Chapter 3

Yulis exclaimed, "Livia, quickly move aside."

The mesmerized beauty, stunned by the colossal "Fireball," awakened at his shout, hurriedly crouching to the ground. The "Fireball" grazed her, striking the wooden cabin behind her. The cabin erupted in flames, becoming ashes within moments.

I hastily explained to the two old men, "It's not my fault. You both saw it. I didn't utter an incantation; the fireball propelled itself."

Yulis looked at me strangely, saying, "Do you know when I could cast magic without reciting incantations? At sixty. Within this enchantment, any magic has only one-tenth of its usual power. Do you comprehend the implications? Beyond the enchantment, your 'Fireball' would be powerful enough to destroy a castle."

How could that be? I questioned myself but had no answers.

Linca retrieved a small crystal ball from his pocket, explaining, "This is a magical power testing crystal. The brighter it glows, the stronger the magical power."

He concentrated briefly, and the crystal ball emitted a dazzling white light, demonstrating his exceptional prowess. He handed the crystal ball to me, offering simple instructions on focusing my mind before asking me to perform the procedure.

Cradling the crystal ball in my hands, I cleared my mind and followed Linca's guidance to concentrate my thoughts entirely on the crystal ball.

Yulis, Linca, and Livia, the "lovely maiden," anxiously watched the crystal ball, speculating on the brilliance it might exhibit.

In an instant, the crystal ball erupted with radiance much stronger than the sun, blinding me. Then, a crisp shattering sound reached my ears as the crystal ball fragmented into countless pieces.

The brilliance vanished abruptly.

What... how could this happen? I stared at the crystal shards covering the ground, scarcely believing I was the cause.

Linca muttered, "This is impossible. This testing crystal can accommodate three times my magical power, yet you shattered it. How immense is your magical power? How can you possess such formidable magic?"

Livia, resembling when we first met, stared at me intensely, her captivating azure eyes gleaming with a peculiar expression, leaving me feeling uneasy.

Yulis inquired, "Considering the magical power currently residing within you, even a god would pale in comparison. Lad, have you consumed the 'Phantom Mirage Fruit'?"

Seeing my perplexed expression, Yulis explained, "To gain magical power, aside from rigorous training, there is another method: consuming the 'Phantom Mirage Fruit.' It's the most precious treasure on the Sacred Demon continent, providing immense magical power with just a small bite. I have a small piece of the 'Phantom Mirage Fruit' stored here; I'll show it to you to confirm."

He dashed into the wooden cabin, leaving Linca fuming. "This miserly old man, hiding such a treasure from me, his friend of decades. Hmph."

Yulis soon returned, cradling a small box adorned with jewels, appearing highly valuable.

Curious, I approached, and a sudden waft of intoxicating fragrance enveloped me. Livia, leaning in as well, caught me ogling her. In response, she huffed disdainfully, casting me a stern look.

Yulis gingerly opened the box, revealing a palm-sized gray "something" wrapped in delicate silk. Proudly, he declared, "This is the 'Phantom Mirage Fruit' I obtained through countless hardships. Lad, have you seen it before?"

I gazed dumbfounded at the "something" in the box, almost unable to trust my eyes. The highly precious "Phantom Mirage Fruit" in Yulis's hands appeared unmistakably like a yam—a common tuber I frequently consumed in my world.

Eager to confirm, I reached out, but Yulis promptly swatted my hand away. "Lad, this 'Phantom Mirage Fruit' is extremely rare. Don't touch it recklessly. Speak up, have you consumed it?"

Despite scrutinizing it repeatedly, it resembled a yam in every way. I replied, "Yes, I've eaten it, many times. In my world, it's called a 'sweet potato,' and it's abundant everywhere."

Yulis and Linca simultaneously exclaimed, "Are you sure?"

I affirmed, "The appearance is identical. If I could taste it, that would confirm."

After a moment of hesitation, Yulis cautiously plucked off a tiny piece, wincing slightly. "Fine, taste it to confirm."

Taking the minuscule fragment of the "Phantom Mirage Fruit," I chewed on it. A foul taste almost made me gag, but knowing that spitting it out would likely result in a swift punch from Yulis, I forced it down.

I stated, "Although it's deteriorated due to prolonged storage, I can confidently say this 'Phantom Mirage Fruit' is the same as our world's sweet potato."

Linca commented, "No wonder, no wonder. Eating even a small amount of the 'Phantom Mirage Fruit' can generate colossal magical power. You must have consumed so much that the magical power within you rivals that of a god. However, in your world, devoid of magical elements, no matter how immense your magical power, it's useless. In the Sacred Demon continent, it's a different story."

Yulis's eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement as he grabbed my hand. "Lad, be my apprentice. I will make you the greatest Grand Magician in the history of the Sacred Demon continent."

Linca also seized my other hand, arguing, "Lad, don't listen to him. Learning his elemental magic is exhausting. It's better to be my apprentice; after mastering summoning magic, you can command magical beasts at your whim—a much more comfortable prospect."

Yulis shouted, "Nonsense! The lad's magical power is limitless. He can easily master the highest-level elemental magic. Besides, he has already learned my 'Fireball'; he is already my apprentice."

Linca countered, "Learning a basic magic like 'Fireball' can be done anywhere. This lad will be my apprentice."

Their argument escalated, and eventually, these two revered Grand Magicians on the Sacred Demon continent resorted to exchanging blows.

Ignoring the bickering old men, I approached the ethereal beauty, Livia, and performed a courteous bow, saying, "Miss, greetings. There were misunderstandings before. Let me introduce myself; I am Wu Lai."

"Liar?" Livia couldn't help but burst into laughter, instantly thawing the icy demeanor, rendering her beauty breathtaking.

Realizing her lapse, she immediately stifled her laughter, reverting to the cold beauty. However, the charming and flirtatious laughter from earlier remained etched in my memory.

Many years later, when I brought up this incident with her, she playfully smacked me on the head, teasing, "You rascal, I genuinely wanted to kill you back then."