Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 418 Meeting at the top
Inside the special reading room of the Abyss Observatory, magic crystal lamps emitted a gentle blue light.

This room, designed specifically for small gatherings, features walls made of special stone that automatically regulates temperature and humidity.

Occasionally, a few tiny tentacles would peek out from the cracks in the wall, cleaning up any excess impurities in the air, before silently retracting.

Ron sat in his usual spot, gently stroking a delicate crystal teacup in his hand.

The cup contains Ailan's own "Tranquility Tea".

The pale green liquid has a herbal fragrance and can effectively relieve mental fatigue caused by prolonged exposure to the abyss's aura.

Opposite him, Chloe still had her eyes covered by black silk, her fingers rhythmically stroking the "celestial sphere" crystal on her chest.

Compared to a few months ago, the mental fluctuations emanating from the blind girl are noticeably more stable and profound.

Euphemia, sitting between the two, was dressed more elaborately than usual.

Her long white hair was braided into intricate braids and secured with ribbons.

That alluring, exquisite face wore a deliberately maintained polite smile.

Anyone with keen senses can detect the tension hidden behind that smile.

"It seems that everyone has made quite a bit of progress these past few months."

Ron spoke first, breaking the delicate silence in the room.

"Indeed."

Chloe responded softly, her voice still as gentle as a feather, but with a confidence she had never shown before.

She slowly raised her right hand, and a ball of silver-blue magical light appeared in her palm.

Compared to a few months ago, this ray of light has not only become slightly brighter, but its complexity has also increased.

Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the light contains a nebula-like rotating energy structure, indicating that the opponent's mental strength has been significantly enhanced.

"My mental strength has improved slightly recently."

Chloe's tone was filled with undisguised pride:
"Moreover, through learning the skills of historians, my perception of the flow of time has also improved, which has led to some improvements in some of the spells I have been studying."

She gently touched the "celestial sphere" crystal on her chest, and this heirloom immediately emitted a mysterious fluctuation.

Although the amplitude was small, it was enough for the two people present to feel that subtle perceptual dislocation.

“Besides that…” Chloe’s voice became even more mysterious:
"The combination of astrology and historical research has opened a whole new door for me."

Although her "gaze" was obscured by the black veil, it still accurately "stared" at Ron:

"Now I can not only foresee the possibilities of the future, but also better examine the various past memories in the divination images through historical imprints. The two-way time perception has increased the accuracy of my predictions by at least 30%."

Upon hearing this number, even the well-informed Ron couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

Improving the accuracy of predictions is an exponentially difficult task.

The fact that Chloe's prophetic abilities could be improved by 30% means that they are undergoing a transformation to a higher level.

"Recently, I have successfully predicted the activity patterns of the Abyss Apostles several times, as well as some personnel changes within the observation stations."

Chloe continued:

"These results have been recognized by Professor Utter, and related academic papers are being written."

Upon hearing this, Euphemia's teacup trembled slightly.

She certainly understood the significance of this achievement.

Prophecies have extremely high practical value; a sufficiently accurate prophecy is enough to make many forces vie to recruit them.

"And what about Euphemia?"

Ron turned his gaze to her, trying to ease the subtle tension in the atmosphere: "How's your training progress lately?"

"His mental strength has improved quite a bit."

Euphemia tried her best to maintain a smile while releasing her magical light.

It was a deep red, blood-like energy, exuding an alluring yet dangerous aura, and its intensity far surpassed that of Chloe.

"It's already close to the 6.0 mark, just one step away from the critical point of the Morning Star."

Her tone held a hint of pride, but it quickly dimmed: "However..."

The white-haired witch paused, a look of frustration in her eyes:

"I still have a lot to learn about spell construction and radiation fields. In recent months I have focused on learning spell reversal, and my progress in these basic skills has been relatively slow."

What she didn't mention was that the learning process for reversing spells was far more difficult than imagined.

It requires not only a deep understanding of the principles of various spells, but also constant trial and error in actual combat.

Each failure brings a minor trauma to the soul, which accumulates and makes her overall state unstable.

What frustrated her even more was that Aiden's recent silence deprived her of her most important source of guidance.

Those control marks implanted deep within her blood were like a silent mockery, constantly reminding her that she was merely a canary in a beautiful cage.

Ron keenly sensed the fluctuations in her emotions and activated "Hermit's Insight" for a deeper analysis.

In his perception, Euphemia's mental power, though strong, was clearly unstable.

That instability is not caused by a lack of talent, but by a deviation in the direction of cultivation.

Focusing too much on advanced techniques like spell reversal while neglecting the consolidation of basic abilities is like building a skyscraper on the beach—it may look grand, but it's actually fragile.

“Spell creation requires a lot of practical experience and cannot be rushed.”

Ron offered sound advice:

"Moreover, spell reversal itself is an extremely complex skill, and it is already remarkable to be able to master the basic theory."

“Yes…” Chloe echoed softly, but her tone carried a subtle sense of superiority:
"Everyone's path to development is different; the important thing is to find a direction that suits you."

The girl's seemingly well-intentioned words of comfort actually contained a subtle boast.

Although she appeared humble, she was quite satisfied with her rapid progress deep down.

Especially in comparison with Euphemia, Chloe experienced for the first time the confidence that comes from strength.

Euphemia, of course, understood the subtext, and her sense of frustration intensified.

She was acutely aware that the gap in strength between herself and her opponent was rapidly narrowing, and that she had even been overtaken in some aspects.

"Speaking of which, I have some good news to tell you."

Ron noticed the subtle shift in the atmosphere and changed the subject at the opportune moment:
"According to reliable sources, Cassandra Tower Master may return to the main world soon. Although the exact time is still uncertain, it should be within the next month or two."

This news made both women raise their heads.

Cassandra's return undoubtedly signifies a shift in the winds of change in the Central Lands, and also represents more opportunities.

Chloe activated her prophetic abilities, attempting to glean relevant clues, but the results made her frown.

The fate line has been deliberately blurred by some force, making it impossible to predict accurately.

"What's the reason she came back?" Chloe asked cautiously. "Isn't the Great Expedition to Another World still ongoing?"

"The specific reasons involve some private matters, and I cannot disclose them."

Ron shook his head and said:
"But what is certain is that her return is temporary, and she will return to the front lines after she has finished handling her affairs."

He certainly couldn't tell them that Cassandra had returned to oversee Eve's treatment program.

This information, which involves the core secrets of the Crown Clan, must be kept confidential even from allies.

"In addition, the quarterly settlement for the Rising Star Program is also approaching."

Ron continued, "Based on the timeline, there will be a new round of ranking updates in two weeks at most."

The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense when this topic was brought up.

The ranking system of the New Star Project is extremely brutal.

Each quarterly settlement is based on a comprehensive score considering multiple dimensions, including academic achievements, practical performance, and growth in influence.

A drop in ranking means fewer resources, while a rise in ranking means more privileges and support.

"Regarding this settlement..." Chloe's voice was filled with barely concealed anticipation:
"I am quite confident that I can achieve a significant improvement."

She explained:

"The results of the prophecies over the past few months have attracted the attention of several academic institutions, especially the detailed reports of those successful prophecies. I am compiling these results into a paper and preparing to submit it to the Journal of Divination."

The Journal of Divination, because it is not published by one of the seven major schools of thought in the Crystal Spire, can only be classified as a second-level journal.

However, the extremely high barrier to entry in astrology means that the papers published in it are of a quality comparable to many top-tier journals.

"If the paper can be published smoothly, coupled with my several proven accurate predictions..."

Chloe's voice became more confident: "Making it into the top ten of the Rising Star Project shouldn't be a problem." This confidence made Euphemia's mood even heavier.

Although her mental cultivation progressed faster, she lacked results that could be publicly displayed.

The progress in learning Spell Reversal cannot be used as a basis for scoring, and the performance in other aspects is rather mediocre.

"My situation may not be very optimistic."

Euphemia admitted with a wry smile, "I've been spending most of my time on theoretical learning lately, and I lack quantifiable achievements."

She paused for a moment, her tone becoming somewhat self-deprecating:

"Maybe after this settlement, I'll drop from third to the bottom of the top ten."

“The change in ranking is secondary.” Ron noticed her frustration.

"What matters is improving actual abilities. Rankings are just external recognition; true strength is the foundation for success."

Although that's what they said, everyone present understood that in this hierarchical wizarding society, the symbolic meaning of ranking was far more important than imagined.

It not only represents the priority of resource allocation, but also an important standard by which others measure your value.

"Speaking of improving strength..."

Euphemia suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of probing:

"Ron, you seem to have gained a lot from the Abyss this time? I can sense that the energy fluctuations on your body are much stronger than before."

This question also drew Chloe's attention.

As an astrologer, she was equally perceptive of energy fluctuations and had long noticed the change in Ron.

“There have indeed been some breakthroughs.” Ron did not hide this obvious fact:

"The unique environment of the abyss is very helpful for improving certain skills. However, the specific details involve some sensitive information, so I will not go into detail."

His answer was, as always, impeccable.

A brief silence fell over the room.

Chloe was proud of her progress, but she was still significantly behind Ron.

Euphemia felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

"By the way, what are everyone's plans for the future?" Ron broke the silence first.

"I'll probably have to go back to the astrological association in the west."

Chloe's voice carried a hint of anticipation:

“She’s been at the observatory for several months now, Grandma Leia might be worried, and also…”

At this point, her tone became more formal:
"I need to return to the astrological society to focus on writing academic papers."

"The astrological society's library also houses some ancient texts that I couldn't understand before. With my current theoretical foundation, I should be able to gain more inspiration from them."

“A wise choice.” Ron nodded in agreement.
"The systematic organization of academic achievements does indeed require a quiet environment and abundant reference materials."

"my words……"

Euphemia also revealed her plans, her tone carrying a certain resolve:

"I'm considering going down to the third level of the abyss, possibly as deep as the fifth level, the 'Sea of ​​No Light,' to hone my bloodline puppets. The real combat environment will also be more helpful for improving my magic power."

The real reason she didn't mention was that Aiden's long period of silence made her feel deeply uneasy.

Instead of waiting at the observation station, we should take the initiative and look for new opportunities in the abyss.

“If you’re going to the fifth level of the Abyss…” Ron said thoughtfully, “you could go and see ‘Eye of the Abyss’ Nari.”

This suggestion caught Euphemia's eye.

Although news of Nari's recent exploits in the Chaos Arena hasn't spread yet, those with even a little bit of inside information have already heard about his crushing defeat of "Mad Bite" and "Nightmare Queen" a few months ago.

Almost everyone who wrote the relevant intelligence has updated Nari's information to the fifth level of Overlord Apostle, one level above the other Apostles.

Will it be willing to help me?

Thinking of this information, Euphemia asked somewhat uncertainly:
"We haven't had any contact whatsoever..."

“Just tell her my name,” Ron simply replied.

"Nari is actually a very easy person to get along with. As long as you don't provoke her, she is usually very friendly."

Moreover, she possesses a vast database of bloodline samples, which would be extremely helpful for improving your bloodline studies.

Of course, what he didn't say was that, given how much Nari cared for him, anyone he recommended would receive quite good treatment.

This information made Euphemia's heart race.

She certainly didn't doubt the value of Ron's recommendation.

Although I was escorted back by the Blood and Tears Duke after completing the mission last time.

However, being quite sensitive to abyssal energy, she was still able to sense the trace of pure chaotic origin on the other party.

For an apostle, their own primordial power is of utmost importance.

The fact that Ron has been tainted by Nari's original aura demonstrates the importance Nari holds in the eyes of that overlord's apostle.

And a bloodline sample bank of a hegemon's apostle...

If she could get access to it, it would definitely greatly enhance her research.

“Well…” Chloe said softly, “it seems we’ll have to part ways for now.”

The three people's eyes met briefly in the air.

“Keep in touch.” Ron was the first to stand up. “I hope we can all meet at the top someday.”

"Meeting at the summit, that's a great phrase!"

Euphemia's eyes lit up, and she stood up:
"I hope that in the future, we will all have enough power to achieve true freedom."

“Let’s encourage each other and make progress together,” Chloe added, standing up and extending her palm.

The three of them lightly clasped hands in the air, completing this simple farewell ceremony.

There was no excessive sentimentality, nor any false promises, only a rational agreement based on practical interests and a certain degree of mutual trust.

This is the friendship between wizards—rational and restrained, yet capable of playing a crucial role in critical moments.

After Chloe and Euphemia left, Ron stood alone in the reading room, staring at the three empty teacups on the table.

"I hope that when we meet again, both of them will be alive and well."

He no longer clings to the idea of ​​remaining true to his original aspirations.

Such words, placed in the current tense and turbulent situation, sound like mere daydreaming.

His greatest expectation for these two allies was that they could survive and grow in strength.

………………

On the other side, at the distant intersection of the void.

In the Hall of Eternity, the headquarters of the Court of Truth, the crystal pouches that were usually silent and lifeless began to glow one after another.

This phenomenon spread like a chain reaction, extending from the outermost chambers all the way to the core area.

Whenever a chamber is lit, the Hanged Man inside awakens from his deep slumber, looking around with a confused and wary expression.

The silver-eyed youth, Karent, was the first to notice this anomaly.

His dialysis eyes gleamed slightly in the fluid, trying to catch the unsettling flow of information in the air.

"The last time such a collective awakening occurred was at the end of the Third Era when the 'Eternal Plague' swept across the Overworld and even the entire Quadrant."

His voice carried a clear hint of confusion:
"In the end what happened?"

The chamber of the scaly old man Varian immediately lit up, and the runes on the surface of the dragon scales began to glow slowly.

A deep wariness was evident in his heterochromatic eyes:
"Did you feel it? That kind of... tremor that comes from the conceptual level."

The jellyfish-like creature, Mora, swayed restlessly in the fluid within her sac, each one sensing energy fluctuations of a different frequency.
"Something's wrong, something's very wrong. It feels like..."

She paused for a moment, her tentacles tightening:

"It's like someone rang an alarm bell over our heads."

As more and more chambers were lit up, the specimen collection began to echo with the discussions of these great wizards who had been dead for many years.

These voices converged, like echoes in an ancient church, reverberating layer upon layer within this supreme temple of knowledge.

(End of this chapter)