Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 708 - 331: Wildfire Spreading (Part 2)

The eyes of the young apprentices started to shine with a blend of avarice, terror, and a twisted thrill.

When Ron set foot on the street, the bustling chatter suddenly stopped.

All eyes fixed upon him, yet none had the courage to meet his stare directly.

The apprentices scattered like scared small creatures, though he sensed numerous stares tracking him from afar.

'It's Lecturer Ralph...'

'The interim deputy for the New Star Plan...'

'I heard Tower Master Cassandra threw a private feast just for him...'

Each time he glanced backward, heads would drop swiftly, as if everyone was deeply absorbed in studying the display board.

This eerie vibe brought to Ron's mind those moments in wildlife films.

When a dominant predator emerges, the lesser beasts naturally stay away, too wary to challenge or overlook it.

A handful of Official Wizards kept up a facade of composure, but the tangled feelings in their gazes were unmistakable.

Reverence, envy, intrigue, and a quiet dread.

Not dread toward Ron personally, but toward the Conquest Faction and Cassandra who backed him.

Heading toward the library, Ron noticed even more alarming shifts.

Wizards previously devoted to pure scholarly pursuits now hovered near the street's info panels, asking about the rules and needs for joining conquest squads.

The formerly empty shops specializing in 'Otherworld Geography' and 'War Magic' were now swarmed with queues.

Ron even caught sight of a few typically mild theoretical scholars heatedly debating different looting strategies and subjugation tactics.

'I heard the 'Spirit Shackles' Magic can fully dominate the thoughts of foreign species...'

'But such magic... could taint the personality of the one under control...'

'Who gives a damn about those foreign species, as long as it doesn't backfire on you.'

These talks evoked in Ron memories of the colonials and slavers from Earth's past.

In the lure of vast riches, the lines dividing civility and ethics faded, exposing the ugliest aspects of human nature.

Even more concerning was how some young apprentices were forming little bands to talk about ways to join the conquest schemes.

Though their power levels were nowhere near sufficient for inter-world raids, this perilous mindset had already taken root.

The whole Crystal Tower's vibe was shifting at its core.

The former strict focus on learning was giving way to reckless adventurism, the earnest quest for wisdom swapped for pragmatic looting urges.

Knowledge remained key, yet it now held a darker purpose.

No more a light guiding society's progress, but a weapon for domination and bondage.

Ron thoughtfully dissected this shift in his thoughts.

From a social viewpoint, it marked a classic sign of a society moving from internal growth to external outreach.

As home resources thinned out, seizing from outside turned into the sole path to keep advancing.

Yet the issue lay in how fast this change was happening, barely allowing folks time to adjust.

By parading huge conquest successes, Cassandra had manufactured a 'conquest mania,' pushing even the usually level-headed academics toward covetousness.

This setup brought Ron both chances and risks.

For starters, in this setting, a powerhouse like him could more readily earn acclaim and supplies;

However, amid a society lost in frenzy, holding onto clear thinking could mark one as a risky 'outcast.'

......

At the Crystal Tower library's doorway loomed an intimidating stone gate.

This wasn't mere rock; it was a vital ore that altered hues based on the viewer's mood.

As Ron drew near, the dormant runes on the gate stirred to life, evolving from a drab gray to an alerting orange, then settling into a golden emblem of top clearance.

The sentinel by the gate was no person but a towering three-meter crystal golem.

Its frame consisted of translucent azure crystals, with a ceaselessly whirling Energy Core in its torso.

More disturbing, the golem's 'face' was a smooth mirror, mirroring the observer's innermost terrors right then.

When Ron looked into the mirror, he didn't see himself, but an image wrapped in endless tentacles, embodying his worry about potential future chaos.

'Identity check underway...'

The golem's tone grated like clashing crystal bits: 'High authority detected, starting thorough examination.'

The following authentication was profoundly discomforting.

The golem first probed Ron's Magic Power mark, then applied a piercing mind scan to review his thought processes.

This check dragged on for almost five minutes, the feeling of total scrutiny utterly repulsive.

He sensed the golem hunting for particular 'indicators.'

... indicators that could hint at some hazardous connection.

Thankfully, his encounter with the King of Illusions last night hadn't scarred his mind obviously.

That Witch King entity clearly had the skill to mask its effects flawlessly.

Abruptly, the golem's mirror face swung to Ron, its voice laced with robotic confusion:

'Your mind's framework shows a highly uncommon layered safeguard design.

This level of intricacy... stands out even among Associate Professors.'

Its Energy Core spun faster noticeably, letting out a low rumble: