Ancient Wizards: A Little Progress Every Day

Golden sunlight, like mischievous little elves, dappled the ground through the gaps in the tree branches.

Dago got up early and delivered the packaged jerky and deer hides to the butcher and leather shops in town before returning to the shelter.

He stood outside the shelter's open space for a while, enjoying the forest breeze. He felt his sweat subside a bit. Recently, the surrounding deer had regarded the forest near the shelter as a forbidden zone and dared not venture in.

Therefore, hunting in the nearby forest area has become increasingly difficult for Dago, but fortunately he has already collected ten low-level magic stones.

It was enough for his tuition to attend classes at the Wizarding Academy of Aynor, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough for the academy's accommodation fee.

According to old Marico, the tuition fee was only for the cost of learning spells and magic at the academy; accommodation at the academy was charged separately.

If one chooses to live in a town, although it is safe and convenient, the noise and crowds would greatly affect a wizard's meditation and cultivation. It would be better to find a place in the wilderness and live quietly by oneself.

Otherwise, old Maric wouldn't have moved to live in the forest. In fact, there are quite a few auditing students from the academy living in the forest.

"This wicked academy seems to be planning to drain the blood of its apprentice wizards."

Dago cursed inwardly.

Before they have the ability to resist, they can only silently endure the atrocities committed by the world.

Unlike when he first transmigrated, Dago no longer felt insecure. After a month of living alone, he gradually got used to the rhythm of life.

After much deliberation, he decided not to go hunting in the afternoon, but to first enroll in the Aynark Wizarding Academy to learn magic. If he wanted to steadily and continuously walk the path of a wizard, he would eventually have to return to the academy.

.......

After spending the morning meditating in the open space of the shelter, Dago brought up his current system panel.

[The Wizarding Universal Meditation Method (Beginner 101/1000); Air Bomb (Beginner 110/1000)]

Continuous progress, continuous improvement.

At noon, Dago drank deer blood soup in large gulps and chewed on dried deer meat.

He looked down at his much stronger body. He remembered what this body looked like when he first transmigrated; back then, he was a malnourished, skinny man.

Now he has been raised to be fair and strong, and he has even grown several centimeters taller.

After finishing his meal and cleaning up, Dago retrieved his apprentice robe from under the bed and put it on.

Even now, when he wears the academy robe, he exudes a tall and slender air.

While he was at it, he found a small silver mirror left behind by his predecessor in the junk box, looked at himself, and saw a youthful face with a slightly scholarly air in the mirror.

Fair and smooth skin, a high nose bridge, deep blue eyes, and long, black hair that was casually draped over her shoulders.

Dago smoothed his long, black hair back, and the young man in the mirror was handsome with a touch of nobility.

"Some people, however, are behaving like respectable men."

Dago muttered something to himself with a secret sense of satisfaction.

He tied the Level 2 Apprentice Badge with a rope and hung it around his neck, then activated his mental power, causing the crystal in the badge to light up with a sapphire blue light.

Dago tucked the badge into the lining of his apprentice robe with satisfaction, pushed open the door, and slowly walked out.

The sunlight bathed the forest as if it were free, dazzling and radiant.

Dago knew this path like the back of his hand, and he arrived in town in less than half an hour.

"Ainark Wizarding Academy, here I come..."

Dago took a deep look at the academy shrouded in white mist on the mountain peak and said in a low voice.

Then, clutching the money bag, he headed straight for the wizard's hall.

He found the same counter as before, but it wasn't the same girl; instead, it was an older woman. Dago walked over, a little disappointed.

"Hello, this is to process your enrollment as a second-level apprentice wizard at the Enark Wizarding Academy."

"Alright, apprentice, the academy tuition is ten low-level magic stones, and you'll need to pay an additional five low-level magic stones to check in."

The woman spoke without looking up.

"You don't need to check in, just enroll in school."

Dago took out his money bag, counted out ten low-grade magic stones, handed them to the woman, and said...

"That means you'll be choosing to commute. The college won't be responsible for anything that happens while you're living off-campus."

"In addition, you need to arrive on time for the lectures by the faculty members. If you agree, I can give you a receipt now so you can go to the college to register."

"Okay, no problem, I agree."

The woman counted the number of magic stones, then turned and stored them in the safe behind her.

He also took out a gold-embossed card from the safe, which had the logo of the Academy of Wizarding Arts, Enark, printed on it.

She handed it to Dago, who took it, put it in his bag, and walked out of the wizarding hall.

Dago walked toward the mountain peak, a direction he had never taken before, until he reached a tall and solemn stone gate.

The four guards at the entrance stood tall and imposing, their steel plate armor reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.

Just as Dago was about to go in, the guards raised their spears to stop him. At that moment, an academy apprentice who had been dozing at a walnut table under the stone gate noticed him, slowly got up and came to greet him.

"What are you doing here? Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."

The academy apprentice, looking sleepy, spoke up.

"I am a newly enrolled second-level apprentice wizard at the academy."

Dago took out a gold-embossed card and showed it to him.

"Oh, so you're a new apprentice. Okay, come with me."

The academy apprentice led Dago to the side of the marble gate.

A silver device, about the size of a shoebox, with a crystal chandelier protruding from its top, was hanging on the stone wall.

"Take out your Level 2 Apprentice Badge and drop it into the indentation at the bottom of this box. Once the crystal on top of the box lights up green, you can go inside."

"Oh, and you can give me your admission certificate now."

Dargo did as instructed, handing the gold-embossed card to the male apprentice and taking out the badge hanging around his neck. He placed it at the bottom of the box, but the crystal on it did not react at all.

"Please wait a moment. It will take some time to record your mental energy fluctuations for the first time."

The male apprentice put away the card and said nonchalantly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the crystal on top of the box lit up with a green light.

"It seems you've been registered. If you're a day student apprentice, you'll need to come here to register before entering the academy, so no one will stop you."

"Oh, and one more piece of advice: once you get to the academy, keep a close eye on your magic stone bag."

The academy apprentice yawned as he spoke, then returned to his walnut wood table to continue dozing off.

Dargo nodded, strode through the marble gate, and stepped into a whole new world.

.......

This academy was built by carving out an enormous platform from the mountainside.

Sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting golden rays that added a touch of mystery to the entire academy, making one feel as if they were in a serene realm, and their souls were purified.

Dago took a deep breath and immediately felt refreshed.

Facing you is a huge, towering rock, at least three or four stories high, with the words "Welcome to the Academy of Wizards of Aynak" carved in witchcraft on its front.

The rocks were surrounded by a flower bed, adding a splash of colorful brilliance to the otherwise paved ground.

Dago walked around the boulder flowerbed and discovered a huge rune carved behind the boulder, though he didn't recognize it.

Three forks in the road appeared in front of him, along with a signpost.

Dagger followed the signs and chose the middle road, which led to the Academy Castle, the main teaching site of the Academy of Wizarding Arts.

At the end of the road, a magnificent academy castle came into view, resembling a mysterious behemoth.

The castle is covered with towering spires that shimmer with a mysterious light in the sunlight, and its windows look like the eyes of a giant beast gazing ahead.

The castle walls are made of ancient stones, weathered and heavy with the passage of time, as if each stone is telling a story of a long history.

Countless students in apprentice robes bustled about, a small town society that encompassed the joys and sorrows, births, aging, sickness, and death of countless people.

Dago shook off the thoughts in his head and randomly stopped a female apprentice carrying a book on the road.

"Hello, where should new students register?"

Dago scratched his head and asked her apologetically.

The female apprentice seemed displeased that Dago had stopped her, but still coldly replied, "Reporting? If you're only reporting now, go straight to the academy's academic affairs office."

The female apprentice then pointed in the direction of the academy castle's majestic gate and quickly walked away.

Only Dago remained standing there, speechless for a long time. Why are all the apprentices in the academy so indifferent? They don't even want to say a few words.

Dargo stepped through the ancient castle gates, and he was dazzled by its complexity.

At first glance, countless staircases stretched across the center of the castle, which was densely packed with rooms. Fortunately, there was a map of the main part of the academy castle posted on the side, otherwise Dargo would have had to go through a lot of trouble to ask for directions.

It took him quite a while to painstakingly locate the college's academic affairs office on the map. Dago groped his way over and pushed open the magnificent door.

With a "creak," a fat wizard was seen lying in a large leather chair, fast asleep with his ankles crossed on a walnut wood desk.

"Knock knock!!" Dago knocked hard on the ornate wooden door.

"What are you doing?! Who's got no sense of right or wrong and doesn't want to live anymore?!"

The fat wizard was instantly awakened and shouted loudly in dissatisfaction.

"Hello, Wizard, new student reporting for duty."

"Dago said with an innocent look on his face."

"It's this late for new student registration? Grab your textbooks and get out of here, don't disturb people's sleep."

The fat wizard waved his hand impatiently and casually pulled a black-covered wizarding book from the cabinet under his desk and tossed it to Dargo.

His eyes were glazed over, and he looked disgusted and dismissive, clearly showing extreme dislike for Dago.

"Then thank you, Wizard."

Dago picked up the black leather sorcerer's book from the blanket and looked at the blank cover.

Just as I was about to say something, a powerful and chilling aura rushed towards me.

"You know, disturbing someone's sleep is not a very polite thing to do."

The fat wizard squinted and yawned as he spoke.

Dago pursed his lips and said nothing. He put the book in his pocket, turned around, closed the door, and went out to wander around the academy castle.

After a long while, the fat wizard finally woke up and stretched.

"I did something amazing today! I seized a forbidden sorcery book called 'Emerald Life,' saving a gullible student from the academy! Hehe!!"

The fat wizard murmured happily, then opened the drawer of his desk, but did not see the black-covered wizarding book.

"What about my contribution?"

The fat wizard hurriedly opened the other drawers and searched through them, but found nothing.

"Never mind, I don't know which student stole it. This book is no fun; at best it can cripple you, at worst it can kill you. Anyone who knows what's good for them will return it soon."

The fat man didn't take it to heart; all he wanted to do now was finish work, go home, and have a big meal.