One year later.
Ethan sat cross-legged in the treehouse's cultivation room, his eyes tightly shut.
Within his mental sea, thirty-two runes rotated slowly.
The emerald-green runes floated quietly amidst the gray mist, maintaining a delicate distance from one another to form a stable equilibrium.
The thirty-second rune had been condensed three days ago.
The process grew more difficult with each addition.
His mental sea was becoming increasingly crowded, and the placement of each new rune required even more precise control.
A single mistake could disrupt the existing runic structure. At best, it would mean starting over; at worst, it could cause runic resonance and damage his mental sea.
Fortunately, his control over mental power was nothing like it used to be.
The knowledge crystals had not been studied in vain.
A voice echoed throughout the interior of the fortress.
"A World Mission is now being issued."
Ethan snapped his eyes open.
"Objective: Establish a Wizard Tower and teleportation array in the target world. All Third-Tier Wizard Apprentices are eligible to apply. Five apprentices will be selected to execute the mission."
The voice faded.
The treehouse fell silent for a moment.
Then, a cacophony of noise erupted from the cobblestone paths outside.
Ethan pushed open the treehouse door and stepped onto the wooden stairs.
The cobblestone path was already packed with people.
Apprentices poured out of their respective treehouses, gathering in small groups with various expressions on their faces.
"Establish a Wizard Tower? Isn't that a method only Official Wizards possess?"
"Don't be stupid. They'll definitely issue the appropriate Wizardry Tools for the mission. Otherwise, how would a Third-Tier Wizard Apprentice build a Wizard Tower?"
"Only five spots. Do you know how many Third-Tier Wizard Apprentices are in this fortress? At least three million, to start."
"Five out of three and a half million. Hah."
"The key issue is the danger. A mission like this sounds like a death sentence."
"No kidding. Infiltrating a world not yet controlled by the Wizard Council and building a Wizard Tower and teleportation array right under the nose of the World Will? How the hell is that any different from pitching a tent in a dragon's nest?"
"And once we descend, the World Will will notice. Every powerhouse in that world will come to hunt us down."
"It's a suicide mission."
The discussions rose and fell like the tide.
However, very few people actually walked toward the registration point.
"Sounds dangerous."
Ethan stepped down the stairs.
"But danger doesn't bother me."
After walking for about half an hour, Ethan reached the mission registration point.
At this time, the open space in front of the entrance was filled with people.
Ethan did a rough sweep; at least seven or eight hundred people were squeezed into this small area, forming a dense, dark mass.
Ethan made his way toward them.
As he pushed through the crowd, he unceremoniously shoved aside several apprentices blocking his path.
Some turned around to complain, but upon meeting Ethan's expressionless face, the words died in their throats, and they silently made way.
The Treant at the registration desk lifted its eyelids, its emerald-green gaze sweeping over Ethan.
Its leaf-like head had been swaying slowly, but the moment its gaze landed on Ethan, all the leaves suddenly stood upright and began to quiver.
Its voice also became significantly softer than before.
"Name and academy affiliation."
"Ethan Leo, Blood Bone Tower."
The Treant's slender fingers tapped a few times on the light screen in front of it, and the leaves atop its head relaxed slightly.
A pale green light shot out from the crystal in its palm, scanning Ethan.
"Mental power signature recorded." It retracted the crystal. "Registration successful. You will be notified of the initial screening results in seven days. At that time, proceed to Fortress Command for the next stage of the assessment."
Ethan nodded, turned, and walked out of the registration point.
Behind him, the Treant stared at his back for several breaths before its leaves slowly returned to their normal swaying frequency.
Seven days later.
There was a knock on the treehouse door.
Ethan opened his eyes and stood up to answer it.
A Treant stood at the door, the leaves on its head trembling slightly.
"Ethan Leo, you have passed the initial screening. Please proceed immediately to Fortress Command for the next stage of the assessment."
Ethan nodded and walked down the wooden steps.
Fortress Command was located in the center of the fortress. It was a massive thirty-three-story building constructed entirely of a deep cyan wood, with pale gold runic patterns flowing across its surface.
Just as Ethan reached the open space in front of the building, a Treant strode toward him on its long wooden legs.
It stood about two and a half meters tall, its dark brown wooden body taking on a smooth humanoid form with long arms and distinct fingers.
"What are you doing here? Don't wander around. If you have no business, leave at once," the Treant said coldly, its emerald eyes scanning Ethan.
"I'm here for the assessment."
The leaves atop the Treant's head relaxed slightly, and its tone changed instantly. "Oh, I see. Go wait over there."
It raised a slender arm and pointed toward an open area on the side of the building. Dozens of people were already standing there, scattered in small groups.
Ethan nodded and walked toward the area.
After only a few steps, he heard the Treant's voice behind him: "Apprentices, get lost!"
"I'm here for the assessment."
"Oh, I see. Then get over there."
Ethan paused for a moment, his lips twitching.
Fine, his passive abilities were truly powerful.
Standing at the edge of the open space was a tall figure in a dark red short robe, her long, dark red hair cascading over her shoulders, gleaming like clotted blood in the sunlight.
It was Wizard Jade Blood.
She was walking toward the main entrance of Fortress Command.
Halfway there, she turned her head, her dark red eyes landing on Ethan.
"Director," Ethan said, standing straight with his right hand over his chest and a slight bow.
"Oh, it's you, kid." Wizard Jade Blood turned around and strode toward Ethan. "I was wondering who from Blood Bone Tower had been selected. I didn't expect it to be you."
She stopped in front of Ethan and looked him up and down, a smirk playing on her lips.
"So... your name is Iyer, right?"
Ethan's mouth twitched.
"Cough... Director, my name is Ethan."
"Oh." Wizard Jade Blood showed no sign of embarrassment. She raised a hand and slapped his shoulder. "Well then, perform well. If you pass, I'll have a reward for you."
Those slaps were incredibly heavy. When they hit his shoulder, it felt like being struck by a giant bear. Even the cobblestone ground beneath Ethan's feet trembled slightly.
Ethan merely furrowed his brows.
A wave of numbness spread through his shoulder, and his bones felt a faint ache, but that was all.
Wizard Jade Blood raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise crossing her dark red eyes.
"Oho, your physique is quite impressive, kid." She retracted her hand and reached into her robe. "If you get selected, this Elemental Torrent Body Refinement Technique will be yours."
The cover of the manual was a dull yellow, made of some kind of animal hide with faint red patterns flowing across the surface. After waving it a couple of times, she tucked it back into her chest.
Ethan's gaze lingered for a second on where the manual had disappeared, his lips twitching slightly.
Keeping a storage Wizardry Tool in her cleavage... how bold.
Of course, he didn't dare say that out loud.
A Second-Tier Wizard could slap him into a meat patty with a single hand; he understood the concept of 'trouble comes from the mouth.'
"Thank you, Director," Ethan bowed again.
Jade Blood waved her hand and turned back toward the entrance of Fortress Command, her dark red hair trailing behind her in a graceful arc.
Ethan straightened up and walked to the edge of the open space to find a spot to wait.
Rate on N.U.
