Heima Magician

Gandalf?

I think I saw his portrait on the wall of the corridor before.

Jia Paer remembered that it was an old man in a gray robe, who looked very kind, with deep eyes that seemed to hide some great secret, making people want to get close to him.

The long robe, the big beard, and the somewhat worn staff—these elements of Gandalf, when combined, quite fit people's imagination of a reclusive magician.

It has a kind of hermit-like feeling, like the kind of key figure who will appear to save the day when the protagonist encounters difficulties, or come to enlighten the protagonist when the protagonist is confused.

He's going to be my mentor? That sounds great!

But how should I be taught?

The moment the question arose, the Sorting Hat muttered to himself:

[I never expected it to be Gandalf; his teachings are really... unconventional for students.]

"I can overcome any difficulty," Jia Paer said earnestly, interpreting the unspoken words of the Sorting Hat as meaning that Gandalf's magic was difficult to learn.

I think you'll soon be unable to say such things. Fine, I'll call Gandalf to come and fetch the student right now.

[Dulululu——]

The Sorting Hat suddenly emitted a strange sound effect, which puzzled Jia Paer greatly. He had no idea that this sound effect was called a telephone ring on Earth, and he just felt a bit freaked out.

However, what the other party just said made him look forward to it. What did he mean by calling Gandalf to come and pick me up? Did that mean I would be able to see these wizards in person?

If other adventurers are assigned to different mentors, will they also be able to see those mages hanging on the wall?

The value of the new area, [Raya Lucaria Magic Classroom], instantly filled his mind.

If what he guessed was true, then the entire Arnor Kingdom, no, the entire continent, would likely experience a magical revival.

Those old guys at the Magic Association are going to have a headache. After all these years of monopolizing the market, things are finally going to go wrong.

[Dudu. Why isn't he answering? What's that old Gandalf doing?]

The Sorting Hat called out several more times, but no one answered. Instead, the strange "telephone ringing" almost Brain Control Jia Paer.

The telepathic magic failed? If that's the case—

Jia Paer thought for a moment, then mimicked the student's manner and said, "I'll go see my tutor. It would be too impolite for my tutor to come and pick me up."

"You're quite polite; were your ancestors from the Leyndell Royal Capital?"

"What?" He looked confused.

Unfortunately, you can't see him on your own. The mentors are all in the Research Area, which is a separate space that no one can enter without their guidance.

What should we do then?

"Well, it's probably because the communication hub is out of power, which is why Gandalf can't receive my messages. Take the Philosopher's Stone from under the platform and go recharge the communication hub. Let me know when you've done it."

The classic fetch quest segment—this is what an "event" should look like in a dungeon!

But when Jia Paer asked what the so-called communication center looked like and where it was located, the Sorting Hat got stuck, only telling him to find it himself, and if he really couldn't, he could seek help from the magicians outside.

Are the magicians outside referring to those guys with stone hoods? Oh, so you can talk to them.

He left the room where the Sorting Hat was located, looked outside, and saw that the two mages were still standing at the end of the corridor, so he walked over to them.

Good morning, you know.

His response was a magic wand that lit up in the air, followed closely by Glintstone Pebble!

Wouldn't that attack people?!

While dodging, Jia Paer patiently explained, "Wait a minute, I'm a new student, and my tutor is Gandalf. You can go to him if you have any questions."

Unfortunately, the other party wouldn't listen at all, and even tried to hit him with the book in his hand after he got close.

"Gulp, uh"

A muffled roar came from beneath the hood, sounding completely irrational, and anyone who got close could sense that these mages were in a bad mental state.

Jia Paer frowned and knocked them unconscious with a single punch each. He removed the hoods, revealing emaciated figures inside, resembling Living Dead.

It is clear that these magicians have become inhuman Living Dead for unknown reasons, and only know how to attack others.

"What happened?"

Doesn't the Sorting Hat know about these magicians' situation? Why should I ask them for help?

Just then, a heavy sound came from behind him as something rolled on the ground. Jia Paer turned around and saw the yellow Warrior Pot spinning and charging forward.

A simple backflip would have easily evaded the obvious attack; instead, the Warrior Pot crashed into the wall and shattered on the ground.

"Oh no." He looked at the bloodstains on the ground, unsure of what expression to make.

Because the Warrior Pot's suicidal impact took away the unconscious mage, he originally intended to take him to the Sorting Hat for a checkup.

Is there any way to find out what exactly happened here?

He chose the left fork in the road, the direction the Warrior Pot were charging from, and continued walking. As he walked, he suddenly remembered something.

Oh right, I have Hunting Handbook.

After a series of rustling sounds as pages were turned, Jia Paer indeed found information about the two mages in the Hunting Handbook.

So they were classified as monsters.

[Hunting Handbook - Monster Category]

[The Kalos Classroom, the Raya Lucarian Magician]

Students who studied in the oldest classroom— the Kalos Classroom —were allowed to wear the Shining Stone Shield because their achievements in magical exploration had been recognized.

They regard the magician Azur as their foundation and explore comet-like magic.

Because of their self-isolation, they lost their humanity over a long period of time, turning into beasts, but the shadows etched deep in their minds made them fear people with certain characteristics.

"They really are the enemy." Just as Jia Paer was about to close the manual, he suddenly had the urge to see if there was any information about the Sorting Hat.

It actually happened!

[Hunting Handbook - Items]

[Sorting Hat]

During the golden age of magic, magic seekers from different eras and even from different (blank content) gathered in Raya Lucaria. The number of classrooms in the magic academy reached its peak. In order to allocate students more efficiently, the Sorting Hat was created. It would find the most suitable mentor for each student based on their aptitude.

In an era when magicians closed themselves off from the world, no new students were being accepted, and the Sorting Hat had lost its purpose; only this one remained, still bearing the traces of a confused mind.

Living in the past, it refuses to acknowledge the closed era and the decline of academia, treating all strangers as students and offering them help. If we don't shatter its illusions, we can likely continue to receive its guidance.

After reading it, Jia Paer fell silent.

When he first arrived here, he actually hoped to see magicians learning happily together, but now he finds that this place is a scene of "decline".

The Zane Dungeon loves to do these things, always showing people only the scenery after the end of its glorious era.

Although this feeling of sadness is quite appealing,...

Jia Paer gritted his teeth, looking pained. He really wanted to see the magical paradise described in the introduction, a place where thousands of magicians gathered!

Wait a moment.

He suddenly discovered the blind spot.

If the introduction of the Sorting Hat is based on the past and does not acknowledge the present, doesn't that mean the mentor he was assigned to might no longer exist?

Who knows if those mentors will also turn into inhuman Living Dead?

Jia Paer's heart was suddenly filled with uncertainty. After hesitating for a while, he finally decided to continue searching for the communication center.

If he can continue to receive guidance without breaking free from the Sorting Hat, then he will temporarily act according to the other party's wishes.

The corridor wasn't long, but it connected several halls in all directions, and there were occasionally classrooms with open doors to explore, and even some puzzle-solving elements to collect. He found a Green Flower Key that could open those tightly closed doors carved with green flowers.

There are also the Hearts and Spades Door, which will likely require the corresponding keys to decipher.

But Jia Paer wasn't in the mood for a thorough search. He would stand outside any door that could be opened, take a quick look, and leave once he was sure there didn't seem to be a communication hub inside.

The enemies he encountered on the road were mostly mages and Warrior Pot. He noticed that mages wearing different hoods could use different spells.

Upon opening the Hunting Handbook, sure enough, their names were all followed by the names of students from different classrooms.

Both the corridors and the hall were magnificent and full of fantasy, and there were also elites who looked very powerful guarding the hall.

When Jia Paer came to the second hall, he saw a peculiar pillar.

It was a building that resembled a golem machine, emitting a faint glow, but the glow flickered, making it look like it was malfunctioning.

In the center of the pillar, there was a crystal exactly the same as the Philosopher's Stone in his hand.

"Finally found it."

Jia Paer breathed a sigh of relief.

There was no doubt that an elite enemy was present next to the communication center; it was a mage with a pointed head, or rather, a pointed hat.

That guy was different from the magicians we'd encountered before. He was not only tall, but he also wielded a thick club and looked incredibly strong.

If it weren't for the fact that he was actually holding a magic wand in his other hand, no one would believe that this thing was actually a magician.

[The Heima Magician] That is his name.

Just then, the Heima Magician spotted Jia Paer. He immediately raised his staff, and azure magical light began to gather.

His movements were as if he were about to throw something heavy, a stark contrast to the lightness of magical combat.

Jia Paer rushed forward, but halfway through the run, his opponent finished charging up.

A massive barrage of cannonballs, brimming with violent magic, was hurled towards Jia Paer!

This is the [Heima Cannonball]!

Jia Paer dodged to the side, but he underestimated the power of the Heima Cannonball; the massive explosion when it hit the ground still affected him.

His arm was burned by the magic, but the damage was not significant. However, the fact that the cannonball could even injure him demonstrated its power!

"This way of using magic is so simple and unadorned," he thought to himself, "But its power is truly terrifying."

As he flashed to the side of the Heima Magician, the other man swung his powerful arm and swung his club at him!

"Bang!"

The clean and tidy floor was smashed with large cracks, his strength far exceeding that of his peers.

Jia Paer swore this was the first time he had ever seen a magician with such overwhelming power.

This guy probably switched from martial arts to magic halfway through his career!

With the intention of testing him out, he lingered around the Heima Magician, occasionally jumping a little further away to guide him in using magic, wanting to see what made this guy different from other magicians.

The Heima Magician was completely being played, and he was getting anxious watching it.

"Looks like we have no other moves."

Jia Paer was completely familiar with his opponent's moves. He swung his sword to deflect the incoming club, intending to finish him off with a single strike.

It was at this moment that the Heima Magician's staff began to gather magic power again.

Using Heima Cannonball at such close range? Aren't you afraid of getting hit yourself?

Jia Paer wasn't afraid at all. This kind of magic was slow to cast, so he could stop it before the opponent could even use it.

A massive hammer formed from condensed magic smashed down on his head!

"Boom--"

A surge of magic exploded in the hall, and a fierce wind arose!

[Heimo Hammer]! A move that transforms magical energy into a giant hammer to smash enemies into mincemeat!

However, this powerful attack did not harm him, because his body automatically released protective fighting spirit the moment he sensed the threat.

Even so, some of the battle aura was still dispersed, which is enough to show its power, which may even exceed that of high-level offensive magic!

Such destructive magic would inspire any magician to desire it, but—

"The Magic Hammer?"

This masterpiece, following the Carian Greatsword, left Jia Paer speechless.

Do all the mages here prefer melee combat? I wouldn't even take this magic for free!

One, two

The Heima Magician unleashed a pursuit attack, Jia Paer did not intend to withstand it head-on.

He flipped over and leaped onto the tall mage, delivering a stealth kill like a wolf.

"Bang--"

The Heima Magician crashed heavily to the ground, his equipment turning to ashes and disappearing completely.

The monster mechanics in the Zane Dungeon are confusing. Some monsters leave behind corpses after they die, while others turn into ashes, which is baffling.

Jia Paer turned to replace the Philosopher's Stone in the communication hub. The moment the new energy source was installed, the pillar burst forth with light.

"It should be fine now." He clapped his hands and was about to go back to find the Sorting Hat when he suddenly saw a light spot on the ground, left behind by the Heima Magician.

"Hiss"

He suddenly gasped, a bad feeling creeping over him, and felt no excitement whatsoever.

Picking up the point of light, it quickly transformed into a magical page and merged into Jia Paer's body.

In that instant, he learned a new spell—[Heimo Hammer].

[Can form a magic hammer and unleash Glintstone Magic for striking]

The magic taught in the Heimo Classroom is equivalent to the academy's judge of good and evil, existing to quell disputes.

You created this thing to quell the conflict?

"You think I can't stand melee magic, huh?!"