After drinking the delicious Red Ear Mushroom soup, Nidhogg felt a wave of mental clarity, as though a pair of gentle hands were tickling him, bringing a sensation of bliss. He picked up the crystal ball and chanted a spell. A moment later, he exclaimed in surprise, “Mental power 23, it increased by 3 points!”
Indeed, with the Fountain of Joy necklace, Nidhogg's mental power had already reached 20 points. But after consuming the precious Red Ear Mushroom obtained from the plump man, his mental power surged to 23 points.
"However..." Nidhogg sighed with a wry smile. "Even though my mental power has increased, my magic is only 144~148 points, far from enough to fully utilize this strong mental power. It seems daily meditation is indispensable."
After a moment of silence, Nidhogg made his decision. He avoided all interactions, whether social gatherings from the Bloodsail Alliance or meetings with other acquaintances. He focused solely on meditation.
Then there was the "purification" of the wasp snails. He poured the rest of his time into the improvement of the elemental magic array deep within his soul. As for his library cleaning job, Nidhogg quietly resigned without a word.
Days passed, and two months later, Nidhogg had fully cultivated his companion parasites. Three months later, he completed the renovation of his elemental magic array. Four months later, he finally increased his magic to 224~230 points, roughly matching his mental power level.
After four months, Nidhogg had undergone his first major transformation in life. That day, he felt invigorated and eager about the recent progress he had made regarding the Life Code Forbidden Zone. He was almost waiting for a call from Varro on the seventh floor of Black Tower at any moment.
Moreover, it was time this month to collect his share of magic stones from the plump man. In fact, the amount of magic stones Nidhogg received from him was astonishing, or perhaps even excessive for a wizard apprentice.
In the first month, Nidhogg collected 400 magic stones. He had teased the plump man in surprise. But when he received 1,000 magic stones the second month, he was stunned.
By the third month, when he received a full thirty mid-grade magic stones, he could hardly keep his mouth closed. As for this month...
Nidhogg felt numb as he found himself unable to use that many magic stones. If it continued like this, he felt that in a decade or so, not even some wizards could match his wealth.
The only comforting thought was that almost all of Black Tower Wizard Academy knew the plump magic apprentice had vast wealth, yet he was doing just fine, indicating he indeed had a powerful backing.
Thinking about the magic stones, Nidhogg did not immediately head to Black Tower. He had another task to complete first—to prove he had officially transitioned from a novice to an apprentice wizard and obtain his apprentice certificate.
After navigating through the Academy, Nidhogg reached a secluded tower within the Wizard Academy.
The tower, stationed year-round with a wizard, was dedicated to verifying whether newcomers had successfully acquired mastery over three or more spells. Although famous and well-known, few people ever return a second time, so it wasn’t a gathering spot for wizard apprentices.
A short while later, Nidhogg nearly laughed at the scent emanating from the wizard before him—she was enveloped in the fragrance of Aphrodite Essence, clearly the variant suited for females. Nidhogg surmised this tightly wrapped wizard was likely a woman.
With the proof of wizard apprenticeship in hand, Nidhogg went to see the plump man on the first floor of Black Tower.
"Hey, usually I send the magic stones to your place. What brings you out here today? Did you have a breakthrough in your research?" the plump man joked with Nidhogg.
He understood that the so-called trial exams at Black Tower Wizard Academy, also known as the Bloody Millstone, were notoriously challenging and perilous. Slight negligence could lead to death, so participants were keen to enhance their abilities as much as possible.
"There's no breakthrough. Even the little progress I've made only slightly improves my chances of surviving the trials," Nidhogg replied with a shake of his head.
"Well, I'm sure you have your own plans. After all, you're quite wealthy now. Here's this month's payment." With that, the plump man handed Nidhogg a small bag.
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Glancing inside, Nidhogg saw an array of mid-grade magic stones, possibly forty or fifty. He was becoming indifferent to these stones, already planning to convert them into combat power. He asked the plump man to use his connections to inquire about purchasing an advanced microscope from the mysterious Seven-Ring Sacred Tower.
"The Seven-Ring Sacred Tower? That's not just a place anyone can access! Of course, a full-fledged wizard would face no obstacles anywhere," the plump man remarked, biting his lip. "I'll see if any wizards from my family plan to go there. But don't get your hopes up for immediate news—it’ll likely be after your trials."
Understanding the situation, Nidhogg didn’t make excessive demands and agreed to wait.
Nidhogg then proceeded to the third floor of Black Tower. After considering the labelled rooms, he chose to enter one marked for Alchemy.
Currently, his most urgent desire was to learn alchemical and potion-based magic, with a lesser interest in mysticism and mechanical magic. Although curious about bloodline magic, he had no intention of practicing it.
Inside the room sat a sharp, slight wizard with crossed legs and a pointed white goat beard, humming a tune while reading a spellbook.
As Nidhogg entered, the old wizard glanced up and casually asked, “Are you here to craft a magical device or learn alchemy?”
After offering the wizard’s courtesy, Nidhogg replied calmly, “I’d like to commission a magical device and learn alchemy.”
“Setting aside the device crafting for later, knowledge is invaluable, but the academy has set a price for nurturing future generations. Hmm... If you want to ask alchemical questions, they're ten magic stones each. But if you want me to teach you the foundational alchemy knowledge, it’s two hundred magic stones per day. Ten days would ensure you grasp all the theoretical basics.”
The wizard chuckled, “Of course, understanding and practical application might take you decades, even centuries, before you can create your own magical devices. Which will it be?”
Without hesitation, Nidhogg said, “I choose the second option. Here are the magic stones.”
The wizard took the offered pouch, surprised, “Booking the full course right away. You must be loaded, I like that! We’ll start lessons tomorrow—be on time. Now, what kind of magical device are you looking to commission?”
“Uh, I want a top-tier magical device for an apprentice wizard, primarily to defend against magical attacks, preferably armor or a breastplate. I’d also like a wand capable of enhancing magical power, if possible…”
“A wand to boost magic? Such items are cost-effective only for wizards with substantial magic. For an apprentice like you, a wand for sealing spells would be wiser. Wait until you reach wizard status before customization. As for defensive devices, I happen to have one.”
The old wizard rummaged inside an inner room and tossed a peculiar item to Nidhogg.
“A mask?”
Nidhogg was surprised. It was a white mask adorned with purple spiral patterns, topped with a single horn, exposing only the eyes and nostrils, giving it a mysterious look.
“Hmph, I wouldn’t show you such a trinket unless you had the magic stones. This mask is a replica of a renowned magical device, my best during my apprentice days. It’s non-negotiable at two thousand magic stones.”
Without blinking, the old wizard named the price.
“So expensive!”
Nidhogg was taken aback. Even his Eternal Earring, a top-tier apprentice artifact, cost only six hundred magic stones.
“Quality takes its price. Otherwise, why else would I keep it for so long?” The wizard snorted. “This mask has two functions. First, it activates a magical defense shield, immune to attacks below twenty degrees. For attacks above twenty degrees, you only need a tenth of their strength in magic to defend. For sixty-degree attacks, it needs a third. At one hundred degrees, the shield can block, but your magic consumption matches theirs. Above one hundred fifty degrees, don’t count on this mask.”
Nidhogg computed rapidly. With his maximum magic output of 230, he could unleash roughly 55 magic units. Enhanced by his improved firebird elemental array, his attacks could reach 45 to 55 degrees, his strongest.
Yet, the mask could defend against his most powerful attack using merely a tenth of the magic!
Nidhogg gasped. Such a powerful artifact!
Seeing Nidhogg’s astonishment, the old wizard smirked, “And that’s only its first function! See the horn atop it?”
The old wizard pointed to the horn. “It houses a spell named echolocation. Wear it and you’ll understand.”
With the mask on, Nidhogg felt as though he’d gained an extra sense akin to hearing.
Through the mask, he could perceive a world devoid of color and smell but composed of substance, demonstrating a remarkable ability.
However, given his existing sensory enhancements from Hunt Nose Magic, Nidhogg valued the shield function more than the echolocation.
Taking a deep breath, Nidhogg asked, “What is the name of this mask?”
“The Pale Mask.”
“The Pale Mask!”
Nidhogg was startled, immediately recalling the mask worn by the faceless sorcerer who summoned countless crows on the sea wheel.
Could this mask have a connection to that great wizard?
Considering for a moment, Nidhogg decided he must have this mask. Such an exceptional artifact would remain beneficial even as he reached the pinnacle of apprentice wizardry with forty points of mental power.
However, Nidhogg inquired, “What about the wand?”
After a pause, the old wizard replied, “Wands of this caliber aren’t readily available, and crafting one might not be timely. These top-tier apprentice artifacts approach true wizard artifacts but at a significantly lower price. It involves considering costs, but…”
Nidhogg, accustomed to the wizard's suspense, prompted eagerly, “But what?”
“Ha, take a look at this rare piece. Ten years ago, I acquired this unique wand called the Blood Bat’s Kiss.”
He tossed a dark wand to Nidhogg, “Six hundred magic stones.”
Holding the wand, Nidhogg felt a surge of energy as he activated it with magic. Suddenly, a large bat composed entirely of wind elements appeared in the room. With a wingspan over three meters, it seemed capable of carrying a person.
"This…"
Observing the wind-formed bat, Nidhogg, perhaps through his unique perspective, first thought of further enhancing his elemental magic array, rather than its flight capability.