Spirit World

Adam and Edward had dumbfounded expressions as they saw the little black puppy playing with Berger's beard in a cute manner.

This seemingly harmless and adorable creature had torn open space and jumped out from who knows where. To say that the two kids were astonished would be a severe understatement.

Adam looked at the little black puppy that had a fluffy tail and two brown spots right above its eyes that looked like its eyebrows. He then looked back at the crack in the void that was beginning to mend itself and couldn't help but gulp involuntarily.

The colors in that space were gathering back and becoming less saturated. At the same time, the crack in the void was also closing itself at a fast pace.

At the last moment, Adam was able to catch a glimpse of the scenery behind the crack in the void.

It was a place of extremes!

The colors in this place seemed saturated to the extremes and were very intense to look at. Adam was reminded of those abstract paintings that he had seen some artists display on the streets of Moon City.

It was only a short glimpse, but Adam felt his head spinning. It took him a few moments to clear his head, and when he did, the crack in the void had already mended itself and everything had gotten back to normal.

The youth's back was drenched in cold sweat as he stared at the spot where the puppy had come out from.

"W-What was that place?!" He asked with lingering fear.

"Oh?" Berger raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You really have high spiritual power for someone who's just become a Magus."

"Huh?" Adam was puzzled. He looked at Berger and asked, "What do you mean?"

Berger pointed at Edward and chuckled. "Look at this idiot. Only one glance at the Spirit World and he's already out cold."

Adam turned to look at his roommate, and indeed he was sprawling on the ground while drooling.

"Is he going to be okay?" Adam asked in concern.

"Eh, don't worry about it." Berger waved his hand nonchalantly. He then crouched down and placed the puppy on the floor. The puppy began running circles around him happily.

Adam suddenly thought of what Berger had just said and asked with shining eyes, "Sir, what is spiritual power? And what is this Spirit World?"

Berger made a face and reprimanded. "You talk too much! Ask those idiots at the academy. Hmph!"

Adam stood there meekly after being scolded by the old gnome yet again.

"Where have you kept the essence oil?" The gnome asked.

"It's in the wooden trunk under my study table," replied the youth in a soft voice.

Berger rubbed the puppy's ears and instructed, "Blackie, you heard him. Go get his trunk."

"Woof!" Blackie wagged his tail and then ran toward Adam. He circled a few times around the youth and then finally raised his hind leg and began urinating.

"What the heck?!" Adam jumped in surprise and retreated, but he was too late. Blackie had already peed on him.

Adam looked at his stained white pants and then berated Blackie, "Bad dog!"

"Woof!" Blackie only stuck out its tongue, seemingly taunting Adam.

Seeing this, Berger chuckled. "Looks like Blackie has taken a liking to you."

"And this is how he shows it?" Adam had a wronged expression. "By peeing on me?!"

"That's just his way of leaving a mark on you," Berger replied while smoking from his pipe. "Anyways, get going, Blackie."

"Woof!" Blackie nodded and then waved his little paw. The following moment, the space distorted and the colors in that area started to melt once again. Then, a small crack in the void was torn open and the little puppy jumped inside.

Adam was once again astonished at this scene, but this time he didn't dare stare at that strange place beyond the crack in the void. He still felt great apprehension toward that place.

Only after the space crack had mended itself back did he walk up to Edward. He grabbed his shoulders and jolted him awake. "Ed! Wake up!"

"Huh?" Edward sat up feeling disoriented. "What happened? Where am I? I'm hungry, where's the food?"

Adam rolled his eyes and was about to reply when all of a sudden the space in front of them distorted and tore open. And this time, the crack was much bigger. Adam instantly closed his eyes.

But Edward…

"Eeek!" The plump boy caught sight of the Spirit World and passed out once again.

Blackie jumped out of the space crack, but this time his tail had magically elongated and was wrapped around a wooden trunk. The cute little puppy placed the trunk in front of Berger. His tail shortened and it began wagging intensely.

"Woof!" Blackie looked at Berger excitedly, as if saying, 'Praise me! Praise me!'

Berger crouched down and dotingly patted Blackie's head. "Good boy!"

He then took out a glittering, purple crystal the size of an adult human's fist from his pocket and gave it to Blackie. "Here you go."

"Woof!" Blackie grabbed the crystal with his front paws and immediately swallowed it whole. He then licked Berger's face once more and then turned around and tore a crack in space.

The cute little puppy barked at Adam, bidding him farewell, and then jumped inside the space crack, returning to the Spirit World.

Adam was frozen stiff. He couldn't believe the things that had just transpired. His mind was short-circuiting from all the questions that were popping up inside.

What is the Spirit World? What the hell was that dog? How did it manage to bypass the academy's defenses? How did it enter my dorm room? How did it bring back my trunk?

Who? What? When? How? Adam was beginning to feel dizzy and was overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. Only when Berger spoke to him did he snap out of his thoughts.

"Boy, take out the Body Cleansing Essence Oil. Let us begin remodeling your body."

The old gnome then instructed the adamantine golem to pour all the mana-infused water into the ghanish wooden tub. After that, Berger snapped his fingers and the essence was magically extracted from the citrus fruits.

While the citrus extract was being mixed with the mana-infused water, Adam took out the essence oil from his trunk and handed it to Berger.

After stripping his clothes, he climbed inside the trunk, feeling slightly nervous and apprehensive about the pain he was about to go through.

"Don't worry, boy." Berger comforted. "I'll try my best to alleviate the pain."

Adam nodded, his eyes shining with determination. He took a deep breath and muttered, "Alright, let's do this!"