"The busiest street on Bananka Island has to be Blue Shell Street here."
Magic Crystals, Witch Tools, knowledge of witchcraft, slaves, and even rare curiosities—if you desire it, sir, this place surely has it all!"
On Blue Shell Street, Colin walked behind the guide with Renee, quietly listening.
This was a guide who had initiated contact at the port.
A middle-aged man in appearance, he was a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice.
At that moment, he was leading Colin and his company toward a lodging he had already picked out.
The lodging was his recommendation.
Of course, there was a profit motive involved.
However, the middle-aged apprentice was a clever man and frankly told him that after checking in, he would receive a commission from the lodging.
He also informed him of the pros and cons of that lodging, as well as several other establishments.
Of course, he would receive a commission from those other places as well.
According to him, these lodgings were all carefully selected after proactive negotiations for a commission deal.
Some offered good value with affordable prices, others had better quality and higher standards, some were suitable for long-term stays, and others had optimal locations...
Each aspect was taken into consideration.
With this, he would then honestly share the strengths and weaknesses of these lodgings with travelers like Colin seeking a guide, for them to choose.
This way, not only could the travelers select an appropriate lodging based on their needs, but both he and the lodgings could benefit, forming a win-win-win situation.
Of course, that's what the middle-aged apprentice said.
But as for how carefully the lodging was chosen and whether the pros and cons were fully disclosed.
All of that depended on the conscience of the middle-aged apprentice.
However, in this world where power is supreme,
Colin was also aware.
As a Basic Level Wizard Apprentice, at the bottom rung among Wizards,
What he said was probably true—it was just a way for him to earn a bit of hard-earned money.
Otherwise, if it were false, he'd probably have been sunk to the bottom of the sea by now.
Bananka Island is not Blackstone Island.
Here, with many Wizards coming and going and identities mixed,
Conflicts happen on the island every day, and the death of a few Wizards is nothing unusual.
Even if there were a day when a few dead Wizards weren't discovered, the Law Enforcement Team on the island might actually find it strange.
Along the way, as Colin listened to the middle-aged apprentice and surveyed his surroundings,
He noted that the infrastructure on Bananka Island was also much better than on Blackstone Island.
Most of the streets were not mere dirt roads but solid paved stone paths.
Numerous shops lined both sides, and pedestrians were ceaselessly coming and going.
"Newspapers for sale, the latest issue of the month!"
A paperboy, carrying a brown satchel full of newspapers and peddling along the street, caught his attention.
The paperboy was young, and there was a faint ripple of Magic Power coming from him, which must have been from the newspapers in his satchel.
Colin was somewhat surprised.
Newspapers—this was his first encounter with them in this world, quite a novel thing.
Apparently, Blackstone Island was indeed too isolated.
"Newspapers for sale, Divine Projection on Blackstone Island, the latest issue of the month!"
The paperboy continued his call.
Hearing the familiar name, Colin paused, his steps momentarily hesitating.
"Divine Projection?"
Passersby whispered amongst themselves nearby.
"This must be the fifth Divine Projection in the last few months, right?"
"Hmm... No, the previous times were just rumored appearances of Divine Projections..."
"Give me a copy of the newspaper," a passerby spoke up.
"I'll take one too," Colin stepped forward and said to the paperboy.
"Here." After taking a Gold Coin, the paperboy handed over a newspaper.
Colin took the newspaper and unfolded it.
The newspaper was quite rudimentary overall, with no border design and unclear layout—it seemed more like a sheet of paper packed with news.
There were no significant markings, just a row of small text in the bottom right corner—Bananka Monthly.
Yet the illustrations within could move! It indeed lived up to its price.
Colin didn't rush to read but followed the middle-aged Wizard Apprentice guide to settle into the inn.
Once everything was arranged properly,
he carefully spread the newspaper out on the wooden table in the inn room to read.
"Divine Descent on Blackstone Island."
"According to Second Rank Wizard Louis—"
"Lord Louis chanced upon a divine aura emanating from the direction of Blackstone Island on October 26, 3583 of the Yanan Calendar, a Thursday."
"He set off to investigate and found, half a day later, that Blackstone Island had become a land of the Divine Country…."
"..."
"In the end, the Bananka Wizards also confirmed the truth of what Lord Louis had said."
A few minutes later, after Colin read the information about Blackstone Island, he fell into silent contemplation.
The content in the newspaper simply described the fact of the divine descent upon Blackstone Island.
The ins and outs were not clear, but at least he learned about the island's subsequent situation.
He then shifted his gaze to other contents of the newspaper.
"The Wizard Alliance of the Siya Continent has issued a warning, recent frequent occurrences of Divine Projections, be vigilant against various divine sects…"
"Bananka Wizards announce the establishment of the Sea Trade Hall, overseeing all foreign trade on Bananka Island…"
"The Seagull has been successfully launched…"
"The divine projection on Shata Island has been collectively eradicated, but the island is now barren of humans, potentially becoming a deserted island…"
"..."
After reading the Bananka Monthly twice, Colin sat back in the lounge chair with his eyes half-closed, sighing softly to himself.
Many pieces of information on the paper were things he had never known... whether it was the Wizard Alliance or anything else.
None of these relevant details had ever circulated on Blackstone Island.
Although the Lap School on the island did teach knowledge, their mentions of the larger Wizard World environment were only cursory.
And who knows how many years out of date those were.
Normally, aside from the merchant caravans that came twice a year, they had no other channel to receive news from the outside world.
A product like the newspaper, offering little profit and requiring timeliness, would never be traded by the caravans.
…the island's such isolation was clearly orchestrated by Wizard Lap.
According to the secrets recorded within the Knowledge Crystal,
Wizard Lap's purpose in establishing the Lap School had always been for that ceremony, for that so-called McIntosh's Magic Potion.
So naturally, he wouldn't care whether or not his apprentices were cut off from news.
At this thought, Colin felt a sinking in his heart, and a wave of worry surfaced once again.
During these days at sea, through the Knowledge Crystal left by Erica, he had gained a clearer understanding of the ceremony on Blackstone Island.
Wizard Lap had established the Lap School precisely to pass down the key necessary for the ceremony—the Circulation Meditation.
Perhaps the Circulation Meditation was gifted by the Divine to McIntosh as a ritual element, or perhaps it was McIntosh's own backup plan.
In any case, only those who practiced the Circulation Meditation could successfully absorb the potion's power, could participate in the ceremony.
As for why Wizard Lap and others could enter the ceremony, Colin surmised it was mostly because they had simulated the fluctuations of the Circulation Meditation.
Just as he had mimicked the original Circulation Meditation fluctuations when passing through the Transmission Stone Wall.
Colin summoned the Golden Paper, staring at the words of the Apprentice stage of the Circulation Meditation, and couldn't help but sigh again.
Whether it was a gift from the Divine or McIntosh's precaution,
Either way—
The Circulation Meditation in his hands only contained the Apprentice stage.
And not that of an Official Wizard…
'Maybe it's time to switch meditation methods soon,' Colin resolved in his mind.
'But before that, first I need to sell the Golden Four-leaf Clover and buy knowledge for advancement to Official Wizard...'
He pondered further.
After all, the knowledge about advancing to Official Wizard in the Knowledge Crystal left by Erica was scarce.
He only knew he needed a higher rank of meditation method; he had no idea whether any Magic Potion or any other ritual aid was required.
In such circumstances, he had to proceed step by step… making long-term plans.