Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 865 - 383: The Brighter the Candle, the Fiercer the Storm

Ron found himself alone within the confines of his new residence's laboratory.

His heart, at this moment, was as placid as a deep, undisturbed pool, with only the faintest ripples occasionally breaking the surface.

The academic review scheduled for the following day would mark his inaugural official appearance since his return to the Central Lands.

"I absolutely cannot repeat the same error..." he echoed silently within his mind.

During the prior academic review, his overly idealistic presentation had nearly plunged him into perilous circumstances.

The ambitious concept of the "consciousness sharing network," while revolutionary from a technical standpoint, had undeniably provoked extreme reactions from several reviewers, marking it as a profoundly dangerous topic for discussion.

"The demise of the 'Dream Weaving Civilization'..."

The King of Illusions' solemn warning echoed in his memory, akin to the hushed murmur of an ancient malediction.

That civilization, once masters of virtual world technology, had ultimately been eradicated by the 'Anomaly Catchers' for transgressing certain indefinable edicts.

Their history, their culture, and indeed their very existence were wiped clean from the tapestry of time.

This chilling destiny instilled in Ron a profound sense of caution regarding his research trajectory.

From his spatial bag, he retrieved a substantial, time-worn tome: the "Chronicles of Lost Skills," a volume he had on loan.

Its author was the late historian, Marcus Gray.

This dedicated scholar had devoted decades of his existence to meticulously tracking those researchers whose presence had mysteriously vanished from the annals of history.

As he turned a page, the name Lance Heivet materialized before his gaze.

"Lance's demise was shrouded in suspicion; his personal logs suggested he might have been cursed by adversaries of the King of Illusions due to extensive interaction..."

Ron pored over the book with meticulous attention, his brow furrowing incrementally.

"Alexander Moss, Lance's principal assistant, inherited the majority of his research materials following his mentor's passing.

He endeavored to continue some of Lance's incomplete investigations but vanished precisely seven days after the project's inception.

The search party discovered his remains on the Fourth Layer of the Abyss, the official cause of death recorded as 'spirit loss of control.'

"Tessaya Smith, a prodigious scholar who had personally benefited from Lance's tutelage.

She proclaimed the discovery of a groundbreaking theory concerning the 'Key of Harmony' while examining Lance's concealed findings.

However, during her attempts to conduct related experiments, her entire laboratory was obliterated by an unidentified force, and she herself was reduced to ash."

"Dmitry Kaufmann, an esteemed Alchemy Master from the late Third Era.

He asserted his mastery over the fundamental principles of Lance's consciousness weaving technology, seeking to integrate it with his own soul forging expertise.

Tragically, during a public exhibition, he inexplicably began to take his own life before an audience of hundreds, as if a multitude of distinct personalities were fiercely battling for dominance over his very being..."

Each documented incident converged towards a single, terrifying conclusion:

Any scholar who dared to probe deeply into the varied concepts left behind inevitably met a calamitous end.

Furthermore, the nature of these fatal outcomes was extraordinarily bizarre, far exceeding the normal risks associated with experimental endeavors.

Ron closed the tome, activating the "Hermit's Knowledge" ability to facilitate profound contemplation.

In this enhanced state, he could discern the intricate connections between disparate pieces of information with far greater clarity.

"Lance's associate... the King of Illusions."

This conjecture sent a chilling tremor through his being.

The King of Illusions had previously cautioned him that the "Anomaly Catchers" would not intervene directly.

Instead, they would subtly manipulate deviating research paths, orchestrating a natural descent into failure.

The ingenious aspect of this tactic was its invisibility; no one could detect the intervention, as all occurrences appeared to be standard academic risks.

"Yet, Lance's demise, judging by its description, does not align with the characteristics of such 'subtle manipulation.'"

Ron arrived at this disquieting inference internally.

Primarily, the experiment had yielded no tangible results yet; acting with such haste seemed inconsistent with the typical patterns of 'subtle intervention.'

Moreover, subsequent to Lance's death, those who inherited his research perished before achieving any significant breakthroughs...

The "Anomaly Catchers," capable of erasing entire civilizations, operated akin to the fundamental laws of the cosmos.

The probability of an entity governed by such universal principles targeting a mere handful of obscure scholars seemed exceedingly low.

In Ron's assessment, it was far more probable that the cause lay with some clandestine adversary of the King of Illusions.

Did Lance's own notes not mention him being the target of a 'curse from another realm'?

This also served to explain the King of Illusions' consistently discreet and clandestine methods whenever they initiated contact.

However, this line of reasoning introduced another, even more perplexing question.

Why had the King of Illusions refrained from apprising Lance, or indeed himself, of these potential adversaries?

Each emerging doubt intertwined with the others, forming an impenetrable miasma of mystery that enveloped his thoughts.

Ron emitted a sigh, his fingers gently caressing the silver pocket watch he held.