The following day, Nidhogg purchased a large number of magic wands from the portly man and even went to Xinluwu the sorcerer's quarters on the third floor of Blacksaw Tower to buy a few elemental wands that were not available from the portly man.

Back in the laboratory, ten common elemental magic wands for apprentice sorcerers—fire, water, ice, wood, wind, thunder, earth, light, dark, and life—were laid out before Nidhogg. All these wands shared the feature of having sealed magical energy between 20 and 30 degrees.

This way, by not channeling any magic into his Faceless Mask, which could nullify attacks below 20 degrees, Nidhogg would fully bear the extra energy from the magic wands’ attacks.

However, even attacks below ten degrees could easily kill Nidhogg, whose physique was only four. Therefore, Nidhogg had to keep a life leaf in his mouth to provide restorative energy and ensure his safety.

Life leaves could be reused multiple times with lower-degree energy attacks.

Nidhogg's experiment was to test the passive evolution of resistance to various elements granted by the Parasitic Wasp Larva and determine which foods his body craved for replenishment. This experiment was critical because if Nidhogg fed himself randomly to satisfy hunger, it would significantly slow the augmentative effects of passive evolution. It was the last experiment Nidhogg planned to conduct before long-term study under Peranos.

After repeated elemental attacks repaired by life leaf energy, the Parasitic Wasp Larva secreted a unique substance within Nidhogg, promoting increased elemental resistance. Gradually, Nidhogg recorded his body’s natural cravings for specific foods following each attack.

These food lists were selections made "consciously" by his body from numerous foods Nidhogg had consumed, signaling him through intense cravings.

For instance, just as one might suddenly crave certain fruits or vegetables, Nidhogg’s body responded with strong desires for specific foods after each trial.

Chewing on a spare piece of jerky to stave off hunger, Nidhogg frowned at the list of desired foods. Most were manageable, given his background as a commoner unfamiliar with exotic delicacies, leaving only a few particular cravings, except during the fire resistance trial, where the desired item troubled him.

Nidhogg's noted food was the Gourmet Shell!

Regarded as a rare delicacy by Bissel City's lord and Sorcerer Aravoz, it was undoubtedly not easily attainable, certainly not for an apprentice sorcerer like Nidhogg. Pondering over his notes, Nidhogg jotted down a secondary preferred item for enhancing fire resistance and contacted Nina using the replaced black crystal ball.

A signal was sent through the crystal ball’s imprint, quickly receiving a response.

"Oh, Nidhogg, you're reaching out to me today? Hmm, are you missing me?" Nina’s voice was sweet and flirtatious over the crystal connection. Seeing Nina in this state would shock any onlooker—was this the fearsome poisonous queen?

Nidhogg chuckled, not wearing his mask in the privacy of his room, allowing Nina to see his expression. "Stop joking. I'm conducting an experiment currently, and in a few days, I'll start long-term studies with Sorcerer Peranos."

Nina showed a hint of disappointment, gently lifting her sleek brown-black hair to reveal her crescent-shaped earrings as she set down her book, saying calmly, "So, what do you need from me?"

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"I need to know where your father obtained the Gourmet Shell? My experiment requires a substantial amount of it." Nidhogg rubbed his eyes, darkened from fatigue.

"That thing? I never bothered asking, but if you want a lot, you should post a bounty request at the mission hall. Your magic stones should cover it." Nina stretched lazily, evidently tired from studying her magic book for long hours.

"Alright, that could work." Nidhogg was about to sever the crystal connection when he caught a glimpse of Nina’s seductive stretch and couldn't help but gulp before changing his mind. "Nina."

"Hmm?" Nina responded absentmindedly.

"Uh... after I post the task at the mission hall, I’ll come over to see you." Nidhogg gathered his courage, speaking in their coded language. Nina paused, then chuckled softly. "My, you make it sound like you’re unwilling every time, rare for you to be the one asking. Come on over; I'm waiting." With that, Nina ended the crystal ball connection.

Feeling slightly awkward, Nidhogg was still not entirely comfortable with Nina’s bold teasing.

The Blacksaw Tower Sorcerer Academy was brightly lit at night as Nidhogg walked swiftly, the pale mask on his face, cloaked in his wide robes, moving soundlessly and scentlessly like a lone, mysterious phantom.

"Ah..."

A shriek came from a yard near Nidhogg, a female voice as if witnessing something terrifying. Ahead of Nidhogg, two apprentices walked silently, barely pausing before continuing on their way, unfazed.

Panting...

A pale-faced female apprentice rushed out of the yard, gasping and casting a fearful glance back. She looked at Nidhogg, managed an awkward smile, and then left.

That’s when Nidhogg remembered something and looked toward the dilapidated, desolate water tower in the courtyard.

Recalled from when he first arrived at Blacksaw Tower Sorcerer Academy, Binhan had mentioned two forbidden zones for newcomers. One was the Arid Yard, dubbed the apprentice arena, and the other was this famously haunted, dilapidated water tower. According to Binhan and many apprentices, the tower was "haunted." Of course, such ignorant, backward terms would never be uttered by an apprentice; instead, it was said that inexplicable occurrences baffled even sorcerers here.

Curious, Nidhogg stopped, hesitated momentarily, and headed toward the renowned "haunted" water tower known to all apprentices.

The scent of rotting, dry grass filled the air, with man-high dry grass covering the yard. Strangely, the bright lights from a distance failed to penetrate the courtyard, as if blocked by an invisible barrier, yet there was no detectable energy fluctuation. Simultaneously, the area was unnaturally quiet—no outside sound entered, nor was there any sound within the yard itself. It seemed like a sealed, detached world!

Hm?

Nidhogg vaguely sensed, with his peripheral vision, a pair of ghostly green eyes watching him behind the tall grass as if a hidden leopard watched its prey. Yet, when he turned, there was nothing to see.

Neither scent through his hunter’s nose nor ultrasonic sorcery from his mask detected any trace of a living anomaly.

Not even inside the water tower, and it’s already so eerie?

Intrigued and slightly fearful, faced with unknown high sorcery knowledge and terror, Nidhogg halted his irrational thoughts and slowly parted the obstructive twigs and grass. The sound of his footsteps and rustling grass became the sole melody in the oppressive courtyard, creating an eerie echo.

Once more, his peripheral vision detected the ghostly green eyes behind the grass. Knowing he would see nothing if he turned, Nidhogg ignored it and continued toward the water tower.

The tower seemed ancient, overly weathered and dilapidated, with cracks resembling monstrous claw marks. Standing at its base, Nidhogg gazed upward at the darkened sky, noticing that it formed a vague vortex centered on the water tower, caused by some strange force. In the vortex’s center, a slit-like eye appeared to scrutinize him from the sky, suffusing the air with oppression and fear.

"An illusion? But the parasitic creature shows no abnormalities..."

Nidhogg stood there for half an hourglass duration, peering at the massive eye in the sky, which stared back as if a colossal creature observing a bug through a bottle's neck.

"No, it can’t be real. If such a powerful entity arrived in the sorcerer world, the ancient sorcerers would have appeared. After all, the sorcerer world is no weak place; it’s a supercivilization that enslaves nearby worlds."

With that thought, Nidhogg took a deep breath, pushed the creaking wooden door of the water tower open, and stepped inside.

The tower’s darkness thoroughly engulfed Nidhogg, as though he had entered the maw of a beast.