Every foundational tome, in essence, contains a Meditation Method.
The Star Ring Meditation was the technique attached to the foundational tome that first awakened Magus's mental power.
Its core lay in the construction of a Star Ring within the mind.
Each completed Star Ring dramatically enhanced one's mental strength.
According to the tome, once a practitioner successfully built three Star Rings and reached twelve points of mental power, they could advance to a Second-Level Wizard Apprentice.
When Magus closed his eyes, darkness swallowed his vision, and his consciousness sank like a pebble descending through a still lake, drifting deeper and deeper until it reached the silent depths.
From that abyss, a faint starlight shimmered and slowly expanded, taking shape as a ring of light. Yet most of it remained faint and ethereal—only a tenth of the ring had any real substance.
As he meditated, motes of starlight flickered around him, merging into his body, steadily filling the hollow parts of the ring.
Time passed unnoticed.
When Magus finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the faint glow of his pocket watch. Nearly two hours had slipped away.
On his panel, the Star Ring Meditation had gained five points of proficiency, and his mental power had increased by 0.01.
"Two hours of meditation, and the gains are nearly two and a half times the usual… so this is the benefit of increased mental activity."
A quiet smile touched his lips.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside, followed by a gentle knock.
"Young Master Magus, Rune has returned. He asks you to come to the training grounds."
Magus composed himself. "I understand," he replied calmly.
Blackstone City
Blackstone City was built against the mountains, its towering walls standing like a fortress guarding civilization's last edge. To resist the raids of the Black Scale Lizardmen, the city's outer defenses were raised high, bristling with watchtowers that loomed like sentinels in the fog.
From afar, the entire city resembled a slumbering beast crouched in the shadows of the peaks.
At the city's heart stood the sprawling inner fortress. Once magnificent, it now appeared old and worn; only the training grounds had been kept in perfect condition—flat, wide, and freshly expanded. The effort showed the fierce discipline of its owner.
When Magus stepped onto the training field, he immediately spotted his elder brother Rune, standing at the far edge beside seven or eight armored men. Each of them bore the marks of battle—steady eyes, hardened muscles, and the unmistakable aura of Knights.
They were the only remaining knightly force of Blackstone City—the last loyal warriors of the Shimmer Family, left behind by their late father, Baron Yaniesite.
"Formal Knights have physiques of eight or higher," Magus thought. "High-level Knights like my brother can even exceed fourteen. Compared to them, my body is pathetically weak."
He sighed inwardly as he looked at his own panel. His physique was only 0.7, weaker than even an average man's.
He had been born frail, plagued by illness since childhood. Though he had practiced the Breathing Method, his progress was almost nonexistent. A Knight's path had always been out of reach.
And for years, he had lived beneath his brother Rune's shadow—admiring him outwardly but secretly unwilling to accept such weakness.
It was that silent defiance that had driven him to chase the legend of Wizards—a pursuit that had once cost him his life.
Although ancient tomes on Wizardry still existed throughout the continent, ordinary people could not understand their cryptic writings. To most, they were merely curiosities—collector's treasures. Wizards themselves had long since faded into legend, spoken of only in myths and folktales.
"Brother," Magus called softly.
Rune turned, his chiseled face breaking into a smile as his clear eyes warmed with affection. "You came at just the right time," he said. "I've got what you asked for."
The surrounding Knights bowed respectfully to Magus.
His gaze fell upon a cart standing nearby—and the dozen corpses laid upon it.
Each body was covered in black scales, with clawed hands, protruding snouts, and sharp fangs. Even in death, they exuded a fierce, beastly aura.
They were Black Scale Lizardmen—the sworn enemies of Blackstone City.
These subhuman raiders lived deep in the savage lands beyond the mountains. They produced nothing, only plundered, raiding the outer villages every year in bloodthirsty waves. The people of Blackstone despised them with all their hearts.
Whenever these creatures appeared, the city guard was forced to respond with arms.
Magus studied the corpses calmly. "Brother, please have someone carry these to my laboratory."
"No problem," Rune said. He beckoned to a soldier and gave the order. Then, after a pause, his tone softened with uncertainty.
"Magus… can these Lizardmen corpses truly help you find a way to enhance the army's strength?"
Magus smiled faintly. "If I told you now, you wouldn't believe me. Better to wait until you see the results with your own eyes."
Rune sighed. "It's not that I doubt you… but the legends of Wizards are so vague, so distant. No one knows if they were ever real."
Magus chuckled. "In that case, it costs nothing to let me try. They're just a dozen corpses—no real loss."
Rune nodded silently, though his brow remained furrowed.
The Shimmer Brothers' Burden
Six months earlier, their father had died unexpectedly on the battlefield. The cause of death remained shrouded in mystery. Their uncle, Owen Yaniesite, with the backing of Marquis Gold Rock, seized the opportunity to claim the Shimmer Baron title and took control of most of their ancestral territory.
If not for the fear of seeming too ruthless—and the uncertain stance of the other three nobles in Shanguang Territory—Owen might have already killed both brothers instead of merely exiling them to this remote outpost of Blackstone City.
Even here, that looming threat remained—a Damocles sword hanging above their heads, ready to fall at any moment.
Rune, burdened with the responsibility of leadership, trained tirelessly. He poured every effort into strengthening Blackstone's defenses, grasping at any chance of survival—even if it meant entertaining his brother's pursuit of Wizardry, something he could barely believe in.
The surrounding Knights, overhearing the brothers' exchange, couldn't hide their disdain.
Their glances carried skepticism. They did not believe any "Wizard method" could come from dissecting Lizardmen.
After all, others had tried before—some even ate Lizardman flesh, hoping to gain strength. But the meat was foul, and no miracle ever came of it.
Seeing their expressions, Magus sighed inwardly. They simply don't understand.
In this world, few realized how vast the difference was between Knights and Wizards.
It was like comparing martial artists to immortals.
Even the mightiest Legendary Knight—the peak of mortal strength—would be no more than a slightly larger ant before a Formal Wizard, crushed with ease.
But Magus didn't explain. He simply exchanged a few more words with Rune, then turned and left the training field.
The Laboratory
Back in his courtyard, Magus went straight down to the basement.
This was the laboratory he had painstakingly cleared—a secret place dedicated to Biological Modification.
Among the piles of tomes left behind by his predecessor, only a few were spellbooks or foundational volumes. The rest covered specialized disciplines—Biological Modification, Potion Making, and other related sciences.
Titles such as Biology, Mutation Studies, Bloodline Extraction, Anatomy, Neurology, Foundations of Potion Making, and Magical Plant Cultivation filled the shelves.
Through these, and through relentless experimentation, Magus had already mastered Potion Making.
Another skill, Biological Modification, had reached over 50% proficiency. He estimated he could fully master it within another month or two.
However, progress beyond this point required more Wizard tomes—the true sources of lost arcane knowledge.
That, in truth, was why he had boasted so confidently to Rune earlier.
Only if others believed in the power of Wizardry would they help him collect resources and relics from across the land.
Otherwise, even Rune's loyalty and affection would eventually wear thin against the doubts of his soldiers. If they saw no results, they would stop helping—and Magus's research would stall completely.
For two months, he had been preparing for this—building credibility, gathering materials, and refining his skills. Mastering Potion Making was just the first step toward something greater.
His gaze fell on the pile of Lizardmen corpses stacked neatly in the corner. Their dark scales glistened faintly in the lamplight, and an acrid scent of blood filled the air.
Magus turned toward a cabinet and carefully drew out a heavy tome bound in dark green leather. He flipped through its yellowed pages until he reached page 284.
The parchment was dense with arcane script and complex diagrams.
Across the top, a title was written in bold black letters—each stroke seeming to pulse faintly, as though alive.
Dragon Blood Potion
Magus's eyes gleamed.
A soft smile curved his lips as the candlelight flickered across his face, casting sharp shadows on the wall.
"If I can refine this potion… everything will change."
End of Chapter 2 – A Vague Legend