Lucas's father went with John to get tested.

His father had usually never gotten along well with his son. But it was like his son had suddenly grown up. He was no longer hanging in gangs, doing unlawful acts.

He also even taught him a knight technique!

John didn't feel any guilt for stealing Lucas's life.

He had already given him a grand goal of his own.

He continued to joke with his father and head to the test site.

He then saw a flying ship.

His father wanted to get tested as well, but he couldn't come up with the gold coin and was too old. So he just wished his son good luck.

John went into the tent and saw a guy in black robes with blue fire designed on it, sitting at a table with a crystal ball.

He held out his hands as John handed over his pouch of silvers.

"This is the testing device. Put your hand on it. It'll tell us your aptitude."

John put his hand on the crystal ball.

Something insane happened though! His public consciousness was being tested on a subconscious level. An ordinary person wouldn't be aware that their subconscious has been pulled into the crystal ball. But John was anything but ordinary.

In an instant he saw his mental body surrounded by millions of unfamiliar runes.

Just like with his talent in formations. Being able to understand the runic library by itself. The runes here became understandable logic.

Normally, the crystal ball would show a color depending on the aptitude of the person holding it. They wouldn't even be aware that they had undergone a test of comprehension.

John could make out the progress and understand what the output of this device would be.

If the crystal ball had no reaction, you had no talent to be a wizard.

If the crystal shined red. It meant you had an aptitude of 1. This was the lowest aptitude and just barely gave you the qualifications. If it shined orange. That meant you had an aptitude of 2. If it shined yellow, you had an aptitude of 3. if it shined green, you had an aptitude of 4.

If it shined white. You had an aptitude of 5! This was the highest level.

But there was also a legendary level. This was just having peak of 5. If you had this comprehension, the crystal would shatter into a thousand pieces.

John instantly calculated his actual talent. It was legendary! The crystal was about to shatter.

But John preferred to remain low key. He didn't wish to draw attention to himself. His fears of being sealed were gone. But he also didn't care about the opinion of others, and it wasn't his style to show off. He wished to hide his actual skills.

So he slowed down his perception of time, since he had sacrificed his comprehension of time to form his universe, it wasn't as good as in the past. He began to change variables in the crystal ball by injecting Qi through his hand from his nascent soul. He directly modified the programming of the device, to make it for this one instance be incorrect!

As a result. Instead of revealing his true aptitude which was peak of 5. He forcefully made it show yellow. He figured an average talent was the most convenient cover. He wouldn't be seen as too important to the academy or as a genius.

Surely, he would be more free this way.

Oliver, the acolyte doing the test was surprised.

For a split second, he thought he had seen it glow white. But it seemed to just be an error, as it showed yellow at the end. He threw this thought to the back of his mind.

While John sighed with relief, he wasn't expecting to use his formation cracking skills so early! It had caught him off guard. At the very least, now he wouldn't be seen as a monster. He would just be seen as someone with average aptitude.

"You can join Ignis Academy. But the tuition for a decade is 10 low grade magic stones!"

John frowned.

"I do not have magic stones. Is there an alternative?"

Oliver smiled.

"I can loan you ten now. But I'll need you to pay me 15 in the near future!"

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

John laughed.

Seeing John's reaction. Oliver assumed he didn't want to take the loan.

"You could also do an experiment for an official magus. I know a guy that pays 20 magic stones per experiment. The main issue is, you might not survive!"

John immediately ruled this option out.

If he was to die in the experiment and need to use his immortality. He would be exposed! Although he could probably do pretty good in a battle against wizards with his cultivation and techniques. He would need to steal a new identity. He didn't wish to throw it away for nonsense. Especially, for a reason as silly as saving 5 magic stones.

John would have to figure out a method of acquiring magic stones in the future. He imagined this wouldn't be the last time they would be needed for something.

"I'll take the loan!"

Oliver began to draw magic circles into the air.

Soon a contract was floating in front of John.

John noticed that while Oliver did this, a ring on his finger was glowing.

"What is that?"

He pointed at the ring.

"It is the magic medium. Only an official wizard can cast magic without using a medium."

"This is a soul contract. It is extremely strict. Failure to comply with the stipulations can cause your soul to be sent to the underworld."

John read through the requirements. It essentially said that he would pay back the 15 magic stones within a year. If he failed to, he would die.

"Quite a strict contract over a mere 10 magic stones?"

"It is so you make sure to pay me back! You aren't the only one that has signed this contract. So far, five others have signed it. The threat of death makes sure no one dares to scam me!"

"I see..."

This was a phantom soul anyways.

John signed the contract and felt a change in his soul.

A small chain had wrapped around it.

John didn't know if Oliver realized this. But this chain was alive! It has intelligence... This was an avatar of a supreme being!

Why would a supreme being use themselves as a judge of contracts?

John could feel some energy being sucked into the chains.

"I see... it is collecting energy. It simply tricked the wizards of this world into using it to act as a parasite, while pretending to be a soul contract."

He felt like he could destroy this chain quite easily. But he didn't.

Who knew if it would also break the other persons chain?

John wasn't the only person bound to death in this contract. Oliver was required by the contract to hand over 10 magic stones. He only had six months to pay John.

Oliver said he would pay him once they left.

John gave his farewells to his father.

A single magic stone could be exchanged for around a 100 gold coins. In the future, John planned to send a small amount back to his parents. They would be set for life.

Lucas's dad couldn't help but be surprised his son actually had wizard talent.

Oliver had tested a dozen towns and had only recruited 17 students including John. In this town alone, John was the only person that passed!

Obviously not everyone could come up with a gold coin. So there were only a few hundred tested across all of the towns. To recruit 17, wasn't too bad in terms of odds.

Once John and Oliver had boarded the ship, Oliver gave John 10 magic stones.

"I've honored my end of the deal."

"Thanks."

They didn't go to the academy right away. Oliver told John he had to recruit 3 more people first.

"If you have a quota to reach, why do you charge a gold coin?"

"My time is limited. I can make a few magic stones from the gold later. Four or five magic stones versus not getting any. What decision would you make?"

"Seems like a waste of time to me..."

"Ha! You know nothing of investing. I only gave you 10 magic stones, and I'm almost guaranteed to make 15 back. I'll make 30 additional magic stones of profit from all my contracts. Maybe one person will fail to pay me back, they'll die and I'll have to live with 20 magic stones of profit..."

"Then if I turn in the gold from all the testing I've done. I can probably make 5 magic stones. These things add up over time."

"If I did everything for free. I wouldn't even be able to afford to lend magic stones to you."

"Doesn't the academy pay you for your work...?"

Oliver's face turned red.

"Yes..."

John then nodded.

"I can respect your hustle. But you should value your time more."

"Meh, this is the last time I'll be doing a recruitment mission. I plan to profit at least a little bit."

John was shown to his room.

He was also given some rations. He wasn't used to eating food and found it quite disgusting, so he threw it off the edge of the ship when there was nobody looking.

He could sustain himself off his nascent soul or immortality.

While they were in another town waiting for Oliver to do more test.

John was approached by three guys.

"You signed the contract with Oliver right? Give us half your magic stones and leave the ship. We'll look the other way."

John smiled.

He then said:

"Follow me."

They were confused, the ship was parked in the air. The drop was about 25 meters.

Where did he want them to follow him to?

John walked past them and jumped!

"What are you doing! Are you trying to kill yourself!?"

John landed on the ground gracefully.

"You guys told me to leave the ship right?"

His voice was quiet. Yet it sounded as loud as thunder in their ears for some reason.

"..."

John then went to Oliver.

"How did you leave the ship?"

"Yea, some people on the ship were trying to extort me! I ran for my life... They even threw me off the ship. I'm quite surprised myself I'm fine. My father did always say I have always been as strong as a bull."

Oliver lowered the ship.

"Which one of you threw Lucas off the ship!?"

The three men were surprised.

They couldn't help but think:

"He snitched on us!? So shameless!"

They tried to correct Oliver.

"He jumped off the sh-"

"Shut up! That drop could break the legs of a grand knight. You could've killed him."

"What compensation do you want?"

Oliver looked at John.

"You guys signed the contract with Oliver right? Give me half your magic stones and leave the ship, I'll look the other way then!"

"You little shit!"

Oliver spoke:

"That'll cut into my profits. How about this. Each of you give Lucas a magic stone..."

"We won't be able to pay for the tuition then!"

John then spoke:

"If I had indeed given you half my magic stones, I would've faced a similar issue. Think about it, if I truly left the ship and didn't enroll in the academy. I would never be able to pay off the contract. I would then die a year later. You make it sound like you're the victim, but you sure were willing to screw me over."

Oliver then said:

"I'll let you all off this time. Don't try to cheat anybody else. Otherwise I'll have to kill you, then take back my investment."

Everyone became silent until John laughed.

"Mortal lives aren't as valuable as those of wizards right?"

Oliver spoke:

"Nobody would say anything if I killed them or you. So behave!"

John smiled evilly.

"So that means... I can just kill them, no?"

The three man chuckled.