The [Energy Missile] spell, long mastered to the point of instant casting, required no incantations or gestures.
"Buzz—"
A sound like a gently plucked string resonated, achieving a strange harmony in an instant.
Ronan's long hair and robe lifted without wind, as mysterious energy surged from within him, quickly weaving into a vast, invisible force field.
Pure black energy particles appeared one by one, each devouring light and warping the air.
A total of sixty energy particles.
With [Particle Stream] at a master-level proficiency of 120 points, 100 points being a threshold, its power and difficulty to enhance had significantly increased.
For his first attempt, Ronan held back, limiting the power of [Particle Stream] to about the level used in his deadly battle with Laura.
"Boom!"
The particle stream, comprised of sixty energy particles, charged with a vast domain power, slammed into the crystal wall embedded with energy-absorbing crystals.
The crystals illuminated a broad area instantly.
As Ronan's hair and robe settled, he approached to count the lit crystals.
"One, two, three, four, five..."
A third of the large crystal wall was illuminated.
Comparing the number of lit crystals to the power chart on the wall—
"Hmm?"
He was surprised by the result.
Even using only half his proficiency, this [Particle Stream] reached the power standard of a late first-level wizard.
"Does transcendent domain power really boost spell potency that much?"
"What if I unleashed my full power? What would that look like?"
The pent-up frustration and gloom he had been carrying seemed to ease with the impressive power of [Particle Stream].
His eyes shone with excitement, eager to try again.
Under the effect of [Realm of Clarity], his mental energy quickly replenished.
Once restored, Ronan focused, eyes locked on the distant spell wall, ready for a full-power [Particle Stream]!
As 120 pure black particles appeared, the entire training room's free energy particles were drained in an instant, the massive domain expanding rapidly, like a true river of energy sweeping forward.
"Boom!"
An invisible gale swept the room, Ronan's robe billowing loudly, its airflow effect calming the surroundings.
He noticed a brief flash of rune light within the wall, but paid it no mind, quickly moving to count the lit crystals.
There was no need for a detailed count.
Previously, [Particle Stream] had lit a third of the wall; now, less than a quarter remained unlit.
The difference was clear.
"This almost reaches second-level wizard standards."
Gazing at the lit wall, Ronan's eyes burned, his despair and anxiety dissipating.
So what if he lacked a soul sigil?
What if thirty years passed?
His soul aura might be as pure as blank paper, but he could still obliterate late first-level grand wizards with early first-level mental power!
"Whoosh—"
Ronan exhaled deeply, watching the crystals gradually dim as the test board reset.
"Without a weapon, testing [Breaking Force] is pointless. Its main power isn't destructive, so this test isn't meaningful."
Ronan checked his panel, realizing only his [Immaculate Body] talent remained to test.
He hadn't truly activated [Immaculate Body] in a while.
He missed that feeling of complete control over his destiny.
"Why not... give it a try?"
Thump—
A strange wave emanated from Ronan.
His recently restored chestnut hair began turning white strand by strand.
Tiny white sparks erupted from beneath his skin, colliding like lightning, forming a thin white flame over his body.
"Whoosh—"
A violent airflow rose in the room, forming a fearsome whirlwind. Ronan's now entirely white hair danced wildly, his silver-gray robe billowing despite its airflow effect.
A terrifying aura expanded from Ronan, slowly spreading outward.
His eyes shone brilliantly blue, gazing at his hand, where the boundary between his skin and space twisted and collapsed.
"This... this feeling."
As the last word left his lips, Ronan's figure twisted in the air.
Then he vanished, leaving only a blurred afterimage.
Almost simultaneously—
"Buzz!"
The entire training room lit up!
The light came from one side of the room—the spell testing wall, where every energy-absorbing crystal blazed brightly, like tiny bulbs turned to maximum power!
The storm ceased, and a white-haired figure stood pressed against the wall.
The figure held a punching stance, right hand enwrapped in white flame, the fist nearly touching the protruding crystals.
The wall seemed like a water surface, with visible ripples spreading from the fist, lighting the crystals.
"Good thing I didn't follow through."
"Or I might have shattered the wall!"
Ronan gazed at his right fist with a strange expression, as if beholding a treasure, eyes blazing.
Eventually, his fearsome aura and mysterious energy subsided, his robe and hair settling, the white flames dissipating.
Raising his head, he noticed a message—
**[Spell Wall Power Limit: Second-level Wizard. For any damage to crystals, contact Aector Furlin for compensation.]**
Ronan stared at the message, eyes flickering with thought.
A spell airship cast a shadow over the hemispherical building, prompting those entering and exiting to squint and glance up.
But the airship, glowing with blue runes, quickly vanished, the distant sun appearing beneath the Seventh Ring Tower, and those looking up noticed a man nearby.
The man wore an exquisite silver robe, its surface shimmering under the sun, bearing the Ring's emblem, exuding a complex aura—noble and stern.
"Master Bazel."
A short man hurried from the training hall, approaching the silver-robed figure.
The silver-robed man headed inside, his voice like clashing metal.
"Any promising candidates today?"
"Yes!"
The short man followed closely, head bowed, reporting quickly.
"There's an early first-level fire wizard, with a notable sigil."
"I discreetly inquired; they seem to have come from the far west, looking to settle in the Ring."
"And another..."
"A late first-level, possibly even a second-level wizard!"
The short man's tone unconsciously excited. He glanced up to gauge the silver-robed man's reaction, finding no change, so continued.
"They seemed to avoid attention, choosing a first-level room. Their spell control was impeccable, with no crystal damage, but they broke the monitoring runes behind the wall."
"Frankly, those shouldn't be there. I've had several break this month."
"When I arrived, I couldn't identify the individual or individuals responsible."
Finishing, the silver-robed man had stopped.
"Which room?"
His voice betrayed no emotion.
"Room Five." The short man stiffened, hurrying ahead to lead.
Soon, they reached their destination.
As they arrived, a formal wizard exited a nearby room, spotting them, and complained loudly.
"What's wrong with your training rooms? Why was I given a room with depleted energy particles?!"
"I've been in there half the time, unable to practice or cast any proper spells! This time shouldn't count, you must refund—huh?!"
Mid-complaint, the man's expression changed, his voice choking, and he hastily apologized before rushing away.
The silver-robed man looked away, entering the "Room Five" marked room naturally.
Standing in the center, he closed his eyes, powerful mental energy flooding the room.
The short man stood respectfully behind, silent.
After a moment, the silver-robed man opened his eyes.
The cold voice, like metal grinding, sounded again.
"The room's energy particles are indeed denser than normal, typical of a high-power spell."
"Draining the free energy particles from surrounding rooms in one go... such a domineering casting style. I'm starting to believe your claim."
"Find this person."
The silver-robed man spoke, touching a scar on his right cheek, murmuring, "If I can introduce such a talent to the Ring, I could get the missing potions."
"And you, Gu Wei, my friend, will be duly rewarded."
The short man appeared excited, responding emphatically before leaving swiftly.
"Ronan, Master Ronan, why is your hair white?!"
As Ronan entered Blueberry Inn, a surprised Alida stood from the counter.
She held a feather flyswatter, examining Ronan with wide eyes.
Soon, Alida's cheeks reddened, whispering, "But Master Ronan looks even better with white hair..."
Ronan smiled, ignoring her, heading upstairs.
After returning from the training room, Ronan felt much better.
Perhaps releasing pent-up frustration through spells, or the unexpected test results bolstering his confidence, his anxiety over finding a soul sigil eased significantly.
"Even if things don't go my way, life must go on, right?"
Ronan's mind returned to calm, resuming his daily routine.
But life often surprises, and when you stop worrying about setbacks, they can no longer harm you, slinking away.
Then, fortune starts knocking.
"Click—"
With a crisp click, the small metal box's intricate rune lit briefly before dimming, the lid opening to reveal its contents.
Ronan's face showed faint delight.
The mysterious box from Linus, he'd been trying to unlock since becoming a first-level wizard.
It took over four months, but he finally succeeded.
Curious, Ronan examined the contents, finding four items—
A white envelope.
A necklace studded with ice-blue gems.
And two faintly glowing rune stones.
From left to right, Ronan picked up the rune stones first, slowly probing them with mental energy.
As he studied the stones, his expression turned peculiar.
"This..."
Ronan gazed at the stones, unsure how to express his mixed feelings.
Both were inheritance runes.
One contained a complete first-level ice spell inheritance.
The other held a matching ice soul sigil.
The sigil was named—**[Permafrost]!**