The next morning, Slade woke feeling refreshed. He changed into a crisp linen shirt and wool trousers, throwing a black robe over the top.
He looked at his handsome reflection in the mirror, nodding in satisfaction.
If he had looked like this in his past life, he might have been the king of the seas!
Stepping outside, Slade saw the skeleton soldiers still dutifully standing guard. However, they had shifted slightly into the shade, trying to escape the harsh rays of the sun.
After all, they were still mere skeletons, susceptible to the ravages of the weather.
Unable to move the skeletons, Slade considered finding a carriage to transport the treasure to the city lord's mansion.
Just then, the wizard's figure appeared again.
"Slade, let's head to the city lord's mansion first. We can set off once the others arrive."
Slade paused for a moment before taking out the Mad Blade Slash book and several of the largest gems. He presented them respectfully.
"My lord, this is a small token of my appreciation for your assistance."
The black-robed wizard glanced at the offerings, and a faint sneer echoed from beneath his hood, his voice drifting like smoke.
"Mortal martial arts and gold and silver are of no use to wizards, they're no more than dust."
"Keep them for yourself, but I suggest you don't waste your time on those combat skills. That's the knight's path, and your talent is better suited for something more fitting."
Slade understood and took the items back, feeling a touch of disappointment. It seemed the small fortune he had painstakingly accumulated was of no value.
What a shame, was this wealth just going to be wasted?
Noticing the regret in Slade's eyes, the wizard waved his arm, and in an instant, the skeletons and the large chests were gone.
"Let's go."
Slade nodded, leading Mary toward the city lord's mansion.
On their way, Slade stopped to buy a loaf of white bread with three times the usual amount of bacon and three bowls of milk oatmeal porridge.
Hmm... drink one and throw the other away...
Mary, sipping her milk, looked at him in confusion.
"Lord Slade, what are you doing?"
"Nothing, just experiencing the life of a tycoon."
When they arrived at the city lord's mansion, the others had already gathered in the main hall, chatting casually and occasionally glancing toward the gate in anticipation.
As soon as they saw Slade, the group hurried over to greet him.
The city lord, noticing his arrival, also approached and handed Slade a small pouch.
"Mr. Slade, these are the little gifts from last night. I've converted them into magic stones for your convenience."
"Magic stones? What are those?"
Slade opened the pouch out of curiosity and found five stones inside, gleaming faintly with a bluish light.
He picked one up and examined it closely, feeling an abundant energy within it.
So this is for restoring energy... a "blue bottle"?
Noticing Slade's confusion, the city lord explained, "Magic stones are the universal currency in the wizarding world. They can be used to replenish magical power, construct magical arrays, and more. They're incredibly versatile." You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
"Oh? They're the currency of wizards?" Slade's interest piqued.
While ordinary gold and silver were useless in the wizarding world, these magic stones, despite being only five in number, were worth far more than gold and silver.
Just then, a black-robed wizard entered the hall, ready to lead the group.
Slade quickly stepped forward.
"Lord Sir, my box..."
The wizard paused, then waved his hand, summoning the wooden box into the hall.
Slade opened it to reveal a pile of gold, silver, and jewels.
"Lord City Lord, I would like to exchange these treasures for a few more magic stones. Would that be possible...?"
The city lord's plump face twitched slightly at the request.
Does he think I need his treasures?
It's important to note that there are no magic stone mines in the mortal realm, and magic stones are rare, making them incredibly valuable. These five magic stones, if properly valued, would be worth at least 50,000 gold coins.
The "little gifts" the nobles had given Slade were worth far less, and it was actually the city lord who, hoping to curry favor, had paid for them out of his own pocket.
He hadn't expected this clever young man to ask for more in exchange.
This box of treasures? It wouldn't even be worth half a magic stone!
But... since Slade had asked, refusing might displease him.
Fine. I'll have to go along with it, even if it costs me some dignity!
Thinking it over, the stiff smile on the city lord's face softened, and with a hint of reluctance, he summoned a guard and whispered something to him.
The guard hurried out of the hall and soon returned with a money pouch made of gold-threaded fabric, handing it over to the city lord.
Without even glancing at it, the city lord immediately passed it to Slade.
"Mr. Slade, my Blackswamp City is but a small place, and I don't have many magic stones. I hope you understand."
Slade took the pouch and felt inside, it contained about three magic stones. Well, every little bit helps.
After sincerely thanking the city lord, Slade and the group followed the wizard out of the mansion. Three magnificent carriages, already waiting, carried them out of the city.
Once they had traveled some distance, the carriages came to a halt. Everyone disembarked, looking around at the empty wilderness in confusion.
Why stop here?
The wizard didn't answer their unspoken question. He simply led his seven apprentices to an open patch of ground.
Chanting incomprehensible syllables, the wizard summoned a swirling mass of negative energy that rapidly condensed into a magic circle, appearing out of thin air in the open space. The circle expanded, and from it emerged a giant bird with a wingspan exceeding ten meters, its entire body composed of white bones.
A ghostly blue soul fire burned in its eye sockets, and each flap of its leaky bone wings created powerful gusts of wind.
"All of you, get on," the wizard commanded.
The apprentices exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to proceed. The skeleton bird was enormous, and how were they supposed to climb it? This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Slade cautiously approached the bird's bone wings, preparing to climb the ramp they seemed to form.
As he reached them, he was surprised to find the wings wriggling like putty, then solidifying into steps.
Wow... so advanced?!
Slade climbed the steps and found a flat spot on the bird's broad back, though it was a little uncomfortable.
Seeing this, the other apprentices followed suit, quickly finding their own places on the skeletal bird.
Once everyone was seated, the skeleton began to move again, extending "bone bands" to bind everyone securely.
Slade remained calm.
He recognized what this was, it was essentially a seatbelt!
The wizard flew to the bird's head, sitting cross-legged and stroking its skull.
The bird emitted a silent cry, flapped its wings, and soared into the sky. The powerful wind pressure caused the apprentices to gasp and cling tightly to the skeletons around them.
The bird flew at incredible speed, and Blackswamp City quickly shrank beneath them.
Slade had originally planned to foster a better relationship with the wizard and ask about the wizarding world, but the strong wind made it impossible for him to speak.
Well… once he opened his mouth, he couldn't close it.
The others weren't faring much better. The once-beautiful Lillian and aloof Eileen now looked disheveled in the gale, their hair flying around them like golden lions.
As time passed, the cold at such heights began to sink in, and the apprentices started to shiver from the chill.
It seemed the wizard hadn't been considerate enough. An energy shield would've made the flight much more comfortable.
Half a day later, a damp, salty sea breeze blew over them, and ahead, an endless expanse of blue sea appeared on the horizon.
The bone bird flapped its wings and landed on a makeshift dock by the shore, where a strangely designed sailing ship was moored and waiting.
The three-masted vessel, crafted from dark wood and massive bones, looked like something from the dark forces.
It was the ship of the Bone Spire Academy, "Netherbone."
If such a ship sailed the seas, pirates would likely turn tail and flee.
On the dock, another wizard in grey robes stood waiting, his style completely different from Lord Clark's. Unlike the mysterious, concealed approach of the first wizard, this one didn't use a hood or mist to hide his features. He displayed himself openly, clearly confident in his appearance.
His face was withered, his skin an unhealthy, waxy yellow, and his cheekbones were unnaturally pronounced. But what caught attention most were the inhuman parts of his face.
His left eye had been completely replaced with a compound eye that continuously rotated, flashing a cold red light. It resembled the eye of some massive insect, with finely rotating lenses that inspired a deep unease.
His right arm, from the elbow down, had been replaced with a limb that ended in a gleaming bone blade.
Clearly, his close-combat abilities were extraordinary.
Below his left knee, his leg was composed of several dark purple, tentacle-like appendages. These soft, yet strong, tentacles supported his weight and wriggled restlessly, patting the ground as he stood.
The black-robed wizard, Clark, exchanged a few words with the gray-robed wizard, his gaze briefly lingering on Slade, as though mentioning his talent specifically.
Without elaborating further, Clark mounted his bone bird once again, transformed into a streak of black light, and vanished into the horizon. He needed to hurry to the next city for the "recruitment ceremony."