Chapter 96: Advancing to Senior Wizard Apprentice
Dead!
Jasper actually died!
Looking at the corpse on the ground, Karl, panting beside it, and everyone else showed shock on their faces.
The Vice President of the Dragon King Trading Company, Jasper, who had been famous for many years and was renowned, was killed just like that?
And the person who killed him was the relatively unknown Karl!
Lula was equally surprised.
Her plan was for Karl to temporarily hold off Jasper, while she and Otis joined forces to quickly take down Claw.
Then the three of them would attack together to deal with Jasper.
Unexpectedly…
Before her side could succeed, Karl had already taken the lead and killed Jasper.
“Swish!”
Taking advantage of the two’s shock and slow reaction, Claw Bartley suddenly shook his chain, the claw quickly hooked onto a distant rooftop, and he used the momentum to fly out, disappearing into the vast night after a few leaps.
Even Jasper was dead, and his strength was relatively weaker. If he didn’t escape, his fate was predictable.
“Huff…”
Karl exhaled lightly, stabilizing the aura within his body:
“It’s a pity, one escaped.”
“It… it doesn’t matter.” Lula’s beautiful eyes flickered, with shock, surprise, and also joy:
“Mr. Karl, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Karl moved his hands and feet, and couldn’t help but gasp:
“My muscles are a bit damaged, and my body is a bit exhausted, but it’s nothing major. I should recover after resting for a while.”
Just now, he had gone all out and held nothing back, even using the super rune that he had just refined.
Only then did he barely manage to win.
It was also because Jasper’s methods were just right for him to counter.
Whether it was the minor mage force field, the manipulation of gravity, or the water vortex, all of them could limit movement speed.
The petrification technique that came with the dual greatswords was even more difficult to defend against. Once the body showed signs of petrification, it was difficult to escape.
And Karl’s defense was terrifyingly strong. Even with Jasper’s last-ditch counterattack, he was unable to hurt him.
‘It seems that my strength is stronger than that of an ordinary Grand Knight, slightly stronger than a Grand Knight like Jasper, but not as strong as a Peak Grand Knight, let alone a top powerhouse like the Dragon King Zimmerman.’
“Mr. Karl, you should rest first.”
Lula said with concern, then turned around and said:
“Captain Connie, I once again extend a sincere invitation to you, hoping that you can join the Dragon King Trading Company.”
“If you feel restricted, we can draw up an agreement. The Trading Company will never force you to do anything. You can go out to sea to explore the Endless Sea at any time.”
“Miss Lula…” Connie glanced at the scene, and sighed:
“With the Dragon King Trading Company’s current strength, even without me, you can stabilize the situation like your father.”
Just in front of him, there were three Grand Knights, one of whom was a powerhouse who could kill Jasper.
Plus another Grand Knight.
With this kind of strength,
even the Sea God Society and the Sickle Brotherhood would not dare to act rashly.
It wasn’t that their strength was inferior to the Dragon King Trading Company, but that if they actually fought, it would easily be a losing proposition.
It was no wonder they dared to set a trap to lure Jasper into action.
Connie already understood that since the news wasn’t leaked by him, it was naturally Susan who had done it intentionally, with the purpose of luring Jasper in to be completely eliminated.
And the result,
was indeed so!
“Captain Connie.”
Lula said seriously:
“I know you yearn for the secrets of the Endless Sea, but even the eagle that flies in the sky has times when it lands. You can also leave a home in the Free Port, so you can rest when you are tired.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Susan.
“Moreover, we in the Dragon King Trading Company also know a lot about the Endless Sea, and can help you explore its secrets.”
“Hmm…”
“The Trading Company has a route that can cross the Hurricane Wall. I wonder if you are interested.”
Huh?
Connie raised an eyebrow.
In the depths of the Endless Sea, for some special reason, hurricanes appear year after year.
The hurricanes connect to form a wall of wind, which is called the Hurricane Wall. There are very few routes that can safely cross the Hurricane Wall, and in legends, there is a wider sea behind the wall.
He knew this better than most people.
“Captain Connie.”
Seeing that he was somewhat moved, Lula seized the opportunity to say:
“I am really sincere.”
“…” This time, Connie did not explicitly refuse, but said slowly:
“Let me consider it.”
Hearing this,
Lula couldn’t help but rejoice.
Connie’s strength might be ordinary among Grand Knights, but his sailing experience and knowledge of mysticism were outstanding.
He was also a legend in the hearts of many sailors. If they could recruit him, it would be of great benefit to the Dragon King Trading Company.
…………
Night fell.
The Trading Company’s headquarters, which resembled a castle, loomed in the moonlight.
The hall was brightly lit, and the golden candlelight danced back and forth on the exquisite murals and carved furniture.
A long dining table was covered with white silk, and various kinds of tableware and delicacies were placed on it.
The fragrant roasted meat, the colorful fruits, and all kinds of exquisite desserts were all mouth-watering.
This was a grand banquet.
It was held to celebrate the capture of Jasper.
However, the protagonist of the banquet, the alchemist and Grand Knight Karl, had already gone to the back to rest due to physical exhaustion.
“Sea Whale Bell?”
Karl lay on the soft armchair, holding a miniature bell in his hand, examining it carefully.
This item came from Jasper.
The bell was dark yellow in color, about the length of an adult’s thumb, and was engraved with complex and mysterious patterns on the inside.
It was said that,
this small thing was a product of a mysterious race, and could accumulate energy to replenish the user’s life force.
Jasper’s methods were explosively powerful and could be sustained for a long time, and it was all thanks to the support of this item.
“Ding…”
With a gentle shake, a melodious sound rang out.
Moreover, a life force surged into his body, making Karl feel refreshed, and a smile appeared on his face.
“With it, the duration of the secret technique Gigantism can be extended a lot. This should be a magic item, but it’s different from the alchemy techniques I’ve encountered.”
“I wonder if it’s useful for Legendary Knights. If it is, then it’s a high-level magic item.”
In fact, the secret of the Sea Whale Bell lay in the bell tongue at its center.
The bell tongue, which was the size of a peanut, was the life core of some legendary creature, which was taken out and placed here.
It could automatically absorb the free energy in the air, transform it into life force, and then store it.
And the mysterious patterns on the bell maintained the bell tongue from decaying, and transmitted energy to the user.
“Inner core?”
“It really is a bit like one!”
Karl touched his chin, lost in thought:
“Whether it’s the armor Guna or this Sea Whale Bell, they are all high-grade magic items.”
“This world…”
“Had a wizard’s inheritance?”
Maybe it wasn’t a wizard, but to be able to create such magical items, the refining technology must have been very advanced.
But now,
for some reason, the past technology has all been lost.
“Knock knock!”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Enter!”
Karl said, casually putting away the Sea Whale Bell.
“Mr. Karl.”
Emma was radiant, her voice cheerful.
Behind her was Lula, who had changed into a formal dress. Because she had drunk a lot of alcohol, her cheeks were flushed.
The two women temporarily put aside the Trading Company members and came here.
“This is what I promised you.”
“Oh!” Karl got up upon hearing this, and his heart stirred:
“Thank you for your trouble.”
“Please count them.” Lula put down a wooden box, a trace of embarrassment flashed across her face, and she said in a low voice:
“The quantity is a bit less.”
Huh?
Karl opened the wooden box, and six Great God’s Grace Coins came into view, but his expression didn’t show much joy.
“Wasn’t it said that there would be a dozen or so?”
Why were there only six!
He had waited for a long time and made a lot of effort, just to obtain the Great God’s Grace Coins collected by the Dragon King Trading Company.
Now,
it had shrunk by nearly half!
How could he endure this?
“This…” Emma said with a wry smile:
“There should indeed have been a dozen or so, but a while ago, the Shipyard that Jasper was in charge of was robbed.”
“The few Great God’s Grace Coins placed inside were all gone.”
“So…”
“There are only these for now.”
Ah!
Karl’s wrist shook.
The Shipyard?
That seemed to be where he obtained the Great God’s Grace Coins, which meant that he had taken away something that originally belonged to him.
This was a mess…
“Sigh!”
Karl sighed helplessly.
“Mr. Karl.” Seeing his dejected expression, Lula hurriedly said:
“There should still be a few at Monroe’s place. Don’t worry, after we take down Monroe, I’ll find those few for you.”
“The Dragon King Trading Company’s Great God’s Grace Coins…”
“They are all yours!”
Now, Karl’s importance to the Trading Company was indispensable, and it was worth paying any price.
Not to mention his strength to kill Jasper.
Just the fact that Karl possessed the Frenzy Potion formula meant that they could produce Grand Knights in batches to a certain extent.
Possessing such a trump card meant that they had the power to subvert the current situation in the Free Port.
In any case, they absolutely could not lose him!
“Alright.”
Karl sighed and put away the Great God’s Grace Coins:
“I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
“We definitely won’t disappoint you.” Emma replied decisively:
“Even if Monroe doesn’t have them, the Sea God Society and the Sickle Brotherhood definitely do. I’ll find a way to get them to take them out.”
Karl’s eyebrows twitched slightly:
“Then I’ll thank you, Madam.”
If he could get the Great God’s Grace Coins from the other two factions, then his cultivation could increase rapidly.
“Haha…” Emma waved her hand:
“We’re all on the same side, there’s no need to be so polite, Karl…, you don’t seem to have a wife yet?”
“This…” Karl paused:
“Yes.”
“Do you have someone you like?” Emma said enthusiastically:
“Do you want me to introduce you to someone?”
“Mother!” Lula’s expression was a bit strange:
“You don’t need to worry about this kind of thing, right?”
Before coming here, Emma had expressed a certain idea, which was to keep Karl at all costs.
This included marriage.
Currently, there were not many women in the Trading Company who were worthy of a Grand Knight, and Lula was obviously one of them.
Although the two of them had no feelings for each other, Emma didn’t mind finding such a husband for her daughter.
“No need.”
Karl said, his face serious:
“I have dedicated my entire life to the path of the knight. I hope that one day I can become a legend.”
“Uh…” Emma’s expression was strange:
“Karl, you should know that unless you receive a blessing from a deity or have the bloodline of a Duke, you can’t advance to the legendary level.”
“There are no exceptions.”
There’s such a saying?
Karl was stunned.
Thinking about it carefully.
It seemed that it was the same in the main world. Only the Church, the royal family, and the top nobles could give birth to legends.
No!
Thunder Spear Tucker was not like that.
“Madam.”
Karl lowered his eyebrows:
“There are always exceptions. I still want to try.”
“Alright!” Emma shrugged:
“I respect your decision.”
…………
Closing the door, Emma stepped forward, and at the same time, said:
“Next, in addition to dealing with Monroe, you should pay more attention to Karl, and it would be best if you can develop feelings for him.”
“When the time is right, I will hold a wedding for you.”
“Mother.” Lula frowned:
“Mr. Karl has already said that he doesn’t plan to marry.”
“Heh…” Emma’s face showed disdain:
“He will eventually feel despair about advancing to the legendary level, just like your father.”
“The deities of this world are already dead, they won’t bless him, and he doesn’t have the bloodline of a Duke. A Peak Grand Knight is his destiny.”
Stopping in her tracks, Emma said seriously:
“That’s good!”
“It shows that Karl doesn’t have too much ambition. You don’t have to worry about the power of the Trading Company falling into the hands of others if you marry him.”
***
“As for his appearance…”
“Men don’t need to be that good-looking.”
“Mother.” Lula opened her mouth, but facing Emma’s aggressive gaze, she could only sigh helplessly:
“I will try.”
“Good.” Emma smiled:
“Next, go find Monroe. If he is willing to submit, everything will be fine. If he isn’t…”
“Hmph!”
“With Karl’s Frenzy Potion, we can continuously produce Grand Knights. As long as we have a few years to develop, we can completely reverse the situation in the Free Port, and it’s not impossible to take down the other two factions.”
“What your father had thought about countless times but couldn’t do, might be done by us, mother and daughter.”
Speaking of this, Emma’s eyes showed fanaticism, and her body trembled slightly with excitement.
*
*
*
Mental Power: 2.97
Source Essence: 0.6
…
Mental Power: 3.27
Source Essence: 0
With a thought, the source essence provided by the Great God’s Grace Coin vanished, and his mental power increased rapidly.
3.27!
His mental power had exceeded 3, already reaching the level of a Senior Wizard Apprentice.
“Good!”
Karl’s eyes lit up:
“Finally, I have enough mental power to construct the sixth zero-circle spell.”
And he had already decided on the choice for the sixth zero-circle spell, which was the gravity-type zero-circle spell, Gravity Distortion, that he had obtained from the Senior Wizard Apprentice Arthur.
Gravity Distortion!
Currently, the spells that Karl had mastered were rarely killing spells, and were mostly inclined towards defense and control.
Such as the minor mage force field, water vortex, azure wave protection, etc…
Only the fire rune that he had obtained early on had a certain amount of offensive power, but he rarely used it now.
This was also due to his situation.
Karl was not only an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice, but also a Grand Knight. He mostly used knightly methods when fighting.
Spells,
mainly played an auxiliary role!
He used various spells to layer his armor, increasing his defense to a certain level, and limiting his opponent’s movement speed, and then relying on other methods for outputting attacks.
So far, there were no problems with this path.
Divine Domain Fragment.
Karl sat cross-legged in the center.
His eyes were closed, his face was calm, his breathing was rhythmic, and his consciousness had already sunk into the depths of his mind.
Mental Sea.
Mental power turned into tangible rays of light, outlining and shuttling in the air, drawing a spell model.
In order to construct this zero-circle spell, Karl had specifically visited two gravity-type Senior Wizard Apprentices.
And spent several magic stones to ask for advice on relevant knowledge.
He also bought 《”A Brief Discussion of Gravity and Attraction”》, 《”Basic Force Field Analysis”》, 《”Exploring the Mysteries of the Astral Force Field”》, and other wizardry knowledge books.
As time passed, his mental power gradually depleted, and a complex spell model had slowly taken shape in his mental sea.
Zero-Circle Spell ━ Gravity Distortion!
Success!
“Buzz…”
As the sixth zero-circle spell was completed, the previously calm and deep mental sea suddenly rippled.
The ripples expanded, becoming larger and larger, extending to the end of his perception.
The six zero-circle spells flashed crazily in the mental sea, like six stars shining brightly.
And the various cantrips,
were like the scattered stars.
The starlight shone brightly, illuminating the entire mental sea.
Before,
in Karl’s perception, the mental sea was a chaotic place, distorted, disordered, and very dangerous.
Especially when constructing spell models, a slight carelessness could cause confusion in his consciousness.
But now,
the six zero-circle spells formed a hexagram array, dispelling the mist and making the mental sea clear and transparent.
This feeling was very unique.
It was as if things that he had not been able to control before had suddenly become as easy as using his own arms, and his thoughts were clearer than ever before.
“No wonder!”
“No wonder once six zero-circle spells have been constructed, it means becoming a Senior Wizard Apprentice.”
“So that’s how it is…”
His previous confusion and doubts had now been resolved.
The spell model illuminated the mental sea, which meant that Karl had begun to truly control his mental power.
Sea of Consciousness!
Mind!
Mental Sea.
The names were different, but their essence was the same. In the eyes of wizards, it was the location of their life spirit.
With a thought, it was unprecedentedly agile and clear.
No need for verification.
At this moment, the power of Karl’s spells was at least doubled compared to before, and the casting speed had increased by nearly half.
His perception of the outside world had also reached an astonishing level.
If ordinary people had even a trace of malice, he would be able to perceive it, and he would be able to detect the slightest movement.
“If I use the minor mage force field now, I’m afraid I can fix a Formal Knight in place, and they would be unable to resist me.”
“Even a Grand Knight would be greatly affected.”
“Azure Wave Protection…”
“Even if Jasper possessed a super rune, it would be impossible for him to tear it apart easily. At least it could block several attacks.”
“No wonder there is a saying that Grand Knights are powerless in front of a Senior Wizard Apprentice. However, the Grand Knights in the Free Port all have runes or even super runes, so their strength is even greater, and they cannot be underestimated.”
As Karl’s thoughts turned, the mental sea also gave feedback.
6.2!
This was the limit of his mental power.
It was also the value that the mental sea could bear. To go further, he would need to draw power from the astral plane to increase his mental power.
Everyone’s mental sea was different, and the mental limit of each wizard apprentice would also vary.
The higher the mental power limit, the greater the possibility of breaking through to become a Formal Wizard.
On the contrary,
the smaller it was.
“From my mentor Adolf’s notes, and the words of several Senior Wizard Apprentices, the mental power limit of ordinary wizard apprentices is mostly in the five-point range. This also matches my conjecture that if it exceeds five, then they can advance.”
“6.2?”
“My mental power limit is much stronger than other wizard apprentices. Could it be because I am a transmigrator?”
Whatever the reason, it was definitely a good thing for Karl. At least it showed that his talent was unusual in some aspects.
“Good!”
“Good!”
Putting on a thin robe, Karl walked out of the room barefoot.
The mental power of a Senior Wizard Apprentice was like a radar that was always running, scanning everything around him.
A feeling of everything being under his control rose in his heart.
Following that feeling, Karl gently raised his arm, and said lightly:
“Wind!”
“Whoosh…”
A breeze suddenly rose in front of him, like an invisible sprite, jumping across the lawn into the distance.
Words become reality?
No!
It was just that his powerful mental power naturally caused certain elements in the world to vibrate, revealing an anomaly.
“Fire!”
He gently clenched his hand.
The fire element immediately gathered, forming a fist-sized fireball in his palm, swaying gently.
“Earth!”
The earth trembled, and a lump of soil rose up. Following Karl’s will, it was molded into a lifelike mud figure.
“Water!”
“Bang!”
The water flow exploded in the air, rushing in all directions, and then suddenly scattered, turning into rain and nourishing the lawn.
“As expected!”
Karl’s expression was complicated, with relief, amazement, and satisfaction, which finally turned into a faint smile:
“Senior Wizard Apprentices are completely different from before. It’s not just their strength, but also a certain degree of transformation. Every move can carry supernatural power. Is this what it feels like to be close to a Formal Wizard?”
“There are currently thirty-some Senior Wizard Apprentices registered in the Swamp Alliance. I am also one of them now.”
“Hmm?”
Karl raised an eyebrow and looked towards a place not far away.
Within his sight, there were several wooden houses. Unlike his residence, these few were obviously carefully maintained.
Sybil rarely came back.
Little Pine and Catherine each had a wooden house.
At this time, it was already dark, Little Pine had already fallen asleep, but Catherine’s room was still lit with candlelight.
A faint sound vibrated the air, floating into Karl’s perception.
“Great and benevolent Lord of the Morning Sun, your faithful servant kneels in worship…”
“You are the God of abundance, the Lord of all things.”
“Your faithful servant, Catherine…”
*
*
*
Another World.
Endless Sea.
A trading ship with the Dragon King Trading Company’s flag broke through the mist and appeared near an island.
“We’re here!”
The captain put away his spyglass and waved his hand:
“Go!”
“Capture at least six water monkeys, and remember to catch them alive. If even one is missing, I will take your lives!”
There was a group of water monkeys on this island.
After learning that the main ingredient of the Frenzy Potion was the blood of water monkeys, Emma had people urgently go out to sea to hunt them.
This ship was traveling empty, just to catch water monkeys.
“Yes!”
“Captain, don’t worry, you know how we do things. We will definitely handle this well for you.”
Several bare-chested sailors laughed and walked out, teasing each other, and jumped off the ship.
“Plop!”
Several people jumped into the water, barely causing any splashes.
They lightly kicked their legs underwater, and then rushed forward, their speed comparable to a swordfish in the sea.
In the blink of an eye, they disappeared.
“Captain.”
The deputy walked up and asked curiously:
“Are we really just going out to sea to catch a few water monkeys? Wouldn’t this be a huge loss?”
Their ship was not an ordinary trading ship, but the top trading ship of the Trading Company, second only to the Dragon King.
Just the losses from a single trip to sea would cost tens of thousands of God’s Grace Coins, not to mention other losses.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
The captain said expressionlessly:
“We only need to complete the task. There’s no need to worry about anything else.”
“Yes.”
The deputy responded, and then sighed:
“I wonder if Madam and Miss can reorganize the Trading Company. I heard that the two vice presidents have been wooed by other factions.”
They had left too hastily and quickly, and they did not even know that Jasper was dead, and Monroe had closed his doors.
“They will.”
The captain said slowly:
“I believe Miss can…”
“Hmm?”
Halfway through his words, he paused, and looked forward with a puzzled expression:
“What is that?”
“Yes!” The deputy stepped forward and looked into the distance:
“It seems like there is something.”
Time seemed to freeze at this moment, the two men’s expressions froze on their faces, and only their pupils dilated little by little.
“Turn around!”
The captain’s forehead bulged with veins, and he roared hoarsely:
“Quick!”
“Turn around!”
And the deputy, his face pale, staggered backward, his eyes filled with horror:
“Monster!”
“It’s a monster!”
The mist still permeated the sea.
Vaguely, they could see a huge ship swaying, being pulled down into the sea by something.
