Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 274 Seize the future
Locke's expression was strange, because the location in his memory was the highest-level wizarding secret realm of Lilith's Hut, the Forbidden Forest.

'Foucault must still be resentful. Their research was so close to success, but they were ultimately blacklisted by the White Wizarding Association.'

Therefore, he tried every means to preserve his research findings and pass them on to future generations.

'Wait a minute, regarding the issue of a closer connection between magical plants and wizards... Isn't the magical grafting connection enough? Wouldn't the distributed psionic network I've established with the magical plants be sufficient?'

Locke's eyes sharpened. "I remember that the mass production of the Swarm Consciousness potion was two hundred years ago, so Foucault and Clive Reeves did not have the means to access this potion at that time."

"Therefore, the basic environment at the time limited the height of their research results. If they had been able to access the Swarm Consciousness potion back then, things might have been very different."

"However, they have gone so far as to use the souls of their colleagues for experiments. No matter what results they produce, the outcome will probably not be good."

"If you're going to do this kind of experiment, why not capture those dark wizards? Those dark wizards aren't considered human by the White Wizard Association."

Locke obtained the list of prerequisite learning materials for the first-level permanent defensive force field magic through the memory fragments.

All of these can be accessed at the public library in Lilith's Hut.

In other words, once Locke returns, he can borrow books from the library and begin studying.

Locke hadn't decided whether to try this seemingly unreliable magic when he suddenly heard the bells ringing again from the clock tower.

Locke asked in surprise, "Hmm? Are there any further developments?"

"Foucault truly lives up to his reputation as a first-ring crystallization wizard; his permanent defensive field exhibits such complex variations. Let's continue our sparring..."

A voice appeared beside him, and there stood the Guardian Wizard, saying, "Enough, Augustine, the Potions Master."

The guardian wizard was clearly frightened. He quickly said to Locke, "Augustin, the potion master, although the Wizard's Secret Realm is a resource-based secret realm for trials..."

"But there should be limits to the resources that everyone deserves."

"The resources you just obtained from this secret realm have already exceeded a reasonable range."

"If this continues, the Eternal Twilight Garden Secret Realm may be closed."

Locke frowned, looking at the Watcher Wizard, who had now raised his head, revealing his gaunt face.

Furthermore, his condition was very abnormal; he looked like a thin old man with his face covered in magical runes that emitted magical light.

Locke looked at the Guardian Wizard and said with some regret, "Guardian, didn't you say that the only way to leave the secret realm is through death?"

"So I thought I could keep fighting until I died in this secret realm."

Locke looked at the manor behind the guardian. Time seemed to have frozen in this manor, and it had stopped changing. Clearly, the guardian wizard had used his authority to stop this memory echoing secret realm.

The guardian wizard's face twitched. "That's only under ideal circumstances."

“But maintaining the secret realm itself requires a lot of resources. You wizard apprentices enter the secret realm by consuming contribution points to obtain entry permission. In other words, it is the academy that bears the cost of these resources.”

“I should have stopped you a long time ago.” “I just didn’t expect you to actually destroy the ruler inside the transformation magic circle. An apprentice level should not have the ability to output enough magic to destroy a ruler in a short period of time.”

The guardian wizard looked at the manor behind him with a grim expression, unsure how to explain this to the academy's higher-ups.

Given the current situation, it will likely require a massive amount of resources to repair this damaged secret realm.

Locke nodded and said, "Indeed, I can't destroy the ruler with my own magic alone. But battles are never just about magic."

"This unmanned transformation magic circle has the potential to destroy itself. I simply made good use of that potential."

The guardian wizard's face was grim, but he tried his best to keep his tone calm because he sensed that Locke already possessed the characteristics of a first-ring wizard; he had a passive first-ring bloodline spell.

Moreover, Locke's mana is already close to 800.

This means he is very close to becoming a first-ring wizard.

Therefore, the guardian wizard's attitude changed. The wizard admired geniuses, and Locke's previous performance had earned his recognition and respect.

The guardian wizard nodded and said, "Therefore, please ask Augustine, the potion master, to leave the secret realm."

Locke nodded and said, "That's possible. But I still have one chance to redeem any ordinary dungeon this year, and I'd like to redeem it again immediately, is that alright?"

The normal dungeons are pretty much the same to me now. Since I'm already familiar with Eternal Twilight Garden, I might as well run it again and see if I can get more memory fragments.

Upon hearing this, the guardian wizard's expression changed drastically. "This is bad."

"This wizard's secret realm resource point has reached its limit and it is impossible to open it again in the short term. Moreover, if you are allowed to seize it again, it may become completely unusable."

Locke said regretfully, "I see."

"I don't want to make things difficult for you, so let's call it even this time. But as a trade, can you tell me what your current situation is? I'm quite curious about your situation."

This time, the guardian wizard did not refuse, perhaps to get Locke to leave quickly. He pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, there's nothing magical about my current state. I just failed when I was trying to break through to become a formal wizard. I'm currently on the verge of breaking through."

"Because of the failed breakthrough, my magic power is extremely unstable. Only by staying in this area where the lantern grass solidifies the magic array can my body and soul barely exist stably."

“Breaking through to become a formal wizard is this dangerous.” The guardian wizard said in a low voice, “I was once a genius in the academy with a bright future, but after failing to break through, I am just a lonely soul guarding the secret realm, barely surviving here out of the academy’s pity.”

The guardian wizard chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Heh, the most ridiculous thing is that those who are inferior to me end up becoming official wizards."

"Sometimes, whether or not one can become a formal wizard is truly a mystery. Hehehe, of course, it's also because I was too eager for quick success back then and forced my way through before I was ready. Because of my talent, I actually broke through halfway, which led to my current embarrassing situation."

“I suppose he deserves it,” said the guardian wizard. “Alright, Augustine, the potion master, it’s time for you to leave.”

He watched Locke warily, fearing that Locke might try to exploit the memory fragments here again.

(End of this chapter)