Training Addict Magician in a Growth-Focused Story

Chapter 96

Ariella's question seemed like simple curiosity, but it piqued Leon’s interest nonetheless.

“Could you tell me more?” Leon asked, his tone reflecting his growing intrigue.

“About the magic system?”

“I understand that the number of transcendent magicians is fixed, and that one must challenge them to ascend. But does that really mean you have to... kill them?”

Ariella chuckled softly at the seriousness on Leon’s face.

“You really want to see this through, don’t you? You’ve come so far at such a young age, so I suppose you’ve earned the right to know.”

She knelt down and began drawing in the dirt with her finger, sketching out the word “enlightenment” next to a symbol for “plus.”

“To rise through the ranks of magic, most magicians need enlightenment. But to ascend from insight to transcendence, enlightenment alone is not enough.”

“What else is required?”

“Influence,” Ariella replied simply.

“Influence?” Leon tilted his head, confused.

“Yes, the impact you have on the world. In your case, it would be the humans around you. They need to believe that you are worthy of becoming a transcendent magician.”

Leon fell silent, pondering her words.@@@@

It was still unclear. What exactly did it mean to be recognized as worthy? And who decided such a thing?

Ariella, sensing his confusion, elaborated further.

“In simpler terms, you need power—a following. Transcendent magicians each have their own powerful factions.”

Leon started to grasp the deeper meaning of what she was saying. He now understood why the twenty transcendent magicians of Arcane all had their own schools, and why certain high-ranking magicians acted as they did.

'Was the head of Tenereon attacking another school just to expand his power? Was the witch searching for Gigantes connected to this? Raising heirs within the schools must be about securing influence.'

His thoughts began to whirl with all the possibilities.

“Does that mean once your influence grows, you naturally reach the transcendent level?” Leon asked, wondering if simply expanding his power was the key.

Ariella shook her head slowly.

“That’s not enough. If it were, I wouldn’t have mentioned the need for a brutal battle. Enlightenment and influence are just conditions.”

“And after meeting those conditions, you have to challenge an existing transcendent magician?”

“Exactly. Once a transcendent magician disappears, only then do those conditions matter.”

“Who decides if the conditions are met?”

“For us elves, that decision comes from the Mother,” Ariella replied, referencing the World Tree, their deity and origin.

Leon mulled over the implications of what she was saying.

“Shall we get going again?”

For the next two weeks, Leon’s group traveled relentlessly.

They stopped only when the elves’ magic was depleted, taking brief rests before continuing. They avoided human settlements, staying hidden as they moved north.

Fortunately, the route was mostly through forested terrain, allowing them to travel swiftly without leaving traces. Even during their breaks, Leon carefully packed away the invisibility lantern into his orb and used a magic device to erase their tracks, ensuring no one could follow.

During these two weeks, Leon often spoke with Ariella’s companions as well, especially Jeren, a female elf who was always close to Ariella. Their conversations grew more serious as they neared the Elven Forest.

One day, Leon cautiously asked Jeren a question that had been on his mind.

“I’ve heard that humans are strictly forbidden from entering the Elven Forest. Is that true?”

Leon wanted to understand their rules clearly before they arrived, to avoid any unnecessary conflict.

Jeren hesitated before nodding. “Don’t worry about that. As long as the princess brought you, no one will turn you away.”

But her expression lacked full confidence, something Leon noticed immediately.

“You’re not telling me everything. I still don’t understand how the royal family can wander human cities so freely. Ariella said she had permission, but it seems odd.”

Jeren sighed quietly before answering, “It’s more like... she ran away.”

“I see.” Leon had suspected as much. “How long has she been wandering?”

“Almost a year.”

“A year...” Leon muttered.

Erica had told him how they’d been hiding their identities, but to have done so for a whole year without proper protection made it unsurprising that they were eventually noticed by slave traders.

“We tried to send reports to the forest a few times, but the princess always found out and stopped us,” Jeren admitted.

“Is there any way to contact the Elven Forest now?” Leon asked, hoping for some solution.

Jeren shook her head sadly. “...No, there isn’t.”

It was clear she felt guilty, but Leon didn’t blame her. Ariella had deliberately chosen companions she could control, after all.

‘I hope I can still get the World Tree branch.’

Leon sighed inwardly. This was a precarious situation, with a headstrong princess and her inexperienced companions. He couldn’t be sure how they would be received back in the Elven Forest.

Despite these concerns, Leon, Erica, and the group reached the vicinity of the Elven Forest without incident, avoiding any pursuit from imperial magicians.

Erica, who had been tense for the entire journey, finally showed a small sign of relief. She knew that the Elven Forest was a place humans rarely, if ever, entered.

Erica quietly bowed her head to Leon. “Thank you so much, Leon.”

Leon responded calmly, “I’ve been properly compensated, so it’s fine. Besides, we haven’t finished the important part yet.”

“Yes, the most important part is still ahead.”

Erica still had to secure the alliance with the elves, a critical goal.