The Wizard Has A Biochip

The experience gained through real combat couldn’t simply be replaced by months of meditation, potions, and experiments conducted in controlled environments.

And it was precisely at that moment that I understood something rather uncomfortable.

I probably looked like a typical apprentice from a low-level Mage Tower.

While the Acolytes around me...

Seemed like stubborn and hardened survivors.

Early that morning, the public hall was already crowded.

Hundreds of Acolytes moved throughout the place.

Many were clearly looking for new members for their exploration groups.

Others were simply watching the activity.

And there were also those who seemed not to care about anything.

In the corners of the hallway, some Acolytes had spread black cloths directly over the floor.

Several strange-looking objects were arranged on them.

Crystals, Vials, Creature Parts, Small Artifacts, Dried Plants, and some items that I couldn’t even identify.

The owners remained seated behind their merchandise while holding books in their hands.

Whenever an Acolyte approached, they would raise their eyes for only a few seconds and lazily answer their questions.

Then they would go back to reading.

No sellers shouting and making exaggerated announcements, or desperately trying to convince someone to buy something.

They simply stayed there.

Reading.

Negotiating when necessary.

And living their own lives.

That made me feel a pang of envy.

It was a strange feeling.

I wanted that freedom.

But I also knew that I couldn’t simply stay here and pretend that nothing had happened.

After all, Arcangrove had its own rules and a much stricter structure.

After reaching Level 2 and signing a contract with the Tower, the bond was practically lifelong.

There were only two ways to free oneself from that contract.

Obtain permission from the professor I had chosen...

Or become an Official Mage.

Outside of those possibilities, attempting to escape was practically the same as declaring war on the Tower.

An Acolyte bound by contract who secretly abandoned the Tower would lose their status as an Acolyte and be considered a traitor.

And then the Hunters would be sent after them.

In fact, that explained something interesting about the so-called Rogue Mages of the Subterranean World.

Most of those who lived hidden deep within the caves had, at some point, been an Acolyte or Mage affiliated with a Tower and had later severed their ties.

There were, of course, other situations.

Some Mages had simply never been officially recognized by the Lumentrix Association.

Others had committed serious crimes against the magical community and, despite having previously been recognized as Official Mages, ended up being classified as outlaws.

And then there was an even more interesting peculiarity.

The Hunters of Rogue Mages weren’t some kind of omnipresent force.

If a wanted Mage managed to escape the Subterranean World and quietly blend into the surface population, they could go years, decades, or even the rest of their life without being discovered.

I continued walking through the hall while keeping myself among the crowd.

And I quickly noticed another difference.

The Acolytes’ equipment was absurdly better than I had expected.

Even a Level 2 Acolyte seemed to possess fairly decent magical equipment.

A magic wand capable of accelerating casting speed.

A waist pouch apparently stuffed with magical scrolls and potions.

Small artifacts hanging from their clothes.

Rings, Amulets, Pendants, and small magical devices that I didn’t even recognize.

Each of those apprentices seemed to carry a small arsenal with them.

Individually, perhaps none of them was particularly frightening.

But that didn’t matter.

If a group of five or six Acolytes attacked an enemy simultaneously, each one using their own scrolls, potions, and artifacts...

The result would be completely different.

They could simply bombard their opponent with an endless sequence of spells.

In my eyes, those Acolytes were true mountains of magic crystals in human form.

Compared to the Acolytes of Arcangrove Tower, the difference was almost humiliating.

In fact, only the Acolytes from Arcangrove who managed stalls while reading their books could be considered as wealthy as those people.

And even then, there was probably still a considerable difference.

As for the average Acolyte of Arcangrove?

Poor was far too gentle a word.

Some were so desperate for resources that they would agree to participate in experiments conducted by Official Mages in exchange for a few magic stones.

When I thought about it, I couldn’t help but sigh.

I continued walking around the public hall for some time.

My Biochip silently recorded everything it considered relevant, organizing the information so that I could examine it later.

When I finally felt that I had collected enough information, I stopped in front of a particularly lively stall.

The owner had managed to turn that small space into a true center of conversation.

He was a young, rather fat Black man.

He wore two enormous pairs of glasses over his eyes, which gave him a strange and amusing appearance. His robe was tight against his fat body, as if it had been made for someone considerably thinner.

I approached.

— Hello. My name is George.

The fat man turned his head in my direction.

— Hello to you too! My name is Narkou.

He smiled exaggeratedly.

— Is there anything I can help you with?

— Hello, Narkou.

— I wanted to know if there is any special procedure for me to become a supplier here.

— Ugh...

Narkou examined me from head to toe.

His gaze traveled over my clothes.

Then he tilted his head.

— You’re a new Acolyte, aren’t you?

— That’s right.

—I arrived here a few days ago.

I answered vaguely.

I didn’t intend to waste energy explaining why a mere Level 2 Acolyte had appeared in that place and, shortly afterward, become involved in a deadly mission in the Subterranean World.

Narkou, however, seemed to reach a completely different conclusion.

— Poor thing!

He put on such an exaggerated expression of pity that it almost seemed like he was acting.

— You must be a newcomer who was abandoned by his own mentor.

—I could tell just by looking!

He then put an arm around my shoulders.

— But don’t worry!

—Just follow your big brother Narkou.

—Sooner or later, you’ll also be armored to the teeth with all kinds of magical equipment!

He enthusiastically pointed toward the Acolytes around us.

I remained silent.

The Biochip had already finished its analysis.

And when I looked at the data discreetly projected in my vision, I could barely believe it.

[Name: Narkou]

[Level: Acolyte II]

[Sex: Male]

[Age: 15 years old]

[Body Status]

[Strength: 2.90]

[Agility: 1.50]

[Vitality: 4.10]

[Mana: 6.0]

I stared at him for a few seconds.

Six points of mana.

Six.

That guy had just proclaimed himself my big brother and was talking about turning me into a warrior armored to the teeth.

I almost felt like laughing.

In fact, I had to make a considerable effort to maintain a serious expression.

This guy was a super-newbie.

— Ugh...

I swallowed the comment that was about to come out.

— Narkou, I just wanted to ask you something.

— You can ask, brother!

— Can I also set up a stall here to sell some items?

— Of course!

—There’s absolutely no problem!

Narkou slapped his own chest.

— I, Narkou, am known for taking very good care of all newcomers!

He pointed toward an empty space beside his stall.

— Come here.

—I still have some space left. You can put your things here.

— Thank you.

I quickly spread a small black cloth over the floor.

It was so small that it was practically the size of a tray.

That didn’t bother me.

I didn’t intend to stay here for long.

I touched my storage belt around my waist and took out five items.

I carefully placed them on the cloth.

First, a wind-element self-healing nose piercing.

Then, the blue wooden staff body that served as the core structure of a magical staff.

Next, the blue leather boots with the Water Walking ability, allowing the user to walk across seas, lakes, and other aquatic surfaces without sinking.

The fourth item was a statue.

And finally, I placed the spellbook I had received from the enemy.

I stared at the five objects for a few seconds.

Especially the boots.

Every time I looked at them, I still felt a pang of irritation.

The reason was simply absurd.

Ruby hadn’t liked them.

According to her, the beauty of those shoes wasn’t exquisite enough for her taste.

So, that same morning, she simply threw the boots back at me.

That had been practically the entire explanation.

I still couldn’t understand it.

I sighed and accepted the situation.

....

1435 Words

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