Wizard:Starting from Synthesizing Gems

The [Orcney Giant Bear] and [Ulthun Giant Wolf] were both formidable creatures among intermediate-level magical beings.

The Orcney Giant Bear possessed [Earth Magic Tattoo Skin], which enhanced its defensive capabilities and accelerated wound recovery.

Meanwhile, the [Ulthun Giant Wolf] boasted extraordinary speed, with innate [Swiftness] runes embedded in its bones.

Both magical creatures' bloodlines would suit his current needs perfectly.

The Black Wizard apprentice who had overpowered the Enforcement Squad earlier had relied precisely on such speed advantages.

If he could obtain the Earth Magic Tattoo Skin, his survivability would increase significantly, providing greater margin for error.

Should he encounter another situation like this morning's incident, he'd have substantially more security.

After brief consideration, Locke settled on the [Orcney Giant Bear] for a simple reason—his Formal Wizard mentor Sophia currently had one in her Magical Creature Cultivation Room.

Purchasing the creature from Sophia would not only save him considerable Magic Stones but also guarantee quality. He might even extract the bloodline personally from the bear.

Locke reasoned: "Besides, I lack the skill to brew the [Orcney Giant Bear] bloodline separation potion. That requires at least a First-Class Wizard Apprentice or Formal Wizard."

"Other Second-Class Wizard Apprentices purchase theirs too. I can simply buy mine from Mentor Sophia."

"With the bear's blood and a custom [Orcney Giant Bear] bloodline separation potion, I could brew my own bloodline transformation potion. For a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice from Lilith's Cottage, this level of potion-making is child's play."

Locke reflected that Lilith's Cottage served as the stronghold for Potionology wizards. From his observations, their apprentices' comprehensive Potionology skills likely surpassed those from other schools by a wide margin.

"Only the Magic Stones present a problem," Locke mused.

"But to a Formal Wizard, an [Orcney Giant Bear] is just another insignificant magical creature. Mentor Sophia probably wouldn't care much—she might not even charge much, possibly giving it to me outright."

"I'll ask tomorrow."

A rhythmic, cautious knock interrupted his thoughts. A Gray Dwarf servant called through the door, "Great wizard master, an unfamiliar wizard lady seeks audience at our gate."

"Would you grant her visitation?"

Locke frowned. Who would visit Inverted Alley at this hour?

Raun and Pierre, being mere Third-Class Wizard Seedlings, couldn't possibly enter Inverted Alley. Mentor Sophia absolutely couldn't visit either—her appearance in the Second-Class Apprentices' residence would cause a sensation.

Having recently advanced to Second-Class Wizard Apprentice status, he doubted he'd made friends at this level yet.

Addressing the Gray Dwarf servant indifferently, Locke replied, "Understood. Show her to the parlor."

The Gray Dwarf servant hurried away.

Approximately eight minutes later, Locke changed into a white wizard robe, adorned with the badge of an Enforcement Wizard Apprentice and the academy emblem, and headed to the drawing room.

In the drawing room, Locke saw a female Second-Class Wizard Apprentice dressed in a violet wizard robe. Her robe appeared to have been meticulously tailored, giving it a somewhat sensual look.

She wore a pair of golden high heels, and her earlobes were adorned with amethyst earrings.

Yet, Locke had never seen this person before.

He looked at her in confusion. "Hello, I am Locke Augustine. And you are?"

Upon seeing Locke, the female wizard apprentice's eyes brightened slightly. She stood up and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, Wizard Augustine."

"I am Chrisel Reeves," she emphasized, adding, "I am a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice from the Reeves family."

"The Reeves family is one of the seventy-two local wizard families of Lilith's Cottage."

Locke frowned slightly.

Of course, he was aware of the seventy-two local wizard families affiliated with Lilith's Cottage.

As a wizard academy, Lilith's Cottage housed both wizard factions centered around master-disciple relationships and those built upon familial ties.

However, in the end, family-based inheritance could not compare to master-disciple succession.

After all, one could not guarantee that every descendant would possess Wizard Talent, but one could ensure that every student taken in had high Wizard Talent.

For a wizard organization to thrive, it had to break free from factions rooted in blood relations.

Thus, within Lilith's Cottage, foreign wizards dominated the mainstream, while the earliest family-based wizards had long been marginalized.

Take his mentor, the Witch Sophia, for example—she was a typical foreign wizard.

Though she was a native, her home was not within Lilith's Cottage's original territory.

Locke addressed Chrisel Reeves, "So, Miss Reeves, what brings you here?"

"I was just about to begin my meditation."

Chrisel Reeves raised an eyebrow in displeasure. Not only had Locke failed to show the respect she expected toward the Reeves family, but he also seemed to be hinting at her to leave.

However, recalling the purpose of her visit today, Chrisel's expression softened. "In that case, I'll be brief."

"The Reeves family values your talent. Although the academy has only rated your Wizard Talent as Level 3, our family has no issue with that."

Chrisel smiled faintly, as if Locke should be grateful for this. "Therefore, the Reeves family wishes to sign a contract with you—to invest in you."

She handed the contract to Locke.

Locke took it and began reading.

Indeed, not all descendants of wizard families possessed Wizard Talent, so they supplemented their ranks by investing in powerless Wizard Seedlings.

The best candidates, of course, were Wizard Seedlings from overseas who had no local connections.

Locke realized that his unusually rapid advancement must have caught the attention of the Reeves family, prompting them to approach him early for investment.

Locke turned his attention to the benefits section of the contract. "Hmm? Fifty Magic Stones per month, two additional vials of Contemplation Balm, and access to your family's laboratory."

A smirk curled on Chriselle's lips, her eyes flashing with a hint of disdain. "Indeed, the Reeves family has invested in building our own laboratory. As someone our family is investing in, you have the right to use it."

"Of course, this also means you'll have corresponding obligations to our family."

Locke's brow furrowed deeply as he read the obligations section.

The contract demanded that he guarantee fathering at least five children with female relatives of the Reeves family within ten years.

Additionally, once he became a First-Class Wizard Apprentice, he would be required to contribute manpower and resources whenever the family needed him.

As a supposed "favor," the contract grandly promised that if he excelled as a First-Class Wizard Apprentice, he could even marry Chriselle—the most outstanding member of the Reeves family with fourth-tier Wizard Talent—as a live-in son-in-law.

By this point, Locke's expression had darkened considerably. The contract reeked of blatant arrogance.

Clearly, they wanted to use him as breeding stock to increase the chances of the Reeves family producing descendants with exceptional Wizard Talent.

Perhaps this contract might hold some appeal for ordinary overseas wizards, but for someone who possessed the Synthetic Magic Cube, it was nothing more than a worthless burden.

Once he obtained his Breeder's assistant certification, he wouldn't lack Magic Stones for the foreseeable future.

Signing such a contract was unnecessary and would only invite trouble.

Locke looked at Chriselle and said, "I refuse."

The confidence on Chriselle's face gave way to disbelief. Her faint smile froze, and a flicker of anger flashed in her eyes, though she suppressed it, maintaining her composure. "How could that be?"

"Do you have any other grievances?"

"Mr. Augustine, let me remind you—this contract is already extremely generous, especially considering you're only a third-tier Wizard Talent apprentice."

"Our family is even offering you more Magic Stones per month than the academy's stipend. Without Magic Stones, you'll be stuck in this academy. As an overseas apprentice with no local ties, you'll be completely isolated."

Struggling to contain her fury, Chriselle added, "If not for the fact that you became a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice within a year, someone of your talent wouldn't even pass our Reeves family's screening."

"And right now, we're the only family interested in you. None of the other local families will extend an olive branch."

"Without Magic Stones, your talent is useless. You'll grow mediocre, fade into obscurity."

"This is the best opportunity of your life."

Chriselle said coldly, "You should reconsider."

Hearing this, Locke inwardly scoffed. The Reeves wizard family might seem impressive, but in truth, they were nothing more than a group without a single Formal Wizard among them. He couldn't even be sure how many First-Class Wizard Apprentices they still had left.

Sophia had told him that most wizard families in Lilith's Cottage were like gilded tombs—outwardly splendid but inwardly rotten.

Truly promising wizard apprentices in the academy would never mingle with their circles.

The fact that they approached him must have been because they saw him as a wizard apprentice from the mundane world overseas, with limited exposure.

Moreover, his talent evaluation grade wasn't high enough to attract the attention of formal wizard mentors, which was why they dared to approach him with such a contract.

Locke refused again, "Miss Chrisel, I still won't sign the contract."

"I'm used to being alone. I need to meditate now."

Chrisel's expression finally darkened uncontrollably. With anger, she said coldly, "I won't offer such favorable terms a second time."

"Missing this opportunity will be the biggest regret of your life."

Chrisel added, "Without Magic Stones, even if you have some talent, you're nothing."

She turned and walked toward the door.

Locke merely glanced at her and said to the Gray Dwarf servant, "See her out."

Though the Gray Dwarf servants didn't fully understand what had happened, they keenly sensed Locke's unwelcoming attitude toward Chrisel. Immediately, they dropped their flattery and haughtily opened the door to usher her out.

This infuriated Chrisel so much she nearly twisted her nose in anger.

Only because this was Inverted Alley, and Locke was an enforcer of the patrol team, did she restrain herself—acting against him would land her in trouble.

Before leaving, Chrisel muttered, "Damn Gray Dwarves, those lowly creatures. They should've all been burned to death back then, not spared by our ancestors after their defeat."

After the incident, Locke took a bath and immediately immersed himself in meditation.

Only by constantly pushing his meditation could he further enhance his mental strength and hasten his advancement to a First Class Wizard Apprentice.

...

The next day, in Sophia's office, Locke placed his hand on the Amethyst Matrix, which displayed the number 61.

This was the result of the combined effects of the Moonlight Potion, Rose Ruby, and the Root Resonance Meditation Method.

Sophia entered the office, glanced at the Amethyst Matrix, and then looked at Locke with amusement. "You're here quite early today."

"I thought you'd be late."

Locke asked in confusion, "Teacher, I don't quite understand what you mean."

Sophia smiled. "With a beauty from a wizard family accompanying you, I thought you'd be reluctant to part ways."

"I guessed that some wizard family must have approached you for investment recently. After all, your progress is impressive enough to warrant their attention."

"Outstanding Wizard Seedlings like you, who come from overseas, are irresistible to them."

Locke replied, "Teacher, I refused yesterday."

Sophia gave him a surprised look.

Locke then recounted what had happened the day before.

After listening, Sophia also sneered. "No wonder these wizard families are declining day by day—they even dare to look down on my student, Sophia."

"The contract they offered you isn't even standard—all resources are reduced by about thirty percent."

Sophia the Witch sneered, "They must be taking advantage of you because your Wizard Talent was only rated as third-tier when you entered Lilith's Cottage."

"A bunch of snobbish characters. How could such a crude testing method determine a wizard's true potential?"

"It's good that you refused."

"The Reeves family now only has two First Class Wizard Apprentices, neither with any hope of becoming a Formal Wizard. And they're already quite old—long past their prime."

"Nothing more than a sinking ship."

Sophia the Witch seemed deeply displeased with the contract the Reeves family had offered her student.

She felt it bordered on insulting—to her as well, perhaps.

After all, Locke was currently her only apprentice.

Sophia the Witch scoffed coldly, "Just wait until you become my Breeder assistant. We'll see who regrets this."