Chapter 240: Secondary plan

Time passed.

After all those events, the professors and acolytes of Arcangrove Tower gradually began to recover. Or, at the very least, they learned to live with the reality that remained.

The current Arcangrove Tower almost seemed like a tomb. I had already grown accustomed to the silence, but even so, the atmosphere still felt strange.

A tower this large should have been filled with people. But now... The classrooms were empty. The Trading Area remained practically deserted.

Even the mission area, which had once had a huge wall covered with tasks, had fallen silent. Many missions were not even being taken anymore.

Fortunately, the acolytes who had survived the Total Massacre were people who had already been through hell.

Because of that, the Tower continued to function even under those circumstances.

But I knew that this situation would not last forever.

The recruitment period for the South Coast Towers was approaching. And this time, I believed that Arcangrove Tower would probably lower its admission requirements considerably.

It was inevitable. They needed fresh blood. But that did not mean their former glory would return quickly. Educating a talented acolyte consumed enormous amounts of time and resources.

The inheritance of Arcangrove Tower had been severely weakened during my generation. In my estimation, it would take at least ten years for the Tower to recover anything close to its former prosperity.

But that was not my problem. I had more important matters to take care of, so I returned to a monotonous life.

I accompanied Totil in his experiments, learning from his experience and improving my knowledge of engineering. At the same time, I took advantage of the privileges granted to a Level 3 acolyte.

My aptitude in the Magical World was not extraordinary. It was simply decent.

But I had already reached Level 3 before the age of twenty. That meant I still had plenty of time to advance to the Official Mage level.

Because of this, the Professors began to regard me as someone important. Even the acolytes started treating me differently.

Whenever I encountered an Official Mage, I would offer a respectful salute. They would usually just nod in response. It was a silent acknowledgment.

As for Helena and the others... They no longer dared to appear before me. When I thought of Helena, I couldn’t help but smile. During that Total Massacre, she had managed to survive. Furthermore, she had obtained some contribution points. I heard that she had exchanged her points for a potion capable of increasing her mana and was preparing to advance to Level 3.

I hope she succeeds. After all, to completely heal her contaminated body, she will need to become an Official Mage at the very least...

These thoughts passed through my mind for only a few moments.

Soon, I turned my attention back to the book in front of me. It was an extremely thick book. However, its pages were small and incredibly dense. The words recorded within were ancient and obscure.

When the Primordial Earth settled upon the world, its womb opened, and seven descendants were born from it.

The first carried the pride of the heavens.

The second, an insatiable hunger for what belonged to others.

The third, a desire that corrupted reason.

The fourth, a gaze that could never bear to see another prosper.

The fifth, a hunger that no abundance could ever satisfy.

The sixth, a fury capable of setting even the coldest hearts ablaze.

And the last, the silence of inertia, the one that made even the will to act disappear.

Seven children, fragments of an ancient power.

According to the records, from that moment onward, the earth trembled beneath their footsteps.

Mountains that had existed since the beginning of time were said to have bowed before them, while oceans retreated as though they feared touching their feet.

This ancient writing is truly obscure...

There was a great deal of information hidden within those words.

— Biochip, begin extracting.

[Beep!]

The Biochip immediately began analyzing the contents.

Ever since I had registered with the administrative area as an acolyte with the potential to become an Official Mage, my level of access within Arcangrove Tower had increased considerably.

One of the greatest advantages was access to the hidden section of the library.

Naturally, much of the information related to Official Mages had been erased.

In most cases, they were mentioned only indirectly, through secret writings or extremely vague references.

To most acolytes, this meant nothing. But to me... The Biochip could analyze even the most insignificant fragments.

Little by little, it recorded almost all the information related to Mages in that section.

At that moment, I could confidently say that my knowledge of acolytes probably surpassed that of many professors in Arcangrove Tower.

This represented an extremely important foundation. I had discovered the problems that existed in my advancement as a Level 3 acolyte. More importantly, I had already begun correcting them. These details could not be underestimated.

If I left those problems unresolved, even after becoming an Official Mage, my magical power could remain stagnant for a very long time. It might even hinder my future advancement.

After studying that information, I was able to confirm a suspicion.

The president of Arcangrove Tower and the leaders of the major Guilds and Magisteriums of the South Coast had used advanced meditation techniques to reach their current levels.

Most Mages in the South Coast, including many professors from the Towers, did not even know that these techniques existed.

They used the Black Rainbow Crystallized Aura to advance. And after that... They remained stuck at Level 1 Official Mage for the rest of their lives.

After understanding this, I completely eliminated the possibility of using the Black Rainbow Crystallized Aura for my own advancement. Then, I slowly closed the book.

I need to go to the Mundane Forest of the Distant Mountain and obtain the advanced meditation technique left behind by the Great Mage Redof Reneu Darof.

If I wanted to continue advancing in the future, this path seemed far more important. Besides, most of the important information in that section had already been recorded by the Biochip. I practically carried an entire library inside my mind.

I stood up and went to visit Totil.

.

.

.

I entered the laboratory.

— Professor!

Totil was busy conducting an experiment. I bowed respectfully.

He raised his head.

— George, my boy!

When he saw me, Totil smiled.

But I noticed it immediately. His eyes no longer had the same brightness as before.

Chory’s death had left its mark on him. After all, that old dwarf was more than two hundred years old. And Chory had been one of his most important disciples.

— Well?

He asked.

— Regarding my previous suggestion, have you made a decision?

I knew exactly what he was talking about.

I bowed again.

— Yes, Professor.

I took a deep breath.

— I sincerely appreciate the fact that the Wildwind Family thinks so highly of me. But I want to try following my own path.

Totil’s expression darkened slightly. After Chory’s death, I had become his best acolyte.

Because of that, he was not willing to give up so easily.

— The Wildwind Family is a great family.

Totil spoke slowly.

— We have a Metal Path Mage who replaced his flesh and blood with steel. With their support, your talent will certainly be developed to its fullest potential.

He paused.

— Besides, the Wildwind Family is being sincere. The terms of their contract are much better than those offered by the Tower.

I remained silent. But deep down, my decision had already been made. I refuse!

The Wildwind Family was indeed powerful. It had a long-standing tradition within Arcangrove Tower. Many Mages supported it. And Totil was one of the family’s members.

They also possessed a copy of a Level 1 spell model and Black Rainbow Crystallized Aura.

The proposal was similar to the contract offered by the Tower. In exchange for certain obligations, I would receive a Level 1 magic model and a certain amount of Black Rainbow Crystallized Aura.

But there was a problem. What truly interested me was not merely becoming an Official Mage. I wanted to continue advancing.

Could a family as powerful as the Wildwind Family provide me with an advanced meditation technique?

I looked at Totil. He himself did not possess a technique of that level.

Therefore, I already knew the answer.

With the inheritance left behind by Great Mage Redof Reneu Darof, I hoped I would never need to become tied to a Mage family. Therefore, unless I was completely desperate, I would never choose to sell my freedom in exchange for resources.

— I know all of that, Professor. But...

I paused briefly.

— I still want to try on my own.

My voice remained determined.

— If I fail, I promise that I will consider the Wildwind Family as my first option.

Totil fell silent.

Several expressions crossed the old dwarf’s face.

Finally, he sighed.

He looked at me as if he were seeing his own past.

— You...

He shook his head.

— All right.

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

— You are only seventeen years old. Youth is precious precisely because it allows you to make a few mistakes.

I was slightly moved.

Totil might have been a professor at a Tower where survival of the fittest was an almost absolute rule. But he genuinely cared about his disciples. He did not want to see them die.

That was something I deeply respected about him.

— Thank you, Professor.

Then Totil changed the subject.

— In that case...

He stared at me.

— How do you intend to overcome this obstacle and become an Official Mage?

I remained silent for a few seconds.

Then I shook my head, pretending to hesitate.

— That...

I let my expression show a hint of embarrassment.

— I heard that Professor Marcelina possesses some remaining information related to advancing to Official Mage...

Totil froze.

Then he began to laugh.

— Haha...

— So that was your plan!

In the South Coast, information on how to advance to Official Mage was normally controlled by the major Guilds.

But... There was always an exception.

....

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