Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: Anthony

Key Plot Points and Events

• Anthony enters the third and deciding match between Saffi’s side and Jindeli’s side. With Huangtu already defeated and Leo having secured a victory, the outcome rests largely on Anthony.
• Anthony is unusually nervous because of his mental trait. Even his usual pressure-relief tea cannot calm him under the scrutiny of the Formal Wizards.
• Leo and Huangtu assess Meys, Anthony’s opponent. Meys has secretly strengthened himself with hundreds of potions, including many that support spellcasting. He has mastered more than two hundred spells, including over a dozen necromantic spells.
• Huangtu warns that Meys is a cautious and powerful First-Rank Wizard Apprentice who could counter Leo by relying on defensive spells. Saffi identifies Meys’s possible possession of Necromantic Defense Wall as a major factor in the match.
• Meys attempts to persuade Anthony to surrender, offering resources that could help Anthony’s ongoing experiment. Anthony refuses, realizing that accepting would betray Saffi and potentially endanger his own position.
• Meys tries to exploit Anthony’s nervous condition through verbal provocation, but Anthony remains composed and cleverly challenges Meys to demonstrate enough strength to make him nervous.
• Saffi and Huangtu discuss Meys’s suspiciously rapid progress in Necromancy. They speculate that he may have dealings with wandering Wizards, though Saffi cautions that extraordinary talent could also explain his advancement.
• The duel begins. Meys casts a spell producing dangerous green phosphorescent lights. Anthony responds by splitting his body into two skeletal forms, which generate a powerful force that compresses Meys’s spell between them.

Character Developments

• Anthony: Despite severe anxiety, Anthony demonstrates mental resilience, loyalty, and strategic intelligence. He refuses Meys’s tempting offer and successfully resists psychological manipulation.
• Meys: Revealed as a highly prepared, cautious, and formidable opponent. His rapid rise in Necromancy and possible connections to wandering Wizards make him mysterious and potentially dangerous.
• Leo: Shows increasing insight into other Wizards’ abilities, recognizing the extensive potion enhancements Meys has undergone.
• Huangtu: Provides valuable analysis of Meys’s spell repertoire, combat style, and suspicious development.
• Saffi: Remains confident and pragmatic, accepting the risks of choosing Anthony while closely analyzing the tactical conditions of the duel.
• Jindeli: Displays intense anxiety because the match determines whether he can restore his Permanent Defensive Force Field.

Significant Themes

• Pressure and mental resilience: Anthony’s struggle with nervousness contrasts with his ability to remain intellectually composed.
• Loyalty versus self-interest: Anthony rejects personal benefits because they would conflict with his loyalty to Saffi.
• Hidden strength and preparation: Meys’s potion enhancements and sudden mastery of Necromancy emphasize the importance of concealed abilities and long-term preparation.
• Talent versus outside assistance: Saffi and Huangtu debate whether Meys’s growth comes from genius or secret dealings, raising questions about the limits of natural talent.
• Strategic combat: The battle is shaped not only by raw strength but also by defensive spells, psychological tactics, and knowledge of each opponent’s abilities.

Character Interactions

• Leo consults Huangtu about Meys’s strength, gaining a clearer understanding of the opponent.
• Meys attempts to negotiate with Anthony before the duel, but Anthony firmly refuses.
• Anthony verbally counters Meys’s attempt to exploit his anxiety, shifting the psychological pressure back onto him.
• Saffi and Huangtu analyze Meys’s history and possible affiliations while observing the duel.
• Jindeli watches anxiously from the opposing side, with the battle’s result directly tied to his personal goals.

Chapter Summary: “Did Not Disappoint Me”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Anthony’s temporary transformation ends, returning him to normal and reducing his spell power and proficiency to one-third of their usual strength.
• Anthony realizes that neither he nor Meys possesses the Necromantic Defense Wall spell. Meys reveals that he has an enchanted bone sword capable of summoning undead that function similarly, nullifying Anthony’s Necromancy spells.
• The bone sword shifts the battle decisively in Meys’s favor. Anthony’s Necromancy attacks fail, while he lacks enough physical Necromancy techniques to overcome Meys’s defense.
• Refusing to simply concede, Anthony uses a skull-based spell to bind both himself and Meys in bone constructs. He detonates them simultaneously, destroying Meys’s enchanted sword and causing both wizards to fall.
• Saffi determines that Anthony and Meys have mutually perished, making the third match a draw. She praises Anthony for turning an otherwise certain defeat into a draw despite fighting at severely reduced strength.
• With both sides now having one victory, one defeat, and one draw, the Tower Master orders a final match between two previously participating wizards.
• Jindeli chooses Nova, while Saffi sends Leo because Anthony is unconscious and Huangtu has already lost.
• Leo and Nova enter the arena for the deciding battle. Nova is widely considered the stronger opponent, while Leo sees the match as an opportunity to measure the gap between himself and a powerful all-round wizard.

Character Developments

• Anthony demonstrates resourcefulness, courage, and tactical resolve. Though weakened and outmatched by Meys’s enchanted item, he uses a self-sacrificing spell to prevent Meys from winning outright.
• Meys gains the upper hand through preparation and a specialized enchanted item, but his confidence is undermined when Anthony’s final attack forces a mutual destruction.
• Saffi shows strong judgment and appreciation for Anthony’s abilities. She also makes a pragmatic decision by selecting Leo rather than Huangtu for the final match.
• Leo remains calm and self-reliant. He does not resent Saffi for withholding information about Meys’s weapon and accepts responsibility for studying his own opponents.
• Huangtu feels discouraged by Anthony’s performance, but Saffi reassures him that the outcome would not have changed even if he had possessed the same technique.
• Jindeli initially attempts to settle the matter after the draw so he can access the ruins, but becomes delighted when the Tower Master announces another match.
• Nova confidently accepts the challenge and becomes the favored combatant in the final duel.

Significant Themes

• Resourcefulness under disadvantage: Anthony transforms a losing position into a draw through ingenuity rather than superior power.
• Preparation and hidden advantages: Meys’s enchanted bone sword demonstrates how secret tools and prior planning can dramatically alter a battle.
• Self-reliance: Leo accepts that gathering intelligence about an opponent is part of his own responsibility.
• Pragmatism in leadership: Saffi prioritizes the side’s best chance of victory over loyalty or sentiment.
• Unequal levels of genius: The observers emphasize that talent is relative, contrasting Leo’s specialization in Arcane Botany with Nova’s broader mastery.
• Respect earned through action: Anthony’s final stand earns Saffi’s admiration even in defeat.

Character Interactions

• Anthony and Meys exchange confident assessments of their abilities before engaging in their final attacks.
• Leo and Saffi discuss whether he is disappointed that she did not reveal Meys’s enchanted item; Leo’s mature response satisfies her.
• Jindeli proposes sharing the ruins after the draw, but the Tower Master interrupts by ordering another match.
• Saffi bluntly rejects Huangtu’s concern about sending Leo, explaining that Leo offers a better chance of victory.
• Leo and Nova acknowledge one another as they enter the deciding battle, with Leo openly expressing his desire to test himself against Nova.

Chapter Summary: “Sensory Blockade Spell”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Nova acknowledges that Leo has already mastered an unusually large number of spells, nearly matching Nova’s own total despite being a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
• Leo apologizes for failing to complete Nova’s earlier commission. Nova accepts the apology, explaining that Leo fulfilled the more important part of the mission by ensuring Fried returned safely.
• Their private conversation ends as the formal competition begins. Nova takes to the air using a smoke-based spell, while Leo uses an improved Flying Pumpkin variant created through Necromancy.
• The spectators initially assume Leo has chosen an ordinary magical-plant spell and may have lost the advantage. The Tower Master confirms that Leo’s undead Flying Pumpkins legitimately count as Necromancy.
• Nova praises Leo’s innovation and expresses interest in purchasing the Flying Pumpkins. He also credits his decision to help Leo join a Wizard gathering as one of his best decisions of the year.
• At Jindeli’s urging, Nova uses the Necromantic Defense Wall, despite initially intending to test Necromancy spells more gradually. Leo unexpectedly casts the same spell, apparently for the first time, surprising Nova.
• Leo attempts a sudden physical attack, but Nova evades by transforming into bones and reappearing elsewhere. Nova explains that he always fights seriously and never allows contempt or carelessness to create an opening.
• Since both fighters’ defense walls nullify purely undead Necromancy, Nova suggests dismissing them and settling the match through other spells. Leo refuses because Nova possesses a much broader range of Necromancy and would gain the advantage.
• Nova then casts a sensory-disruption spell that plunges Leo into darkness and interferes with his hearing and smell.
• Taking advantage of Leo’s impaired senses, Nova follows with a powerful physically driven Necromancy attack. Leo withstands the blow through his exceptional physical strength and begins analyzing Nova’s spell combination.
• Leo realizes that Nova’s best chance of defeating him is to combine sensory interference with physical attacks, since the Necromantic Defense Wall cannot block such techniques. Although Leo believes he has favorable odds, he wants to win through genuine growth rather than simply delaying until time runs out.
• As Leo continues thinking, Nova launches another physical strike.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates that he has become a highly capable and versatile spellcaster. His improved Flying Pumpkins show his talent for combining Necromancy with magical-plant techniques.
• Leo also reveals that he has mastered the Necromantic Defense Wall, apparently casting it successfully for the first time during a formal battle. His confidence and physical resilience allow him to endure attacks that would overwhelm ordinary apprentices.
• Despite his confidence, Leo recognizes the limits of his Necromancy knowledge and refuses to fight under conditions that would unfairly favor Nova.
• Nova is portrayed as both an exceptional combatant and a dedicated scholar. He immediately analyzes Leo’s spells and becomes curious about the Flying Pumpkins and Leo’s unexpected use of the Defense Wall.
• Nova’s combat philosophy is revealed: he fights seriously against every opponent and avoids underestimating anyone. His ability to combine unusual spells makes him extremely dangerous.
• Jindeli remains eager to see Leo defeated and pressures Nova to use the Necromantic Defense Wall, influencing the direction of the battle.

Significant Themes

• Innovation and spell development: Leo’s modified Flying Pumpkins demonstrate that original research can rival established magical techniques.
• Adaptability versus specialization: Nova possesses a vast library of Necromancy spells, while Leo compensates with creativity, physical strength, and unconventional combinations.
• Academic curiosity in combat: Nova treats the battle partly as an opportunity to study Leo’s abilities, but the competition forces him to abandon leisurely experimentation.
• Respect and rivalry: Nova respects Leo’s talent, while Leo acknowledges Nova’s superiority without surrendering his own confidence.
• Growth through challenge: Leo rejects a simple or artificially balanced battle because he wants the fight to test and develop him rather than merely secure a victory.

Character Interactions

• Nova and Leo begin with a private exchange involving Leo’s past commission and Nova’s recognition of Leo’s abilities.
• Nova compliments Leo’s Flying Pumpkins and encourages his magical research, creating a respectful mentor-like dynamic despite their rivalry.
• Jindeli interrupts this developing academic exchange by demanding that Nova use a decisive defensive spell.
• Nova’s surprise at Leo’s Necromantic Defense Wall highlights Leo’s rapid advancement.
• Leo’s attempted ambush and Nova’s counter demonstrate their contrasting approaches: Leo relies on opportunism and physical ability, while Nova emphasizes vigilance and preparedness.
• Nova offers Leo a strategically fairer battle, but Leo refuses because the proposal would weaken his chances and limit the value of the contest.
• The chapter ends with Nova attacking through sensory deprivation and Leo beginning to devise a counterstrategy.

Key events

• Nova overwhelms Leo with attacks from hundreds of invisible, floating entities, striking from every direction.
• Leo expands his perception, finds Nova at the arena’s edge, and fires his Dark Archmage spell directly at him.
• The spell’s power triggers the embryonic form of Nova’s Permanent Defensive Force Field. Because that defense is not a necromancy spell, Nova has broken the contest’s rules and is declared the loser. Leo wins, giving Saffi the two victories she needs to secure the right to explore the ruins.
• Nova credits Leo’s strength and perception, though Leo insists he was largely guessing.
• Jindeli’s loss angers Sajia of the Golden Eagle Faction. Sajia strips him of some faction privileges until he produces results. Jindeli says he plans to study the captured Wizards, including two of the Instructor’s students, to learn how to restore his defensive force field.
• Saffi praises Leo, grants his request to buy materials from the Wyvern Club at normal prices, and invites him on the ruins expedition. She promises him copies of the spell-related books she obtains, while any such books Leo finds will be his.
• Saffi arranges treatment for the injured Anthony and sends Huangtu to accompany Leo. Outside the White Tower, Huangtu explains that access to the Central Region is restricted to Formal Wizards, special envoys, and those with level-six mental-power talent.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo demonstrates resourcefulness: he identifies Nova’s position and uses a powerful spell to turn the match, earning Saffi’s trust and a place in the expedition.
• Nova accepts the loss without resentment and acknowledges Leo’s abilities, while attributing the outcome partly to luck.
• Jindeli is left humiliated and under pressure from Sajia, who makes clear that his position now depends on results.
• Saffi rewards Leo materially and entrusts him with a role in the upcoming exploration.

Significant themes

• Skill and luck: Leo’s victory depends on a rule violation triggered by his spell, but Nova insists Leo’s power and perception made the outcome possible.
• Consequences and accountability: Jindeli faces diminished status after repeated failures.
• Knowledge as reward and opportunity: Leo’s expedition invitation offers access to valuable spell books and further advancement.

Chapter Summary: Aikesi at Last

Key Plot Points and Events

• As Leo and Huangtu prepare to leave, Jindeli confronts Leo with overwhelming Magical Pressure. Furious that Leo disrupted his research and recovery, Jindeli declares Leo his mortal enemy.
• The tower master intervenes, causing Jindeli to withdraw. Leo and Huangtu are reminded of the authority and danger surrounding the Formal Wizards.
• Wizard Aikesi approaches Leo and escorts him to the tower master. On the way, Leo privately reveals that he encountered an unnamed Formal Wizard whose identity has been sealed and who entrusted Leo with a letter for Aikesi.
• Aikesi recognizes the letter as carrying the spiritual energy of Esmond. After reading it, he realizes Esmond is still alive and has been harmed or imprisoned by wandering Wizards.
• At the tower’s summit, Aikesi informs Augusta of the news. Augusta confirms the letter’s authenticity and decides to send Aikesi and Wizard Saffi to rescue Esmond, ensuring they can survive a possible ambush.
• Augusta offers to take Leo as his student, but Leo is inwardly wary because of Augusta’s prophecy and does not want to reveal his abilities or secrets to a future enemy.
• Instead, Augusta offers Leo access to the Central Spell Library if he hunts ten Shadowfish in the Crimson Sea.
• Leo accepts the condition and leaves with Wizard Plaisey, who immediately asks whether Leo personally improved the Undead Flying Pumpkin used in the earlier battle.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates composure and political awareness when dealing with powerful Wizards. He carefully delivers Esmond’s letter while concealing what he knows about Esmond’s identity. Although tempted by access to the Central Spell Library, Leo remains cautious about becoming Augusta’s student because of the predicted future conflict between them.
• Huangtu: Shows extreme caution and deference around high-ranking Formal Wizards, especially Aikesi and Jindeli. His submission to Jindeli’s pressure highlights the enormous gap between Apprentices and Formal Wizards.
• Jindeli: Becomes openly hostile toward Leo, transforming their previous conflict into a declared life-and-death enmity.
• Aikesi: Initially appears stern and impatient, but his attitude changes sharply after learning that Esmond is alive. His emotional reaction reveals a strong personal connection to Esmond and his willingness to act decisively to rescue him.
• Augusta: Recognizes Leo’s talent and offers to mentor him, but his broader priorities remain focused on Esmond. He rewards Leo’s performance with a difficult task that may grant access to valuable magical knowledge.
• Plaisey: Shows immediate interest in Leo’s unusual magical creation, suggesting that Leo’s innovations have attracted attention among the Wizards.

Significant Themes

• Power hierarchy and respect: The chapter emphasizes the immense difference between Wizard Apprentices and Formal Wizards, as well as the need to navigate authority carefully.
• Trust and hidden identities: Esmond’s sealed identity and spiritual-energy letter show how magical secrets can be concealed, while Leo must decide how much information to reveal.
• Political caution: Leo understands that accepting Augusta’s mentorship could create serious future danger, illustrating the importance of thinking beyond immediate benefits.
• Rescue and loyalty: Aikesi and Augusta’s urgent response to Esmond’s survival highlights the bonds between powerful Wizards and the willingness to confront outside enemies.
• Knowledge as a reward: Access to the Central Spell Library represents a major opportunity for Leo’s advancement, but it is tied to a dangerous mission requiring him to hunt Shadowfish.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Jindeli: Their confrontation establishes Jindeli as Leo’s declared enemy.
• Leo and Aikesi: Leo respectfully delivers Esmond’s letter, while Aikesi’s reaction reveals the importance of its message.
• Aikesi and Augusta: They coordinate a rescue mission for Esmond, with Augusta assigning Saffi to support Aikesi.
• Augusta and Leo: Augusta praises Leo, offers him an apprenticeship, and gives him the Shadowfish task in exchange for Central Spell Library access.
• Plaisey and Leo: Plaisey questions Leo about the origin of his Undead Flying Pumpkin, signaling growing interest in Leo’s magical research.

Chapter Summary: “Demonized Creature: Shadowfish”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo presents Wizard Plaisey with the completed Undead Flying Pumpkin, an improved Flying Pumpkin variety combining flight and scouting abilities. It is said to be comparable to, or better than, the Bird Wing Spell, though large-scale cultivation still requires further research.
• Leo asks Plaisey about Shadowfish. Plaisey explains that they are demonized creatures capable of hiding within shadows through a Bloodline Ability. Wizards generally consider them of limited use, but they are extremely valuable to knights seeking advancement beyond the Grand Knight realm.
• The connection between Shadowfish, knights, and prophecy makes Leo suspicious of Augusta’s request that he hunt them. He resolves to investigate carefully rather than assume the task is harmless.
• Plaisey offers to provide books about Shadowfish, which Leo accepts.
• Ilis visits Leo with news that Instructor Esmond, the missing leader of the Esmond Gathering, has finally been located. Formal Wizards have been dispatched to retrieve him.
• Leo reacts calmly, realizing that Esmond’s return is no longer crucial to him now that he has established himself in the Tower of Dawn. After questioning Ilis, Leo begins connecting Esmond’s disappearance to the mysterious Formal Wizard from the island and to the perfect-quality Sinking Dream Potion associated with the Esmond Gathering.
• The chapter then shifts to a prison where Antos, Kyle, and Virdan, wandering Wizards from Blackwind Isle, are being interrogated by Formal Wizard Jindeli.
• The prisoners reveal that their Instructor placed magical restrictions on them: if they disclose information about Blackwind Isle, they will be destroyed. However, they can discuss the Instructor’s spells.
• Antos mentions two spells capable of sealing spells: an extremely weak sealing spell and an incompletely mastered Necromancy spell discovered in the ruins. Jindeli suspects the latter may have been used to seal his Permanent Defensive Force Field.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates growing influence and technical ability through the creation of the Undead Flying Pumpkin. He is no longer dependent on his former gathering or mentor and approaches new developments with greater caution and independence.
• Leo becomes increasingly suspicious and analytical, recognizing possible links between Shadowfish, knights, prophecy, Augusta’s instructions, and Instructor Esmond’s disappearance.
• Plaisey acts as a knowledgeable and helpful ally, explaining Shadowfish’s significance and offering research materials.
• Ilis remains enthusiastic and eager to share news with Leo, while Leo’s restrained response highlights how much his status and priorities have changed.
• Jindeli shows determination to uncover the source of the spell that neutralized his defenses.
• Antos proves willing to cooperate selectively, carefully distinguishing between forbidden information about Blackwind Isle and permissible information about his Instructor’s magic.

Significant Themes

• Caution and hidden motives: Leo suspects that seemingly simple requests may be connected to larger schemes involving prophecy and the advancement of knights.
• Growth and independence: Leo’s diminished excitement over Esmond’s return reflects his transition from a dependent newcomer into an established Wizard with his own resources and position.
• Secrets and magical restrictions: The prisoners’ binding spell emphasizes the danger of revealing information and the lengths powerful figures take to protect their secrets.
• Investigation and deduction: Leo and Jindeli both piece together scattered clues to uncover hidden identities and magical mechanisms.
• Value determined by purpose: Shadowfish are nearly useless to most Wizards but indispensable to high-level knights, showing how an ability’s worth depends on the user’s goals.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Plaisey: Discuss the Undead Flying Pumpkin, then Shadowfish and their importance to knights. Plaisey offers Leo books for further study.
• Leo and Ilis: Ilis excitedly reports Esmond’s discovery. Leo comforts her with stress-relieving tea while discreetly gathering information.
• Jindeli and the prisoners: Jindeli offers freedom in exchange for information, but Antos explains the magical restrictions placed on them and reveals details about the Instructor’s sealing spells.
• Leo and Esmond, indirectly: Leo connects Esmond to the mysterious island Wizard and the Sinking Dream Potion, suggesting that Esmond’s disappearance may be tied to recent events at the Tower of Dawn.

Chapter Summary: “Secret Treasure Coveted by Knights”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Antos reveals that the spell capable of restoring Jindeli’s Permanent Defensive Force Field was discovered by his mentor in the ruins they had fought over.
• Jindeli suspects Antos is lying, but Antos insists he is telling the truth and offers to undergo a truth-verifying spell.
• Having lost access to the ruins, Jindeli considers asking Wizard Saffi of the rival Mysterious Eagle Faction for help. Despite the political risk and possible anger from Wizard Sajia, he resolves to prioritize restoring his defensive force field.
• Leo’s spiritual energy reaches 999, bringing him close to becoming a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice. Because of his poor spiritual talent, he will need a special breakthrough potion rather than relying on natural progress.
• Leo contacts Wizard Huangtu, who agrees to provide the expensive potion ingredient he needs at the normal price.
• Leo decides to sell the fifty perfect-quality potions he received through his Genius Wizard Title. By visiting several potion shops, he successfully sells all of them and secures enough Magic Stones for his future needs.
• Leo studies the Shadowfish he obtained for his planned transaction with Augusta. Shadowfish are dangerous creatures whose special substance can help Grand Knights advance to the Sky Knight realm.
• Leo understands that giving Augusta the Shadowfish may worsen tensions between Wizards and knights and help fulfill Augusta’s second prophecy. Nevertheless, he believes the conflict will occur regardless and that refusing could cost him access to the Central Library.
• Because wandering Wizards make travel dangerous, Leo decides to wait until he becomes a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice before leaving the Tower of Dawn.

Character Developments

• Jindeli: His desperation to restore his Permanent Defensive Force Field overcomes his pride and factional concerns. He becomes willing to approach a political rival for assistance, revealing how deeply he resents being looked down upon by other Formal Wizards.
• Antos: Remains cautious and deferential toward Jindeli, defending his credibility while emphasizing his mentor’s connection to the ruin-discovered spell.
• Leo: Makes steady progress toward becoming a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice and demonstrates practical planning. He secures needed resources, sells valuable potions for financial stability, and carefully evaluates the risks and benefits of helping Augusta.
• Augusta: Though absent, his influence remains significant through the prophecy and the Shadowfish transaction. His apparent goal is to intensify Wizard–knight conflict.

Significant Themes

• Power and desperation: Jindeli’s fear of weakness drives him to consider humiliating political compromises.
• Factional rivalry: The conflict between the Golden Eagle and Mysterious Eagle Factions complicates even straightforward attempts to obtain help.
• Preparation and resource management: Leo methodically gathers ingredients, potions, Magic Stones, and knowledge before attempting his breakthrough or undertaking a dangerous journey.
• Prophecy and manipulation: Leo recognizes that Augusta may be using him to trigger a foretold conflict, yet he chooses cooperation because it benefits his own advancement.
• The divide between Wizards and knights: Shadowfish represent a treasured path to advancement for knights while also serving as valuable leverage in Wizard-centered schemes.

Important Character Interactions

• Jindeli confronts Antos over the origin and reliability of the defensive-force-field spell.
• Leo negotiates with Wizard Huangtu for a rare potion ingredient.
• Leo sells his perfect-quality potions to multiple shop owners, who are impressed but unable to purchase them all at once.
• Leo mentally assesses his obligations to Augusta and the broader consequences of delivering the Shadowfish.

Key plot points and events

• Leo sells potions for 1.29 million magic stones, replenishing his funds, then buys materials—some of which are used to make the Dragon Blood Purification Potion.
• The shopkeeper reports Leo’s purchase to Wizard Vivian, who orders him watched for related purchases.
• Anthony invites Leo to discuss a proposed magitech device that absorbs mental energy and nullifies spells. At Anthony’s laboratory, Leo reads the project documents and recognizes the idea as an incomplete concept, despite Anthony’s confident pitch.
• Anthony offers Leo 20% of the revenue in exchange for one of his five independent research authorizations. Leo agrees to provide the authorization but leaves the work and staffing to Anthony.
• Leo suspects Anthony already has a prototype, though Anthony denies it. Leo decides not to press him and reflects that his research authorizations could be used strategically.
• The chapter shifts to the Wizard Journal. Its director, Formal Wizard Stofen, challenges Vivian for allowing a second-rank apprentice’s submission, since the journal accepts submissions only from first-rank apprentices. Vivian defends her decision, arguing the writer is qualified.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo demonstrates caution and business sense: he reads the proposal closely, rejects Anthony’s unsupported certainty, negotiates a revenue share, and keeps his commitment limited. He also shows a growing interest in how to make best use of his research authorizations.
• Anthony is eager to secure Leo’s authorization and willing to offer a profit share. His hesitation when questioned suggests he may already possess a prototype, despite denying it.
• Vivian appears in two roles: she asks the shopkeeper to monitor Leo’s potion-related purchases, then stands by her editorial judgment when Stofen questions a submission.
• Stofen enforces the journal’s submission rules, while Vivian challenges his objection by appealing to the apprentice’s merit.

Significant themes

• Trust and secrecy: Leo reads between the lines of Anthony’s denial, while Anthony withholds information about the project’s origins.
• Practical judgment and negotiation: Leo bases his decision on the evidence in the documents and limits his involvement while securing a share of potential profits.
• Authority versus merit: The Wizard Journal dispute raises whether formal rank or demonstrated ability should determine who gets published.
• Surveillance and ambition: Vivian’s monitoring of Leo and his plans for his research authorizations hint at competing interests and future opportunities.

Key plot points and events

• Wizard Stofen reviews submissions for the Wizard Journal. He rejects Leo Danville’s proposal to publish outstanding research by Tower of Dawn apprentices because Leo is only a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, despite recognizing him from the Great Summons.
• Stofen criticizes and discards Keli’s error-ridden report, then decides to leave a journal slot empty rather than accept weak work. He offers Leo a narrower alternative: a recruitment notice for Leo’s Mutant Flying Pumpkin research, valid for this month only.
• Stofen also hears that another apprentice is trying to brew the Dragon Blood Purification Potion. He tells Vivian to monitor the attempt, while expressing skepticism toward apprentices who try to win Formal Wizards’ favor through such projects.
• Several days later, Ilis visits Leo. They discuss the absence of news about Mentor Esmond and the Tower of Dawn Wizards, wondering whether their journey has been delayed or they were attacked.
• Ilis enjoys Leo’s blood-pressure-lowering tea despite disliking its bitterness and asks to buy some. Leo refuses to sell it but offers to serve it when she visits.
• Their conversation turns to Ilis’s old rival, Wizard Uriel’s daughter. Ilis has recently overtaken her, since the rival’s group lost more than a month of training while isolated. Yet Ilis remains unhappy.

Character development and interactions

• Stofen is strict about the journal’s rank-based rules and publication standards. Though impressed by Leo’s reputation, he will not make an exception, but does offer him a limited alternative.
• Leo and Ilis have grown from near-strangers into friends since the Great Summons. Leo remembers that Ilis once risked confronting a Formal Wizard to defend him, and their teasing shows their increased ease with one another.
• Ilis has advanced past her rival but takes little satisfaction in the achievement, suggesting her disappointment has a deeper cause. Her banter with Leo also highlights her insecurity about keeping pace with his rapid progress.
• Vivian follows Stofen’s instructions regarding both Leo’s possible notice and the potion-brewing apprentice.

Significant themes

• Merit versus status: Leo’s work is judged partly by his apprentice rank, even when its substance is sound.
• Standards and opportunity: Stofen prioritizes quality over filling every journal slot, while offering Leo a constrained path to publication.
• Ambition and sincerity: Stofen distrusts attempts to gain favor through showy achievements, preferring genuine self-improvement.
• Friendship and comparison: Leo and Ilis’s growing bond contrasts with their teasing about progress, while Ilis’s success over a rival brings no real happiness.

Chapter Summary: “A Gift of Thanks Worth 150,000 Magic Stones”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Ilis reflects on her recent victory, admitting that she dislikes winning because her opponent was accidentally delayed for over a month. She wanted to defeat her fairly through her own strength.
• Leo reassures Ilis that both of them had periods when they did not focus on cultivation, so the current contest is still reasonably fair.
• Leo receives a call from Huangtu informing him that the Wyvern Club will not sell him the materials he requested at the normal price. Wizard Aierte, the club’s current leader, has refused to honor Wizard Saffi’s previous promise.
• Leo learns that Aierte is actually Saffi’s favored student, explaining why he feels secure enough to disregard her agreement.
• Huangtu offers to purchase the materials at market price for Leo, costing approximately 150,000 Magic Stones, as thanks for Leo helping Saffi obtain access to the ruins and protecting Huangtu’s daughter, Alice, during the Great Summons.
• Huangtu personally delivers the materials and apologizes for the Wyvern Club’s internal conflict. He promises to inform Saffi and prevent Aierte from acting recklessly.
• Leo begins brewing the potion required for his breakthrough to become a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
• Meanwhile, Wizard Vivian investigates Leo’s previous purchase of materials for the Dragon Blood Purification Potion. She realizes Leo may be skilled in both Arcane Botany and potion-making and orders the shopkeeper to report if he returns.

Character Developments

• Leo: Continues to gain influence and financial support through his connections, though he remains cautious about relying on favors. He becomes increasingly curious about the complicated relationship between Saffi, Huangtu, Alice, and Aierte. He also begins preparing for a major cultivation breakthrough.
• Ilis: Shows strong pride and a desire for genuine, earned victories. Her straightforward sense of fairness contrasts with Leo’s more pragmatic belief that results matter most. She is astonished by the value of Huangtu’s gift and begins recognizing Leo’s considerable influence.
• Huangtu: Demonstrates loyalty and gratitude toward Leo by spending a huge sum on his behalf. He also takes responsibility for the Wyvern Club’s internal dispute and apologizes directly.
• Wizard Aierte: Emerges as an influential but potentially arrogant figure within the Wyvern Club, willing to oppose Saffi’s stated wishes because of his favored position.
• Wizard Saffi: Though absent, her authority and relationships remain central. Her apparent favoritism toward Aierte raises questions about her priorities and family dynamics.
• Wizard Vivian: Becomes aware of Leo’s broader talents and begins monitoring his potion-related activities.

Significant Themes

• Fairness versus results: Ilis values victories achieved under equal conditions, while Leo takes a more pragmatic view that the final outcome matters most.
• Influence and obligation: Leo’s connections allow him to receive extraordinary assistance, but such favors also create expectations and reveal the political importance of his relationships.
• Complicated loyalties: The conflict surrounding Aierte, Saffi, and Huangtu highlights the difficulty of navigating personal loyalty, authority, and institutional control.
• Hidden talent and rising reputation: Leo’s abilities in multiple magical fields are beginning to attract attention from powerful figures.
• Family and emotional ambiguity: The seemingly formal relationship between Huangtu and Saffi, despite having a daughter together, suggests unresolved or unusual circumstances within their family.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Ilis: Discuss the meaning of victory, with Ilis insisting on fairness and Leo offering a practical perspective.
• Leo and Huangtu: Negotiate the material problem; Huangtu transforms his gratitude into a gift worth 150,000 Magic Stones and personally apologizes.
• Leo and the Wyvern Club: Leo avoids becoming involved in the club’s internal politics, choosing instead to obtain the materials through Huangtu and proceed with his plans.
• Vivian and the potion shopkeeper: Vivian investigates Leo’s past purchases and orders continued surveillance of his activities, signaling that Leo’s reputation is spreading.

Plot and key events

• Leo brews a high-quality potion and drinks it despite its imperfection, accepting a small increase in mental radiation in exchange for progress. His mental energy breaks through to First-Rank Wizard Apprentice level.
• He realizes that further advancement requires more than mental energy: he must learn combination spells, construct a spell pyramid, and eventually create a Permanent Defensive Force Field. He postpones collecting Shadowfish and focuses instead on gathering spells and upgrading his Codex.
• Vivian, an envoy for the Wizard Journal, visits about Leo’s earlier GG submission. She initially says publication is restricted to First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, but Leo reveals he has just reached that rank.
• Leo offers two additional submissions: one seeking Arcane Botany Wizards for research into an Undead Flying Pumpkin, and another recruiting staff for a Dragon Blood Purification Potion laboratory. Vivian readily welcomes the first but reacts skeptically to the second.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo shows pragmatic ambition: he accepts a minor risk from the potion, recognizes the limits of his new rank, and plans his next steps around mastering combination spells.
• Vivian is professional but distracted by an assignment from Stofen. Leo’s advancement makes that assignment harder to raise, and his Undead Flying Pumpkin proposal offers her an unexpected way to address it.
• Their meeting shifts from a routine discussion about publication eligibility to a potentially consequential exchange over Leo’s research projects. Vivian’s reaction suggests she assumes his Dragon Blood Purification Potion project is an attempt to win Stofen’s favor.

Significant themes

• Progress and risk: Leo chooses steady advancement over waiting for ideal conditions.
• Rank versus real ability: Becoming a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice is a milestone, but Leo considers it largely superficial until he masters combination spells.
• Ambition and reputation: The journal’s rules, Stofen’s influence, and the perceived motives behind Leo’s projects shape how his research is received.

Key plot points and events

• Leo tells Wizard Vivian he can submit a completed Dragon Blood Purification Potion to the Wizard Journal and reveals that he has already brewed one, though it is only high-grade.
• Vivian is astonished and asks to inspect it. Leo shows her the golden potion but refuses to let her take it away for testing, fearing she might copy its formula.
• Vivian explains that Wizard Stofen, the potion’s original developer and her superior, could assess it. Leo agrees to accompany her and meet him.
• While Vivian goes to contact Stofen, Leo waits at the Wizard Journal and recognizes the pressure-reducing tea served there as a formulation by Wizard Anthony.
• Keli and her son Hain arrive. Keli boasts about the Journal’s prestige and her own record of eight successful submissions, then notices Leo and approaches him.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo demonstrates confidence in his potion-making but remains cautious about protecting his work. He agrees to meet Stofen rather than surrender the potion to Vivian.
• Vivian shifts from disbelief to determined interest. Though she initially wants to take the potion for testing, she offers a meeting with Stofen as a compromise.
• Keli presents herself as an accomplished, authoritative envoy and instructs Hain about research and publication. Her pride is evident in her account of her submissions.
• Hain listens to his mother and asks questions, while Leo’s encounter with them hints at an ongoing, somewhat uneasy familiarity.

Significant themes

• Trust and ownership: Leo’s refusal to hand over his potion reflects the risks of sharing valuable research.
• Achievement and recognition: The Journal’s standards and Keli’s pride show how publication confers status in the Wizard community.
• Expertise and credibility: Vivian needs more than appearance to verify the potion, making direct assessment by Stofen important.

Chapter Summary: “Annoying”

Plot and events

Leo visits the Wizard Journal to file a GG Submission after being brought there by Vivian, a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice and special envoy. Keli immediately questions his motives and mocks him for attempting to submit a paper despite being only a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice. She assumes his previous victory over a First-Rank apprentice has made him arrogant and repeatedly belittles his abilities.
Leo initially remains composed, but Keli’s continued insults cause him to retaliate sharply. He accuses her of using her status as a special envoy to look down on others and compares her speech to filthy waste. When Keli’s son Hain defends her, Leo turns his criticism toward him as well, pointing out that Hain has remained a Third-Level Wizard Apprentice despite spending more than two years at the Tower of Dawn. Leo sarcastically challenges Hain’s claim to genius and condemns both mother and son for constantly provoking him.
A female Wizard Journal employee intervenes, warning that their argument is disrupting the office. When Keli claims that Leo is the one causing trouble and violating the rules by submitting as a Second-Rank apprentice, the employee calmly acknowledges that fact without immediately condemning him, leaving Keli embarrassed and suspicious of the Journal’s apparent support for Leo.

Character development

• Leo: Displays patience at first, but his restraint wears thin. He becomes openly confrontational and demonstrates a sharp, sarcastic tongue. He insists that he is not arrogant or disrespectful toward Formal Wizards, while making clear that he will not tolerate personal ridicule.
• Keli: Is portrayed as condescending, status-conscious, and openly hostile toward Leo. Her confidence turns into anger when Leo answers her insults and when the Wizard Journal employee refuses to side with her.
• Hain: Defends his mother but is easily angered and struggles to respond under pressure. Leo exposes his insecurity by criticizing his low rank and self-image as a “genius.”
• Wizard Journal employee: Acts as a calm mediator and subtly reveals that the institution may recognize Leo’s right to be there, despite Keli’s objections.

Character interactions

The central conflict is a verbal confrontation between Leo and Keli. Keli repeatedly questions his qualifications and motives, while Leo counters by attacking her arrogance and behavior. Hain joins the dispute on his mother’s side, prompting Leo to criticize both of them as alike. The Journal employee interrupts and implicitly rebukes Keli and Hain rather than Leo.

Significant themes

• Arrogance and hypocrisy: Keli accuses Leo of arrogance while behaving superior herself. Leo highlights the contradiction between her words and actions.
• Status versus ability: The argument centers on wizard ranks, titles, and institutional privileges, with Keli believing Leo’s lower rank disqualifies him.
• Respect and provocation: Leo distinguishes genuine respect from forced deference, arguing that respect must be earned and that he will not politely accept abuse.
• Institutional favoritism and hidden rules: Keli becomes suspicious when the Wizard Journal does not immediately reject Leo’s submission, suggesting that Leo may possess special recognition or qualifications unknown to her.

• Leo secures approval: At the Wizard Journal, Keli challenges Leo for interfering in its affairs. An employee warns Keli to stop harassing him, and Keli withdraws with her son, Hain, without apologizing. Vivian later tells Leo that Wizard Stofen is unavailable for two weeks. Although Leo’s Dragon Blood Purification Potion submission interests her, the rules allow only one of his three submissions to be approved without Stofen’s consent. Leo chooses his original submission and plans to submit recruitment proposals for the potion and Mutant Flying Pumpkin laboratories later.
• Keli faces consequences: After Leo leaves, Keli learns her own GG submission was rejected for poor quality. Stofen has also barred her from submitting work for a year. She blames the contrast with Leo’s success, but Hain tells her to stop arguing, embarrassed by her conduct.
• Leo advances his studies: Several days later, at the Esmond Gathering, Leo upgrades his Spell Pyramid Codex from inferior to fine quality using refinement points. The improved text gives him new insights into Combination Spells: they differ in uniqueness and compatibility, and each wizard can master only a narrow range of compatible spells.
  Character developments and interactions: Leo remains focused on his own research goals rather than cultivating a relationship with Stofen, though he wonders why Vivian is so invested in the dragon-potion project. Vivian tries to advocate for that work but must follow Journal rules. Keli’s hostility and entitlement backfire, while Hain’s embarrassment prompts him to openly rebuke her.
  Themes: Professional rules and merit matter more than status; arrogance can invite public humiliation; and Leo’s patient study continues to deepen his magical understanding.

Chapter Summary: “Academic Aptitude”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo realizes that although he has mastered many spells, he still cannot successfully cast any Combination Spells.
• He learns that his failure is not only because some spells have already been combined by others; it is also connected to his personal spell aptitude.
• Leo asks Wizard Sally about how aptitude can be tested. Sally explains that only Formal Wizards can properly determine it.
• Sally reveals that the Tower of Dawn offers First-Rank Wizard Apprentices opportunities to discover their aptitudes. In the Fried Gathering, Mentor Esmond would normally perform the test once he returns.
• Rather than wait, Leo contacts Wizard Plaisey in the Central Region and asks him to test his aptitude.
• Plaisey explains that spell aptitude applies specifically to Combination Spells and is unrelated to the types of spells a wizard has learned or to innate talent.
• Aptitude is determined by observing which spell-related fluctuations remain strongest and longest within a wizard’s spiritual energy.
• Plaisey clarifies that aptitude develops over time: mastering spells is necessary, but the longer a wizard has practiced them, the stronger their compatibility becomes. This process may take months or years.
• Plaisey tests Leo’s affinity for multiple disciplines, including Necromancy, Evocation, Magiplant Studies, Prophecy Studies, and Elementalism. None produce a noticeable reaction.
• Plaisey becomes increasingly serious and warns Leo that the result may be unfavorable. He explains that Leo’s aptitude may correspond to a discipline with relatively few spells, making it harder for him to create Combination Spells.
• The excerpt ends with Plaisey emphasizing that this is a matter of luck rather than talent.

Character Developments

• Leo: His rapid growth is highlighted when Sally discovers that he has already become a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice with Magical Pressure exceeding 1,000. Despite his progress, he faces a new obstacle: discovering the discipline best suited to him. He remains proactive, seeking help instead of waiting for Esmond’s return.
• Wizard Sally: She is surprised by Leo’s advancement and admits that she cannot personally test his aptitude. She provides useful information about the Tower of Dawn, Formal Wizards, and the role of mentors and teaching assistants.
• Wizard Plaisey: He acts as Leo’s knowledgeable guide, explaining the mechanics of spell aptitude and conducting the test. His initially relaxed attitude becomes serious as Leo shows no response to several major disciplines.
• Mentor Esmond: Though absent, Esmond remains important because he is one of the few people capable of testing Leo’s aptitude within the Fried Gathering.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus luck: The chapter distinguishes innate talent from spell aptitude. Leo’s difficulty is not evidence of insufficient talent; his aptitude may simply have aligned with an uncommon discipline.
• Growth requires time: Mastering spells alone is not enough. Compatibility with a discipline strengthens gradually through continued practice and familiarity.
• The limits of rapid advancement: Leo’s unusually fast rise to First-Rank Apprentice does not eliminate every obstacle. His speed creates new problems, particularly because his aptitude may not yet have had time to develop.
• Knowledge and specialization: Success with Combination Spells depends on understanding one’s strengths and choosing a compatible magical discipline.
• Dependence on mentors and institutions: Formal Wizards, gatherings, and organizations such as the Tower of Dawn provide essential knowledge and services that apprentices cannot access independently.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Sally: Leo asks Sally for practical guidance. Sally is impressed by his progress but admits that she faced a similar problem and required Mentor Esmond’s assistance.
• Leo and Plaisey: Leo approaches Plaisey directly for help. Plaisey explains the theory behind aptitude before personally testing Leo’s spiritual energy.
• Plaisey and Leo during the test: Plaisey names different magical disciplines while stimulating Leo’s spiritual energy. Leo reports no changes, leading Plaisey to suspect that his aptitude belongs to a less-developed or less-populated discipline.

Key plot points and events

• Leo completes aptitude tests across numerous disciplines, but shows aptitude only for bloodline-modification spells. Wizard Plaisey warns that the discipline has very few spells, most already learned by other Wizards, making it difficult for Leo to form a Combination Spell.
• Plaisey advises Leo to keep learning spells to improve his aptitude in other fields. Disappointed, Leo searches his Spell Card and decides to look for rare bloodline-modification spell Codices at the Spell Central Library. He also brings forward his planned trip to catch Shadowfish.
• As Leo leaves, a giant floating eye observes him. In the Tower of Dawn, Golden Eagle Faction leader Wizard Sajia orders a mission against Leo. An apprentice worries that Leo is tied to the Tower Master’s fourth prophecy, but Sajia implies the Tower Master knows about the faction’s actions.
• Leo flies to Triangle Island, where Shadowfish gather, and finds several knight ships anchored nearby. He meets Pengo, commander of the Order of Glory, who is a Sky Knight.
• Pengo initially greets Leo respectfully, but turns hostile when Leo says he has come to catch Shadowfish for the Tower Master. Pengo argues this violates a contract granting the Order control of the fish in exchange for annual Magic Stones, and says he will appeal to Wizard Pruss.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo faces a major obstacle in his magical training but responds practically by seeking rare spells and pursuing his mission. His confidence and status as a Wizard earn the knights’ initial deference.
• Plaisey is regretful about Leo’s limited aptitude and offers guidance rather than abandoning him.
• Sajia appears willing to act against Leo despite his connection to the Tower Master’s prophecy, suggesting a larger political threat.
• Pengo shifts from courteous host to firm opponent once Leo’s purpose becomes clear, asserting the Order of Glory’s contractual rights.

Significant themes

• Limits and perseverance: Leo’s unusual aptitude restricts his options, forcing him to search for unconventional ways forward.
• Power and politics: Contracts, factional maneuvering, and appeals to authority complicate Leo’s goals.
• Prophecy and danger: Leo’s connection to the Tower Master’s prophecy does not protect him from others’ schemes.
• Conflicting claims over resources: The Shadowfish dispute pits Leo’s mission against the Order of Glory’s established rights.

Key plot points and events

• Pengo confronts Leo, claiming a contract with Wizard Pruss obliges Leo to provide Shadowfish. Leo recognizes that Pruss’s agreement is personal and does not bind the Tower of Dawn.
• Pengo threatens Leo with his sword, and the surrounding knights join him hesitantly. Leo overwhelms them with magical pressure, forcing them to their knees, then traps Pengo in an ice prison.
• Grand Knight Ellis offers to supply Leo with Shadowfish and the Order of Glory’s method for advancing to Sky Knight. Leo accepts both, while Pengo threatens revenge if Pruss arrives.
• Leo stores ten Shadowfish in his Spatial Storage Bag and examines the advancement method. His system identifies it as an inferior-quality Codex; he quickly masters it perfectly and gains 1,000 refinement points.
• Leo discovers that Shadowfish are not essential: their flesh supplies magical pressure for a potion, and other enchanted creatures could potentially serve the same purpose.

Character developments and interactions

• Leo reveals overwhelming power and authority, treating Pengo’s contract as irrelevant and taking control of the situation. His rapid mastery of the advancement method also shows his unusual analytical and refining abilities.
• Pengo shifts from confident commander to helpless prisoner. Though he invokes Pruss’s backing, Leo’s strength makes clear that he misjudged the danger.
• Ellis acts pragmatically, switching allegiance to Leo to protect himself and improve his position. He remains wary of Pruss but judges Leo to be at least as dangerous.
• The knights are intimidated by Leo’s magic and follow Ellis’s lead once Pengo is incapacitated.

Significant themes

• Power and hierarchy: Leo’s magical pressure instantly overturns the knights’ military authority.
• Opportunism and loyalty: Ellis’s offer shows how people within an organization may change sides when power shifts.
• Knowledge and innovation: Leo sees beyond the traditional Shadowfish formula and recognizes that its key ingredient can be replaced, opening the possibility of improving the method.

Chapter Summary: “Improving the Breakthrough Method”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo realizes that the Sky Knight breakthrough method is likely an incomplete Wizard-created potion method rather than a carefully developed Knight technique. The Wizards who made it probably never bothered to perfect it, leaving Knights to pass down an inefficient version.
• He proposes a deal to Ellis: in exchange for unifying the Knight organizations of the Sinking Light Sea, Leo will help him create an Order composed entirely of Sky Knights and advance Ellis beyond the Sky Knight realm.
• Ellis eagerly accepts, viewing Leo’s offer less as an equal negotiation and more as a command from a vastly superior Wizard.
• Leo orders Ellis to unify all the Orders of Knights in the Sinking Light Sea. Ellis is given freedom to command the eventual organization, while Leo asks only that the Knights be unified. Leo promises to improve the breakthrough method within five days.
• Meanwhile, Wizards from the Wyvern Club establish defenses around the ruins against wandering Wizards. A mysterious intruder breaks through their defenses; the intruder is revealed to be Leo himself, suggesting he is pursuing his own objectives within the ruins.
• After several days, Leo completes his improved method. It no longer requires rare Shadowfish materials; with appropriate adjustments, any magical creature can serve as the basis for the breakthrough potion.
• Leo reveals that his real purpose in developing the method is to test whether the Compendium Manual can subtly interfere with or redirect the Tower Master’s prophecy. He does not intend to destroy the prophecy outright, but to make small changes that may alter its eventual consequences.
• Leo teaches Ellis the improved method and then promises him an even greater advancement through additional potions.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates increasing confidence and strategic ambition. Though still only a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, he is willing to manipulate major Knight organizations and conduct experiments related to the Tower Master’s prophecy.
• Leo also becomes more openly willing to display the abilities of his Compendium Manual, believing his current status allows him to use some of its powers without attracting excessive suspicion.
• Ellis shifts from a subordinate Knight seeking advancement into a highly ambitious potential leader. The prospect of commanding an Order of Sky Knights inspires him to pledge absolute service to Leo.
• Ellis’s confidence in Leo is complete; he assumes that a powerful Wizard can accomplish anything and accepts the dangerous task of unifying the Knights without hesitation.

Significant Themes

• Power imbalance and loyalty: The relationship between Leo and Ellis shows how dealings between individuals of vastly different strength are rarely equal. Ellis treats Leo’s proposal as an order and submits willingly because of Leo’s overwhelming power.
• Knowledge and improvement: Leo’s analysis transforms an inherited, limited Knight technique into a flexible method usable with many magical creatures, highlighting the advantage of systematic Wizard knowledge.
• Ambition and political control: The promise of Sky Knights gives Leo a way to influence and reorganize the entire Knight power structure without directly ruling it himself.
• Prophecy and indirect resistance: Leo seeks not to confront fate openly but to subtly alter its development, using small experiments and carefully chosen interventions to protect himself from the Tower Master’s future prophecy.
• The gap between Wizards and Knights: Knights regard Wizards almost as divine beings, emphasizing the social and metaphysical hierarchy between the two groups.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Ellis form a strategic partnership based on mutual benefit: Leo supplies cultivation methods and advancement, while Ellis will unify the Knight Orders.
• Ellis initially hints that the Order of Glory has another Sky Knight, seemingly hoping Leo will remove or deal with that rival, but Leo ignores the implication and focuses on his larger plan.
• Leo reassures Ellis that he does not want his personal loyalty or service, only the completion of the task, giving Ellis autonomy over the future Knight Order.
• When Leo finally presents the improved method, Ellis reacts with intense excitement. Leo tempers his celebration by revealing that further potions can raise him beyond the Sky Knight realm, increasing Ellis’s loyalty and ambition.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo reveals a new knightly realm beyond the Sky Knight, naming it the Star Knight. Ellis is amazed, believing Leo has accomplished what knights have sought for centuries.
• Leo explains that the Star Knight advancement is essentially a comprehensive enhancement of a knight’s physical abilities. His success is made possible by the Compendium Manual and his ability to produce perfect-quality potions without increasing Mental Radiation resistance.
• Leo also provides an improved secret method for breaking through to Sky Knight, replacing the rare Shadowfish ingredient with other magically altered creatures. This makes the breakthrough method much easier to reproduce.
• Ellis gathers the necessary materials and receives the finished quasi-potion. However, he hesitates, fearing possible side effects and choosing not to risk his own life.
• Instead, Ellis summons another Grand Knight, Peter, and orders him to test the potion.
• Peter drinks it and successfully advances to the Sky Knight realm, his energy transforming from silvery white to pale gold.
• Ellis celebrates, imagining himself commanding an entire order of Sky Knights as a Star Knight.
• Suddenly, Peter cuts off Ellis’s right hand and accuses him of betraying Leo by refusing to test the secret method himself.
• Peter easily defeats and captures Ellis, then brings him before Leo and reports Ellis’s actions as an act of disloyalty.

Character Developments

• Leo is portrayed as increasingly powerful and resourceful. His ability to create advanced knightly methods strengthens his influence over the knight realm, though he privately recognizes that the Star Knight technique is less profound than others believe.
• Ellis becomes even more devoted to and fearful of Leo, viewing him as more formidable than the Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice. However, his ambition and distrust are exposed when he uses Peter as a test subject rather than risking himself.
• Peter undergoes a dramatic transformation from a subordinate Grand Knight into a Sky Knight. His newfound strength gives him the confidence to challenge Ellis and condemn his lack of loyalty.
• Ellis’s rise in status reverses suddenly: after relying on Leo’s favor, he is physically maimed and imprisoned by the very knight he once commanded.

Significant Themes

• Power and hierarchy: Advancement from Grand Knight to Sky Knight creates an overwhelming difference in status and strength, demonstrating how supernatural realms determine social and political authority.
• Ambition versus loyalty: Ellis wants to use Leo’s methods to build a powerful knight order, but his unwillingness to personally accept the risk reveals that his loyalty is conditional.
• Trust and betrayal: Peter reframes Ellis’s caution as betrayal, showing how accusations of disloyalty can become weapons in power struggles.
• The danger of dependence: Ellis’s success depends entirely on Leo’s knowledge and favor. Once Peter gains greater power through Leo’s method, Ellis can no longer control the situation.
• Appearance versus reality: The Star Knight realm seems legendary and unprecedented to Ellis, but Leo understands that it is fundamentally a systematic physical enhancement rather than a mystical breakthrough.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Ellis: Leo presents Ellis with groundbreaking methods, while Ellis responds with awe, fear, and ambition. Their relationship is based on Ellis’s dependence on Leo’s superior knowledge.
• Ellis and Peter: Ellis treats Peter as an expendable test subject, but Peter recognizes the insult and later uses his new Sky Knight strength to overpower Ellis.
• Peter and Leo: Peter presents himself to Leo as a loyal subordinate, portraying Ellis’s actions as betrayal and seeking Leo’s judgment or approval.
• The chapter ends with Ellis brought before Leo, leaving his fate unresolved.

Chapter Summary: The So-Called Star Knight

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo confronts Ellis and Peter after Peter becomes the first Sky Knight by using the secret art before Ellis.
• Leo reveals that Ellis had originally been promised the secret art in exchange for helping unify the knight orders and eventually becoming a Star Knight.
• Because Peter defeated Ellis and proved more capable, Leo transfers Ellis’s responsibilities and deal to Peter.
• Leo leaves Ellis’s fate to Peter. Peter takes Ellis away and kills him.
• Peter and the Order of Glory use the remaining materials to transform thirty Grand Knights into Sky Knights, giving the order enough power to challenge and unify the other knight orders.
• Peter worries that he cannot control so many Sky Knights without reaching the Star Knight realm.
• Leo gives him thirty perfect-quality Withered Wood Potions. Peter drinks them all in Leo’s presence, passing into the Star Knight realm.
• Peter attempts to assert control over the newly empowered Sky Knights. One challenges his authority, arguing that leadership should belong to the strongest.
• Peter offers to surrender command if the challenger can survive one sword strike. Peter effortlessly shatters the man’s sword and sends him flying, terrifying the other Sky Knights.

Character Developments

• Leo: Remains detached and calculating. He treats Ellis’s failure as the result of his own poor judgment and uses Peter as a replacement. Leo also appears to be testing Peter’s loyalty when he lets him choose whether to drink the potions immediately.
• Peter: Evolves from a subordinate who opportunistically surpasses Ellis into Leo’s chosen successor and a Star Knight. He is ambitious, cautious, and eager to prove himself, but unlike Ellis, he recognizes the importance of obeying Leo and seizing opportunities. After his breakthrough, he confidently begins consolidating power.
• Ellis: Falls from favored collaborator to defeated subordinate. His hesitation and decision to let Peter use the secret art cost him his chance to become the first Sky Knight and ultimately led to his execution.
• The Sky Knights of the Order of Glory: Initially become arrogant and resistant to Peter’s leadership once they gain equal power. Peter’s overwhelming strength quickly forces them to reconsider challenging him.

Significant Themes

• Seizing opportunities: Leo believes Ellis is responsible for his own downfall because he surrendered an opportunity that Peter willingly took.
• Power and loyalty: Advancement depends not only on strength but also on obedience to Leo’s authority. Peter succeeds partly because he accepts Leo’s judgment without hesitation.
• Merit-based leadership: Leo replaces Ellis with Peter because Peter proves stronger and more capable. Peter then adopts the same principle, challenging the Sky Knights to prove whether anyone is stronger than him.
• Ambition and control: The mass creation of Sky Knights threatens the order’s hierarchy, making superior strength essential for maintaining authority.
• Prophecy and experimentation: Leo uses the potions and Peter’s breakthrough to test whether his actions can interfere with the Tower Master’s prophecy.

Character Interactions

• Leo questions Peter about his actions and offers him Ellis’s position and obligations.
• Peter submits to Leo, promises to surpass Ellis, and asks permission to deal with Ellis.
• Leo grants Peter authority over Ellis’s life, indirectly allowing Ellis’s execution.
• Peter drinks the potions before Leo to demonstrate trust and obedience.
• Peter confronts the Sky Knights over his command. When one disputes his authority, Peter defeats him with a single sword strike, establishing dominance over the group.