Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• After their meal, Leo and Frandi continue the test from the previous day. Leo asks Frandi to cast three spells, then claims he can cast them as well.
• Frandi initially doubts Leo, but Leo successfully demonstrates all three spells:
  1. A Bloodline Modification spell that creates glowing butterflies.
  2. A spatial movement spell that opens a tree-hollow portal and allows Leo to appear behind Frandi.
  3. A spell that causes Leo’s body to swell as his blood surges.
• Frandi realizes Leo has mastered all three spells in an extraordinarily short time. Though he considers making excuses, he honestly admits defeat.
• Leo tells Frandi that he cannot become Stofen’s student, but offers to accept him as his own student instead. Frandi agrees, impressed by Leo’s talent and convinced that Leo can genuinely teach him.
• Leo explains that Frandi will assist with his research as part of his student obligations.
• Leo then shows Frandi his research on the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device. Frandi is deeply shocked by its potential and worries that giving such technology to knights could threaten the Wizards’ dominance.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates exceptional magical talent, confidence, and mastery of multiple spells. He takes on a mentor role and establishes himself as capable of teaching another First-Rank Wizard Apprentice. He also reveals that his research may have major consequences for the balance of power between wizards and knights.
• Frandi: Moves from skepticism and pride to genuine admiration and humility. After accepting that Leo is superior in talent, he willingly becomes Leo’s first student. His cautious concern about the spell-absorption device shows that he understands the broader political and institutional risks of Leo’s research.
• Stofen: Though absent, Stofen’s reputation and influence remain important. Frandi believes Leo’s connection to Stofen may give him access to knowledge and guidance beyond Leo’s own expertise.

Significant Themes

• Talent versus experience: Leo’s extraordinary natural ability allows him to master spells that Frandi knows only theoretically.
• Humility and accepting defeat: Frandi’s decision not to deny the obvious evidence marks an important shift in his character.
• Mentorship and hierarchy: The chapter expands the traditional teacher-student structure, with Leo becoming a mentor despite being only a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
• Power and social order: The Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device could allow knights to resist powerful wizard spells, potentially undermining the established superiority of Wizards.
• Innovation and danger: Leo’s research is scientifically impressive but politically destabilizing, raising questions about whether powerful inventions should be widely distributed.

Character Interactions

• Leo confidently challenges Frandi to prove his own mastery, while Frandi initially responds with doubt and competitiveness.
• Leo’s demonstrations force Frandi to respect him, transforming their relationship from a contest between rivals into one of mentor and student.
• Frandi openly acknowledges Leo’s superiority and accepts the duties of becoming his student.
• Their discussion of the device shifts from personal achievement to larger concerns about the Tower of Dawn, the Formal Wizards, and the possible empowerment of knights.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo explains to Frandi that the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device requires extremely rare and expensive materials, making mass production impossible. Even with mature technology, each device would cost more than 100,000 Magic Stones.
• Wizard Stofen suddenly appears, reviews Leo’s research data, and takes it for his own use. He also offers to assist Frandi in the future as his grand-disciple.
• Frandi gratefully thanks Leo for giving him access to such a valuable opportunity. Leo considers Frandi’s recruitment strategically useful because it gives him another capable assistant.
• Leo reflects on his growing combat strength. He is now among the strongest First-Rank Wizard Apprentices and believes he could fight Nova directly, but his connections within the Wizard community remain weak.
• Frandi begins serving as Leo’s student in earnest. He brings Leo breakfast and asks questions about Bloodline Modification spells, which Leo patiently answers.
• Leo senses that the forces he has arranged are about to arrive and anticipates using the coming conflict to intensify the struggle between knights and Wizards.
• Hundreds of Sky Knights suddenly approach Expedition Isle. Their appearance is unexpected, since the Second Prophecy is still months away and the attack does not fit Augusta’s predicted plans.
• Stofen orders the Wizard Apprentices to prepare for battle. The Wizards gather above the white tower, confident that their superior power will easily defeat the knights.
• One arrogant Wizard attacks the Sky Knights with Multi-Stage Cutting, but the spell is completely absorbed by their strange black armor, leaving everyone shocked.

Character Developments

• Leo continues expanding his influence. Although his combat ability is already formidable, he recognizes that he lacks strong Wizard connections and therefore values Frandi as both a student and a future assistant.
• Frandi demonstrates sincere loyalty and respect toward Leo. He adapts quickly to his role as a student, provides practical assistance, and actively seeks instruction rather than merely paying lip service to the relationship.
• Stofen shows interest in Leo’s research and acknowledges Frandi as part of his extended discipleship line. His immediate command during the attack confirms his authority over the island’s Wizards.
• The unnamed Wizard who attacks the knights embodies the Wizards’ arrogance and underestimation of knightly power.

Significant Themes

• Technology versus resource limitations: The Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device is powerful but too costly to mass-produce, showing that technological superiority can be restricted by material and economic realities.
• Mentorship and alliances: Leo’s relationship with Frandi strengthens his support network and reflects the importance of building influence, not merely personal strength.
• Wizard arrogance: The Wizards view knights as inferior “ants,” creating a dangerous overconfidence that prevents them from recognizing the threat posed by the armored Sky Knights.
• Unpredictable political conflict: The attack occurs outside the expected prophetic timetable, suggesting that hidden forces or independent actors are disrupting established plans.
• Power concealed beneath appearances: The Sky Knights’ black armor unexpectedly neutralizes a powerful spell, hinting that the attackers possess abilities far beyond what the Wizards anticipated.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Frandi discuss the costs and limitations of the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device.
• Stofen interrupts them, takes the research, and offers Frandi future guidance.
• Frandi expresses gratitude to Leo, reinforcing their mentor-student bond.
• Frandi serves Leo breakfast and consults him about Bloodline Modification spells, while Leo responds as a patient instructor.
• During the attack, Leo warns another Wizard not to underestimate the Sky Knights, but the Wizard dismisses his concern. The failed spell immediately proves Leo’s caution justified.

Chapter Summary: “Destroying His Research”

Key Plot Points and Events

• A Sky Knight’s lance pierces a wizard, prompting Leo to rescue the injured wizard and order the others to heal him.
• Leo recognizes that the Sky Knights’ armor resembles his Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device research. He tests the armor with numerous ordinary spells, but the devices absorb them completely.
• The other Wizard Apprentices also find their attacks useless. Frandi suggests using a Combination Spell, but before they can act, the Formal Wizard Stofen intervenes.
• Stofen destroys the Sky Knights effortlessly with a single lightning spell. The armor initially absorbs the lightning, but the overwhelming power causes it to crack and shatter, leaving the knights burned and defeated.
• Impressed by the armor’s connection to his research, Leo orders Frandi to recover fragments from the fallen knights for further study.
• Back at Expedition Isle, Stofen contacts Leo through his falcon and confronts him about the armor and the Sky Knights.
• Leo admits that he used Stofen’s Mind Demon Dragon Bloodline Ability to control the knights and sent them to interfere with Augusta’s research.
• Stofen warns Leo to act more cautiously, explaining that Augusta’s Prophecy Studies may allow him to monitor people through their Magic Stones, especially when a Formal Wizard is involved.
• The chapter ends with Stofen directly asking whether the Sky Knights’ armor is Leo’s Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates both tactical judgment and boldness. He protects the injured wizard, studies the armor’s weaknesses, and openly admits his interference with Augusta despite the danger.
• Leo also shows political awareness by behaving obediently toward Stofen and allowing his mentor to compare him favorably with Phylia.
• Frandi proves dependable and eager to assist Leo’s research, volunteering to investigate the armor fragments.
• Stofen displays the overwhelming power of a Formal Wizard, destroying the Sky Knights with an ordinary spell. He also reveals himself as a cautious but supportive mentor who warns Leo about Augusta’s surveillance.
• Augusta becomes a more threatening presence. His prophetic abilities may let him spy on Magic Stone users and detect conspiratorial conversations.
• The Sky Knights are revealed to be equipped with advanced armor based on—or directly connected to—Leo’s research.

Significant Themes

• The limits of conventional magic: Ordinary spells are rendered ineffective by spell-absorbing armor, temporarily overturning the expected superiority of wizards over knights.
• The gap between apprentices and Formal Wizards: Stofen’s effortless victory emphasizes the enormous difference in power between the two levels.
• Research as a weapon: Leo’s technological and magical research has been adapted into military equipment, turning his own work into a threat against wizards.
• Surveillance and distrust: Augusta’s ability to monitor Magic Stones creates an atmosphere of paranoia, forcing Leo and Stofen to communicate carefully.
• Mentorship and loyalty: Leo relies on Stofen’s abilities and guidance, while Stofen supports him but cautions against reckless action.
• Deception and political maneuvering: Leo admits his actions rather than attempting an elaborate lie, calculating that honesty with Stofen is safer and more useful.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Frandi: Leo directs Frandi to search for armor fragments, reinforcing their mentor-apprentice relationship and Frandi’s role in continuing the research.
• Leo and Stofen: Their conversation reveals mutual trust mixed with caution. Leo admits his involvement in controlling the Sky Knights, while Stofen advises him on avoiding Augusta’s notice.
• Stofen and Augusta: Though Augusta does not appear directly, his rivalry with Stofen shapes the chapter. Stofen is clearly concerned that Augusta may discover Leo’s interference.
• Leo and the Sky Knights: Leo’s spells fail against their armor, forcing him to recognize that his own research has produced a serious countermeasure to wizard magic.

Summary: “The First Obstruction to the Development of the Prophecy”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo reports to Instructor Stofen about the Demon Armors used by the Sky Knights on Triangle Island. Although the armor resembles Stofen’s research, Stofen confirms that he did not create or distribute it.
• Stofen concludes that the armor may have been leaked by Wizard Anthony. He also reasons that Augusta probably did not arrange the incident, since Augusta would otherwise have become suspicious of Leo.
• Stofen warns Leo to conceal some of his spells and Bloodline Abilities, advising him never to reveal all his capabilities, even to trusted allies.
• Stofen reveals that his own former instructor founded the Wizard Journal and was once close to becoming a Second-Circle Wizard before mysteriously disappearing. Other Wizards pursuing the same advancement also vanished after speaking with Augusta.
• Augusta claimed that these Wizards had failed to advance and died, but Stofen suspects something more sinister. He asks Leo to uncover the truth if he ever disappears.
• Leo promises to investigate Stofen’s disappearance should it occur. Stofen then communicates through a falcon and departs.
• Using the Rainbow Dragon Bloodline Ability, Leo examines the surrounding Prophecy Studies threads. Since they remain ordinary rather than turning gold or black, he concludes that Augusta is not yet directly monitoring him.
• Leo reflects on the increasingly powerful forces obstructing his path, including Lane, Uriel, the descendants of Formal Wizards, the Golden Eagle Faction, and Augusta himself. He resolves to become a Formal Wizard as quickly as possible.
• Several days later, Wizard Bess arrives at the White Tower under Augusta’s orders to investigate Stofen’s killing of the Sky Knights.
• Leo and Frandi separately recount the incident. Their accounts match Stofen’s explanation: the Sky Knights were likely controlled or influenced by another Wizard, possibly a wandering Wizard.
• Bess notices that the Knights’ equipment resembles Stofen’s Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device research, suggesting a suspicious connection.
• Leo explains that Wizard Anthony had previously approached him about researching the device, and that the Tower possesses records confirming this.
• Bess accepts the explanation, verifies the witnesses’ memories, and leaves without taking further action.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes more cautious and politically aware. He recognizes the need to hide his abilities, understands that Augusta may eventually target him, and commits himself to rapid advancement and uncovering the truth behind the disappearances.
• Stofen: Reveals his distrust of Augusta and the dangers surrounding Wizards attempting to reach the Second Circle. His request to Leo establishes a deeper bond of trust and gives Leo a future responsibility.
• Augusta: Remains an unseen but powerful threat. His possible involvement in the disappearances and control over investigations reinforces his reputation as a manipulative figure.
• Bess: Acts as Augusta’s investigator. Though initially suspicious of Leo, he remains professional, tests the witnesses’ memories, and ultimately accepts their testimony.
• Frandi: Supports Leo’s account by independently recounting the same events, strengthening their credibility.

Significant Themes

• Secrecy and self-preservation: Stofen emphasizes that concealing one’s true abilities is essential in a dangerous Wizard society.
• Political manipulation and hidden power: Augusta’s influence reaches across investigations, prophecies, and the advancement of powerful Wizards.
• Mentorship and responsibility: Stofen entrusts Leo with discovering the truth if he vanishes, deepening their mentor-student relationship.
• The obstruction of destiny: Leo’s progress toward the prophecy is continually impeded by increasingly powerful individuals and factions.
• Truth versus official explanations: The claim that vanished Wizards simply died is presented as suspicious, suggesting a concealed conspiracy.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Stofen discuss the Demon Armors, Augusta’s possible involvement, and the importance of hidden abilities.
• Stofen shares his suspicions about Augusta and asks Leo to investigate if he disappears; Leo solemnly promises to do so.
• Leo later meets Wizard Bess alongside Frandi. Bess questions them about the Sky Knights and challenges the apparent connection between their equipment and Stofen’s research.
• Leo redirects suspicion toward Anthony by explaining Anthony’s previous involvement with the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device.
• Bess confirms the consistency of Leo and Frandi’s stories through memory inspections before departing.

Chapter Summary: “Experience in Advancement”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Stoffen’s falcon visits Leo, allowing them to discuss Wizard Bess’s investigation. Augusta suspected Stoffen had orchestrated the Sky Knights’ deaths and the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device research, but Stoffen insists he had no connection to the Sky Knights and that the research originated with Anthony.
• Stoffen reassures Leo that he can use spells to conceal Leo’s involvement. They conclude that the premature deaths of many Sky Knights have disrupted Augusta’s prophecy by weakening the knights before the prophesied time.
• Stoffen warns Leo that Augusta will respond aggressively and attempt to steer events back toward the prophecy’s intended course. He advises Leo to avoid further interference and return to the Tower of Dawn, where he will be safer from Augusta, the Tower’s Formal Wizards, and the wandering Wizards of Blackwind Isle.
• Back at the Tower of Dawn, Leo asks Pella about First-Rank Wizard Apprentices who failed their advancement. He learns that Anthony has likely lost his only chance to become a Formal Wizard, while Nova remains capable of trying again, though several of his Combination Spells were taken from him.
• Leo visits Nova, who is severely emaciated after eight Combination Spells were stripped away by other Formal Wizards. Despite his failure, Nova remains alive because of his unusual constitution and retains hope of advancing in the future.
• Nova explains the requirements and dangers of advancement: a Spell Pyramid, Prototype Permanent Defensive Force Field, and Spell Casket. During advancement, spiritual energy transforms into a soul and merges with the Spell Casket. Nova sensed that a deathly aura attaches to the Casket, which seems to consume the practitioner’s living essence.
• Nova plans to recover for a month before attempting advancement again.

Character Developments

• Leo shows increasing strategic awareness, recognizing how his actions have interfered with Augusta’s prophecy. He accepts Stoffen’s warning and becomes more cautious about future involvement.
• Stoffen remains protective and manipulative in a calculated way, helping conceal Leo’s role while emphasizing the danger posed by Augusta’s likely retaliation.
• Augusta is established as a determined and ruthless prophetic force who will intensify his actions whenever the prophecy encounters resistance.
• Nova is physically devastated but psychologically resilient. His survival and unusual constitution preserve his ambition, and his firsthand experience provides Leo with valuable insight into advancement.
• Anthony suffers the most severe setback: after failing advancement and losing his Formal Wizard sponsor, he is unlikely to receive another opportunity.
• Pella serves as Leo’s limited but useful source of information within the Tower.

Significant Themes

• Prophecy versus free will: Leo and Stoffen have temporarily disrupted Augusta’s foretold future, but the prophecy may actively resist deviation.
• Political and magical maneuvering: Concealment, surveillance, and strategic retreat are necessary because multiple factions are monitoring Leo and Stoffen.
• The cost of advancement: Becoming a Formal Wizard is portrayed as dangerous and potentially destructive, involving the transformation of spiritual energy and the loss of vital life force.
• Resilience after failure: Nova’s survival and determination contrast with Anthony’s collapse, suggesting that persistence and unusual advantages can preserve hope even after disastrous failure.
• Knowledge through experience: Nova’s failed advancement gives Leo important information that may help him understand or prepare for the process himself.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Stoffen: They discuss Bess’s investigation, the effects of the Sky Knights’ deaths on Augusta’s prophecy, and the need for Leo to retreat from Expedition Isle.
• Leo and Pella: Leo questions Pella about failed advancements and learns about Anthony’s and Nova’s circumstances.
• Leo and Nova: Leo visits Nova to check on him and asks about advancement. Nova openly describes both his physical suffering and his unsettling experience with the Spell Casket.
• Stoffen and Augusta: Although they do not meet directly, their opposing goals dominate the chapter: Stoffen and Leo seek to obstruct the prophecy, while Augusta is expected to force events back onto its destined path.

Chapter Summary: “A Month of Rest”

Key Plot Points and Events

• After the failed advancement attempts, Nova tells Leo that she should be physically recovered enough to try advancing again in one month. She has accumulated enough Combination Spells that forming a new Spell Pyramid should not be difficult.
• Nova’s one-month recovery period gives Leo an idea. He subsequently approaches Anthony, whose physical condition is better than Nova’s but who has completely lost the Spell Casket required for advancement.
• Anthony believes he has no realistic chance of becoming a Formal Wizard because the remaining Ink Gold is limited and all First-Rank Wizard Apprentices are competing for it.
• Leo offers Anthony a deal: he will obtain enough Ink Gold for Anthony to attempt advancement in one month. In exchange, Anthony must become Leo’s subordinate if he fails, or protect Leo until Leo becomes a Formal Wizard if he succeeds. Anthony does not accept immediately and asks for time to consider.
• Huangtu invites Leo to a meal and discusses problems facing the Wyvern Club. Since Wizard Saffi left with a powerful Formal Wizard to search for Lord Esmond, months have passed without any news of them.
• Taking advantage of Saffi’s disappearance, Wizard Bess has begun trying to seize control of the Wyvern Club.
• Huangtu describes Bess as a Formal Wizard who believes in the law of the jungle. Although Bess is considered relatively approachable and has helped many apprentices—including Huangtu—Huangtu distrusts him, sensing that Bess is calculating and manipulative.
• The chapter ends with Huangtu preparing to entrust someone to Leo, leaving the nature of this responsibility unresolved.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes increasingly strategic and ambitious. Rather than simply recovering from recent events, he immediately begins planning how to acquire Ink Gold and use it to recruit or secure Anthony’s loyalty. He also carefully evaluates the political danger posed by Wizard Bess.
• Nova: Despite her weakened condition, she remains determined to attempt advancement again. Her confidence in her accumulated spells suggests that her failure has not destroyed her resolve.
• Anthony: His failed advancement has left him resigned to remaining a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, but Leo’s offer awakens his lingering desire to become a Formal Wizard. His hesitation shows that he is tempted but wary of binding himself to Leo.
• Huangtu: Reveals concern over the Wyvern Club’s unstable position and demonstrates his reliance on Leo. Although he has benefited from Bess’s past assistance, he no longer trusts Bess’s intentions.

Significant Themes

• Ambition versus resignation: Anthony must choose between accepting a limited future and risking everything for another advancement attempt.
• Power and dependence: Access to Ink Gold determines who can pursue higher status, allowing Leo to gain influence by controlling a scarce resource.
• Political uncertainty and succession: Saffi’s unexplained absence creates a power vacuum, encouraging Bess to challenge the Wyvern Club.
• Appearances versus true intentions: Bess appears helpful and easygoing, yet both Huangtu and Leo suspect that his kindness conceals careful manipulation.
• Strategic alliances: Leo’s offer to Anthony shows how personal advancement is tied to bargains, loyalty, and the formation of future political power.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Nova: Leo learns that Nova may be ready to attempt advancement again after a month, prompting his subsequent plans.
• Leo and Anthony: Leo offers Anthony a conditional path to obtain Ink Gold, seeking either Anthony’s future service or his protection.
• Leo and Huangtu: During their meal, Huangtu praises Leo’s rapid growth and asks for help with the Wyvern Club’s crisis.
• Huangtu and Wizard Bess: Their past relationship was initially beneficial, but Huangtu now views Bess as potentially dangerous and untrustworthy.

Chapter Summary: A Wizard Who Had Lost All Hope

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wizard Huangtu asks Leo to take responsibility for his daughter, Alice. Alice has already left the Wyvern Club because her limited talent and special status make it unlikely that another Formal Wizard would accept her.
• Huangtu believes Leo is Alice’s best chance of becoming a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, despite Leo’s dangerous circumstances and involvement in the Tower Lord’s Prophecy.
• Leo initially questions Huangtu’s judgment but ultimately agrees, recognizing Alice as a potentially useful ally and acknowledging Huangtu’s willingness to gamble on his future.
• The conversation turns to Wizard Nova’s failed advancement, whose fame has made his predicament widely known and attracted the attention of many Formal Wizards.
• Huangtu reveals that he has failed to advance to Formal Wizard eight times, using all eight of his Ink Gold allocations. He has consequently abandoned hope of ever advancing.
• Huangtu explains how the Ink Gold system deteriorated. Formal Wizards once supported apprentices generously, but repeated wasteful advancement attempts caused the system to become one of protection and exploitation, with apprentices’ Combination Spells stripped after failure.
• Leo offers to provide Huangtu with enough Ink Gold to attempt advancement again, but Huangtu refuses, believing his repeated failures have permanently destroyed his chances.
• Leo brings Alice to Anthony Research Laboratory and asks Anthony to let her participate in the research on the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device.
• Anthony agrees, explaining that the project desperately needs manpower because Wizard Jindeli has discouraged talented Wizards from participating. Anthony’s own failure has also reduced the project’s personal value to him.
• Leo knows Anthony secretly gave research data to Augusta but chooses not to confront him, reasoning that Augusta is unlikely to publicize the research and will probably only use the finished device to equip knights.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes responsible for Alice and shows practical leadership by placing her in a research environment. He also demonstrates compassion and strategic thinking by offering Huangtu another chance, though he respects Huangtu’s decision not to try again.
• Huangtu: Reveals himself as a deeply disappointed and exhausted Wizard whose eight failed advancement attempts have destroyed his ambition. Despite this despair, he remains willing to risk Alice’s future on Leo because he sees no better option.
• Alice: Begins a new stage under Leo’s guidance. Her low talent and uncertain future are emphasized, but joining Leo gives her a possible path toward advancement.
• Anthony: After failing his own advancement, he has become emotionally detached from the research project. Although he has secretly aided Augusta, he continues cooperating with Leo and accepts Alice into the laboratory.
• Wizard Nova: His failed advancement is presented as a major event whose fame and public attention have worsened his situation.

Significant Themes

• Hope versus despair: Huangtu’s loss of faith contrasts with Leo’s willingness to keep searching for solutions and opportunities.
• Risk and investment: Both Huangtu’s decision to entrust Alice to Leo and Leo’s offer of Ink Gold involve gambling on uncertain futures.
• Institutional exploitation: The Ink Gold system illustrates how excessive failures and scarce resources transformed cooperation between Formal Wizards and apprentices into an exploitative relationship.
• Reputation as a burden: Nova’s fame attracts scrutiny rather than protection, showing that prominence can become dangerous in the Wizarding world.
• Pragmatism and loyalty: Leo accepts Alice partly because she may be useful, while Anthony continues honoring his obligation to Augusta despite the research no longer benefiting him personally.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Huangtu: Their negotiation centers on Alice’s future. Huangtu earnestly presses Leo to accept her, while Leo tests his motives before agreeing. They later discuss Huangtu’s failed advancement and Leo unsuccessfully attempts to revive his hope.
• Leo and Alice: Leo assumes responsibility for Alice and brings her directly into his sphere of influence.
• Leo and Anthony: Leo requests that Alice join the laboratory, and Anthony accepts her despite the project’s declining prospects.
• Anthony and Augusta: Though Augusta does not appear directly, Anthony’s secret transfer of research data reveals an ongoing connection and obligation between them. Leo understands this but deliberately keeps silent.

Chapter Summary: “A Communication from the Instructor”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo acknowledges that Anthony completed the required research, despite incorporating selfish motives into it. Because Anthony is a highly capable First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, Leo accepts the arrangement despite his reservations.
• Leo assigns Alice to remain at the laboratory and assist Anthony. Alice is delighted because working under Anthony, a renowned genius, is a valuable opportunity for a Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice.
• Leo asks Anthony to include his name on the laboratory, clarifying that he does not intend to conduct research there. Anthony realizes Leo is preparing to take the Wizard profession assessment.
• Anthony notes that Leo’s abilities are unusually strong for a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, but Leo lacks even one Level 1 Wizard profession. Leo explains that he intends to strengthen his foundation before advancing.
• Anthony reflects on his own failed advancement attempt, admitting that he rushed because he feared losing his opportunity. Leo observes that both Anthony and Huangtu blame their failures on themselves rather than questioning the Formal Wizards who pressure apprentices into advancing for profit.
• Leo asks Anthony whether he sensed the aura of the dead inside the Spell Casket during advancement. Anthony says he did not, suggesting the phenomenon may be unique to Nova, whose Spell Casket was made from his own bones rather than Ink Gold.
• After two weeks of study, Leo upgrades his Ink Gold Codex from Common Quality to Fine Quality and finally to Perfect Quality.
• The Perfect-Quality Codex reveals a new technique: Leo can continuously strengthen spiritual energy inside an Ink Gold Spell Casket without needing nine Combination Spells or immediately becoming a Formal Wizard.
• Leo names this technique the “Second Spell Casket.” It can raise his spiritual energy to roughly the level of a Formal Wizard’s ordinary spellcasting. After Leo formally advances, it could function as an additional Spell Casket and potentially double his spiritual energy.
• Although the technique would not let Leo defeat a Formal Wizard using Combination Spells, it gives him a limited chance to contend with newly advanced Formal Wizards and would allow him to instantly kill other First-Rank Wizard Apprentices.
• Leo continues improving his Ink Gold Codex with the aid of the Aiming Spell. Two more weeks later, a crow arrives at his window, carrying a message from his mysterious instructor.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates strategic patience by choosing to improve his professional foundation before advancing. His mastery of the Perfect-Quality Ink Gold Codex significantly increases his potential and gives him a unique combat advantage through the Second Spell Casket.
• Anthony: Appears both competent and self-critical. He accepts responsibility for his failed advancement and agrees to let Leo attach his name to the laboratory, while recognizing Leo’s unusual abilities.
• Alice: Shows ambition and enthusiasm at the chance to work directly under Anthony.
• Nova: Becomes more mysterious through the discussion of his bone-made Spell Casket and his ability to sense the aura of the dead.
• Leo’s Instructor: Reappears indirectly at the end of the chapter, creating suspense about the purpose of the communication.

Significant Themes

• Self-improvement versus rushed advancement: Leo chooses steady preparation, contrasting with Anthony’s earlier decision to advance before his foundation was ready.
• Exploitation and self-blame: Leo recognizes that Formal Wizards manipulate apprentices into risky advancement, yet Anthony and Huangtu internalize their failures instead of blaming the system.
• Innovation through mastery: Perfecting the Ink Gold Codex allows Leo to discover an unprecedented application of Ink Gold.
• Power and preparation: Leo gains a major increase in strength, but remains aware of the gap between himself and true Formal Wizards.
• Mystery of magical materials: The different effects of Ink Gold and bone-made Spell Caskets suggest that Spell Casket materials influence the sensations and abilities associated with advancement.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo assigns Alice to Anthony’s research project, linking their professional interests.
• Leo and Anthony discuss Leo’s profession assessment, advancement foundations, and the dangers of rushing into power.
• Leo questions Anthony about Nova’s unusual experience with the aura of the dead, deepening the mystery surrounding Spell Caskets.
• The chapter ends with Leo receiving a communication from his instructor through a crow, setting up the next development.

Chapter Summary: “Who Is Lying”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Instructor secretly infiltrates the Tower of Dawn by sending a crow to Leo’s door, demonstrating how easily he can bypass the tower’s defenses.
• He tells Leo about Formal Wizards’ “world systems”—personal ideological frameworks that guide their research and advancement toward becoming Second-Circle Wizards.
  • Sajia’s world system is equality among all individuals.
  • Augusta’s is the absolute supremacy of Wizards.
  • The Instructor begins to reveal Stofen’s world system, but Leo refuses to hear the rest.
• Before leaving, the Instructor warns Leo that Stofen’s beliefs mean he will eventually betray him.
• Leo concludes that someone among the Instructor, Stofen, Nova, and Anthony may be lying about the Spell Casket and its connection to Necromancy.
• He considers several possibilities:
  • Nova may have fabricated his account.
  • Stofen may have lied about the Spell Casket.
  • Anthony’s and Nova’s differing results may be due to using different materials.
  • One or more characters may simply possess incomplete or inaccurate knowledge rather than deliberately deceiving him.
• Leo refuses to let the Instructor drive a wedge between him and Stofen. He decides that none of them can be trusted completely and instead relies on his Compendium Manual as his most dependable source of truth.
• Based on the Manual’s Codex, Leo confirms that the Spell Casket should allow him to advance to Formal Wizard.
• Several months pass while Leo focuses on researching the Wizard profession rather than worrying about the limited supply of Ink Gold.
• Bess summons Leo and reveals that he has found an environment where Leo can fully utilize his Bloodline Ability.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes more cautious, emotionally controlled, and skeptical. Although tempted by the Instructor’s information, he follows his own rules and refuses to listen further. He places greater faith in objective evidence from the Compendium Manual than in any individual.
• The Instructor: Reveals himself as manipulative and psychologically dangerous. He attempts to undermine Leo’s trust in Stofen while presenting his claims as secret, irresistible knowledge.
• Stofen: His loyalty is cast into doubt, though Leo remains reluctant to suspect him because of their close relationship.
• Bess: Despite concealing his impatience and concern, he continues to monitor Leo’s progress and appears prepared to help him develop his Bloodline Ability.

Significant Themes

• Truth versus deception: Conflicting accounts about the Spell Casket make it impossible for Leo to identify a fully reliable human source.
• Trust and uncertainty: The chapter emphasizes that people may be lying intentionally—or may simply be mistaken because their knowledge is incomplete.
• Ideology and power: Each Formal Wizard’s “world system” reflects their beliefs about how society and power should be organized.
• Independent judgment: Leo resists manipulation by refusing to accept the Instructor’s warning without evidence.
• Reliance on objective knowledge: The Compendium Manual represents a stable standard of truth amid conflicting testimony.

Character Interactions

• The Instructor pressures Leo with secret information and tries to turn him against Stofen, but Leo ends the conversation before hearing the full warning.
• Leo internally weighs the reliability of Stofen, Nova, Anthony, and the Instructor, ultimately trusting none of them completely.
• Bess’s apprentice reports Leo’s unusual lack of concern about the Ink Gold shortage.
• Bess meets with Leo, maintains a friendly demeanor, and offers him access to a suitable environment for using his Bloodline Ability.

Chapter Summary: “Bargaining”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo refuses Wizard Bess’s demand that he independently recreate years of research. He explains that his Bloodline Ability requires access to at least part of the original research before it can function.
• Bess attempts to pressure Leo by releasing overwhelming Magical Pressure, but Leo remains composed and firmly maintains his position.
• Bess first offers Leo the last remaining supply of Ink Gold, which is essential for advancing to become a Formal Wizard. When this incentive fails, he threatens to give the Ink Gold to his apprentice, Beckum, even though Beckum’s chances of success are low.
• Leo recognizes Bess’s threat but refuses to compromise. He understands that revealing the full usefulness of his Bloodline Ability would cause many Formal Wizards to force him into helping with their research.
• Bess gives Leo one week to reconsider, threatening to help Beckum attempt the advancement if Leo still refuses.
• Leo leaves without taking the threat seriously, confident that he does not need Bess’s Ink Gold.
• At Anthony’s Research Laboratory, Anthony shares new progress on the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device. The research is expected to reach light mass production in roughly six months.
• An attempted advancement to become a First-Rank Wizard Apprentice is sensed nearby, but the aura is suppressed. Tower Master Augusta then announces that all First-Rank Wizard Apprentices seeking advancement to Formal Wizards must report to the Central Region.
• Leo and Anthony infer that the scarcity of Ink Gold has caused the Formal Wizards to act. The chapter ends when Beckum arrives at Anthony’s laboratory.

Character Developments

• Leo: Demonstrates resolve, strategic thinking, and caution. He refuses both Bess’s tempting offer and intimidation because protecting the secret of his Bloodline Ability is more important than obtaining Ink Gold.
• Wizard Bess: Reveals a manipulative and coercive side. After persuasion fails, he uses threats and his authority to pressure Leo, though he maintains a superficially pleasant demeanor.
• Anthony: Continues supporting Leo’s research and treats him with friendly teasing and respect, acknowledging Leo’s extraordinary progress in multiple Wizard disciplines.
• Beckum: Is introduced as Bess’s First-Rank Wizard Apprentice and possible recipient of the last Ink Gold. His arrival suggests he may become directly involved in the conflict over advancement.
• Augusta: Acts decisively as Tower Master, imposing a centralized policy on future advancements.

Significant Themes

• Personal boundaries and self-preservation: Leo refuses an offer that could place him under the control of powerful Formal Wizards.
• Power and coercion: Bess’s shift from negotiation to threat shows how authority can be used when persuasion fails.
• Scarcity and competition: The final portion of Ink Gold has become a crucial resource, intensifying tension among apprentices and Formal Wizards.
• Secrecy and strategic restraint: Leo understands that exposing his Bloodline Ability’s capabilities would make him a target, so he prioritizes long-term safety over immediate benefits.
• Scientific progress and magical advancement: The chapter contrasts ongoing technological research, such as the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device, with the political struggle surrounding advancement to Formal Wizard.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Bess: Their central negotiation becomes a standoff. Bess offers Ink Gold, then threatens Leo, but Leo remains outwardly respectful while refusing to yield.
• Leo and Anthony: Their relationship is cooperative and friendly. Anthony jokes about Leo’s rapid achievements and provides him with updated research data.
• Leo and Alice: Alice views Leo with admiration because of his unprecedented progress.
• Leo and Beckum: They do not yet interact directly, but Beckum’s arrival follows Bess’s threat and likely connects him to the dispute.
• Anthony and Beckum: Anthony greets Beckum respectfully, indicating Beckum has significant status or influence.

Chapter Summary: Come Find Me at the Tower

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wizard Beckum visits Anthony and Leo. He boasts about being selected by Wizard Bess as the final candidate for attempting advancement to Formal Wizard.
• Beckum belittles Anthony for failing to advance and indirectly criticizes Leo for refusing Bess’s proposal. He purchases the complete Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device from Anthony’s laboratory for 2.5 million Magic Stones.
• After Beckum leaves, Anthony explains that Beckum was once his research companion but became arrogant after Anthony’s failed advancement and Beckum’s own selection.
• Leo reveals that Bess may have chosen Beckum despite believing he had little chance of success. Anthony and Alice are disturbed by the possibility that the final advancement opportunity is being wasted.
• Leo offers Anthony another chance to attempt advancement, promising to create more Ink Gold rather than merely sharing the limited existing supply. He adds the condition that he will decide when Anthony makes his breakthrough attempt.
• Motivated by Beckum’s arrogance and by Leo’s offer, Anthony accepts the deal and resolves to try again.
• Anthony describes how his status has deteriorated: apprentices now regard him as a failure, while Formal Wizards covet his Combination Spells.
• Leo encourages Anthony to reclaim his former reputation as the Tower of Dawn’s brilliant genius. He then informs Wizard Pella that he will leave the Tower temporarily and asks her to oversee his research projects.

Character Developments

• Anthony shifts from resignation and uncertainty to renewed determination. Beckum’s condescension exposes how much Anthony has lost socially, while Leo’s offer restores his hope and ambition.
• Leo demonstrates confidence in his research abilities and uses psychological insight to motivate Anthony. He also takes greater control over Anthony’s future by reserving the right to choose the timing of the breakthrough attempt.
• Beckum is portrayed as boastful, insecure, and eager to assert superiority over Anthony and Leo. His purchase of the device shows that he is seriously preparing for advancement.
• Alice remains perceptive and skeptical, recognizing the uncomfortable implications behind Beckum’s words and questioning the Formal Wizards’ judgment.
• Wizard Bess and the Formal Wizards are viewed with increasing suspicion, particularly regarding their decision to select Beckum for the final advancement opportunity.

Significant Themes

• Reputation and social standing: Anthony’s failed advancement has transformed him from a celebrated genius into someone others openly look down on.
• Second chances and perseverance: Leo’s offer gives Anthony an opportunity to recover from failure and pursue advancement again.
• Pride and insecurity: Beckum’s arrogance appears partly driven by his need to establish superiority over Anthony and Leo.
• Institutional power and exploitation: The Formal Wizards covet Anthony’s Combination Spells, revealing how vulnerable talented but weakened individuals are within the Tower’s hierarchy.
• Trust and manipulation: Anthony continues to trust the Formal Wizards despite evidence that they may be using him, while Leo provides a more direct and tangible alternative.

Important Character Interactions

• Beckum and Anthony: Beckum taunts Anthony about his failed advancement and diminished status, emphasizing their rivalry.
• Beckum and Leo: Beckum thanks Leo sarcastically for refusing Bess’s proposal, since that refusal led to Beckum’s selection.
• Leo and Anthony: Leo offers Anthony a new supply of Ink Gold and a controlled opportunity to attempt advancement, persuading him to try again.
• Alice and the others: Alice voices the discomfort caused by Beckum’s insinuations and questions whether the Formal Wizards could truly have chosen such a poor candidate.
• Leo and Pella: Leo entrusts Pella with supervising his research projects while he temporarily leaves the Tower of Dawn.

Augusta summoned Leo to question his loyalty and explain why he opposed Wizard Stofen’s research. He revealed that Stofen wanted a world ruled by pureblood dragons, and left Leo bound by a powerful Prophecy Spell that would punish him if he obstructed Augusta.

• Augusta summoned Leo to the Tower of Dawn and asked what he thought of his prophecy.
• Augusta released his magical pressure and asked whether Leo would sacrifice himself to help fulfill the prophecy; Leo said he would.
• Augusta bound Leo with dark purple Prophecy Threads that could devastate him if he interfered with Augusta’s advancement of his prophecy.
• Augusta told Leo that formal wizards pursued research into how society should work, then explained that Stofen wanted dragons to rule while humans served them.
• Augusta called Stofen’s proposed world system a betrayal of humanity and said he did not want it to become reality.

Chapter Summary: “Cutting the Prophecy Threads”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Augusta reveals that he deliberately sent two First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, Phylia and Frandi, to study under Wizard Stofen in order to obstruct Stofen’s advancement to the Second Circle. One apprentice died, while the other failed to become Stofen’s student.
• Augusta admits that he is a Human Supremacist and intends to prevent Wizards whose systems favor non-human races from rising in rank.
• He asks Leo to interfere with Stofen’s research by deliberately slowing the refinement of the Dragon Blood Purification Potion.
• Leo agrees outwardly, recognizing that refusing Augusta directly could put his life at risk.
• Upon agreeing, Leo discovers that Augusta has bound him with invisible Prophecy Threads. If Leo breaks his promise, the threads may trigger a dangerous backlash affecting his life, emotions, or other aspects of his existence.
• Leo concludes that he and Augusta are ultimately enemies who cannot peacefully coexist.
• After Leo leaves, Augusta explains to his guard that Leo’s entanglement guarantees that Stofen’s research will be obstructed whether Leo obeys or rebels.
• Augusta reveals that he favors Leo over Wizard Fula as the likely person connected to his prophecy and plans to reserve the final Ink Gold opportunity for Leo’s advancement to Formal Wizard status.
• On the way to Expedition Isle, Leo tests his ability to perceive the Prophecy Threads through his Rainbow Dragon bloodline and creates spiritual-energy scissors to cut one of them.

Character Developments

• Leo: Becomes increasingly distrustful of Augusta and recognizes the latter’s manipulation as a direct threat to his freedom and survival. Although he pretends to cooperate, he secretly searches for a way to escape Augusta’s control.
• Augusta: Is exposed as calculating and coercive. His public justification centers on protecting humanity, but he willingly uses prophecy magic to force others into obedience and advances his own prophetic agenda.
• Stofen: Though still viewed with some suspicion, he remains more trustworthy to Leo than Augusta and the Instructor because he has treated Leo fairly.
• Wizard Fula: Loses status in Augusta’s calculations, as Augusta now considers Leo a more suitable candidate for the prophecy.
• Augusta’s Guard: Questions Augusta’s trust in Leo but learns that the prophecy-binding makes trust unnecessary.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation versus free will: Augusta uses Prophecy Threads to make Leo’s apparent choice meaningless, raising the question of whether obedience under magical coercion can be considered genuine.
• Ideology and prejudice: Augusta’s Human Supremacy shapes his opposition to Stofen’s research and justifies his attempts to control other Wizards.
• Trust and political maneuvering: Leo must navigate conflicting claims from Augusta, the Instructor, and Stofen while concealing his true intentions.
• Prophecy as control: Prophecy is not merely predictive; it becomes an instrument for forcing events and selecting individuals to fulfill a predetermined future.
• Self-determination: Leo’s attempt to cut the threads represents his refusal to accept Augusta’s imposed fate.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Augusta: Augusta pressures Leo into agreeing to sabotage Stofen, using suspicion, moral rhetoric, and ultimately prophecy magic to bind him. Leo responds with outward loyalty but inward resistance.
• Augusta and his guard: The guard questions whether Leo can be trusted, while Augusta explains that his Prophecy Threads make Leo’s personal loyalty irrelevant.
• Leo and Stofen: They do not interact directly in the chapter, but Leo’s forced assignment places him in opposition to Stofen’s research despite Leo’s greater trust in him.
• Augusta and Fula: Augusta compares the two potential prophecy candidates and decides Leo is more promising, further demonstrating his willingness to manipulate advancement opportunities for prophetic purposes.

Summary: “Severing the Prophecy Thread”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo discovers that the Rainbow Dragon bloodline can sever Prophecy Threads, though doing so requires spiritual energy comparable to that of a Formal Wizard.
• Using the spiritual energy stored within his body, Leo forms powerful scissors and successfully cuts the crucial sections of Augusta’s prophecy commanding him to hinder Stofen. By targeting inconspicuous portions, he prevents the prophecy from functioning while making the alteration difficult to detect.
• Leo fails to sever two stronger Prophecy Threads: one enforcing loyalty to Augusta’s prophecy and another connected to the Magic Stone. He concludes that Augusta embedded Combination Spell-level Prophecy Studies spells into them and that he must become a Formal Wizard before attempting to break them.
• After arriving at Expedition Isle, Leo reunites with Frandi, who reveals that Stofen has been regularly guiding him in Leo’s absence.
• Stofen explains that the Demon Armor taken from the knights is essentially the complete version of the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device research Leo gave him.
• Stofen theorizes that Anthony sought Leo’s help with the device to gain Augusta’s assistance in becoming a Formal Wizard, but failed. He also believes Augusta will select Leo for the final advancement slot because a Prossian Formal Wizard is needed to fulfill Augusta’s fourth prophecy.
• Stofen then confronts Leo about whether Augusta has compelled him to sabotage the research. Believing Leo may already be under a Prophecy Studies spell, Stofen warns that verbal agreement alone could force Leo to obey Augusta.
• Stofen reluctantly says Leo may betray him if necessary to survive, but makes clear that abandoning or destroying his research would lead to a fight to the death.

Character Developments

• Leo: Gains greater understanding of his bloodline and successfully removes the most immediately dangerous part of Augusta’s prophecy. However, he remains constrained by stronger magical commands and must carefully conceal his resistance.
• Augusta: Is revealed to have placed Prophecy Threads of varying strength on Leo, including highly advanced ones that Leo cannot yet break. His surveillance through the Magic Stone creates an additional threat.
• Stofen: Demonstrates both suspicion and pragmatic concern toward Leo. Though prepared to fight if his research is threatened, he would rather Leo betray him than die under Augusta’s control.
• Frandi: Has grown under Stofen’s mentorship and appears to have earned Stofen’s genuine guidance despite being connected to Augusta.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus magical control: Leo’s attempt to cut the Prophecy Threads symbolizes his struggle to reclaim agency from Augusta’s predictions and commands.
• Hidden resistance and deception: Leo must resist Augusta without revealing his actions, while Stofen worries that any apparent loyalty may be forced or deceptive.
• Trust under coercion: Stofen and Leo’s relationship is strained by the possibility that Leo’s words and choices are being controlled.
• The difficulty of advancement: Becoming a Formal Wizard is portrayed as increasingly difficult, while also being essential to fulfilling Augusta’s prophecy and overcoming the magical restraints.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Frandi exchange polite words that also allow Leo to assess Stofen’s attitude toward Frandi.
• Stofen and Leo discuss the connection between the Demon Armor and the Exoskeletal Spell-Absorption Device, confirming the importance of their shared research.
• Stofen directly accuses Leo of potentially betraying him under Augusta’s influence, while Leo remains silent because the Magic Stone may be allowing Augusta to monitor them.
• Their conversation ends in an uneasy ultimatum: Leo may delay Stofen’s work, but destroying or abandoning it will turn them into enemies.

Summary: “Opportunity and Crisis”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Leo secretly meets with Mentor Stoffen using Stoffen’s Bloodline Ability, which prevents Augusta from detecting their conversation.
• Leo reveals that he has developed a second Bloodline Ability capable of removing or correcting the traces of Augusta’s Prophecy Studies spell from his body. However, the ability depends on Leo’s spiritual strength and can only counter relatively weak spells; Augusta’s full power would still overwhelm him.
• Stoffen warns Leo to conceal this ability because Augusta may no longer regard him as the destined fulfiller of the prophecy if he discovers that Leo can interfere with its influence.
• The discussion turns to Stoffen’s controversial “world system,” which may place dragon-blooded creatures above other beings. Leo argues that, because he possesses the Heart Demon Dragon Bloodline, he might hold a favorable position within that system. Stoffen accepts that they can continue as mentor and student, though their relationship is now based more on mutual interests than trust or emotional loyalty.
• Stoffen confirms that Leo has awakened aptitudes in Necromancy, Battle Mage Studies, and Evocation in addition to Bloodline Modification.
• Leo has mastered three new Combination Spells. Stoffen estimates that Leo may complete the nine spells required for the Spell Pyramid in less than half a year, but urges him to advance quickly because Ink Gold has only one remaining slot.
• Stoffen explains that Augusta’s fourth prophecy specifically requires a Prossian Wizard within the Tower of Dawn to become a Formal Wizard. A wandering Prossian Wizard would not satisfy the prophecy.
• Leo realizes that preventing all other Prossians in the Tower from advancing could theoretically cause the prophecy to fail. Stoffen confirms this but warns that Augusta could instead bring a wandering Prossian into the Tower, and would then likely abandon or target Leo.
• Stoffen concludes that any other Prossian who becomes a Formal Wizard is now Leo’s greatest threat, meaning Leo must stop potential rivals from advancing.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates greater independence and caution. His new Bloodline Ability gives him limited protection from Augusta’s control, but he understands that he remains vulnerable to stronger magic.
• Leo becomes more pragmatic toward Stoffen, accepting that their relationship is safest when founded on shared interests rather than emotional trust.
• His rapid growth continues: he awakens several magical aptitudes and masters three Combination Spells, bringing him closer to completing the Spell Pyramid and advancing to Formal Wizard.
• Leo also begins thinking strategically about the prophecy, recognizing that controlling who advances may be essential to his survival.
• Stoffen continues acting as Leo’s adviser, offering practical warnings about Augusta, the prophecy, and the dangers of Leo’s Bloodline Ability. He reveals emotional vulnerability when asking whether Leo can still regard him as a mentor, but ultimately accepts their more detached relationship.
• Augusta remains an unseen but dominant threat. His prophecy determines the political and personal stakes surrounding Leo’s advancement.

Significant Themes

• Trust versus self-interest: Leo and Stoffen maintain their alliance despite diminished trust, reflecting the dangerous and transactional nature of the Wizard world.
• Free will versus prophecy: Leo’s ability to weaken Augusta’s spell and potentially obstruct the prophecy raises the possibility of resisting a predetermined fate.
• Power and vulnerability: Leo’s new ability offers protection but is limited by the difference in magical strength between him and Augusta.
• Opportunity and crisis: Leo’s growing talents and unique prophetic role create a path toward advancement, but they also make him a target and force him to oppose possible allies or rivals.
• Strategic survival: Personal advancement is inseparable from managing threats, controlling information, and preventing others from fulfilling the conditions of the prophecy.

Character Interactions

• Leo and Stoffen speak privately about Augusta’s surveillance, with Stoffen providing a secure method for communication.
• Stoffen examines Leo’s Bloodline Ability and explains its limitations, while Leo emphasizes that it cannot reliably counter Augusta’s strongest spells.
• Leo reassures Stoffen that his world system does not necessarily threaten Leo’s own status, easing the tension between them.
• Their mentor-student relationship continues, but both understand that it is now cautious and primarily based on mutual benefit.
• Stoffen evaluates Leo’s progress and encourages him to master the remaining Combination Spells and advance before others can claim the opportunity.
• Their final discussion transforms Leo’s advancement into a competitive and potentially deadly struggle: other Prossians reaching Formal Wizard status could jeopardize Leo’s survival.

Leo returned to the Ancient Ruins and studied their recovered necromancy texts, while Bess secretly supported Beckum’s bid to become a formal wizard despite Augusta’s wishes. Leo found a record of an ancient artificial lifeform before finishing his research and preparing to return to the Tower of Dawn.

• Leo asked Stofen for permission to explore the Ancient Ruins, and Stofen sent him to the Wyvern Club with a box proving his identity.
• Leo met Huangtu, who arranged access to the recovered necromancy texts and confirmed that Wizard Saffi had authorized him to read them.
• Bess told Beckum that Augusta was suppressing his advancement to encourage Leo to become a formal wizard, but promised to support Beckum behind the scenes.
• Bess reflected that Leo remained useful to his research regardless of whether he became a formal wizard and noted that others also intended to defy Augusta.
• Leo finished studying six combination spells, realized he had gathered the materials and knowledge needed for advancement except for a prototype permanent defensive force field, and found a book describing an ancient artificial lifeform called a divine being.

Leo learned that Bess planned to let Beckum use the last chance to advance to Formal Wizard, and decided to stop him while keeping his ability to create ink gold secret. After researching the perfect lifeform and finding evidence that Wizard Nova had read an account of it, Leo left the tower and met Meys, who asked whether he was returning to deal with Beckum’s advancement.

• Huangtu warned Leo that Bess planned to have Beckum attempt advancement to Formal Wizard, and Pella, Frandi, and Anthony soon confirmed the rumor.
• Leo suspected Augusta was testing him and decided he had to stop Beckum without revealing that he could create ink gold.
• Leo read accounts describing how the perfect lifeform became godlike and its creator concluded that it had to be killed; Leo found a trace of Wizard Nova’s mental energy on one book.
• Leo left the tower, reflected on spending nearly a year on the wizard’s path, and was respectfully greeted by Second-Rank Wizard Apprentices.
• Meys approached Leo, suggested they might become allies, and asked whether Leo’s urgent business involved Beckum’s advancement.

Chapter Summary: “Auctioning Ink Gold, Laying a Trap for the Unwary”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Meys secretly approaches Leo with a plan to stop Wizard Beckum’s advancement to Formal Wizard.
• Beckum has already fulfilled two advancement requirements—the Spell Pyramid and Prototype Permanent Defensive Force Field—but still needs a Spell Casket made with Ink Gold.
• Meys claims to know where Wizard Bess’s Ink Gold is being stored and suggests stealing it before it reaches the Tower of Dawn.
• Leo’s Prismatic Dragon Scale warns him that Meys harbors hostile intentions. Realizing the proposal is likely a lure, Leo refuses to participate and pretends to be overly cautious.
• Meys later reveals that he may not have intended to directly harm Leo; he and his instructor were apparently trying to manipulate someone into investigating the Ink Gold.
• After returning to the Tower of Dawn, Leo learns that Beckum will attempt advancement in three days.
• Leo devises a counterstrategy: he orders Pella to contact an auction house and arrange the sale of “genuine” Ink Gold, while claiming Beckum’s Ink Gold is fake. This is intended to create confusion and undermine Beckum’s advancement attempt.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates sharp judgment and suspicion. He recognizes the contradiction between Meys’s words and his intentions, using the Prismatic Dragon Scale to confirm that the proposed mission is dangerous.
• Rather than confronting Meys directly, Leo adopts a deliberately cowardly attitude, allowing him to escape without revealing that he has seen through the trap.
• Leo also shows growing strategic ability. Instead of merely reacting to Beckum’s advancement, he creates a psychological and logistical counterattack involving the auction house.
• Meys is portrayed as manipulative but not necessarily openly murderous. His attempt to persuade Leo is too calculated, causing Leo to distrust him. Meys’s instructor criticizes him for allowing his ulterior motives to show.
• Pella remains a loyal and obedient assistant. Though surprised by Leo’s claim that he possesses Ink Gold, she agrees to contact the auction house without questioning his orders.

Significant Themes

• Cunning versus deception: The chapter centers on competing schemes, with Leo successfully identifying Meys’s hidden intentions and avoiding becoming a pawn.
• Information as power: Knowledge of Ink Gold’s location, authenticity, and movement determines who can control Beckum’s advancement.
• Strategic misdirection: Leo’s false display of fear and his plan to auction Ink Gold show how deception can be used defensively and offensively.
• Trust and uncertainty: Leo cannot determine whether Meys truly intended to harm him, highlighting the difficulty of judging motives in a world dominated by political maneuvering.
• Advancement and rivalry: Beckum’s impending promotion threatens the prospects of other First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, driving them toward increasingly risky plots.

Important Character Interactions

• Leo and Meys: Meys proposes stealing Ink Gold, but Leo detects the trap and refuses cooperation. Their conversation becomes a contest of concealed intentions.
• Meys and his instructor: After Leo leaves, Meys admits his failed attempt, while his instructor explains that manipulation is more effective when one’s calculating motives remain hidden.
• Leo and Pella: Leo instructs Pella to arrange an auction for Ink Gold, launching his own scheme to confuse Beckum and potentially disrupt the advancement ceremony.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Pella contacts the auction house to verify Leo’s claim that he possesses genuine Ink Gold.
• Leo presents a fist-sized piece of Ink Gold. The auction-house manager confirms it is authentic and agrees to auction it publicly.
• The manager assumes that Beckum’s Ink Gold must therefore be counterfeit, since official records indicated that only one remaining portion existed.
• News of the auction spreads quickly, reaching both Bess and Beckum.
• Beckum questions Bess, fearing that Leo’s auction is part of a scheme to undermine him. Bess angrily reassures him that the Ink Gold he possesses is genuine.
• Bess visits the auction house with Beckum to expose what he believes is counterfeit Ink Gold. However, the auction house’s sample is also confirmed to be genuine.
• Bess compares his own Ink Gold with Leo’s, and both pieces are verified as authentic.
• The situation contradicts official reports claiming that only one share of Ink Gold remained. The apparent supply is now enough for two apprentices to advance.
• Bess concludes that Leo must have discovered or developed an unknown method of producing Ink Gold, allowing him to defeat Bess’s plan.
• Angry at Beckum’s suspicion, Bess refuses to give him his own Ink Gold and tells him to purchase Leo’s portion from the auction house instead.

Character Developments

• Leo demonstrates calm confidence and strategic cleverness. Rather than arguing against his doubters, he proves his claim with genuine Ink Gold and turns the situation against Bess.
• Pella acts efficiently by contacting the auction house and helping initiate the verification process.
• The auction-house manager shifts from skepticism to excitement once Leo’s Ink Gold is authenticated. He recognizes the opportunity to publicize and profit from the sale.
• Beckum becomes increasingly anxious and dependent on Bess’s assurances. His suspicion of Bess causes him to lose Bess’s support.
• Bess maintains authority through intimidation but is visibly unsettled by the existence of Leo’s genuine Ink Gold. He begins to reassess Leo as a serious threat rather than a manageable apprentice.

Significant Themes

• Underestimation and reversal: Leo’s enemies assume he is bluffing, but his unexpected proof reverses the power dynamic.
• Power and intimidation: Bess uses his status as a powerful Formal Wizard to silence Beckum and pressure the auction house.
• Trust and suspicion: Beckum’s fear leads him to question Bess, while Bess interprets that doubt as disloyalty.
• Scarcity and advancement: Ink Gold represents the rare opportunity to become a Formal Wizard, making its sudden duplication politically and personally disruptive.
• Uncertainty surrounding Leo’s abilities: Leo’s unexplained access to genuine Ink Gold reinforces the mystery surrounding his Bloodline Ability and his potential.

Character Interactions

• Leo and the auction-house manager: Their exchange begins with skepticism but ends with the manager enthusiastically supporting Leo’s auction.
• Beckum and Bess: Beckum seeks reassurance, but Bess responds with anger and ultimately withdraws his promised assistance.
• Bess and the auction house: Bess attempts to challenge the auction’s legitimacy, only to discover that the auction house’s Ink Gold is authentic.
• Bess and Leo: Though Leo is not physically present during their confrontation, his actions dominate the scene and successfully undermine Bess’s advancement scheme.

Chapter Summary: Forging the Prototype Permanent Defensive Force Field

Key Plot Points and Events

• After Bess leaves, Beckum is left troubled by their conversation, particularly because Bess has withdrawn the advancement opportunity previously offered to him.
• At the auction, nearly all notable First-Rank Wizard Apprentices from the Tower of Dawn attend, including Leo, who is selling the Ink Gold.
• Beckum successfully bids for the Ink Gold after driving the price up to two hundred million Magic Stones. Although he wins, he feels little joy because he now understands that Bess expected him to fail and had only targeted him as a likely waste of the final Ink Gold.
• Despite his doubts, Beckum resolves to attempt advancement rather than avoid it indefinitely.
• The following day, Beckum begins his breakthrough to become a First-Circle Wizard within the Tower of Dawn.
• His mental energy expands dramatically, his nine Combination Spells merge into a powerful Spell Pyramid, and his Prototype Permanent Defensive Stance evolves into a Permanent Defensive Force Field.
• However, when he channels his mental energy into the Ink Gold Spell Casket, the casket cracks and explodes. His breakthrough fails, and his mental energy returns to its original state.
• Anthony explains that advancement depends heavily on the stability of a wizard’s mental energy. Although unstable mental energy is useful for ordinary improvement, advancing to a Formal Wizard requires exceptionally stable foundations.
• Stabilizing potions can help but have limited durations and increase Mental Radiation, which in turn destabilizes mental energy. Perfect-quality potions might improve the odds, but the Tower of Dawn cannot produce enough for even one apprentice.
• Watching Beckum’s failure gives Leo a clearer understanding of the breakthrough process and increases his confidence that his own advancement can succeed. He concludes that his remaining challenge is condensing the Prototype Permanent Defensive Force Field.

Character Developments

• Beckum: Moves from confidence after winning the auction to sober self-awareness after recognizing Bess’s lack of faith in him. Nevertheless, he shows determination by attempting the breakthrough despite the high chance of failure. His failure highlights the dangers of advancement and the weakness of his preparation.
• Leo: Remains calm and unconcerned about who acquires the Ink Gold, since his true goal was to disprove the belief that only one share remained. Observing Beckum’s breakthrough provides valuable knowledge and reinforces Leo’s confidence in his own future advancement.
• Anthony: Acts as Leo’s knowledgeable guide, explaining the mechanics and risks of advancement, particularly the importance of mental-energy stability.
• Bess: Though absent during the breakthrough, his earlier decision to withdraw Beckum’s opportunity strongly influences Beckum’s emotions and motivation.

Significant Themes

• Determination despite uncertainty: Beckum recognizes that failure is possible but refuses to let fear prevent him from pursuing advancement.
• Preparation versus innate opportunity: Possessing Ink Gold is not enough; the stability and quality of a wizard’s mental energy are equally important.
• The hidden cost of power: Stabilizing potions can aid advancement but create Mental Radiation, introducing new risks.
• Knowledge through observation: Leo benefits from witnessing Beckum’s failure, turning another wizard’s setback into useful information for his own advancement.
• Trust and judgment: Beckum’s realization that Bess viewed him as expendable damages his confidence and changes how he interprets their relationship.

Important Character Interactions

• Beckum and Leo: Leo treats Beckum neutrally and even greets him at the auction, contrasting with Beckum’s complicated feelings and uncertainty about Leo.
• Leo and Pella: Pella informs Leo that Beckum has enough resources to buy the Ink Gold, while Leo explains internally that Beckum’s purchase does not affect his larger objective.
• Leo and Anthony: They observe Beckum’s breakthrough together. Anthony interprets the failure and teaches Leo about mental-energy stability, breakthrough risks, and the limitations of stabilizing potions.
• Beckum and Bess: Although Bess is not present, his withdrawal of Beckum’s advancement opportunity remains the central emotional influence on Beckum’s decision to proceed.