Before setting out, Lynch made a trip to the tools shop.
This was a magic shop set up by the Tower for apprentices, where one could purchase scrolls, Magic Potions, Witchcraft, and other Magic Tools.
Over the past three months, Lynch had earned roughly fifty Magic Stones. He planned to splurge a little to boost his chances for the upcoming assessment.
A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. Since he had chosen to participate in the assessment, regardless of the outcome, Lynch was determined to put forth his best effort.
Fifty Magic Stones weren't much in the magic shop, but they were enough to buy several low-level Magic Tools.
After some careful selection, Lynch purchased a pouch of high-level Magical Beast manure, a tent, and some Phosphorus Powder that could ignite by merely reciting spells—all essential items for camping outdoors.
Additionally, he brought three Magic Scrolls: one offensive Fireball Technique, one defensive Rock Shield, and one control system Thorny Entanglement.
He couldn't help but lament how expensive these Magic Scrolls were. While the camping equipment only cost a few Magic Stones, these three scrolls alone consumed nearly forty Magic Stones—three months of hard-earned savings were entirely spent.
"This is definitely a lucrative business. Once my spell knowledge advances, I could try crafting scrolls to sell…"
But that was a thought for later. Besides, advancing in any discipline of spell knowledge would allow him to earn Magic Stones. Right now, the priority was passing the assessment before him.
As long as he could pass the assessment and enter the Inner Ring, this expense wouldn't matter.
Clenching his fists, Lynch silently encouraged himself.
Lynch stashed his packed belongings into his Space Pocket. The two-cubic-meter pocket was filled to the brim.
Finally, after a good night's sleep to reach his optimal state, Lynch embarked on his journey—the first expedition since arriving in the Wizard World.
...
The azure sky stretched endlessly, resembling a boundless ocean that extended far into the horizon.
A few white birds swooped through the air, heading downward.
Below was an equally infinite forest of dark green. Thick intertwined roots, vibrantly colored exotic flowers and plants, and occasional fleeting glimpses of magical creatures infused the scenery with an air of mystery.
"Tap! Tap! Tap!" Footsteps echoed through the dense forest.
Beneath the thick canopy, a faint figure was visible, carefully treading one step at a time.
It was a young man, cloaked entirely in a black mantle, gripping a tall Long Magic Wand, gasping for breath, sweat pouring down his face.
"Huff! Huff!"
Stopping by a large rock, Lynch wiped the sweat from his face, leaned on his Magic Wand, and sat down heavily on the rock.
A stabbing pain emanated from his feet. He removed his boots and lifted his soles to examine them, only to find a cluster of blisters had already formed there somehow.
"Damn it!" Lynch couldn't help but mutter angrily.
The journey of a Wizard was far from the idealized adventure he had imagined. Just setting out, Lynch encountered his first challenge—traveling.
The route from the Shadow Land to the Corrupted Forest spanned over a hundred miles, all of it through untamed wilderness with no roads. Traversing it meant cutting through brambles and scaling mountains.
It was only his third day since departing, but Lynch already felt as though his legs might snap. He was further dismayed to discover blisters now covered his feet.
"My Constitution is far too weak; I must find a way to improve it."
In the Wizard World, there were various methods to enhance one's Constitution. For example, upgrading one's body by replacing limbs or organs with enhanced versions, or fusing one's body with powerful Bloodlines like Carl did—all could significantly improve physical attributes.
Yet Lynch had been too busy studying magic to prioritize it before now. Besides, he had some reservations about undergoing surgery or integrating strange Bloodlines.
"I'll have to look into methods for improving Constitution without drastic impacts on the body…"
While body modification and Bloodline fusion were quick solutions, their associated risks were immense. Many Wizards ended up contorted and monstrous, losing their human form entirely.
After resting briefly, Lynch retrieved an unusually shaped small bottle from his pocket. The bottle was filled with brightly colored peculiar beans.
He took a pale green pea marked with a strange rune, tossed it onto a patch of grass nearby, and tapped it lightly with his Magic Wand.
A faint blue light flickered, and the pea quickly burrowed into the soil. Moments later, an extraordinary plant sprouted and broke through the surface.
It was a white rose with layered petals that were soft and delicate, exuding a subtle fragrance.
Next, Lynch took out a glass vial filled with blood from his Space Pocket. Unscrewing the cap, he poured the blood onto the rose's blossom.
Instantly, an eerie scene unfolded.
The rose seemed to come alive, its blossom contracting like a tiny mouth greedily devouring the poured blood. Within moments, the vial's contents were entirely absorbed.
The once-white rose quickly turned a brilliant red. Droplets of crystalline liquid began to seep from the flower's core, trickling down its petals.
Prepared in advance, Lynch took an empty vial and collected every drop of liquid produced.
This was Rose Tears, a mystical Magic Plant that, after absorbing sufficient Elemental Energy, released water-like droplets resembling tears. These droplets had decent healing properties and could treat common injuries.
However, the absorption-to-transformation process was typically slow. To expedite this, Lynch had grafted the Bloodthirsty Flower's genes onto the rose. The Bloodthirsty Flower could consume blood to convert it efficiently into energy, a trait that perfectly complemented Rose Tears.
Once gathered, Lynch applied Rose Tears to the blisters on his feet. The clusters of swelling visibly subsided, disappearing completely within a few breaths, and the pain vanished along with them.
"Luckily, I prepared ahead of time…"
Lynch exhaled in relief, then lightly tapped the peculiar vial containing the beans against its opening.
"Buzz…"
A crisp hum sounded, and a strange symbol etched onto the bottle lit up with a pure white glow.
Under this glow, the rose appeared to reverse through time, rapidly shrinking back into the earth until it reverted to its original pea form.
This vial was no ordinary vial—it was a magical tool known as a bean pod.
It possessed a unique ability to revert Magic Plants back into their bean-like forms, allowing Wizards to conveniently carry their cultivated plants.
Lynch picked up the pea from the ground and returned it to the vial.
In preparation for this assessment, he had left nothing to chance. Every Magic Plant and Magic Creature he had modified that might prove useful had been brought along.
Having treated his foot injuries, Lynch resumed his journey once more.
"Hissss!"
Not long after, the faint sound of flowing water reached his ears.
Lynch quickly followed the direction of the noise. It was growing late, and it was nearly time to set up camp. Furthermore, his water pouch could use a refill.
"Rustle…"
Yet shortly after moving forward, a rustling sound emerged. He noticed the nearby shrubs tremble faintly.
Lynch's expression tightened, his footsteps halted abruptly, and he immediately raised his guard...