Punk stepped into the Mage Guild, finding it nearly deserted.
The floor, carved from a single slab of quartz, gleamed brilliantly underfoot. Though aquamarine in color, the quartz emitted a radiant glow, illuminating the hall from below. This upward lighting effect added to the enigmatic aura of mages, though in practical terms, it was more of an extravagant display than anything truly useful.
Only a handful of young mages in gray robes stood gathered near a small doorway, listening intently to an old mage. Meanwhile, the guild's receptionist—a worn-down alchemy puppet—stood idly nearby. The puppet was clearly neglected; many of its enchanted components were exposed, and its joints creaked loudly with every movement.
Extending a thin, rusting arm, the puppet activated a crude magical interface, projecting a blurry, floating panel of text:
Join the Mage Guild
Consultation
Post a Task
Purchase Items
Accept Missions(Dimmed)
Transfer Missions(Dimmed)
Purchase Knowledge(Dimmed)
Only the first four options were available.
Without hesitation, Punk tapped the option to join the Mage Guild.
A new set of instructions appeared:
Enter Your Name
Inject Magic to Record Your Arcane Signature
Member Notes: None
Membership Benefits: Access to Missions, Task Transfers, and Knowledge Purchases
Punk scoffed inwardly.
So this so-called backward world has some technological sophistication after all.
But what truly surprised him was the guild's absurdly lax admission process. He had read in his inherited knowledge that the Mage Guild was a loosely structured organization, but this was far beyond what he expected. The lack of strict regulations made it clear—the guild cared less about unity and more about using mages for its own ends.
Even so, Punk had no reason to hesitate.
His knowledge reserves were far from sufficient. To grow stronger, he needed to obtain more advanced theories and refine his craft. While the Mage Guild likely wouldn't offer truly valuable secrets, it was still a necessary stepping stone.
The registration process was completed within seconds.
Without wasting time, Punk immediately navigated to the Knowledge Purchase section.
His plan was simple: buy an alchemical potion formula and some basic alchemy tools. If he could start brewing potions, he'd have a reliable way to generate income.
His parents had left him with nothing but meager funds, and their lack of alchemical expertise meant he had no inherited knowledge in the field. He would have to build his skills from scratch.
Browsing through the Apprentice-Level Alchemical Formulas, Punk scanned the list:
Calming Draught
Lesser Meditation Aid
Moxa Crystal Infusion
Cold Resistance Tonic
Lesser Wind Element Concentrate
Night Vision Potion
His gaze lingered on the Night Vision Potion, and he opened its details:
Name:Detailed Explanation of Night Vision Potion Formula
Level: Apprentice
Difficulty: Medium
Effect: Grants apprentice-level beings enhanced vision in darkness (equivalent to a cloudy night) for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Punk was satisfied.
A potion that granted vision in darkness would be in high demand among adventurers and mercenaries.
Then he looked at the purchase conditions…
…and his expression darkened.
Must be a registered member of the Mage Guild.(Simple enough.)
Cost: 200 Kingdom Gold Coins.(Reasonable. He could earn that by hunting monsters or completing missions at the Adventurer's Guild.)
Requirement: Completion of at least one apprentice-level mission for the Mage Guild.
Punk's fingers clenched involuntarily.
Are you sure this is a Mage Guild and not a damn Lord God Space?
He now understood why the entry requirements were so lax—the guild didn't just want members, it wanted servants. This arbitrary restriction forced desperate mages into completing assignments before they could access even the most basic resources.
His thoughts were interrupted by a raspy voice.
"You seem interested in that formula, young man."
Punk turned to see the old mage from before, his wrinkled face contorting into a smile.
"That's a fine potion, but the purchase conditions aren't exactly friendly, are they?" The old man chuckled. "This is a small city, after all. Apprentice-level missions are rare, and when they do appear, they get snatched up instantly."
Punk narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
The old man's aura was faint, but he could sense it—level 6. He was at the Adept level, and although he looked old, he was clearly stronger than he appeared.
"Do you need something?" Punk asked flatly.
He could tell the old man wasn't here for idle chatter.
The mage grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.
"Lucky for you, I happen to have an apprentice-level mission available. Interested?"
With that, he pulled out a pale-white magic crystal, and with a surge of mana, a task description materialized in the air:
Mission: Investigate Undead Energy in the Aigma Wasteland
Objective: Confirm and record the location of the undead aura (Use the Lei Ze Positioning Method).
The old mage's eyes gleamed as he continued.
"This kind of task doesn't stay open for long. If you hesitate, someone else will snatch it up."
Punk felt his stomach sink.
Aigma Wasteland… wasn't that the place I specifically avoided?
Suppressing his unease, he asked:
"Why aren't you handling this yourself?"
The old mage coughed theatrically.
"Ahem, well, I wanted to leave some opportunities for young talents like yourself."
Punk's face remained impassive.
He didn't buy it.
Seeing his skepticism, the old mage sighed and admitted:
"Fine, I'll be honest. If I go, the Church's lackeys will follow me. This mission was actually predicted by Lord Mynexi, the only official high-level mage in this city."
"Word is, there's something valuable in that wasteland—something worth acquiring. But if the Church catches wind of it, they'll swoop in like vultures."
His greedy expression made it clear—he wanted whatever was in the wasteland, but he wasn't willing to risk himself to get it.
Punk remained silent for a moment, weighing his options.
His initial instinct was to refuse. This had the stench of a setup.
But then reality set in—he had only five gold coins left.
Without funds, he would be crippled in his pursuit of magic. Worse, he was close to breaking through to the next level and needed resources to aid in his cultivation.
Fine… just a simple investigation. Check the area, mark the coordinates, and leave.
With his current strength—an apprentice peak mage, equipped with two apprentice-level magic items—he was confident that even if things went south, he could escape.
Looking at the old mage, he spoke with deliberate calm.
"I'll take the mission."