Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 482 "The Vortex of Gluttony"

"What did you say?"

Her voice turned extremely dangerous: "Say it again, who's inside?"

"It's Ron! Instructor Ron Ralph!"

Salamanda realized she had finally touched on the core of the problem, and hope rekindled in her voice:
"He is the commander of the Desert School delegation this time!"

"We are currently engaged in a fierce battle with that terrifying biological aggregate in the core area of ​​the arena!"

Cassandra abruptly stood up from her seat.

"Why didn't anyone tell me beforehand that Ron would be participating in this event?"

Her voice carried a murderous intent powerful enough to freeze one's soul.
"Why didn't this important information appear in my daily briefings?"

Salamanda quickly explained:
"Tower Master, I thought you were already aware of the situation. The complete list of participants for this Elemental Night should have been obtained through regular channels..."

"I never care about those tedious and redundant personnel lists!"

Cassandra abruptly interrupted his explanation:

“But Ron is different! He’s not an ordinary young wizard; his safety is crucial to the entire expeditionary force’s strategy!”

She began pacing back and forth in the room like a caged animal:
"Damn the Tree of Life, they actually dared to attack that kid..."

In Cassandra's calculation system, Ron was no longer simply a "talented young wizard".

He was a key player in resolving the internal divisions within the expeditionary force and a crucial cornerstone of the conquest faction's strategic plan for the next decade.

Losing Ron means the complete failure of the entire virtual conquest plan.

This means that all recent investments and plans have been wasted.

The severity of this loss far outweighs the potential risk of conflict with the Tree of Life school.

At that moment, the scales in her heart tipped decisively.

………………

After ending the communication, Cassandra slowly walked towards the magic circle in the center of the room.

"I didn't want to get involved in a dispute of this level personally..."

The witch's slender fingers gently traced the metallic patterns on the edge of the portal:
“But since we’ve got Ron involved… his value hasn’t been fully exploited yet, so we can’t let him die so easily in that boring place.”

She shook her head: "However, given that kid's cleverness, it should still be in time to go now."

Cassandra began chanting the incantation:
“In Nomine Avaritiae…”
“Voluntas Mea Transit Infinitas…” (My will traverses infinity…)
As the incantation was performed, a strange vortex of purplish-black energy began to emerge from inside the portal.

This is a special teleportation array that only beings who have reached the level of a Grand Wizard can traverse.

—Separation of the physical body!
A humanoid silhouette, composed of pure magic and will, slowly separated from Cassandra.

This is precisely her ethereal form—the "Gluttony Vortex".

"Go forth, my embodiment of greed."

Cassandra's voice carried an air of detached indifference:
"Let those arrogant scoundrels understand what the difference in power levels means."

Xu Hai did not respond verbally, but a hint of joy flashed in his burning purple eyes.

It stepped straight into the center of the portal, its figure disappearing like a ghost into the distorted spatial rift.

………………

When the ethereal projection of the "Gluttonous Vortex" suddenly appeared above the quicksand, the magic field of the entire area began to vibrate violently like never before.

Anyone possessing even the most basic extraordinary sensory abilities could clearly sense that some extremely dangerous "alien substance" had suddenly descended from the sky.

On the viewing platform of the Tree of Life School, Leonardo, who was leisurely enjoying his "masterpiece," suddenly felt a terrifying pressure descending from the sky.

He suddenly jumped up from his seat.

His glasses nearly slipped off his nose from the sudden movement, and the smug expression on his face gradually froze.

"This intensity of magical fluctuations... is this a projection of a Grand Wizard's ethereal form?"

Serafina's projection also noticed this unusual change at the same time.

"This unique magical aura comes from Cassandra's ethereal 'Gluttony Vortex'..."

As someone who has also reached the level of a Grand Wizard, Serafina is able to analyze the specific source of this oppressive aura more precisely.

Each archmage's ethereal remains possess a unique "aura signature," as unforgeable as a fingerprint.

Cassandra's aggressive and greedy nature was notorious among the upper echelons of the wizarding world.

Why is Cassandra suddenly appearing here?

Leonardo muttered to himself in confusion, his voice tinged with barely concealed tension:
“We have clearly reached a tacit agreement with the high-ranking members of the conquest faction, so she should have no reason to interfere with our academic research…”

In Leonardo's mind, tonight's actions were entirely in accordance with the unspoken rules of the wizarding world.

The Tree of Life School had submitted "research requests" to all major powers beforehand.

As is customary, since no one explicitly objects, it means that they tacitly agree.

But Serafina's sensitivity is clearly higher than Leonardo's.

As the current external representative of the Tree of Life school, she knew Cassandra's personality traits all too well.

Although the other party is greedy, cunning, and ruthless, in most cases they will prioritize interests over emotions.

But she has one absolute principle that never changes:

No one can harm those she has clearly identified as "her own people".

This protection is not based on personal feelings, but simply on "asset protection".

If that young wizard named Ron in the arena has indeed been included in Cassandra's protection...

"Immediately activate the emergency contact procedure to contact Archmage Ash and Archmage Darius!"

Serafina issued the highest-level emergency order to her aides who were waiting for instructions.

The tension in the air was as thick as a powder keg about to explode.

………………

Deep within the Azure Garden, the ancient building known as the "Temple of Life" suddenly trembled with a low, resonant sound.

Countless emerald green beams of light shot into the sky from the depths of the earth, each containing a terrifying life force capable of bringing life to an entire forest.

The plants throughout the garden began a frenzied growth spree.

The ancient tree grew tens of meters taller in a few seconds, its flowers bloomed and withered like an explosion, and countless seeds danced in the air like snowflakes.

This scene is both beautiful and unsettling, because within that excessive vitality lies a distorted essence that transcends the boundaries of nature.

"After such a long slumber... something has finally happened that is worth waking me up..."

An ancient voice, seemingly from the very beginning of the world, slowly emanated from the depths of the temple.

A massive projection of ethereal remains began to coalesce above the Azure Garden.

Ashe's ethereal form, known as "Emerald Laurel," is as majestic as a World Tree connecting heaven and earth.

Her lower body was made up of countless intertwined, enormous tree roots, deeply embedded in the core of the earth, drawing life essence from the planet itself.

The upper body is a breathtakingly beautiful female silhouette.

But upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that it is not made of flesh and blood, but a perfect creation woven from the essence of different plants.

Every hair is a living vine, every fingernail a sharp thorn, and every inch of skin flows with emerald-like life sap.

"Someone dares to betray our agreement..."

Ashe's voice was like a spring breeze sweeping through a valley, gentle yet containing a terrifying power capable of destroying civilization:
"It seems that the tolerance of these years has made some younger generations forget the sanctity of contracts."

………………

Almost at the same time, the roar of machinery could be heard from the "Flesh and Blood Laboratory" in another world.

"Alert... Protocol violation detected... Sanctions activated..."

The ethereal remains of "Bloodsmith" Darius began to coalesce above the laboratory, a terrifying creation utterly incomprehensible to reason.

Blood vessels are exposed on the body surface like high-voltage cables, through which modified serums of various colors flow.

"Target confirmed... Conquest leader Cassandra... Violator of the agreement... Sanctions to be imposed..."

Darius's mechanical eyes glowed blood-red as he rapidly retrieved all intelligence data about his opponent:
"Data updated... The benefits received by the other party have been confirmed, and the breach of contract is confirmed... Enforcement proceedings initiated..."

………………

Three terrifying energy pillars shot into the sky simultaneously, forming a chilling triangular formation above the quicksand land.

Each beam of light represents the illusory projection of a great wizard, its power enough to cause many formal wizards to faint on the spot.

But to the surprise of all observers, when Cassandra's "Gluttony Vortex" was fully revealed, it subtly suppressed the sharpness of the three beams of light.

"How can this be……"

For the first time, Serafina felt that things were out of her control:
"Her ethereal form's completion level... has reached this extent?"

At the level of a Grand Wizard, the degree of completion of the Void Remains is the most important indicator of strength.

There is a world of difference in strength between a newly-broken Grand Wizard and a seasoned Grand Wizard who has honed his Void Body to its ultimate level.

Cassandra's current undead quality has surpassed all their previous assessments.

A deep confusion welled up in Ashe's mind:
“I remember when I first saw this little girl over a hundred years ago, her ethereal form was still in its rudimentary stage… This rate of progress is completely contrary to common sense…”

"Data anomaly... Target threat level reassessed to: Extremely dangerous..."

Darius's mechanical brain was working at breakneck speed, but the conclusions it reached caused his core processor to briefly trigger an overload warning:
"Threat assessment was flawed; actual combat capability far exceeds expectations..."

But what made the three of them feel even more dangerous was the unique aura emanating from Cassandra's undead body.

It wasn't just a simple sense of power and pressure, but something deeper... a feeling of hunger.

It's like facing a black hole that can never be filled; anything that gets close will be mercilessly swallowed up.

"It seems you are surprised by my increase in strength."

Cassandra's voice carried a hidden threat:

"But that's not important. What's important is that we need to renegotiate the previous... cooperation agreement."

“But before that, we need a more… private space for communication.”

When powerful wizards clash, the aftershocks are enough to reshape continental plates, evaporate oceans, and even affect a planet's rotational orbit.

This level of conflict must be shifted to a safer battlefield.

"Imaginary space..."

Ashe was the first to speak, suggesting, "According to the 'Witch King's Law,' let's settle our score there."

Imaginary space is a kind of inversion of the real world, a special dimension that only beings who have reached the level of a great wizard can enter.

“Agreed.” Darius’s mechanical voice carried a cold efficiency: “Avoiding unnecessary collateral damage, conforming to the optimal solution.”

“A very good suggestion.” Serafina agreed: “Our dispute should not involve innocent bystanders.”

Cassandra chuckled softly:
"Since you are all so eager to find a suitable... battlefield, I certainly won't refuse such a reasonable request."

The four beams of light began to resonate, and at the center point where they converged, the fundamental structure of reality began to undergo a fundamental reconstruction.

Space was torn apart like paper, revealing the imaginary dimensions hidden behind reality.

"Let's go."

The four great wizards stepped into the rift at the same time and disappeared from the real world.

………………

"Now, let's talk about that deal."

Cassandra's voice echoed in the imaginary space, each syllable as weighty as a physical entity.

Ashe's anger erupted like a wildfire, her ancient voice burning with the fury of betrayal:

“Cassandra! You have accepted the three thousand years' worth of ‘World Tree Essence’ we provided, and promised not to interfere during this ceremony!”

"Now they're going back on their word and sabotaging our academic research! This betrayal violates the fundamental principles of the wizarding community!"

Darius's mechanical voice also took on an angry metallic tremor:

"Agreement record confirmed... The other party has received: 500 vials of life-extending serum, complete data on neural remodeling technology, and the right to cultivate modified organs..."

"The breach of contract is confirmed... We demand the immediate return of all profits and compensation for any corresponding losses..."

Serafina's voice was the coldest:
"And the core technology of the 'Soul Purification Ritual' that I provided, as well as those precious experimental subjects... you accepted it all, and now you want to betray the agreement?"

“Cassandra, even if you have grown to this level, you cannot trample on the sanctity of the contract like this!”

Faced with the collective condemnation of the three great wizards, Cassandra remained silent for a moment.

"contract?"

Her voice carried undisguised contempt:
“You’ve got one very important thing wrong.”

“I have never signed any formal non-interference agreement; I simply accepted your ‘gift,’ that’s all.”

"Gifts and transactions are two completely different concepts, aren't they?"

This blatant robbery logic deeply angered the three great wizards.

But Cassandra did not give them a chance to continue arguing:

"Besides, even if there really is some kind of agreement..."

A purple flame ignited in her eyes, and her voice turned as cold as ice:

"In the face of power, all contracts are nothing but waste paper."

The battle broke out without any warning.

Ashe launched the first attack, and countless emerald green roots shot towards Cassandra like a barrage of arrows.

Darius's attack was more direct, with dozens of robotic arms swinging simultaneously, spraying out experimental serums of various colors.

These serums formed a colorful cloud of poison in the air, with each color representing a different biological weapon:
Neurotoxins, blood coagulants, cell-degrading enzymes, recombinant viruses...

Serafina's attack was the most insidious; she unleashed countless mental shockwaves, attempting to directly attack Cassandra's core consciousness.

The three attacks arrived almost simultaneously. Logically speaking, even a great wizard of the same level would find it difficult to cope with such a dense and complex attack.

But the reaction of the "gluttonous vortex" was unexpected by everyone.

Its black hole structure began to rotate rapidly, generating a terrifying gravitational field.

"what?"

Ashe was horrified to discover that her root-based attacks melted instantly upon contact with the black hole, like ice meeting fire.

"Is she devouring our attacks?"

The situation in Darius was even worse; those carefully crafted biological weapons were not only completely neutralized.

It even began to flow in reverse, continuously replenishing the black hole with magic power.

"Alarm... Energy loss... System overload..."

His mechanical eyes flashed red, and the core processor began issuing overheating warnings:
"The target's devouring capacity has exceeded its theoretical limit; immediate retreat is recommended..."

The most devastating thing was Serafina's psychological attacks.

Those fatal shocks that should have directly impacted the level of consciousness were completely swallowed up when they came into contact with the "vortex of gluttony".

This process of devouring continuously strengthens Cassandra's ethereal form.

For every bit of attack it absorbs, the black hole expands in size and its gravitational field intensifies.

"Do you understand now?"

Cassandra's voice was like the pronouncement of death, cold and irresistible:
"In the face of absolute power, numerical superiority is meaningless."

The "gluttonous vortex" begins to take the initiative, and the black hole's gravitational field is no longer a passive defense, but has turned into an active attack mode.

An invisible force of devouring spread in three directions like a tide, beginning to directly absorb the essential energy of the three great wizards' ethereal remains.

"No...something's wrong..."

Ashe felt her life force being stripped away by some irresistible force:
"How could a void be devoured? This violates the basic power system..."

But reality gave her a cruel answer.

Before the "Vortex of Gluttony," even the ethereal remains of a great wizard are nothing more than a more abundant feast.

The battle in the imaginary space ended before the outside world could even react.

As the strongest of the three great wizards, Ashe was the focus of the "Gluttony Vortex," so her ethereal form was the first to begin to collapse.

Those massive root systems, which symbolize the cycle of life and the power of nature, are as fragile as withered grass in the face of the "vortex of gluttony".

Each pulsation of a black hole strips away a portion of its essential, ethereal nature.

"This absorption is not simply about plundering energy."

A deep fear surged within Ashe's ancient consciousness:

"She is rewriting our fundamental definition, redefining us from 'life' to 'food'."

When her "Emerald Crown" demise is redefined as "nutrient material," all her protective capabilities become meaningless.

The situation in Darius was even more dire.

As a semi-mechanical being, his ethereal form should have been more resistant to such conceptual attacks.

But the terrifying thing about the "Gluttony Vortex" is that it can devour all forms of existence, whether it is flesh and blood, machinery, or pure consciousness.

"Warning! The core logic is being overwritten."

Darius's mechanical brain sent out a final distress signal, but it was quickly overwhelmed by an irresistible hunger:

"I am... I am food, and my purpose in existence is to be devoured."

What's most despairing is that this process of redefinition also produces a twisted kind of pleasure.

The consumed beings experience a false sense of joy at merging with a higher level of existence, as their rationality collapses.

This pleasure is more intense than any drug, making the victim actively cooperate with their own destruction while in pain.

Serafina attempted a final counterattack.

But when the attack touched the "Greedy Vortex," it produced a result she had never expected.

The black hole not only swallowed the attack itself, but also transformed it into an amplification.

Her killer move actually made Cassandra's ethereal form even more perfect.

"Don't you understand yet?"

Cassandra's voice echoed in the imaginary space:
"In the face of 'absolute greed,' any form of resistance is merely a seasoning for the food."

“Your anger, your fear, your despair, and even your retaliation are all part of my power.”

With the final pulse, the ethereal remains of the three great wizards simultaneously let out desperate cries.

Although not completely destroyed, they all suffered fundamental damage.

According to the repair process of the Great Wizard's Void Remains, it would take them at least several decades to restore these losses.

During this period, their actual combat effectiveness will decrease significantly.

"Now, let's return to the material world and discuss the details of the subsequent cooperation."

Cassandra's tone returned to its relaxed state, as if the previous bone-sucking "plunder" was merely a friendly exchange:

"I believe that through this exchange, you should have a deeper understanding of my sincerity."

(End of this chapter)