News of the new apprentice leader was announced to all wizard apprentices during dinner.
The silent diners offered little reaction to the transition of leadership; not a single person even inquired about Ankso’s fate. However, compared to Senior Allen’s smug demeanor, Grimm could not help but feel a deep disdain.
The previous apprentice leader, though far from virtuous, was at least a formidable figure who had mastered three or four spells. While inferior to the "Eagle Eye," "Plagueworm," and "Wild Woman," he was still far stronger than most novice apprentices, which was why everyone endured his exploitation in silence.
Allen, on the other hand, was a known quantity—a fledgling who had barely grasped Wind Blade and Cyclone Shield. He rarely left the safety of the wizard tower, leaving his combat skills embarrassingly underdeveloped. Realistically, half the apprentices present could likely defeat him with ease.
Yet, surrounded by four sycophantic lackeys, it was evident Allen understood his inadequacies and had quickly gathered allies to bolster his position.
As Allen was delivering a laboriously pompous speech about his new role, the wooden door to the dining hall slammed open with a resounding bang, colliding against the stone wall.
A figure stepped into the room—a young man with a cold expression, his left eye obscured by a pirate-like black eyepatch.
Allen’s speech abruptly halted, and a murmur of sharp, muted gasps rippled through the room—“Eagle Eye.”
This man, wearing the signature eyepatch, was one of the three most powerful apprentices, revered and feared alike.
As one of the “Three Titans,” each of these powerhouses commanded their own followers and rarely mingled in the dining hall, preferring their subordinates to deliver meals to their chambers. Eagle Eye’s unexpected appearance left the apprentices visibly unsettled.
Eagle Eye was not there to eat; he was there to find someone.
As his piercing, spirit-infused gaze swept across the hall, every apprentice who met his eyes instinctively averted their own. Such an oppressive stare was impossible to withstand.
When his stride brought him closer to Grimm’s direction, Grimm’s heart sank. He bowed his head low in the futile hope of avoiding notice.
But alas, Eagle Eye’s boots stopped right in front of him.
“You’re Grimm. Come with me.” Eagle Eye’s words were curt and brooked no argument. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away, indifferent to the reactions of those in the hall.
Grimm let out a wry smile, pushed aside his plate, and rose to follow, sensing the icy glare Allen had directed at him.
Though unsure of the exact reason, Grimm had a faint inkling of what was to come. As he trailed behind Eagle Eye through dim, narrow corridors and finally arrived before a wooden door, his suspicions solidified.
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This was Wild Woman’s room. Inside awaited not only her but also the other two Titans: Plagueworm and Eagle Eye.
The room was starkly minimalist, much like Grimm’s own quarters—furnished with only a large, sturdy wooden bed, a writing desk, and a chair. In the corner stood a humanoid training dummy, forged entirely of metal and scarred with countless nicks and scratches, attesting to its frequent use. Wild Woman’s iconic steel greatsword hung on the wall beside it.
The relationship among the three Titans was far from harmonious, but when their shared interests were at stake, they acted as a united front.
As Grimm awkwardly positioned himself in the center of the room, his attention was drawn to Wild Woman, who stood with her arms crossed. Towering and muscular, she resembled a barbarian more than a wizard. Unlike most apprentices clad in soft robes, she wore a simple leather vest over a linen corset. The taut leather strained against her bulging muscles, making her physique a mix of awe and intimidation.
“Word is, you saw what happened earlier,” Wild Woman said, her voice as resolute and commanding as her stature. “Spit out everything you know. If your intel proves valuable, we’ll see to it that you’re rewarded.”
Her words left no room for negotiation. Plagueworm, cloaked in a heavy robe, merely inclined his hooded head slightly, while Eagle Eye, who had brought Grimm here, showed no objection.
Half an hour later, Grimm was back in his quarters. As he shut the door and leaned against its cold, iron-bound surface, he silently murmured:
“Results from the scan? Pull up the data now.”
A mechanical beep echoed in his mind: “Biological analysis complete. Detailed results as follows...”
As streams of data flowed into his consciousness, Grimm pieced together key insights about the Titans.
Since activating the biochip integrated with his body, Grimm had struggled to make significant progress in understanding wizardry due to a lack of firsthand observational data. His mind brimmed with spell names and theoretical descriptions, but he lacked tangible phenomena to analyze.
Today’s close encounter with the Titans had yielded invaluable information, providing new leads for refining his magical pathways. If only he could observe a full-fledged wizard at work, the progress would be even greater. However, Grimm’s rudimentary detection capabilities made it too risky to probe a senior wizard like Anderson.
But with the Titans before him, he had freely scanned their exposed magical energy, gaining critical insights into the essence of wizardry.
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Name: Crusa “Eagle Eye”
Status: Wizard Apprentice
Race: Human
Attributes: Strength 9 | Agility 7 | Constitution 11 | Spirit 18
Eagle Eye’s astonishing spirit power alone could render him nearly invincible in perception—able to detect the faintest heartbeat within 50 meters. The chip also flagged anomalies in his aura, hinting at non-human traits likely tied to his eye transplant.
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Name: Entik “Plagueworm”
Status: Wizard Apprentice
Race: Human
Attributes: Strength ? | Agility ? | Constitution ? | Spirit 19
Plagueworm’s skill in concealment was unparalleled, even eluding the chip’s physical scans. His monstrous spirit power, however, solidified his position as the strongest contender for becoming a full-fledged wizard.
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Name: Wild Woman
Status: Wizard Apprentice
Race: Human-Barbarian
Attributes: Strength 15 | Agility 8 | Constitution 16 | Spirit 17
Wild Woman’s stats were terrifying, resembling those of a wild beast more than a human. With a strength disparity of over 10 points, Grimm realized she could obliterate him with a single punch, even without using magic.
This sobering comparison deepened Grimm’s resolve to rely on his biochip, his only edge in bridging the vast gap between him and these prodigies.
Calming himself, Grimm examined his prize—a heavy, arcane tome. Using his keen observations to describe every detail of Red-Robed Mary’s actions had won him the Titans’ favor, earning this forbidden grimoire.
Opening its pages, Grimm held his breath, eager to uncover its secrets.