Carter Bill hastily threw back his cloak and pressed a hand to the pocket at his chest, ready to summon Parker, who was dozing inside, at a moment's notice.
Theoretically, this entire area was designated as the apprentice sanctuary, kept under constant surveillance by the tower. Yet danger lurked around every corner in the warlock's world—one could never afford to let their guard down.
Rustle-rustle!
The treetops shook violently, and the bushes parted to the sides. Two figures stepped out from within, and Carter Bill couldn't help but freeze. He knew both of them—they were fellow apprentices from his cohort. Were they also out on a mission?
"Carter Bill?"
At the same time, the pair spotted him. A note of surprise slipped into their voices as they strode quickly toward him.
They were a young man and woman. The man had brown hair and a burly build. Instead of a cloak, he wore leather armor and trousers, a cross sword hanging at his waist—he cut a perfect figure of a knight.
This was Yuri. Before coming to the Tower of Shadows, he had served as a knight's squire and was even said to have seen battle on the front lines. Now that he'd joined the tower, he specialized in physical enhancement disciplines, fighting in a style far different from other warlocks—favoring close-quarters melee combat.
The girl, by contrast, had a pure and innocent face, with big, round eyes that made her look like a naive, next-door girl with a simple mind.
This was Alice, who specialized in the water element school.
Upon seeing Carter Bill, Alice bounded over to him like a cute little rabbit, speaking to him in a familiar, sugary tone, "Carter Bill, are you heading to the vicinity of the Corrupted Wood too?"
Her mannerisms were enough to make anyone misinterpret her intentions. Any other apprentice might have wondered if she had a crush on him, but Carter Bill remained unmoved—for he knew her act was just a facade.
Alice was an extremely shrewd girl, masterful at using her innocent looks to her advantage. She played cute and acted pure to take advantage of others at every turn.
To put it in terms from Carter Bill's old world—she was a scheming green tea girl.
Carter Bill nodded. "I am."
Alice's face lit up with delight. "Wonderful! We're heading to the Corrupted Wood as well. Why don't we travel together?"
She paused, then turned to Yuri behind her and asked sweetly, "Brother Yuri, we're all classmates, right? You wouldn't mind, would you?"
Yuri's expression clearly soured. After all, his chance at a romantic two-person trip with the girl he admired was now ruined by an uninvited third wheel, ruining the perfect atmosphere.
But with Alice asking so nicely, he couldn't very well refuse. He forced a generous smile and said, "Of course not. Let's go together."
Carter Bill hesitated for a moment.
The journey ahead was long, and who knew what perils lay in wait? Having two more companions was certainly better than traveling alone.
So he nodded. "Very well."
...
Night fell.
Moonlight, thin as gossamer, spilled gently over the winding stream. Silver radiance danced with the shimmering ripples on the water's surface, like a river of stars fallen from the sky, flowing silently across the land.
On the pebble-strewn riverbank, the crackling of burning firewood filled the air, and tiny embers flickered in the breeze. A campfire blazed steadily, accompanied by three pitched tents—a humble campsite for weary travelers.
Carter Bill sat on a fallen log before the fire, his gaze fixed on a data panel visible only to him.
Elementary Magical Plant Modification lv2: 216/3000
Basic Transcendent Cultivation lv2: 876/1000
Shadow's Touch lv2: 386/3000
Meditation lv1: 503/3000
After three months of relentless effort, his various abilities had improved significantly. Several skills had broken through to level 2, and Basic Transcendent Cultivation was nearly maxed out—it wouldn't be long before he reached the cap.
Even Meditation, the most difficult skill of all, had finally advanced to level 1.
Notably, when Meditation hit level 1, a basic Will Rune had taken shape in his spiritual consciousness. It seemed his earlier guess was correct: Meditation had a total of ten levels to master.
"Tsk tsk… ten levels…"
Though he'd anticipated this outcome, confirming it still left Carter Bill marveling. Especially when he saw the required proficiency jump to 3,000 points—it made him feel an overwhelming sense of exhaustion just thinking about it.
Fifty years as the average time to advance to the next rank… it really wasn't an exaggeration at all.
"Keep pushing forward!"
Still, despite its difficulty, Meditation brought tremendous benefits. Over the past few months, his spiritual attribute had increased by a full 0.6, breaking through the 2.0 threshold in one go.
Spirit: 2.1
His spiritual power had surged from 15 to 21, allowing him to accomplish far more each day than before.
Every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Carter Bill believed that if he kept making steady progress at this pace, he would surely reap the fruits of his labor someday.
"Brother Yuri, you're so amazing! How did you get such incredible strength?"
"Haha, it's nothing. I'm still a long way from being a true knight."
"Is this all muscle? Can I touch it? It looks harder than steel!"
Just then, Yuri and Alice walked over from the distance.
Yuri was bare-chested, a wild boar slung over one shoulder and two rabbits dangling from his hand. His muscles bulged like twisted steel, and his body glistened with sweat, steaming slightly in the cool night air.
Alice skipped along beside him, her big, innocent eyes fixed on Yuri as she showered him with compliments, occasionally poking his muscles playfully with her finger.
Carter Bill stood up. "You're back?"
Whether to impress Alice or to save face as a man, Yuri was going out of his way to show off. He'd single-handedly set up the tents, built the campfire, and now returned with a bounty of game. Carter Bill, who was essentially tagging along for a free meal, couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.
He hurried over to offer his help. "Let me give you a hand."
He meant it sincerely, but Yuri waved him off with a dismissive gesture, not giving him a chance to pitch in. "No need. You're too scrawny to be of any use—just sit back and wait for dinner."
Carter Bill shrugged, unable to argue, and stood by awkwardly, ready to lend a hand if needed.
At the same time, he couldn't help but stare enviously at Yuri's bare torso.
His skin was a bronze hue, crisscrossed with rippling muscles—well-defined pectorals and a sharp, eight-pack abdomen. Despite being the same age as Carter Bill, he was a full head taller, exuding raw, brute strength.
I've heard that human knights have a secret training technique. It may not grant them transcendent powers like warlocks, but it can significantly enhance their physical constitution. Yuri must have mastered it, right?
Carter Bill thought about his own desire to boost his physical strength. This might be a viable method—he resolved to look up relevant information later.
"Hey, where did my dagger go?"
Yuri had just slit the boar's throat with his cross sword and was about to use his dagger to skin it, only to find the weapon missing. Without a short blade, skinning the beast would be a tedious chore.
"I'll go look for it," Alice said, wandering off to rummage around. But judging by her half-hearted search, it would be a miracle if she found it anytime soon.
Carter Bill picked up his wand and focused his will. The runes inscribed on the wand flared to life instantly, and the long, double-handed wand twisted and reshaped itself, morphing into a short dagger in the blink of an eye.
This was the reward he'd received from the tower after the previous assessment—a wand imbued with a polymorph spell, capable of shifting forms according to the warlock's will.
Alice's eyes lit up as she spotted it. "Is that the wand you got as a reward from the tower in the last test?"
Carter Bill nodded. "It is."
Alice scurried over at once, her voice taking on a coquettish lilt. "Can I take a look at it, Carter Bill?"