A sharp surge of magic suddenly erupted from the center of the cave. The energy swirled into a vortex, stirring up dust from the ground and forming a small magical storm in midair.

  The campfire crackled violently under the turbulent air, the red flames flickering wildly as if about to be extinguished at any moment.

  Ryan raised his hand above his head, then slowly pressed it downward, forcing the raging magic within him to calm.

  He took a deep breath and stood up, stretching his body. The cracking of his joints echoed crisply in the confined space of the cave.

  This was a normal reaction after a breakthrough, the body and bones were nourished and strengthened by magic. In the enclosed cave, the sound was magnified, echoing clearly.

  "Mentor, you're finally awake."

  A weak voice suddenly spoke. Ryan turned his head, and the sight before him startled him.

  Derrick sat slumped beside the fire, his face pale, eyes unfocused, and lips dry and cracked. The once energetic boy now looked like a withering plant.

  "What happened to you? Were you attacked by a magical creature?" Ryan strode forward and placed a hand on Derrick's forehead. The touch was burning hot it was clear that he was suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.

  "I'm fine… I just stood guard for nine days…" Derrick's voice was so faint it was barely audible, and he could hardly lift his head.

  Ryan's heart tightened. He quickly took out the Perpetual Magic Kettle, unscrewed the lid, and held it to Derrick's lips."Drink some water! You foolish boy, why didn't you take care of yourself?"

  Cool water flowed down his throat, and color slowly returned to Derrick's face.

  After resting for a while, he finally managed to speak weakly."I was afraid something might happen to you if I left… so I stayed here the whole time."

  Only then did Ryan realize that he had lost all sense of time while immersed in the fusion of magic. Derrick had stayed by his side for nine whole days without food or rest.

  Looking at the boy's pale face, a wave of guilt stirred in his chest."You've done well. Stay here and rest. I'll go hunt some magical beasts in the forest to help you recover your strength."

  Ryan turned toward the entrance and kicked the hardened boulder blocking it. The rock shattered instantly, scattering debris and revealing the gray twilight outside it was already evening.

  About half an hour later, Ryan returned carrying two wild rabbits.

  They were low-tier magical creatures commonly found in the forest, with tender meat perfect for restoring stamina.

  As he entered the cave, he saw Derrick sitting cross-legged by the fire, eyes closed in meditation. Magic flowed weakly around him, much fainter than before.

  Ryan sighed inwardly. Derrick's light-element affinity was truly exceptional. Even in such a weakened state, his magic circulation was faster than that of most apprentices.

  The rabbits were soon roasted to a golden brown over the fire. Fat dripped onto the embers, filling the cave with a delicious aroma.

  Derrick could no longer resist; he opened his eyes, his gaze full of hunger as he watched the roasting meat.

  "Go ahead, eat. There's more if that's not enough." Ryan handed him a rabbit and watched him devour it hungrily.

  Ryan asked,"So, during these nine days, you didn't do anything except guard the entrance?"

  With his mouth full, Derrick mumbled,"I didn't want to miss the moment you woke up, so I kept my eyes open the whole time. Only moved a bit when I had to keep the fire going."

  Ryan felt warmth spread through his chest. The boy was young, yet his persistence and loyalty were extraordinary.

  He patted Derrick on the shoulder and said earnestly,"Don't worry. I won't let your effort go unrewarded. When the time comes, I'll help you awaken your talent. After that, your speed in learning magic will be three times faster than it is now."

  Ryan's consciousness sank into the Grimoire interface as he quickly scanned his current status.

  【Name: Ryan】

  【Magic Rank: Sixth-tier Journeyman Mage】

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  【Mastered Spell: Chaosforge Arcana,......】

  【Held Items: Wind-type Swift Magic Scroll, Magic Tiger's Blood, Random Magic Weapon Borrowing Card, Beginner Bone Strengthening Pill, Perpetual Magic Kettle, longsword,......】

  【Magic Origin Value: 2325】

  【Overall Evaluation: Possesses basic combat capability】

  He withdrew his gaze and patted Derrick on the shoulder."Alright, it's time for us to move out."

  Derrick immediately stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes, his eyes full of energy."Yes, Mentor!"

  The two walked side by side out of the cave. Morning sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, and Derrick instinctively squinted.

  After nine days spent in the dim cave, the sudden brightness was uncomfortable for him.

  "Oh, right, Derrick, there's something you must remember," Ryan said suddenly, stopping in his tracks, his expression turning serious.

  "No matter where you are, you must never mention that the Dawn Swordsmanship Manual you're studying is a rare-grade codex. And you must never say that it came from me. Do you understand?"

  Derrick froze, confusion flashing across his face."Why? Isn't this manual amazing?" To him, a codex that let him learn so much faster than ordinary people should be something to take pride in.

  Ryan explained calmly,"Exactly because it's amazing, you have to hide it. Rare-grade swordsmanship codices are top-tier resources across the Magic Continent. Even a Mystic Mage would go mad over them."

  "If it gets exposed, not only will you be hunted by countless factions, but I'll also be dragged into trouble. With our current strength, we're nowhere near capable of facing those old and powerful magical organizations."

  He paused for a moment before continuing,"And another thing if anyone ever offers you a legacy or inheritance, refuse it unless it's an epic-grade technique or codex."

  "You don't yet understand how magic inheritances are ranked. In time, you'll see that low-tier inheritances can cripple your growth or even cause permanent damage to your magic."

  Derrick didn't fully grasp the difference between rare-grade and epic-grade, but he could feel the weight of Ryan's words.

  He nodded solemnly."I understand, Mentor. I'll never talk about the codex again, and I won't accept anyone's inheritance carelessly."

  Ryan nodded in satisfaction, then turned toward the direction of the Sword Mage Academy.

  To reach the Sword Mage Academy, they would have to pass through the royal capital of the Eryndor Empire a coincidence Ryan welcomed, as he was curious to see how the Empire's magical development had progressed.

  Ten thousand years ago, the southern royal capital had been nothing more than a crude city built from clay bricks, lacking even the most basic magical defense formations.

  The Empire itself had been little more than a puppet, controlled by magical powers. Now, after ten millennia, Ryan wondered how far this city had advanced.

  For mages, time was the least valuable resource. As one's magical rank grew, so too did their lifespan hundreds, even thousands of years were common.

  Only those stuck at the level of Magic Apprentice, or those nearing the end of their natural lifespan, truly feared the passage of time.

  Their pace was light and steady. Along the way, they hunted low-tier magical creatures for materials and occasionally rested in villages. Three days passed swiftly.

  "There's a city ahead. Let's rest there for a while and restock some magical supplies," Ryan said, pointing toward the distant walls.

  Following his gaze, Derrick saw towering walls nearly twenty meters high, with four soldiers stationed at the gate.

  His eyes were full of wonder it was his first time seeing such a grand city.

  Ryan, however, frowned slightly. Something about the place felt wrong.

  Ordinarily, the city gates should have been bustling with people at this hour of the morning, yet aside from the guards, not a single traveler could be seen.

  Still, he dismissed his unease as overthinking and led Derrick toward the gate."Come on, let's go in and take a look."

  However, the moment Ryan and Derrick stepped through the city gate, the streets were completely deserted. The once tightly shut doors and windows of the shops slowly creaked open, yet not a single figure appeared inside.

  What was even more terrifying was that when Ryan turned back toward the gate, the familiar entrance had vanished, replaced by a swirl of distorted light and shadow, as if the gate had never existed at all.

  "Mentor, the gate is gone!" Derrick's voice trembled as he instinctively hid behind Ryan, the longsword in his hand shaking slightly.

  He had never seen anything so eerie. The entire city felt like a colossal trap, sealing them tightly within its bounds.

  Ryan's expression turned grim as his eyes swept sharply around."It seems we've stumbled into a Phantom City. This kind of illusionary construct can twist spatial perception and even generate false images. With our current strength, breaking through it by force won't be easy."

  "What should we do then?" Derrick's voice quivered with panic. As he looked at the warped streets surrounding them, dizziness struck him he couldn't even tell which way was forward.

  Ryan frowned deeply, suspicion rising in his mind."With my current power, I can't possibly dispel a Phantom City like this. Could it be that this entire illusion was deliberately set up as a trap for us?"

  Just then, a faint tremor came from his chest. Ryan instinctively reached into his robe and pulled out the Clockwork Doll the same magical device he had once given to Evelyn.

  "Is Evelyn shaking the Clockwork Doll?" Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly."That woman… why is she stirring up trouble now of all times?"

  "Mentor, who is Evelyn?" Derrick asked curiously. He had never heard that name before.

  "Don't ask what you shouldn't," Ryan replied curtly, though an idea had just formed in his mind."Stay close to me. We might be able to use the Clockwork Doll to get out of here."

  He suspected that the magical resonance from the Clockwork Doll might be able to pierce through the illusion's interference and point them toward the true direction.

  Derrick followed tightly behind Ryan. Though fear still lingered in his chest, seeing his mentor's steady figure gave him renewed courage.

  Meanwhile, Evelyn stood high in the sky, holding the Clockwork Doll in her hand.

  She gazed at it, the corners of her lips curling into a faint, thoughtful smile."So this is really something he spent eight days making?"

  The Clockwork Doll had two faces on one side, a boy with messy hair; on the other, a robed girl. Evelyn gently brushed her fingertips across its surface, her eyes softening with a rare trace of warmth.

  "Ever since I reached the rank of Grand Magus, I haven't received a genuine gift," she murmured.

  "All those so-called gifts… they were either attempts to win my favor or to obtain magical resources from me. No one has ever given me something so utterly useless and yet, so strangely warm."