Warlock Apprentice

Sunders was interested in Spirit Mantra. He asked Angor to keep reciting those notes while he kept a note of the condition of Angor’s soul.

A moment later, Angor’s soul floated to Sunders.

“Spirit Mantra is a completely different supernatural ability,” Sunders said after doing multiple tests. “The ‘Kirigakure’ mentioned by Isabelle must be another supernatural being as powerful as wizards.”

Wizards could travel through different worlds and planes freely because their strength depended on their knowledge, experience, and how much “truth” they discovered. Therefore, being in a foreign plane would not hinder their power and skills.

This test suggested that the Spirit Mantra used by “Kirigakure” was also such a power unaffected by the world’s consciousness. However, there was no way for Sunders to learn anything about this skill as of now.

“I can’t do anything by repeating those notes, which means Spirit Mantra required different factors to work on different individuals, just like how yours was ‘customized’ by Isabelle. The ‘Kirigakure’ should possess a certain formula or code that is used to discover the right mantra notes for people.”

Sunders looked excited. This was the first time he saw such amazing skill. He really wanted to find out the root of it.

Origin World, Augustin’s Duality Mirror, Spirit Mantra, Kirigakure… Both Sunders and Angor knew that there were countless more mysteries to be found out there.

“It seems it’s high time for me to set up plans for Origin World too…” Sunders muttered and looked at Angor again.

Angor’s soul looked more solid now; there was almost no impurity.

The ritual inside Soul Genesis Garden condensed Angor’s gravity energy into one small spot. Later, with Isabelle’s help, the core of the strength was fortified further, which allowed Angor to unleash gravity power briefly.

Doing so still cost soul energy, but such energy would slowly recover with the passage of time as long as Angor didn’t overdo it. Also, Angor received the manual for soul training from Isabelle. Now, the gravity power was no longer a double-edged sword for Angor. He was free to use it as necessary.

For now, Angor didn’t know much about the power yet. Sunders did some other tests and concluded that the sequence of gravity, which could usually compete with wizard-level spells, could only display potency similar to level-2 or weaker level-3 cantrips in the hands of Angor.

Angor needed a lot of practice before he could unleash the true potential of a natural law.

Sunders gave him several pieces of advice regarding such practice. Even so, Angor mostly had to rely on himself.

It was almost high noon when everything was done.

They left the garden and had lunch in the dining hall. Number One provided ordinary dishes that tasted pretty good. Both gentlemen, a young and an old, kept their table manners and remained silent during their meal until Angor decided to speak up when dessert was served.

“Professor, whatever happened to the purification garden?” Angor thought about the unpleasant visit of Keely. “Keely said she’d protect me inside the garden. Does it mean there will be fights?”

Sunders considered his words.

“It’s… complicated.”

“How so?”

“What you said is almost correct. Yes, there will be fights. Large-scale battles that involve groups of people. I was going to arrange some info and tell you later, but since you asked… guess I’ll tell it now.

“It’s hard to explain using words. Take a look at this.”

Sunders deployed several illusion nodes around Angor and simulated the confidential conference he joined in the machine tower the day before yesterday. However, he only showed what Angor was supposed to see.

Angor was a little startled when he saw that his dining table became something different.

It was a giant, round conference hall with a great number of seats arranged in a circular manner. Those sitting in the seats could clearly see a single stand in the center of the hall. Currently, there was a young man in black robe speaking on the stand. Angor quickly recognized him—it was the same individual who stopped Bogula’s ambush in front of Elixir Hut.

Sunders already told him who this was. “Neo Beast” Lawson, one of the two city masters of Floating Mech City. Lawson managed the main city district.

Usually, such important conferences should be managed by the other city master, “The Fool” Muse. However, Muse was an academician who disliked such meetings. By rules, Muse should take care of business at the lower side of the city, but he never did much work at it. It was his affiliate wizards who kept the lower side running at all times, while Muse spent most of his time in the research department. The manufacture of most products in the city was administered by Muse. For example, the All-Inclusive Illuminator used by Ness to examine Angor’s soul was also Muse’s creation.

Muse was the “brain” of Floating Mech City, while Lawson was the general. Lawson chose to step up this time because he could do a better job keeping the other visiting wizards in check.

Centered around him, the seats were occupied by wizards from various organizations.

This was the first time for Angor to see so many wizards gathered together. A quick look suggested there were at least 300 wizards in sight. Angor wondered how many organizations sent people here.

The faces of the wizards were all covered by faint smoke. Only a few of them had their faces exposed, including Sunders and Kanter, who sat in the front row.

Sunders allowed Angor some time to look around carefully. When Angor looked at Lawson again, Sunders finally triggered the actions inside the illusion.

“The promotion for purification garden is imminent. We called you here, ladies and gentlemen, to discuss this matter,” Lawson’s robotic voice was clearly heard across the conference hall.

Garden promotion?

Angor knew that Sorcerer’s Gardens came at different levels. Level 1-3 were seen as low levels, 4-6 were mid levels, and 7-9 were high.

These levels indicated how much effect a Sorcerer’s Garden could have on wizards.

Low-level gardens worked well for apprentices but not so much to wizards. As a garden gained more levels, its effects began to benefit wizards more. A high-level garden was valuable to truth-finder wizards or legendary wizards. There was also a rumor that suggested the existence of even better Sorcerer’s Gardens, but that wasn’t something one could find in the southern wizarding region.

For example, Sunders’ Gravity Garden could provide a gravity of 3.17 times at its initial state. According to calculations, the center of the garden would have its gravity increased to 93 times when the gravity law fully matured.

A Bloodline apprentice could undergo decent “baptism” under the gravity of x10, while Bloodline Art wizards needed 30-100 times of gravity. Something beyond this would constantly help level-2 wizards in their training.

Currently, Sunders’ Gravity Garden was level-4.

From the available information, Angor knew that the purification garden was a low-level one, probably level-3. It only worked for level-2 apprentices and someone weaker. Level-3 apprentices and beyond almost had no use for it, which was the reason why there was no level-3 apprentice who actually came.

However, Lawson just said that the garden was going to improve…

Does this mean that the purification garden will become a mid-level one? That will make it something worthwhile for formal wizards!

Lawson continued his explanation, “As you all know, the garden is currently a low-level one. Precisely speaking, it’s just below level-4. Now, it has stored enough energy to experience a level up. According to Muse’s deductions, we only need a little boost for the garden to gain a level.”

Lawson looked around the participants. No one reacted.

Whatever happened, the purification garden stayed as the property of Floating Mech City. The improvement had little to do with the outsiders.

“The Floating Mech City invited everyone here because the incident will concern you… as well as your apprentices who are going to enter the garden,” said Lawson.

“Care to explain?” someone asked out aloud.

“You’ll see soon enough. I said the garden promotion involves you all because of one certain decision made by me and Muse together. Once our garden becomes a mid-level purification garden, the Floating Mech City will provide two extra invitations to each of the organizations every time it becomes active.”

Now that the other wizards could get something out of it, they finally began to whisper among each other and show great interest.

“What do we have to do to receive the invitations?” someone asked. “Mister Neo Beast, you said something concerning the participants—our apprentices, right?”

Lawson looked at the speaker. “Now this is why I mentioned we need a ‘boost’. Please look at this contract I drafted, and you’ll know the reason.”

Lawson waved a hand; a number of Rune Monitors appeared and dropped a scroll in front of each wizard.

“Sign your name on the contract and your organization will hereby enjoy the extra invitations, which will allow you or your people to utilize a mid-level purification garden in the future.”

Lawson emphasized the word “mid-level” because it meant such a garden was powerful enough to aid wizards.