Town Patrol

Dago slowly made his way back to the Wizard Inn along the snow-covered streets.

Along the way, Dago occasionally ran into Wizards wrapped in gray robes, eagerly heading toward the Wizard Hall.

Compared to before, the Wizard Inn had far fewer tenants. On one hand, staying here was indeed expensive; on the other, those recruited by the academy were provided free lodging for easier management.

When he entered the quiet Wizard Inn, he saw Mariko and Selena sitting in the tea room, brewing tea around a brazier.

Dago walked over, sat down, and told them about the recruitment notice posted at the Wizard Hall.

He looked at Mariko. "What do you think?"

Mariko took a sip of hot tea, set down his cup, and slowly said, "From the wars I experienced before, hired Wizards do fairly well in the early stages. But once the war intensifies, they only have one ending: becoming cannon fodder."

"Whether they are wandering Wizards or ordinary people, they suffer the greatest casualties in war."

"War is just one farmer's son going to fight another farmer's son."

Complicated expressions appeared on Dago and Selena's faces after hearing Mariko's words.

This was almost inevitable.

It was not only Mariko and Dago who could see it, but it was impossible for anyone in town to remain unaffected by the academy. In the end, most would be swept along against their will, including the three of them.

Mariko continued, "There is something else I need to tell you, Dago. Evan and his wife have already left town with his wealthy merchant uncle's caravan."

"They came to say goodbye before leaving, but unfortunately, you were out."

"Where are they going?"

Mariko said wistfully, "South of the Emerald Forest. There are cities there belonging to Emerald Life."

"May they have a safe journey."

Dago silently repeated those words and looked southward, but all he could see was a gray sky filled with snow clouds.

He had forgotten which Wizard book he had read it in.

According to it, Emerald Life was an organization jointly established by elves and Wizards.

By nightfall, light snow drifted outside the inn, while the cold wind howled bitterly.

Yet the inn itself was warm and peaceful, because it had a Rune Array specifically designed to ward off the cold. That was also why its rent was so high.

Having just finished cultivating the Meditation Technique, Dago stepped into a bathtub filled with hot water.

Ever since the Resonance Art had reached the Metamorphosis Phase, low-activity ice elements had constantly covered his skin, making him look as though he had developed an enhanced form of albinism.

By now, both his arms, chest, and back had turned a stark white.

Dago raised his pale right arm. His entire arm had a perfect, streamlined shape, and with the slightest exertion, it brimmed with strength.

The more the Resonance Art progressed, the more obvious its enhancement of his body became. He had not expected that.

There were very few spells in the Wizarding World that enhanced physical constitution. This was a choice that had developed over a long period of time.

No matter how much one trained the flesh, who would dare use their body to withstand an evocation spell head-on?

However, the Wizarding World had the concept of a Dharma Body, a state in which energy particles coexisted with the flesh.

That was also one of the reasons the Resonance Art had become famous in the first place. Once the body adapted to external energy particles, one would be no different from a humanoid magical beast.

Dago greatly anticipated the Resonance Art granting him a Dharma Body. With the Progress System's assistance, that day might truly come.

To advance to a Formal Wizard, the first step was the Metamorphosis of one's spiritual power. This was also the first insurmountable chasm blocking Apprentice Wizards.

Those Apprentice Wizards whose spiritual power had undergone Metamorphosis were Half-Step Formal Wizards. They were only one final step away from becoming Formal Wizards.

Mariko had told Dago all this. Whenever he spoke of it, he became deeply dejected. Anyone who had struggled for an entire lifetime and remained stuck at the Apprentice Tier would collapse.

Mariko and Dago both cultivated the Universal Wizard Meditation Method. It contained no method for spiritual power Metamorphosis, so they could only meditate endlessly, accumulating spiritual power and waiting for it to transform on its own.

Little did Dago know that Mariko had spent nearly his entire life waiting for his spiritual power to transform. Something had to be missing, or perhaps his Wizard talent simply was not enough.

That was why the Wizarding World never lacked Apprentice Wizards. From the moment they embarked upon the path of Wizardry, they had already been trapped in a vast net.

Countless Apprentice Wizards could only peer through the gaps in that net as genius Wizards and family Wizards continued onward along the path of Wizardry.

That was also the greatest bait in the Academy Recruitment Order. A chance to become a Formal Wizard was enough to make many Apprentice Wizards flock to it.

After soaking for a while, Dago felt the bathwater beneath him turning a little cold. He got up, dried himself, and put on his robe.

He began another round of Meditation Technique cultivation. As his Meditation Technique underwent Metamorphosis, the speed at which he refined the dark-blue spiritual power liquid in his Mental Space grew faster and faster.

Within his Mental Space, a sunlike sphere of light hung in the mist on one side, while a vast black ocean occupied the other, churning endlessly.

As the sphere slowly rotated, it drew in large amounts of mist to refine, turning it into drops of dark-blue spiritual power.

The droplets of spiritual power continuously revolved around Dago's Soul Body before sinking into his brow.

At this point, Dago's Soul Body was already four-fifths complete. Once it was fully completed, he would achieve Soul Completion at the Apprentice Tier and become an Advanced Third-Level Apprentice Wizard.

At his cultivation speed, excluding those Wizards who relied on drugs, it could only be described as astonishing.

He had once asked Mariko about it. An Apprentice Wizard's Soul Body was completed extremely slowly, because the size of their Mental Spaces varied. Larger Mental Spaces contained more Mental Mist and could refine more spiritual power, while smaller ones were the opposite.

This was determined by Wizard talent.

Then there was the speed at which the Mental Core refined the mist, as well as the amount of Soul Entropy produced. Both were obstacles to Soul Completion. Ordinary apprentices could generally cultivate the Meditation Technique only four or five times a day.

This was determined by the quality of the Meditation Technique.

Dago let out a deep sigh. Although the system's support meant none of these would become insurmountable barriers for him, did the other Apprentice Wizards struggling bitterly have a system?

Even Apprentice Wizards found every step difficult. How much worse was it for ordinary people?

What a despairing world.

The next morning, an unexpected person arrived at the Wizard Inn.

Vissel, dressed in a magnificent robe, sat in the tea room brewing tea while the Wizard Inn staff stood respectfully nearby.

The inn attendants invited Dago and the other two downstairs. The three of them were briefly stunned upon seeing Vissel, then looked at him with faint disdain.

They had not forgotten how he had used his teammates as shields.

When the Wizard Inn staff saw Vissel gesture that they could leave, they all politely departed.

Holding a teacup, Vissel took a sip. A trace of resentment flashed through his eyes as he calmly said, "Captain Dago, and my former Patrol Guard teammates, it has been a long time. Please, sit."

Dago and the other two slowly approached the tea table and sat down. Dago spoke first. "Go on. What do you want from us?"

"Captain Dago, there may have been a misunderstanding at the academy gates last time. My mentor Raymond had some doubts about your identity, which was why he did not allow you to enter the academy."

"Oh? Then who was the one whispering slander into his ear?"

Vissel said awkwardly, "Dago, your strength improved a little too astonishingly, which led to the misunderstanding. I recently advanced to High-Grade Third-Level Apprentice Wizard, and I came to discuss something with you."

Dago said coldly, "Go on. What is it? If it is something trivial, then do not disturb our peace."

"The academy recently assigned me a mission. I need to form a patrol team in town, and I wanted to bring back my former teammates. That is reasonable, isn't it?"

"Then I am sorry, but the Forest Patrol no longer exists. Vissel, please leave."

"Do not forget your identities, Dago and Selena. You two are Wizards of the academy. Now that the academy is in trouble, you must return and participate in its missions."

"We are merely wandering Wizards who paid tuition. Has the Wizard Academy ever truly valued us?"

Vissel looked at the two of them with a cold gaze and said with a hint of threat, "That is none of my concern. You wear academy robes, yet ignore the academy being invaded. Are you spies sent by the Duskblood Council?"

"Think carefully, Dago. The next people to come will not be me, but the Academy Guard Office."

Dago found himself in a difficult position. This was a blatant threat, and he considered how to deal with it.

At that moment, Mariko stepped forward to mediate. "Enough, Vissel. We can join the town patrol team, but the three of us must remain together."

Seeing Marico say this, Vissel did not wait for Dago's answer. He immediately rose to his feet and said, "Fine. The three of you come to the Academy Guard Office at noon today and find me."

With that, he turned and left the Wizard Inn.

Selena said timidly, "Grandpa Marico, you are not a Wizard of the academy. There is no need for you to get involved."

"We are family, aren't we?"

Dago felt conflicted after hearing that. Without strength, one would be bullied wherever one went.

In the end, the three of them had no choice but to join the town patrol together.