Chapter 18


    "How did I end up here?" He stretchedzily, feeling light and refreshed. The cold difort had


    gone.


    "I dreamt it all. It must''ve been the alcohol. I should drink less next time."


    vin sprung up, flexing his body in his usual training routine. He punched fiercely into the air,


    sparks flying in coordination with his Goliath Force for the first three phrases.


    But as he continued, vin paused, staring at his arm crackling with unusually abundant arcs of


    electricity that felt strange to wield.


    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    What was happening? Had he overindulged in the drink the night before?


    Channeling his Energy, he dispersed the electricity and threw a few more punches, but this time, he


    was truly astonished.


    "Did I... break through?


    "Novice Mage... Stage IV?


    "How is this possible?"


    vin was incredulous, somehow having advanced to Stage IV of the Novice Mage rank without


    understanding how.


    But soon, vin faced a new conundrum. Not only had his realm increased, but his Channel of


    Energy had widened, and within his Energetic Core, there was an addition—a small, pitch-ck


    dagger shrouded in a dark mist, hovering silently above the subdued energy.


    "What''s all this about?


    "Wasn''t I merely dreamingst night?"


    vin inspected closely. Indeed, he had truly advanced. But because the advancement was so


    bizarrely sudden, the magic within his Channel of Energy still lingered at Stage III, desperately


    needing replenishment. And there really was a ck dagger inside his energy, identical to the one


    the old man had given him in what he thought was a dream.


    It wasn''t a dream? It wasn''t a dream!


    This mysterious ck dagger was a gift from the old man!


    "Thank you!" Overjoyed, vin ran back to the storeroom to give thanks. But strangely, there was


    no one in the storeroom. The old man was not there.


    In the eight years vin had known him, the old man had either been lost in thought under a tree,


    mourning at the graveside, or sleeping in the storeroom—he had never strayed half a step from that


    ce.


    "Odd, where could he have gone?"


    A bad feeling suddenly hit vin, and he searched carefully through the storeroom and courtyard,


    even scouring the hills around, but he found no trace of the old man.


    "Has he left?


    "That can''t be right. How could he have left without a word?


    "But he did seem strange yesterday.


    "Could it be because of the girl from yesterday?"


    vin returned to the storeroom, approaching the old man''s wooden bed. A worn nket and a few


    patched garments were all of the old man''s possessions, and not a single item was taken.


    "What’s this?"


    vin''s hand touched the old clothes, feeling something inside them. He gently lifted them to reveal


    a note, with a single word—"Fate!"


    Beneath the notey a scroll, and an ancient sword. A wave of antiquity and might washed over


    him. The scroll and the ancient sword seemed to possess real energy, filling the surrounding air with


    hints of sharpness and coldness.


    "Has he truly gone?" vin held the note, suddenly feeling a sense of loss as if something had


    been abruptly taken from him.


    Has he really gone?


    For eight years, it was the old man''spany that made the simple storeroom feel like home. No


    matter how tough or bitter life was, vin could always return home and rest. He knew the old man


    was no ordinary man, but he had never expected him to leave so soon.


    Fate! Is it my fate? Whose fate? Why did he deliberately leave this word?


    vin carefully stowed the note, keeping it close, and picked up the scroll.


    This scroll was called Grand Arcanum of the de.


    With no borate introduction, vin opened the scroll and revealed the first technique—


    Earthtorrent Greatde! A technique to cleave mountains and rivers asunder!


    They were refined descriptions of techniques, and concise illustrations of the Channel of Energy.


    vin frowned as he perused through the scroll. The writing and diagrams were incredibly detailed


    yet blurry and indistinct, requiring intense concentration and calm to make out the content, and this


    was only the first technique. Flipping to the second, vin found it impossible to discern clearly;


    even the name of the move was obscure. It was right there before him but somehow resisted rity,


    even giving him a strange sense of rejection.


    With his current realm and mental fortitude, vin was barely qualified to study the first technique.


    “What level of Combat Magic is this?”


    vin marveled at the Arcanum in his hands, so mysterious and extraordinary. He had always


    longed for Combat Magic and hoped to possess his own weapon. He hadn’t expected his wishes to


    be fulfilled this day, yet as he held the ancient scroll and sword, all the while reflecting on his


    drunkenness from the previous night, he struggled to feel happy.


    “vin!” A shrill voice suddenly called from outside.


    vin concealed the Arcanum and the ancient sword in the deepest part of the storeroom.


    “vin! Where on earth have you gone off to!” Odell burst through the iron door, waving a list in


    hand, shouting shrilly, “I’ve had your orders since dawn, and now it’s noon, and you’ve yet to deliver.


    Do you even want your job anymore?”


    “I’ll be on my way,” vin replied, swiftly preparing himself and taking the list outside.


    Odell stood by the iron door, nagging incessantly, “Don’t think being a Novice Mage exempts you


    from the rules. No matter how strong you are, you’re still a servant under my watch! I’ll let it slide


    today, but if you dare miss another delivery, I’ll report you to the steward. See how you’ll be dealt


    with then!”