Lynn had not uncovered much about Lucky’s bloodline.

The dragon race had once been the overlords of the Guern world hundreds of thousands of years ago. But after the rise of the wizards, their numbers plummeted.

Those strange, potent bloodlines were the source of the dragons’ great strength and also the reason for their gradual extinction.

By now, dragons were nearly a mythical species, rarely sighted, with knowledge about them scarce and fragmented.

At least within the Hossens School, very little was preserved.

Two days later, it was time once again for Lynn to carry out a supply mission.

But Selena did not rush them out of the city. Instead, she first led the group to Emeraldwood City’s newly built central square.

Here, a public trial was being held.

The culprits who had slaughtered Hossens' apprentices had been found.

To set an example, the school decided to hold an open judgment before the entire city.

The square was packed with wizards, all eager to witness.

Upon the high platform stood Anderson, the wizard rumored to have vanished into the Astral Realm. His expression was solemn as he loomed behind three bound apprentices, forced to their knees.

Anderson had escaped the Astral Realm and returned to the Hossens School. With Master Hossens’ aid, he had even advanced to a Second-Rank Wizard.

He was now the school’s only wizard of the second rank.

With Hossens himself withdrawn into seclusion to focus on developing the Crimson World, Anderson was effectively the academy’s acting leader.

This public trial had been his idea.

Before making the decision, Anderson had reported the incident to Master Hossens and sought his opinion.

The latter had simply said: “Do what you believe is right.”

And so Anderson organized the trial, determined to show everyone the fate awaiting those who harmed Hossens' apprentices.

At times like these, the school could not afford even a hint of weakness.

The harsher the retribution, the stronger the deterrent.

As the hour grew near, the crowd thickened.

The three bound apprentices trembled with terror. Though winter lingered in the air, sweat soaked their robes.

Anderson remained stone-faced. Then, suddenly, he rose to his feet.

The crushing pressure of a Second-Rank Wizard erupted outward, flooding the entire square.

All noise ceased at once. Even the sparrows overhead fell silent.

The vast plaza grew so quiet that the only sound was the labored, fear-laden breaths of the three culprits.

That trembling breath seemed to spread like a contagion, infecting the apprentices among the crowd.

Faces went pale. Some of the weaker third-rank apprentices collapsed where they stood.

Even First-Rank Wizards felt faint ripples of dread, and several reacted instinctively by casting protective spells upon themselves.

The only ones untouched were those bearing the insignia of Hossens School.

Clearly, Anderson had woven some great spell to shelter his own.

Lynn also noticed the faint glow of a magic array beneath Anderson’s feet, carved into the platform itself…

It seemed this terrifying display of power was amplified by the array.

“These three apprentices,” Anderson’s voice boomed, “a week ago in the Emerald Forest…”

He laid out the crime in stark, brief words, then declared:

“This,” he swept a hand wide, “ is Hossens’ domain.

“This city is Hossens’ city. It is not a den of chaos where lawless scum may do as they please!”

He raised his staff, his tone cold as steel:

“These three murderers who butchered Hossens' apprentices shall suffer unending torment, pain without pause, until their lives are spent.

“Their bodies will hang from the Thorned Blood Tree until they crumble into ash!”

Boom!

Anderson lightly tapped the ground with the butt of his staff.

Pale-red sprouts burst from the platform before him, growing at terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, they became a towering Thorned Blood Tree.

Swish, swish, swish

Three barbed vines shot from its crown, latching onto the backs of the three apprentices like hooked chains, hoisting them into the air to dangle beneath the branches.

“Aaahhh!”

At some point, their restraints had been undone. Now, agonized screams tore from their throats.

More thorned vines slowly coiled around their bodies, binding them tightly while leaving only a sliver of space at their mouths and noses.

The barbs dug deep into their flesh, releasing toxins that magnified pain and forced them to remain conscious. Their howls grew shrill, like nails dragged across glass, horrifying and unbearable to hear.

Blood poured from their wounds, but the vines drank it greedily.

Normally, such wounds would bleed the apprentices dry within minutes.

But the vines impaling their backs had been designed by Anderson to infuse them with energy, keeping them alive.

Which meant their torment would not end quickly. It would last… and last.

After letting the crowd watch the three writhe and wail for some time, Anderson finally flicked his staff.

Shhh!

The array beneath his feet glowed, and a shield enveloped the tree, muting sound and reinforcing the barrier.

The screams vanished.

But everyone knew the suffering continued within.

Anderson offered no further words. He cast one final look across the silent square before flying away.

...

Days slipped by.

Because the distance between outposts varied, Lynn’s rest intervals were irregular, sometimes ten days or half a month before returning to Emeraldwood City, other times only three to five days.

But no matter the gap, each return left him shocked at the city’s changes.

New buildings sprang up, new airships descended. Strangers poured in, new marvels appeared.

And yet, the city’s security had not collapsed.

Part of this was thanks to the ever-expanding constabulary. The rest was due to Anderson’s bloody deterrence.

The Thorned Blood Tree he had conjured that day had unexpectedly become a macabre attraction. People came just to see it.

Even the three wailing apprentices earned a grim title: the Howling Cocoons.

...

Two months later, the supply mission finally ended.

Before the next assignment, Lynn had at last earned a stretch of rest.

But the very next morning, while he was meditating, an unexpected visitor arrived, Lucas, long absent.

He looked like a changed man.

Gone was the gloomy, beaten-down figure. His eyes now shone with light, his bearing steadier, stronger.

Lynn welcomed him into the sitting room. His eyes flickered with mild surprise as they fell on the badge pinned to Lucas’ chest.

“You’ve advanced to a First-Rank Apprentice, haven’t you?”

“Hah! By sheer luck, just two days ago.” Lucas laughed.

“Congratulations,” Lynn said sincerely, though he couldn’t help a flicker of envy.

He himself had been stuck. One month away from Hossens’ domain and then two months of supply missions meant no steady source of mana, no proper time to train.

Though he had already mastered the Hossens Meditation Method, his cultivation speed had inevitably slowed.

By rights, he should already be halfway through Second-Rank Apprentice progress. But after three months, he had reached only 31/100.

The inefficiency was painfully clear.

Still… now that the supply runs are over, I can finally focus on training again, Lynn reassured himself.

I must advance quickly. Only by proving my potential will the school ease my workload. The faster you climb, the more resources and freedom you earn. The slower you advance, the more tasks fall on your shoulders.

That was Hossens School’s rule: the strong grew stronger, the weak fell behind.

The atmosphere was far better than the outside world’s cutthroat chaos, but competition was still competition.

“Lynn,” Lucas said after a pause, “I came mainly to invite you to a gathering the day after tomorrow. At my place.”

Lynn smiled and nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Lucas returned the smile, then sighed, half wistful, half rueful:

“It’s almost funny. When I broke through, I wanted to share the joy… and realized I’ve lived here over twenty years without many friends.

“When I first joined, there were many children my age. Many are still here.

“But after I was eliminated, I lost touch. Twenty years gone… and now we’re strangers.”

“You never thought of reconnecting?” Lynn asked.

Lucas shook his head. “I could. But I’ve never liked trouble. So I decided against it. This time, I only invited you and Martin.

“I once had acquaintances in the Golden Shadow Society as well… but they all died in that battle.”

He looked at Lynn, eyes weary yet bright, and said with a sigh:

“In the blink of an eye, I’m thirty-seven. Everything around me… people, places… nothing is the same anymore.”

This middle-aged wizard was filled with emotion. For so long, his entire purpose in life had been to advance to First-Rank Apprentice and return to the Hossens School.

After the war, he had finally succeeded in returning, and from then on, his only goal was that promotion.

Now that he had achieved it, his final objective complete, he suddenly found himself adrift, strangely hollow.

Lynn was unaware of the man’s inner turmoil. Instead, he asked curiously:

“Lord Lucas, did you end up redeeming Wizard Chris’ promotion course?”

“I did.” Lucas nodded, shaking off his thoughts and smiling.

“If I hadn’t, I don’t know how much longer I would’ve been stuck at Second-Rank Apprentice.”

“Was it really that effective?” Lynn pressed.

“Of course. You’ll understand once it’s your turn to advance.

“Unlike the earlier stages, the promotion to First-Rank Apprentice is very different. Having a First-Rank wizard to safeguard the process makes all the difference, and Chris not only does that, he even provides the anesthetic potion required for advancement.

“All in all, when the time comes for you to advance, I strongly recommend you redeem Chris’s course, or one from another tutor.”

Because of the confidentiality contract, Lucas couldn’t say much more about the details of advancement. He quickly moved on:

“Oh, one more thing, I’ve heard that in two or three months, the School is planning a major restructuring.

“Apparently, they’ll be adopting a system modeled after the Silver Ring Academy, officially dividing apprentices into elite apprentices and ordinary apprentices, based on ability and potential.

“From then on, the treatment and resources between the two groups will be very different.”

He sighed. “Even though I’ve finally become a First-Rank Apprentice, I took too long. I don’t know if I’ll qualify as elite.”

Restructuring…

The word lit a spark of urgency in Lynn’s heart.

The Hossens School had always, in practice, favored promising apprentices with fewer duties and more resources.

But the boundaries were never clear; ordinary apprentices could often enjoy nearly as many benefits as the gifted ones.

If this change made the distinction explicit, that leniency would vanish. The gap between ordinary and elite apprentices would widen sharply.

Fall behind once, and you’ll always lag… I have to fight for elite status.

...

He didn’t yet know the exact criteria that would be used, but the timing of advancement was bound to be crucial.

So Lynn threw himself into cultivation with even greater diligence.

Every day, he woke at dawn. After a simple wash and breakfast, he began meditating.

The School taught that early morning was when the mind was at its sharpest, making it the most effective time to meditate.

Meditation, like physical training, also has a daily fatigue limit. Once that was reached, only proper rest could restore the ability to continue.

That limit depended on two main factors:

* Innate aptitude – The stronger one’s spiritual talent, the higher the daily meditation capacity. State of mind and mood could also influence it slightly.

* Meditation method – The quality of the technique determined the ceiling, and one’s mastery of it could raise the limit further.

Lynn’s aptitude for meditation was excellent, likely within the top ten percent of Hossens apprentices.

Because of this, when he began meditating at dawn, he typically didn’t hit his daily limit until 4 p.m.

And that was with a First-Rank intermediate mana concentration supplied by the meditation chamber. Out in the wild, where mana was thinner, even spending all his waking hours meditating wouldn’t suffice to reach the cap.

Still, Lynn wasn’t satisfied with his efficiency.

Beyond meditation, he also wanted to master the spells he’d exchanged for as quickly as possible.

He still remembered vividly the helplessness he felt against the lizard-beasts in the Emerald Forest.

So he compressed his daily sleep to five hours.

That gave him nineteen waking hours, eighteen once meals and chores were subtracted.

Eighteen hours seemed a lot, but ten went to meditation. Add in classes at the School, plus the occasional unexpected event like Lucas’ gathering… and the time left for spell practice wasn’t much.

Fortunately, after a few days, his accumulation bore fruit. During a moment of insight, his grasp of the Hossens Meditation Method advanced from proficiency to perfection.

His daily meditation limit rose only slightly, but his efficiency soared!

Now, starting around six in the morning, he could reach the limit by one in the afternoon just in time for lunch!

With that, his spell training time opened up.

Morning for meditation, afternoon for spell practice, with the occasional class, and the occasional afternoon tea with Leah when she stopped by to play with the cat.

In this fulfilling routine, Lynn’s strength rose rapidly.

...

A month later.

In his meditation chamber, Lynn examined his own status as faint golden light gathered, forming a shimmering panel:

【Name: Lynn Kent】

【Age: 17】

【Rank: Second-Rank Apprentice (72/100); White Crow Swordsmanship · First Layer (100/100) / Second Layer (100/100)】

【Techniques: White Crow Swordsmanship · First Layer (Mastery) / Second Layer (Proficiency); Hossens Meditation Method · Second Rank (Mastery)】

【Spells:

* Zero-Ring Lesser: Lesser Fireball (Proficiency); Lesser Tailwind (Proficiency); Mind Shock (Proficiency); Hawk’s Eye (Skilled); Wind Listening (Proficiency); Sound Dampening (Beginner); Water Condensation (Beginner); Lesser Detoxification (Beginner)

* Zero-Ring Intermediate: Wind Shield (Proficiency); Tailwind (Skilled); Explosive Fireball (Proficiency); Lamp’s Forcefield (Skilled); Vine Growth (Beginner)

* 【Innate Talent: Emerald Shadow Mark】

Every spell he had exchanged for had at least reached Beginner. Wind Shield and Explosive Fireball had even advanced to Proficiency, capable of instant-casting.

Apprentices generally didn’t strive to push spells beyond Proficiency unless they specialized. Being able to instant-cast was more than enough for battle.

Lynn exhaled slowly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“At last… I finally look like a true wizard.”

Lynn gazed at the glowing panel before him, a sense of deep satisfaction welling in his chest.

This round of secluded cultivation had yielded remarkable results; not only had his spellcasting improved significantly, but his cultivation itself had also advanced sharply. His progress as a Second-Rank Apprentice had already reached 72%.

The day he would advance to First-Rank Apprentice was no longer far off.

If there was one area of regret, it was that he had still not fully entered the threshold of the Black Moon Body.

Through his recent insights, Lynn had come to understand this extraordinary knowledge more clearly. To achieve initiation, there were two key requirements:

* Finding the link between spirit and flesh.

* Strengthening that link.

Thanks to the two pieces of Light-Absorbing Stone he had purchased earlier, materials that aided in sensing the connection between body and spirit, he had already managed to grasp that link, at least in its initial form.

But once he reached that point, both stones had been consumed. The frontier outposts hadn’t found any new ones either, so his progress slowed again.

Even so, Lynn was confident. With his Insight talent, successfully entering this path was only a matter of time.

...

Two days later, the School issued him a new assignment.

Though he was reluctant to part with his days of freedom, he was even more unwilling to part with the resources the School provided. So, after steeling himself, he went to the headquarters to receive his task.

In the first-floor hall, he happened to run into Leah, who was also there to collect an assignment.

“Lord Lynn, did the School summon you to pick up a task too?” Leah asked. Then she looked around curiously. “What about Lucky? Didn’t you bring her?”

“She’s right here,” Lynn replied with a smile.

As his words fell, a black cat slowly appeared at his feet.

Compared to three months ago, Clouds Veiling the Moon Lucky’s formal name had changed dramatically.

She had grown from palm-sized to nearly a meter long. Her fur was still jet-black, but the silver streaks across her body had grown more intricate, glowing faintly in the shadows, radiating an aura both regal and mysterious.

“Lucky!” Leah exclaimed joyfully. She crouched down, rummaged through her pouch, and pulled out a few slices of dried pork, waving them gently.

Lucky lifted her head to glance at Lynn. Only after he gave a small nod did she move with graceful slowness toward Leah, her posture aloof and elegant.

After thoroughly petting the black cat to her heart’s content, Leah finally stood up, satisfied, and walked with Lynn toward the queue.

Lucky padded alongside Lynn, carrying the jerky delicately in her jaws.

The line at the assignment office wasn’t long. Before long, it was their turn.

Inside, three apprentices were on duty distributing tasks. Lynn and Leah each approached one.

“Lynn Kent, you have three available assignments. They’re all written here,” said the First-Rank Apprentice responsible for him, handing over a folder.

“Oh, and one more thing, these are all long-term posts. They don’t have fixed deadlines. Usually, once assigned, you won’t be rotated for at least half a year to a year.”

“…Understood.” Lynn’s heart tightened as he carefully flipped through the information.

A long-term post… More than just a task, this is practically a job. I’d better choose carefully.

The first option was immediately familiar: the Skyship Transport Corps.

Lynn frowned and crossed it out in his mind. Though the pay was excellent, the work was grueling and left little time for cultivation.

The second option was with the Emerald Highway Expansion Division, specifically for maintaining outpost spell formations.

That was clearly offered because of his talent with arrays. But Lynn set it aside as well. Outposts didn’t have the same mana density as a proper meditation chamber, which would only hinder his progress.

That left only one choice:

“The Hossens School Security Corps.”

Lynn frowned slightly. It wasn’t exactly an enviable position… but compared to the others, it interfered the least with his cultivation.

I’ll just have to advance quickly, he thought.

“Have you decided?” the registrar prompted.

Lynn hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll choose the Security Corps.”

It was the lesser of three evils, and at least it would leave him more time for training.

“Very well. I’ve recorded it.” The apprentice smiled, jotting down the entry before handing him a small scarlet badge.

“This is the badge of the Security Corps, personally designed by Master Anderson. Pour a bit of mana and spirit into it to bind it.

“Your first reporting day is tomorrow. Just bring this badge with you to the Security Office.”

“Thank you,” Lynn replied, accepting it.

The design wasn’t much different from the School’s usual thorn-crest insignia, just a little smaller and crimson in color.

As he tucked it away, he noticed Leah finishing her own registration.

The girl’s face was set with determination, and in her pale hand, she held an identical scarlet thorn badge, a symbol of the Security Corps.

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/AetherTL