Deep in the forest.

An unremarkable rabbit hole.

Suddenly, the ground swelled and cracked open, followed by a stream of fresh red blood gushing out.

After a low, repressed, and painful growl, a disheveled figure burst out from beneath the earth.

Shaya crawled out of the ground with great difficulty, his expression twisted in pain.

The source of his agony wasn’t spatial dizziness from teleportation.

Once he fully emerged, it became clear—everything below his knees was gone.

The stumps were clean and smooth—no blade, no matter how sharp, could have made such a perfect cut.

Blood sprayed in torrents from the wounds, and the moment Shaya pulled himself free, he spun around and cast a moderate healing spell on himself.

But although magic could stop the bleeding, it couldn’t regenerate lost limbs.

Without experimental healing procedures or powerful treatments, only a few Third Rank Wizard could perform healing spells capable of complete restoration.

Still, Shaya didn’t panic.

He had prepared this escape tunnel in advance and hidden various emergency supplies nearby.

But before he could crawl even half a meter further, a long black robe suddenly appeared before his eyes.

The bottom of the robe brushed the ground, making one wonder whether there were actually feet beneath it.

Shaya slowly raised his head, and saw a face not commonly seen.

“Beth…”

A gaunt woman with sunken cheeks and black hair stood with her head lowered. “I’m here to invite you to become an official mentor at the Academy.”

That was all Beth said.

Shaya clenched his teeth.

The teleportation on his chest could only be used once in a short period. A second use would mean being torn apart in the spatial rift.

Feigning submission, he lowered his head, but inwardly he was already planning how to use his remaining magic tools to escape.

Yet before he could pretend to submit and buy time, a searing heat surged through his body—it felt like he was about to combust!

“What the—” Valuing his life above all else, Shaya cried out in alarm.

But he had only spoken half a word when black smoke suddenly began pouring from his mouth.

Like a campfire catching flame.

Every plan, every preparation, every backup he had vanished from his mind. His final thought was nothing more than a desperate desire to look up one last time at that long-hidden, gaunt woman across from him!

“You’re a Thi—”

The words were sealed in his throat, and then his body suddenly swelled and collapsed.

In that brief expansion and contraction, his body shrank dramatically.

Only the outer layer of his skin remained, sagging loosely over the husk of his form.

From that point forward, Shaya made no further sound.

Beth calmly watched as Shaya completed his “metamorphosis.”

Then she beckoned with her finger. “Rise. Respond to my invitation.”

At Beth’s command, the lifeless Shaya slowly climbed to his feet.

But his movements were unnatural, as if it wasn’t muscles and tendons that were moving him, but his bones themselves.

When the new Shaya stood fully upright, his jawbone rotated downward, producing a rasping voice.

“I am willing to become an official mentor at Bayton Academy.”

Beth, expressionless, reached into her robe and pulled something out.

A small watering can used for tending flowers.

“Kneel.”

Shaya dropped to one knee like a knight awaiting a royal decree.

Beth lifted the watering can over his head and slowly tipped it.

Fine, clear water trickled from the spout, dripping directly onto the crown of Shaya’s head.

A white, transparent filament began to grow from the center of his scalp, twisting upward, seeking more of the nourishing water.

As the liquid flowed over his withered form, Shaya’s shriveled body gradually filled out again, restoring to a normal human appearance.

His sagging skin adhered smoothly back onto him.

Beth retracted the watering can. “You should return and register.”

Shaya turned stiffly and began walking toward Caugust City.

At first his steps were faltering and unsteady, but after about a hundred meters, his movements became much more natural.

…

“An inverted wraith?” Saul repeated Kent’s question, puzzled. “What’s that?”

Kent had been staring at Saul’s eyes the entire time, trying to read something from them, but found no sign of deception.

They had paused on a landing between flights of stairs, and Kent chuckled while shaking his head. “It’s nothing. Just that the buildings in Caugust City are very tall, so sometimes there are inverted wraiths.”

Saul turned Kent’s words over in his mind—then suddenly understood. “You mean… people who jump?”

He recalled hearing a chilling short story once.

Saul smiled faintly. “First time I’ve heard it called that.”

He resumed climbing. “If that’s the case, it’s actually fine. I keep all my important materials on the top of the table, anyway.”

This time, it was Kent who looked confused. He had no idea what Saul meant by “on the top of the table.”

But before he could ask, he saw Saul suddenly speed up, and hurried to follow.

Just as they neared the top floor—Saul’s residence—a thunderous explosion almost shattered their eardrums.

The ground shook violently, and the radiation alarms on each floor immediately began shrieking.

“Your place blew up?!” Kent cried out in concern.

But Saul merely gave him a puzzled glance. “No. It was the floor below mine.”

Kent’s steps faltered. He twisted his neck to look Saul in the eye.

Saul met his gaze with a faint smile. “Shall we go see what caused it?”

Kent looked away. “No need. I’ll have someone else check it out. Your materials are more important right now.”

“Fair enough,” Saul said, saying no more as he picked up the pace again.

If the stairwell weren’t so cramped—forcing him to twist side to side while moving—he would’ve flown up there with a flight spell already.

Half a minute later, Saul reached his residence.

He unlocked the door with his access token and went straight to the central laboratory.

Inside, Agu and An were locked in battle with several humanoid shapes formed from clusters of black powder.

But they were clearly restraining themselves, avoiding destructive spells to protect Saul’s stored materials.

And hanging upside down from the center of the ceiling was a massive flower.

It resembled a lily-of-the-valley—small petals, bulbous center.

Black smoke streamed steadily from its blossom.

Each time the smoke touched one of the powder-formed humanoids, the shape became more solid.

At this rate, unless they used extreme measures, there’d be no way to eliminate the enemies.

Seeing this, Saul immediately cast his most practiced spell—Strike Undead.

But the powder humanoids merely staggered under the magic’s impact. It didn’t seem to have any special effect.

“Not wraiths,” Saul muttered, switching to a Lesser Flame Pearl.

This fire-element spell clearly had a greater effect than the dark-element one.

As Saul prepared to unleash a more powerful Fire Arrow, a flaming fist suddenly flew past from behind him, smashing one of the humanoid forms.

“Looks like I’m better suited to dealing with these things. Leave them to me,” Kent said as he charged forward.

As expected of a powerful First Rank sorcerer, Kent effortlessly dispatched several humanoids that had stalled Agu and An for so long.

But the heat from his spells ignited some of the room’s furnishings, and caused the flower overhead to wilt.

Sensing danger, the flower retracted its petals and attempted to flee through a hole in the ceiling.

“Hmph. Trying to run now? Too late!” Kent shouted, flicking his wrist.

A brown blur shot up the stairwell and chased after the escaping flower, vanishing through the rooftop opening.

Despite his easy victory over the powder figures, Kent seemed wary of the flower.

“Plants made by Giantwood Growth aren’t great at tracking. I’ll follow and make sure it doesn’t get away. Saul, you check for any material losses.”

Just as Kent turned to leave, Saul placed a hand on his shoulder.

Kent was suddenly frozen in place. He turned around, confused. “What’s wrong? I need to catch up quickly—”

But as he turned, he realized Saul was standing very close.

Before Kent could instinctively back away, countless black and gray tendrils burst from behind Saul.

They spread out like gaping maws, forming a prison of twisting limbs that instantly engulfed both of them.

At the same time, the black powder that had been scattered on the floor suddenly leapt into the air and shot toward Saul—only to be absorbed into the dark, grayish membrane of the tendrils.

“Are you trying to kill me in the chaos?” Kent thought Saul was seizing the moment to strike and, rather than panic, became excited. Red flames surged around his body.

But Saul made no aggressive move. He simply smiled and grinned wide.

“Don’t be nervous, Wizard Kent. I just wanted to ask… do I look like a pollutant source to you?”

(End of Chapter)

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