In the days that followed, nothing unusual occurred. Modesto clearly knew the correct route to the surface. Following his instructions, Kai supported Modesto as they twisted and turned, advancing steadily through the underground space. Though the path was complex, Kai could generally tell they were moving upward. Along the way, they even passed through several vertical, dark tunnels.
During these days, Kai noticed a distinct change in his mentor compared to the past. While Modesto had always cared about Kai before, that care had been within normal bounds—though still far warmer than how most dark magicians treated their disciples. But recently, Modesto's concern for Kai had become extraordinarily enthusiastic. He asked about Kai's studies and cultivation progress almost every day, and promptly answered Kai's questions about fire-element magic knowledge and alchemy. Within these few days, Modesto even taught Kai the spell model for a high-level magic:Flame Blade.
The high-levelFlame Bladewas essentially an enhanced version of the intermediateFire Chain Bladethat Kai already mastered. Since its spell model was simpler than that of other high-level magics, and Kai already had a foundation in the intermediateFire Chain Blade, Modesto chose to teach this high-level magic first, helping Kai solidify his status as a senior apprentice as soon as possible.
In the past, when Kai learned intermediate magics likeFire HandandTelekinesis, Modesto had merely given him a pile of magic books to study and understand on his own. But with Modesto—a formal dark magician—teaching him in person this time, Kai mastered the high-level magic much faster than expected.
Modesto's changed behavior and his worsening physical condition made Kai sense that something unexpected might happen soon. This dampened the joy he had felt after reuniting with his mentor. Yet Modesto, despite his fading complexion and vitality, acted and looked as calm as usual. One day, he even pointed at Kai's crystal ball—cracked with a thin line—and commented, "The repair is decent, but the technique is a bit rough. You should do it like this…"
Holding two alchemical tools that looked like metal pens, Modesto personally taught Kai the skills to repair the crystal ball. Repairing a crystal ball was not an advanced alchemical technique; Modesto's true intention was to pass on more of his unique alchemical insights and special skills to Kai during the process. Whenever this happened, Kai would quickly take out a magic book filled with dense notes and respectfully record the profound knowledge his mentor imparted. Writing it down not only deepened his understanding of the techniques but also made it easier for him to review later.
Watching Kai—eager to learn and earnest in his attitude—Modesto sighed more than once."Your senior brother is skilled in alchemy, but like me, he neglects exploring the path of elemental magic. His chance of advancing to higher levels in the future is slim. Your senior sister has a lively personality; though she has a natural affinity for fire-element magic, she is not the type to patiently pursue truth, nor has she inherited much of my alchemical legacy. Only you have the potential to be the sole hope of our lineage. I hope you can strive to reach higher realms in the future and carry forward our legacy." Modesto said solemnly to Kai by the underground campfire.
Faced with the heavy responsibility of inheritance and his mentor's full expectations, Kai nodded seriously.
A month and a half later.As they drew closer to the surface, Kai's heart grew heavier. He knew they were approaching the surface not through logic, but pure intuition—and the same intuition told him that his mentor Modesto might not make it.
Sure enough, on the third night after this thought crossed his mind, Modesto called Kai to his side. Compared to over a month ago, Modesto's body had deteriorated drastically. He had become a gaunt skeleton wrapped in skin, and his once-yellow eyes had turned cloudy and dull. Yet when he called Kai over, Modesto mustered his strength and placed three items in front of Kai.
"Kai, I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany you to the surface. There are things I need to give you, and words I need to say to you." Modesto took a breath, forced himself to straighten his posture, and looked at Kai.
Kai knelt before Modesto in the manner of a disciple, bowing his head deeply.
"This spatial bracelet contains the savings of my life, along with some magic equipment and alchemical tools. Whether you pursue the path of a magician or an alchemist, advancing to higher realms will always require resources. When I first stumbled into the field of alchemy, my only goal was to earn a few low-level energy crystals. The things in this bracelet will make your journey to becoming a formal magician smoother and steadier."
Modesto first pointed to a simple bronze-colored ancient bracelet and spoke to Kai. Then he pointed to a thick magic book next to the bracelet: "This alchemical journal is the result of my lifelong efforts—summaries of years of experience, recorded in my spare time between experiments. While there are other magic books and alchemical notes in the spatial bracelet, this one is the most important, as it contains my original insights. Besides you, only your senior brother Zoro has read this journal. I hope you will study the alchemical mysteries within carefully and carve out your own path in the future."
Modesto's words made Kai bow his head even lower. He knew that compared to the wealth in the spatial bracelet, this alchemical journal was the inheritance Modesto valued most—it represented the passing of knowledge and the extension of will.
Finally, Modesto pointed to a small, flute-like object next to the spatial bracelet and the magic book: "I've repaired your earth-element shield ring and invisibility cloak these days. This flute is for that owl. The Dawn Holy Tower's hunt for dark magicians in the Underdark will likely continue for a long time. As a mere apprentice, you can hide deeply enough to avoid being discovered as a dark magic apprentice. But that owl will be hard to hide—it belongs to the magical bird species raised by the academy director, and the Dawn Holy Tower has probably marked them. Only when you leave the Underdark will you truly be free from danger."
Modesto spoke at length that final night, perhaps sensing his impending death. In addition to urging Kai to hide his identity as a dark magic apprentice carefully after reaching the surface, he also told Kai about the general situation of the Underdark and its surrounding areas.
"There is a magical map of the Underdark in the spatial bracelet—I made it over a hundred years ago when I first came to the Underdark. I checked the archives about your background in the second year after taking you as my disciple. You are indeed not a commoner. Normally, when dark magicians from Menzoberranzan go out to recruit apprentice candidates, they rarely target nobles. It's not that they fear mortal nobles, but to avoid unnecessary trouble. After all, nobles in the wizarding world are almost always connected to knights or magicians. You were obtained by a group of dark magicians from human traffickers during a raid. Most dark magicians in Menzoberranzan have connections with traffickers or bandit groups in the Underdark; they leave tasks we find inconvenient to handle to these groups. Many new apprentices in the academy each year come this way. I couldn't find out which noble family you belong to, but I learned you likely came from the north of the Underdark. I have a blood-tracing magic here—it might help you."
Hearing about his background and family, Kai's heart trembled. He solemnly took the crystal ball containing the blood-tracing magic from his mentor. The thought that he might soon return to the home of his childhood memories filled him with excitement.
After handing over the last crystal ball to Kai, Modesto's condition worsened. The energy he had forced himself to gather faded, and he even began to mutter incoherently.
"Cough!" Modesto coughed up a mouthful of black blood. The stinking, dark fluid stained most of his robe. Kai didn't hesitate—he hurried forward to support Modesto, preventing him from collapsing.
At this moment, Modesto retained only a final glimmer of clarity. His yellowish eyes fixed on Kai, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Actually, you are not suited to be a dark magician. Your heart is not cruel enough, and you still have limits. Fortunately, you are young—only an apprentice, and not wanted by the Holy Tower. As long as you leave the Underdark, you can survive in the wizarding world as an ordinary magic apprentice. On the first night I met you, I even tried to use Necromantic Rebirth to seize your body and prolong my life…"
Modesto's words were likely a result of his muddled consciousness—he had even revealed this secret to Kai. Kai remained silent, bowing his head. In fact, he had learned from the owl Qi about Modesto's attempt to harm him that night. Yet in the days since, Kai had acted as usual, never (estranging) or fearing Modesto because of it.
If there was one change, it was that Kai had hidden his gains from the Yellow Sand World. He had only briefly mentioned his two years there to Modesto, never mentioning the thirty Level 2 energy crystals. Even Level 2 or 3 magicians would be tempted by such a huge fortune. As a mere magic apprentice, Kai knew that flaunting his wealth before gaining enough strength would only put him in danger.
The inheritance Modesto left in the spatial bracelet would indeed support Kai smoothly until he became a formal magician. But if he added the thirty Level 2 energy crystals, he might not lack resources even until he advanced to Level 2. This was Kai's unique opportunity—a reward for enduring two years of hardship in the Yellow Sand World. As for his deal with the Sand Worm King… he could only wish it luck now. After all, he had indeed helped it contact Holy Tower magicians, even if the outcome might not be good.
Modesto had no idea Kai had hidden this from him. But with his end approaching, after entrusting everything to Kai, he suddenly grabbed Kai's shoulders and made one final request—not a demand, but a plea.
"I am from Chiba Coral Island in the central Western Islands. If you ever get the chance, take my ashes back and scatter them in Gezes City on Chiba Coral Island. You are not suited to be a dark magician—and honestly, I was never a qualified one either, to naively trust others. Remember: you can only go to the Western Islands once you reach the rank of formal magician or higher. The wizarding world is too vast for an apprentice to cross alone. Even the Dark Domain of the Western Islands is no place for a magic apprentice to venture. Work hard. If you can do it, do it. If not, scatter my ashes in the Endless Southern Sea—that is also a home for me." Modesto said, closing his eyes.
After these words, Modesto never opened his eyes again. It was only after a long time that Kai, his fingers trembling, leaned close to Modesto's nose to check. There was no breath left, and his heart had stopped beating.
Looking at Modesto—old and hunched—Kai knelt before him and kowtowed heavily several times.
Kai handled his mentor's body alone. The owl Qi only watched from the side; Kai would not let it interfere.
"Goo, your mentor was right. He doesn't act like a dark magician, and neither do you. What a strange master and apprentice." Qi stood on a boulder, watching Kai by the fire.
"If my mentor had really attacked that night, could you have stopped him?" Kai asked calmly, watching as Modesto's body was gradually consumed by the flames.
"Goo, hard to say. Your mentor was a formal dark magician, and he probably had other magical devices. If he had forced an attack, I would have had only a 30% to 40% chance of stopping him to protect you." Qi replied.
Qi's answer made Kai sigh deeply. He didn't know exactly what he was sighing about—only that Modesto's death left him feeling extremely depressed and grief-stricken.
"He is my mentor. He always will be." Kai stared blankly at the flickering flames and said.
In the end, Kai placed Modesto's ashes in a jar, which he carried close to his body, rarely storing it in his spatial ring. Qi, meanwhile, hid inside the flute Modesto had made for it. Unfortunately, only Qi could enter the flute; Kai had no idea what it looked like inside. From what Qi told him, though, the space inside was quite spacious, and Qi tended to grow sleepy once inside.
In the days since, Kai had roughly inventoried the other items Modesto had given him. The alchemical journal and the magic tools Modesto had previously gifted him went without saying. What truly surprised Kai was the abundance of other items in the spatial bracelet. There were over a hundred magic books alone—most related to alchemy and fire-element magic, though some covered other schools of magic, along with miscellaneous records and biographies.
Besides the books, Kai found more than two hundred energy crystals of various attributes in the bracelet. Over 90% of these were ordinary energy crystals below Level 1, with seventeen Level 1 crystals and even three Level 2 ones. Modesto's wealth was truly astonishing—no wonder Dils, a Level 1 dark magician, had risked turning against him and launching a sneak attack.
After tossing a Level 1 wind-attribute energy crystal to Qi, Kai continued to sort through the inheritance. The spatial bracelet's internal space was far larger than his spatial ring—Kai estimated it had a capacity of over 1,000 cubic meters. Beyond the magic books, he even saw several large and medium-sized alchemical tables and numerous experimental instruments stored inside. Kai had previously visited Modesto's residence at the Dark Magic Academy and found it empty; clearly, Modesto had taken all his belongings with him.
Apart from the alchemical tables and instruments, Kai also spotted a familiar metal golem lying quietly in a corner of the bracelet. It was the same golem that had once handled household chores for Modesto. According to hints left by his mentor, this golem could not only do housework but also had combat power comparable to a senior apprentice.
After glancing at the golem, Kai's gaze finally fell on the magical devices Modesto had left him. It was no wonder Vice Director Martin had personally visited Modesto to recruit him—when it came to crafting magical devices, no dark magician in Menzoberranzan could match him.
After the fierce battle with the Holy Tower magicians and Dils' sneak attack, many of Modesto's magical devices must have been damaged or destroyed. Even so, he still left Kai several formal magical devices—including two magic wands. One was the wand Modesto usually carried, with aBody Regenerationspell stored in its tip. The other was the metal wand Modesto had used in his battle against Kaelthas. This wand, however, seemed severely damaged; Kai noticed its tip was pitch-black, as if corroded, and wondered how much power it still held.
Among the other formal magical devices, what caught Kai's attention most was a pile of metal discs—most shattered into pieces. He had seen these discs in Modesto's battle against Kaelthas; they had not only provided both offense and defense in combat but also allowed the user to fly. But most of the discs before him were completely broken. Kai only found one that was barely intact and two others with less severe cracks; the rest were essentially scrap. With his current alchemical skills, he had no hope of repairing the fully shattered ones.
"It seems my mentor detonated these metal discs to fend off Dils' sneak attack and seriously injure her." Kai murmured, staring at the disc fragments—still stained with two different colors of blood.
These were almost all the things Modesto had left Kai. There were a few other magical devices, but Kai hadn't figured out their uses yet, and they didn't interest him as much as the metal discs or the two wands. He set them aside, planning to study them later when he was more powerful or had more time.
Though Kai was still only a senior magic apprentice, his net worth now surpassed that of most formal magicians—even Level 2 ones. But no matter how wealthy he was, these were just external possessions. Only by transforming them into his own strength could he go further and avoid becoming a stepping stone for others.
After taking care of his mentor's ashes and inheritance, Kai continued his journey to the surface.
"Qi, how much longer do you think it will take us to reach the surface?" Kai asked, following the route Modesto had left before his death.
Qi was still inside the flute hanging around Kai's neck, but this did not hinder their communication.
"About half a month, maybe even less. The route shows we're very close now." Qi replied.
Half a month later.A faint glimmer of light finally appeared at the end of the dark, deep underground tunnel. Seeing the long-lost light filled Kai with excitement—was he finally about to reach the surface? What would the surface of the wizarding world look like?
Fueled by excitement and anticipation, Kai quickened his pace. Just as the surface light was about to touch his face—before he could see what lay ahead—a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Hehe, my detection magic sensed some living creatures nearby earlier. I thought it was a fleeing dark magician, but it turns out to be you, little one."
The voice sounded casual, but it sent a chill down Kai's spine, weighing heavily on him. At the white tunnel mouth leading to the surface, the figure of a white-robed magician had appeared—none other than Midichi, the Level 2 magician from the Dawn Holy Tower, whom Kai had encountered in Menzoberranzan. Whether by coincidence or terrible luck, he had appeared here.