Wizard: Starts with Advanced Meditation

"Yes, you're right, but I naturally can't tell you the specifics."

Upon hearing Hughes's guess, "Iluya" nodded slightly.

"I can only tell you that there are probably more than one vampire with Aldek's status in the center of Maransel nowadays."

Upon hearing this, Hughes's fingers tightened suddenly, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

Iluya's words undoubtedly meant that... even in the central region of Maransel, and even in the main academy, vampire wizards had infiltrated!

"Hughes...you know more than they do, and I bet you know in your heart that turbulent times...are coming."

Just then, "Iluya" stepped forward and approached Hughes:

"A real war is about to break out. I cannot read your mind, so I cannot know what choice you will make once you see this future."

The phantom paused, then continued:

"But I advise you not to be the kind of hero who tries to be a hero. In the face of war, being able to preserve yourself is the greatest stroke of luck."

...Buzz.

As they were talking, the blood mist that made up the phantom suddenly trembled, clearly indicating that its blood energy was about to run out.

"Our vampire clan has grown to a level beyond your imagination. Even if you do something for them in advance, you won't be able to stir up any trouble at all."

After saying that, "Iluya" suddenly reached out and touched the place on Hughes's neck where the brand was engraved.

Hughes did not resist, but felt a soft, warm force gently brushing against his skin, and the brand on his neck slowly faded away.

"Hehe, I understand, Ms. Iluya."

He stared at the phantom before him and said calmly:

"Eliminating Valerius, this potential threat, from the Academy is the only 'good deed' I can do for it."

If Valerius and Barossa can be eliminated, then at least the interior of the Spire of Ten Thousand Edges will be temporarily safe.

By then, he will at least have a safe and powerful force to rely on.

As for the rest, let nature take its course.

"It's good that you understand."

At this moment, the phantom of "Iluya" was becoming increasingly faint, and the lingering blood mist was gradually dissipating.

"Also, don't forget that you'll be coming with me to the Blood Domain later to help me reclaim the other scepter."

As she spoke, her outline began to blur, but the hand that reached towards the other person's neck remained relatively still.

Fortunately, the brand that had been etched was slowly peeling away from Hughes's flesh, turning into tiny fragments of bloody light.

A few seconds later, when the mark completely disappeared, Iluya's phantom also instantly disintegrated into a faint blood mist and vanished into the air.

"Hughes, survive, in the war..."

Iluya's last lingering notes floated lightly in the air.

"We will never stop at the Oren plane."

As the last lingering sound dissipated into the air, the aura that originally belonged to Iluya also completely vanished.

There was no trace of her phantom remaining where she had once been; in the empty basement, only Hughes stood silently once more.

His hands, hanging by his sides, slowly clenched and then quickly relaxed.

Cool fingertips lightly touch the skin on the neck to confirm that there are no more marks or traces there.

After a long while, he came to the roof of the residence and peered out at the very center of Maranthelle.

That place is home to the Golden Crown, and also the secret to the Wizarding Dimension.

"..."

Several years have passed, and he has grown from a clueless wizard apprentice into a fully-fledged wizard capable of standing on his own.

But along the way, from the first encounter with the wandering vampire Imos to now facing powerful vampires like Barossa and Valerius lurking in the shadows.

He also witnessed firsthand how the vampires, who were once considered weak and frail, had quietly grown to such an extent.

Now it is even more certain that when the time is right, they will unleash a bloodbath that will sweep across the entire continent, dragging the whole plane into endless war.

Thinking of this, Hughes slowly closed his eyes, and the myriad thoughts surging in his heart finally subsided into a state of calm.

He never intended to play the hero, nor did he ever think of using his own strength to stop this catastrophe that would plunge the entire continent into chaos once again.

All he ever sought was to clear away the obstacles around him and secure a corner of peace for himself.

And, to go to even farther places...

As for the impending chaos, the unstoppable war, and the unfathomable conspiracies and whirlpools.

He had nowhere to hide and nowhere to retreat.

Going with the tide is the best response to this catastrophe.

Even this inevitable catastrophe might be an opportunity for him.

……

"Whoosh...whoosh—!!"

In the training room of the Tower of Ten Thousand Spires, Nist held a two-handed greatsword and slashed fiercely at Hughes below.

The greatsword's surface was glowing red; wherever the blade swept across, even the air was scorched by the intense heat, emitting a sizzling sound.

"Sizzle..."

On the other side, Hughes did not dodge. Instead, he raised his right hand, intending to block the scorching giant blade with his arm.

"Snap, snap!!"

The next moment, thick ice crystals instantly enveloped his arm, emitting a strong chill.

His "arm" instantly swelled up a size, and at the same moment, the giant blade coming straight at him was already upon him.

In an instant, Hughes raised his right arm and thrust it forward, colliding violently with the blade.

"Bang—Boom!!"

A dull, deafening roar suddenly erupted, and the ice crystals shattered the moment they collided, leaving a wide crack.

The crimson blade was deeply embedded in the ice crystals, making a hissing sound.

"call--"

Taking advantage of the moment when the blade was stuck, Hughes clenched his left hand tightly.

The next moment, thick icy air instantly overflowed from his palm, gathering into a spiral-shaped vortex.

"Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!!"

The cyclone spun rapidly, its biting cold air carrying a sharp edge, as if it could cut through everything.

Immediately, Hughes thrust his hand forward, the vortex whistling as he stabbed fiercely into Nister's abdomen.

"call out--!"

However, just as the cyclone was about to pierce the skin, the dark red skin suddenly began to ripple.

The next moment, a fine stream of heat shot out from his pores, gathering into a scorching wave on his body.

"Pfft—hiss!!"

The heatwave erupted instantly, colliding head-on with the cold cyclone.

In an instant, the cyclone abruptly stopped, unable to advance any further.

Even more astonishingly, this cyclone, formed by the convergence of compressed ice air, began to gradually disintegrate under the erosion of the heat wave.