The forest was dense, with sunlight pouring down in streams.
In the large clearing outside the cave, Colin was practicing the Breathing Skill, his Green Gold Fighting Aura circulating; the sound of the wind whistled with every movement he made.
Fortunately, he had solidified the ground with witchcraft, making it flat and firm; otherwise, it would surely have been a scene of sand and dust swirling around.
Moreover, a concealed Witch Array had been set up around the clearing, hiding all the noise and commotion of Colin's practice.
This forest was remote, rarely visited by people.
As of today, Colin had been living here for six days, feeling somewhat isolated from the world... mainly because he couldn't enjoy the delicious meals prepared by Renee as he had before.
However, he would be returning in the next day or two.
At this moment, Colin's movements paused slightly, and the Green Gold Fighting Aura on his body shimmered, seeming to slightly expand.
Realizing something, Colin completed his current movement, and with a thought, summoned the Golden Paper.
Sure enough, the progress bar in the Knight Level section had finally hit 100/100, indicating he was ready to attempt a breakthrough.
A faint smile appeared on Colin's face, but he didn't hurry to make the breakthrough.
At noon, when his condition was at its best, he began the formal process of Limit Breaking.
The oval-shaped Extraordinary Organ in his lower abdomen pumped rapidly, and Green Gold Fighting Aura coursed through his limbs and body like a wild horse breaking free, emitting sounds as if substantial waves were crashing.
Invisible fluctuations spread out in all directions like a breeze, causing the leaves of the nearby trees to rustle.
...
In Neustadt City, inside an ordinary study.
"Another wizard attacked?"
Behind the brown desk, Faber deeply furrowed his brow.
"Yes, sir, this is the third such attack lately. The victim was a First Rank Wizard," reported a Wizard wearing the robe of the Law Enforcement Team, his head bowed, "Although there are some differences in the injuries of the victims in all three attacks, they are very much alike overall, with their bodies covered in frost that doesn't melt easily."
"Hmm," Faber nodded slowly, indicating he understood.
'A time of trouble,' he sighed to himself.
After the Deep Crimson operation, the city was calm for a while, but as time passed, many demons and spirits started to emerge.
It wasn't just the recent series of suspected monster attacks on wizards, but also many bizarre cases, such as a Witch Apprentice killing her mentor, a First Rank Wizard who often bullied her... An Apprentice killing a First Rank Wizard, how extraordinary!
Moreover, after doing this, the female Apprentice inexplicably disintegrated into a pile of bloody flesh, her soul seemingly completely vanished, without a trace to be found.
Additionally, the number of wizards who went mad and fell from grace had suddenly increased, each for different reasons.
Past incidents of wizard derangement were mostly related to witchcraft research.
But in recent events, some wizards showed little interest in researching, yet still inexplicably transformed and degraded.
Faber faintly realized that within Neustadt City, it seemed that a new undercurrent was gradually brewing.
"Did the detailed analysis report on the Witch Array in the basement of the wizard named Isidore come out?" Faber thought for a moment and asked.
"It's out," the reporting wizard answered, conveniently taking out the bound report from his Storage Ring and handing it over.
Previously, that is, on the day of the incident, they had conducted a preliminary investigation of the Witch Array in Isidore's basement, determining that the array was specifically used to extract energy from Frost Elements and power something or some creature.
However, the preliminary investigation could only go so far—everything about the basement in Isidore's possession, even his body, had been actively destroyed.
The more detailed investigation, which was the further analysis of the Witch Array, had only just been completed today.
Faber took the report and read it carefully.
Interestingly, it was after that day that the mysterious attacks on wizards in the city began to emerge.
Such a coincidence left Faber no choice but to connect the two, but due to insufficient evidence, it had remained a mere hypothesis—until just now.
Faber put down the detailed analysis report, a glint of clarity in his eyes.
'Some sort of creature akin to an Ice Element, a Frost Monster...'
The recent string of attacks was indeed related to the case involving Isidore!
Or rather, the creature that had been attacking around the city lately was the unknown Frost Monster that Isidore had been cultivating in his basement.
Thinking this, Faber's brow furrowed tightly once more.
It was about time for the Supreme Council to enact regulations to bring all wizard research under unified management to prevent such accidents.
Or at the very least require registration.
Faber dismissed the wizard who had reported to him, then remained alone in the study, lost in thought for a long time. Finally, he wrote down his suggestions, then hurried out the door, taking off swiftly, his figure rapidly shrinking, his destination unknown.
.........
"What a pity..."
In the thick woods, Colin gazed at the Golden Paper before him, sighing to himself.
The ground below him, which he had reinforced with witchcraft, was now a complete mess, with trenches and upturned earth everywhere.
Without a doubt, this damage to the ground was caused by the effects of advancing through the Knight Rank.
Yes, Colin had successfully broken through his current Knight Level.