Whoosh!
Another beam of healing light fell upon Nidham.
Looking back, it was the healing magic released by the black-robed Harrington!
At that moment, Harrington was watching Nidham, whose body was still dissolving and melting away, with a very grave expression.
Just like Lap, he did not wish to see Nidham die there and then, which would lead to McIntosh's experiment being discontinued.
He couldn't bear the thought of missing out on McIntosh's magic potion at the end of the experiment!
There was only this one chance for McIntosh's experiment,
and Lap had prepared for it for sixty whole years!
Should this attempt fail, he might never obtain McIntosh's magic potion again!
And now, he was merely a peak Wizard Apprentice, able only to exert the power of a Basic Level Wizard, thanks to the dark gold scepter in his hand.
But, if McIntosh's manuscript held no lies...
If he could acquire McIntosh's magic potion!
Perhaps he could become the second Official Wizard in the history of the Blackstone Family!
Thus, as a true and legitimate Official Wizard, he could rule over Blackstone Island anew and restore the glory of the Blackstone Family!
Of course.
He was not foolish.
This decision was made after careful consideration.
Surveying the entire Gray-White Cave Hall,
Wizard Lap was already critically injured and nearing death, now even overextending his body to cast healing magic, only to become worse thereafter.
As for Nidham, whose body was melting, there was even less to say.
Once McIntosh's magic potion would appear and no one was left to cast healing magic for him... He would likely collapse and die.
Regarding the other apprentices lying on the ground, chests slightly moving, there was even less need to worry.
So, in the end.
It would always come down to a duel between him and Lap, no different from now!
Even more so as Wizard Lap's exertion from casting healing magic would provide him with an advantage.
Harrington's gaze swept around, and he made up his mind in secrecy, continuing to wave the dark gold scepter in his hand.
Though he could stand aside and watch without expending Magic Power as Wizard Lap healed the dissolving Nidham,
the magic potion was of paramount importance, and relying solely on Lap's healing might not suffice.
Whoosh!
A thicker beam of Healing Light than before flew from the tip of his dark gold magic wand, aiming at Nidham.
Hum.
It seemed that the quantitative change had led to a qualitative transformation.
Under the continuous application of healing magic by both him and Lap,
Nidham nearby actually began to change.
His condition gradually stabilized, his body no longer dissolving, and even the parts that had melted were slowly reforming.
As his body recovered, a touch of relief flickered across Nidham's face.
But the next second, his expression subtly changed.
A voice, coming from nowhere in particular, rang directly in his mind.
"Do not be alarmed, McIntosh... a participant in the...experiment, I am the... the spirit of McIntosh's... Wizard Tower."
This voice, mechanical and indifferent, genderless,
seemed to be suffering some interference, somewhat unstable, stuttering and unclear.
Nidham glanced at Harrington and Lap, who were both unaware, and kept his expression unchanged.
"The ritual you are...experiencing is... the last... experiment designed in the life of Wizard McIntosh, and it is also... his proudest work.
He has also... named it... after himself—McIntosh's... experiment!"
Nidham was taken aback, wasn't this a ritual established by Wizard Lap to aid in their advancement to Official Wizard?
He was puzzled inside but did not waste time questioning.
As thoughts flashed through his mind, he zeroed in on the key point and asked in his heart:
"What is the purpose of McIntosh's experiment?"
If this wasn't a ritual established by Wizard Lap,
then its purpose might not be to help them advance to Official Wizard as Wizard Lap had said.
"It will be... difficult to... explain to... you the grand purpose of McIntosh's experiment in... such a short time, participant."
"All you... need to know is that I am...summoning you to remind...you that the experiment...is not...over."
"You still...need to take the magic potion from McIntosh...that will soon appear on the gray-white...pillar to truly...complete this...experiment."
Nidham, feeling his body gradually return to normal under the healing magic, had his eyes flickering.
But the subsequent words from the spirit put to rest any other thoughts he had.
"Be... advised, participant, the current... state of your body is merely... temporarily... stabilized, and without the... healing magic, it won't take long for the collapse to...resume."
"You must... take McIntosh's...magic potion, in order to...&*%*"
At this point, the voice of the spirit abruptly became even more choppy, hard to discern.
It seemed there was some trouble.
Indistinctly, Nidham thought he heard a voice different from the mechanical indifference of the tower spirit,
but he couldn't make out what it said.
And after a moment, all the voices quietly disappeared.
No matter how he called out in his mind, he received no response.
Nidham furrowed his brows slightly and turned his head.
At that moment, Wizard Lap and Harrington stood on either side of the gray-white pillar, tacitly casting healing magic on him.
The golden glow on the gray-white pillar, as his condition gradually improved, began to expand slowly again.
At this moment, the area it encompassed was already close to the edge of the flat surface at the top of the pillar.
The pale golden glow reflected in the depths of Nidham's eyes.
The scene before him, the abnormal behaviors of Wizard Lap and the shadowy figure in the black robe healing him, as well as the glow on the distant gray-white pillar,
indisputably affirmed the words of the voice claiming to be the tower spirit were not false.
Thus, he understood.
Once McIntosh's magic potion emerged from the golden glow,
the healing magic that was currently maintaining the balance of his body would undoubtedly vanish in an instant.
Wizard Lap would then fight over McIntosh's magic potion with the figure in black.
And he,
would die as his body continued to melt away without the support of healing magic!
Nidham clenched his fists, lowered his head, and at an angle unseen by the other two, silently bared his teeth in a smile.
Then, he composed all his emotions, lifted his head, and stood quietly upright.