Chapter 52: The Wizards

Chapter 52: The Wizards

The handling of the Loki Caravan brought quiet around the Mountain Villa. Every Wizard was unique; this would surely cause many people heartache for a long time. After this incident, Bran had the thought of screening the caravan’s people. It was not to catch any spies; he just wanted to understand more about the abilities of Wizards. One more sample would allow a more intuitive understanding.

These past few days, whenever Bran had free time, he would have Danny take him wandering in the market. Bran’s gains were not small. Several incidents of people going missing had occurred in the united caravans. Although everyone knew who was behind it, since the Northlanders did not wish to bring it into the open, they could only pretend ignorance while trembling with fear. This was also good, much more civilized than chopping people down one by one, or so thought most merchants.

Awakening naturally as a Wizard was already extremely rare, and the probability of a caravan having a Wizard should not be high. When multiple Wizards appeared in a caravan, one could just go ahead and catch them; none would be wronged. Precisely because of this, both the Delegation and the caravans could only endure for now. Over the many years of traveling to the Northlands, the Northlanders had always adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards them, which had lulled them into carelessness. No one expected the Northlanders to go crazy this time, resulting in heavy losses for them. Moreover, the matter was handled extremely cleanly from start to finish; at the time of the incidents, no one was disturbed at all.

Such a number of Wizards, mostly with unique abilities for scouting and spying, was a bone-deep wound for any organization.

Bran could understand the Royal Capital’s approach. For many years, the Northlanders had kept to themselves, yet possessed formidable military strength. This was a very unsettling matter. Whether for the sake of rule or for various plans, they had to understand the Northlands deeply to be able to prepare accordingly.

But now, Bran only felt gratitude. Without these events, he could not have obtained these samples. Trying to seek out already scarce Wizards alone was not much different from relying on sheer luck.

…

Bran looked at the Wizard before him, Hawkeye, a young man. He could see everything in his line of sight clearly, even in the dark of dim light. But according to him, when observing the Mountain Villa, the villa emitted a unique Mana Fluctuation that disturbed him. It was actually clearer to give up his ability and rely on his eyes directly.

He further explained that when he gazed at Bran, the magical feedback was entirely flat. The Mana Fluctuation he emitted for detection would gradually smooth out upon approaching Bran. Based on the limited magical feedback, he concluded that Bran’s Mana was incredibly refined and potent, which was very rare among Wizards. Apart from repeatedly using their abilities to familiarize themselves with them, Wizards did not have any particularly good training methods. So, while the Wizards he had seen possessed diverse and adeptly used abilities, he had never seen Mana fluctuating like ocean tides as Bran’s did.

Bran guessed that his own ability was to change the physical form of matter. Perception and penetration were likely also processes of assimilation. Only after assimilation was complete could changes be made according to his will. Due to this assimilative nature, some of the incoming Mana Fluctuations that entered his perception range were smoothed out.

Bran expressed his gratitude. As a reward for Hawkeye’s honesty, the Northlanders would not trouble him during his imprisonment.

…

The second Wizard Bran saw was an old man, a middle-level member of an intelligence organization, not one of the simple intelligence gatherers. He showed no surprise at Bran’s arrival; after all, he had taken a fall because of Bran.

His ability was Listening. He could listen to and distinguish sounds from about a kilometer away, if he wished. However, what he listened to was not sound, but the feedback of Mana. Usually, Bran always kept his Mana active within a certain range, even while sleeping. Disturbed by this, the old man could not hear Bran from the Mana feedback at all.

Careless, he was only struck unconscious and sent to the Castle when Bran and Danny walked right up to him, handed over to Bran’s father—the Duke.

Bran gained some inspiration from this old man. For a long time, the Mana Bran spread out was active, like tentacles, touching and sensing under conscious control, then receiving feedback. When there was no clear target, this behavior was more like randomly waving arms around, grabbing whatever they touched. So, each time he completely opened his perception was a considerable burden for Bran, consuming significant mental and physical energy, and it was inefficient. Listening, on the other hand, only required passive reception, analysis, and sorting.

Now, he tried adjusting his active Mana perception, attempting to passively receive the information coming from all directions. Consequently, more and more Mana Fluctuations were sensed, beginning to entangle, collide with, and assimilate into the Mana Bran emitted, eventually forming a chaotic noise.

The overwhelming noise instantly invaded his mind, making Bran feel dizzy. The previously maintained Mana perception completely dissipated. Only after a long time did Mana Fluctuations begin to emanate from Bran again, but no longer in a radiating spread. Instead, they began to form a web. Countless nodes surrounded Bran, connecting the Mana into a spherical, large web. Between the nodes, attraction and repulsion coexisted, constantly vibrating and undulating, ultimately causing the newly constructed Mana Web to also vibrate and undulate. As the Mana Web rippled, invisible Mana began to fill the web, rising and falling with it. Then, this fluctuation finally began to spread and synchronize, rising and falling like tides.

When Mana completely filled the Mana Web, it began to overflow from the web outward like a rising tide. This expansion was slow, firm, and unstoppable. It only stopped expanding when it spread about three meters beyond the edge of the Mana Web, then continued to rise and fall with the tides within the web. Now, the various Mana Fluctuations propagating from the surroundings were first washed and assimilated by the outer Mana Tide, then swept over the Mana Web by the tide, finally becoming information Bran could understand. At this point, even through the Castle’s many thick walls, Bran could still see outside, though this suddenly enhanced perception created a strange overlap with his hearing, vision, and touch, like a double image.

This was a spherical Mana Web about two meters in diameter, enveloping Bran in the center. This web no longer required Bran’s conscious control and maintenance; its consumption in this state was minimal. The Mana Web isolated Bran from the outside world, forming a kind of protection, so he was no longer directly exposed to external Mana. The Mana Web, in turn, was wrapped within the overflowing Mana Tide, forming a ring-shaped, layered structure. Now, when Bran used his ability, it was no longer a direct entanglement between himself and the Mana; this way was safer, more convenient, and more flexible.

Now, he only needed to slowly expand this Mana Web to steadily, though slowly, improve his ability. Although this would be a long process, Bran had found the path forward, which put him in an excellent mood.

“Your ability… evolved!?” The old man’s face was filled with shock.

“Yes,” Bran did not hide it.

“After meeting me? You got a hint from my ability?”

“Yes.”

The old man laughed, with envy, jealousy, and also happiness. “This is the first time I’ve seen a Wizard evolve, and right before my eyes. I always thought Wizard Evolution was just a legend. If only I could have earlier…”

“What did you see?” Bran asked.

“Not see, hear. I heard a collapse and an eruption immediately following it, and then I couldn’t hear anything.” He pointed to his ears. “I won’t be able to hear anymore in the future. This exceeded the limits of my ability by far too much. Even if I refused to hear, still…”

“Sorry.” Bran could understand, like how one still hears the roar of cannons even with ears covered.

“It’s nothing. This might be for the best. At least now I’m really starting to hear sounds again. This feeling is quite novel. It’s been so many years…”

The old man thought for a moment. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Ask away.”

“I’ve been traveling with caravans in and out of the Northlands since I was young. The Northlands have never seriously dealt with this kind of spying. Why this year, with no warning at all? Even on the night I was captured, nothing seemed like a major disturbance was coming.”

“Sorry, no one really wants to deal with the Delegation and the caravans. Even the Northlands need you to convey some clear information that won’t cause misunderstandings between both sides. Initially, a Wizard tried to intrude into my Mountain Villa. Then his actions reminded me that there were so many Wizards hidden in the caravans. I just needed Wizards to provide me with some reference and help.

Don’t be surprised or puzzled. Indeed, with the strength of a child like me, I couldn’t handle these things at all. But I have an Attendant, also my family. When such a powerful Warrior truly wants to help you, many things are not difficult to handle.”

Bran heard the old man across from him subconsciously speak a name. “Danny.”

“Yes, Danny. When someone like that strikes with full force, it’s already beyond what ordinary people can guard against.”

“Besides, there was your help, Wizard,” the old man pointed out.

“No, my usefulness is limited; I can only be a pair of eyes. Even if you had really noticed something, what could you have done? It would only have increased the bloodshed. Danny always helps me solve troubles. Whoever needed to be caught, she would make sure to catch them.”

“Your elders wouldn’t let you act so recklessly! How could she obey your orders!?” The old man was somewhat indignant and frustrated.

“You can’t understand now; perhaps you’ve forgotten certain feelings. In your eyes, there’s too much consideration for the bigger picture, too many rules. For Danny and me, simply because I needed it, she would help me. I am still a troublemaking child, and Danny is still too young.

In fact, this help was really useful and crucial for me. And I am truly sorry.

With your status, once caught, there was no hope of leaving alive. The only thing I can do now is to let you die with dignity.”

“When I first joined a Caravan to come to the Northlands, I just wanted to broaden my horizons and hoped to improve my ability. Then, many things gradually started to slip from the control of my own will…”

Bran listened quietly as the old man told his story—his beginnings, his experiences, his helplessness. This was the final comfort he could offer to a man about to die…