“Lynn Kent, advancement course… wait a moment.”

At the Academy outpost, inside Chris’s office, a First-Rank Apprentice on duty was checking through records as he spoke to Lynn.

The apprentice looked young, clearly one of Chris’s own students.

“Alright, thank you,” Lynn replied patiently.

Five days earlier, he had successfully exchanged for Master Chris’s advancement course. Three days ago, he had attended the first session, which focused on preparations for the upcoming breakthrough.

Now, all of his preparations were complete. All that remained was today’s official advancement.

But as he waited, half a day slipped by.

It was already noon by the time Chris finally arrived, looking noticeably displeased.

“Apologies, Lynn, I’m a little late,” Chris said, forcing a smile.

“It’s alright, Master Chris,” Lynn replied, though after a moment’s hesitation, he added,

“If you still have pressing matters to attend to, perhaps we can postpone the advancement.

“I’ll be free for the next three days.”

Advancement was no small matter for him. Though he didn’t know what was troubling Chris, seeing his mentor in such a state left him uneasy.

“No need.” Chris shook his head. He could clearly see Lynn’s concern and reassured him:

“Don’t worry. It’s just some trouble at work. My own condition is perfectly fine; it won’t affect your advancement.”

Lynn nodded, choosing to trust him.

“Come with me,” Chris said, leading Lynn toward the Academy’s meditation chamber.

The chamber was not only quiet but also saturated with magical energy perfectly suited for breakthroughs.

The time needed to advance to a First-Rank Apprentice varied from person to person, but for most it took less than half a day.

Which meant that, if all went smoothly, by sunset, Lynn would succeed!

Buzz

On the way, Chris’s badge suddenly lit up.

The wizard, whose expression was usually gentle, now wore a look of irritation, his brow furrowed deeply.

With a thought, Chris accepted the communication.

Thanks to the Silverring Academy’s arrival, Emeraldwood City had seen vast improvements to its infrastructure over the past half-year.

The most obvious change was in communications.

Many communication arrays had been established across the city, covering nearly the entire Horsens Territory.

Even so, communication remained costly; currently, only special institutions like the Security Office or full-fledged Wizards had access to it.

“Chris, Lord Anderson has already reviewed our proposal. He will convene a meeting tomorrow afternoon.

“At that time, the matter of resource distribution between us and the Silverring Academy will be discussed again!”

Chris did not avoid Lynn; he could clearly hear the slightly excited male voice coming through the badge.

Lynn quickly understood why Chris had seemed in such a foul mood.

From the conversation, it was clear that Chris was troubled over the issue of resource distribution, an issue that also involved the wizards from Silverring Academy.

Because of the existence of the Crimson World, Silverring Academy had dispatched many of its members to the Horsens Territory.

Among them were full-fledged Wizards as well as apprentices.

But most of these people were elusive, rarely seen, so Lynn had had almost no contact with them. This was the first time he had heard any concrete news about them.

The Horsens Territory had always been a relatively small place. In the past, with only a few wizards, resources had been abundant enough.

But now, with so many wizards flooding in, and with local development lagging, the resources that once seemed plentiful suddenly felt scarce when divided among everyone.

“Excellent, Mitchell. Even if the Silverring Academy wizards are going off to fight in the Crimson World, prioritizing them with resources is simply unreasonable. After all, this is the Horsens Territory!”

“Anything else?” Chris asked.

“No, that’s all. Remember to be in Meeting Room One tomorrow afternoon.”

“Understood,” Chris replied, ending the communication.

Lynn followed him in silence.

“Tell me,” Chris muttered under his breath, “Horsens himself has already advanced to a Third-Rank Wizard. Why doesn’t he just develop the Crimson World on his own? Why hand it over to Silverring Academy?”

With the power of a Third-Rank Wizard, Horsens could easily have claimed and developed such an otherworldly resource for himself.

But instead, he had chosen to share it with Silverring Academy for reasons Lynn could not guess.

Lynn did not respond, only walking quietly behind.

“Forget it,” Chris sighed. “Lord Horsens must have his own reasons.”

He turned his head toward Lynn and asked,

“If I’m not mistaken, once you advance to a First-Rank Apprentice, you’ll be aiming for the Gold-Thorn assessment, won’t you?”

“Yes, Master Chris,” Lynn nodded.

“Good. Keep that ambition. In this world, if you don’t fight and seize what’s yours, you’ll just sit and watch others take it from you!”

Chris gave him a nod of approval before continuing:

“I remember it took you just over a year to advance from an ordinary mortal all the way to Second-Rank Apprentice at the brink of perfection.

“That kind of talent is excellent, though you lost some time crossing the Transcendence Threshold.

“Still, becoming a Gold-Thorn Apprentice shouldn’t be a problem for you. I’ll congratulate you in advance.”

To reach the threshold of First-Rank Apprentice in just over a year was indeed remarkable.

But Chris was not young. He had seen his share of geniuses, and so he wasn’t overly shocked.

After all, talent meant little if one failed to grow; no matter how bright the potential, a stagnant apprentice was just an apprentice.

“Thank you for your blessing, Master Chris,” Lynn replied earnestly.

“We’re here,” Chris said at last, coming to a stop.

Before them stood a row of newly built, freestanding houses, each spaced well apart.

After half a year of reconstruction, Horsens Territory had largely been restored.

These were the public meditation chambers used during lessons.

Though labeled “public,” their safety and density of magical energy were on par with the private meditation chambers of official Wizards.

In fact, their configuration far surpassed that of any apprentice’s chamber; only official Wizards could apply to use them.

“Do you still remember the precautions I told you?” Chris asked as he opened the door.

“Yes, I remember them all,” Lynn nodded.

“Good. Then let me emphasize this one last time, pay close attention to the timing of the Numb-Sense Potion.”

Chris’s expression grew solemn.

“Once the mist shrouding your spirit has completely dissipated, I will signal you. That is the moment to swallow the potion.

“When that time comes, don’t hesitate. Don’t open your eyes. Don’t pay attention to anything.

“Your only task is to drink the potion, wait for about five seconds, and then continue condensing your Knowledge Light.

“After taking the Numb-Sense Potion, you will neither hear nor see anything for a while.

“Don’t panic. Focus inward, imagine yourself meditating. Its effects will naturally fade within eight hours at the longest.”

“Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Lynn answered firmly.

“Good. Then let’s begin.”

Chris closed the door to the meditation chamber behind them.

...

Lynn found it hard to describe exactly what it felt like to advance to a First-Rank Apprentice.

But the entire process turned out to be even smoother and faster than he had expected.

By the time his senses returned, it was only early evening outside.

Wizard Chris had remained by his side the whole time, and now he smiled at Lynn:

“Your mastery of the Horsens Meditation Method is indeed solid. In terms of speed and stability, among all the apprentices I’ve overseen, you’d rank at least in the top five.”

Lynn smiled faintly. Before coming here to undergo the promotion, he had deliberately spent all his recent Insight attempts on perfecting the Horsens Meditation Method, so naturally, his foundation was steady.

“I recommend you stay here for a while longer,” Chris continued, “to adapt to the changes after your advancement, and also to let the effects of the Numb-Sense Potion fully wear off. I’ll remain here with you for another two hours. During that time, you may ask me anything if a problem arises.”

Instead of rushing to test his new abilities, Lynn turned toward Chris, bowed slightly with genuine respect, and said:

“Thank you, Master Chris.”

As Chris had said, though he had troubles weighing on him, he hadn’t let them affect the advancement ritual in the slightest.

That professionalism was more than enough to earn Lynn’s gratitude.

“No need to thank me,” Chris chuckled. “When I advanced to First Rank, it was Lord Horsens himself who safeguarded me.

“Now, focus on sensing your changes, pay attention to your spirit, to your mana, and to the altered link between them.”

Lynn nodded, settling back onto the meditation cushion and closing his eyes to carefully attune himself.

The first and most striking change he noticed was the transformation of the mana within his body.

If the mana of a Second-Rank Apprentice was like a shallow puddle, then now, as a First-Rank Apprentice, it had become a small pond.

When he had advanced from Third-Rank to Second-Rank Apprentice, the growth had been nowhere near this dramatic, at most three- to fivefold.

Almost at the same time, he became aware of the enhancement to his spirit.

Beyond simply being stronger, his spirit had grown in other ways:

Its ability to sense mana, its sharpness, and its flexibility all had improved in every respect!

It was like someone who had long been shackled suddenly having those restraints removed.

Where once he could only stumble forward, now he could run freely.

No wonder the structure of upper-tier Zero-Ring spells suddenly feels so much more complex…

Understanding dawned on Lynn. It wasn’t the increase in raw strength that mattered most; it was this qualitative leap in his spirit. That, truly, was the greatest harvest of becoming a First-Rank Apprentice.

And the reason his mana had expanded even more dramatically than his spirit’s growth was very likely bound to this deeper transformation.

Lynn quietly savored the profound changes brought by his promotion.

Beside him, Chris sat in silence, having opened his Extrasensory Sight to complete the final safeguarding.

In that sight, the world was a hazy gray-white, with Lynn’s entire body glowing faintly like pale light.

Whenever a drifting mote of blackness like ink drops or smudges of mist floated in from the outside, Chris would extend his spiritual force to cleanse or disperse the contamination.

After more than an hour, the pale glow surrounding Lynn finally stabilized completely.

Chris gave a last thorough check, then shut down his extrasensory sight.

A few minutes later, Lynn opened his eyes.

“Congratulations. You’ve successfully advanced.

“The only thing you must remember now is this over the next half month, avoid meditation as much as possible, and use spells sparingly.”

Lynn nodded. Deep in his eyes, however, flickered a trace of excitement that he could not quite hide.

Through this advancement… he seemed to have caught the faint glimmer of a chance to finally step into the threshold of the Black Moon Physique.

...

Lynn hurried home and went straight into the meditation chamber, determined to seize that fleeting flash of inspiration he had sensed right after his advancement.

Yet that glimmer, though seemingly clear, was in truth elusive like smoke slipping through his grasp.

By the time the sky grew pale and the morning sun rose over the horizon, Lynn still had nothing to show for his effort.

Opening his eyes, he exhaled in regret. Standing up, he couldn’t help but feel a trace of frustration.

This was the Black Moon Physique, the most important secret art of the Black Moon Faction that he had obtained in the fortress. Without guidance, trying to step into it on his own… the difficulty was simply too high.

No need to rush. With my Insight, it’s only a matter of time before I succeed.

Lynn calmed his thoughts and began considering where he might acquire more Lightless Stones.

Those precious stones had greatly aided him before, and would no doubt be invaluable for entering the Black Moon Physique.

He stepped out of the meditation room into the courtyard.

The sunrise was just breaking, spilling golden light across the sky. The clouds glowed softly under its touch, hazy yet breathtakingly beautiful.

At last… I’ve advanced to a First-Rank Apprentice.

As the morning breeze brushed against him, a rare peace settled over Lynn’s heart.

It was a feeling of leisure and stability he had seldom experienced, even in his previous life.

That old world had been one of endless intrigue, full of petty struggles and hidden knives.

By comparison, though harsh, this world was far simpler.

So long as one trained, so long as one kept moving forward, the buzzing flies and the thorns underfoot would vanish one by one.

After enjoying the view for a while, Lynn ordered Adeline to prepare the carriage; he was heading to the Academy.

Though he had advanced to a First-Rank Apprentice, becoming a Gold-Thorn Apprentice required passing an additional assessment.

And he wasn’t sure, having just advanced, whether he could succeed.

...

“…Lynn Kent, here to register as a First-Rank Apprentice.”

At the Academy headquarters, Lynn respectfully presented his badge to the First-Rank wizard responsible for maintaining the records.

“Yes. Seventeen years old… are you applying for the Gold-Thorn assessment?”

The First-Rank wizard accepted his badge, glancing over his details as he spoke.

“Yes, sir,” Lynn answered without hesitation.

His whole purpose in advancing had been to become a Gold-Thorn Apprentice; there was no reason to waver now.

I just don’t know what kind of test they’ll arrange. Hopefully nothing too difficult… I’ve only just advanced, and compared to seasoned First-Rank Apprentices, my strength is still a bit lacking…

The wizard nodded, then suddenly paused.

“You advanced from Third-Rank to First-Rank Apprentice in just over a year?”

“Yes, sir.”

“According to the latest amendment,” the wizard said slowly, “any apprentice under eighteen who advances from Third-Rank to First-Rank within two years is exempt from the assessment. Congratulations, you are already a Gold-Thorn Apprentice.”

Lynn blinked, stunned for a moment before bowing in gratitude.

“Thank you, sir.”

After waiting a little longer, he finally received his brand-new badge as a First-Rank Gold-Thorn Apprentice.

Even as he held it, he still found it hard to believe.

He had already braced himself for a challenging trial, only to discover there was none at all.

Truly… one step ahead, and every step after flows more smoothly. Looks like I’ve caught the last train at just the right time.

-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 145+ chapters in there

/AetherTL