Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

A flicker of surprise crossed Ian's eyes, quickly replaced by a calm smile as he pulled down his hood. "What a coincidence."

Malena walked quickly closer, her beautiful eyes scanning Ian up and down.

Especially noticeable was the naturally flowing energy field around him, characteristic of a formal wizard, and the faint silver light hidden deep within his calm eyes.

Her shock was almost undisguised: "It really is you... Ian Marcus."

His voice was filled with disbelief and amazement!

"I heard you were promoted to senior apprentice, which I already found unbelievable, but I never expected... you actually made it this far."

She paused, her tone complex: "How long has it been? It's been less than two years since we parted ways in Nightfall Town, right? When I left, you had only recently broken through to the intermediate apprentice level."

Ian looked at his old friend, his heart filled with emotion.

The protection of Star Leaf Potion Shop, the aroma of Fairy Flower Honey Tea...

And at the last moment, she didn't hesitate to crush the rune and summon the wizard Elivia.

Out of consideration for Malena, Alyvia removed the fatal mark from herself... All these events were still vivid in her mind.

This act of kindness, offered in his time of need, was one of the few warm memories he could have during his turbulent escapes and battles.

"I was lucky, I had some opportunities, and I also experienced a lot."

Ian’s tone was calm, without any boasting, only a calmness born of experience.

He noticed that the star pattern on Malena's robe was different from that of the senior apprentice.

"Congratulations, Malena. Wizard Elivia will be very pleased."

Malena waved her hand, her smile becoming much more genuine.

"Compared to you, monster, what is my progress? But it's good to see you here."

Her gaze swept over Ian's plain gray robe, which bore no Shadowmoon mark.

"Are you... now considered an independent wizard? Or have you joined another organization?"

"It'll be more convenient for you to act alone for now." Ian didn't elaborate, but instead asked:

"How is Wizard Elivia? How are the rest of Starleaf? Clayton, Harvey, and the others?"

"The mentor is very good, he came this time too. As for the shop..." Malena's eyes darkened.

"Things changed a lot after the war with the Crimson broke out. Clayton returned to his family to fight, and Harvey... was seriously injured in a previous conflict and took a long time to recover. Life is unpredictable."

The two fell silent for a moment.

The deep, resonant heartbeat emanating from the abyss seemed to accompany this poignant lament of things changing beyond recognition.

Looking back now, those relatively peaceful days at the Star Leaf Potions Shop in Nightfall Town, when I was focused on potions and cultivation, seem like a distant memory.

"You've changed a lot, Ian."

"Malena said softly, her gaze falling on his overly calm eyes."

Although Ian was cautious, there was still a youthful sharpness and a hint of unease in his eyes.

Now it is as deep as a pool of water, and you can't see the bottom.

People always change, and so do you.

Ian smiled. "We've all made it this far alive, haven't we?"

"Yes, at least they're still alive."

Malena took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions, and her tone became serious.

"What are your plans next? After the Demon Hunt ends, the landscape of this continent will likely change. With your current strength and talent in potion-making, many organizations will be willing to recruit you."

Ian looked toward the area in the circular fortress where the wizards of Shadowmoon Tower gathered.

There, the dark blue robes stretched out in one continuous line, and he remained silent for a moment.

"I will return to Shadowmoon Tower."

Marlena was somewhat surprised: "I thought you had experienced what happened at the 'Forge' camp..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Sterling's underhanded tactics, along with Murphy's pursuit and roadblocks, were no secret.

"Some grudges need to be settled."

Ian’s tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.

"Besides, my family is still there, and I have to go back and settle them in."

That was his root in this world, though he didn't have any real feelings for it.

But the thought of the magic stones his father sent every month on time still weighed heavily on his mind.

This is a worldly connection he must sever.

Only by dealing with these concerns can he focus wholeheartedly on embarking on the more distant path of becoming a wizard.

Malena nodded knowingly, her eyes showing understanding and support.

"If you need help, feel free to contact me anytime. Although I may not be able to offer much assistance, I still have some influence within the tower."

"They've already helped me a lot."

Ian said sincerely, "I will always remember this friendship."

"We don't talk about these things between friends," Malena smiled and changed the subject.

"By the way, this all-out attack is extremely dangerous. The things in the abyssal rifts are not easy to deal with, so please be careful, especially..."

Her gaze was pointed as she glanced towards the Crimson Royal Court. "Some people, I'm afraid, won't let any opportunity slip by."

"I understand." Ian nodded, his eyes slightly cold.

Murphy, and those potential enemies, he never forgot.

"That's good." Malena took out a small, emerald-green, leaf-shaped rune and handed it to Ian.

"This is my secret mark. I hope we can reunite in the tower after the war ends."

Take care, Ian. May the stars and moon guide your way.

Ian took the rune and carefully put it away.

Ian took the rune and carefully put it away.

Take care, Malena, may the stars and moon guide your way.

The two exchanged a smile, their unspoken understanding unspoken.

Then, Malena turned and walked toward the procession of Shadowmoon Tower.

The hem of the dark blue robe traced an arc in the dim light.

Ian watched her leave, the warmth still lingering in his heart, but his eyes had regained their sharpness and composure.

He pulled up his hood, and his figure silently blended into the shadows of the fortress, like a drop of water falling into the ocean.

Gaga gently nuzzled his cheek against his shoulder.

"Ian, that witch is a nice person, isn't she?"

"Yes. It's really good," Ian responded.

Their gazes once again fell upon the chilling abyss rift and the various forces surging beneath it.

The warmth of the reunion in his heart gradually subsided, transforming into a clearer vigilance and decisiveness.

Malena's reminder still echoed in his ears, but Murphy's image was like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his heart.

Just then, above the ring fortress, among the eight figures as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, the third-level archmage of the Silver Ring slowly raised his hand.

"The seal has reached its limit, and the collapse is accelerating."

At dawn tomorrow, the seal will automatically release for three breaths as planned. All level one and above wizards will then join us in penetrating the core of the rift to destroy the source of contamination.

A deep yet clear voice, transmitted through the purifying light screen, echoed in the ears of every wizard.

The moment the order was given, the atmosphere in the fortress instantly became extremely tense.

Countless wizards began to do a final check on their equipment, adjust their status, or whisper to their companions about tactics.

The air was no longer filled with pollution, but also with a strong sense of fighting spirit and unease.

Ian quietly retreated to a relatively secluded rock crevice, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

On his shoulder, Ga Ga also quieted down, his heterochromatic eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Time passed in repression.

After an unknown amount of time, Ian suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes.

He didn't turn his head, but the sound of the cawing and his own keen senses almost simultaneously caught a glimpse of a hidden gaze.

From the edge of the Shadowmoon Tower camp diagonally opposite, in an inconspicuous corner.

That gaze was cold and probing, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, touching him and then withdrawing.

Ian looked up and saw a thin figure dressed in an ordinary dark blue wizard's robe, with his head down tidying up his luggage.

"People from Shadowmoon Tower? Sterling's affair shouldn't have been exposed yet, right?"

The person seemed perfectly normal, but Ian's mental power, enhanced by [Soul Devouring], made him exceptionally sensitive to malice and soul fluctuations.

Beneath that gaunt body lurked a deliberately concealed, yet still chilling and familiar aura of death.

This aura... is it a tactic of the Withering Council?

Ian's expression remained unchanged, but his fingertips silently traced the demon-hunting jade token hidden in his sleeve.

The jade tablet was slightly warm, conveying the final message from the command center.

Ian's consciousness probed into it, and his pupils gradually contracted...