In the Wizard Territory, overlaid by a translucent protective shield.
Colin stood with a group of wizard apprentices on a sloping hill near the base of a mountain, overlooking Blackstone City.
It was still night, with overcast clouds filling the sky, devoid of stars or moon, reminiscent of pure black satin.
In contrast, in Blackstone City, gray buildings were scattered, twinkling with lights that, against the pitch-black earth, resembled fallen stars.
A river of stars fallen to the ground…
Reflected in Colin's pale blue, deep eyes.
"I wonder how many people will die again…" someone muttered beside him.
Colin startled and turned his head to look.
The speaker was a brown-haired male wizard with a gentle, ordinary appearance, currently lost in contemplation of Blackstone City.
Colin averted his gaze.
The spot where he stood was not far from where he used to reside in the Basic Level apprentice dormitory in the Wizard Territory…
Or rather, right next door.
There was a time when he first came to this world.
On a night when the full moon hung high.
Watching the sudden flare of green flames below the mountain, he had said the same words to the blonde girl beside him…
"I wonder how many people will die again…"
Colin's expression was stern, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He wasn't exactly a kind person, nor did he have grand ambitions or the courage to change the current state of the world…
But he wasn't thoroughly evil either; he couldn't erase his humanity or remain stoic like a stone towards the loss of these lives.
He might not attempt to save them, nor would he be heartbroken.
Yet, he still felt somewhat downcast.
After all, he had lived in Blackstone City for so long.
That gray two-story villa was the first home he had ever owned.
Although Renee and Arthur were only slaves, in this world, they were also the people he saw most frequently.
'I wonder how they are doing…'
Colin looked up at Wizard Lap in midair and moved to a corner.
He truly couldn't change anything.
He didn't harbor delusions of saving everything or altering the rules of this world.
But, if possible…
He hoped…
Hoped that one day, he could ultimately control his own destiny.
Not just watch and evade like now.
Finding a smooth stone in a secluded corner far from the crowd, he controlled the effect of the Cleaning Technique to cleanse it, and then Colin sat down cross-legged.
Nearby, on several stones, a group of apprentices was resting, some chatting with each other, some browsing through books, and others meditating to restore their magic power.
Colin's expression was calm, and aside from his seating being slightly secluded, he appeared no different from the other apprentices.
He scanned his surroundings to ensure no one was watching him before he lowered his head to carefully examine himself.
His heightened sense was still active.
In his line of sight, those murky dark spots still existed and continued to surge toward him.
However, the translucent, invisible barrier that had formed after his breakthrough had changed its appearance…
It resembled a spirit fog!
If he couldn't distinctly feel the essence of this barrier, still made of the glory of human nature and knowledge from after advancing to an advanced apprentice,
He could have been deceived.
Caressing the white crystal pendant that he had already hung in front of his chest, Colin had an epiphany.
This was obviously a witch tool with a disguise effect.
He glanced subtly in the direction of Wizard Lap.
'Perhaps I don't have to worry about Wizard Lap discovering my true realm?'
Before advancing,
he actually wasn't too worried that his true realm would be discovered after his advancement.
To determine a wizard's specific realm, an observer needed to enter a hyper-sensory state.
Only Wizard Lap on the island had the ability to enter this state at will.
And it was very rare to see Wizard Lap; since arriving in this world, Colin had only looked at him from a distance twice.
In addition, although freshly advanced advanced apprentices could also briefly enter the hyper-sensory state,
this wasn't the most dangerous moment during advancement, but it still required caution.
Of course, for him, because of his profound understanding of the Meditation Method and maintaining his humanity, the barriers of humanity and knowledge created during advancement were sufficiently robust.
Thus, this stage wasn't too risky for him.
Even glimpsing the figure of the Evil God was merely dizzying.
Moreover, perhaps because of this, he did not have to pay the strange prices other apprentices did and was just unaccustomed to the hyper-sensory state.
But other advancers weren't as relaxed as he was.
Usually during the hyper-sensory phase, freshly advanced apprentices would choose to seclude themselves, and the school members would typically spend their entire hyper-sensory phase in the Wizard Territory on the mountain.
So, as long as he was careful in his daily life, he really didn't need to worry about exposing his true realm.
Of course, every action has its risks, but one shouldn't avoid advancing because of them.
These low-profile days only needed to be maintained for another two or three years, or even just one.
Then he could choose a day to rightfully claim that he had made a breakthrough.
Although it was soon, by that time, it wouldn't be considered shocking.
It could only be said that he had exceptional Talent and deserved to be called a genius.
Although being a genius was a double-edged sword,
from the current perspective, the Lap School tended to be righteous and orderly.
Here, the title of genius was likely to bring more benefits than harm.
The original owner had been a basic level apprentice for ten years, with a solid foundation of basic knowledge; suddenly having an epiphany and achieving rapid progress was not uncommon.
After all, a wizard's Talent was not something that could be summarized simply by affinity for Magic Power.
The ability to learn and understand knowledge, and the heart to maintain one's humanity, would become more important later on.
Furthermore,
he had not actually mastered this white crystal pendant yet.
Its disguising effect was not actively initiated by him.
On the road to Wizard Territory, as he clutched the crystal and retreated with other apprentices from the school, this disguise quietly took effect on him.
It required no Magic Power supply, no spirit activation.
Simply having the white crystal close to the body was enough to automatically produce the effect of a Spirit Fog.
Generally speaking, the use of witch tools required the combined action of spirit and Magic Power.
The spirit would inscribe a mark to obtain control permissions, in order to activate and deactivate.
While Magic Power was responsible for supplying or replenishing energy, whether it was supplying or replenishing depended on whether the witch tool itself had an energy storage component.
Colin felt the cold touch from the white crystal and pondered inwardly.
No matter how he considered it, the utility of this white crystal pendant should not only be about simulating Spirit Fog.
Unfortunately, now was not the right time.
Surrounding him were members of the school, with Wizard Lap still standing quietly above.
Colin restrained his impulse to probe the white crystal with Magic Power.
He slowly closed his eyes and, like the other apprentices, began to recover his Magic Power and adjust his own state.