"...Mastering this technique, even as an apprentice, means great potential for becoming a wizard!"
Ronan carefully etched part of the [Ascetic Body Training] content onto the underside of the bed frame with his knife, finishing with his signature, "Ronan Damien."
"I wonder if the next wizard to live here will discover the secret I've left behind..."
Ronan mused with a hint of anticipation. It wasn't just a mischievous act.
The training method was genuinely beneficial for lower-level wizard apprentices.
Most wizards staying in the treehouse district likely had similar aptitudes to Ronan's, possibly struggling with energy corrosion like he did. The [Ascetic Body Training] could effectively address that issue, as Ronan had personally verified.
Although the training was grueling, it offered substantial benefits for mental power growth.
The robust physique developed through [Ascetic Body Training] provided significant support at the baseline apprentice level.
Properly utilized, it might even help someone rise above the low-level apprentice ranks.
However...
"Is it inappropriate to inscribe a body training technique beneath a maxim emphasizing 'soul immortality'?"
"Well, maybe that's just right."
"Only those unconcerned with societal prejudices might seize the opportunity I've left."
Ronan blew off the wood shavings from his knife, satisfied, and put it away.
He exited the treehouse, closed the door, and lightly landed on the snowy ground.
He dug at the base of the fourth oak tree to the left of the treehouse and found his stash—
Twelve [Protection] runes and over twenty low-level magic stones carefully wrapped in black cloth, intact.
Counting his once-precious stash, Ronan felt a wave of nostalgia.
Though this wealth was now insignificant to him, retrieving it brought a sense of regained joy and satisfaction.
Just as he pocketed the items, Ronan's expression shifted, and he quickly stood, looking toward a specific direction.
"Swish—"
A figure emerged from the trees, brushing snow off his head as he grumbled to Ronan, "I knew you were up to something. So, you're here to retrieve hidden goods."
The scrawny man in a gray and white wizard robe noticed Ronan's empty hands and, realizing something, his face lit up with excitement. He called out behind him, "The storage pouch! Lord Francois! This guy has a storage pouch... A big catch! A big catch!"
Before he finished, another figure stepped out from behind the trees.
This one wore a dark robe with gold trim, holding a black staff. He had elegant silver eyebrow decorations, shoulder-length black hair, and a stern, powerful presence.
The scrawny wizard leaned in to whisper to the black-haired man, who snorted lightly, prompting the smaller man to turn to Ronan with a smug smile.
"Lord Francois demands that you leave behind everything you just retrieved from the tree and your storage pouch, along with all magical artifacts!"
Ronan frowned, realizing he'd encountered wizard thieves.
He wasn't sure when they'd started following him, but it seemed they'd been tailing him for some time.
The scrawny wizard wasn't much of a threat, just a Level 3 apprentice, but the one called "Lord Francois" appeared to be an advanced apprentice.
As Ronan considered his options, the scrawny wizard shouted again, "Are you deaf, kid? If you don't comply, prepare to face Lord Francois's wrath!"
To emphasize his point, the black-haired man beside him released a powerful wave of mental energy, causing the air to shimmer like sunlight and shaking snow from the surrounding trees.
"A Level 9 apprentice, an aura wizard?!"
Ronan's heart sank, his expression turning cold.
Just as he prepared to act, a thunderous roar erupted nearby!
"Roar!"
The terrifying sound shattered the snow, and a massive figure lunged into the clearing.
With thick limbs, a body covered in dark red scales, and one large and one small snake-like head, it exuded a ferocious, violent aura, instantly dominating the area.
"A high-level magical beast?!"
The scrawny wizard's voice warped with terror, and he fell back into the snow with a thud.
The black-haired man beside him turned pale, stumbling backward in fear.
Before they could recover from their shock and despair, another indescribable, terrifying presence emerged from the other side.
Turning instinctively, their faces froze.
The young wizard they'd been threatening was now enveloped in countless mysterious auras.
The snow around him melted in large patches, with wind lifting his robe to reveal his tall, commanding figure.
His long hair danced as an indescribable, dreadful force field formed around him, distorting the light until three deep black spheres coalesced at his fingertips.
"You dare come back for me?!"
Ronan's cold, low voice cut through the air as he pointed forward, the three pure black spheres hurtling silently like a doomsday torrent.
Seeing this, the two-headed demon lizard showed immediate terror, retreating without a sound.
Yet it was grazed by the invisible torrent.
Without a sound, the lizard's entire lower half exploded into a bloody mist, disintegrating the grass, stones, and earth beneath.
A shrill scream echoed as the remaining half of the shadow darted forward, disappearing without a trace, leaving behind a mangled scene and a massive crater.
As Ronan's hair settled and his robe fell back into place, he watched the two-headed lizard flee with cold eyes.
It was the same lizard he'd driven off once before. He hadn't expected it to hold a grudge, sensing his presence in the forest and returning for revenge.
And in the months since he'd last seen it, the creature's strength had surged, growing larger and starting to develop a second head, joining the ranks of high-level zero-order magical beasts.
"With such a severe wound, it can't get far."
Ronan didn't rush after it. Instead, he pulled a potion from his pouch, drinking it to quickly restore his mental energy before turning his gaze to the two remaining wizards.
Seeing Ronan's attention shift to them, the previously terrified wizard thieves visibly trembled, their eyes wide with shock and fear.
The black-haired advanced apprentice wizard stared at Ronan, his lips moving rapidly.
Ronan's expression turned cold, suspecting the man of secretly casting a spell.
But to his surprise, the scrawny wizard's trembling voice broke the silence.
"Lord Francois says...
He sends you his sincerest regards.
Good morning, esteemed master!"
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