Walking toward him was a male apprentice, with distinctive green hair and a strikingly peculiar eyeball on the back of his right hand. It was none other than Chris Wright, who ranked second in the morning assessment.
Chris placed his eyeball-embellished right hand on Lynch's shoulder. All three eyes stared at Lynch as he spoke in a feigned friendly tone, "You're really surprising. Quietly surpassing everyone—what's the secret? Have you discovered some unique cultivation technique?"
Lynch glanced at the bizarre eyeball, then shook his head and replied honestly, "No, I've just been putting in constant effort every day to cultivate."
"Hahaha!"
Chris burst into laughter, laced with a hint of mockery. "No offense, truly, but this really fits your farmer identity—honest, simple, seeing the world in such a straightforward way."
"But if I may speak frankly, that's not the way. If hard work were enough, wouldn't everyone in this world become a wizard already?"
"The Wizard World thrives on serendipity, resources, and sheer good luck. A single relic, or a fateful encounter, might surpass years—decades—of silent cultivation."
Lynch neither agreed nor disagreed.
In some respects, what Chris said wasn't nonsense. The Wizard World indeed held myriad rare resources that could significantly boost cultivation. Sometimes, months or even years of painstaking effort couldn't match the gains of a single fruit or a potion.
It was also for this reason that legends perpetually circulated—stories of mediocre apprentices stumbling across relics, inheriting the legacies of great wizards, and soaring to unprecedented heights.
In this world, choice often outweighed effort.
That was a truth in the Wizard World.
Lynch scratched his head, appearing as though he didn't quite grasp Chris's meaning.
Chris said, "It's fine if you don't understand now. You will, eventually."
After a pause, he continued, "I came here today because I have a gift for you."
Lynch asked in confusion, "A gift? For me?"
He and Chris couldn't be said to have no interaction at all, but they certainly weren't familiar with one another.
Chris nodded, then got straight to the point. "Yes, that's right. Richard recently stumbled upon a relic while collecting materials near the Red Mushroom Forest. We're planning to form a team to go explore it."
"Your Fire Dragon Lizard will likely come in handy during the exploration, so we'd like to invite you to join us. What do you think? Interested?"
After a pause, he added, "This is a rare opportunity, you know. No one can predict what treasures lie within the ruins. Who knows? Perhaps digging up a random piece of witchcraft could trump years—decades—of silent cultivation."
"A relic?" Carl's eyes lit up. "So the rumors are true?"
The news had already spread. Not long ago, an apprentice had stumbled upon the remains of an ancient relic while collecting materials, and Lynch and the others had even discussed it earlier that morning.
"Of course!" Chris nodded, then turned to Carl and Subaru. "So, how about it? Are either of you interested?"
Carl looked visibly tempted but said he needed to think about it. Subaru, on the other hand, promptly shook his head, explaining that he had no time as he was focusing on cultivating magic plants.
Exploring relics isn't something to be taken lightly, disregarding the risks in favor of potential gains. While there are stories of apprentices finding treasures and reversing their fortunes, far more have lost their lives and been buried in relics forever.
For apprentices like them who hadn't even fully mastered spells, venturing into such peril was too premature.
"That's a shame," Chris remarked, directing his gaze back at Lynch. "What about you, Lynch? Have you made up your mind?"
Subaru's brow furrowed slightly. He was worried Lynch might agree impulsively. He quickly turned to intervene and decline on Lynch's behalf.
Lynch, of course, noticed Subaru's gesture. However, if Subaru were to decline for him, it might annoy Chris and create unnecessary friction. After thinking it over, Lynch decided to refuse personally before Subaru could speak up.
So, he shook his head and said, "I can't go, Chris. I've just taken on a grafting project involving thorny flowers and dragon fruits. I'll be tied up for the next few months."
Lynch was well aware of the risks involved in relic exploration. It wasn't something someone at his current level could afford to dabble in.
"I see..."
Chris looked visibly disappointed, but there was nothing he could say to convince Lynch to abandon his assigned work, risking punishment from the Tower, just to join them on this venture.
So he nodded and said, "Alright, then. We'll have to wait for another opportunity to collaborate in the future."
"Carl, think it over. If you decide to go, you can find me anytime."
With that, Chris left after saying goodbye.
Once Chris departed, Subaru let out a noticeable sigh of relief. He immediately leaned toward Lynch and said, "Whew, thank goodness. I was so worried you'd foolishly agree to it just now."
Nearby, Carl appeared puzzled. "What's the problem with going?"
Subaru rolled his eyes. "Are you an idiot? With our current skill level, do you think we can just go on expeditions? Especially relic expeditions? Do you know what kind of place the Red Mushroom Forest is? It's outside the protected zones! Encounter a single mishap out there, and you won't even know what hits you!"
Carl only realized it after Subaru's remark. "Ah! Now that you mention it, I didn't even think of that..."
"Useless!"
Subaru spat. Then he turned to Lynch and sternly warned, "Lynch, you have to remember this—The Wizard World isn't like your hometown village. Here, danger lurks everywhere. Every step you take must be cautious. Greed without the power to back it up will only harm you."
Lynch nodded earnestly and replied with deference, "Got it, I'll remember."
...
Listening to advice makes for a full stomach.
Early the next morning, Lynch made a trip to the Tower's library.
This was where the Tower stored its knowledge. Knowledge distributed by the Tower could be claimed here, and beyond that, certain spell-related knowledge could also be purchased here.
Any knowledge acquired from the library couldn't be privately traded. If violations were discovered, severe punishment awaited.
And it wasn't just the library—any privately researched spells traded between apprentices often required restrictive transfer contracts. Breaking those would lead to curses or magic power backlash.
In the Wizard World, knowledge was immensely valuable. None of the major wizard organizations would allow their knowledge to leak freely.
"I'd like to exchange this..."
Lynch presented the Knowledge Badge he earned from the assessment. With this badge, he could exchange it for one piece of low-level spell knowledge, though it had to align with his main area of study.
Wizard apprenticeships at the Tower were tailored to the apprentices' initial chosen spell path. Future resources, knowledge, and so forth provided by the Tower were mostly tailored for compatibility with this path.
Lynch exchanged his badge for a copy of Elementary Magic Plants Transformation. This was an advanced knowledge progression from Basic Transformation Technique, requiring a proficiency level of at least Level 2 in the latter. It mainly provided instruction on transforming various magical plants within the Wizard World, enabling transformations of plants ranging from elementary to mid-level apprentice grades.
He had carefully considered this choice. Transformation techniques were notoriously expensive to practice. Jumping straight to biological transformation experiments would pose major issues regarding material acquisition, which often required hunting magical beasts and engaging in combat—highly dangerous tasks.
By comparison, material acquisition for magical plant cultivation was relatively easier. Collecting low-level magical plants generally wasn't very risky.
"Additionally, I'd like to purchase..."
After picking up the Magic Plants Transformation material, Lynch also bought two additional pieces of knowledge: Basic Extraordinary Cultivation and a Level 0 Magic Model of Shadow Touch.
The first was fundamental knowledge for the extraordinary cultivation discipline, costing 20 Magic Stones. Magic pets weren't easy to nurture, and without understanding the related knowledge, it was difficult to unlock their potential. His painstakingly transformed Fire Dragon Lizard couldn't be wasted for lack of proper care.
As for the spell model of Shadow Hand, it was preparation for the assessment three months later. No matter what, Lynch wanted to try. Advancing to the Inner Ring earlier would grant access to better resources sooner.
The spell cost Lynch a full 65 Magic Stones. Spell models were always the most expensive form of wizard knowledge since they were the crystallization of accumulated magical expertise—core expressions of power.
"Broke again..."
Looking at his now nearly-empty pocket, Lynch felt a pang of heartache. The fortune of Magic Stones he had just acquired and barely warmed his hands with was already gone. The Wizard's Road was indeed a path paved in gold.
"No matter, as long as I've acquired new knowledge, it's all worth it."
Shaking his head, Lynch quickly pushed past the heartache. To him, Magic Stones were merely external possessions; what truly mattered was the knowledge he gained.
He turned his gaze to the data panel before him:
[Knowledge carrier detected, automatically loaded.]
[Elementary Magic Plants Transformation lv0: 0/300.]
[Knowledge carrier detected, automatically loaded.]
[Basic Extraordinary Cultivation lv0: 0/100.]
[Spell model detected, automatically loaded.]
[Shadow Hand lv0: 0/300.]