Chapter 0123: The Volcano Mission

Since the completion of the last forced mission, the Swamp Tower had become like a suddenly cleared waterway, allowing fresh currents from the outside to naturally influence life within. Clearly, Wizard Anderson was displeased with this change, yet facing the collective will of the scattered tower forests, even the third-tier wizard of the Sarupo family behind him dared not issue a direct order against it. What could he do?

Thus, during the period when trial apprentices gradually returned, the long-abandoned mission hall of the Swamp Tower reopened once more. The mission board there refreshed countless real-time tasks daily, ranging from high-level missions to eradicate wild wizard-level monsters—open only to quasi-wizards—to trivial tasks such as resource gathering, monster expulsion, and investigating strange incidents.

Indeed, even in the maturely developed central continent, the primary habitat of human society, hundreds or thousands of bewildering incidents occurred each day. Whether it was monsters sighted near border towns, unexplained attacks on wilderness villages, or exploration teams discovering new wild resource points, the scattered tower forests incorporated these events into their internal system, issuing time-limited missions to all apprentices in the central continent. This method effectively mobilized the central continent’s apprentice resources, training them while resolving border threats, and subtly sharing a considerable portion of the guardianship burden from official wizards.

Grim could afford to sit quietly in his quarters, steadily fortifying his wizardry foundation step by step. But Mary and Kabby could not. During this time, they resembled prisoners with bloodshot eyes, spending every day in the mission hall, silently filtering through tasks that caught their interest.

Mary, pursuing the bloodline wizard path, found that relying solely on accumulating wizardry knowledge was unbearably slow. Only by continuously devouring the blood of the strong could she accelerate her growth. Thus, she was the most enthusiastic and diligent in selecting missions. In less than a month, she had completed two missions, earning herself 20 contribution points.

Unfortunately, her chosen missions were all around the Swamp Tower. This territory was already highly developed human land; even if monsters or beasts occasionally intruded, it was impossible for lone quasi-wizard-level monsters to appear. Hence, she had to broaden her horizons.

Soon, a suitable mission caught her eye.

At the Woodthroat Fortress, 7,000 li away, a beastman camp had suddenly migrated from deep within the forest. In response, the local authorities issued a call for quasi-wizards or advanced apprentices to prepare for its eradication.

When Mary enthusiastically invited Grim to join her on this mission, he declined.

As an elemental wizard preparing to specialize in fire, Grim felt his mission choices needed to be more targeted. His previous immersion in the molten lava pool deep within the Dark Abyss had greatly benefited him. He now hoped to find a volcanic environment to continue evolving his “Body of Fire.”

He sensed that this “Body of Fire” would be critical to his stable advancement as a wizard.

Luck favored him. Three days after Mary’s eager departure, Kabby, who had been stationed in the mission hall, rushed to Grim with news: a suitable mission had appeared.

It was a relatively low-risk resource-gathering task, located inside an intermittently erupting volcano. Cotopaxi Volcano was situated on the eastern frontier of the Sidni region, famous for producing high-quality fire diamonds, a major source of income for the local wizard families.

Cotopaxi Volcano was a powerful active volcano, remaining dangerously active for nine months each year. Even wizards hesitated to venture deep inside during these periods. Only during its brief three-month dormant phase did the volcano calm enough to allow nearby wizard families to enter and mine the subterranean fire diamonds.

Though these three months were a pause in volcanic activity, temperatures inside remained astonishingly high. Most fire diamonds were found along the edges of molten lava pools or even floating within them. Ordinary individuals could never collect them; only advanced apprentices with elemental resistance could succeed.

To maximize fire diamond yield during the dormant period, local wizard families not only sent their members but also openly issued collection missions. Any apprentice entering the volcano was required to surrender a portion of the collected fire diamonds upon mission completion, keeping the rest as reward.

Hence, just before the volcano’s dormant phase each year, these missions were issued in real time.

Grim arrived at the mission hall and accepted the fire diamond collection mission almost without hesitation. The mission allowed only 20 slots, and Grim was the 19th apprentice to accept it. The mission disappeared from the board the moment he clicked it.

All 20 slots were filled.

The mission required reporting to the Sidni region within 15 days, making time tight. Grim immediately began arranging matters.

First was how to arrange for the goblin Kabby.

Kabby was timid and cowardly—not fit as a warrior—but had a keen interest in becoming a goblin merchant. Therefore, Grim left Kabby behind at the Swamp Tower, entrusting it with resources currently unused.

These included magical gems from the Dark Abyss, wizardry equipment taken from fallen corrupted apprentices, and Grim’s four remaining bottles of focus elixir. None of these suited Grim’s current path, so he handed them to Kabby to serve as prized items in the goblin’s newly opened shop.

Though these items might seem insignificant to quasi-wizards from noble families, in the resource-scarce Swamp Tower, the goblin shop became a miraculous place for mid- and low-level apprentices from the day it opened.

Focus elixir?

What was that? Why had no one heard of it before? A single bottle could boost spirit power by 0.5 to 0.7 points. How could such a wondrous wizard potion exist?

As for the so-called side effects of the focus elixir, they were inconsequential to apprentices who would stop at nothing to increase their strength! In the Swamp Tower, most apprentices gained spirit power increments only in the hundredths or thousandths through daily meditation.

Only a few, like Grim, could consistently enter deep meditation, so a 0.5 boost equated to three months of arduous meditation.

What once took three months of effort could now be achieved with a single potion. How could this not drive them wild?

Unfortunately, the high price deterred many, and they could only watch enviously as the sharp-eyed Crusader snapped up all four bottles at once.

Though the focus elixir’s effect was less pronounced for advanced apprentices, every bit of spirit power mattered immensely to Crusader, who already possessed 18 points. A slight increase could mean the difference in achieving quasi-wizard status.

Such premium items were out of reach for most low- and mid-level apprentices, but the dazzling wizardry resources and magical materials on display overwhelmed them. While Grim focused only on fire-element equipment suited to his path, Kabby was undemanding.

Using its first earnings, Kabby had purchased numerous local specialties from the Dark Abyss. Displayed at its shop, these items immediately sparked a buying frenzy among tower apprentices.

+1 to life regeneration from ironwood branches, +1 to spirit recovery speed from an intelligence cloak, +1 strength from ogre gloves, +1 agility from speed boots, small antidotes, true sight gems that reveal invisible beings...

Though modest in grade, these wizardry items perfectly suited low- and mid-level apprentices and were priced within their means. Their release caused a shopping craze throughout the Swamp Tower.

Kabby’s name quickly gained renown.

A goblin with such “vast” wealth naturally attracted envy. Yet anyone with a shred of sense knew this goblin was backed by a quasi-wizard and an advanced apprentice. As long as their minds remained intact, they understood that offending this goblin was tantamount to inviting the Blood Queen’s terrible assassin.

With Kabby settled, Grim packed his belongings and quietly departed the Swamp Tower.

Seven thousand li away, reaching the mission point by foot or carriage before the deadline would be fortunate. After leaving the magic swamp, Grim soon found a public flying point in a nearby small town.

Here, airships were available!

These airships far surpassed the wizard association’s flying vessels he had previously seen, yet they were the most convenient transport in the central continent.

Grim’s face twitched involuntarily upon first seeing the airship.

Wasn’t this just a giant hot air balloon from his past life on Earth?

A massive cigar-shaped balloon floated above, clearly sewn from special magical beast leather. Hanging beneath was a large cabin: cargo below, living quarters above, exuding a mysterious and wondrous aura.

Of course, riding an airship was expensive. Ordinary goods couldn’t board, nor could just anyone. Those who could afford a private room for a luxurious and romantic flight were either human nobility, wealthy merchants traveling between cities, or itinerant wizard apprentices.

Thus began Grim’s journey toward the Cotopaxi Volcano, stepping ever closer to his destiny.