Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 446 Rational Judgment
Ron sat at the familiar oak desk, with precious items obtained from the treasure vault of the King of Absurdity laid out before him.

"The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things" lay quietly in the center of the desk.

The eyeball on the heavy leather cover is closed, as if it is asleep.

The edges of the pages gleamed with a faint golden light, hinting at the boundless knowledge contained within.

There was another object nearby, whose vibrations, like static electricity, stimulated the skin, making one instinctively want to stay away.

Ron's fingers lightly traced the cover of "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary," wanting to open it and see the contents.

But as soon as it was touched, a severe headache surged up like a tidal wave, spreading from the temples to the entire cranial cavity.

He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain that felt like countless needles piercing his brain.

In less than two days, he experienced too many events that exceeded the limits of what ordinary people could endure:
The psychological trials and paradoxical challenges within the treasure trove of the King of Absurdity test his inner strength with every choice.

Cassandra spent hours strategizing, his brain working at high speed to analyze the weaknesses of the Vital civilization, his thoughts like an overstretched string.
Use the Paradox Dice for deep divination and endure the mental shock brought about by the distortion of spacetime.

The seven Time Hounds launched a life-or-death attack, and every second was a brush with death.
Finally, there was the divination analysis of future threats. His mental energy was almost exhausted, and the silver pocket watch had just been activated and drained of his magic power...

Even after taking the mental restoration potion treasured by the Crown Clan, his consciousness still felt as if it were being torn apart.

A sharp pain in the temples and occasional blurred vision are typical symptoms of mental overload.

His radiation field contracts and expands unstablely, like a patient's rapid breathing.

The light of the "intellectual triangle" has dimmed, and the connection between the three stars is intermittent.

The cracks at the edge of the consciousness space have not yet healed, and a faint pain occasionally comes from them.

"Forcing research under these circumstances will only backfire..."

Ron rationally analyzed his situation, but his curiosity grew wildly like weeds.

The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things is right before your eyes; knowledge from the depths of the universe is within reach.

Just as he was trying to continue his research, the door was gently pushed open.

Ailan's emerald green figure drifted in silently.

She was able to sense the chaotic energy fluctuations within the room through her extended network of roots.

The air was filled with the distinctive "burnt smell" of mental exhaustion.

That was the residual aura after the excessive burning of magic.

Ron's life force was weak and unstable, like a candle flickering in the wind.

"Owner……"

The emerald green branches of the orchid trembled slightly in the air:

“Your condition worries me greatly. I can feel your tree of life withering away…”

Following closely behind, Dale also peeked out, her wet silver hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall.

The siren's sixth sense allowed her to perceive the fluctuations in her master's emotions; a strong sense of unease was transmitted to her like the tide.

"Master looks so tired..."

Dyer's voice carried a hint of cautious concern:
"Your magical energy fluctuations have become so weak, like...like the receding tide..."

The two loyal servants exchanged a glance, both seeing the same worry in each other's eyes.

They had accompanied Ron through countless late nights of research and had never seen him so exhausted.

In their understanding, although their master had a very demanding job, he always knew how to balance work and rest.

This near-overdraft state is quite abnormal.

Just as Ailan was about to step forward and persuade her master to rest.

Without any warning, a semi-transparent information interface appeared before Ron's eyes:

[Prey Target Analysis]

Target 1: Ailan (Ancient Tree Fairy - Golden Ring)

Estimated ingestion time: 72 hours
Skill experience gained: Herb Identification (more), Elemental Perception (less), Plant Manipulation (average)
Remaining lifespan: 1247 years

talent:

1. Nature Affinity (Species): Can freely establish a spiritual connection with relatively harmless plants and perform certain commands.

2. Regeneration Core (Race): Unless the energy core is completely destroyed, it can continuously regenerate at a high speed.

3. Elemental Conversion (Race): Converts any elemental energy into life energy.

special power:

1. Life Sensing Network: Establishing a large-scale sensing network through plant roots.

2. Toxin immunity: Complete immunity to the vast majority of plant toxins.
3. Environmental modification: It can change the ecological environment of a small area in a short period of time.

[Target 2: Dale (Pureblood Siren - Golden Ring)]

Estimated ingestion time: 48 hours
Skill experience can be gained in: Water element manipulation (more), Wind element manipulation (very little), Singing (more), and Communication with marine life (less).

Remaining lifespan: 423 years

talent:

1. Big Eater (Second Tier): Digestive abilities beyond the norm, capable of extracting nutrients from any organic matter.

2. Enchanting Voice (Race): The voice possesses an alluring power that directly affects the soul.

3. Ocean Affinity (Race): Significantly increases affinity with both water and wind elements.

special power:

1. Deep-sea adaptability: Can operate normally under any water pressure environment.
2. Emotion perception: Ability to accurately perceive the emotional fluctuations and psychological states of others.

3. Protective Scales: Automatically deflect physical and some magical attacks.

The moment he saw this information, an unprecedented longing welled up from the depths of Ron's heart.

That wasn't his rational thinking, but rather some more primal, more greedy impulse.

A lifespan of over a thousand years! Near-immortal regenerative abilities! A rare talent of the second tier!
These temptations hissed in his mind like venomous snakes, trying to persuade him to take action.

"From a purely efficiency standpoint, this is indeed the optimal choice..."

"In this dog-eat-dog world, it's only natural for the strong to take advantage of the weak..."

"They were slaves you bought with magic stones, so isn't it only natural for them to dedicate everything to their master...?"

But just as greed was about to take over, Ron's reason intervened, as hard as steel.

"Do not."

He said coldly to himself, his voice as sharp as a blade.

"First, let's analyze the source of this impulse from a logical perspective."

Ron forced himself into a mode of absolutely rational thinking, like analyzing a complex potion recipe:

"This greed clearly stems from external influences, rather than from my subjective will."

"The Star Eater's Whispers" amplifies the desire to devour, which is a known side effect.

The hunting ability of the silver pocket watch clearly amplified this effect.

The combination of these two forces created an impulse that exceeded normal tolerance.

He analyzed his own psychological state with the calmness of an autopsy specimen:
"Since it is influenced by external forces, it does not represent my true will."

A truly rational decision-maker should not let any external factors influence their judgment.

"Secondly, we should evaluate it from the perspective of actual benefits."

Ron continued his analysis, replacing the negative thoughts with his own:

"The value of Ellen and Dyer lies not only in their talents and abilities."

They were the first people I built in this world. Trust is a scarce resource; once lost, it's hard to regain.

"If I choose to betray them, then who will dare to treat me sincerely in the future?"

In the wizarding world, isolation means vulnerability.

A powerful figure without any allies or supporters is often the easiest target, like the Blood King.

"Moreover, their loyalty is itself an invaluable asset."

His mind was racing at this moment, operating like a precision instrument:
"In critical moments, loyal partners are more important than strong abilities."

Devouring them might provide a temporary boost in power, but it would negate their long-term strategic value.

"Finally, let's consider the bottom line of morality."

Although discussing morality in the wizarding world seems like a luxury, he still adheres to his principles:
"I can be ruthless, I can be rational, and I can make difficult choices for survival."

But I can't become a monster with absolutely no bottom line.

Betraying those who trust me is a red line I absolutely cannot cross.

"Once I cross that line, I will start to doubt the meaning of my existence."

If you abandon even the most basic humanity, what's the point of gaining even the greatest power?

After this round of rigorous logical analysis, Ron's rationality completely suppressed the greed that came from external forces.

He took a deep breath, feeling the peace he had regained within himself.

"The strength of one's will is an important standard for measuring the upper limit of a wizard's achievements."

He concluded in his heart:
"If I can't even resist this level of temptation, then I'm not worthy of pursuing higher levels of power."

Ron regained control of his emotions, and his eyes became clear and firm again.

The dangerous killing intent completely dissipated, replaced by his usual calm and gentle demeanor. "You're right."

He looked at Alan and Dale, his voice showing no sign of abnormality:

"Continuing to overdraw like this is unwise. Let's call it a day."

Ailan keenly sensed the change in her master's emotions; the unsettling aura of danger had completely vanished.

Dale also sensed the calm in her master's heart, and her tense nerves relaxed a little.

"Master, you need to rest completely."

Ailan's tone returned to its usual gentleness:

“I can prepare some herbal tea that helps with mental recovery.”

“Dale can also sing lullabies for you.”

The Siren Girl added:
"The siren's song has a healing effect on emotional trauma."

Seeing the concerned expressions on the faces of his two loyal servants, Ron felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This warmth comes not from their inherent value, but from their genuine sincerity.

"thank you all."

He carefully put away the dangerous items on the table.

While packing his belongings, Ron secretly checked the condition of his silver pocket watch.

It does not appear to show any abnormalities.

"It seems that this 'hunting' urge can indeed be suppressed by willpower."

He silently analyzed in his mind:

"The key is to maintain absolute rationality and not be swayed by emotions and desires."

"This experience serves as an important warning: as our strength grows, similar temptations will only become stronger."

I must remain vigilant at all times and never allow any external forces to influence my judgment.

………………

Ron's bedroom is located at the deepest part of his private residence, where a set of exceptionally valuable, custom-made sleeping pods is installed.

He purchased this equipment after becoming a lecturer, and it cost him a full twenty complete magic stones.

The entire interior of the sleep chamber is engraved with hundreds of intricate calming runes.

These runes were designed based on the hypnotic spells of ancient elves, and have been further improved by modern wizards.

The rune lines are as delicate as silver threads, forming complex and beautiful patterns on the inner wall of the cabin.

These runes will automatically activate after the user falls asleep, forming multiple layers of protection.

Examples include mental barriers, dream stabilizers, magic recovery arrays, life monitoring, and danger warnings.

This equipment is expensive, but it is an investment necessary for wizards who frequently conduct dangerous research.

Ron crawled into the sleep pod, feeling the cool touch of the sleep mat.

The cushion's material has a natural calming effect and a silky smooth feel.

As the hatch closed, the surrounding runes began to emit a soft blue light.

A deep sense of tranquility slowly descended upon him, allowing his tense nerves to begin to relax.

Under the calming rune's effect, Ron quickly fell asleep.

But this dream was completely different from the usual one.

In his dream, he found himself in a boundless void.

There is no light, no sound, and no trace of any matter here.

Even the concept of "darkness" doesn't apply, because darkness itself is a form of existence.

This is pure "nothingness," a desolate emptiness that evokes despair.

There was no concept of up, down, left, or right, no sense of the passage of time; it was as if the entire universe had been emptied out.

In the center of this void, something is slowly taking shape.

It was initially just a black dot, as black as ink, but it was the only "existence" in this void.

It is constantly expanding and wriggling, as if it has its own life.

The expansion process was extremely slow, but it carried an unstoppable inevitability.

As the black dot expanded, Ron was able to see its true form:
It was a clump of extremely viscous black substance, its surface covered with an oily sheen, as sticky as asphalt.

Its shape is constantly changing, sometimes wriggling like a worm, sometimes stretching out like tentacles, and sometimes shrinking into a sphere; it has no fixed form.

At this moment, the substance emitted an indescribable stench.

It's not just a simple stench, but a deeper, more fundamental stench of decay.

That's the smell of life after it has completely fallen into depravity, the remnant of hope after it has been swallowed by despair.

But strangely, Ron did not feel nauseous or afraid.

On the contrary, he had a vague premonition that the formation of this black ball seemed to be a good thing for him.

To his surprise, the intense devouring desire deep within him gradually subsided as the black sphere was formed.

It was as if something was actively absorbing those negative impulses, allowing his mind to return to peace.

"what is this?"

He pondered in his dream, trying to understand the principle behind this phenomenon.

The black sphere seemed to sense his attention, and the wriggling on its surface became even more active.

Although he has no eyes, Ron can feel its "gaze," an invisible connection.

………………

When he woke up from his dream, the time display in the sleep pod showed that he had only slept for six hours.

But my mental state after waking up was much better than I expected.

The monitoring system inside the sleep pod detected his abnormal state during the night.

The calming rune had automatically increased its power in an attempt to soothe his emotional turmoil.

However, the data now shows that his mental recovery has exceeded the normal range.

Not only did it completely eliminate yesterday's fatigue, but it even made me feel better than usual.

That urge to devour had completely disappeared.

Ron could feel his mind becoming clear and peaceful again, like a mirror washed with clean water.

He checked the condition of the silver pocket watch and found that the black hand was still there, but it had stopped completely.

"It seems that the dream did indeed have some effect..."

He analyzed this change thoughtfully:

"Perhaps this is a protective mechanism that spontaneously arises when the mind is subjected to extreme pressure?"

In any case, it was a good thing for him to be able to get rid of that dangerous impulse.

At least for now, he can face Ailan and Dale without any worries, without fear of having any inappropriate thoughts.

When Ron arrived at the restaurant, his family had already prepared a hearty breakfast for him.

The table was filled with various fruits that Ailan had personally cultivated, each one containing abundant magic and nutrition.

There are sun-drenched berries that radiate golden light, wisdom fruits that turn purple, and moon-blooming pears that can quickly restore mental energy.

Dair gathered seaweed and made a refreshing soup.

Good morning, Master!

The siren girl greeted him cheerfully, her eyes full of concern:

"Did you sleep well last night? You still look a little pale..."

“Last night I sensed that the master’s life force was somewhat abnormal.”

Ailan said with concern, as the verdant branches swayed gently:
"Did you have another nightmare? I can make some calming tea..."

Seeing the care shown by his two loyal servants, Ron had fully recovered.

He seemed to have completely suppressed the terrible urge to greed he had felt yesterday.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern."

“I did have a strange dream last night, but I feel better than before now.”

He picked up a sun-ripened berry and tasted it; the sweet juice burst in his mouth, bringing a wave of warmth.
"The breakfast you prepared is very delicious, thank you for your hard work."

Hearing her master's voice return to its usual tone, Dale clapped her hands happily:

"Great! Master has regained his spirits!"

Ailan breathed a sigh of relief, her branches swaying gently:

"I'm glad you've recovered. I was worried that yesterday's overexertion would have a lasting effect on you."

As Ron enjoyed his breakfast, he mentally planned out his day.

Although he had temporarily escaped the torment of the urge to devour, he knew that this was only a temporary relief.

The black ball that appeared in the dream was more of an emergency mechanism than a permanent solution; the real problem still exists.

(End of this chapter)