Nearly a week had passed since Ivan and Olivia stepped through the gates of the White Ring Saint Academy.
During that time, the once-quiet dormitory area gradually became livelier.
One by one, the remaining transport ships returned to Academy Island. With them came a steady stream of new wizard seeds—tired, hopeful, and unaware of the trials that awaited them.
From the final six ships alone, nearly two thousand wizard seeds arrived.
Yet in the end—
Only fifteen were accepted into the White Ring Saint Academy.
A small number… almost insignificant when compared to the total of three to four thousand candidates.
But for a top-tier academy like White Ring Saint Academy, even this was considered a generous intake. Across the wizard plane, there were countless recruitment islands like this one. When all selections were complete, the total number of recruits would form a much larger pool.
Still—
The number "fifteen" carried weight.
It represented the absolute elite of this batch.
During that week, Ivan returned to a steady routine.
Each morning, before the sun fully rose, he stepped onto the open field in front of the dormitory.
Sword in hand.
Body steady.
Breath controlled.
His blade cut through the air again and again—precise, efficient, without wasted motion.
After months aboard the transport ship, his training had not ceased. Now, he could clearly feel it—
He was nearing the limit of an intermediate knight.
Each swing carried more force.
Each step, more control.
He was close… very close to breaking through.
Not far away, Olivia would often watch quietly.
Sometimes practicing her own basic movements.
Sometimes simply observing.
When the morning training ended, the two would return and share a simple meal. Servants assigned to the dormitory delivered food regularly.
Afterward, Ivan would spend time explaining what little he knew about the wizard world.
To him, it was basic knowledge.
To Olivia—
It was everything.
She listened attentively, absorbing each word, asking questions when she could. Compared to Ivan, her understanding was almost nonexistent. But her willingness to learn made up for it.
By the second day, more wizard seeds began to arrive.
Among them, a few stood out.
A chubby boy with a round face and lively eyes—Brian.
He was talkative. In fact, excessively so. Within a single afternoon, he had already introduced himself to nearly everyone in the dormitory.
Then there was Merlin.
A young man with a dark complexion and cold, distant eyes. He spoke little, kept to himself, and carried an almost invisible sharpness—like a blade hidden within a sheath.
And finally—
Elizabeth.
A girl with vivid red hair tied into a high ponytail that swayed like a flame when she moved. Her features were delicate, her eyes bright and restless, filled with curiosity. There was an unrestrained liveliness about her, as if the world itself was something to be explored rather than feared.
Ivan noticed her a few times in the mornings, wandering about, occasionally striking up conversations with others.
But beyond brief greetings—
There was no deeper interaction.
On the seventh morning—
Just as Ivan was about to begin his training—
A voice echoed through the entire dormitory area.
"Attention, wizard seeds."
The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.
"The recruitment phase has ended."
"All accepted candidates are to gather at the central field immediately."
"You will be teleported to the main academy."
The announcement repeated twice more before fading into silence.
Ivan lowered his sword slightly.
His expression remained calm.
But within his eyes—
A faint shift occurred.
Finally…
Without another thought, he finished his training routine, cleaned himself, and returned to his room.
After a brief preparation, he stepped out and knocked on Olivia's door.
The door opened quickly.
Olivia stood ready, her belongings already packed.
The two exchanged a glance.
No words were needed.
They walked side by side toward the central field.
By the time they arrived, nearly all fifteen wizard seeds had already gathered at the central field.
The atmosphere was unusually quiet.
No chatter. No movement.
Only a faint tension hung in the air—like the stillness before a storm.
Then—
The space ahead suddenly distorted.
Like ripples spreading across the surface of water, the air twisted and folded inward.
And from within that distortion—
A figure slowly stepped out.
Wizard Kelin.
White hair, white beard, dressed in simple robes, a wooden staff resting lightly in his hand. His presence was calm… yet it carried an invisible weight that pressed upon everyone present.
The moment he appeared—
All eyes focused on him.
"Wizard seeds," Wizard Kelin spoke, his voice neither loud nor soft, yet it echoed clearly in every ear.
"You have already passed the first threshold of the wizarding world."
His gaze swept across them, steady and composed.
"From this moment onward… you will step onto the true path of a wizard."
A brief pause followed.
Then he continued,
"You will now be teleported to the main body of the White Ring Saint Academy."
"There, a senior wizard apprentice will guide you through registration and the initial procedures."
His tone remained calm, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible gravity beneath it.
"I hope… each of you can walk your path steadily."
With those words—
Wizard Kelin gently lifted his staff and tapped it against the ground.
Tap.
A low, resonant hum spread outward.
Beneath the feet of the wizard seeds, a glowing blue magic circle unfolded instantly—layer upon layer of intricate runic patterns expanding in perfect symmetry.
Lines interwove.
Symbols ignited.
The entire formation pulsed with a quiet, profound power.
Ivan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Nova. Record it."
"Yes, Master."
A faint hum echoed within his mind.
At that moment, invisible streams of data began to flow as Nova rapidly scanned the structure of the array.
The complex patterns… the layered runes… the energy flow—
All of it was being captured.
A moment later—
A complete, intricate circular design began to form within Ivan's mind.
The structure of the teleportation array.
Magical
Precise.
Yet filled with a kind of logic vastly different from technology.
Ivan's gaze deepened slightly.
So this… is teleportation…
At that moment—
Wizard Kelin's voice sounded once more, calm and steady.
"This will be your first experience with teleportation."
"A slight discomfort is normal. Do not resist it."
The runes beneath their feet suddenly flared.
The blue light intensified—
Growing brighter.
Brighter—
Until it swallowed everything.
Light consumed the world.
And in the next instant—
All fifteen wizard seeds vanished without a trace.
On the Core Continent of the wizarding plane—
A vast and prosperous land known as the heart of wizard civilization.
Endless plains stretched beneath the sky, rich with energy, where countless forces gathered and flourished.
And within this continent—
Stood a magnificent academy.
The White Ring Saint Academy.
Towering wizard towers pierced through the clouds, each radiating a different aura. Around them spread countless structures—research halls, residential districts, training grounds—forming a vast and intricate network.
On one side of this immense academy—
There stood a colossal structure.
Circular in shape.
Resembling a colosseum.
Yet far larger.
Far taller.
Its walls rose like mountains, enclosing a space filled with layers of complex formations.
At this very moment—
Inside that structure—
A dazzling light was slowly fading.
Within the fading brilliance—
Fifteen figures gradually became visible.
Wizard seeds.
Then—
The light completely dissipated.
And the world—
Changed.
Ivan staggered slightly.
A sharp wave of dizziness struck his mind, as if his body had been torn apart and reassembled piece by piece.
For a brief moment—
Even his sense of direction blurred.
But it passed quickly.
He steadied himself, exhaling slowly.
Around him, the other wizard seeds showed similar reactions—some frowning slightly, others closing their eyes for a brief second.
Yet—
Not a single one fell.
They endured it and Recovered.
Ivan's eyes flickered with a trace of thought.
As expected…
Everyone here—Was among the best, chosen from thousands.
Talent.
Will.
Foundation.
None were lacking.
Ivan lifted his head.
And finally looked around.
They stood within a vast hall.
The interior was enormous—like the inside of a giant arena. All around them, dozens of teleportation arrays were embedded into the ground, each inscribed with intricate runes, faintly glowing as residual energy slowly faded.
The air itself carried a subtle hum of power.
"This is…"
Before anyone could finish—
A voice sounded from ahead.
"Welcome to the White Ring Saint Academy."
All heads turned.
A young man stood not far away.
He appeared to be in his early twenties, wearing a clean white robe. His expression was calm, his posture straight, and his presence carried a quiet confidence.
"I am a High-Level Wizard Apprentice—Urien," he said.
His tone was steady, direct.
"I will guide you through the registration process."
A brief pause.
Then—
"Follow me."
No extra explanation.
No unnecessary words.
He turned immediately and began walking.
Ivan's gaze lingered for a fraction of a second before he stepped forward.
The others followed just as quickly.
No one questioned him.
Because they all understood one simple truth—
In the wizarding world—
Time was valuable .
Even a wizard apprentice would not waste it on meaningless conversation.
And so—
The group moved forward in silence, following behind wizard apprentice Urien
As they stepped out of the hall—
The world did not merely open.
It unfolded.
A vast expanse greeted them, sunlight cascading from above like liquid gold, washing over everything in a radiant glow. For a brief moment, the wizard seeds stood still—almost instinctively holding their breath.
Before them rose a forest of towering structures.
Each one different.
Each one… extraordinary.
Some towers loomed like ancient sentinels, built from dark, heavy stone. Their surfaces were rough, almost alive with age, radiating a silent, oppressive aura—as if they had witnessed countless years of time and conflict.
Others were entirely different.
Sleek.
Refined.
Constructed from a metallic substance that shimmered under the sunlight. Strange patterns—like veins or circuits—ran across their surfaces. Thin lines of light pulsed faintly within them, intertwining with intricate rune formations that flickered like a living system.
There were even stranger ones.
Towers that seemed to be grown rather than built—formed from enormous intertwined trees. Their trunks spiraled upward, branches stretching outward like arms, leaves glowing faintly with soft energy.
And then—
At the very center of it all—
Stood a single colossal structure.
A tower.
Pure white.
No carvings.
No decorations.
No visible runes.
Yet its presence alone dominated the entire landscape.
It rose straight into the heavens, piercing through the clouds as if it had no end. A faint, almost imperceptible aura spread from it—vast, gentle, yet overwhelmingly powerful… like a silent guardian watching over everything beneath it.
No one spoke.
But in every pair of eyes—
There was awe.
There was yearning.
There was… ambition.
Only then did a calm voice break the silence.
"Those,"
said Apprentice Urien, his tone steady, carrying a quiet authority,
"are wizard towers."
The wizard seeds turned toward him.
Though he was not a true wizard yet—
He stood far above them.
A senior.
A guide.
"Each tower belongs to a wizard," he continued slowly, glancing at their expressions.
"They serve as residences… research centers… training grounds… and classrooms."
His gaze shifted briefly toward the distant white tower.
"But more importantly—"
"They are weapons."
A subtle pause.
"In times of war, these towers can detach from the earth… and become floating fortresses."
"They are both a wizard's home… and their most powerful tool."
The words were simple.
But they struck deep.
A tower that could fight?
A residence that could become a war machine?
For those who had grown up in small territories, among castles and stone walls—
This was no different from witnessing divinity.
As the seeds were still absorbing everything—
Apprentice Urien had already begun walking.
He did not wait.
He did not repeat himself.
Startled, the others quickly followed.
Ivan's gaze lingered on the surroundings for a moment longer before he moved as well, his expression calm—but his eyes calculating, absorbing every detail.
Soon—
They arrived before a circular metallic structure embedded into the ground.
It was smooth.
Perfectly round.
Its surface faintly reflective, with subtle rune patterns etched along its edges.
Apprentice Urien stepped onto it without hesitation.
The others exchanged brief glances—
Then followed.
As all fifteen stood upon it, Apprentice Urien spoke,
"This is a flying disk."
"A transportation device created by alchemy wizards."
He placed his hand lightly on a small floating crystal at the center.
"Flight within the academy is restricted."
"Only high-level wizards possess the authority to move freely through the air."
"For wizard apprentices and low-level wizerds—"
"This is your means of travel."
The moment his hand touched the crystal—
A soft hum resonated.
The runes along the disk lit up.
And then—
It rose.
Several wizard seeds stiffened instinctively as the ground fell away beneath their feet. One or two nearly lost balance before quickly steadying themselves, faces tightening in embarrassment.
But the disk did not shake.
It moved smoothly.
Silently.
Like a leaf carried by the wind.
And then—
It surged forward.
The wind brushed past them as the academy revealed itself in motion.
Below—
Bustling markets stretched across wide plazas. Wizard apprentices moved in groups, trading items, negotiating prices, exchanging resources. Strange materials—glowing herbs, metallic fragments, bottled liquids—passed between hands.
Further ahead—
Training grounds.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of wizard apprentices practiced spells. Flashes of light, bursts of flame, shifting shadows… all colliding in controlled chaos.
Elsewhere—
Massive halls.
Libraries.
Residential districts.
Every structure—grand beyond imagination.
For a moment, many of the wizard seeds felt a strange sense of unreality.
As if—
They had stepped from a broken, medieval past…
Into a world far beyond their understanding.
Like a man from the twelfth century suddenly thrown into a future he could barely comprehend.
Even Ivan—
Though far more composed—
Felt the subtle shift in his thoughts.
This… is the true wizard world.
Not the fragmented glimpses.
Not the distant imagination.
But reality.
The disk continued its journey, weaving between towering structures and passing other floating platforms carrying countless figures across the academy.
After several minutes—
It slowed.
Then gently descended.
Before them stood a tall, imposing building.
Its structure was elegant yet solemn, white stone layered with faint runic engravings. Above its entrance—
Words shimmered softly in the air:
Registration Hall.
The disk settled.
The hum faded.
Apprentice Urien stepped forward without looking back.
"Follow."
Soon, they arrived at the Registration Hall.
The moment they stepped inside—
The atmosphere shifted.
Gone was the vastness and spectacle outside. Here, everything felt restrained… focused. The hall was spacious, yet quiet, its design simple to the point of austerity.
At the very front—
A single middle-aged wizard sat behind a long desk.
Shelves filled with books lined the walls behind him, stacked high with scrolls, records, and unknown materials. The faint scent of parchment and ink lingered in the air, giving the place a weight of knowledge accumulated over time.
As Ivan and the others approached—
The man lifted his head.
His gaze swept across the group briefly before settling on one figure.
"Urien," he said, a faint smile appearing on his lips,
"guiding this batch?"
Apprentice Urien immediately straightened and bowed slightly.
"Yes, Lord Melvick. I have been assigned to guide this group of wizard seeds."
His tone was respectful.
Measured.
Without the slightest hint of casualness.
Ivan noticed it clearly.
Even someone like Urien—who stood far above them—still showed proper respect before a true wizard.
Wizard Melvick nodded lightly.
"Mm. Begin."
Apprentice Urien turned toward the group.
"Form a line. Proceed one by one."
The wizard seeds moved quickly, forming an orderly line without delay. No one dared to speak. The quiet pressure in the hall made even breathing feel deliberate.
Ivan and Olivia stood somewhere in the middle.
As time passed—
One by one, the wizard seeds stepped forward, completed their registration, and moved aside.
Soon—
It was Ivan's turn.
He stepped forward calmly, his expression composed.
Wizard Melvick's gaze fell on him briefly before shifting toward the desk.
"Place your token."
His voice was flat, businesslike.
Ivan took out the bronze guest token—the one engraved with the white star shimmering like a fragment of a distant galaxy—and placed it into a circular groove embedded in the desk.
The moment it settled—
Hum—
Soft blue light spread across the surface.
Runes flickered.
Then—
Lines of information surfaced in midair.
Name.
Aptitude.
Elemental affinities.
All laid bare without concealment.
Wizard Melvick's eyes moved slightly as he read through it.
Then he spoke,
"To register in the academy, a fee of ten low-level magic stones is required."
A brief pause.
"Do you possess them, or will you request a loan from the academy?"
His tone remained indifferent.
As if this question had been repeated countless times before.
Ivan did not hesitate.
"I have them."
He reached into his pouch and took out ten magic stones, placing them onto the desk.
The moment they touched the surface—
They vanished.
Along with the token.
Almost instantly—
A small box appeared in their place.
It hovered gently for a moment before settling onto the desk.
Wizard Melvick spoke again,
"Your basic provisions."
"Inside, you will find your academy robe, your apprentice badge, several introductory texts, and daily necessities."
He paused slightly before adding,
"There is also a guidebook."
"It contains the academy's rules, a structural map, and fundamental information required for new apprentices."
His gaze lifted briefly toward Ivan.
"Read it carefully."
"No one will repeat those instructions for you."
Ivan nodded slightly.
"I understand. Thank you, Lord Melvick."
Without another word, he took the box.
The moment his hand touched it, he felt its weight—solid, real.
Not just items—
But the beginning of something far greater.
He stepped aside calmly.
Behind him, Olivia moved forward and repeated the same process.
Time passed quietly.
One by one—
All fifteen wizard seeds completed their registration.
No noise.
No disturbance.
Only the steady rhythm of a system that had operated for countless years.
And when it was done—
Each of them now held a box in their hands.
Following the completion of registration, Apprentice Urien did not linger.
He turned and walked.
The fifteen newly accepted wizard seeds followed closely behind.
Soon—
They entered the dormitory district.
This place… was vast.
But unlike the earlier grandeur of towers and halls, this area carried a different rhythm—structured, organized, and quietly alive.
The district was divided into multiple sections, each clearly separated.
"The outer area," Ivan noted silently.
From the flow of people and the density of buildings, it was easy to tell—
This is where wizard seeds and low-level wizard apprentices reside.
Even within just this outer region, buildings stretched endlessly in neat rows. Each one stood tall and uniform, yet subtly reinforced with faint rune patterns, giving off a quiet sense of stability and order.
Wizard apprentices moved about the area—some alone, some in small groups—each absorbed in their own tasks. No one paid attention to the newly arrived group.
Life here… had its own pace.
Its own rules.
After walking for a short while—
Apprentice Urien slowed.
Then stopped.
Before them stood a building.
On its side, a number was clearly engraved:
17
"This will be your dormitory," Apprentice Urien said calmly, turning to face them.
His gaze swept across the group once.
"From this point onward, you will manage your own time and cultivation."
He gestured lightly toward the entrance.
"Inside, there are alchemy puppets. They will guide you to your assigned rooms."
A slight pause.
"They will also serve as your personal attendants."
"Cleaning, maintenance, and basic assistance… will be handled by them."
His tone remained even.
As if describing something entirely ordinary.
Then—
He turned and left.
The wizard seeds stood there for a moment.
Looking at each other.
No one spoke.
But in their eyes—
There was anticipation.
And a trace of unfamiliar tension.
A new environment.
A new life.
A new beginning.
Finally—
Someone took the first step.
Then another.
One by one—
They walked toward the entrance of Building 17… and stepped inside.
As the wizard seeds stepped into Building 17 one by one—
They immediately noticed something different.
On both sides of the entrance—
Rows of alchemy puppets stood in silence.
Still.
Unmoving.
Like statues awaiting a command.
Then—
As each wizard seed crossed the threshold…
The puppets awakened.
One by one.
A faint blue glow lit up within their eyes, and without a single wasted motion, they began to move—gliding forward, pairing themselves with each individual.
When Ivan and Olivia stepped inside—
Two puppets approached them directly.
Without a word, they took their luggage and turned, signaling for them to follow.
Ivan's gaze lingered on them.
As they walked deeper into the building, one detail quickly caught his attention—
They weren't walking.
They were… floating.
A few inches above the ground.
Silent.
Smooth.
Almost completely frictionless.
Interesting…
For a brief moment, Ivan's thoughts shifted inward.
Previously, after entering the academy, he had already instructed Nova to remain dormant—suppressing all active scans. The presence of high-level wizards here was undeniable. Without sufficient understanding, exposing Nova's abilities would be no different from courting death.
But now—
Things were different.
On the way here, Apprentice Urien had casually mentioned something important.
The residential district… was protected.
Not by ordinary means—
But by large-scale formation arrays.
Privacy arrays.
Constructed by a seventh-level wizard.
A true high-tier lifeform.
These formations isolated each living space, preventing intrusion, detection, or observation—even from powerful figures within the academy.
Even the academy's upper management… did not have unrestricted access.
Because in the wizard world—
Privacy was not courtesy.
It was survival.
Every wizard carried secrets.
Trump cards.
Things that could never be exposed.
Ivan had taken note of that.
And quietly—
He had tested it.
"NOVA. Passive scan. Minimal output."
"Yes, Master."
A faint hum echoed deep within his mind.
Subtle.
Almost nonexistent.
Moments later—
Feedback returned.
The surrounding barriers… existed.
Layered.
Dense.
Even Nova could not penetrate them fully.
But—
That also meant something else.
Within this confined, protected environment—
Short-range scanning… was safe.
Ivan's eyes flickered faintly.
"Scan the puppet."
Acknowledged.
—
In an instant—
A three-dimensional structure unfolded within Ivan's mind.
The internal design of the puppet.
Clear.
Precise.
Dissected layer by layer.
At first glance—
It looked mechanical.
Gears.
Framework.
Basic structural joints.
But something was… off.
There were no motors.
No batteries.
No circuits.
None of the systems Ivan would have expected from machinery in his previous life.
Instead—
In places where power systems should exist—
There were runes.
Complex.
Interwoven.
And at the very center—
A gemstone.
Red in color.
Yet shimmering faintly with blue runic patterns.
Like a beating heart.
Nova's voice sounded again.
"Core identified. Energy source confirmed."
"This crystal is supplying energy to the entire puppet."
"It is absorbing ambient energy from the surroundings and converting it into operational power."
Ivan's gaze deepened slightly.
A self-sustaining energy system…
No charging.
No replacement.
Just… continuous function.
Then—
Another detail appeared.
At the base of the puppet—
A small, intricate formation.
A circular pattern.
Barely visible.
"Anti-gravity field detected," Nova reported.
"This formation reduces gravitational influence, enabling levitation."
A simple conclusion.
Yet—
Not simple at all.
Ivan remained silent.
But in his mind—
A comparison had already begun.
Technology…
And magic.
Different systems.
Different foundations.
Yet here—
They overlapped.
Merged.
Blurred.
Before he could think further—
The puppet stopped.
"Destination reached."
Ivan looked up.
They had arrived.
—
Sixth floor.
The corridor was quiet, lined with identical doors on both sides.
Two of them stood side by side.
F7
F8
The puppet emitted a faint green light toward the door.
Click.
The door opened.
Smoothly.
Silently.
Ivan and Olivia exchanged a brief glance—
Then stepped into their respective rooms.
—
The moment Ivan entered—
He paused.
Just slightly.
The room exceeded his expectations.
It wasn't extravagant.
But it was complete.
A bedroom.
A study.
A meditation room specifically designed for mental focus.
A living space.
A bathroom.
Even a small kitchen.
Everything was arranged with precision, clean and orderly—carrying a quiet sense of refinement.
For a brief second—
A thought surfaced.
This… is comparable to a high-end apartment from my previous world.
The puppet followed in, placing his luggage neatly beside the wardrobe.
Then it stopped.
Waiting.
Silent.
Obedient.
Ivan looked at it for a moment before speaking,
"Remain in the living room."
"Understood."
The puppet turned and glided away, exiting the bedroom before entering a standby state.
Silence returned.
—
Ivan walked slowly to the bed.
Then sat down.
His gaze lowered slightly.
The events of the day—
Flashed through his mind.
The teleportation.
The academy.
The structures.
Everything…
Was real now.
Not distant.
Not imagined.
But something he had stepped into.
After a long moment—
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
At last…
He had truly stepped into the wizarding world.
And from this moment onward—
His path…
Had truly begun.