Ainak Wizard Academy

Golden sunlight, like mischievous little sprites, spilled joyfully through gaps in the forest canopy and onto the ground.

Dago rose early and delivered the packed jerky and deer hides to the town's butcher shop and leather store before returning to the shelter.

He stood outside the clearing of the shelter and let the forest breeze blow over him for a while, feeling some of his sweat fade. Recently, the Swift Deer around the area had begun treating the forest near the shelter as forbidden ground and no longer dared venture into it.

As a result, Dago's hunting in the nearby woods had become increasingly difficult. Fortunately, he had already saved up ten Low-Grade Magic Stones.

That was enough to cover the tuition for attending classes at Ainak Wizard Academy. Unfortunately, he did not have enough for the Academy's lodging fees.

According to Mariko, tuition only covered the cost of learning spells and magic at the Academy. Accommodation fees had to be paid separately.

Living in town was safe and convenient enough, but it was noisy and crowded, which greatly affected a wizard's meditation training. It was better to find a place in the wilderness and live alone in peace and quiet.

That was why Mariko had moved into the forest. In fact, quite a few auditing apprentices from the Academy lived there as well.

"This black-hearted Academy is really planning to suck apprentice wizards dry."

Dago cursed inwardly.

Before one had the strength to resist, one could only silently endure the violence imposed by the world.

Dago no longer felt as insecure as he had when he had first transmigrated here. After a month of living alone, he had gradually grown accustomed to this rhythm.

After much thought, he decided not to go hunting that afternoon. Instead, he would first head to Ainak Wizard Academy to enroll and study magic. If he wanted to walk the path of a wizard steadily and without stopping, he would ultimately have to return to the Academy.

After cultivating diligently in the shelter's clearing all morning, Dago called up his current system panel.

[Universal Wizard Meditation Method (Beginner 101/1000); Air Bullet (Beginner 110/1000)]

He kept improving, kept growing stronger.

At noon, Dago gulped down deer blood soup and chewed on deer jerky in large mouthfuls.

He lowered his head and looked at his much stronger body. He still remembered what this body had looked like when he had first transmigrated here. Back then, he had been a malnourished, skinny boy.

Now he had been fed until he was fair-skinned and sturdy, and he had even grown several centimeters taller.

After eating and cleaning up, Dago retrieved the apprentice robe from beneath his bed and put it on.

Now that the Academy robe draped over him, it even gave him a somewhat tall and upright appearance.

He also found a small silver mirror left behind by the previous owner in the miscellaneous box and looked himself over. In the mirror appeared a youthful face with a faintly scholarly air.

His skin was fair and smooth, his nose high and straight, his eyes deep blue, and his black hair had grown long enough to fall loosely over his shoulders.

Dago swept his long black hair back. The youth in the mirror was handsome, with a hint of noble bearing.

"I'm starting to look pretty decent."

Dago murmured smugly.

He tied the Level-Two Apprentice badge around his neck with a string and stimulated it with spiritual power. The crystal within the badge lit up with a sapphire-blue glow.

Satisfied, Dago tucked the badge beneath the inner layer of his apprentice robe, pushed open the door, and slowly walked out.

Sunlight flooded the forest as though it cost nothing, dazzling and brilliant.

Dago knew this path, which he traveled every day, like the back of his hand. In less than half an hour, he arrived in town.

"Ainak Wizard Academy, here I come..."

Dago cast a deep glance at the Academy shrouded in white mist atop the mountain and spoke softly.

Then, clutching his money pouch, he headed straight for the Wizard Hall.

When he found the same counter as last time, the girl from before was gone. In her place was a slightly older woman, and Dago approached with a touch of disappointment.

"Hello, I'd like to enroll as a Second-Level Apprentice Wizard at Ainak Wizard Academy."

"Certainly, Apprentice. Academy tuition is ten Low-Grade Magic Stones. If you wish to arrange Academy lodging, you'll need to pay an additional five Low-Grade Magic Stones."

The woman spoke without even raising her head.

"I won't be applying for lodging. Enrollment alone will do."

Dago took out his money pouch, counted out ten Low-Grade Magic Stones, handed them to the woman, and spoke.

"Then you'll be commuting. If anything happens while you're living outside, the Academy will bear no responsibility whatsoever."

"Also, you must arrive on time for your instructors' classes. If you agree, I can issue you a certificate now, and you can go report to the Academy."

"Fine. No problem, I agree."

The woman counted the Magic Stones, then turned and stored them in the safe behind her.

She also took out a gilded card from the safe, bearing the emblem of Ainak Wizard Academy.

She handed it to Dago. He took it, slipped it into his cloth pouch, and left the Wizard Hall.

Dago headed toward the mountain, in a direction he had never taken before, until he arrived before a tall, solemn stone gate.

Four guards stood at the entrance, imposing and spirited. Their steel plate armor reflected a cold gleam beneath the sunlight.

Just as Dago was about to enter, the guards raised their spears and stopped him. At that moment, an Academy apprentice dozing at a walnut desk beneath the stone gate noticed him, slowly rose, and approached.

"What are you here for? Unauthorized people are not allowed inside."

The Academy apprentice spoke with sleepy eyes.

"I'm a newly enrolled Second-Level Apprentice Wizard."

Dago took out the gilded card and showed it to him.

"Oh, a new apprentice. All right, follow me."

The Academy apprentice led Dago to the side of the marble gate.

There, mounted on the stone wall, was a silver device the size of a shoebox, with a crystal lamp protruding from the top.

"Take out your Level-Two Apprentice badge and place it in the indentation beneath this box. Once the crystal above it lights green, you can enter."

"Oh, and you can give me your enrollment certificate."

Dago did as instructed. He handed the gilded card to the male apprentice, took the badge from around his neck, and placed it beneath the box. However, the crystal above it showed no reaction.

"Wait a moment. Since it's your first time registering your spiritual power fluctuations, it'll take a little while."

The male apprentice put away the card and said it casually.

As soon as he finished speaking, the crystal above the box lit up green.

"Looks like you've been registered. If you're a commuting apprentice, come here and place your badge in the indentation before entering the Academy. That way, no one will stop you."

"Oh, and one more piece of advice: once you're inside the Academy, keep a tight hold on your bag of Magic Stones."

The Academy apprentice yawned as he spoke, then returned to the walnut desk and continued dozing.

Dago nodded and strode through the marble gate, stepping into an entirely new world.

This Academy had been built on an enormous platform forcibly carved out of the mountainside.

Sunlight streamed through the clouds in strands of golden radiance, adding a touch of mystery to the entire Academy. It felt as though he had entered an ethereal realm, and even his soul seemed cleansed.

Dago took a deep breath and immediately felt refreshed.

Ahead of him stood a massive boulder, at least three or four stories tall. On its front, ten large words were carved in wizard script: "Ainak Wizard Academy Welcomes You."

The boulder was surrounded by a flowerbed, adding a splash of vibrant color to the ground otherwise paved entirely with stone bricks.

Dago walked around the huge stone flowerbed and discovered that a gigantic rune was carved on the back of the boulder. However, he did not recognize it.

Three branching paths appeared before him, along with a signpost at the side.

Following the signpost, Dago chose the middle path. It led to Academy Castle, the main teaching area of Ainak Wizard Academy.

At the end of the path stood a towering, magnificent Academy Castle, like some mysterious colossal beast crouching there.

Spired towers rose from the castle, gleaming with an enigmatic light beneath the sun. Its windows were like the eyes of a giant beast watching the world ahead.

The castle walls were built from ancient stone. Weathered by the years, they looked mottled and heavy, as though every stone was telling a long-forgotten history.

Countless students in apprentice robes hurried through the place. It was like a small town, holding the joys and sorrows, births, aging, sicknesses, and deaths of countless people.

Dago shook away those thoughts and casually stopped a female apprentice carrying books along the road.

"Hello, could you tell me where new students are supposed to report?"

Dago scratched his head and asked her apologetically.

The female apprentice looked displeased at being stopped by Dago, but she still answered coldly, "Report? If you're only reporting now, go straight to the Academy Academic Affairs Office."

The female apprentice then pointed toward the towering gates of Academy Castle before quickly walking away.

Dago was left standing there alone in silence for a long moment. Were all Academy apprentices this competitive? They could not even be bothered to say a few extra words.

Dago stepped through the ancient castle gates and was immediately dazzled. It was far too complicated.

At a glance, countless staircases crisscrossed the center of the castle, while rooms packed the surrounding area. Fortunately, a map of Academy Castle was posted nearby. Otherwise, Dago would have had to go through a great deal of trouble asking people for directions again.

After spending quite some time painstakingly locating the Academy Academic Affairs Office on the map, Dago found his way there and pushed open the ornate doors.

With a creak, he saw a fat wizard reclining in a wide leather chair, his ankles crossed atop a walnut desk as he snored soundly.

Knock, knock! Dago pounded hard on the ornate carved wooden doors.

"What is it? What is it!? Which blind fool doesn't want to keep living!?"

The fat wizard jolted awake and shouted angrily.

"Hello, Wizard. I'm here to report as a new student."

Dago said innocently.

"You're only reporting now? Take your textbook and get lost. Don't disturb my sleep."

The fat wizard waved impatiently and casually pulled a black-covered wizard book from a cabinet beneath his desk, tossing it at Dago.

His bleary eyes looked full of disgust, as though he could not wait to drive Dago away.

"Then thank you, Wizard."

Dago picked up the black-covered wizard book from the carpet and examined its blank cover.

Just as he was about to say something, a powerful, chilling aura rushed toward him.

"Do you know that disturbing someone's sleep is very rude?"

The fat wizard narrowed his eyes and spoke through a yawn.

Dago pursed his lips and said nothing. He tucked the book into his clothes, turned around, closed the door behind him, and left to wander around Academy Castle.

After a long while, the fat wizard slowly woke up fully and stretched lazily.

"I've done a great deed today. I confiscated a forbidden wizard book, [Emerald Life], and saved one of the Academy's little cash cows. Hehehe!"

The fat wizard muttered happily. Then he opened his desk drawer, only to find that the black-covered wizard book was gone.

"Where's my merit?"

The fat wizard hurriedly opened the other drawers and searched through them, but found nothing.

"Forget it. Some student must have stolen it. That book is no joke. At best, it cripples you; at worst, it kills you. Anyone with sense will return it soon enough."

The fat wizard did not take the matter to heart. Right now, all he wanted was to finish work, get off duty, and eat a grand meal.