Surviving The Fourth Calamity

”That kind of talk makes one curious to know more.” Jerry suddenly joked.

It seemed his mood had calmed a bit... or perhaps after endlessly counting the number of fallen meteors, he finally felt at ease.

”Actually, Jerry, you should understand that feeling.” The male mage, after repeating the number of meteors Jerry had just reported to the raspy clerk, got excited as well, his tone seemingly rising, ”But Cayo definitely doesn’t get it.”

”What do you mean?” Cayo, whose voice was raspy, couldn’t help but ask, ”Why wouldn’t I understand?”

”The Tower of Despair only accepts those who become Senior Apprentices before 16 years old; I estimate you know about this, right?” the male mage asked back.

”Yeah, what’s the problem with that?” Cayo was a bit puzzled.

”Heh, in fact, on our continent, which Magic Tower doesn’t follow this rule?” The male mage sneered, ”Rules that everyone knows are not real rules; you can understand this at least, right?”

”Huh?” Cayo asked, a bit confused, ”Becoming a Senior Apprentice at 16 isn’t something easily achieved!

My talent isn’t the best in the family, but it’s not bad either; I barely advanced at 16.”

”Because what you learned from the very start was to ensure a solid foundation for your future, which is why you find it so difficult.” Cayo laughed again, ”But for apprentices like us from outside, as long as our Mental Sea doesn’t explode, as long as there’s no threat to our life, we have to fight with all we’ve got.”

”But both you and Jerry have better talent than me.” Cayo admitted without hesitation.

”But I don’t have as many resources! Cayo.” Jerry couldn’t help but sigh.

”Then what are the hidden rules?” Cayo couldn’t help but ask, ”You know I’m not too interested in these things.”

”If you want to enter the Tower of Despair, you must be in the top 20 of the apprentice rankings for that year.” Jerry answered, ”No matter the reason for not making it, anyone outside the top 20 will not be admitted.

Anyway, apprentices with backgrounds don’t take this quota, so in a way, it’s still fair.”

”Huh?” Cayo’s notebook suddenly fell to the ground.

”In your mind, the number of apprentices entering the Tower of Despair each year is not this few, right?” the male mage asked with a laugh, ”Of course, some with slightly worse talents can get in by spending money!

But such people don’t compete for the top 20, so we have nothing to say about it.

The Tower of Despair is the last Great Magic Tower to lower this quota to 20.

With resources depleted, it is already doomsday for ordinary people; having a way to survive is good enough, who dares to question too much?”

”Oh...” Cayo uneasily picked up the notebook, ”Then why do you dislike him? Hmm... aren’t people like me the ones who are more easily disliked?”

”What are you talking about?” Jerry sneered, ”We desperately want to enter the Magic Tower; the ultimate dream is to be able to protect the family like your grandfather!

Let’s not mention anything else, just entering the Tower of Despair allows one’s parents and relatives to move to the Town of Despair, who would hate such a widely recognized protection?”

”The reason I dislike him is simple.” The male mage changed the topic... probably thinking Cayo wouldn’t understand their grassroots mentality, ”I was always at the bottom of the top 20, often falling to 20th, but still much stronger than the ones behind, so it was somewhat stable.”

Jerry suddenly chimed in: ”Honestly, neither first nor twentieth are ordinary people.”

The male mage couldn’t help but sigh: ”That guy originally ranked in the 20s but suddenly went mad, nearly shattered his Mental Sea, jumped directly to 21, and was clearly about to catch up to me.

You should understand, right?

I was actually very certain; the gap between me and the guy behind wasn’t something that could be closed in a year or a half.

But with him going so crazy, what could I do?

What if he surpasses me before shattering his Mental Sea?

So I had to fight just as hard.

That year, I was genuinely driven to the brink of madness.

You guys always say I have strong endurance, huh~ but it was all forced out by him.

Luckily, I still won in the end.”

”So...” Cayo asked hesitantly, ”After you entered the tower, was the reason you were so down for such a long time is to make up for the previous disturbance to the Mental Sea?”

”Yes. However, the Magic Tower has long been accustomed to this kind of thing.” The male mage suddenly gave a mocking smile again, ”And for those Archmages, it’s not a bad thing.

While the apprentices might not immediately become usable combat power, it allows those of you promoted internally to have an absolute advantage with your peers.

Even if stronger people arise, basically... even for the top few who seem to have no pressure, after entering the Magic Tower, they will all need at least a half-year break!”

Cayo didn’t really object to this point: ”Even without this, with such a disparity in resources, you guys wouldn’t have many chances.

And those who cross this resource chasm to get ahead of us are qualified too.”

”So although you’re envied, no one dislikes you.” Jerry smiled lightly, ”We were quite lucky that you’re our group leader.”

”How long do we have to stay here?” Cayo might be a bit embarrassed... In this terrifying world, this really counts as the highest praise for one’s character, ”It’s almost all counted, isn’t it?”

Judging by his willingness to listen to others’ suggestions, Cayo indeed deserves that kind of praise.

”We can’t go back too early.” Jerry immediately stopped him, ”Although because of the teacher, no one dares to probe our situation, if we leave too early, it shows we’re very satisfied with the result.

It’ll cause trouble.”

Cayo said ’oh’, then smiled happily, ”This time, luck is really good, the teacher’s last harvest only had half of this!”

Hill couldn’t help but press his fingers: Could it be because of him?

Although he didn’t do much, the meteorite mainly made of earth-based materials easily followed him in its fall.

On the ground, Jerry probably didn’t want to test Cayo’s patience, asked the male mage again: ”That 21st, did he later go to the Tower of Dark Enigma?”

”Yes.” The male mage couldn’t help but smile, ”He’s 21 after all! The Tower of Dark Enigma has been a bit unlucky these years, several attempts to summon meteorite didn’t yield good results, they didn’t get many people, so it seems they gave him considerable benefits, and he went.”

”Why?” Cayo didn’t understand, ”Going to the Tower of Dark Enigma is like giving up the future, isn’t it?

Hmm?

You’re saying his mental sea is already heavily disturbed with no chance at all, so he simply traded his life for his family?”

Hill understood the meaning in their words: Although the mage’s world is cruel, they definitely won’t expel the family relocated to the Magic Tower’s affiliated town because a mage dies.

So even if life isn’t great, at least they won’t starve to death.

”Actually, he and I are just a bit apart.” The male mage’s voice carried a bit of confusion, ”So, although I hate him, after all I had to struggle because of him.

But I don’t hate him.

But if he really died, it seems I wouldn’t have much feeling.”

”At this time, who would care about whether just acquaintances are alive or dead?” Jerry calmly said, ”Moreover, you’re the winner, it’s more likely he hates you.”

”What’s his name?” Cayo curiously asked, ”The Tower of Dark Enigma has been trying to connect with us lately, I should be able to gather some information.”

”Knowing would be best.” Jerry added, ”Disturbed mental sea isn’t broken, he just has difficulty advancing to Archmage, not failing as a mage.

If he’s desperate and wants to leave resources for his family... an attack on you isn’t impossible.”

”Gilbert Chatel Haisenal.”

”Hmm? Noble origin?”

”Noble who lost their territory, seems because the land resources are good, they can still grow black taro, so some Magic Tower seized it.” The male mage showed some sympathy, ”So he has to fight desperately, otherwise if no Magic Tower takes him in, his family won’t end well.

After all, doesn’t the Magic Tower have a convention... it can legally buy noble lands, but can’t take their lives.

But, after they leave, whether they’ll encounter robbers, that’s hard to say.

So, I can’t hate him either.

It’s all for their families!”

”Doesn’t his family have a mage?” Cayo was a bit puzzled, ”Shouldn’t they have been gone a hundred years ago?”

”They do, Sixth Circle Mage from the Defense Tower seems... you know.”

”Oh~~” Cayo sighed long, ”The most unfortunate tower, only two Eighth Ring mages escaped.

Speaking of which, how did they offend the Sia Tower?”

”Who knows?” Jerry warned, ”You better not try to investigate, several towers were unlucky because of their excessive curiosity.”

”I definitely won’t, I cherish my life the most!” Cayo replied quickly.

”Speaking of it, the location of the Tower of Dark Enigma is actually quite close to Sia Tower.” The male mage still recalled his past competitor, ”Maybe they have a chance to be merged.

After all, they offered sacrifices to the Goddess Bisozeya, Sia Tower is the place most favored by the Goddess!

I remember they’ve accepted magic towers in similar situations before, right?”

”Who knows?” Cayo answered indifferently, ”It’s up to the fate of Tower of Dark Enigma!

The Master of Sia Tower has been secluded, without her no one can decide.”

Hill turned his head gently, he’s always unsure where to start, but seems to have gained a little inspiration.

Since luck favors him so much, let’s be a little kinder to him!