Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 618: Three "Breakouts"

Chapter 618 Three "Breakouts"

Fragments of memories spanning decades peeled away from the surface of consciousness like the receding tide.

Ron raised his hand and stared at the lines on his palm.

The lines on the fingertips remain clear, and the magic flowing through the veins is steady and profound.

Just minutes before, no, at the same time, those hands had touched scorching metal deep in the mines of Stoker's Star.

"It was...a wonderful experience."

“My ‘present’ has been divided into three parts.”

Ron stood up and stretched:
"In the main world, I am a rising star who has just broken through to the Dark Sun level after twenty years of seclusion."

On the planet of the stoker, I am the governor who has managed the mining area for forty years and knows the secrets of the forbidden zone;

In the chaotic world, Euphemia, using the main world as her 'anchor,' also spent a long forty years..."

He unconsciously turned his hand to check his silver pocket watch:
"This feeling of 'existing in multiple timelines at the same time' has deepened my understanding of 'time'."

Time is always a relative measure.

When his consciousness is able to anchor itself to three different time flows simultaneously, the concept of "the present moment" becomes ambiguous and polysemous.

He is Ron standing in front of the mirror now, Karen who stepped into the forbidden mining area forty years ago, and the "observer" who witnessed Euphemia's every experiment through Nari's connection.

In his perception, the past, present, and future are no longer a linear string of beads, but rather a three-dimensional, interwoven net.

Every node is happening simultaneously, and every line is influencing the others.

Ron withdrew his hand and turned to walk towards the lab table.

There are various research notes, potion recipes, and precious samples indirectly obtained from the Stoker Star and the Chaotic Blood World, accumulated over the past twenty years.

Each item carries a memory of a specific point in time, and now they are gathered here, forming a complete microcosm of his past twenty years, or rather, eighty years.

The review has yielded results.

Ron began to systematically process the changes that this period of time had brought about.

First and foremost is the most intuitive breakthrough in realm.

He raised his right hand, and with a thought, the phantom of the [Threshold of Darkness] slowly appeared behind him.

Compared to when it was first constructed, the nascent form of the Void has now become much more solid.

The human figure outlined by starlight was no longer as ethereal as it was at birth; instead, it possessed a certain weightiness that approached solidity.

The black veil covering her face flowed more naturally, and every chaotic thread vibrated at a precise frequency.

Most importantly, the core of the [Threshold of Darkness] on his chest was becoming increasingly clear in its outline.

The runes on the door frame gradually revealed exquisite details from their blurry outlines.

"The completion rate of the 'Void Remains' has increased from 7% to 12%."

Ron stared at the door:
"Although it may seem like only a 5 percentage point increase, that 5% represents countless real-world simulations in the sandbox, and the arduous process of transforming the three core elements of 'observation,' 'concealment,' and 'judgment' from conceptualization into instinct."

He could clearly sense every change in the ethereal body:
The "body" formed by starlight is more dynamic and can make subtle adjustments to its shape according to his will;
The black veil has a stronger concealing effect, and now it can even seriously interfere with the perception of wizards of the same level.

As for the "door" on his chest, although it was still tightly closed, one could already sense the terrifying power surging within it.

"When the completion rate reaches 90% or more, the Void Corpse will transform from the 'prototype' into the 'complete form,' and at that time I will be able to truly advance to the rank of Grand Wizard."

Ron mentally calculated how far he was from that goal:

"From 12% to 90%... at the current rate, if I continue in seclusion, it might take..."

Complex calculation formulas came to mind.

The rate at which the completion of the Void Skeleton increases will gradually slow down as the foundation is strengthened. The first 5% may only take twenty years, but each 1% in the later stages may take several years or even ten years.

This also needs to take into account many variables such as practical experience, insights and breakthroughs, and resource consumption.

"Optimistically, it will take fifty to eighty years; conservatively, it will take more than one hundred years."

This answer made him frown slightly.

For a wizard, a hundred years is not a long time.

Many Dark Sun-level wizards spend hundreds of years trying to cross the threshold of becoming Grand Wizards, and ultimately die with regret.

From this perspective, it is already extremely fortunate that he was able to achieve a breakthrough within a foreseeable timeframe.

The problem is... he can't wait that long.

The external situation is changing too fast.

As the interstellar war intensifies and the power struggles among various factions become increasingly complex, the window of opportunity for him to "cultivate in peace" is shrinking.

He vaguely sensed that some deeper undercurrents were stirring.

Those fragmented pieces of information about "the change of eras," "the secret of the high priest," and "the truth of Paradise" all point to a grander and more dangerous picture.

"We must speed things up."

Ron retrieved the ethereal body and turned to examine another key piece of data.

Magic compression.

This is the most intuitive indicator of a wizard's "quality".

Even among Dark Sun-level dragons, the difference between 10 and 20 times the magic compression is comparable to the chasm between an adult dragon and a young dragon.

Ron closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into the ocean of magic within his body.

That once turbulent silver ocean has now become deep and solemn.

When he mobilizes his magic, the sheer weight of it is like stirring mercury, requiring an even stronger will to control it.

"19.2 times."

Ron nodded in satisfaction:
"Ten years ago, when I first broke through to the Dark Sun level, it was 10 times. Over the years, through the continuous nourishment of the afterglow of 'Blessing' and high-intensity compression training, I have reached a level that many veteran Dark Sun level wizards can only achieve in their entire lives."

This number means that although his total magic power has not increased significantly, his actual combat endurance has increased several times.
In the battle of the void, it is also possible to maintain the deployment of [Dark Threshold] with less consumption.

"That's why I was able to fight to a draw with Nitil's ethereal projection as soon as I came out of seclusion."

Ron recalled the standoff at the observatory's receiving platform.

After examining his own cultivation level, he turned his gaze to the sealed containers placed in the corner of the experimental table.

That place holds the fruits of the "seeds" he planted over the years on the Stoker Star and the Chaotic Blood World.

On the Stoker Star, a secret mine has been established, and four resurrected miners have become his most loyal moles.
With the energy extraction channel established with the Lungs of Chaos operating stably, Nari can produce about fifty grams of high-purity abyssal crystals per month;
The high priest's tacit approval provided him with legal cover to enter and exit the restricted area;
The promotion of the "suffering gold" technology is showing initial success, with more and more low-level miners beginning to accept this new type of alloy that "draws strength from pain"...

In the chaotic world of blood, Euphemia's bloodline modification research has achieved a phased breakthrough, and the counteracting effect of chemical pollutants on bloodline characteristics has been initially verified.

The underground network has infiltrated a third of the city of Twilight, with dozens of small clans secretly pledging allegiance;

Her own strength has also steadily improved over the past forty years, and she is now at the late stage of the Moon-level...

"Two unseen storylines, in which I am not personally involved, are also developing according to plan."

Ron felt a surge of accomplishment.

But when he opened the notebook that recorded "Research on the Improvement of Silent Mineral Salt", his brows involuntarily furrowed.

This is the issue that he has devoted the most energy to over the years, and it is also the most troublesome.

In theory, mixing high-purity abyssal crystals with dormant mineral salts in a specific ratio should create a new type of energy with superior performance.

In practice, no matter how he adjusts the ratio, the final product will always become unstable and disintegrate in a short period of time.

The closest they came was when the improved salt maintained a stable state for a full three days.

Its energy density is 14 times that of standard mineral salt, and its pollution side effects are almost zero.

But just as he was about to celebrate, the fist-sized piece of improved mineral salt suddenly began to "forget".

That's right, it's "forgetting".

It seemed to have forgotten why it needed to remain solid, why it needed to store energy, and the meaning of its existence...

Then, it slowly dissolved into a pool of unremarkable gray liquid right before his eyes.

"The core of the problem is not at all about the proportions."

Ron spread out his notebook, which was filled with data from hundreds of experiments:

"The real problem lies in 'stability'."

He began to mentally re-examine the entire chain of logic:
"The essence of dormant mineral salt is the aggregation of resentment. Resentment equals obsession with existence plus emotional residue."

“Abyssal crystals can purify ‘emotional residues,’ and negative emotions such as anger, despair, and pain will be absorbed and transformed by the chaotic origin.”

"It sounds perfect: remove pollution and retain energy."

"However……"

His finger paused on a line of data in his notebook:

"When the 'emotional residue' is purified, the 'obsession' is also weakened at the same time."

"Obsession is the 'skeleton' of resentment, and emotions are the 'flesh and blood' of resentment."

When the flesh and blood are stripped away too completely, the skeleton loses its supporting strength.

"Once the obsession weakens to a certain critical point..."

Ron closed his eyes, and the image of the dissolved salt reappeared in his mind:

"The mineral salt will 'forget' why it should remain in the form of mineral salt."

It lost its reason for existence, so... it chose to cease to exist.

This discovery made him realize that his research direction had been fundamentally flawed all along.

"What I need is not 'purification'."

He opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening:
"What we really need to do is 'transform'."

Transform 'negative obsessions' into 'neutral obsessions', preserving the 'existence' itself while only altering the 'emotional' attribute.

"It's like... transforming a person from 'I want revenge' to 'I want to exist'."

"The reasons for revenge may disappear, but the will to live must remain."

Once this line of thought is grasped, many previously vague details suddenly become clear.

Ron quickly wrote down new deductions in his notebook:

"The 'bloodline curse' of the vampires is essentially a kind of 'obsession,' which makes vampires 'obsessed' with the desire for blood and the pursuit of power."

He stopped writing:
"This could very well be exactly the breakthrough I need!"

All the clues point in the same direction—the chaotic world of bloodshed.

That other world, filled with bloodshed and chaos, yet also containing profound secrets about the "nature of the curse," has now become a destination he must personally visit.

"We must find time to conduct an on-site investigation."

Ron closed his notebook, his tone resolute:

"This trip is of great significance, as it relates to the final breakthrough in mineral salt research and is also a key juncture for testing the results of Euphemia's strategic planning over the years."

With this thought in mind, he took out the communication crystal and began contacting Vinard.

It's time to formally finalize the "secondment" of Silas.

Ripples spread across the crystal surface, and a few seconds later, the familiar mechanized projection solidified in the air.

"Ralph".

Vinard's voice, as always, was devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"It seems your seclusion has yielded good results."

Nitil has already complained to me, saying you're a "rule-breaking monster."

Ron chuckled: "I'll take that as a compliment."

"She was indeed praising her, even though she probably didn't realize it herself."

Vinard's projection tilted slightly forward:
"Getting back to the point. You contacted me, presumably about the 'secondment' I promised you back then?"

"Yes."

Ron cut to the chase: "Professor Vinard, regarding Silas Draven's transfer, I wonder what your situation is..."

"Of course I remember."

Vinard interrupted him:
"In fact, over the past forty years..."

Yes, I know only twenty years have passed on your end, but for the Stoker planet and the colonies, it's forty years... Silas has done an outstanding job."

A series of data charts began to appear in the projection:

He has advanced the research on the integration of "the properties of resentful gold" with the "traditional rune system" to the practical application stage.

The third-generation combat golems currently equipped in the colonies use his design for their core rune arrays.

Energy conversion efficiency improved by 37%, and the failure rate decreased by 52%.

"Another point……"

Vinard seemed to be carefully choosing his words:

"He himself showed extraordinary enthusiasm for the idea of 'going to the new world to gain experience'."

Ron raised an eyebrow: "Motivation?"

"Very positive."

Vinard's tone became strange:
“A few years ago, after learning about your situation, he proactively submitted a transfer application to me. When I asked him why, he said…”

The projection showed a recording of Silas.

The once proud rune expert now has a face full of fatigue.

He stood in Vinard's office and said in an almost pleading tone:

"Professor, I want to go somewhere where I don't have to worry about being affected by interstellar wars every day, so I can focus on my research."

"It's too oppressive here in the colony. Every day when I open my eyes, I have to think about whether I will be attacked by the meteor shower of the Molten Lord, or whether the Shadow Assassin of the Forge Master will infiltrate tomorrow."

"I'm just a scholar; I'm not good at these things."

Image ends.

Ron was silent for a moment: "He actually... would say something like that?"

"I was surprised at first too."

Vinard retrieves the projection:
"After all, Silas comes from a traditional wizard clan, so he should be more adapted to this kind of fighting environment. But thinking about it carefully, it's understandable."

“He was ultimately a ‘scholar’ at heart, and the ambitions and burdens imposed on him by the Draven family were too heavy for him.”

"The pressure of war was the final straw that broke his back."

“He needs a more stable research environment. A place where he can focus on ‘creation’ rather than ‘destruction’.”

"I understand."

Ron nodded:

"So, what are the specific terms regarding the transfer..."

"I have three requests."

Vinard raised three metal fingers:
"First, Silas's 'loan period' is twenty years. After it expires, he can choose to renew his contract or return, but he must give a clear answer."

"Secondly, the Vinard Colony has 'priority rights' to any research he achieves in your alternate world. This includes patents, technology, and any form of intellectual property."

"third……"

Vinard's tone turned serious:

"If the colonies encounter a major crisis—such as a joint attack by two major powers, or a catastrophic event that affects the survival of the colonies—Silas must return to support them unconditionally. There is no room for negotiation on this point."

Ron thought about it carefully for a moment.

These three conditions may seem harsh, but they are actually quite reasonable.

A twenty-year secondment period is enough for Silas to help him complete a large amount of research work, and the priority right to use the equipment is only "priority" rather than "exclusive." As for unconditional return to support...

Given Vinard's commitment to Silas and his family, this request is perfectly acceptable.

"I agree."

He replied straightforwardly, "In addition, I would like to report to you on the progress of research on mineral salt improvement..."

Ron briefly explained the bottleneck he encountered:
From the shift in formulation to stability, from purification to transformation, and his deduction that the chaotic blood world may contain key technologies.

Vinard remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

In his projection, countless data streams flickered, clearly indicating that complex analysis and deduction were underway.

"'Stability' issues...are indeed extremely difficult to resolve."

He finally spoke, his tone carrying an air of approval:

“The idea of ‘curse transformation’ that you mentioned is very inspiring.”

Transforming 'negative obsessions' into 'neutral obsessions' involves preserving the will to exist while stripping away emotional attributes...

If this operation could actually be implemented, its impact would extend far beyond the energy sector.

"It touches on the deep-seated mechanisms of the 'essence of resentment'."

"This understanding may lead to more applications."

For example, further optimization of the resentment gold, proactive control of abyssal pollution, and even…

Vinard's image flickered: "It could even provide a completely new perspective on the study of 'hollow stability'."

That last sentence struck a chord with Ron.

The stability of the ethereal body is a core challenge that all Dark Sun-level wizards must face during their advancement to Grand Wizard.

There has been no unified theoretical support for how to maintain structural stability and prevent disintegration during the process of increasing the proportion of the nascent form from 12% to 90%.

Each wizard can only rely on their own experience and insights to explore and move forward.

If the technique of "obsession transformation" could be applied to the study of ethereal remains...

"Go, go to the world of chaos and blood."

Vinard made a decision: "Contact me anytime if you need resource support."

The colony's portals can open a dedicated passage for you, and I will grant you the highest priority access.

"in addition……"

His mechanical eyes flickered:
"Regarding the chaotic world of bloodshed, I must remind you of a few things."

A file marked "Top Secret" appeared on the projector screen:

"That world isn't exactly a secret at the level of a great wizard; in fact, it's notoriously messy."

"First, Aiden, the King of Blood."

A figure appeared in the projection; it was a middle-aged man who looked elegant yet dangerous, with madness shining in his scarlet eyes.

"Everyone knows about his mess back then. After failing to advance to the Witch King level, this guy went into a semi-mad state and is now hiding in the Chaotic Blood World, barely clinging to life."

“He is dangerous because he has retained power beyond that of a great wizard, but has lost the restraint of reason.”

"Secondly, Selna's legacy."

"The 'Blood Lady,' who was once considered a potential candidate to become the Witch King, is said to have left behind a legacy that is sealed somewhere in the Chaotic Blood World."

"Many great wizards have tried to find it, but all have failed."

The knowledge contained within those legacies is too dangerous; the slightest misstep could trigger uncontrollable mutations.

"third……"

Vinard's tone became more serious:

"The civil war among the thirteen clans of the vampires."

After Aiden lost control, the clans that had once been subservient to him began to rebel.

The current chaotic world appears to be a civil war among vampires, but in reality, several powerful wizarding factions are vying for power behind the scenes.

“That place is a real quagmire.”

The file disappeared, and Vinard stared directly at Ron:

"Ordinary great wizards are unwilling to get involved, because the risks far outweigh the benefits."

"only……"

His tone suddenly became playful:

"For you, who are now showing the potential of an ancient alchemist, there may really be an opportunity to reconcile this mess."

"If you could find and absorb Selna's legacy..."

"Your path as an 'ancient alchemist' will be much smoother."

These words contain a great deal of information.

Ron silently processed the intelligence.

"Thank you for reminding me, I will be careful."

"Ah."

Vinard's projection began to fade:
"Also, I will inform Silas to prepare."

Once you've confirmed your departure time, let me know, and I'll arrange for him to teleport directly to the Chaotic Blood World to meet you.

"By the time……"

His last words before he disappeared:

"It's time for you to officially launch the 'Pioneering Plan'."

The projection fades away.

Ron stood there, his mind racing with thoughts.

A world of chaos and bloodshed...

That strange world, full of danger and opportunity, is becoming increasingly important to him.

Where lies the breakthrough in mineral salt research;
The results of Euphemia's bloodline modification are there;

Selna's legacy might be there too...

"But before going to the world of chaotic blood..."

Ron suddenly remembered something more important.

The promise left by the King of Absurdity after Eve's ascension ceremony flashed through his mind:
"When your mentor reaches the Dark Sun level, have him come find me."

“I will take him to a real ‘paradise’.”

"That place holds the most dangerous and most valuable 'prisoners' of this civilization."

"If one of them can be cured... I will allow him to take him away as my subordinate."

A true paradise...

Those imprisoned there are all ancient geniuses at the Dark Sun level and above.

There are great wizards, top scholars, and even more terrifying beings.

"Kill two birds with one stone."

The ideas gradually became clearer.

First, go to "Paradise" and try to rescue valuable prisoners;

Then take him/her (or it?) to the Bloodstained World and help advance mineral salt research with Silas;
At the same time, examine Euphemia's planning results and search for clues to Selna's legacy;
Finally, the pioneering plan was officially launched, and Silas and the other seconded personnel were settled there.
Once everything settles down, we'll see if we can move over there with our families...

"Then it's time to contact the King of Absurdity."

Ron gently closed the door, his fingertips tracing a double barrier of soundproofing and anti-spying along the door frame, silently unfolding like an invisible curtain that isolated the entire room from the outside world.

He walked to the desk and took out the book "The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary" from his storage bag.

The moment the book appeared, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The feeling was subtle, as if some ancient and vast consciousness was watching over the room through this book.

Ron took a deep breath and slowly placed his right hand on the cover.

The resonance of magic began.

"I have reached the Dark Sun level."

He slowly conveyed his thoughts in his mind:
"The void has been constructed, and the threshold has been crossed. I want to fulfill the promise we made back then."

As soon as he finished speaking, the book trembled violently.

"Wow--"

The book pages turned automatically and stopped at a newly appeared chapter.

That page was supposed to be blank—Ron remembered clearly that there was nothing there when he last flipped through it.

But now, the ink is appearing at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if an invisible quill pen is writing rapidly.

The chapter titles were finalized first:
On the Value of Prisoners and the Cost of Liberation

The text below the title began to flow, twisting and rearranging like a living snake, eventually forming a complete paragraph:
"When the observer gazes into the abyss, the abyss also longs to be understood."

"The world 'inside the door' should also be open to you."

The text paused for a moment, and the color gradually deepened.

The initial light ink color transformed into a deep, rich black, as if the book were brewing some more important words.

Ron held his breath, his eyes fixed on the words.

He could sense that what followed would be crucial.

This isn't a simple congratulation or encouragement; is it some kind of reminder? Warning? Or test?
A moment later, new words appeared like a tidal wave:
"But, clever child..."

Before you pushed open that door, did you remember the 'blank theater ticket' in your pocket?

Ron was startled.

Theater tickets?
He paused for a second, then realized—it was that mysterious "theater ticket"!
That was given to me through some channel when I forcibly divined Cassandra's whereabouts before.

At the time, the witch king merely hinted in a cynical tone:
"When you need it, it will naturally tell you what to do."

In the years that followed, Ron would occasionally take out the theater ticket and examine it, but he could never glean any information from it.

No matter how you look at it, the ticket is completely blank, as if it were just an ordinary piece of paper.

But now.
Ron quickly took out the theater ticket.

The moment his fingertips touched the paper, the light in the entire room suddenly became eerie.

The theater tickets themselves are also changing.

Ron laid the theater ticket flat on the table and carefully observed the changes taking place.

The first thing that appears is three thin scale bars.

His gaze fell on the first scale bar.

The markings had completely faded, leaving only a grayish residue, like a candle that had been completely burned out, leaving only cooled wax.

The second scale bar is completely different.

It emits a steady and bright purple light, with each point of light pulsating rhythmically, like a healthy heart beating.

The third scale bar is equally bright, but it gives a completely different feeling.

If Ron stared at it for too long, he would feel a strange palpitation, as if the scale contained some kind of "ultimate" power.

Below the scale bar, new text begins to appear:
"A tragicomedy in three acts, with three curtain calls."

"The first act has ended, the second act is about to begin, and the third act will be the final chapter."

Ron's breathing became heavy.

He looked up at the book "The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary" that was still open beside him.

Sure enough, the text on the pages continued to unfold, as if responding to the questions welling up in his mind:
"The three markings you see represent the Joker's only three opportunities to 'break out of character'."

What does "breaking out of character" mean?

"When an actor walks off the stage, takes off their costume, and removes their mask."

"Interfering with the 'real world' using a 'real identity'."

"That's called 'breaking out of character'."

The text pauses here, as if giving Ron time to digest the concept.

After a moment, the explanation continued:
“The ‘clown’ is the ‘ruling witch king’ and should maintain order without bias.”

“But when He chose to ‘smash the scales’ and publicly humiliate the Court of Truth, He ‘broke out of character.’”

"The extinguishing of the first mark records that 'debate on the scales'."

The scene immediately flashed into Ron's mind:
In the Temple of Truth, Elder Elwin was driven to the brink of despair. At that critical moment, the statue of the scales, symbolizing "order" and "balance," suddenly collapsed, and the tray fell and shattered the judgment platform.
At the time, he only thought it was the King of Absurdity's usual prank style, without realizing the cost behind this action.

The text of *The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary* continues to flow:
You might ask: Why only three times?

"The answer is simple."

“Every time you break out of character, you undermine the legitimacy of the character.”

Imagine a theater:
The audience believed that the 'king' on stage possessed power.

It wasn't because he was actually a king; it was simply because that's how the script was written, and he was wearing a king's costume and saying the lines a king should say.

"But what if this 'king' suddenly jumped off the stage, pointed at an audience member, and yelled, 'You're an idiot!'"

"Then he jumped back to playing the king."

Do you think the audience will still believe him?

"Not anymore."

"Because the 'sacredness' of the 'role' has been broken."

This metaphor is very vivid.

Indeed, if an actor suddenly tears off the facade of a character, reveals their true self, and then tries to pretend nothing happened...
The audience's sense of immersion will be completely destroyed.

Text continues:
"The same goes for the 'ruling witch king'."

"His power is based on the role of 'arbitrator'."

"When He openly favors one side and openly attacks the other."

"This character started to fall apart."

"Three times is the limit."

"After three times."

"Either the 'theater' is rebuilt."

"Either the 'actors' take their final bow."

Ron felt a tightness in his throat.

He remembered the three markings on the theater ticket—the first one had gone out, leaving two.

This means Hector only has two more opportunities to "break out of character," two chances to break free from the character's limitations and interfere with reality in his true form.

After it is used up, it will either cause a major upheaval on the scale of an epochal change, or it will have to abdicate.

Either way, it means this character is coming to an end.

The text on the pages suddenly turned blood red, a color so intense it seemed to drip from the paper.
"But, child."

"The Joker gave you this ticket not just as a 'warning'."

"This is more of an 'investment'."

"He is betting that you can grow strong enough to change some 'unreasonable status quo'."

"So powerful that He no longer needs to 'step out of character' to maintain this crumbling order."

"or."

The text color became darker, almost black.
"He's betting that you can become the 'new actor' and take his place."

“Continue this never-ending 'drama'.”

"And the remaining two 'out-of-scene' opportunities will likely be used when you need them most."

"It could be saving your life, it could be shielding you from a deadly conspiracy, or something else entirely."

"Clear the final obstacle for you as you are about to break through to the level of the Witch King."

"But remember: every time it is used, it is one step closer to its 'final curtain call'."

"When the third mark goes out"

"The role of 'king' is coming to an end."

Ron slowly put down the theater ticket in his hand and leaned back in his chair.

He closed his eyes, letting the information settle and ferment in his mind.

Therefore, by giving this vote to himself, Hector was essentially handing over his 'political life' to him.

If He abuses these three opportunities, or does not grow fast enough or strong enough, He will lose the position of ruling wizard king because of 'protection'.

It's a big gamble.

He bet that he was worth the investment, and that he could grow into a pillar capable of supporting the new order before his 'farewell'.

But what if it fails?
He will not only lose his position, but his peers will also find a pretext to eliminate him.

This trust is terrifyingly heavy.

Ron’s gaze returned to The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary.

The text on the pages had returned to its purplish-black color, and the tone had become lighter, as if the heavy topics from before were just a joke.
"Okay, after saying so many serious things, even I'm getting bored."

Let's lighten things up:
The gates of 'Paradise' are now open for you.

There you'll find the most insane prisoners, the most twisted stories, and the most absurd truths.

"But please be prepared!"

"The 'patients' there are more vicious than you imagine."

"Some are waiting for redemption, some are waiting for revenge, and some are waiting to be forgotten."

"There are others"

The text suddenly appeared upside down, requiring Ron to turn the book around to read it.
"They are waiting for a powerful enough 'tool' to realize their unfulfilled ambitions."

The text has been restored to its normal orientation.
"Whom to choose, whom to redeem, and whom to abandon."

"These decisions will define your future path."

"And every prisoner you 'redeemed',"

"They will all become your 'burden' or 'helper'."

"You chose the wrong one."

"You might find that you've recruited 'subordinates' instead of 'subordinates'."

"Just a 'scourge'."

"You made the right choice."

"You will receive the most valuable 'legacy' of this era."

"The wisdom forgotten by time, the truth buried by history, and the power sealed by authority."

"so."

The final line of text slowly emerged in ornate cursive script, each letter seemingly dancing:
"Good luck."