The Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy is perched on the edge of the Wizard Continent. To the east stretches the vast and mysterious Wizard Continent, blocked by the Thorny Forest, while to the west lies the endless ocean and a sea known as the Gem Sea, similarly obstructed by the Blacksword Mountains.
Thus, Blacksword Tower is a relatively expansive wizard academy.
Of course, the so-called barriers of the Thorny Forest and Blacksword Mountains apply primarily to the average wizard apprentice. For official wizards with the ability to fly, these do not pose much of an obstacle.
Half a month later, Nidhogg finally completed his tour of the Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy, gaining a thorough understanding of its layout and structure.
In general, the Blacksword Tower itself serves as the true core of the entire wizard academy. However, for most wizard apprentices, only the lower seven floors of the Blacksword Tower are accessible. The nearly hundred levels above are shrouded in secrecy, accessible only to the most powerful wizards.
Aside from the Blacksword Tower, the wizard academy offers three main gathering places for the vast number of wizard apprentices: the Teaching Hall, the Library, and the Bounty Loft.
Today marks the once-a-decade recruitment day for apprentices at the Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy, aligning with the unified recruitment day across all wizard academies on the Wizard Continent.
Generally speaking, each wizard academy has its sphere of influence, securing territories based on its strength, from which it selects prospective students with the aptitude to become wizard apprentices.
However, it is clear that the Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy does not adhere to conventional, logical methods for recruiting students.
A throng of newcomers, led by veteran wizard apprentices, entered the academy.
The newcomers, brimming with seven parts curiosity and three parts arrogance, marveled at the academy's many buildings, whispering among themselves. Some even boldly declared their ambitions to become great wizard kings.
Members of the Bloodsail Alliance followed suit among the newcomers.
In contrast to the fresh recruits selected from the mainland, the members of the Bloodsail Alliance exhibited a composed demeanor.
Having endured harsh trials, they saw reflections of their past, arrogant selves in these newcomers.
So self-assured, so naive.
Standing orderly on the smooth marble plaza were nearly two thousand newcomers. On the towering dais, a dozen wizards sat in various postures. Wizards seemed to favor concealing their bodies beneath large robes, hiding their secrets.
Wizards didn’t mince words like nobles; especially when high-ranking wizards addressed lower-ranking ones, their tone often carried commands and orders—a natural aspect of the competitive rules of the wizarding world.
In the wizarding world, time is measured by hourglasses and natural days, though some places also use mechanical clocks.
One natural day equals twelve hourglasses. Compared to the East Coral Island's hourly timing, it's roughly an hourglass being equivalent to two mechanical clock hours.
After three-quarters of an hourglass, the wizards on the dais spoke in varied tones about the basic rules of the Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy and the numerous tasks and trials apprentices must undertake.
Having reflected on their prior "tasks" aboard the sea vessel, members of the Bloodsail Alliance shed any naïve illusions about the academy.
Nidhogg summarized the situation.
In essence, Blacksword Tower offers a three-year grace period to new entrants, but this so-called grace period consists merely of two measly magic stones per month as a stipend and a non-mandatory mission period.
After three years, a trial mission awaits the newcomers.
Nidhogg could easily deduce that this trial mission was designed to swiftly eliminate most of those the academy deemed unqualified.
As for the use of magic stones?
Nidhogg didn’t yet grasp the fundamental purpose of these magic-filled stones, but to the abundance of newcomers at the wizard academy, nearly all power-boosting endeavors were linked to magic stones.
For instance, borrowing wizard books for a week required a magic stone, attending a wizard lecture cost half a magic stone per session, and purchasing experimental materials wouldn't be possible without enough magic stones!
Indeed, with surplus magic stones, apprentices could privately consult wizards or even request guidance...
In short, magic stones held greater currency than gold coins among wizards because of their tangible value—they were indispensable consumables for wizards.
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After three-quarters of an hourglass.
For wizards, whose time was precious, addressing a group of ignorant wizard apprentices was pointless and time-wasting, thus the gathering concluded.
However, just before the end, the wizards announced some good news.
“Listen, the academy is providing every wizard apprentice with a complimentary crystal ball and seven basic wizard knowledge lectures—this is a benevolence from the great Seventh Ring Holy Tower.”
Crystal ball? Wizard knowledge lectures? Seventh Ring Holy Tower?
While Nidhogg was pleasantly surprised by the crystal ball and wizard knowledge lectures, the mention of the Seventh Ring Holy Tower, an unfamiliar term, piqued his interest.
…
Three days later.
Nidhogg, the Yorkris siblings, and Binghampton snagged front-row seats in Lecture Hall Nine. Since the instructor hadn't arrived yet, Binghampton, the chatterbox, began bombarding Nidhogg with more chatter.
“I’ve got a secret for you, those owls in the academy? They’re not really owls. I overheard from a senior that these owls are actually the eyes and ears of the enforcement team—they’re the academy's guardians!”
Pausing for effect, Binghampton licked his lips with satisfaction before adding, “Also, they say there are two places in this academy newcomers should never go. One place reportedly sees lots of strange occurrences, and the other is basically a wizard apprentice arena!”
“Strange occurrences?”
Nidhogg pondered briefly, surmising that these so-called strange occurrences likely stemmed from the ignorance and fear of lower-level wizards toward higher-level wizardry.
As for the wizard apprentice arena, Nidhogg had heard about it too.
Despite the Blacksword Tower Wizard Academy's clear prohibition against murder within its walls, it never truly enforced this rule.
The academy maintained two unspoken rules.
Firstly, if you could kill someone without the enforcement team detecting it, then your victim died in vain, with no one pursuing justice—the academy held no sympathy for the weak.
Secondly, a place called the Wasteland House existed.
The enforcement team only collected corpses there and didn’t investigate accountability, hence it was known as the apprentice gladiator arena.
On the other side, seeing Nidhogg's skepticism about the existence of strange occurrences, Binghampton hastily insisted, “It’s true! Not only do we newcomers experience strange things there, but even the high-ranking wizards encounter them, and they can't be stopped.”
Binghampton’s confident assurance and apparent sincerity piqued Nidhogg’s curiosity. He asked, “Where?”
“Hehe, I knew you’d ask. It’s at the abandoned water tower on the south side of the academy. But these occurrences only happen at night when you’re alone. If you’re interested, sneak out and check it out…”
Binghampton encouraged Nidhogg, who remained noncommittal.
Deep down, Nidhogg didn’t believe in these so-called strange occurrences, yet he hesitated to explore recklessly.
Unbeknownst to them, the hall had filled with newcomers. While Nidhogg and Binghampton quietly discussed academy rumors, Nina and the Yorkris siblings chatted in hushed tones.
At that moment, an unpleasant voice interrupted.
A girl dressed luxuriously and elegantly had arrived. Unlike most wizard apprentices who copied wizards by donning oversized robes, she did not.
Her short, purple-brown hair and the red-blue gem circlet on her forehead, combined with the intricate purple-black patterns of her dress, exuded nobility, sophistication, and mystery, accentuating her graceful figure and snow-white skin.
This girl must come from an extraordinary background!
Her natural aura of nobility surpassed even Nina's former presence.
Of course, in wizarding academies on the continent, there was little distinction between commoners and nobles—only knowledge and power mattered.
The elegantly poised girl, looking somewhat annoyed, spoke to a boy following her around like a lackey, “How could there be no seats in nine consecutive halls? Didn’t you say there were always plenty of seats, and we needn’t rush?”
Uh…
The boy seemed embarrassed.
Based on his information, previous cohorts rarely filled even eight lecture halls, but this year’s newcomers packed nine full, with many unable to enter at all.
Caught unprepared, the boy was paying the price for his unreliable intelligence.
Unwilling to admit his blunder and incompetence in front of the girl, the boy’s expression darkened.
Then he turned his gaze toward Yorkliana.
Sure enough, weaklings were easily identified. Whether on the sea vessel or in the wizard academy, Yorkliana’s gentle demeanor and aura inspired no fear.
“You two, get out,” the boy demanded, pointing at Yorkliana and Yorkris. He assumed Yorkris must be Yorkliana’s suitor.
With a glance back, over ten people in the rear of the hall stood up. They seemed to be from the same region as the boy, stepping forward to support him, glaring at the suddenly flustered Yorkliana.
Bang!
Nina slammed the table and sprang up, her eyes burning with fury as she glared at the boy. “Are you talking to us?”
Her icy words seemed to squeeze from between her teeth, hinting at her rage.
Words were unnecessary with a month of shared battle experience on the sea vessel; Nidhogg and Binghampton also stood, while Yorkris huffed, brimming with anger, “Who the hell do you think you are?!”
His shout drew everyone’s attention.
Next to Yorkris sat an unfamiliar boy wearing black-rimmed glasses, who looked scholarly and refined.
Seeing Nidhogg and company shouting at a group of over ten, the boy quickly shifted away, distancing himself from Yorkris, internally sighing, “Such reckless fools.”
To him, Nidhogg’s group seemed doomed.
Beside the bespectacled boy, a girl, covering her mouth, glanced at Nidhogg’s group with a hint of sympathy.
On the other side, the boy who had gathered reinforcements was briefly stunned by Yorkris’s roar.
However, rage swiftly followed.
The boy prided himself on accurate judgment, instantly sensing that aside from Nina, the rest exuded a “commoner” aura.
Yet these commoners dared defy him!
Moreover, they embarrassed him in front of her!
Fury seethed in the boy, nearly driving him mad. Towering over Nidhogg’s group at six feet three, he sneered, “You will kneel and slap yourselves, and maybe I’ll spare you. Otherwise, I swear, you won’t survive half a year here…”
His malice was evident. Furious, he plotted to consult a senior for ways to eliminate these insolent commoners.
“Won’t survive six months? Huh… very well!”
Nina laughed with anger. “I’d like to see how you’ll make us not survive six months!”
She sat back down, staring unflinchingly at the fuming boy.
“Fine, since you seek death…”
The boy began to threaten further when suddenly, a loud slap echoed. A sharp slap struck his face. Turning in disbelief, the boy saw one of his friends had hit him. His face flushed red with anger, veins bulging.
His friend, also surprised, explained, “Not me, there was sorcery, must be…”
At that moment, nearly eighty people silently stood in the grand hall. With menacing expressions, they surrounded the group of ten, coldly glaring at the boy threatening Nidhogg’s group.
Lightblade spellcaster Armrand and one-armed manipulator spellcaster walked side by side. The latter frowned, “Only one-tenth of an hourglass until class begins.”
Armrand chuckled, fiddling with a fine ring, and coldly replied, “Plenty of time.”
With a chilling command, Armrand called out to the hall, “Bloodsail Alliance business, clear the area!”