Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 438 The faster you grab, the more you get!
"By the way, I'll also disable your sensory abilities!"

The King of Absurdity seemed to suddenly remember something and waved his hand casually.

The movement looked effortless, like shooing away an annoying fly.

But with a gentle touch of his fingers, the magical structure of the entire spherical space underwent a fundamental change in an instant.

Ron clearly felt that his extremely keen senses were being forcibly suppressed by an irresistible force.

"The Hermit's Insight", "Exceptional Recognition", "Essential Insight"...

All his observational traits and skills, which he was so proud of, became completely ineffective at this moment, as if shrouded in a thick black cloth.

This feeling is extremely uncomfortable, like a sharpshooter with eagle eyes suddenly becoming extremely nearsighted with a prescription of 2000 degrees.

The world became blurry in his eyes, and the once clearly visible patterns of magical flow vanished without a trace.

Even the most basic energy perception has been reduced to the level of an apprentice.

Ron struggled to adapt to this sudden state of "blindness," while secretly apprehensive.

"This is not fair!"

Eve immediately protested:

"The mentor's perception ability was acquired through his own cultivation, so why should it be prohibited?"

He's come all this way, he should be allowed to carefully choose the right treasure…

The girl's voice was filled with obvious indignation, and her amethyst-like eyes burned with a flame of defiance.

Although she revered this legendary ancestor, she would still stand up without hesitation when Ron's interests were involved.

"fair?"

Upon hearing this word, the King of Absurdity burst into deafening laughter.

The laughter echoed through the spherical space, each sound striking the listener's eardrums like thunder.

He laughed loudly while waving his octopus tentacles wildly in the air.

"Little girl, you're talking to me about fairness? I am the King of Absurdity!"

He pointed to his face, which was half laughing and half crying, his eyes filled with madness:

"What I hate most is fairness! Fairness is the most boring concept in the universe!"

At this point, he suddenly stopped laughing, and his expression became unusually serious.

The transition was so sudden that it made both of them uneasy.

"Fairness means mediocrity, rigidity, and a lack of surprises! The most wonderful thing about life is its uncertainty!"

At this point, his tone softened:

"However, since little Eve is so cute, I can give you a hint."

The King of Absurdity winked:

"The first treasure will be the one you want most, and the second one will be the one you want least."

Why is it the least desirable?

Ron astutely grasped the deeper meaning behind the hint.

"because!"

The King of Absurdity said triumphantly, his tentacles making exaggerated movements in the air:

"Often, what we least want is what we need most! This is the paradox of life!"

"What we crave can sometimes destroy us; what we run from can often save us."

"Comfort is the enemy of progress, while fear is the friend of growth."

"If you only choose what you want, you will always stay in your comfort zone and never achieve a real breakthrough."

Ron thought about these words carefully and realized that there was indeed some truth to them.

Many genuine growth and transformations often come from the unknown, rather than from repeating the known.

………………

With no other choice, the two could only close their eyes.

"Remember, keep your eyes completely closed!" the King of Absurdity warned sternly.
"If I find anyone doing anything underhanded, I'll let them get their hands on the most terrible cursed item!"

Ron took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil.

Having lost the aid of his sensory abilities, he could only rely on his most primal intuition and inner desires.

All the sounds in the treasure vault became clearer.

The spinning buzzing, the excited cries of the creatures, and the chuckles of the King of Absurdity on the sidelines.

Ron took a deep breath and thought to himself:

What do I want most?

Knowledge is always just knowledge.

As a researcher, his thirst for knowledge surpassed his desire for any treasure.

Whether it's to prepare for an impending crisis or to survive in this dangerous world, knowledge is the most important force.

His hand groped in the air and touched a heavy object.

That touch felt extremely familiar.

The texture of the paper, the warmth of the leather cover, and the faint scent of ink.

This is a book, and a very thick one at that.

"That's it."

Ron confirmed this in his mind, gripping the book tightly with his right hand.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that what he was holding in his hand was "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things".

An eyeball was embedded in the thick leather cover, staring intently at him.

The book pages automatically turned to reveal the first page:
"Dedicated to all souls who seek truth—but remember, knowledge comes at a price."

The flying desk flapped its wings excitedly to the side:

"Congratulations! Congratulations! You've chosen the universe's most precious treasure trove of knowledge! Remember to prepare a wig!"

Next is the second choice.

What is the last thing I want?

Ron muttered to himself, his hand groping in the air.

This problem is more difficult than the first one.

As a person who values ​​rationality, what he fears most is things getting completely out of control, and what he hates most is unpredictable chaos.

He feared things that might disrupt the established plans and bring uncontrollable variables.

My left hand groped in the air and finally touched a cold cube.

The sensation made him feel inexplicably uneasy.

Despite his inner resistance, he still held it in his hand according to the rules of the King of Absurdity.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the paradoxical die that he instinctively resisted.

The die trembled slightly in his hand, the numbers on its surface constantly changing without any discernible pattern.

The penguin gentleman bowed gracefully:
"A wise choice! Or a foolish choice! In any case, in the face of paradox, wisdom and foolishness are the same thing!"

Why this one?

Ron frowned as he looked at the strange die in his hand, a strong sense of resistance welling up inside him.

Although he asked the question aloud, he already had the answer in his heart.

The King of Absurdity smiled mysteriously:
"I know what you're most afraid of is things getting out of control!"

His voice carried a certain insight:

"But, my child, sometimes change can actually create new possibilities!"

"Perfect plans often lead to perfect failures, while seemingly chaotic variables can create miracles."

"This die will teach you an important lesson—sometimes, letting go and letting fate take its course can lead to better results."

Eve's choice was: the Mirror of Truth that reveals lies, and the potion of happiness that brings sorrow.

Her right hand touched that lying mirror of truth.

The moment she grasped the mirror, a middle-aged woman with a face full of resentment immediately appeared in the mirror.

"See that? This is the 'false' image the mirror shows you!"

The carrot display stand excitedly explained:

"But since it's fake, then the truth must be the opposite!"
This mirror always reflects illusions, so when you realize it's lying, the illusion becomes a signpost guiding you to the truth!

Eve quickly turned the mirror over, not daring to look at the reflection.

A middle-aged woman with a face full of resentment—is this her fate before she met her mentor?
Just thinking about it sent chills down her spine.

When the girl picked up the medicine bottle, the bottle jumped up happily:

"New friend! New friend! We can cry and laugh together now! Hahaha... Waaaaah..."

The carrot leaves swayed excitedly as well:

"Congratulations on obtaining the key to the truth! Remember, when you believe it, doubt it; when you doubt it, believe it!"

Why did I choose the potion?

Eve looked at the bottle, puzzled, as it scratched itself.

"Because you are most afraid of pain!"

The King of Absurdity explained gently, a benevolent smile spreading across his tear-stained face:

"You have just been freed from years of torment and instinctively want to avoid anything that might cause you pain."

"but!"

His voice became deep and philosophical:
Sometimes, you can find happiness in pain, and you must also accept pain in happiness.

This is the true meaning of life! A complete emotional experience includes both the light and the shadow.

The tentacles of the King of Absurdity gently brushed against Eve's hair:
"My child, do not be afraid of feeling."

Pain is not the enemy; it is the seasoning of life.

Pleasure without pain is pale, just as light without darkness is blinding.

………………

"Wait! This isn't over yet!"

The King of Absurdity suddenly became excited.

His octopus tentacles flailed wildly in the air, like a mischievous child who had just come up with a great idea:
"Since you're leaving soon, let me perform a magic trick for you!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a black top hat from somewhere.

The hat's material looks ordinary, but in the hands of the King of Absurdity, it exudes a surreal and distorted feel.

It's as if the inside of this hat connects to countless different dimensions.

"Now is...the moment to witness a miracle!"

The King of Absurdity reached deep into his hat, a dramatic expression on his face.

When his hand reappeared, it held a fluffy white rabbit in his palm.

It has three heads, each with a pair of ruby-like sparkling eyes.

Instead of four legs, it has six long, slender rabbit legs.

Hello! I'm Magic Rabbit!

The three heads opened their mouths simultaneously, their voices converging into a strange harmony:

"My special skill is creating multiple versions of myself! Now I'll give you a spectacular clone performance!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the rabbit's body began to tremble violently.

What started as a slight tremor quickly developed into a spasm that felt like an electric current.

The next second, something incredible happened. The rabbit's body split in two, like cells dividing.

Each new rabbit retains its complete three-headed, six-legged structure, and its ruby ​​eyes still sparkle.

"It worked! It worked!"

The two rabbits cheered in unison.

But this is just the beginning.

The splitting process shows no signs of stopping.

Two became four, four became eight, eight became sixteen...

Each split is accompanied by a crisp "pop," like popcorn bursting open.

A strange, magical fluctuation began to permeate the air, a unique vibration characteristic of life rapidly multiplying.

In less than a minute, the entire spherical treasure vault was filled with countless three-headed rabbits.

They leap through the air, run on the ground, and even hang upside down from the ceiling.

Each one was excitedly chirping:

"Freedom! Freedom! We have gained true freedom!"

"The outside world is so much more interesting! It's a million times better than being in this hat!"

"We never want to go back to that small, dark space again!"

As the King of Absurdity watched the chaotic scene, his expression gradually changed from initial smugness to panic.

His octopus tentacles were flailing wildly in the air:
"Stop it!"

The panic was so realistic that Ron almost believed it was truly an accident.

"Stop it! This isn't the effect I wanted!"

The King of Absurdity frantically waved his octopus tentacles, trying to catch the rabbits that were jumping around everywhere:

"It's a failure! This magic trick has completely failed! Rabbits! Get back inside the hat!"

But the rabbits clearly didn't buy it.

They began to revel in the treasure vault, and some rabbits even started nibbling at the legs of the display stands.

The mushroom display stand emitted a painful scream;

The flying desk flew around in a panic.

The penguin gentleman tried his best to maintain his elegant demeanor, but his top hat had already been snatched away by the rabbits.

Eve instinctively moved closer to Ron, her amethyst eyes filled with confusion and unease.

"Professor...is this normal?"

She asked in a low voice, almost inaudible amidst the rabbits' commotion.

Ron observed everything carefully, and his intuition told him that things were not as simple as they seemed.

Although the King of Absurdity appeared flustered, there was no real anxiety in his eyes.

It's more like an actor giving a brilliant performance.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

One of the largest rabbits suddenly stopped jumping.

Its three heads opened their mouths at the same time, and strange gurgling sounds began to come from deep in its throat.

The sound was like water draining from a pipe, or like a monster groaning.

Immediately afterwards, the giant rabbit began to gag violently.

But instead of vomit, it vomited a dazzling array of miscellaneous substances:
First came the ribbons; countless colorful silk ribbons poured out of the rabbit's mouth, fluttering in the air like rainbows.

Then came the flowers, with all sorts of exotic varieties of flowers falling like raindrops;
Next came the birds; dozens of fist-sized birds flapped their wings and flew out, circling and chirping in the treasure vault.
Finally, and most strikingly, were several mysterious items radiating intense magical energy!
Each of these items shimmered and contained a heart-pounding energy fluctuation.

They danced slowly in the air, as if they had their own consciousness, searching for a suitable master.

"oops!"

The king of absurdity spoke with a dramatic, exaggerated tone:
"The rabbit even brought out my private collection! This is incredible! Those are treasures I've kept for thousands of years!"

His octopus tentacles waved wildly, trying to grab the flying objects.

But his movements appeared unusually clumsy, like a clown struggling to move.

In the midst of the chaos, one of the items flew directly toward Ron and Eve.

He subconsciously looked up and met the gaze of the King of Absurdity.

A sly look appeared in those eyes, half laughing and half crying.

The left side of her smiling face blinked, as if to say:

“Smart child, you know what to do.”

Ron understood immediately and silently released his magic.

Although his sensory abilities are sealed, his basic ability to control objects is still usable.

The magic gently enveloped an object flying towards it, subtly altering its trajectory.

The whole process was as smooth as flowing water, as if it were just a subconscious self-protective action.

A precious item slipped silently into his sleeve and was then quickly transferred to his storage bag.

"Oh no!"

The King of Absurdity exaggeratedly slapped his head:
"My treasures have all flown away! This is terrible!"

As he said this, he deliberately turned his gaze elsewhere, focusing intently on directing the other rabbits that were hopping around everywhere:
"Rabbits! Quickly bring everything else back! Don't let my collection keep flying around!"

Eve was completely unaware of this carefully planned little exchange.

She was busy dodging the magic rabbits that were jumping around everywhere, and one of the particularly mischievous rabbits was about to bite her head.

"Go away! Go away!"

The girl waved her arms vigorously, trying to shoo away the persistent rabbit:
"I'm not a carrot!"

Meanwhile, Ron quietly helped Eve chase away the rabbit.

He didn't immediately check the specific function of this extra gift; now was not the time to satisfy his curiosity.

The king of absurdity continues his "performance":
"These rabbits are so naughty! I'm never using them for performances again!"

He began to unleash his true power, and an invisible force of attraction emanated from the magician's hat.

All the rabbits felt the call and, though unwilling, were sucked back into the hat one by one.

“We will be back!”

The last rabbit shouted before being sucked into the hat:
"Long live freedom! Long live magic! Long live the carrot!"

Then the entire treasure vault returned to calm, leaving only a ground covered in ribbons and petals, a testament to the farcical performance that had just taken place.

The King of Absurdity puts away his magician's hat, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Uh, this magic trick needs more practice..."

"OK OK!"

He waved his hand, and the treasure vault returned to its original state.

"It's almost time! You should go!"

As Ron looked at this mysterious and unpredictable being, a question arose in his mind.

"Your Majesty, I would like to know why you have designed so many traps and tests in the treasury?"

This question made the King of Absurdity's expression suddenly turn serious.

That face, half laughing and half crying, now had both halves as deep and unfathomable as the sea.

"Because, young man..."

His voice had lost its previous madness:

"In this increasingly crazy world, there are fewer and fewer people who can remain rational."

The King of Absurdity's gaze slowly shifted between Ron and Eve.

"I have seen too many geniuses fall because of their power, and too many wise men succumb to temptation."

"When desire begins to dominate reason, when impulse replaces thought, when short-sighted greed obscures long-term wisdom..."

"At that time, even the greatest power will only become a tool of destruction."

At this point, the King of Absurdity's expression suddenly reverted to its usual mad and manic state.

The transformation was so rapid, it was like a face-changing performance:

"so!"

He spread his arms wide, making an exaggerated gesture of embracing the sky:

"Remember my words: Never take things too seriously! If you do, you lose! Hahahaha!"

Maniacal laughter echoed through the treasure vault:
"When the world goes crazy, the crazy people are the normal ones!"

"When everyone is chasing the so-called 'correct answer,' those who dare to question everything are the truly clear-headed ones!"

"When seriousness becomes a shackle, when rationality becomes dogma, when wisdom is packaged as authority..."

"At that time, only absurdity could break these false shackles!"

…………

As Ron and Eve left the vault, the magnificent portal slowly closed.

The light gradually faded, and everything returned to silence.

Inside the spherical space, the absurd king's half-human, half-octopus body suddenly stiffened like a machine that had lost its power.

That face, half laughing and half crying, lost all expression and became as stiff as a sculpture.

The octopus tentacles drooped limply, showing no signs of life.

A moment later, a slight tearing sound was heard.

From behind the stiff body of the King of Absurdity, a giant three-headed rabbit slowly emerged.

This is the largest magic rabbit from the performance just now.

Its movement was like unzipping a zipper, splitting the body in two and revealing its complex internal mechanical structure.

This so-called "King of Absurdity" is nothing more than an exquisitely crafted puppet in disguise.

"Phew...it's finally over."

The rabbit's three heads sighed simultaneously, their voices filled with deep weariness:
"Playing the role of the master is always so tiring. You have to control your facial expressions, control your tone of voice, and finally remember those complicated philosophical theories..."

It wiped non-existent beads of sweat from its forehead with one of its front paws.

"However, overall, this performance should be considered a success."

Although the young man saw through my little trick, he still cooperated perfectly and completed the entire process.

The rabbit began to gather up the scattered body parts of the "King of Absurdity" on the ground, its movements as practiced as if it had done it countless times before.

"Why is Master always so troublesome? He could just give them the things directly, but he insists on going through so many roundabout tests and trials..."

It shook its three heads, a look of confusion in its eyes:

"And that extra gift, the master clearly prepared it a long time ago, but insisted on giving it to them through my 'accidental spitting'..."

"I really don't understand the thinking of these ancient beings; every action of theirs has eighteen layers of meaning."

The rabbit stood up and began to survey the treasure vault.

The strange display stands all greeted it, clearly indicating that it held a significant place here.

After inspecting the area and confirming that there were no abnormalities, the three-headed rabbit transformed back into its seemingly harmless magic prop form.

It jumped back into the black top hat, waiting for the next moment to be summoned.

"I hope my master's judgment is correct."

"Hopefully, there's still hope for this timeline."

"Hopefully... the truth of absurdity can overcome the madness of despair."

(End of this chapter)