvern Club; Leo responds politely but signals that he will not join.

Chapter Summary: Necromantic Copper Bell, the Wizard Civilization of the Past

Key Plot Points and Events

• Huangtu informs Leo that, despite his refusal to join the Wyvern Club, he remains welcome because of his strength as a Combat Wizard.
• Huangtu also reveals that Wizard Saffi was impressed by Leo’s performance during the Great Summons and has prepared a gift. Alice delivers it to Leo late at night.
• The gift is a palm-sized copper bell, a perfect-quality magical item discovered by Saffi in an ancient ruin.
• When shaken, the bell gathers nearby undead spirits. Though they cannot be controlled, they can be treated as corpses and used as mediums for Necromancy spells.
• Leo tests the bell by using Necromantic Communication on an undead girl named Vilina. Through her, he learns more about Wizard Nova, who was already considered exceptionally talented and knowledgeable soon after arriving at the Tower of Dawn.
• Leo asks Vilina to convey to Huangtu that he is satisfied with the gift.
• Alice explains that the bell originated from the Ancient Wizard Civilization, which existed in the Sinking Light Sea before the Tower Masters arrived.
• Leo realizes that modern Necromancy originated from this ancient civilization and begins to suspect that Wizard Nova’s interest in ancient books may actually be connected to research into this lost Wizard civilization.
• After Alice leaves, Leo continues ringing the bell and summons more undead, hoping to uncover useful historical information.

Character Developments

• Leo continues advancing his magical strength by purchasing materials to brew Sinking Dream Potion while studying the Spell Pyramid Codex. His increasing wealth allows him to raise his Magical Pressure more rapidly.
• Leo demonstrates curiosity and investigative thinking, immediately recognizing the copper bell’s potential for gathering information as well as assisting with Necromancy.
• His suspicions about Wizard Nova deepen. Leo now believes Nova’s passion for books may conceal a serious academic or magical investigation into the Ancient Wizard Civilization.
• Alice remains respectful and somewhat uneasy. Although she is a Wizard, the eerie undead summoned by the bell frighten her slightly. She acts carefully by closing both the door and window before revealing the gift.
• Wizard Saffi is shown to value Leo’s achievements, while Huangtu appears to be acting as an intermediary in maintaining a relationship with him.

Significant Themes

• Lost history and hidden civilizations: The chapter reveals that Wizard civilization existed in the Sinking Light Sea long before the Tower Masters’ arrival, suggesting that the region’s history is far older and more complex than commonly believed.
• The origins of Necromancy: Modern Necromancy is connected to the Ancient Wizard Civilization, opening the possibility that forgotten techniques or knowledge may still be recovered.
• Knowledge concealed beneath ordinary actions: Nova’s apparent love of books may have a deeper research purpose, reinforcing the idea that powerful Wizards often disguise important goals behind seemingly minor interests.
• Death as a source of knowledge: The undead are not merely tools or enemies; through Necromantic Communication, they preserve memories and provide access to information from the past.
• Power and independence: Although Leo rejects membership in the Wyvern Club, his growing strength and resources allow him to remain independent while still attracting the attention and goodwill of influential Wizards.

Character Interactions

• Huangtu and Leo: Huangtu politely accepts Leo’s refusal to join the Wyvern Club but emphasizes that the organization remains open to him. He also communicates Saffi’s appreciation and gift.
• Alice and Leo: Alice delivers the bell and explains its abilities and origins. Leo questions her about the item and the Ancient Wizard Civilization, while she provides historical information before departing.
• Leo and Vilina’s undead spirit: Leo uses Necromancy to question Vilina, learning about Wizard Nova’s early reputation and intellectual abilities. He then asks her to relay a message to Huangtu.
• Leo and the summoned undead: After Alice leaves, Leo continues experimenting with the bell, seeking further information from the spirits it attracts.

Chapter Summary: “Cause of Death a Mystery”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo investigates an undead who claims to be Sono, the former Prossian genius.
• Through the Undead Communication Spell, Sono reveals that he did not believe he had died. Instead, he had fused with a powerful, white-mist-like undead creature.
• Sono says the fusion occurred in Wizard Uriel’s office at the Uriel Gathering, confirming that his mysterious death was connected to Uriel.
• Leo wonders whether Uriel may be linked to the wandering Wizards or the five traitors of the Tower of Dawn. However, he recognizes that Uriel is only a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, making a direct connection uncertain.
• Leo also considers abandoning the Tower of Dawn and aligning himself with Blackwind Isle, since the prophecy may place him against the Tower and its master. For now, he decides to conceal his thoughts and continue posing as an inexperienced newcomer.
• Leo studies several Wizard disciplines—including Magitech Studies, Potionology, Necromancy, Battle Mage Studies, and Elementalism—to expand his ability to create unprecedented Combination Spells.
• His intense multitasking and study improve his learning ability. He masters the Magitech Studies Codex at perfect quality, gains Refinement Points, and raises his mental energy to 280.
• After cultivating his Meditation Method, Leo attends an offline Magitech Studies course.
• The course’s substitute lecturer is Wizard Uriel, creating an unexpected confrontation between the two.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes increasingly cautious and politically aware. He recognizes the possible danger surrounding Uriel and the Tower of Dawn while keeping his suspicions hidden. His learning ability, magical strength, and mastery of multiple disciplines continue to grow rapidly.
• Sono: His phantom reveals that his “death” may actually have been a forced or manipulated fusion with an unknown undead entity. His statement suggests that Uriel played a direct role in the experiment.
• Wizard Uriel: Appears outwardly friendly and regretful that Leo did not become his student, but his admission that he was “obsessed” with finding a Prossian genius gives his interest in Leo an unsettling intensity.

Significant Themes

• Mystery and hidden conspiracies: Sono’s fate remains unclear, and Uriel’s involvement raises questions about forbidden experiments and possible ties to larger factions.
• Political allegiance and self-preservation: Leo weighs whether the Tower of Dawn is truly beneficial to him and considers aligning with its enemies while maintaining a harmless public image.
• Knowledge as power: Mastering multiple disciplines is presented as essential to developing unique Combination Spells and increasing magical potential.
• Ambition and obsession: Uriel’s fixation on teaching a Prossian genius suggests that Leo’s identity carries symbolic and political value beyond his personal abilities.

Character Interactions

• Leo interrogates Sono’s undead spirit, uncovering the link between Sono’s transformation and Uriel’s office.
• Leo later encounters Uriel in the classroom. Their conversation remains polite but carries underlying suspicion and tension.
• Uriel emphasizes his regret at not becoming Leo’s mentor and admits that he is more fascinated by the idea of teaching a “Prossian genius” than by Leo alone, hinting at deeper motives behind his interest.

Chapter Summary: “Capturing Uriel”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo speaks with Uriel, who apologizes for the previous attempt to recruit or capture him through Wizard Lane. Leo responds politely but makes it clear that he remains dissatisfied with Lane’s actions.
• Uriel explains that Lane’s personal emotions influenced his behavior and encourages Leo to focus on progressing rather than dwelling on past conflicts.
• Uriel notices traces of Necromancy in Leo’s spiritual energy and asks about his knowledge of the discipline. Their discussion reveals that Necromancy is poorly regarded and difficult to study within the Tower of Dawn.
• Uriel explains that advanced Necromancy requires traveling to the ruins of the Ancient Wizard Civilization, where knowledge of Magitech Studies is essential for exploring the ruins’ mechanisms and secrets.
• As an apology, Uriel gives Leo an ancient Necromancy parchment called Dark Archmage. The spell requires an extremely long construction and completion process but possesses tremendous destructive power, potentially comparable to a Combination Spell.
• Leo’s Compendium Manual identifies the parchment as an inferior-quality Dark Archmage Spell Codex and reveals that it can be recorded for 500 Refinement Points. Uriel immediately notices that Leo has seemingly perfected the flawed spell after only one glance, alarming Leo.
• Leo conceals the truth, denying that he has mastered the spell so quickly. Uriel does not challenge him directly but expresses interest in discussing Necromancy with Leo in the future.
• Uriel comments that Leo lacks the arrogance usually associated with geniuses. Leo internally reflects that he is not naturally talented and owes his progress to the Compendium Manual.
• The conversation ends when class is about to begin. Uriel takes the platform, while Leo returns to his seat with the Dark Archmage parchment stored safely.
• Leo discovers that Molly is sitting beside him, marking their first meeting since the Great Summons. Before they can properly converse, a flamboyantly dressed male wizard causes a commotion nearby and resembles the hostile envoy Keli.

Character Developments

• Leo: Remains cautious and diplomatic around Uriel while hiding the true capabilities granted by the Compendium Manual. His interest in Necromancy and Magitech Studies grows, and he gains a powerful new spell codex. His humility is emphasized, though it stems from awareness that his achievements rely on an external artifact rather than innate genius.
• Uriel: Presents himself as sincere, knowledgeable, and conciliatory, but his keen observation of Leo’s reaction to the spell suggests that he may be investigating or testing him. His interest in Leo becomes more pronounced after seeing his apparent talent for Necromancy.
• Molly: Reappears after a long separation, suggesting that Leo’s increasing strength and changing circumstances have caused their relationship to become more distant.
• Wizard Lane: Though absent, Lane’s earlier hostility remains relevant; Uriel takes responsibility for apologizing on his behalf.
• The jeweled male wizard: Is introduced as a possible new source of conflict, visually and behaviorally recalling Keli’s connection to the Esmond Gathering.

Significant Themes

• Hidden power and suspicion: Leo must conceal the Compendium Manual’s abilities, while Uriel appears capable of detecting that something unusual has happened.
• Knowledge and exploration: Necromancy and Magitech Studies are linked to the ruins of the Ancient Wizard Civilization, suggesting that deeper magical advancement requires both scholarship and dangerous exploration.
• Talent versus external assistance: Leo rejects the label of genius because his progress depends heavily on the Compendium Manual, raising questions about what truly defines talent.
• Political and personal tension: Uriel’s apology may be genuine, but his probing questions and meaningful gaze leave uncertainty about whether he intends to recruit, manipulate, or capture Leo.
• Undervalued disciplines: Necromancy is portrayed as powerful yet neglected by mainstream Tower wizards, creating opportunities for those willing to pursue unpopular fields.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Uriel engage in a polite but guarded conversation about Lane, Necromancy, Magitech Studies, and Leo’s abilities.
• Uriel gives Leo the Dark Archmage spell as both a gift and an apology, while simultaneously observing Leo’s reaction.
• Leo and Molly reunite briefly after the Great Summons, though their conversation is interrupted.
• The appearance of the ornate male wizard foreshadows another possible confrontation connected to the conflicts surrounding Keli and the Esmond Gathering.

Chapter Summary: Leo, Skilled at Explaining

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wizard Hain, a member of the Uriel Gathering, is surrounded by Wizards seeking help with their studies. He charges exorbitant fees—up to 1,000 Magic Stones—for explanations, claiming that his genius makes his time more valuable.
• Molly, who has few Magic Stones, timidly asks Leo whether he can help her with the Magitech Studies course. Leo agrees to teach her for only ten Magic Stones, reassuring her that he does not consider himself a genius and that helping her is no trouble.
• Hain overhears their conversation and makes a sarcastic remark implying that Leo is undervaluing himself or that Hain deserves more because of his superior talent. Leo and Molly ignore him.
• Uriel unexpectedly replaces the original lecturer and begins teaching the course. He offers to refund everyone’s fees if they object, but the students enthusiastically remain because Uriel is renowned for his excellent and normally expensive lessons.
• Uriel explains the material clearly, though many students—including Molly—still struggle because of differences in talent and mental energy. Molly diligently takes notes and asks Leo for help whenever she becomes confused.
• Leo patiently clarifies the difficult points for Molly, demonstrating that he is an effective and considerate teacher.
• Hain, despite his confident claims of genius, cannot explain the material as clearly as Leo or Uriel. When students ask questions, he dismisses them as simple or tells them to reread Uriel’s explanation.
• Frustrated students demand refunds. Hain agrees but defensively insists that explaining to less talented Wizards consumes his energy and that the fees were not enough compensation.

Character Developments

• Leo: Reveals his humility, generosity, and strong teaching ability. Unlike Hain, he does not measure his worth by talent or demand excessive payment. His patient explanations show practical intelligence and empathy.
• Molly: Remains timid and financially insecure, but she shows determination by taking extensive notes and seeking help. She is deeply grateful to Leo and resolves to repay his kindness once she can afford to.
• Hain: His boastful image as a “genius” is undermined. His arrogance, poor communication, and condescending attitude alienate the Wizards who paid him, exposing the difference between possessing talent and being able to teach.
• Uriel: Demonstrates professionalism and generosity by offering refunds before teaching. His elegant, accessible lecture establishes his superior expertise and earns the students’ respect.

Significant Themes

• True ability versus reputation: Hain calls himself a genius, but his inability to explain concepts reveals that raw talent does not equal teaching skill.
• Humility and kindness: Leo’s willingness to help Molly for a modest fee contrasts sharply with Hain’s greed and pride.
• Education and communication: Understanding a subject and explaining it clearly are different abilities. Uriel and Leo succeed because they make difficult knowledge accessible.
• Social inequality and financial pressure: Molly’s limited Magic Stones restrict her access to guidance, while Hain exploits students’ need for instruction by charging excessive prices.
• Merit revealed through action: Hain’s claims are tested during the lesson, and his behavior causes the students to judge him more harshly than his reputation might suggest.

Character Interactions

• Hain treats the Wizards seeking his help dismissively and later directs indirect insults toward Leo and Molly.
• Molly nervously negotiates with Leo, while Leo reassures her and establishes a respectful, affordable arrangement.
• Uriel’s lecture creates a contrast between his polished instruction and Hain’s ineffective explanations.
• The disappointed Wizards confront Hain and request their Magic Stones back, forcing him to acknowledge the consequences of his poor attitude and teaching.

Chapter Summary: “Instructor” Uriel

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hain abruptly ends his arrangement with the Wizards after they question his high fees and poor explanations.
• While Wizard Uriel teaches Magitech Studies, Leo quietly explains the material to Molly and nearby Wizards. His explanations are clearer and easier to understand than Hain’s.
• A Wizard pays Leo 500 Magic Stones for additional guidance, but Leo accepts only 20. Other Wizards follow suit, and Leo gives each of them clear explanations for the same modest fee.
• The Wizards begin comparing Leo favorably with Hain, criticizing Hain’s arrogance and lack of teaching ability. Hain becomes increasingly humiliated and resentful.
• Leo modestly attributes his success to Uriel’s lesson and his own strong foundation from the perfect-quality Basic Magitech Studies Codex.
• Hain insults Leo and claims that mediocre Wizards fail to respect true geniuses. His pride in being the son of a Special Envoy is challenged when another Wizard mocks his family background.
• At the end of the lesson, Saffi announces that Uriel is a traitor and an Instructor of Blackwind Isle. She orders all apprentices to remain while the authorities inspect them for possible magical control.
• Uriel reveals that he anticipated the ambush. He willingly abandons his physical body, allowing a crimson thread of energy—likely his true consciousness or spiritual form—to escape. Saffi’s attempt to destroy it fails.
• During the inspection, Leo admits that Uriel gave him a parchment scroll. Saffi also examines Leo’s Spatial Storage Bag and questions him about every interaction he had with Uriel.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates strong teaching ability, humility, generosity, and practical intelligence. His mastery of foundational knowledge allows him to simplify advanced explanations. He also remains cautious and cooperative during Saffi’s investigation.
• Molly: Becomes reassured that Leo still values their past friendship. His willingness to charge her less than others convinces her that he remembers their old relationship.
• Hain: Grows more bitter and defensive as Leo’s competence exposes his own shortcomings. His arrogance and dependence on his Special Envoy mother’s status become increasingly apparent.
• Uriel: Is revealed to be far more powerful and important than he appeared. His calm acceptance of capture and successful escape suggest that he had planned for the authorities’ intervention.
• Saffi: Acts decisively on the Tower Master’s orders, but her failed attempt to destroy Uriel’s spiritual form shows that she may have underestimated him.

Significant Themes

• True ability versus reputation: Leo’s clear instruction proves more valuable than Hain’s self-proclaimed genius and prestigious background.
• Humility and character: Leo’s modest fees and refusal to take excessive payment contrast sharply with Hain’s arrogance, making conduct as important as talent.
• Hidden identities and deception: Uriel’s secret status as an enemy Instructor reveals that appearances within the Tower cannot be trusted.
• Loyalty and old ties: Molly reflects on Leo’s continued kindness despite his rise in status, while Leo’s treatment of her confirms that he values their past friendship.
• Authority and suspicion: The apprentices’ sudden inspection demonstrates how quickly ordinary learning can become entangled in political and magical conflict.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Molly share a quiet moment of renewed trust through Leo’s discounted guidance.
• Leo’s explanations attract the attention of several Wizards, who begin seeking him out instead of Hain.
• Hain reacts angrily to the Wizards’ praise of Leo and openly insults him.
• Saffi confronts Uriel, who responds calmly and even thanks her for waiting until the lesson ended.
• Saffi later interrogates Leo, inspecting his belongings and demanding a full account of his contact with Uriel.

Chapter Summary: “Nova Assembly, Like a Religious Cult”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo openly explains the situation surrounding the parchment to Saffi. The Tower of Dawn decides to take it, copy its contents, and return it later.
• After leaving the inspection, Leo realizes that Uriel was probably not the true Instructor but a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice controlled by the Instructor through a spell similar to necromantic domination.
• The Uriel Gathering is placed under investigation. Its members, including teaching assistant Lane, are isolated while the authorities determine when Uriel was compromised.
• Security at the Tower of Dawn becomes extremely strict. Every Wizard Apprentice must undergo inspections to ensure they have not been mentally controlled.
• Leo reunites with Molly, who reveals that she has joined the Bloodline Modification Research Institute as an experimental subject. Leo warns her to be cautious and avoid signing dangerous contracts, even though the project is associated with the respected Wizard Nova.
• Over the next two days, Leo’s spiritual energy increases to 350 points. He estimates that his remaining Sinking Dream Potion materials could eventually raise it to around 800.
• Leo perfects his understanding of Necromancy and Elementalism, deepens his knowledge of Magitech Studies, and begins studying Fleshcraft and Bloodline Modification.
• He becomes proficient in the Muscle Manipulation Spell, greatly increasing his strength and explosive physical power. Bloodline Modification provides little immediate benefit because he has not yet altered his own bloodline.
• Leo masters two Necromancy spells: one capable of controlling corpses or other bodies, and the newly acquired Dark Archmage Spell.
• Leo travels through numerous checkpoints and inspections to reach the harbor, where a Wizard ship is preparing for a ruin-exploration mission.
• At the ship, he meets Wizard Fried, Sige, and two powerful Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice Combat Wizards. They dismiss the need for Fried’s additional guard, arranged by Wizard Nova, but Fried defends Nova’s judgment and insists the guard must be exceptionally strong.

Character Developments

• Leo becomes more perceptive and cautious, correctly suspecting that Uriel was being controlled rather than acting as the true Instructor. His magical abilities and academic knowledge continue to expand rapidly.
• Saffi demonstrates an open and methodical approach by agreeing to preserve the parchment’s contents while returning the original.
• Molly reveals her willingness to risk herself for magical advancement by becoming a test subject. Her trust in Wizard Nova contrasts with Leo’s more skeptical attitude.
• Wizard Nova is portrayed indirectly as a powerful, respected, and protective figure whose reputation strongly influences others.
• Fried shows loyalty and confidence in his mentor, firmly defending Nova against criticism.
• Sige is somewhat casual and teasing, but quickly retreats when Fried becomes genuinely angry.
• The two Combat Wizards display pride in their own abilities and skepticism toward Nova’s chosen guard.

Significant Themes

• Trust and deception: Uriel’s exposure demonstrates that appearances and behavior can conceal magical manipulation. The chapter emphasizes that even familiar allies may be compromised.
• Security and paranoia: The Tower’s extensive inspections reflect the growing threat of mind control and the difficulty of determining who is trustworthy.
• Scientific ambition and danger: Molly’s participation in bloodline experiments raises questions about the risks of magical research and whether reputation guarantees safety.
• Power and expertise: Leo’s steady advancement is contrasted with the Combat Wizards’ confidence in their specialized abilities. The dispute also suggests that magical power may not always be obvious.
• Loyalty and authority: Fried’s defense of Nova shows the strength of mentor-apprentice loyalty, while the title’s comparison to a religious cult hints at intense devotion surrounding Nova’s organization.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Saffi cooperate honestly over the suspicious parchment.
• Leo and Molly discuss the investigation, Hain’s arrest, and Molly’s dangerous research involvement. Leo acts protectively, while Molly reassures him.
• Leo observes the strained relations among Fried, Sige, and the two Combat Wizards. Their disagreement centers on whether Nova’s appointed guard is necessary.
• Fried’s defense of Nova establishes both his loyalty and the expectation that Nova’s chosen associates are far more capable than outsiders assume.

Chapter Summary: Leo’s Two Little Fanboys

Plot points and events

The expedition team nearly comes to blows when two Combat Wizards mock the Nova Assembly and its worshipful attitude toward Mentor Nova. Wizard Sige, who leads the ruin exploration for his Comprehensive Assessment, repeatedly intervenes and offers an additional twenty percent in Magic Stones to keep the peace. Leo then arrives, announcing that Wizard Nova commissioned him to protect Fried. Fried enthusiastically praises Leo and deliberately compares him favorably to the two Combat Wizards, Singel and Singler. Contrary to Sige’s expectations, the brothers respond with admiration rather than anger, having heard about Leo’s accomplishments from the Enchantress.
The team waits for one more Wizard, a specialist in Magitech Studies, but learns that he has been detained after traces of wandering Wizard spells were discovered on him. Sige decides to compensate for the missing specialist himself, and the group finally departs from the Tower of Dawn’s harbor to begin the ruin exploration.

Character developments

• Leo is introduced as a powerful and respected protector, though his outward appearance and Magical Pressure initially seem fairly ordinary. His reputation is strong enough to earn immediate respect from the usually difficult Singel brothers.
• Fried displays intense loyalty to Mentor Nova and an openly fanatical attitude toward the Nova Assembly. He is also provocative, using exaggerated praise of Leo to needle the Combat Wizards.
• Sige emerges as a diplomatic but increasingly helpless organizer, constantly mediating disputes while trying to keep the expedition on schedule.
• Singel and Singler are shown to be argumentative and contemptuous toward the Nova Assembly, but they become polite and admiring when meeting Leo, revealing that they respect his reputation.
• The absent Magitech specialist’s detention highlights the tense security situation surrounding wandering Wizards.

Significant themes

• Factional loyalty and fanaticism: The Nova Assembly’s devotion to Mentor Nova resembles religious worship, creating friction with outsiders.
• Reputation and prejudice: Leo’s accomplishments and connection to the Enchantress earn him respect despite his ordinary apparent Magical Pressure and his rare Prossian identity.
• Team tension and diplomacy: The expedition begins with serious interpersonal conflicts, requiring Sige to use negotiation and incentives to maintain cooperation.
• Political instability and suspicion: The detention of a Wizard linked to wandering Wizard spells creates an ominous atmosphere and suggests broader unrest.

Character interactions

Fried repeatedly clashes with the two Combat Wizards over their criticism of Nova and the Nova Assembly. Sige mediates between them, while Leo’s arrival temporarily changes the team’s dynamic. Fried warmly welcomes Leo and praises him excessively, attempting to undermine Singel and Singler. Instead, the brothers respectfully greet Leo after learning of his deeds, surprising both Leo and Sige. As the group leaves the harbor, Singel and Singler complain about the inspections and disruptions caused by wandering Wizards, reinforcing the chapter’s tense and distrustful mood.

Chapter Summary: “Gemfish”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo travels aboard an unmanned Wizard ship toward the Crimson Sea with Fried, the Singel brothers, and Sige.
• Fried apologizes for failing to support Leo during the earlier Great Summons, explaining that he had doubted Leo’s future after Formal Wizards targeted him. He now believes Nova’s judgment was proven correct by Leo’s later recognition and acquisition of the Genius Wizard Title.
• Leo realizes that praising Wizard Nova is the easiest way to connect with members of the Nova Assembly. Fried enthusiastically launches into exaggerated praise of Nova, describing him as nearly perfect.
• In the cabin, the Singel brothers discuss Leo’s reputation and acknowledge that he may be powerful enough to make their escort duties unnecessary. They intend to observe and learn from him.
• Sige reflects on the difficulty of the upcoming ruin exploration, which involves powerful factions and figures from the Nova Assembly and the Prossians. He is determined to endure the danger because the expedition may determine whether he qualifies as a Magitech Wizard.
• As the ship nears the Crimson Sea, Leo notices the water turning red, signaling increased danger from magical creatures. He recalls his first encounter with a sea monster and recognizes how much stronger and more capable he has become since then.
• A school of approximately thirty Gemfish attacks or approaches the ship. Sige identifies them as common sea monsters capable of using the Bloodline Ability Gemscale Radiance, which refracts light, concentrates heat, and creates flames.
• The Codex offers to record the Gemscale Radiance ability, leading Leo to infer that his recent introduction to Bloodline Modification now allows him to record the abilities of magical creatures.
• Although Leo asks whether Sige needs assistance, the Singel brothers volunteer to handle the Gemfish themselves. The chapter ends as they prepare to confront the creatures.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates increased confidence and self-awareness. He compares his present abilities with those from his first sea voyage and recognizes that he could now survive or escape a similar crisis.
• Leo also shows growing strategic awareness, understanding how to navigate the Nova Assembly’s intense reverence for Wizard Nova.
• Fried reveals his strong devotion to Nova and his regret over previously distrusting Nova’s decision to support Leo. His apology is less about abandoning Leo personally and more about doubting Nova’s judgment.
• The Singel brothers display respect for Leo and a willingness to learn from him, while also maintaining confidence in their own abilities.
• Sige is shown to be ambitious and determined. Despite feeling overwhelmed by the powerful groups involved in the expedition, he remains focused on proving himself as a Magitech Wizard.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and ideological devotion: Fried’s worship of Nova illustrates the strong loyalty—and near-religious admiration—within the Nova Assembly.
• Growth and changing strength: Leo’s memories of his earlier voyage emphasize how rapidly he has progressed from near helplessness to someone capable of facing major threats.
• Knowledge as power: The Codex’s ability to record Gemscale Radiance reflects Leo’s expanding mastery of Bloodline Modification and his habit of turning encounters into new sources of knowledge.
• Competition and ambition: Sige’s determination to qualify as a Magitech Wizard highlights the pressure and personal stakes surrounding the ruin exploration.
• Trust and reputation: Leo’s reputation as a powerful and favored Wizard affects how the others treat him, even before he takes action.

Character Interactions

• Fried apologizes to Leo and praises Nova, while Leo diplomatically validates Fried’s admiration.
• The Singel brothers privately discuss Leo’s strength and agree to observe him closely.
• Sige voices his concerns about the expedition and explains the Gemfish’s abilities to Leo.
• Leo offers to help defend the ship, but the Singel brothers insist on taking responsibility for the approaching Gemfish.