Ten minutes passed in quiet contemplation as Ivan remained seated in the silent corner of the library, his mind moving far faster than his still body suggested. The information from The General History of the Wizarding Plane continued to circulate through his thoughts, layer after layer being analyzed, reorganized, and connected. Nearly two million years of development—such a span of time was almost unimaginable. Compared to his previous life on Earth, where human civilization barely stretched back five thousand years, the scale here felt overwhelming.
At first, Ivan had believed that the wizarding world was merely a powerful planetary civilization, perhaps advanced in magic but still limited in scope. With Nova's technological legacy as his foundation, he had once planned to slowly rise, gather knowledge, and eventually dominate this plane before stepping into the wider universe. But now, that idea felt naïve. The existence of seventh and even eighth-rank wizards—beings capable of destroying entire planes—had completely overturned his assumptions.
His thoughts gradually settled into clarity. Conquering such a civilization head-on was impossible, at least for now. What he needed was time, patience, and a solid foundation. His first goal became clear—to break through into a first-level wizard. Only then would he truly step onto the path of power. After that, he would begin to build his own force, slowly and carefully, gathering resources and influence. The higher the level, the more terrifying the consumption of resources became. Without a supporting force, advancement would be painfully slow.
With that conclusion reached, Ivan finally stood up, closed the heavy book, and placed it back into its designated shelf slot. His gaze did not linger. Almost immediately, he shifted toward other sections of the library, moving with a clear purpose as he selected books on basic wizardry knowledge, alchemy, potionology, necromancy, and—most importantly—materials.
To Ivan, materials were not merely resources. They were the backbone of every civilization—whether magical or technological. Without suitable materials, nothing could be constructed or sustained. Even many spells and magical devices were fundamentally derived from the properties of various specialized materials. In his understanding, no system of power could exist independently of them.
With so many books in hand, Ivan did not read them in the traditional sense. He simply flipped through the pages rapidly, one after another, as if memorizing nothing at all on the surface. Yet in truth, Nova was silently recording everything through Ivan's vision, capturing each page with perfect precision and storing it for later analysis.
Although Ivan did not activate Nova's scanning ray, he deliberately avoided doing so. He feared that any abnormal energy fluctuations would attract the attention of high-level wizards within the academy, potentially exposing Nova's existence. Because of this, he chose the most primitive yet safest method of information collection—manual visual scanning assisted by Nova's passive recording ability.
With Nova assisting in the background, the information from one book after another was continuously stored, organized, and indexed. It was an invisible yet highly efficient process, hidden beneath Ivan's calm exterior. Around him, other wizard apprentices gradually noticed his behavior. A few glanced over with mild curiosity, watching him flipping pages at an almost unnatural speed. However, none of them reacted strongly.
After all, once a person stepped into the wizard apprentice stage, both mental energy and cognitive ability underwent a significant transformation. Memory retention and comprehension increased dramatically, allowing most content to be grasped in a single reading. What once required repeated study could now be understood at a glance. Even so, Ivan's speed was still unusual among wizard seeds. A few apprentices showed faint traces of surprise, but it quickly faded.
In the White Ring Saint Academy, extraordinary talents were not rare in the slightest. In fact, the academy existed precisely because it gathered the most gifted individuals from across the wizard plane. As a result, while Ivan stood out, he did not stand alone. In a place where geniuses gathered like rivers converging into a sea, even brilliance could blend into the background if it did not reach a truly shocking level.
Time slipped by unnoticed until Nova's calm voice gently reminded him that evening had already arrived. Ivan paused, his fingers still resting on the page, a trace of surprise flashing across his eyes. It felt as if only a short while had passed, yet in reality, several hours had already gone by. Letting out a quiet breath, he steadied himself and quickly finished the final section of the book in his hands before lifting his gaze toward the library entrance, while simultaneously instructing Nova to organize and analyze all the collected data into a structured and detailed report.
As Ivan approached the library entrance, he immediately noticed Olivia standing there, waiting quietly near the doorway. Her posture was relaxed, her expression calm, as if she had been standing there for some time without the slightest impatience. Seeing her, Ivan's steps unconsciously quickened, and as he came closer, a faint trace of guilt surfaced in his eyes. Stopping right in front of her, he spoke in a low, apologetic tone, "I am extremely sorry… I became too absorbed in reading and completely lost track of time. I'm really sorry for keeping you waiting."
Olivia looked at him, and upon seeing the concern and guilt in his expression, a gentle smile appeared on her face. She waved her hand lightly and replied, "I haven't been waiting for very long. I only arrived about half an hour ago." There was no complaint in her voice, only a soft, reassuring warmth. Hearing her answer, Ivan wasn't convinced in his heart, but what could he say? He simply gave a small, wry smile.
After a brief pause, the two of them walked toward the front desk together. Under the watchful gaze of the old wizard apprentice, they scanned their badges one after another, the faint glow of the verification array flickering momentarily. With the formalities complete, they stepped out of the library side by side, leaving behind the quiet, almost sacred atmosphere of knowledge and study.
The moment they exited, a cool evening breeze greeted them. Both of them instinctively lifted their gaze toward a large building not far from the teaching district. The structure stood prominently, illuminated by soft magical lights—it was the academy cafeteria. Although food could be delivered directly to the residential district through automated assistants, the existence of the cafeteria near the teaching district served an important purpose.
Many classes and experimental sessions conducted by wizard apprentices often stretched for long hours, leaving little time to return to their quarters. Because of this, many apprentices preferred to eat in the cafeteria. The cafeteria is not only for eating but also to interact and socialize with their peers. Noticing that it was already evening, Ivan and Olivia exchanged a brief glance and silently reached the same decision. Instead of returning, they would eat here today.
As they drew closer, the faint hum of voices gradually grew louder, filling the air with a lively energy that stood in complete contrast to the silence of the library. The quiet stillness behind them faded away, replaced by the vibrant, bustling atmosphere ahead. Inside, the scene was lively. Long tables filled the spacious hall, with hundreds of wizard apprentices eating, talking, and occasionally arguing over various topics. Ivan and Olivia didn't linger and instead walked straight toward the serving area.
Behind the counter stood an alchemy puppet, its movements precise, as if every gesture had been calculated countless times before. With a subtle wave of its hand, a translucent menu projection unfolded before Ivan and Olivia, listing a wide variety of dishes. The options ranged from ordinary meals to carefully prepared foods infused with magical ingredients, including dishes made from low-tier magical beast. At the highest tier, some dishes even used meat from first-level magical beasts, each plate priced at over a hundred magic stones—an amount far beyond what most apprentices could afford.
Ivan and Olivia did not linger on the extravagant listings. Without hesitation, they chose simpler but still valuable apprentice-tier dishes. Ivan ordered a steak prepared from a domesticated magical beast known as the Flaming Buffalo, while Olivia selected a dish made from Silver Fish, a common aquatic magical species found in rivers and lakes throughout the wizard plane. Even among apprentice-level resources, these ingredients carried genuine value, representing controlled cultivation and proper magical nourishment rather than wild beast meat.
The cost reflected that quality. Ivan's meal required one magic stone and twenty magic coins, while Olivia's dish cost one magic stone. As Ivan completed the payment, he noticed the unfamiliar golden coins mixed in his change, each faintly carrying a trace of mana fluctuation. Curious, he turned slightly and asked the alchemy puppet about them. The puppet replied in a flat, mechanical tone that magic coins were produced by compressing residual dust from magic stones, combined with low-level magical materials, forming a standardized lower currency.
Ivan then asked why gold was not used as currency instead. The puppet answered without hesitation that gold could be easily made through alchemy techniques, making it practically worthless within wizard society. Without inherent magical properties, gold held no stable value in a world driven by energy and materials that could interact with mana. Ivan nodded slowly.
They carried their food to a quieter corner of the cafeteria and sat down as the surrounding noise softened into a distant hum. The moment Ivan took his first bite, a warm surge spread through his body like a controlled flame flowing beneath his skin. It was not painful—instead, it felt strangely invigorating. Energy radiated from his stomach and circulated through his limbs, strengthening his physique with every passing second. Compared to his usual training, the effect was surprisingly efficient, almost equivalent to an entire day of cultivation.
Ivan, who was already at the peak of a low-level knight stage, felt the change most clearly. According to his estimation, he would normally require nearly a month of steady training to break through to the mid-level knight rank. Yet this single meal had noticeably accelerated his internal circulation. It was not enough to replace cultivation entirely, but it was certainly a powerful supplementary resource. In his mind, a quiet conclusion formed—occasional consumption of magical beast meat could significantly improve physical development efficiency.
Olivia, meanwhile, described a different sensation. Her expression softened slightly as she explained that she felt a cool, soothing energy spreading through her body, gently reinforcing her vitality and mental clarity. Unlike Ivan's burning sensation, hers was calm and stabilizing, as if her body was being subtly refined rather than forcefully strengthened. Hearing this, Ivan further confirmed that magical beast ingredients provided adaptive effects depending on the user's energy structure and constitution.
Just as they continued eating, two figures approached their table, each carrying a tray. One was a slightly chubby boy, while the other was a girl with a calm, bookish demeanor. They paused briefly at the edge of the table, exchanging a quick glance before the boy spoke in a polite tone. "Hello… we are newly initiated wizard seeds," he said carefully. "Can we sit here? All the nearby seats are already taken." Ivan glanced around the cafeteria once. It was indeed as the boy said—every nearby table was occupied. Sensing no hostility in their tone or posture, he gave a small nod of approval.
"Thank you," the boy said with relief. The two newcomers settled down—Phil sitting beside Ivan, and the girl beside Olivia. After adjusting their trays, the boy straightened slightly and introduced himself. "I'm Phil Heslin. From the Heslin wizard family of the White Wing Saint Academy's affiliated plane… the Blackstone Plane." Then the girl followed calmly, pushing her glasses up slightly before speaking. "I'm Emily Blackwood.Blackwood wizard family… also from the Blackstone Plane, one of the academy's affiliated worlds."
Ivan observed them quietly as they spoke. Phil had a slightly round face and a casual, harmless expression. His dark blue hair stood out under the cafeteria lights, contrasting with his black eyes. Emily, on the other hand, carried a quiet, studious aura. Her light blue hair, soft facial features, and faint dimples gave her a refined but gentle appearance—like someone who spent more time with books than people. After a brief pause, Ivan spoke. "Aren't you guys from the wizarding plane?"
Phil shook his head immediately. "No, we are from the Blackstone Plane, a fourth-class medium plane that was conquered and brought under the White Wing Saint Academy roughly two thousand years ago." He paused for a moment before continuing,"The academy controls many low-level and medium-level planes that were conquered and brought under its rule as affiliated planes. Every five years, those affiliated wizard academies selects wizard seeds from the entire plane and train them specifically for the main academy's future plane conquests."
Then he added with a small shrug. "Normally, we would train in our home academy, but both of our families have some connection with the main White Wing Saint Academy. So we were transferred directly here." Olivia tilted her head slightly and asked, curious. "Isn't that more troublesome? Moving across planes just to study?" Phil gave a faint wry smile. "It should be… but the energy density here is on a completely different level. The Wizarding Plane is a high-level world. Compared to medium or low-level planes, cultivation foundations formed here are much stronger and progress is faster. If possible, everyone would choose to come here."
Ivan listened without interrupting, his eyes slightly lowered in thought. At that moment, Olivia spoke again, shifting the topic. "What exactly is a wizard family?" This time, Emily answered instead of Phil. "A wizard family is an organization formed through bloodline inheritance," she said calmly. "Most of them are established by wizards who have reached the end of their lifespan and cannot advance further. They hope their descendants can continue walking the path they couldn't complete."
Ivan remained silent, but his attention sharpened slightly. He was already familiar with the complex history of wizard families. In the ancient wizard era, two primary forces dominated the wizarding plane: the wizard families and the wizard tower organizations.
According to ancient records, a wizard tower organization was fundamentally centered around a powerful wizard who had constructed their own tower. They would recruit and train apprentices, molding them into a force used to conquer other planes and gather the vast resources necessary for the tower master's own cultivation.
On the other hand, wizard families operated through blood relations, but they were governed by an extreme belief in purity. They adhered strictly to the bloodline theory, which posited that offspring born from two wizards would possess far greater aptitude than those who awakened naturally from commoners. To keep this power concentrated, families intermarried internally for generations.
While their descendants often possessed the desired talent, the practice had a fatal flaw. Over time, genetic stability collapsed. Many were born with physical deformities, unstable mental conditions, and various other debilitating problems. It was only after the formation of the Wizard Council that reforms were forcefully imposed.
The Council banned extreme bloodline isolation, requiring families to integrate outside talent to stabilize their lineages. Since then, wizard families have become more balanced, but their overall strength has gradually declined. With the concept of purity shattered, high-level wizards—blessed with near-infinite lifespans—gradually became distant from their kin.
Today, most wizard families have at most third-rank wizards, as those at the third rank still face a definite lifespan limit. Beyond the fourth rank, however, the concept of a natural death is virtually unknown. In the history of wizard civilization, no fourth-rank wizard or above has ever died of old age; they only fall in the heat of battle or while exploring the treacherous depths of the void and ancient ruins.