Locke heard the increasingly heated argument outside and opened his door.

In the corridor below the deck, on the negative first floor, he saw an adult woman wearing a swordsman’s outfit, carrying a two-handed greatsword on her back, arguing discontentedly with the wizard prospects on this level.

The woman, seemingly named Angela, had mana slightly weaker than Locke’s, but she had indeed reached the stage of a third-class wizard apprentice.

From Angela’s words, Locke learned she only had Level 1 wizard aptitude.

Because of this, Angela felt aggrieved, believing that based on strength, she should at least reside on this level.

However, accommodations on the wizard ship were assigned based on future potential and aptitude, not current strength.

In the corridor, many wizard prospects opened their doors to see what was happening due to the intense argument.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Angela’s face reddened, her anger mixed with embarrassment.

She glared at the apprentices blocking her path. “We’re all third-class wizard apprentices. My mental strength is even stronger than some of yours. Why can you stay here, but I can’t?”

At that moment, a wizard mentor descended, and all the wizard prospects in the corridor fell silent.

Locke recognized the mentor as Jarvis, who had previously conducted their tests.

Mentor Jarvis looked at Angela coldly, as if she were a roadside stone. “Third-class wizard apprentice Angela, return to where you belong. Don’t make me say it twice.”

Angela protested, “But, this, this isn’t fair.”

“My mana is as strong as theirs, this isn’t fair.”

Mentor Jarvis replied icily, “If not for the wizard prospect protection law, I’d have thrown you into the sea to feed the fish by now.”

“Let me ask you, how long did it take you to become a third-class wizard apprentice?”

Angela’s face flushed, she hesitated, then slowly said, “It took me fifteen years.”

A collective gasp echoed through the corridor.

For a wizard with Level 3 aptitude, becoming a third-class wizard apprentice typically takes two to three years, yet Angela had taken fifteen.

Jarvis pointed to a wizard prospect he had brought in. “He took three and a half years. Most wizard prospects on this level became third-class wizard apprentices in about two to three years.”

“Even the slowest among them didn’t take more than five years.”

“In other words, they achieved only a fraction of your time to reach the same level as you.”

Mentor Jarvis continued coldly, “For someone with Level 4 wizard aptitude, becoming a third-class wizard apprentice usually takes one and a half to two years. For those with Level 5 or 6 aptitude, it’s as simple as eating or drinking.”

“A few months to a year is enough.”

Jarvis said, “That’s the gap between you and them. You’ve become a third-class wizard apprentice only because you’re old enough and had enough time to study, but the gap between you and them will only grow wider.”

“Go back to where you belong.”

“If you cause trouble again, even with the wizard prospect protection law, I’ll make you pay a price.”

Mentor Jarvis turned and left.

Angela’s pupils dilated, her gaze vacant. “Causing trouble, so in your eyes, I’m just someone making a fuss.”

“I was a respected prodigy on Corfu Island, but on this ship, I’m just a Level 1 aptitude troublemaker.”

The mentor’s words shattered her confidence. Angela’s expression turned despondent, her movements stiff as she headed toward the stairs, descending to the lowest deck.

Locke closed his door. The scene was both expected and unexpected.

Most wizard prospects came from the islands, where they were revered prodigies in their own worlds. But on the wizard ship, they discovered they were ordinary, or even of low status.

Their sense of balance disrupted, they naturally acted irrationally.

Locke sat on his bed, mocking himself, “I was hoping to live above the deck, where the rooms are better, with views of the artificial sky and picturesque gardens, and where the wizard mentors reside.”

“But I didn’t expect some wizard prospects to fight so hard just to live on my level.”

“The chain of disdain is endless.”

Confidence flashed in Locke’s eyes. “Wizard aptitude doesn’t determine everything. A person with Level 3 wizard aptitude can still become a formal wizard.”

Before him, the illusory Horadric Synthesis Cube rotated, sparking silver flickers.

Locke retrieved this time’s Level 5 synthesized item from the Horadric Synthesis Cube, an indigo jade the size of an adult’s index finger.

‘The formula worked.’ Locke’s spirit lifted. He had been carrying various gems, experimenting with synthesis formulas based on their types.

This formula used a Level 4 Deep Blue Jade, a Level 4 ordinary black onyx, and a Level 4 ordinary black pearl.

In most cases, synthesizing Level 4 gems only altered their color or size, increasing their mundane value but rarely producing special effects like Deep Blue Jade.

This Level 5 Indigo Jade, however, had a unique entry: [Level 5 synthesized item, Indigo Jade, a rare gem from deep underground veins, its formation not fully understood, possibly a hybrid of Deep Blue Jade and several natural gems.]

[The Indigo Jade’s mental fluctuation filtering effect is stronger than Deep Blue Jade’s, and a single Level 5 Indigo Jade can store 10 points of mana.]

Locke paused at the description. He quickly took a pre-crafted gold ring from his bag, embedded the Indigo Jade in it, and concealed it with ordinary blue sapphires set in the ring’s outer layer.

Following the entry’s description, Locke channeled mana into the Indigo Jade, feeling a steady stream of mana flow into it.

Yet, he sensed a subtle connection with the mana stored within the Indigo Jade.

With a single thought, the mana would return to his body.

Locke quickly grasped the Indigo Jade’s function and principle. “If Deep Blue Jade is a filtering sponge, then Indigo Jade is a capacitor storing electric current. By storing my mental strength, Indigo Jade stabilizes my mana fluctuations by absorbing and releasing my mana.”

“Though similar to Deep Blue Jade’s effect, the principle is entirely different.”

“More importantly,” Locke thought, “10 points of mana is equivalent to a third-class wizard apprentice’s mana. Patty’s mana is also 10 points.”

“But now, I can store 10 points of mana in the Indigo Jade.”

“This means I have 10 more mana points than other third-class wizard apprentices. In battle, I can cast spells more times.”

“Even during regular study and research, this extra mana increases my efficiency.”

Locke realized the Indigo Jade’s value. ‘This Indigo Jade is likely quite valuable in the wizarding world. At the very least, I haven’t seen anything like it on the wizard ship.’

‘I’d better not let other wizards see I have this.’