Arrival to the Graveyard

For third grade acolytes, if they desired to break through from a level 2 acolyte to a level 3 acolyte, it often required at least 5 years of reconstructing the mind runes into a single greater one. Not to mention the fortification of the sea of consciousness.

However, Leylin had ostensibly needed just 3 years to accomplish this feat, leaving Kroft duly impressed by his student's qualification. And even though Leylin had in fact done so much earlier, it was not something for the professor to discover unless it aided the former's plans.

"You are merely 17 years old, yet you have already entered the realm of a level 3 acolyte... An acolyte who is level 3 before the age of 20 has a tremendous chance of advancing to an official Magus. However, the number of such individuals is extremely low. Even your senior Merlin advanced to level 3 until he was 21 years of age." -Kroft's voice, which was usually stable, carried a trace of excitement in it.

Should Kroft find out that Leylin had advanced to a level 3 acolyte only 1 year after he had left the academy, he would immediately label him as a generational prodigy. Not even the likes of Jayden with their fifth-grade aptitudes would be able to cultivate the last stage of acolyteship at such a fast rate.

With that said, doing things quietly and discreetly was always Leylin's norm of handling his most vital affairs.

He was well aware that he would already stand above the ordinary acolytes given that his area of specialization was potioneering. His record time in breaking through would only increase his fame amongst his peers and academy staff. Fortunately for him, he could still downplay the advancement into seeming a coincidence more than a product of his innate genius or talent.

To his mentor's awestruck comment, Leylin replied: "I guess it was luck when I found a Void Flower... After exploiting every drop of its power, reaching level 3 only took me 2 and a half years."

A Void Flower was a type of mysterious plant. Its petals were purple, and if a magician were to develop and later consume the flower, it would be an extremely helpful stimulant towards a magician's Spiritual Force.

However, the most crucial point in its rarity was that the laws of reproduction for the Void Flower were quite obscure and no one really knew where to find them. They could appear at any place on the continent. There were even cases in which magicians found traces of these plants at the bottom of the sea or in the pit of a volcano.

Moreover, the Void Flower had a special attribute. Once its petals were plucked, the whole stalk will immediately combust, leaving no traces behind.

Naturally, this whole flower charade was simply a justification that Leylin thought of long ago. Through his A.I. assistant's data gathering of various mysterious plants, he had already prepared this pretext as a reason for his advancement. Furthermore, it was not like there weren't any other level 2 acolytes who had used a Void Flower to advance to a level 3 acolyte before, thus rendering Leylin's explanation believable.

"A Void Flower?!" -Kroft's shock was relayed through the pink smoky ear. "If such a precious arcane resource was found by you… That is a top-tier ingredient of which one petal can cost several thousands of magic crystals. It is regarded as one of the richest components a magician can use in order to improve his mind rune construction... If it is you, Leylin, I doubt that you would lie to me."

It was extremely difficult to predict luck in this world. After Leylin had thoroughly detailed his process to elaborate a special brew of Reactive Elixir using the petals of the Void Flower, Kroft had no other choice but to accept that he had indeed used the mysterious plant.

It still meant that Leylin was nothing less than a master alchemist, but it was less attention-drawing than a super cultivator able to surpass those with two levels of talent above his.

What followed next was that both mentor and student spoke of Leylin's recent journeying experiences. When Kroft learned that Leylin had successfully completed the quest from the academy with a huge amount of effort, he expressed his congratulations and laughed at Leylin's recount of some fake scenarios meant to distract him. The professor was gladdened by the fact that he had been able to help his second-favorite pupil to escape the war.

Leylin had also made sure to keep the narrative favorable to his own purposes. He intentionally omitted all of what had ensued with the Viscount, Alfonse, and the other acolytes. The investigation of the underground hideout, the clandestine mine, and the spirit body were also kept a secret.

"Professor, what can you tell me about the recall order sent to all acolytes?" -Towards the end of their conversation, Leylin asked in a solemn tone.

Why he did not ask the academy directly was because he was convinced that they could not be trusted. It may very well have been that the brass at Abyssal Bone Forest Academy had some other plans, and might be prepared to sacrifice a bunch of acolytes. Leylin would under no circumstance let himself be used as a puppet.

Contrary to the academy higher-ups, though, Kroft was quite unsuspecting and prone to be influenced by Leylin's speechcraft. If he told him it was safe to return, Leylin would know it was the truth. It had to be him doing the manipulation, not the other way around.

On his part, Kroft remained silent on the other side of the communication spell, before finally speaking again sometime later.

"The recall of acolytes was indeed approved by the chairman and board of directors. I can assure you that there is no deception in this affair... Nevertheless..."

Leylin raised a brow with curiosity.

"Originally, if you were still a level 2 acolyte, I would most likely have not revealed this to you. However, now that you are a level 3 acolyte, things are different... Let me ask you; do you wish to become an official Magus?" -Kroft asked suddenly but firmly.

[Is the old man for real?]

'Only one way to find out.'

"As the genuine starting point for a scholar who pursues the truth, I definitely want to advance the path of a Magus." -Leylin's voice was low but serious.

"Of course you do. You are my student! For starters, come back to Abyssal Bone Forest. When you're here, I'll tell you everything there is to know about this delicate subject. Alas, there isn't much time now..." -The pink ear shuddered and exploded immediately, turning into a huge cloud of smoke as it dissipated into the air.

In the empty cave, Kroft's voice finally resounded one last time: "Heed these words, my pupil. This opportunity is extremely rare and tempting. But is also accompanied by great peril. If you wish to walk further down the road of the arcane, then be prepared to face the worst."

Leylin looked at the gradually disappearing runes and smirked.

Through the long-distance communication with Kroft today, although time was short, Leylin was able to understand the circumstances within the academy.

Now he knew that the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy had indeed extricated itself from danger but the war seemed to still be ongoing to a certain degree. This was why the academy summoned its acolytes back.

Moreover, opportunities often came hand in hand with risks. Scrutinizing Kroft's opinion, it seemed that an abundance of prospects would await Leylin if he returned. It even related to the advancement that Leylin would have to undergo in the future.

Forthwith, Leylin walked towards the entrance of the cave and looked at the downcast sky and pitter-patter sounds of the downpour.

These past few days, other than making haste, he did nothing else but go to a few magician markets to have a look. However, no matter how many magic crystals Leylin was ready to part with, the gathering hubs never contained any information pertaining to the advancement of an official Magus. No one was even willing or capable of selling a method to obtain such information.

Looking at it from an outsider's perspective, it seemed as though an invisible hand had directly hauled all of the information regarding the official Magi away, not letting anyone else know of it.

'To be able to monopolize the information to such an extent, it must be supported by at least the majority of arcanists within the large organizations and factions in the South Coast…'

Leylin's gaze seemed distant as if sparks of wisdom radiated from it.

'For the Magi of the upper echelons, under the circumstances where they are unable to advance any further, their only concern is the preservation and prosperity of their own Houses and factions. With that sole objective, they secured the knowledge of advancing to a Magus within their vaults and secret lairs, isolating wandering magicians and halting their advancement. Moreover, even the magic academies have strictly regulated the information given for an acolyte to advance into a level 3 acolyte.'

Leylin naturally saw through the elite's simplistic methods of sealing away priceless information. However, compared to those high and powerful Magi, Leylin was currently but an ant in terms of raw power. Even if he saw right through them, there was no way that he could effectively oppose their schemes.

'There is definitely information in the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy regarding the experience of advancement to a Rank 1 Magus, but I'm afraid it's not something that I can obtain without investing a ton of resources and time. It's a pity that I cannot follow a safer route, but this Kroft business is already the most conceivable situation I can think of.'

Leylin looked at the distant raindrops, sinking into deep thoughts. For magicians, the step to become an official Magus from an acolyte was the most crucial step in their evolution towards the apex, and no mistakes could be allowed.

'If this Kroft geezer is to be believed, I may have stumbled upon the best chance to finally acquire those coveted documents or items that will grant me the knowledge to break through to official Magus... I ought to gamble my life in this, or I will never claim my rightful spot as the absolute ruler of this universe. Whatever danger comes my way, I'll destroy or evade.'

[But what if it's all just another disappointment like with Alfonse and his ghost master?] -Aralis noted with a bit of worry.

'Well, in that case, someone would have to pay in blood and kind for making me waste my valuable time. Just ask the forenamed acne-ridden dork and his foolish ghost teacher... But enough of that. Currently, I would benefit more from staying observant in my journey.'

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Three days later, in the outskirts of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy.

The ground was filled with traces of holes and craters. Not far away, a few patches of the ground were white in color, and on top of it were some rubble and ashes. It had been such a massive battle that it had actually even ruined half of the geography around the Abyssal Bone Forest itself. One could surmise what kind of bitter conflict the involved academies had gone through.

Leylin rode his large black horse carriage and dashed ahead, feeling absolutely gleeful that he had made an unwavering decision to leave the academy beforehand.

'The landscape was actually reduced to a pitiful state like this. Hopefully, a ton of those worthless meatbags died protecting the secrets and treasures of the board of directors. Serves them right for being unable to escape either by their cunning, skill, or talent. If even Kaliweir and Raynor got out, what was the kind of trash that stayed behind?'

Following the dirt road and traveling on for another dozen minutes, a huge graveyard soon appeared before Leylin's eyes.

This was the main entrance to the underground Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. However, right now, half of the tombstones were shattered, and many graves were also dug open, revealing the dark passages within.

The surrounding stone walls and mud reflected signs having been abused by many spells. Aralis had also warned Leylin not to explore the area mindlessly, as the spiking radiation from the aftermath of the strongest spells was able to influence even him.

'Every single tombstone here was actually a personal access hatch for each professor in the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, and now all of them are dust or rubble. Hmph, those professors aren't even at a considerable status so that their property is safeguarded by powerful territory formations. Most likely not due to their inability to cast them, but to the restrictions put by the chairman on those below a certain Magus rank.'

At that instant, Leylin had already gotten off his carriage.

He nonchalantly kicked away a stone on the floor and walked towards the centremost area of the graveyard, where a huge tombstone that looked like a castle was erected.

This was the huge entrance to Abyssal Bone Forest Academy and was the common path for all acolytes.

The surface of the castle was littered with cracks, and part of the topmost area was chipped off. Whatever remained was tottering, and seemed to be on the verge of collapse. The two guardian stone statues by the large entrance had been completely destroyed. The Winged Earthworm and Two-Headed Dog from before were now gone.

"Halt, outsider! If you are unable to show any items proving your allegiance, I will make you sure you regret coming here!" -Just when Leylin wanted to enter, a metallic voice sounded out from the depths of the graveyard.

Accompanying that voice, a large shadow from the peak of the ashened castle climbed down at a blinding speed. This black figure was taller than an average human by four heads, and its hands were extremely long, extending all the way to the ground.

Despite how the castle tombstone was filled with cracks, no matter how this black figure climbed, the castle did not waver an inch. Obviously, the exterior building of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was not as weak as it seemed on the surface.

The black figure leaped and a huge shadow was projected on the vicinity, completely engulfing Leylin. When it touched down on the ground with both feet, it brought up a layer of dust.

Leylin squinted and finally saw the appearance of the black figure. This was a large ape-like creature. Its whole body was layered with granite, and both of its hands propped themselves upon the ground.

'Heh. A Granite Ape? Interesting choice for the new guardian.' -Leylin immediately recognized the creature and did not require Aralis' feedback to identify it.

The Granite Ape was a creature in the Magus World with a battle prowess comparable to an official Magus.

"I sense the energy waves emanating from an item of proof on your body. Take it out!"

The Granite Ape looked at Leylin and sniffed him with its large snout. As the ape approached, an extremely dense and putrid stench wafted over. But Leylin simply did not care about it, and he did not even flinch at either the murderous aura or the smell.

With a serene expression, Leylin calmly withdrew a red metal card from his satchel that he had been granted when he accepted the quest.

The Granite Ape took the metal card and swallowed it in one gulp as if munching on some delicacy. It even closed its eyes to savor the taste of it.

'What a disgusting alchemical beast. I guess this place is now quite literally a monkey enclosure.'

After a dozen seconds, the Granite Ape opened its large eyes and said to Leylin: "So you are an acolyte of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy who took on a quest previously. You may enter, little brat!"

Leylin then gave a small bow and promptly entered his academy.

The dimly lit flight of downward stairs was the same as before. Leylin remembered that time when he was with the group of freshmen led by Dorotte.

However, for some unknown reason which may have been the fact that he was now a level 3 acolyte with a matured Spiritual Force, Leylin discovered the encompassing faint wails of many people who had long since perished.

Leylin, who had conducted a massive amount of experiments on that spirit body, would never mistake these noises for something else. This realization made him smile from ear to ear. It was hard for him to mask his delight and nostalgia, so he covered his mouth for the briefest of moments until he was back to his indifferent look.

Along the way, he noticed that he had run into far fewer acolytes than he did normally. Leylin estimated that the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy didn't even have half of its original strength. Even the Quest Hall and Trading Post hotspots seemed to be devoid of people.

At the mission desk counter, Leylin handed over the altered mission records in the crystal ball and a yellow scale that had belonged to the Great Snake Mankestre he fought.

"I'm here to deliver a quest."

"Understood, please hold on." -The staff at the counter had changed too. This was a freckled girl, who seemed to only be a level 2 acolyte.

While he was waiting, Leylin was bored to death and looked at his surroundings. Given that he'd hired a couple of shadow slaves to bring his carriage and luggage to the stables and his room respectively, he had no present worries and just leisurely analyzed what had changed in the Quest Hall.

Now that the number of acolytes had been greatly reduced, the available quests had therefore increased. Furthermore, all of them had increased rewards compared to before. Leylin calculated that while the difficulty of these missions had remained the same, their rewards had been doubled or tripled.

This scene made Leylin's eyes spark with greed.

"Ley… Leylin?" -A muffled yet hoarse voice sounded behind him.

He turned around and saw a swollen figure wrapped in a black veil. Moreover, the stink of pus drifted over.

"Nyssa, my friend! What a pleasant surprise it is to see you alive and well." -Leylin's eyes widened and his lips curled into a gentle smile, as he closed the distance with the mutated girl.

"I don't give credit to this! You actually still remember me! Oh thank the Heavens, one of my friends is still alive and he's not ignoring me!" -Nyssa's voice was overflowing with happiness, as she unconcernedly hugged Leylin as if he were to disappear at any moment.

[There's your answer, Doctor. It was this kind of trash. But hey, you gotta at least hand it to her, she survived the war.]

'Admittedly, she may have survived the carnage, but she's still a pathetic abomination and has merely broken through to level 2 acolyte. Once a lowlife, always a lowlife... That does not mean I am not willing to exploit my relationship with her though. I am a bit short on tools ever since my dear comrades tragically passed in that grotto by the mountains...'