Chapter Summaries

Richard, a starving and freezing peasant boy, was brought to Baron Black Forest's castle for a Wizard's test to find children for the Academy. He passed with fifteen points, and the Furnace in his soul activated as the test awakened it.

• Richard struggled to survive the cold and hunger in his shack after his father froze to death.
• Mr. Ellison arrived and took Richard to the castle, ordering a soldier to give him a padded coat after hearing the soldier mention the Wizard.
• The Black Robe Wizard threatened Baron Black Forest and began testing the gathered children for spiritual power.
• Richard placed his hand on the Crystal Ball, and its power awakened the Furnace in his soul.
• The Furnace announced its activation as the Wizard declared Richard qualified with fifteen points.

Richard discovered that the Miracle Furnace could extract useful substances and information, then recovered the lost Wind Raven Swordplay from a broken sword. After he and six other children passed the wizard’s test, the Black Robe Wizard took them aboard a vast mana airship bound for the academy.

• Richard learned that the Miracle Furnace could extract substances using energy and information using mental power.
• The Black Robe Wizard selected seven children who passed the mental power test and ordered Baron Delis to prepare them for the journey.
• Richard touched the Broken Sword, extracted the Wind Raven Swordplay, and received the former swordsman’s battle memories.
• A doctor treated Richard’s wounds, and Baron Delis announced that the Wizard was ready to depart.
• The Black Robe Wizard levitated the seven children toward a huge airship emerging from the clouds and welcomed them aboard.

Richard boarded the Wizard Academy airship, learned that his assigned room was shared with Ellie, and extracted the Wizard language from a dictionary. Ellie revealed that the entrance examination was killing people, leaving Richard to face a deadly test he had not expected.

• Wizard Taylor brought Richard and the other apprentices aboard, where Wizard Eason recorded their details and handed out enrollment materials.
• Richard entered Room 225 and met Ellie, who concealed that the airship’s violent room-switching conflicts put her at risk.
• Richard extracted the Wizard language from a dictionary and woke after fourteen hours unconscious.
• Richard ate the meal Ellie had saved for him and asked why she was upset.
• Ellie told Richard that the entrance examination was killing people.

Richard discovered that the Academy’s entrance exam required apprentices to reach a destination within fourteen days with at least two Crystal Balls, then used the book’s extracted knowledge to begin wizard training. He successfully linked to the Sea of Souls and left his mark, completing the hardest step toward becoming a Wizard Apprentice.

• Richard confirmed the Life and Death Race rules and realized he needed to find a way to survive the entrance exam.
• Richard reasoned that the Academy must give commoners a chance and extracted the Basic Meditation Method, Mana Circulation construction, and Four Basic Tricks from his textbook.
• Taylor and Ellery discussed how many apprentices would survive, the Academy’s need for new wizards, and apprentices who had hired Malou to explain meditation.
• Richard used the Basic Meditation Method to enter the Sea of Souls and saw its star-filled expanse.
• Richard drew a Five-pointed Star in the Sea of Souls and returned to his body after completing the most difficult step toward becoming a Wizard Apprentice.

Richard completed his Mana Circulation aboard the airship, gaining the ability to cast Zero-Ring Spells, while Ellie finished translating the wizard apprentice guide. The chapter ended with Ellie offering to teach Richard Wizard Language despite his warning that they would become rivals in the examination.

• Richard recalled his past hardships and reassured Ellie that he was not afraid of the nobles.
• Ellie realized the academy had given them a way to fight back and began translating How to Become a Wizard Apprentice.
• Richard watched a magical puppet deliver breakfast and grew eager to learn magic.
• Seven days after connecting to the Sea of Souls, Richard completed his Mana Circulation and became able to cast the four Zero-Ring Spells in the book.
• Ellie finished translating the guide and offered to teach Richard Wizard Language, but Richard warned that helping him could make him a more dangerous rival.
• Ellie insisted Richard would not betray her and threatened to stop teaching him if he kept refusing her help.

While the airship underwent maintenance, Richard left the cabin and overheard nobles discussing wizard apprentices and the Black Bear Gang. When gang members tried to break into Room 225 to reach Ellie, Richard intervened and knocked them down.

• Ellie told Richard she had connected to the Sea of Souls after seven days, and he congratulated her on becoming a Wizard Apprentice.
• A breakfast-delivering puppet announced that apprentices could move freely while the airship was inspected, alarming Ellie because the Black Bear Gang could roam the ship.
• Richard visited the Observation Cabin and overheard nobles discussing Emily's brother, the Medici family's failed training efforts, and the gang's harassment of lowborn women.
• After hearing a scream that sounded like Ellie's, Richard rushed back and found the Black Bear Gang Boss and his lackeys trying to break into Room 225.
• Richard defeated the Black Bear Gang members and stood with a foot on the Boss's face, cursing him for threatening Ellie and smashing the door.

Richard used Magic Missile to defeat Relid and his gang after they attacked his room and targeted Ellie. Wizard Billiana let Richard avoid punishment by pretending an unknown ghost had beaten the gang, and Richard explained to Ellie that she needed an excuse for the other wizards.

• Richard recognized Relid, the Black Bear Gang's leader, as he tried to break into the room, then attacked him with Magic Missile when Relid targeted him.
• Richard struck Relid's underlings in the legs and incapacitated Relid before Ellie arrived and saw the aftermath.
• Nobles gathered and speculated that Richard had established Mana Circulation, while Richard noted their talk about magical items powered by Magic Stones.
• Wizard Billiana arrived, heard Richard claim he did not know who had attacked the gang, and took the injured men away without punishing him.
• Richard told Ellie that Billiana had needed an absurd excuse to explain the incident to the other wizards.

Richard rejected Kevin Medici’s alliance after Boli’s arrogance and a noble’s interruption undermined the recruitment, but accepted Kevin’s secret offer of one Magic Stone in exchange for sparing him during the entrance examination. After ten days of uninterrupted travel, the airship reached the Black Tower Wizard Academy.

• Kevin Medici invited Richard to join his alliance, but Boli insulted Richard by presenting noble status as the main benefit.
• Kevin described the alliance’s strength and hinted at a member’s Legendary Knight bloodline, but a female noble stopped him from explaining its support.
• Richard refused to join the alliance, and Kevin secretly gave him a note offering one Magic Stone if Richard spared him during the examination.
• Richard reviewed his battle with the Black Bear Gang and calculated that he could cast Magic Missile fifteen times with his full magic power.
• The airship traveled for ten days and reached the Black Tower Wizard Academy, where Ellery ordered the crew to prepare to land.

Richard and Ellie formed an alliance before the Black Tower Wizard Academy entrance examination began. After being teleported into a primeval forest, Richard headed for the designated pillar of light and killed Relid, finding a Crystal Ball, Nutrient Potions, and a Magic Stone on him.

• Ellie completed her Mana Circulation, and she and Richard agreed to support each other in the examination.
• Vice Dean Alex explained the examination rules and teleported the apprentices into a primeval forest, where they had fourteen days to reach a pillar of light.
• Richard set off toward the nearest pillar of light after recovering from the teleportation.
• Richard encountered Relid, killed him with a Magic Missile, and took his Crystal Ball and Nutrient Potions.
• Richard found a black diamond-shaped crystal among Relid’s belongings and recognized it as a possible Magic Stone.

Richard used a magic stone to replenish mana and speed his journey, then survived an ambush by a noblewoman and took her magical items. He camped in the forest and began meditating, but a strange beast’s roar interrupted him.

• Richard discovered that a magic stone restored mana far faster than absorbing it from nature and used the Light Body Technique to travel faster.
• A noblewoman attacked Richard with Ice Cone spells, but he dodged her shots, counterattacked, and killed her.
• Richard took the woman’s Ice Cone Ring, three magic stones, and Magic Dagger, then used a magic stone to test the dagger’s strength.
• Richard continued through the forest more cautiously, spent the night beneath a tree, and drank a Nutrient Potion.
• Richard began meditating instead of sleeping, but a strange beast roared through the forest.

Richard hid from the wounded Seven-Headed Demonic Sheep, but it found him and charged. After killing it, he discovered the Miracle Furnace could extract a crafting skill from its beating synthetic core.

• The Seven-Headed Demonic Sheep rampaged through the examination grounds, killing apprentices until a magical item blasted away four of its heads.
• Vice Dean Alex and Gerald watched the beast's attack in the Central Black Tower and discussed the Dean's decision to change the entrance examination.
• Richard hid from the approaching beast, then replaced the depleted Magic Stone in his Ice Cone Ring when its wolf head detected him.
• Richard severed the beast's front legs with two ice cones and killed it with another shot to its unstiched sheep head.
• Richard cut open the beast and touched its beating core, prompting the Miracle Furnace to offer him Low-Level Synthetic Beast Core Crafting.

Richard recovered a Staff inscribed with Lesser Fireball after killing a Magic Beast, then traveled toward the gathering point while avoiding other apprentices. At night, Saban Chavez attacked him, and Richard prepared to use the Staff against the charging knight.

• Richard kept the Chimera Core for later extraction, took the Magic Beast’s Staff, and left before other apprentices arrived at its remains.
• A towering man carrying a half-dead apprentice threatened the apprentices who had come to search the beast’s remains.
• Richard traveled toward the gathering point, avoided other apprentices, and felt that someone was following him.
• Saban Chavez threw a Wooden Spear at Richard, then revealed himself as a heavily armed apprentice carrying more than ten bags.
• Saban charged Richard with his Greatsword, and Richard raised the Fireball Technique Staff to attack.

Richard fought Saban, a genius knight who survived a Lesser Fireball by activating his Legendary Bloodline. After Saban nearly overwhelmed him in close combat, Richard used another Fireball Technique, killing him and leaving his body as nourishment for the forest.

• Richard blasted Saban with a Lesser Fireball, but Saban survived and activated his Legendary Bloodline, growing golden fur and swelling in size.
• Saban charged Richard, whose Force Field Barrier stopped his first punch, and Richard counterattacked with his Magic Dagger.
• Saban retrieved his Two-handed Greatsword, broke through Richard's barrier, and forced him back while inflicting several wounds.
• Richard used Magic Missiles and Ice Cone Spell to create distance as his Fireball Technique finished charging.
• Richard launched another fireball at Saban, killing him in a thunderous explosion.

Richard survived the examination, reached the academy, and discovered that Saban’s Arm Guards could heal him and contained a breathing method. After reuniting with Kevin and meeting Griffith at the gathering point, Richard arrived at Black Tower Wizard Academy, toured its districts, and agreed to find neighboring rooms with Ellie.

• Richard recovered Saban’s self-charging Arm Guards and Greatsword, discovered that the Arm Guards healed his wounds, and found a breathing method written inside them.
• Kevin reached the gathering point with Griffith, where he reunited with Richard and introduced Griffith as a knight from another continent who had known Saban.
• Richard, Kevin, Griffith, and the other apprentices teleported to the academy, where an Owl Watcher introduced the Central Black Tower and guided the newcomers around.
• Richard learned about the academy’s districts and reunited with Ellie, who had also passed the examination.
• Richard warned Ellie that the glowing Nightglow Dandelions could explode, then agreed to find a room near hers in the newcomer Towers.

Richard settled into Living Tower 012 and extracted the incomplete Spell Engraving skill from his new apprentice robe. After learning the Academy’s deadly assessments and crushing tuition rules, he sought the Lion Head’s advice and prepared to visit the Library.

• Richard and Ellie entered Living Tower 012, verified their identities with their Crystal Balls, and chose neighboring rooms.
• Richard discovered that his robe could yield an incomplete Spell Engraving skill, extracted it, and fainted until noon the next day.
• Richard learned from the school regulations that apprentices faced repeated Bloody Exams and could owe the Academy decades of tuition.
• Richard questioned the Lion Head about Academy rules, bought rust-removing ointment, and applied it to the statue.
• Richard bought new clothes and prepared to head to the Library to find answers.

Richard learned the Wizard World's history and discovered that academies trained wizards for plane wars, giving him a new ambition to become a wizard. After meeting Ellie, he returned to his room and prepared to extract information from the Novice Meditation Method.

• Richard met the librarian Fenna, learned the Library's rules, and borrowed Chronicles of the Wizard World.
• Richard read that the Wizard War devastated the continent, the Truth Council united the five great schools, and academies arose to supply wizards for plane wars.
• Richard decided that he must become a wizard after learning about astral voyages and plane wars.
• Richard met Ellie outside the dormitory, recommended Chronicles of the Wizard World, and shared the bread she offered.
• Richard returned to his room, took out the Novice Meditation Method, and agreed to extract its information at a cost of 10 Spiritual Power.

Richard advanced his meditation and learned about the Academy’s rules before attending his first Introduction to Alchemy class. There, Anna Dorsey introduced the idea that wizards were madmen who pursued knowledge, leaving Richard to reflect on what that meant.

• Richard completed the ten Spirit Runes of the Novice Meditation Method, meditated for four hours, and raised his mental power to 15.1 over the following days.
• The entrance examinations ended after more than half of the nearly ten thousand candidates had died, and the surviving apprentices entered the Academy.
• Richard learned the Academy’s course, Magic Stone, and probation rules as its free classes opened.
• Richard attended his first Introduction to Alchemy class with Ellie and read about wizard spells and Combat Systems while waiting for the teacher.
• Anna Dorsey asked the class what a wizard was, and Richard answered that wizards were madmen who pursued knowledge.
• Anna praised Richard’s answer and wrote it on the blackboard, prompting him to consider whether pursuing knowledge required becoming a madman.

After Anna’s alchemy lesson, Richard discovered that the Miracle Furnace could extract information from the Wizard War ciphers stored in the Library, including a Bloodline Alchemy formula. Learning that Bloodline Alchemy could explain Saban’s abilities, Richard began shaping a combat system centered on alchemy and decided he needed an alchemy mentor.

• Richard decided to study alchemy after Anna explained its practical and commercial potential, then went to the Library instead of the Commercial District with Ellie.
• Richard used the Miracle Furnace to probe ciphered wizard notes and discovered it could extract their information, though many notes contained useless or bizarre material.
• Richard borrowed Book N7891, refined its Bloodline Alchemy formula, and learned that the method fused creature bloodlines to grant abilities.
• Richard compared the formula with Saban’s Arm Guard and concluded that the breathing method used by Legendary Knights was part of Bloodline Alchemy.
• Richard studied alchemy books and began outlining a combat system built around alchemy and supported by spells, then resolved to find an alchemy mentor.

Richard searched for a mentor and settled on Gerald, whose easy apprentice requirements included completing one of his missions, then accepted a mission to refine Red Mercury. After buying Sunstone from Anna’s Hut, he returned to his room and prepared to use the Miracle Furnace to refine it.

• Richard found Gerald’s mentor listing and decided to investigate his missions after learning he lacked the required apprentice rank.
• At the Mission Hall, Richard accepted Gerald’s mission to refine fifty grams of Red Mercury despite the snake-haired witch warning him that Gerald’s apprentices usually worked in his Alchemy Workshop.
• Richard searched the Commercial District for Sunstone and bought two kilograms from Anna’s Hut for five Magic Stones.
• Back in his room, Richard reviewed the Red Mercury instructions and used the Miracle Furnace interface to prepare to refine a piece of Sunstone.

Richard refined Red Mercury with the Miracle Furnace and concealed how quickly he completed the task while pursuing Bloodline Alchemy. Three months later, he bought a Black Iron Beast claw and prepared to begin the first stage of the Black Warrior formula.

• Richard refined one kilogram of Sunstone into fifty grams of Red Mercury and sealed it in a brown glass bottle.
• Richard left his task unsubmitted and spent three months seeking materials for Bloodline Alchemy instead of exchanging for spell models.
• Richard’s self-test showed his mental power had reached 16.2, while his physique remained at 10.
• Richard found a damaged Black Iron Beast claw at Stall Street and bargained the seller down to three Magic Stones.
• Richard returned to the dormitory with the claw, intending to use it for the first part of Bloodline Alchemy.