âThe harvest tonight was great; many perspectives were those I hadnât thought of before. I hope there will be another chance to exchange views with Wizard Pat," said the old wizard with a weathered face, smilingly making his way to the edge of the Black Forest.
Angel also nodded with a smile.
This white-haired wizard, who had made a special visit to the Black Castle yesterday to express his gratitude to Angel, was Wizard Ivan.
Angel could see that Wizard Ivan said he was grateful for the previous rescue of the Ghost Ship in the sky but obviously also had the intention of deliberately fostering relations.
Thinking back on Sandersâ comments about Ivan, Angel considered him a mild-mannered wizard with great personal charm. After a nightâs exchange, Angel could see that Ivan was as Sanders had described: a typical theoretical academic of the Academy Faction, known for his friendliness even among the White Wizards.
Having just advanced, he didnât have many connections in the Wizardsâ Realm, making the amicable Ivan a rather good choice.
Therefore, Angel did not reject Ivanâs overture of friendship.
This exchange lasted the entire night.
Ivan had wanted to continue the exchange for a few more days to solidify the friendship, but he had noticed a change in the atmosphere of the Black Castle from the past.
Especially since he had âhappened uponâ Lady Kimberly, the True Knowledge Wizard seemed to chat with him amiably, but her underlying message was clear: she hoped he would leave soon.
Though Ivan could have stayed shamelessly, his visit was not only for Angelâs sake but also in hopes of repairing relations with the Black Castle. After all, with Isabella and Kimberly having returned and now the intention to establish friendship with Illusion Demon Island, the Black Castle was bound to regain a central position in the Fairy Tale Town Wizardsâ Alliance. Repairing relations early would be beneficial for Silent Hill.
Therefore, as soon as Kimberly hinted at his departure, Ivan found it hard to refuse, stating he had a research project to attend to and took his leave from Angel.
Now, it was Angel who escorted him to the edge of the Black Forest.
Ivan glanced back at the dimly lit Black Forest, taking in its undulating contours: âSpeaking of which, I always feel like the Black Castle has undergone some changes.â
Angel followed his gaze: âThe undead are fewer?â
Ivan nodded: âNot just that, it seems thereâs also a sense of anticipation thatâs worth looking forward to.â
Ivan looked up at the sky. The previously thick dark clouds had dispersed at some point, revealing a gap through which a ray of sunshine fell, slowly illuminating the gloomy Black Forest.
The pitch-black Black Forest was gradually covered in a golden glow.
Ivan sighed deeply, looking at Angel: âThis feeling is similar to the one you carry, filled with surging vitality.â
Ivan sincerely complimented him, then slowly rose into the sky: âIâm very much looking forward to our next meeting.â
Angel nodded in response.
When Ivanâs figure disappeared at the edge of the dark skyline, Angel gazed in the direction of the Black Castle, lost in thought.
Before long, Sandersâ figure appeared like ink diffusing in water, gradually materializing not far away.
Sanders, dressed in a gentlemanâs attire, was meticulous from his neatly combed hair to his shiny boots.
âHas Wizard Ivan left? What do you think of him?â
âHe has,â Angel nodded. âJust as the mentor said, he is a very refined wizard. He has the scholarly spirit of the Academy Faction, and heâs good at listening and communicatingâa rare breed in the Wizardsâ Realm.â
Sanders raised an eyebrow: âPity, such clear streams often donât last long in the Wizardsâ Realm.â
Although Sanders knew that Angel was not of the Academy Faction and had his own ideas, he still wanted to caution Angel to avoid going down the path of the Academy Faction, lest he be swayed by Wallace to join the White Gull Academy after returning to Barbarian Cave.
Angel shrugged noncommittally. He indeed appreciated Wizard Ivanâs character but following in Ivanâs footsteps did not mean he would choose Ivanâs path. If he did, he might end up like Ivan, who, despite living for hundreds of years in the Wizardsâ Realm, had never advanced further.
âLetâs go, the feast is about to begin,â Sanders said. âWhile itâs not that significant, witnessing the transformation of a realm is also an experience. Besides, the Black Castle is to be Illusion Demon Islandâs future ally. Letâs see how our future ally transforms.â
As Sanders finished speaking, his figure slowly dissipated. The one who had been speaking with Angel was merely an illusion.
Angel was not surprised. The moment Sanders appeared, he felt the fluctuation of illusion magic. Even though both the material and the energy realm indicated that the Sanders before him was real, Angel knew all too well Sandersâ methods.
However, although Angel could see through the illusion, he knew that to achieve what Sanders had done would require a long journey ahead.
Angel looked in the direction of the Black Castle, exhaled softly, and flew towards it.
The feast Sanders referred to was naturally Greyaâs Pure World Feast. Three days had passed since the last dinner, and in these three days, Angel had helped Isabella transform the remaining Infant Sprits and then managed to produce a clip of bullets.
After a large use of Samsara Overture, the undead of Black Castle had significantly decreased, making the Pure World Feast essentially ready to use.
After deliberation, Greya decided to hold the feast today, to change the aura of Black Castle sooner and to prevent more undead from gathering as time went on.
Both Sanders and Angel received invitations from Isabella to participate in this witnessing.
Angel saw no reason to refuse, as he deserved some credit for what was about to happen.
When Angel arrived above Corpse Forest, the ruins of the original castle were still there, and he could see Wizard Apprentices moving back and forth amidst the rubble. Seeing Angelâs arrival, the apprentices paid their respects to him, their eyes filled with admiration and, in some cases, fondness.
Although the ruins were still present, there was actually an additional structure.
A slender pillar rose from the ground, reaching straight for the sky. After ascending more than ten meters into the air, an oval platform began to form slowly.
In its overall shape, it resembled an enlarged Blood Tree.
Angelâs destination was the top platform of this âBlood Tree.â
With a tap of his toes, Angel flew up into the sky. This flight was not aided by Night Crossing, so it was not particularly fast, but for Angel it marked a milestone nonetheless.
This time, his flight was purely a matter of deeper energy control.
If he wanted, he could manipulate the Wind Element or use spiritual power to levitate without the need for any special tricks. This was something he could not have imagined as an Apprentice.
This meant that his application of energy had undergone a fundamental change from his days as an Apprentice.
Two minutes later, Angel landed on the platform.
The platform was bare, without carvings or decorations, just a very ordinary platform with only a round table in the central area.
Among those present including Sanders, Greya, and Felicia, but from Black Castle, only Lady Kimberly and a few other Wizards who had been seen cleaning up the undead previously had come.
Thanks to Kimberlyâs explanation, Angel understood that Isabella was still in Corpse Forest, finalizing the last checks, and would only be arriving later.
However, Angel noticed that Kimberly only mentioned Isabella and not Isabella.
When he had returned to the Garden of Living Souls for the second Infant Spirit transformation, Angel saw Isabella and Moriya in a cheerful conversation, but Isabella was nowhere in sight.
Angel didnât inquire about Isabellaâs situation.
So, he wasnât aware of how the situation between Moriya and Isabella had been resolved.
Now, with the significance of the Pure World Feast for Black Castle being self-evident, it was curious that Isabella was still absent, which raised some questions in Angelâs mind.
Still, he didnât ask Lady Kimberly, as not everyone had arrived yet, and perhaps Isabella would bring Isabella along when she came.
Since the feast had not yet begun, the Wizards were conversing softly. Angel didnât join in their interactions but looked toward Felicia, taking Toby out of his pocket amidst her puzzled gaze.
In the palm of Angelâs hand, Toby seemed quite comfortable, unconsciously rubbing his head and even belching contently with the satisfaction of a good drink.
Three days had passed since the incident, and Toby seemed yet to recover from his drunken stupor. Although Angel felt Tobyâs condition was still normal, he decided to consult Felicia for safety reasons.
Greya, seated opposite Angel, looked pensively at Toby, âThe aftereffects of the Coconut Shell Ocean are indeed significant for Toby, but logically, he should have woken up by now.â
Felicia pondered for a moment, âYou mentioned before that it had been unconscious for several months?â
Angel nodded. Toby had remained unconscious since he had brought it out of the Shadow Cave.
âJudging by Tobyâs vitality, it could barely be considered at Wizard Level as a Magical Creature, but it hasnât successfully survived the Extreme Resentment Tribulation, so this state is a pseudo advancement. In this state, its absorption of external energy would be increased,â Felicia paused, âGiven that Toby was unconscious for several months and is currently needing energy, especially after the pseudo advancement, its craving for energy is even more dire.â
âIgnoring the persistent aftereffects of the Coconut Shell Ocean, the energy it contained was substantial. I think Toby is currently absorbing energy. Unless there are unexpected issues, it should wake up once the energy absorption is nearly complete.â
Greya agreed with Feliciaâs analysis, âBased on this, Toby awakening earlier to sneak a drink wasnât due to craving, but rather sensing the rich energy contained in the Coconut Shell Ocean, using it to replenish itself.â
Felicia nodded but still stated expressionlessly, âThat seems likely, although it doesnât change the fact that it is a thief of liquor.â
<b>I created a game for Android Idle Ninja Empire , I could use a little support in promoting it, just download it and play for a while. Thank you in advance.</b>