775: Competing for special grant Application Slots and This Low-Ring Wizard, You're Joking Too Much!
Team Leader Kelt seemed quite concerned about Locke's situation, sending a message to ask: "You must stay safe. If there are any problems, you can tell me."
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Locke responded through the water gourd system: "No."
"Thank you, Team Leader Kelt."
He had no desire to get involved in such matters; he wasn't even officially holding a position within the White Wizard Association.
With no profit involved, there was no need for him to get caught up in such deep waters.
However, Lilith's Cottage was his alma mater after all, so if he could protect Lilith's Cottage in passing, he would do so.
The solution was simple: once this Black Wizard Alliance meeting adjourned, he would follow the so-called working group leader, kill the leader elected by these Black Wizards, and take out a few candidates as well.
Then, he would follow the Ghost Saint Church, capture Witch Stephania, and question her about the Spell Model she used to pull him into the River Styx back then.
After completing these operations, at least in the short term, it would be difficult for this local Black Wizard Alliance to launch any major offensive actions.
However, Locke was still curious, as it seemed Team Leader Kelt hadn't been very busy lately.
'Leader, you seem to have a lot of free time lately.'
Team Leader Kelt replied to him: 'It's not just "seem," I really do.'
'I recently had a second ring fund project application that was killed by the Academic Committee during the initial screening.'
'The application slots for the second ring fund are limited. To prevent reckless applications, the White Wizard Association grants a certain number of application attempts per year based on the number of Second Ring Wizards in each academy. Therefore, all second ring fund applications are screened internally by the academy first and only sent up after passing. This improves the academy's success rate.'
'But my fund project was eliminated in the initial screening. So lately, I've been stuck in the project conceptualization stage. I really am quite idle. Or rather, anxious...'
Perhaps because they were both Second Ring Wizards, Team Leader Kelt completely opened his heart at this moment.
'Damn it, the Yunze Wetland is even more competitive than other Wizard Lands; it's practically exploding with involution. Elsewhere, you only need to be evaluated every ten or five years to see if you meet the standards, but in the Yunze Wetland, you must meet the assessment standards every three years, or else you face dismissal.'
'I've been worrying lately about whether I can apply for a second ring fund within these three years. If I can't, I'll need enough articles...'
'Or at least enough horizontal projects.'
Team Leader Kelt sent a message to Locke:'Sometimes I really envy you, Locke. You're just a researcher; you don't have to experience the pain and anxiety I'm feeling right now.'
'Sigh, if I get dismissed, I'll leave Golden Crown Mountain and go to the medium-sized organization work area in the Yunze Wetland. That would be the Seven-Colored Nursery. I think the treatment there is good, and it's not as competitive. If I go there, perhaps I can have a more relaxed time.'
Locke blinked.
Good heavens, Team Leader Kelt is so weak.
However, the Seven-Colored Nursery was also part of the Golden Crown Mountain faction, so for Team Leader Kelt, it might indeed be a good place to go.
Team Leader Kelt sent a message to Locke: 'By the way, although you don't face assessment pressure, the special grant at the True Knowledge Institute is different from other projects; it also has application slot limits.'
'Because the True Knowledge Institute of Golden Crown Mountain can only apply once a year, regardless of whether it passes or not. Therefore, the internal Academic Committee of the academy will review the application list in advance.'
'To improve the application success rate, it seems this year's internal list has already been confirmed. However, the internal review for next year's fund applications can begin. The Academic Committee will conduct internal application reviews six months in advance, and three special grant application lists have already been submitted.'
At this time, Locke's main body in the Yunze Wetland immediately took out a Ganoderma Magic Plant to look up relevant information. "Is Team Leader Kelt seeing that I'm too relaxed and trying to make me nervous?"
"However, a Second Ring Wizard like Zalan Bailey is indeed not worthy of being my opponent. But the True Knowledge Institute has at least ten researchers from the Advanced True Knowledge Institute at any given time, plus those ordinary True Knowledge Institute researchers at the Second Ring stage. With the Academic Committee's early internal review, the competition for the special grant fund project can be described as extremely intense."
Team Leader Kelt sent a message to Locke's ancient tree fruit clone: 'However, to apply, you must at least have some good ideas. So you still need to prepare well. You're still young; it's still early. You've definitely missed it this year, but as for next year's special grant plan, it's actually fine if you miss it too.'
'You can wait for the year after next or the year after that.'
'Anyway, you have at least four more application opportunities.'
'Unlike some young people who are about to finish their term; sigh, they only have one last application opportunity left.'
'The special grant is, after all, a small second ring fund. So there are still application slot limits for the institutions, though it belongs to an independent application slot limit. It's simpler than a normal Second Ring application, but not by too much.'
Locke asked in confusion: 'Those people are about to finish their terms, and they still want to apply for a special grant?'
Team Leader Kelt quickly sent back a message. 'Look at what you're saying! Locke, you really don't understand my anxiety at all, though you will later. Of course they can apply; this special grant follows the person.'
'Once you finish your term, you can take the project with you to a new institution. Some institutions might try to stop you, like insisting you leave the project behind and finish it before going, but what kind of place is our Golden Crown Mountain? We have a massive estate and don't care about such small things.'
Locke instantly understood; this was likely a clever tactic.
Applying for a small second ring fund before finishing a term and then going directly to a wizarding academy to take up a teaching position would mean, for the academy, that they were recruiting a Second Ring Wizard who came with their own Second Ring project.
For that Second Ring Wizard, going to any institution would be easier, and they could even slightly upgrade the rank of the academy they intended to join.
And Golden Crown Mountain, with its vast resources, didn't care at all about a special grant being taken away.
In other words, if he were to apply, the ones who would be most frustrated would be the wizards finishing their terms that year who wanted to perform this maneuver.
Locke shook his head slightly; everyone relied on their own abilities, so there was no need to talk about frustration.
Locke's ancient tree clone put away the Ganoderma Magic Plant and looked at the Black Wizards who were currently nominating an outstanding Crystallized Wizard to be the working group leader.
He fell into deep thought.
If that was the case, then if he wanted to get the special grant for the following year, he still needed to accumulate more ideas.
He needed to start preparing now.
After all, the competition was too fierce.
Locke looked toward the Ghost Saint Church with burning eyes. Having been provoked by Team Leader Kelt, he suddenly didn't want to return to Corfu Island; instead, he wanted to quickly find the Ghost Saint Church to search for the Spell Model and establish cooperation with Lilith's Cottage.
On the other side, at Golden Crown Mountain, Team Leader Kelt sat in his office in the Longevity Peach Orchard, looking at the Ganoderma Magic Plant in his hand and laughing.
"Oh, after talking so much with Locke, I'm not anxious anymore."
"Sure enough, anxiety is something that can be shared. When others are anxious, I'm not."
Team Leader Kelt showed a satisfied smile.
"Great, now Locke is the one who's anxious. Sigh, if I had managed to trick that Sun-Herding Dragon into my hands earlier, my pasture enhancement research on increasing the affinity of summoned magical creatures for wizards might have passed the internal review of the Academic Committee."
"What a pity, that dragon was just killed like that by the Rose Throne."
Team Leader Kelt felt a bit of fear when he thought of the Rose Witch's terrifying display of power that day.
It was truly frightening; such a powerful dragon, and the Rose Witch just reached out and touched it, and it turned into a Magic Plant.
If she touched him once, wouldn't he also turn into a Magic Plant?
He didn't dare to think further.
...
In the Southeast Corner Region, after a long period of nomination, Locke saw that the Golden Skeleton King Wizard of the Bone Cult had actually been elected as the leader of this working group.
Clearly, the Golden Skeleton King Wizard himself hadn't expected such a heavy responsibility to be entrusted to him.
Locke summoned the grey mist slate, wanting to ask Harlan Vera about the recent developments in the Southeast Corner Region.
Come to think of it, it had been nearly a year since he last contacted Albert.
The Black Wizard raid had clearly happened at that time, and it was the key point that led to the sudden change in the war situation.
When he had communicated with Albert back then, he only knew that the war in the Southeast Corner Region was in full swing, but he hadn't expected this to happen.
Later, he had been very busy, so he hadn't contacted the wizards of the Southeast Corner Region at all.
Meanwhile, the Golden Skeleton King Wizard laughed loudly. "I thank all my fellow Black Wizards for thinking so highly of me. I will take on this responsibility and destroy the stubborn resistance of Lilith's Cottage for everyone in one fell swoop."
"Lilith's Cottage is just a gathering place for wizards who sell medicine and farm. As long as we target them seriously, they will surely collapse. Hahahaha..."
In the next moment, a blood claw sank into his skull and gripped his soul fire.
The Golden Skeleton King Wizard cried out in horror, "Who are you? Who is it?"
All the skulls on the scepter in his hand, which had six golden skulls, floated up. Each head fired a Negative Energy Ray at the person attacking the Golden Skeleton King Wizard.
However, before these Negative Energy Rays could land on the person, they were swallowed by him in one gulp.
The wizards of the Bone Cult were all shocked.
"Is it a White Wizard?"
"No, it's an elder from the Blood Curse Court who suddenly moved. He's a Vampire. What rank? A Count?"
"What exactly does the Blood Curse Court want? Don't think that just because your lineage has a special status in the Pale Pilgrimage, you can do whatever you want!"
The Black Wizards of the Blood Curse Court were also dazed.
Especially the Blood Lord; in an instant, he felt the magic pressure of many Crystallized Wizards present locking onto him, ready to attack at any moment.
He was clearly being mistaken for having planned the sneak attack on the leader of the Bone Cult wizards.
But he hadn't.
At this time, the female cult leader of the Ghost Saint Church questioned him: "Blood Lord, no matter how much you want the position of leader, you don't need to use such methods. The Alliance Leader is still watching."
Hammerke acted directly; his skull opened its mouth and spat out a dagger. The dagger, wrapped in grey death energy, shot toward the attacking Vampire elder like a dart.
However, the Vampire elder suddenly opened his large mouth and swallowed the dagger directly, chewing it for a moment.
"Tastes good."
"Just too weak."
Locke blinked, recognizing this suddenly attacking Vampire as one of the Black Wizards from the magic carriage convoy he had followed before; it was also he who had suddenly killed the Dullahan and divided its parts.
Damn, I was careless.
Locke secretly warned himself. Locke, oh Locke, you've really let your guard down.
After becoming a Second Ring Wizard, his vigilance had actually dropped to this level.
Locke looked at the Vampire and smiled: "Hussein, I should have guessed it was you. Otherwise, I would have killed those seven Black Wizards back then, but you suddenly killed that Dullahan."
"I should have thought then that it wasn't a coincidence. When did you arrive in the Southeast Corner Region?"
Hussein said: "A week before you."
"Because a problem arose."
"Locke, I'm in a bit of trouble now."
These Black Wizards suddenly sensed something was wrong and simultaneously looked at Locke, who was mixed in the crowd of the Blood Curse Court.
Another spy?
At the same time, they glared at the Blood Lord of the Blood Curse Court, feeling that if one Blood Curse Court produced two spies, then the Blood Lord certainly wasn't clean.
The Blood Lord was unable to defend himself; he glared at the two people in his own camp, and a sudden chill ran down his spine.
These two... who are they?
Locke walked out of the crowd and stood before Hussein.
"How big is your trouble?"
Hussein said: "Very big, very big. You can see my current state."
Locke nodded slightly; Hussein's current magic pressure was roughly over ten thousand, and this was his main body, not a clone.
This meant he had become a Second Ring Wizard.
And since the last time they met, he had been about 900 short of the First Ring limit magic pressure, and now he was already a Second Ring Wizard.
And he said he had run into trouble.
So, there was only one possibility.
"You found the inheritance left by the Progenitor Wizard in the Everlasting Hall of Glory, but there's a trap in that inheritance?"
Hussein nodded and said: "Yes. It's easy talking to smart people. So I want to ask you to help me kill all the wizards of the Blood Curse Court faction here. I expect even a Second Ring level wizard from the Pale Pilgrimage might act; if he does, I want you to help me. If he doesn't appear, then I still owe you a favor."
"In return, I can do one thing for you to the best of my ability."
"I didn't expect you to be here."
Locke thought for a moment and said: "In my view, you're talking about two things. So, you owe me two favors in return. One is to help me decipher a map, and the other is to help me with Plane exploration."
He was still short of people for his Plane exploration.
To conduct Plane exploration, he needed to at least assemble a project team.
If he had the help of a trustworthy friend like Hussein, it would be much simpler.
Hussein said: "Fine. The deal is struck."
Meanwhile, the Blood Lord was nearly dying of rage.
"What is going on? Who exactly are you two? Why did you appear in my team?"
The female cult leader of the Ghost Saint Church looked at the two of them gloomily and said: "Truly bold enough. Tell me, who are you?"
Locke looked at her with interest.
"It's been a long time since we met. Bold? Little low-ring wizard, your joke is taking it too far."
In the next moment, Locke appeared behind her.
"Little friend, I happen to need a Spell Model in your hand; I wonder if you could share it with me. I've heard that Black Wizards are all very hospitable."
Witch Stephania's pupils suddenly shrank; she was shocked that Locke appeared directly behind her without her noticing at all.
"How is it possible..."