Hayek and Yuni each took out a small silver badge from their pockets and handed them to Ron.
Each badge was engraved with a delicate personal emblem, one side bearing the mark of the School, and the other side displaying a unique combination of runes.
"This is our Magic Communication Badge," Hayek explained, a rare warmth in his eyes:
"If you encounter any difficulties in the future or need any information, you can contact us through it. Though we’re in the edge area, our knowledge and connections in certain fields might be of assistance to you."
Ron took the two badges, sensing the complex structure contained within them.
This was a one-time alchemy device that would automatically dissipate once stored behind his own Magic Emblem.
This special communication method could transmit information over considerable distances, commonly used as a means of contact between Official Wizards and some Advanced Apprentices.
Exchanging badges was not merely a communication method but also a symbol of friendship and acknowledgment.
"Thank you all for your witness and assistance."
Ron performed a standard wizard’s salute, elegant and powerful: "If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
"Go ahead." Hayek nodded slightly, a meaningful look in his eyes: "I believe Allen can hardly wait to see you."
Ron was slightly startled, then understood.
His relationship with Lady Allen was no secret in the eyes of the school’s upper echelons.
Though Lady Allen was at the edge area, her former status and prowess were obviously still respected by these older wizards.
Before turning to leave, Ron heard a soft whisper from Hayek behind him:
"The Black Mist School will always welcome your return, Ralph, the Official Wizard."
The door of the council chamber slowly closed behind him as Ron stood in the corridor, feeling the warmth of the morning light spilling through the stained glass onto him.
Everything seemed refreshed, colors more vivid, sounds clearer, and the flow of energy more tangible.
The first formal meeting after becoming an Official Wizard had concluded, and now it was time to meet the mysterious witch who guided him onto the Path of Truth.
Ron’s figure quietly disappeared along the corridor, leaving behind a faint energy fluctuation that soon dissipated in the morning air.
.........
The Holy Disc stood at the edge of the Black Mist Jungle, sensing the rhythm of the "Throne Seed" within him.
The blood-red bead seemed to have its own heartbeat, injecting a shiver-inducing power into his limbs with each throb.
"The time has come..." he murmured softly, the muscles on his distorted right side face writhing.
Different-sized eyes blinked simultaneously, exhibiting a bizarre rhythm.
After being sent nearby by the "Void Spider" Maggs, he had been lurking around the school, cautiously observing for the best timing.
Now, he finally awaited that critical node.
The Holy Disc took a deep breath, placing his palm gently on his chest, where the "Throne Seed" resided.
An ancient and obscure spell slowly spilled from his mouth, sounding like shattered glass clashing against each other.
As the words fell, an unprecedented power erupted from within.
His body began to twist and deform, swelling to more than twice its original size.
Veins bulged beneath his skin, displaying purple-black patterns, like some ancient runes etched upon a living being.
His arms elongated and thickened, fingertips transforming into sharp bone blades; the skin on his back split open, giving rise to two pairs of bat-like wing membranes;
His head was completely distorted, leaving no trace of humanity, resembling more a conglomerate of abyssal creatures.
"Power... This is the Apostle’s Power..."
The Holy Disc emitted a low growl, filled with ecstatic delight.
This moment felt even more wonderful than he imagined, like standing atop clouds overlooking the sky, or as if the master of the Abyss was controlling the darkness.
"Now, it’s time to visit the ’Bloodline Altar’."
He knew well that only in the state of possessing the Apostle’s Power could he possibly break through the protective array left by Valen.
And the search for Ron also required the connection of the bloodline altar’s node.
Unfurling those malformed wing membranes, the Holy Disc soared into the air, slicing through the dawn sky, heading straight for the edge area of the Black Mist School.
The air seemed to thin in front of him, as if space intentionally made way for him.
This was the wondrous aspect of the Apostle’s Power.
Even in the Surface World, it could subtly invoke the influence of abyssal rules, granting the Holy Disc various unimaginable conveniences.
In merely over ten minutes, he arrived at the perimeter of the bloodline altar control point.
This area was covered by a semi-transparent array, flickering with complex runes and energy circuits.
This was the reinforced protective measure that Valen left to ensure the abyssal energy within the altar would not leak out.
The Holy Disc sneered, disdain flashing in his seven eyes.
"A mere Dark Sun Wizard’s seal..."
He raised his distorted right arm, no longer in the shape of a hand, but rather a malformed organ formed by three thick bone blades crossed together.
Dark purple energy flowed over the surface of the bone blades, writhing slowly like a living entity.
"By the name of Lord Maggs, I command you—open!"
The bone blade suddenly plunged into the surface of the array, and in an instant, the entire protective layer shattered like glass.
Numerous cracks spread from the point of contact in all directions, accompanied by the screech of energy fracturing, the entire array collapsed with a roar.
Without any hesitation, the Holy Disc stepped across the now defunct boundary, heading straight for the control node of the bloodline altar.