Winter Lord: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 245 Mage Test
Inside the conference hall on the third floor of the main building of Red Tide Castle.

The brazier was burning brightly, dispelling the chill brought by the first snow outside.

Several monks, dressed in grey-blue cloaks, sat around a round table, sipping tea and conversing in hushed tones.

Several elderly yet vigorous faces, mixed with a few young and composed apprentices, exuded an undeniable air of sophistication.

Beside the main seat, an elderly man with gray hair, gentle eyes and a slightly plump figure was taking out a clean handkerchief to wipe the single crystal lens on the bridge of his nose.

It was none other than the archmage leading the team—Herman Elwood.

Upon seeing Louis and his party enter, he immediately stood up and greeted them with a broad smile.

"Oh my... Is this Lord Louis, whom the entire Mage Forest has been talking about for a year? He's even younger than I imagined."

Louis gave a half-bow, his tone neither humble nor arrogant: "Welcome to all of you who have come from afar. The conditions in Red Tide Territory are simple, so please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality."

“Simple?” Herman slapped the table lightly, his eyes crinkling with laughter. “I’ve seen many post-disaster territories along the way, some ravaged and others barely surviving. Compared to those ruins, this place is paradise!”

After exchanging pleasantries, the atmosphere calmed down a bit. Hermann took a sip of tea and changed the subject.

“Although the End Nest has been completely destroyed by you, we still cannot confirm whether the ecosystem of these insect corpses has truly ‘died’.” He pulled out a parchment map from his pocket and spread it on the table.

The drawing is a record of a set of fragmented insect corpses and magical vein patterns.

Herman's expression also became more serious: "Among the samples I brought back, I found a peculiar magical energy-corroding crystal. On the surface, it looks like residual magic, but it's actually more like a fragment of 'spore consciousness'... like a dead brain trying to start moving again."

He sighed softly and said, "We have to wonder if there is a possibility of a 'revival mechanism' left behind by the End Nest, even if it is only partial, it would be enough to create a new disaster."

"So that's why you came in person?"

Herman nodded: "Yes, the Sorcerer Supreme is worried..."

He paused, then laughed again. "Of course, we didn't just come here to check on the bugs... You submitted your application to join the Mage Forest a few months ago. But given the situation with the Red Tide, I guess you can't spare a few months to come to our headquarters for testing, right?"

Louis nodded and asked, "The mage test...does it require going to a special training ground? I remember there's an open space in the training ground to the north, at least it's safer there."

Herman grinned: "No need for trouble. We've prepared some special props this time, so testing here is no problem."

The accompanying monks placed the wooden boxes one by one in the center of the hall and opened them with a few clicks.

The box contained several simple items that emitted faint magical fluctuations.

Emily stood to the side, her eyes fixed on Louis, as if to say, "What other surprises do you have that I don't know about?"

Then her gaze followed the unpacking of the items, a hint of nervous anticipation in her eyes.

“We will conduct three tests,” Herman said, pointing to the items in the box.

Louis nodded, but a hint of melancholy flickered in his calm eyes.

Finally got to this point.

He glanced at the monks; several of the young men looked rather uneasy, their gazes a mixture of scrutiny and expectation.

Emily stood at the edge of the hall, seemingly nervous for him, yet also... silently proud.

He spoke softly, "Then let's begin."

The atmosphere in the conference room quieted down, and even the crackling of the fireplace seemed to subside.

Herman took a small, transparent funnel from the testing box and handed it to Louis.

“Here, this is the first testing device we magic apprentices use.” He explained with a smile, “A siphon hourglass, which mages call the ‘Bottle of Patience.’ If the magic power is too strong, it will explode; if it is too weak, it will not flow. To make it stable, you have to guide it like water through a thread.”

Louis looked down at the device.

The hourglass is crystal clear, with tiny grayish-white sand particles suspended inside, as if frozen in time.

The surface of the funnel was engraved with pale blue magic patterns, which emitted a faint, cold light in the palm of the hand.

He flicked his finger, causing the fine sand to tremble slightly, then took a deep breath and slowly channeled his magic.

The next moment, the siphon hourglass trembled slightly, and the still sand grains seemed to awaken, beginning to slowly rotate and float in the air, as if waiting for their master's guidance.

Louis focused his magic on his fingertips and gently guided them, as if plucking an extremely thin string.

The first wisp of sand slowly flowed down and fell into the glass cavity below.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

All eyes were on his hands.

That tiny hourglass, that thin, almost imperceptible line of sand, and that steady, calm hand gesture.

Louis's expression was focused, with beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, as if he were concentrating intently on controlling every single grain of sand.

However, only he himself knew that all of this was just the tip of the iceberg of his magical control.

He even deliberately created a slight disturbance midway through.

The sand flow suddenly paused, then stabilized again, as if it had been "barely salvaged".

Several young mages gasped. One of them whispered, "He...he hasn't studied meditation, has he? How can he control himself so well?"

“This level of stability is something that even an apprentice who has spent three years at the academy might not be able to achieve.”

"And he didn't use any spells at all."

Herman narrowed his eyes slightly, stroked his gray beard, and nodded gently: "Very good, very good. A rare genius among wild mages."

Emily stood to the side, her eyes fixed on Louis, a gleam in them.

As the last grain of sand fell to the bottom of the bottle, the siphon hourglass emitted a crisp "ding," as if announcing the end of the test.

Herman chuckled as he took the equipment, carefully put it away, and teased, "Kid, you've got the talent."

Hermann chuckled as he took the siphon hourglass and carefully put it back into the testing box. His movements were as slow as his advanced age, yet they were filled with the utmost respect for the tool.

He stroked his beard, a smile playing on his lips: "Kid, your magic control is pretty good. You didn't follow the orthodox path, yet you're more reliable than many mage apprentices."

His tone was relaxed, with a hint of appreciation, yet also seemed to be testing the waters.

Louis just smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "Maybe I just happened to grasp some tricks by groping around too much when I was a kid."

He spoke modestly, in a gentle tone, without any impatience or arrogance, showing no trace of self-satisfaction.

“Control is one thing, but it also depends on whether you have the explosive power.” Herman’s smile remained unchanged as he raised his hand and waved, “Come on, prepare for the second round.”

He then took a gray-black round stone from the accompanying monk. It was about the size of his palm, with a rough surface and faintly visible silvery-white veins winding through it like cracks.

"The second test is to test the explosive power of magic." He placed the stone on the table and tapped it lightly. "Coal rock explosion. Use superheated magic to impact the internal structure, and it will explode. Of course, this requires a lot of magic. If you don't have enough magic, you won't be able to detonate it at all."

After saying that, he winked at the monk behind him.

Two young mages trotted forward and skillfully set up a protective barrier around the area, using red ropes to demarcate a safe distance. Even Emily was politely asked to step back.

Louis looked at the coal, let out a soft breath, and took a step forward.

He raised his right hand, his five fingers slightly spread, and a small point of fiery red light quietly gathered in his palm.

To outsiders, it appeared as a slow, laborious process of gathering magical power, even fluctuating and unstable due to lack of skill.

But only Louis himself knew that he was suppressing the almost instinctive surge of magic, reducing it to less than one-fifth of its original strength.

The flames slowly took shape; they were small, but intensely hot.

He steadied his steps, focused his attention, and threw the fire at the silvery crack in the center of the coal.

"Bang!!!" It sounded like a thunderclap.

The coal suddenly expanded and exploded.

Black smoke billowed out, and scorching heat waves roared up, sweeping outwards.

"Seal!" Herman reacted extremely quickly, flicking his sleeve and a silver-blue light shield formed in mid-air, perfectly enveloping the splashing debris and heat wave.

Even so, some smoke still drifted out and permeated the hall, filling the air with the smell of sulfur and coke.

“Cough…cough.”

Louis took a step back, slightly disheveled as he shielded himself from the dust, then lowered his head to catch his breath, his expression perfectly controlled.

He didn't seem exhausted, but he was by no means relaxed either. He looked like a newly promoted mage who had used his strength to the limit, and even he admired his own acting skills.

But the monks present were even more shocked.

"That explosion...it was too fast! We could barely even see the heat focusing process..."

"He didn't use any auxiliary spells or terminology... how could he hit the vital point in such a short time?"

"The fire cut directly into the crack... Was that instinct?"

Hermann pondered for a moment, tapping his staff lightly with his fingers, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration.

"He has an extremely high affinity for fire elements, and his explosive power is comparable to that of the bronze mask." He paused, then added with a smile, "Moreover, his judgment is extremely accurate; he can find the cracks at a glance. Not bad, very talented."

As the smoke from the coal mines gradually dissipated, the guards cleaned the area, and the monks stood in their positions again.

Herman stroked his beard, which was sticking up from the explosion, and said with a smile, "The third level is easy, no props needed."

He looked at Louis, his tone relaxed: "Just cast a few spells you're good at and let us see how smoothly you use them. Light, Wind Blade, Fireball... pick the ones you like."

"Just remember to keep it flowing and natural. Don't be too restrained, just relax."

Louis nodded, raised his right hand, gently swiped his palm, and murmured, "Light Spell."

A soft ball of light rose between his fingers, like a lamp, suspended in mid-air, emitting a steady and warm glow.

The halo was not dazzling, but it clearly outlined his entire body, as if it were the prelude to some kind of stage-going ceremony.

Immediately afterwards, he flicked his left hand, and the ball of light was suddenly swept up by the wind.

A blade of wind swept past his palm, tearing through the thin mist in the air and producing a clear sound of wind breaking.

He moved lightly, flipped his hands, and a ball of fire leaped from his fingertips—Fireball.

The fireball rapidly expanded in the air, then he precisely compressed it to the size of a fist, spinning, tumbling, and leaping, as if it had been given a life of its own.

He twirled it between his fingertips for a moment before popping it out with a snap.

The fireball traced a beautiful arc in the air, landed lightly, and extinguished silently without a single spark.

He smiled slightly, withdrew his palms and stood up, his breathing as steady as ever, as if he had just casually done a stretching exercise.

At that moment, silence fell over the area in front of the council chamber.

Several young monks' mouths were slightly open, and they even forgot to close them.

"...He didn't use any standard incantation, nor did he use any magical runes to guide it; he just released it instinctively?"

"Too skillful, isn't it? The illumination spell doesn't flicker, the wind blade doesn't deviate, the fireball doesn't explode... This can't possibly be just the level of 'basic spells'."

"His movements... were like an instinctive release gleaned from combat, completely unlike anything learned from the academy's systematic education."

Hermann was also taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, taking a few steps closer with his staff in hand:

"You kid, you're really a genius? You can use it so steadily just by relying on your intuition... This isn't talent, it's innate comprehension."

He paused, then clicked his tongue: "Like... a wildly enlightened genius."

Emily stood on the sidelines, her eyes practically gleaming: "This man is practically omnipotent..."

Louis simply smiled slightly, seemingly unmoved by his previous display.

Herman patted him on the shoulder and said half-jokingly, "Why don't you just skip the exam and come to our Mage Forest as a lecturer?"

Louis smiled gently: "When I was a child, I met a very old wild mage in my family. He saw that I had good talent and taught me some basic things."

No one knew that the so-called "basic teachings" were actually the final legacy of the deceased legendary mage, Loken.

At this moment, all he wanted was a pass to legally use magic and obtain other magical information.

He doesn't need to be overly dazzling.

It only needs to be stunning enough and reasonably "exceptionally approved".

If they were to truly unleash their full power, the mages present today would probably be so frightened that they would immediately ask their superiors, "A monster has appeared here."

As the last glimmer of the spell slowly faded in the air, Herman clapped softly, and several mages around him nodded in approval.

This is not just formal applause, but a genuine acknowledgment of a genius who has not been molded by orthodoxy.

Hermann stepped forward, leaning on his staff, and announced with a smile:

"Louis Calvin, you have passed the basic entrance test for the Mage Forest by exception. Effective immediately, you are granted the title of 'Iron-Faced Mage'."

After saying that, he took out a dark gray mask from his sleeve. It was simple in design and engraved with silver-white magic patterns that symbolized the Mage Forest.

"This is a magic mask, symbolizing that you have gained the official recognition of the Mage Forest, although you are still at the initial stage."

He waved his hand again, and a young monk stepped forward and handed him a small scroll with gold trim and a black-covered notebook.

"This is a pass personally signed by His Holiness the Venerable Master, allowing you access to some of the Venerable Master's residences located in various places."

“In addition,” Herman added, “considering that you are in the North and it is impossible for you to go to the Mage Forest headquarters in the short term, we have prepared a batch of beginner magic books for you to study and use.”

The accompanying mage opened a book box, inside which were several thick-covered magic books with magical runes printed on the covers.

Louis took the mage's mask, and the moment his fingertips touched the metal, he felt no sudden joy, but rather an indescribable sense of distance.

This thing is heavy not just in terms of weight, but also in terms of rules, recognition, and the constraints of some kind of external order.

He understood, of course, what this symbolized: a legitimate magical identity, the initial recognition from the mage forest, and a path to more knowledge and magical resources.

But he knew in his heart that the path would not change his goal, nor would it determine his future achievements.

He got to this point not because of anyone's favor, but because of his own scheming, decisiveness, and his own magic touch.

But Louis wouldn't show that aloofness.

He looked up, his gaze steady, his tone perfectly expressing the gratitude and dignity befitting a young lord:
“Thank you, Lord Herman. I know this mask is not only a recognition of me, but also a sign of trust. If you encounter any difficulties in the North, I will do my utmost as a member of the Mage Forest.”

These words contained not a trace of humility, but rather a profound sense of propriety.

Hermann smiled slightly upon hearing this, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.

He patted Louis on the shoulder: "This is just the most basic entry-level status. If you want to advance to a full-fledged mage, whether it's bronze, silver, or gold..."

Then you'll have to personally go to the core area of ​​our Mage Forest to undergo formal trials and contracts. After all, most high-level materials cannot be lent out; that's the rule.

However, we'll all be staying in Red Tide Territory for a while this winter; the North isn't a suitable place for mages to travel in winter. If you have any questions, feel free to come to our temporary base. My door is always open for you.”

Louis carefully put away the mask and bowed respectfully to Herman: "Thank you, Lord Herman. Once this period is over, I will definitely go to the Mage Forest myself."

(End of this chapter)