Chapter 285: The Association
Chapter 285: The Association
Night had fallen, and Karl stealthily made his way to a uniquely designed courtyard.
A bonfire blazed in the courtyard, adding a touch of warmth to the cold winter night. Several figures huddled around it, their whispers accompanied by the subtle fluctuations of mental power, a telltale sign of their identities.
Apprentice Wizards!
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Unlike her usual daytime attire, Yula was dressed to impress, her makeup accentuating her allure. She clapped her hands and introduced the transformed Karl beside her, "This is Mr. Tai Chi from the Sak Kingdom, a certified Wizard, and our Association's Vice President."
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Karl had decided to use an alias when interacting with the wizards in the royal city.
Karl, Connie...
These two names were likely already on the radar of the four major powers.
While Karl was confident in his safety, he needed to be cautious when relying on others to enter the Calim Continent.
The four major powers would most likely reject any apprentice wizard associated with him.
So, he opted for a new name, eventually settling on 'Tai Chi', ensuring no name duplication.
"A formal wizard?"
"Vice President!"
"Tai Chi? What a peculiar name..."
Whispers filled the air, and the gazes directed at Karl were filled with surprise, awe, and mostly, wariness.
As apprentice wizards, they were not well-regarded and often had to operate in the shadows. Naturally, they were on guard against this sudden appearance of Karl.
"The weather has been changing rapidly. It's said that the Snow Goddess has joined the battlefield, and it seems likely."
Karl waved his hand, and the fire responded.
"Huff!"
As he gestured, the bonfire suddenly intensified, the flames dancing and spreading outward.
In an instant, several fireballs appeared, burning in mid-air without any visible fuel.
Strangely, despite the addition of these massive fireballs, the overall brightness of the courtyard remained unchanged.
Only the temperature rose slightly, enhancing the atmosphere, making it more suitable for their gathering.
"Fire Control Spell?"
Someone whispered, their voice laced with astonishment.
Fire Control Spell was a basic Zero Circle Wizardry, almost like a magic trick, but the ease with which Karl performed it was beyond the capabilities of an apprentice wizard.
One person even touched a fireball, finding that the flames did not burn their skin.
"A formal Naturalist Wizard!"
"Apart from the President, we now have another formal wizard among us. This is a blessing for us."
"Indeed, indeed!"
"..."
The group nodded in agreement, and some introduced themselves.
"Honored Tai Chi Wizard, I'm Morley, an intermediate apprentice wizard, and the youngest son of the Dominic family."
"I'm Bernard, a baron from the Rory family, newly promoted to a junior apprentice wizard."
"..."
Karl nodded slowly.
Most of those present were junior or intermediate apprentice wizards, with a few senior apprentice wizards among them. They were not just apprentice wizards but also nobles and merchants, holding respectable positions in society.
This was not unusual.
Learning wizardry required not only talent but also wealth.
Wizardry materials, spell models, knowledge—all had their price.
But once initiated, an apprentice wizard could easily amass wealth, even attaining a certain social status.
"This is Addison," Yula emphasized, introducing one of them with a hint of envy in her voice, "He possesses exceptional wizard talent and has passed the Black Swamp's trial. In a few years, he'll be off to the Calim Continent."
"He's sure to become a formal wizard, perhaps even a grand wizard one day."
"Tai Chi Wizard," Addison, a young man of fifteen, felt a bit shy in front of Karl.
"Nice to meet you," he greeted with a nod. "It's impressive to become an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice at such a young age in a place like this. Your future is certainly promising."
"Hmm..." Addison hesitated.
"I once had two friends who went to the Calim Continent. If possible, I'd appreciate it if you could pass on a message to them."
Addison handed over a staff, "This staff was something I acquired when I was younger. Consider it a token of gratitude."
Karl was taken aback, "This... you don't need to be so formal, and I might need the help of two elders on the other side..."
"Thank you!" Karl's serious attitude left Addison with no choice but to nod in gratitude.
Taking the staff, Karl waved it slightly, his face immediately beaming with joy.
An advanced demonic artifact!
"May I ask who your friends are?"
"This matter isn't urgent," Karl waved his hand. "We'll talk about it later."
He kept his friends' identities secret, but it wasn't easy to send messages to the Calim Continent without anyone noticing.
Unbeknownst to him...
What modifications had been made to the staff? Would they be discovered by those on the other side?
'Publicly, I am Count Connie, the heir to Earl Carl's legacy, a devout believer who frequently visits the church to discuss scriptures with Bishop Louis, and, by the way, gather some divine realm specialties.'
'In secret, I am the Vice President of the Sorcerer's Guild, keeping tabs on the wizard apprentices in the royal city through guild members and discreetly gathering information about the situation in the Black Swamp, hoping to send some items to the Calim Continent.'
Karl opened his eyes, appearing in the secluded meditation chamber of a foreign sanctuary. His eyes sparkled as he spoke, "In the heritage of the Secret Society, there are the Third Circle Wizard's Flame Gateway, the Void Path Secret of the Third Circle Sorcerer, and the Fourth Circle Sorcerer's Dimension Exchange. Combined with the properties of the divine realm fragment... "
"If someone were to inscribe my Divinity Coordinate on the Calim Continent, there's a chance for direct teleportation."
"Unfortunately..."
"The Stargate only opens once every ten years. Even if someone takes items there, who knows when someone curious will attempt it? We can only rely on luck. But even I can't manage spatial travel at the moment, so there's no rush."
Dismissing his stray thoughts, Karl stepped out of the chamber.
In the corridor, someone was distributing food to the meditation chambers. Seeing Karl emerge, they were momentarily stunned before their face lit up with joy.
"You've succeeded in your breakthrough?"
"Mhm." Karl nodded.
"Can I meet the Second Elder now?"
"Please wait," the person hurriedly ran outside, seemingly wary of Karl. "I'll go inform the priest!"
"Why are they so afraid of me?" Karl stroked his chin, a slight smile on his face. "It seems some people who've broken through haven't been able to control the profane power within and have gone mad."
The Blasphemy Elixir could help Great Knights advance to the Legendary rank, and their strength would rapidly increase during this period.
However, if they lost control, they'd become mindless killing machines.
"Connie!"
Before long, a robust, muscular man approached.
"Follow me."
Legendary!
Unlike the Legendary Knights who advanced through the Blasphemy Elixir, the man's battle aura was pure, indicating he had advanced through conventional means. His strength was formidable, having reached the late Legendary stage.
'It seems there's a clear class distinction within the sanctuary, and those who've advanced through the Blasphemy Elixir, like me, are considered lower-class.'
Karl chuckled softly and followed the man.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
