On the 79th floor of Blacksaw Tower, in Peranos's grand hall, Peranos, Val, the black cat, Nidhogg, and a female sorcerer sat at a long table. Before each sat a large plate containing the prized fish known as the "Planer Fish," a delicacy cultivated over many years in the laboratory's fish tank.

"Nidhogg, this is your mistress, Alice, a renowned gourmet in Blacksaw. This Planer Fish has been meticulously raised by her for twenty-five years; consider it a welcoming gift," Peranos said with a begrudging smile, his stitched, scarred face adding a grotesque quality to his expression.

Mistress Alice smiled at Nidhogg, a smile full of an indescribable charm, suggesting she was not one to speak often. Alice had golden, wavy short hair, blue amber eyes, and cream-like fair skin, embodying a petite beauty. However, she had mouths on each palm, a feature that had initially shocked Nidhogg—clearly an adaptation for her craft as a gourmand.

The black cat sat on the table, drooling as it eyed the Planer Fish before it, muttering to Nidhogg without looking up, "Kid, you don’t understand the rarity of these Planer Fish. They're a species brought by the old man from another world, survived only because of the expensive habitat he created. Remember, the first time you eat a Planer Fish, consume it whole, bones and all, to fully absorb its benefits. It should increase your stamina by 3 points."

Three points of stamina!?

Nidhogg widened his eyes in disbelief at the black cat. To Nidhogg, who only had 4 stamina points, gaining nearly double his stamina from a single fish was astonishing.

The black cat licked its lips disdainfully, "You’re just an apprentice with no physical training. Gaining 3 points means nothing. Only if the old man gained 3 points would it be noteworthy..."

Nidhogg glanced at Peranos. Could a Level Three Grand Sorcerer, an expert in physical enhancement, really gain 3 points from this?

Val, excited, brandished a knife and fork, whispering to Nidhogg, "Hey, who knew you’d become my junior. I may not be as flush as our senior sister, but I have some rare trinkets from the sorcerer world. Here’s one for you." Val tossed a white dagger to Nidhogg.

Surprised, Nidhogg examined the dagger, noting it was made of bone and irregularly shaped.

"Hehe, this dagger is crafted from the claw of a powerful being from another world, said to be as strong as a Level Three Grand Sorcerer before it died," Val proudly explained to Nidhogg.

A claw from a creature equivalent to a Level Three Grand Sorcerer?

Nidhogg tried channeling magic into it, finding it highly conductive to magic as he easily transferred power into it. He then attempted to invoke a fire element from his magic circle, igniting flames along the blade.

Delighted, Nidhogg asked, "Val, does this dagger have a name?"

"Uh... it’s a personal project of mine, hasn’t been named yet," Val replied awkwardly, having forgotten such a detail. A cool name could enhance the worth of his collection significantly.

Thinking for a moment, Nidhogg murmured, "No name... then let’s call it the Sonic Bone Dagger."

...

Peranos’s laboratory was unlike Nidhogg's, which had everything crammed into one space. His spanned nine separate labs. Of these, Nidhogg was granted access to the library and the voodoo research lab.

A Level Three Grand Sorcerer’s library, amassed over centuries, contained countless volumes and many priceless ancient parchments handed down by ancient sorcerers.

Books aside, Nidhogg followed Peranos into the voodoo research lab, where they sat across from each other. Peranos sipped rich coffee before asking casually, "Before we start with the Poison-Body Refinement Sorcery, do you have any questions or issues from your independent experiments you’d like to discuss with me?"

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Nidhogg had been waiting for this moment and asked without hesitation, "Uh, mentor, I’d like to know more about the Ruined Tower."

Peranos glanced at him and asked, "You’ve been there? How was it?"

"While my sorcerer’s intellect analyzed it as unreal, the bizarre phenomena remain inexplicable. Yet, it was a marvelous experience overall." Nidhogg confessed with a slightly entranced smile.

After all, it had increased his mental power by 5 points—a truly wonderful experience.

"Marvelous, you say?" Peranos's eyes widened with a mix of concern and excitement. "Does that mean you crossed the Black Realm?" His breathing became slightly hurried.

"The Black Realm? That’s an apt name, given its lack of reference points. I think I crossed it, and to my surprise, my mental power increased by 5 points—a miracle. If I could understand its secrets..."

"You crossed it?" Peranos’s face, twisted with scars, displayed a look of utter astonishment.

Nidhogg confirmed, "Yes, why?"

After a prolonged silence, Peranos finally calmed down and said, "This is not something typically disclosed to any apprentice. Only us three deans know. Since you successfully crossed the Black Realm and acquired the chance, there’s no harm in telling you—the Ruined Tower is a relic left by the Blacksaw Tower Master 1,700 years ago, housing a permanent mental power environment. As per the Tower Master, an apprentice unaware of this opportunity, if they cross the Black Realm, could find significant benefit in becoming a sorcerer."

"Tower Master?" Nidhogg asked in surprise. "Is that the founder of Blacksaw Sorcerer Academy?"

"It seems I must first teach you about the sorcerer world's power structure." Peranos continued with a wink, "Sorcerers undergo three qualitative changes: Level One Formal Sorcerer, Level Four Stigmata Sorcerer, and Level Seven True Spirit Sorcerer. You understand that a Formal Sorcerer is beyond your ability to resist, correct? No matter which sorcery or magical tool you use, before their control over natural forces suppresses your sorcery leverage, it's all futile."

Nidhogg nodded, agreeing with Peranos's statement.

From the natural force warnings during the trial secret realm to the distant sorcerer imprisonments afterward, and even the mark fluctuations in trials, these were beyond an apprentice’s ability to counter.

Seeing Nidhogg's nod, Peranos continued, "As for Level Four Stigmata Sorcerers, they are likewise invincible to Level Three Sorcerers. You must know a bit about their soul-slave legions?"

"Uh... yes, a little. From what books mention, every Stigmata Sorcerer establishes a massive legion in conquered worlds, with at least a thousand slave creatures under their command." Nidhogg recounted what he knew.

"You indeed know a bit; having a well-funded apprentice is much easier. Your senior sister may have talent, but she lacks in intellect," Peranos grumbled before continuing, "The reason Stigmata Sorcerers control so many soul slaves is this."

Peranos gestured upwards, leading Nidhogg to ask, bewildered, "The ceiling?"

"Fool! I mean the Sorcerer’s Tower! Every Level Four Stigmata Sorcerer has a personal sorcerer academy within the sorcerer world, with the sorcerer tower as its core. The stronger the academy, the more sorcerers it has. The tower’s power strengthens the Stigmata Sorcerer’s soul—thus the title of Tower Master." Peranos fumed, nearly losing his patience with Nidhogg's misunderstanding.

Nidhogg chuckled at his folly, pressing on, "And Level Seven True Spirit Sorcerers?"

Feigning indifference, yet inwardly shocked, Nidhogg realized formal sorcerers derived significant power from being Tower Masters, underscoring why apprentices endured rigorous trials to become sorcerers.

Peranos asked back, "Do you know the power of a Level Four Stigmata Sorcerer?"

Nidhogg shook his head. He understood only some concepts about Formal Sorcerers, not Stigmata Sorcerers.

"If you don't understand Level Four Stigmata Sorcerer’s power, why would I know about Level Seven True Spirit Sorcerer strength?" Peranos retorted, "These True Spirit Sorcerers have lived endlessly, are truly great, and cannot be comprehended. They are the masters of the sorcerer world and beyond. You only need to know they alone can build a Holy Tower."

Pausing, Peranos suddenly said, "Even if a True Spirit Sorcerer hides their energy completely, they can unwittingly kill nearby apprentices—why Holy Towers typically bar apprentices."

Nidhogg was left in awe.

So, the reason Holy Towers forbade apprentices was this?

With a clearer understanding of power in the sorcerer world, Nidhogg requested live human experiment materials.

Peranos frowned, saying, "I’ll visit the Holy Tower in six months and bring back humanoid creatures from other worlds for you. For now, focus on mastering my Poison-Body Refinement Sorcery."

Later, Peranos warned sternly, "Never become a Dark Sorcerer, especially on the sorcerer continent—dire consequences await. You’ll understand once you become a Demon Hunter Sorcerer in seventeen years."

Nidhogg frowned.

He knew the so-called Holy Tower study quota in seventeen years was the Seventh Ring Holy Tower's recruitment of elite apprentices to become Demon Hunter Sorcerers, tasked with upholding sorcerer continental order and eliminating Dark Sorcerers, enforcing the absolute "sorcerer academy" rules.

Yet Peranos, before training began, assured Nidhogg’s future inclusion in those ranks?