The next day, Ivan was already standing before the eastern outer gate of White Wing Saint Academy.
However, unlike usual, Ivan wasn't wearing the standard Wizard Apprentice robe. Instead, he wore a dark adventurer's outfit beneath a sturdy set of ordinary full-plate knight's armor. The steel armor covered most of his body while still allowing comfortable movement. Hanging from his waist was a finely crafted sword whose blade shimmered with faint crimson runes beneath the morning sunlight.
Standing quietly before the enormous gate, Ivan calmly observed the wizard apprentices entering and leaving the academy. His expression remained as calm as ever. Yesterday's breakthrough hadn't made him arrogant in the slightest. Instead, becoming a Low-Level Wizard Apprentice had only made him realize how long the road ahead truly was.
Reflecting upon everything that had happened earlier that morning, Ivan's thoughts slowly drifted back.
After waking up at dawn, Ivan immediately activated his identity badge. A translucent blue interface quietly appeared before him.
Without wasting any time, he opened the Mission Panel. After browsing through numerous academy missions, his eyes finally stopped on one particular mission.
Long-Term Academy Mission: Hunt Poison Fang Spiders
Mission Location: D-4 Resource Zone
Mission Reward: Exchange materials according to quality.
After confirming the mission details, Ivan accepted it without hesitation.
The badge emitted a faint flash.
Mission Accepted.
After completing the registration, Ivan washed up, changed into his dark adventurer's outfit, and prepared everything required for today's mission.
Before leaving, however...
There was one person he needed to inform.
Olivia.
Ivan left his room and arrived outside Olivia's room. Since their rooms were next to each other, it only took him a few moments.
Knock.
Knock.
Several seconds later, the wooden door slowly opened.
Olivia appeared wearing a simple white dress. Her beautiful blonde hair, streaked naturally with light green strands, rested gently upon her shoulders. The moment she saw Ivan standing outside her room, a bright smile instinctively blossomed across her beautiful face.
"Ivan?"
"What brings you here so early?"
Ivan calmly looked at her.
"I'm heading outside the academy today."
The smile on Olivia's face froze instantly.
"...Outside?"
Ivan nodded.
"I accepted a long-term academy mission."
Almost immediately after hearing those words, worry appeared inside Olivia's beautiful emerald-green eyes.
"A mission?"
"You're already going outside the academy?"
"Isn't it dangerous outside?"
"What if something happens to you?"
The more she spoke, the more obvious the concern in her voice became.
Olivia knew very well that missions outside the academy were far more dangerous than anything within the academy grounds. Although the academy's resource zones were relatively safe compared to the true wilderness, magical creatures were still magical creatures. A single careless mistake could easily cost someone their life.
Looking at Olivia's worried expression, Ivan smiled faintly.
"It's fine."
"I won't do anything beyond my abilities."
"I know my limits."
Olivia gently bit her lower lip.
"But..."
"I still feel uneasy."
Seeing her unable to calm down, Ivan patiently comforted her for several more minutes.
Eventually, Olivia let out a reluctant sigh.
"...Alright."
"But promise me one thing."
Hearing her serious tone, Ivan looked directly into her emerald-green eyes.
"Stay safe."
"If the situation becomes dangerous..."
"Run."
"Don't try to be brave."
Ivan nodded seriously.
"I promise."
Only after hearing that answer did the worry within Olivia's eyes lessen slightly.
However, after her worries subsided, something suddenly felt strange to her.
She herself had visited the Mission Hall several times. Naturally, she knew one of the academy's regulations. Only Low-Level Wizard Apprentices were permitted to leave the academy and accept outside missions. Wizard Seeds simply did not possess the qualifications to do so.
After recalling this regulation, Olivia stared at Ivan for several moments.
Her beautiful emerald-green eyes slowly widened.
"...Ivan..."
"...Did you..."
"...Did you break through to the Low-Level Wizard Apprentice Realm?"
Ivan remained silent for a brief moment.
Then...
He quietly nodded.
Olivia blinked.
She rubbed her eyes.
"...Really?"
Ivan nodded again.
Still somewhat unconvinced, Olivia asked him several more questions.
Ivan answered each one calmly without the slightest impatience.
Finally, Ivan silently took out his identity badge.
At its center...
A single bronze star was clearly engraved.
Seeing that bronze star with her own eyes, the worry inside Olivia's eyes gradually disappeared, replaced entirely by shock.
"So..."
"You really became a Low-Level Wizard Apprentice..."
Even after confirming it herself, Olivia still found it difficult to believe.
Only yesterday, Ivan had still been a Wizard Seed.
Now...
He had already crossed the first true threshold upon the endless path of wizardry.
A faint smile slowly appeared upon Olivia's face.
"I'm happy for you..."
She paused for a brief moment before her expression gradually became firm.
"But don't think you'll leave me behind."
"I'll become a Low-Level Wizard Apprentice soon as well."
"I'll catch up to you."
Looking at the determination inside her eyes, Ivan revealed a faint smile.
"I'll be waiting."
Those simple words immediately caused Olivia's eyes to brighten.
Ivan had never wanted someone who could only hide behind him.
He respected those who possessed the determination to continue walking forward with their own strength.
Seeing Olivia's resolve, Ivan felt genuinely pleased.
Seeing that Ivan was preparing to leave, Olivia quietly followed him toward the doorway.
Neither of them spoke.
The atmosphere between them became surprisingly peaceful.
When Ivan stepped outside...
Olivia suddenly stopped.
"Ivan."
"Hm?"
Before Ivan could react, Olivia stepped forward and gently wrapped both of her arms around him.
The unexpected embrace caused Ivan to freeze briefly.
He could clearly feel her soft body pressed lightly against him, while a faint floral fragrance drifted gently into his nose.
For several quiet seconds, neither of them moved.
Ivan slowly raised both of his arms and gently hugged her back.
"I'll come back safely."
He spoke quietly.
Olivia gently nodded against his shoulder.
"...You'd better."
Only then did they slowly separate.
Although traces of worry still remained within Olivia's expression, there was now trust mixed within it as well.
She quietly watched Ivan walk farther and farther away.
Just before he disappeared from view, she softly called after him.
"Stay safe..."
Without turning around, Ivan simply raised one hand.
"I will."
Leaving the dormitory district, Ivan headed directly toward the Market District.
Although his strength had improved considerably, proper equipment was still necessary before entering a resource zone.
Soon, Ivan entered one of the academy's equipment stores.
Rows upon rows of armor lined both sides of the walls.
After inspecting several sets, Ivan purchased an ordinary full-plate knight's armor.
Although it was merely ordinary knight's armor, its craftsmanship and materials were vastly superior to anything found back in Thornhart Territory. Since it wasn't forged from magical metals and possessed no rune enchantments whatsoever, its price remained extremely affordable.
Ivan spent only seventy Magic Coins to purchase the complete set.
After completing the transaction, one of the shop assistants helped Ivan wear the armor before he continued browsing the store.
His eyes gradually stopped upon a semi-finished Rune Sword hanging quietly on the wall.
Although incomplete, faint crimson rune engravings could already be seen running across the blade.
The shopkeeper smiled.
"Young Wizard Apprentice, you've got good eyes."
"This is a semi-finished Rune Sword."
"The final rune inscription hasn't been completed yet."
"That's why it's being sold at a discounted price."
Ivan examined it carefully before asking,
"How much?"
"One Magic Stone."
Ivan nodded.
Without hesitation, he purchased it.
Even as a semi-finished Rune Sword, it still cost him one Magic Stone.
Normally, a fully completed Rune Sword sold for anywhere between three and five Magic Stones depending upon its quality.
It could be said that Ivan had obtained quite a bargain.
After fastening the Rune Sword around his waist, Ivan left the equipment store and headed toward the academy's general alchemy store.
There, he purchased a standard Antidote Potion.
According to its description, the potion could neutralize nearly every ordinary poison produced by Apprentice-level magical creatures.
Naturally...
That included the poison of the Poison Fang Spider.
After completing all of his purchases, Ivan carefully calculated his remaining wealth, including all of today's expenses. He now possessed only three Magic Stones and thirty Magic Coins. Even so, Ivan felt no regret. Equipment was never something one should be stingy about, especially before entering an unfamiliar resource zone where a single mistake could easily cost one's life.
After confirming that everything was prepared, Ivan boarded a flying shuttle. The shuttle quickly rose into the sky and headed toward the eastern outer gate of White Wing Saint Academy.
After arriving, Ivan stepped down quietly. The first thing that entered his vision was the enormous academy wall stretching endlessly toward the horizon on both sides. Although the walls appeared to be constructed from ordinary white marble, Ivan immediately realized they were anything but ordinary.
The entire wall stood nearly fifty meters tall, while countless runes shimmered across their surfaces like flowing rivers of light. Multiple defensive formations had clearly been engraved deep within the walls, interweaving with one another to create one of White Wing Saint Academy's greatest defensive barriers. Even Ivan couldn't help feeling amazed inwardly.
However, his expression remained perfectly calm.
Slowly, Ivan walked toward the gigantic eastern outer gate. Standing beside it was an unusual stone golem. Unlike ordinary stone golems, this one had been completely fused into the academy wall itself. Only its massive humanoid head remained exposed, silently overlooking every wizard apprentice entering and leaving the academy.
As Ivan approached, the stone golem's glowing eyes slowly shifted toward him. An Ancient magical power quietly circulated through the countless runes engraved across its rocky face before a deep, emotionless voice echoed throughout the entrance.
"Wizard Apprentice."
"What business brings you to the Eastern Outer Gate today?"
Ivan calmly removed his identity badge.
"I accepted an academy mission."
The badge floated slightly as the accepted mission interface appeared before the stone golem. Its glowing eyes silently scanned both the badge and the mission details. Several moments later, the magical light gradually subsided.
"Mission verified."
"Identity confirmed."
"Wizard Apprentice Ivan Thornhart."
"You may pass."
The stone golem's gaze slowly shifted away from Ivan before returning to the countless wizard apprentices entering and leaving the academy
Ivan calmly fastened the badge back onto his chest before walking through the enormous gate. For the first time since entering White Wing Saint Academy, he officially stepped beyond the academy's main territory.
The scene outside, however, was completely different from what Ivan had imagined.
Instead of an endless primordial forest, a bustling supply station spread before him. Shops, restaurants, equipment stores, potion merchants, warehouses, horse stables, and various other buildings lined both sides of the wide stone road. Rather than resembling a mere supply station, the place looked more like a small town built specifically to support academy wizards carrying out missions.
According to the information Ivan had gathered from the Market District, every outer gate of White Wing Saint Academy possessed a similar supply station. They existed solely to provide equipment, supplies, transportation, and temporary accommodation for wizard apprentices traveling to nearby resource zones.
The D-4 Resource Zone was located nearly thirty kilometers from the academy.
Although Ivan could certainly walk that distance himself, transporting large quantities of Poison Fang Spider materials back afterward would become extremely troublesome. More importantly, he absolutely couldn't expose the existence of his Spatial Ring. For that reason, he had already prepared a large satchel so he could openly carry all harvested materials without arousing suspicion.
Following the wooden signs throughout the settlement, Ivan soon arrived before a spacious horse stable. Beside its entrance stood a young Low-Level Wizard Apprentice responsible for renting mounts to academy apprentices.
Seeing a customer approach, the young apprentice immediately stood up with an enthusiastic smile.
"Hello, customer."
"Are you looking for a mount?"
Ivan nodded calmly.
"I'll be traveling into a resource zone."
"What horses do you recommend for forest travel?"
Hearing that Ivan intended to enter a resource zone, the apprentice became even more energetic.
"This way, please."
He immediately led Ivan inside the stable.
Rows of extraordinary horses quietly stood inside spacious wooden stalls. Every stall was exceptionally clean, while faint traces of magical energy drifted throughout the stable, indicating that these weren't ordinary beasts.
Stopping before the first stall, the apprentice smiled proudly.
"This is a Dragon Horse."
"It possesses an extremely thin trace of dragon blood inherited through generations of magical breeding."
"It can run continuously for an entire day without becoming exhausted."
Ivan carefully observed the horse.
Its entire body was covered in dark crimson fur, while patches of crimson scales extended across its neck, shoulders, and hind legs. Two short horn-like protrusions grew from its forehead. Although they were far from resembling the majestic horns of a true dragon, they still gave the creature an imposing appearance. Every breath released from its nostrils carried faint traces of warm heat.
Walking farther inside, the apprentice stopped before another stall.
"This is an Earth Elephant Horse."
"It inherited a slight bloodline from the Ancient Earth Elephant."
"It isn't particularly fast, but it possesses astonishing endurance and can carry extremely heavy cargo across long distances for several consecutive days."
Ivan shifted his gaze toward the brown horse.
Its body was significantly larger than an ordinary horse. Its thick earthy-brown hide appeared incredibly tough, while all four legs were unusually thick and muscular, resembling sturdy stone pillars. Every movement carried a sense of immense stability and strength, making it obvious that transporting heavy cargo was its greatest specialty.
The apprentice continued walking before finally stopping in front of a pitch-black horse.
"This one's quite popular."
"It possesses a modified Shadow Leopard bloodline carefully cultivated by the academy's Beast Tamers."
"Its speed is extremely high."
"It also possesses a racial ability called Shadow Dash."
"While moving through shadows, it can burst forward at astonishing speed, making it excellent for escaping danger."
Hearing that the horse possessed an actual racial ability, Ivan couldn't help becoming slightly surprised.
The horse's entire body was jet black without a single blemish. Even its mane seemed to blend naturally into surrounding shadows. Most striking of all were its golden eyes. Unlike ordinary horses, its pupils were narrow and vertical like those of a leopard, giving it an unusually fierce and intelligent appearance.
Afterward, the apprentice introduced several more magical mounts, each possessing different bloodlines and specialties. Some excelled in endurance, while others specialized in speed or traversing difficult terrain.
After quietly considering every option, Ivan made his decision.
He wasn't planning to travel especially far.
Instead, what he required most was reliable carrying capacity.
Without hesitation, Ivan pointed toward the brown Earth Elephant Horse.
"I'll rent this one."
The apprentice smiled brightly.
"Excellent choice."
He immediately retrieved a magical contract.
The rental fee was fifty Magic Coins per day. Should the horse disappear or die during the mission, Ivan would compensate the stable with five Magic Stones.
Ivan carefully examined every clause written within the contract. After Nova thoroughly analyzed the agreement and confirmed there were no hidden loopholes, Ivan calmly signed it.
The apprentice accepted the payment before handing over the reins with a smile.
"Good luck on your mission."
Ivan nodded politely before mounting the sturdy brown Earth Elephant Horse. Gently pulling on the reins, he guided the magical beast onto the main road leading away from White Wing Saint Academy.
As the rhythmic sound of hoofbeats echoed across the stone road, Ivan steadily rode toward the distant D-4 Resource Zone.