"Dragon? Is that a dragon?"
"No way, right? Weren't they supposed to be extinct long ago?"
"So beautiful…"
The apprentices were stunned, crowding forward to get a better look. After all, even in the world of wizards, dragons belonged to the realm of legends—few had ever laid eyes on one.
Wizard Horn's stiff expression finally shifted. He straightened his posture, and with a flick of his right hand toward Carter Beal, an invisible force seemed to snatch the little creature that had just climbed onto Carter's chest back into his palm.
Ignoring the creature's struggles, Wizard Horn held it up to his eyes and examined it closely.
"Hmph… a Fire Drake, with self-cultivated flesh wings grafted on?" he muttered.
"Clever idea."
After a brief assessment, he set the Fire Drake free, then turned his gaze back to Carter Beal. For the first time, a faint smile softened his cold, stern face.
"You've created an excellent piece of work—not just for the creativity," he praised.
"Grafting self-cultivated flesh wings onto a Fire Drake requires extremely precise modification skills. Pulling that off would take at least Intermediate-Level Biomancy, Second Tier. You're quite impressive, Apprentice."
Wizard Horn's voice wasn't loud, but every apprentice present heard it clearly. Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd instantly.
"Second Tier! Someone's already mastered Second Tier foundational studies!"
"No way… that can't be real."
"What kind of monster is this guy?"
Most apprentices here were still stuck at First Tier in their foundational subjects; only a handful had barely crossed into the late First Tier. Even the green-haired apprentice who'd shown great skill earlier—grafting a Petrification Eye—hadn't reached Second Tier.
Hearing that someone had truly achieved Second Tier, it was no wonder everyone was so astounded.
"Tell me your name, Apprentice," Wizard Horn said, picking up his notebook again. His tone had clearly warmed, softer than before.
His question made every apprentice lean in, ears pricked—everyone wanted to know who this unexpected dark horse was.
"Carter Beal, my lord," Carter replied.
Though he'd been here for two years, Carter had spent most of his time cooped up in his room, studying and practicing, rarely interacting with the other apprentices. So when they heard his name, their first reactions were confusion and unfamiliarity.
Wizard Horn 打量 ed him up and down, then asked, uncertain, "Noble-born?"
Many nobles gained access to wizardly knowledge before entering the wizarding world, studying related content in advance. So Wizard Horn's first assumption was that Carter was a nobleman—and the apprentices all thought the same.
Yet the answer took everyone by surprise.
Carter shook his head, speaking honestly, "I'm a manor peasant, my lord."
A manor peasant—what most people called a serf.
"Huh?"
"A serf? You're kidding, right?"
"I… I lost to a serf?"
The apprentices clearly couldn't accept it. After all, serfs—at the very bottom of this world's hierarchy—were always labeled as "docile," "foolish," or "dull." No one could believe they'd been outperformed by such a "simple-minded fool."
"Carter… Carter! Wait, I remember who he is now—isn't he that unlucky Carter?"
"Oh, right! I remember too…"
"The one whose materials got swapped two years ago!"
"Oh, that guy?"
Just then, some apprentices recognized Carter. After all, the recruitment of new apprentices two years prior had caused a stir—and everyone had heard about the apprentice who'd nearly lost his life after missing his chance due to stolen materials.
In an instant, the apprentices' gazes shifted again—shock, envy, jealousy, and even a hint of malicious glee began to show.
A serf would always be a serf—completely clueless about humility and hiding one's strength.
This was the wizarding world, not some playground for good children. Deceit and power struggles were everywhere. Someone so unaware of keeping a low profile, so eager to show off, would sooner or later meet a terrible end.
Wizard Horn nodded slightly, the approval in his eyes growing stronger. "Excellent."
"In the wizarding world, there are no serfs or nobles—only the mental power in your veins and the knowledge in your head."
"You have remarkable talent. I hope you'll keep up the good work, Apprentice."
Carter bowed respectfully. "I'll take your teachings to heart, my lord."
"Score: 91. Assessment passed!"
This was already an exceptional high score. To get higher would require knowledge at least at the mid-to-late Second Tier, and a perfect score was reserved for geniuses who'd reached the Third Tier—the highest level.
The assessment continued until it finally ended.
"Apprentices whose names I call, step forward: Carter Beal, Chris Wright, Jessica Stone."
After the assessment, Wizard Horn summoned three apprentices—those who'd ranked top three in the earlier tests.
Besides Carter and Chris, there was also a female apprentice named Jessica. She specialized in Elemental Magic and had earned an 82 with her skill in analyzing and constructing water elements, securing third place.
Once the three stood before him, Wizard Horn pulled out three small cloth bags and handed them out. "These are your special rewards."
According to the assessment rules, the top three apprentices would receive additional prizes.
As Carter took the cloth bag from Wizard Horn, a surge of joy welled up in him. He'd gone to the trouble of revealing his mastery of Second Tier Biomancy—not just to pass, but mainly for this special reward.
It was a generous prize. First, the cloth bag itself was a Spatial Pouch, with an internal space of roughly two cubic meters.
Spatial magical items were incredibly expensive; the pouch alone was worth a hundred magic stones.
Inside the pouch, there were three more items: 100 magic stones, a short-handled wand that could change shape, and a Low-Grade Knowledge Badge. With this badge, one could exchange for a piece of low-level spell knowledge at the tower's library.
By contrast, the other apprentices who'd passed the assessment only received a meditation manual—and those who'd failed got nothing at all.
Carter was a cautious man, and he'd long outgrown the urge to show off. If it hadn't been for this generous reward, he could have easily passed the assessment with a more low-key creation, no need to draw so much attention.
"Thank you, my lord," the three said in unison.
Under the gaze of everyone's envious, jealous eyes, the three—who'd gained so much—stepped back.
The assessment came to an end, and Wizard Horn proceeded to hand out official meditation manuals to the apprentices who'd passed.
Strictly speaking, they weren't even true wizard apprentices yet—just ordinary people who'd undergone sensory training. Only after practicing proper meditation could they truly take their first step onto the path of wizardry.
And the meditation manual was the key to that.
Apprentices who received the manual could begin formal meditation and embark on their wizardly journey. Those who'd failed would have to wait for the next assessment.
According to the tower's rules, new apprentices had two years for their first assessment; after that, assessments were held annually. This meant the failed apprentices would have to wait at least until next year—even if they were lucky.
"One step behind, a lifetime behind." By next year, the apprentices who'd passed this time might have already mastered complete spell models and be able to cast spells, while the failed ones would just be starting their meditation… It was a hard truth to swallow.
For a moment, the apprentices who'd passed were overjoyed, while those who'd failed hung their heads in dejection. Some of the girls even burst into tears.
But worse was yet to come—for Wizard Horn had another announcement to make.
"Additionally," he said, after handing out all the meditation manuals, "the date for this batch's Inner Circle Apprentice Assessment has been set. It will be held in three months. Any apprentice who has received a meditation manual and wishes to participate may come to me to register."
All the apprentices' eyes snapped toward him in an instant.
Throats tightened, and expressions turned eager.