Soon after awakening the [mind magus] Path to Ascendancy, Modi was recruited by the court of the Stin Empire and granted an audience with the king.
Additionally, as a [mind magus], he caught the attention of Earl Hans, the Stin Empire's Chief Astrologer, who took him as a disciple.
Modi was riding high on his success.
Although the ranks of [magus] and [mind magus] classes were different from the warrior class system, they generally corresponded as follows: an apprentice to the soldier tier; a magus to the Elite-tier; a grand magus to the General-tier; an archmage to the Lord-tier; and a chief archmage to the King-tier.
The Stin Empire's Chief Astrologer, though not a King-tier but a 5-star Lord-tier, was considered almost second only to the king due to the rare characteristics of his Ascendant Class.
Thus, Modi's entry into the court as the disciple of the Chief Astrologer was a meteoric rise.
Now in the Stin Empire's Astrology Tower, Modi entered amidst envious glances.
Most people around him, with Ascendant Classes like [Mentalist] and [Scholar], were not [mind magus].
While these two classes also related to mental abilities, their potential paled in comparison to that of a [mind magus].
Modi, as a [mind magus], initially possessed ample mind power and abilities like [danger sensing], [sixth sense], [precognition], and [telekinesis].
In contrast, other [Mentalists] and [Scholars] would have to spend a significant amount of time to acquire even one of these abilities, and their subsequent progress tended to be slower.
This meant their potential was nowhere near Modi's as a [mind magus].
Moreover, Modi knew another crucial fact: with the help of his mysterious book, his path could not only change but also enhance!
To curry favor with his mentor, the Chief Astrologer of the Stin Empire, Hans, Modi could choose to consume an "Astrologer" magic potion.
This would not only grant him the multiple abilities of a [mind magus], but also allow him to make rapid progress in the field of astrology, exactly as he hoped.
As Modi ascended the staircase of the Astrology Tower, pride swelled within him.
He could sense the difference between himself and the others around him.
His peers, holding star charts and dressed in refined, elegant attire, looked at Modi with eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
Of course, not everyone displayed such expressions.
Some were indifferent or pretended not to notice him.
To Modi, this wasn't surprising; after all, people are diverse in their reactions.
Furthermore, knowing that he had been marked by an antagonist meant that this antagonist might send subordinates to secretly monitor him, waiting for an opportunity when he was alone and vulnerable to eliminate him.
However, as Modi stepped onto the second floor of the Astrology Tower, he felt an increased sense of calm and pride.
The second floor was less crowded than the first, and the individuals here possessed stronger mind power and an air of sophistication.
Most of the people on this floor were Astrologers of the Empire.
Afterward, Modi made his way through the second floor's staircase, heading towards the third level.
The people on this floor were mostly dressed in robes adorned with star patterns, and most of them were middle-aged or older.
Seeing Modi, some politely nodded their heads, which made Modi feel even more elated.
Clearly, these individuals were master-level figures, likely 5-star General-tier or 1-star, 2-star Lord-tier entities.
Although the [Astrologer] Path to Ascendancy was somewhat inferior in combat compared to other classes, it still possessed certain combat capabilities.
These individuals appeared far more powerful than anyone Modi had encountered at the Norton lord's banquet where he had mingled with the antagonist.
If these people could become his bodyguards, then the antagonist could be easily crushed!
With this thought, Modi grew even more pleased and continued up the stairs to the higher level.
At the end of this ascent was the highest floor of the Astrology Tower, the residence of Chief Astrologer Hans, whom Modi had come to visit.
Shortly, Modi entered the fourth floor.
In the spacious hall, he saw a solemn-looking elderly man observing a celestial sphere hanging from the dome above.
The old man had white hair and a beard that forked and trailed down to his chest.
As Modi entered, the old man turned his head and looked at him.
"You've arrived, young man!" Hans said.
At this moment, Modi found himself in the office of the Chief Astrologer, located at the highest level of the Astrology Tower.
Around the walls, special gold and iron musical instruments emitted a series of resonances. Subsequently, Hans's voice rang in Modi's mind like a great bell, as if the real Hans was not the stern and thin old man standing about ten meters away wearing an Astrologer's hat, but rather an unseen giant occupying most of this high-ceilinged room.
Modi quickly realized that what he was sensing was the Chief Astrologer's powerful mental vibrations.
Imagining such a formidable figure as his teacher, Modi couldn't help but exclaim with joy, "Teacher, being your disciple is the honor of my life!"
However, the next moment, Modi felt something was amiss.
His body seemed rigid, and his limbs wouldn't move no matter how hard he tried.
Then, something even more alarming occurred.
Hans's voice echoed from behind him.
Though the man was still in the distance, his voice seemed to circle around Modi, then enter his ears to speak to him.
"You seem a bit nervous, young man!" Hans said. "You might not know this, but my [mind-reading] ability is quite special. Unlike ordinary Astrologers or mind maguses who can read a person's general mental state or thoughts from a few seconds, my [mind-reading] can read the state of a person's soul."
"Your soul is not right... You've been possessed!" Hans declared, his eyes wide open.
With a casual wave of his hand, Modi was lifted into the air, hovering, and then slowly floated towards Hans.
Then, Hans placed his hand on Modi's head, muttering under his breath while stars shone brilliantly above.
The next moment, as a bright starlight traced across the back of Hans's hand, it reflected down upon Modi's head.
However, nothing seemed to happen.
As the starlight dimmed, Modi felt his mind jolted by an unknown impact, his head spinning and his stomach churning. It was far worse than mere seasickness.
Gradually, however, his consciousness began to return.
"Hans... Teacher, what... what did you do to me?"
Modi asked, his voice filled with nervous tension.
His mind raced with numerous thoughts, yet he was fairly certain that his status as a protagonist had not been discovered by the Chief Astrologer.
But Hans's next words sent a chill down Modi's spine.
"So, you've possessed this person, have you? And your consciousness is unexpectedly resilient! If you are not a deity, then you must be a demon!"
Hans pondered for a moment before continuing, "This matter is beyond my judgment. It must be referred to the paladins, who have the deepest understanding of deities and the demon race. Some demons are deeply hidden and highly skilled in exploiting human weaknesses."
With that, Hans turned to the side, and a paladin clad in golden armor stepped forward.
It was Elizabeth, with her unusual silver-white hair.
She looked calm as she conjured a whip of light to bind Modi.
Relieved, Modi even cast a covetous glance at Elizabeth. "If you're going to check whether I'm a demon race or not, that's excellent. I'm definitely not a demon race, beautiful sister," he said confidently, trying to ingratiate himself.
In his mind, Modi was already fantasizing about being in Beaconburg, being vindicated by the paladins, receiving their apologies, and then strolling through the city hand in hand with this paladin sister.
He felt an indescribable sense of excitement and joy.