"Extracting the memories of the Star Hunters' clergy while bypassing the gods' restrictions..."
Grand Wizard Yude's voice was deep and powerful, each syllable carrying immense weight, making the atmosphere in the room heavy and oppressive.
He slowly raised his head, his sharp, hawk-like gaze sweeping across the room as if it could pierce through souls.
"So, you are a Nature Wizard... That explains everything."
Standing at the center of the room, Grand Wizard Yude held himself tall and firm, like a blade ready to cut down any enemy at a moment's notice.
His features were sharply defined, his eyes as keen as knives, and within his deep pupils lurked a majesty that was unbearable to most.
Even though he wasn't actively releasing his magical aura, merely standing there gave off the suffocating pressure of a predator overlooking its prey.
This was Yude, one of the highest commanders of the Thirteenth War Fortress, a Tier Three Grand Wizard!
Though he had restrained his magical presence, Lynn could still feel an invisible weight pressing down on him a suppression only those of higher standing could exert, akin to a god looking down upon mortals.
Besides Grand Wizard Yude, three others were in the room: Lynn, Gilru, and Martha.
But none of them dared to move, nor even breathe too loudly.
When Yude's piercing gaze swept over them, Lynn barely managed to endure it, as he was one of Yude's subordinates and thus subjected to less pressure.
Gilru and Martha, however, were not so fortunate.
They were frozen, their bodies chilled to the bone as if submerged in an icy abyss.
The mere weight of Yude's gaze made them feel as though they were sinking into a bottomless pit.
Such was the power of a Tier Three Grand Wizard!
Lynn remained still. Though his heart surged with questions, his expression stayed composed. His gaze sharpened as he looked directly into Yude's eyes and slowly asked,
"Lord Yude, what do you mean by that?"
While he could sense Yude's overwhelming presence, his mind was occupied with too many doubts.
A Nature Wizard? What did that have to do with breaking the gods' restrictions?
He had always known he was a Nature Wizard so was his mentor, Rosalind, and the powerful entity known as the Will of the Maple Tree.
But he knew little about the true origins of the Nature Wizards.
What was Grand Wizard Yude trying to say?
Hearing Lynn's question, Yude slowly withdrew his gaze, though his eyes still glowed with an unreadable depth.
He remained silent for a moment, and then his hawk-like eyes swept over Lynn again, lingering briefly on Gilru and Martha.
For that brief moment, both Gilru and Martha felt like they had been thrown into an ice-cold abyss, not daring to make a single move.
It was as if some incomprehensible force had locked onto them one wrong step, and they would be torn apart in an instant.
Yet, Yude did not intensify his pressure. He merely withdrew his gaze, turned around with his hands clasped behind his back, and spoke calmly.
"Our Wizard civilization has thrived for so long because we have always embraced both absorption and transformation, evolving in a spiral of progress."
"In the early days, we waged wars at sea, giving rise to the Ocean Wizards; we battled underground, leading to the birth of the Earth Wizards; we explored the void and studied souls, thus creating the Astrological Wizards and Soul Wizards..."
"And Nature Wizards, too, were a product of this ongoing evolution."
His voice carried a certain power, making it impossible to ignore. Every word echoed clearly through the room.
"Like all other wizarding disciplines, Nature Wizards emerged as a branch of our civilization. However, what sets them apart is this perhaps their origins do not belong to the Wizarding civilization itself."
Yude's eyes locked onto Lynn once more, his gaze complex, his tone firm and certain.
"The power of Nature Wizards... may have originated from a great and powerful deity of the Divine Civilization."
The air in the room seemed to freeze.
Lynn's pupils contracted slightly, while Gilru and Martha looked at Yude in shock.
A deity? Was the origin of Nature Wizards tied to the gods?
"But you need not worry."
Yude's voice remained steady, his gaze as deep as a mirror reflecting their innermost thoughts.
"Since Nature Wizards have already been fully integrated as an official branch of Wizardry, it means they have long been recognized and filtered by the essence of our Wizard civilization. There is no longer any contamination from the Divine Civilization."
Lynn, Gilru, and Martha all had their suspicions, and Yude saw right through them.
With a mere glance, he grasped their thoughts and unhurriedly explained,
"In truth, the formation of many Wizard disciplines involved assimilating and adapting knowledge from foreign civilizations. The Wizarding world has always evolved by drawing from various otherworldly forces and turning them into our own."
"However... the origins of Nature Wizards are indeed more ancient, more powerful, and perhaps even more terrifying than any other Wizard discipline."
He paused briefly, his eyes gleaming with an unfathomable light, like stars in the night sky.
"But no matter what, as long as the essence of the Wizard world has validated it, as long as a Star Wizard once walked the path of Nature Wizards, then this path is legitimate."
That being said, even though they were free from the 'contamination' of the Divine Civilization,
Some Nature Wizards still retained certain 'bad habits' from that civilization.
Things like churches, deities, worship, and prayers...
Lynn's mentor, Rosalind, was one such Nature Wizard. She was deeply devout to a deity that had been purified by the Wizard's essence.
Was the truth about the Nature Wizards' origins truly a well-guarded secret?
In a sense, it was relatively obscure.
But it wasn't a secret that required absolute confidentiality.
More importantly, Lynn had made significant contributions this time, so Yude shared this information with him as a small reward.
"I am not a Nature Wizard myself, so I do not know the deeper details. But what I can tell you is this if you want to learn more, you will find all the answers in the land where Nature Wizards gather... the Natural Theocracy."
Grand Wizard Yude spoke to Lynn with an air of finality. To him, taking the time to converse with lower-ranked Wizards was already a special gesture, done in recognition of Lynn's achievements as a 'fortunate one.'
He paused for a moment, then, without further elaboration, waved his hand and spoke in a neutral tone,
"Proceed with the plan set up the traps and execute the operation against the Star Hunters as planned. If necessary, I will personally intervene."
"During this time, I will remain here. If anything happens, I will make my presence known."
The moment he finished speaking, Grand Wizard Yude's figure suddenly disappeared!
It was as if he had never existed there wasn't even the slightest ripple left in the air.
The overwhelming pressure vanished in an instant, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to start flowing again!
Gilru and Martha almost simultaneously let out a deep breath, as if they had been carrying a massive weight on their shoulders and could finally breathe freely.
Martha couldn't help but clutch her heaving chest, her delicate face still showing lingering fear as she murmured,
"When Lord Yude was here, I didn't even dare to breathe too hard… He was terrifying…"
Gilru, on the other hand, stretched his shoulders forcefully, easing his tensed muscles before looking at Lynn with a sigh.
"I knew it, Lynn, your luck is incredible. With Lord Yude on our side this time, we've practically won without lifting a finger… No matter how many people the Star Hunters send, they'll all die here…"
Hearing this, Lynn spread his hands, his eyes showing a hint of helplessness as he smiled bitterly.
"I just requested reinforcements from above. I originally thought, at most, a Second-Level Grand Wizard would be dispatched. I never expected Lord Yude to come personally..."
Grand Wizard Yude Third-Level Wizard!
This result was completely beyond Lynn's expectations.
With a Third-Level Grand Wizard taking action, unless the Star Hunters sent someone of the same level, no matter how many came, they would be walking to their deaths.
But since this place wasn't too far from the War Fortress, the truly powerful followers of the Goddess must also understand this, and they wouldn't dare approach recklessly.
However, at that moment, Gilru suddenly shook his head, his expression turning strange. His gaze carried a hint of amusement as he said,
"…No, Lord Yude didn't come in person."
As soon as he said this, Lynn and Martha were both stunned for a moment, a look of doubt flashing across their eyes as they turned to Gilru in unison.
Lord Yude had been standing right here how could he not have come personally?
Lynn's mind couldn't help but recall the scene of Grand Wizard Yude's departure just now.
That overwhelming pressure was not something an ordinary wizard could fake. But Gilru's tone was so certain that Lynn had no choice but to think deeper.
"What do you mean by that?" Martha couldn't help but ask.
Gilru coughed lightly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he slowly explained,
"You both should know that the process of advancing from a First-Level to a Third-Level Wizard is essentially about trying to 'materialize' spiritual power, right?"
Lynn and Martha both nodded slightly.
Materializing spiritual power was a key aspect of a wizard's cultivation.
From intangible spiritual power to a condensed physical form, this was the mark of high-ranking wizards stepping into greater realms.
Seeing their agreement, Gilru's lips curved into a mysterious smile as he continued,
"Once spiritual power is materialized, it can take on all kinds of physical forms…"
As he spoke, he slowly raised his finger, and a thin wisp of mist gently emerged at his fingertip, like a breeze brushing across the surface of the water ethereal yet elusive.
Lynn's gaze sharpened slightly. He could sense that this was not ordinary elemental energy but pure spiritual power!
"Of course,"
Gilru chuckled lightly before closing his fingers, causing the mist at his fingertip to dissipate.
"This is just a simulated form. True materialized spiritual power is far beyond this."
"What I mean is…"
He paused for a moment, his expression turning serious as he spoke slowly,
"For Third-Level Grand Wizards, their spiritual power has already reached a fully materialized state. They can even use it to create an avatar almost indistinguishable from their real body!"
Spiritual Power Avatar?!
Lynn and Martha both inhaled sharply at the same time, shock appearing on their faces.
If Gilru's speculation was true…
Then the Grand Wizard Yude they had just seen might not have been his real body at all, but merely an avatar created from spiritual power?!
Lynn carefully recalled Yude's appearance. Indeed, there had been something strange about it he hadn't left behind any permanent magical imprints.
Even when he appeared and disappeared, it felt as though he had seamlessly blended into the surrounding space.
This situation was highly likely to be a sign of a spiritual power avatar!
After all, Third-Level Grand Wizards were the true high-ranking figures in this war how could they easily step onto the battlefield themselves?
If they were only sending a spiritual power avatar, then everything made perfect sense.
"…If that's the case, then the power of a Third-Level Wizard is simply terrifying."
Martha whispered, her voice trembling slightly, clearly still reeling from the revelation.
"Yeah."
Lynn nodded, then his gaze flickered as he suddenly noticed Gilru's fingers, his expression turning a bit curious.
"Gilru, you…"
Staring at the wisp of mist Gilru had just conjured, Lynn suddenly realized something, his voice tinged with surprise.
"Are you about to break through to a Second-Level Wizard?!"
Lynn clearly remembered that the last time he met Gilru, although he was quite strong, he was at most mid-stage First-Level Wizard.
Now, judging by his display, he was already at the peak of First-Level Wizard!
Gilru froze for a moment before grinning, his eyes gleaming with amusement. The corners of his lips lifted as he said nonchalantly,
"War has always been the best way to redistribute wealth and resources. On the battlefield, it's not uncommon to rise in a single leap."
Indeed, during wartime, all sorts of rare resources that were otherwise impossible to obtain were now available.
Although they remained precious, they were no longer in a state of "valuable but unobtainable." As long as one had enough military merits, they were within reach.
Lynn still vividly remembered how he and Sonya had used their war merits to exchange for various items at the Spirit Eye Furnace…
After a brief moment of silence, the three returned to their discussion, focusing on the details of setting traps and luring the Star Hunters' spies.
Their discussion lasted a long time until every detail was finalized, after which they finally dispersed.
Only Lynn remained in the room.
He stood there in deep thought, his mind still echoing Gilru's words.
Grand Wizard Yude's spiritual power avatar… the Star Hunters' movements…
In the end, as other thoughts gradually faded, what lingered in Lynn's mind the most was still his Yfgríd and the profession of Nature Wizard.
"It has ties to the Civilization of the Gods? I can't even begin to imagine…"
Lynn's gaze turned deep. If the Nature Wizard profession truly originated from the Civilization of the Gods…
Then ever since he arrived in this world, he had been dealing with the Civilization of the Gods all along.
The "landscape" was a method the Civilization of the Gods used to attack the Wizard Civilization.
The otherworldly beings that fixated on him were the remnants of civilizations destroyed by the Civilization of the Gods.
And now, even the Nature Wizard path was closely linked to that civilization…
However, Grand Wizard Yude had mentioned one thing
Once one stepped into the realm of the Morning Star Wizard, they would come under the gaze of the Wizard's Origin, proving their path was safe and free from the "corruption" of the Civilization of the Gods.
So, the path of the Nature Wizard should be safe, and his Yfgríd should also be fine.
"It's a pity that the Maple Tree hasn't awakened… I have too many questions I want to ask right now…"
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