High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 84: Chapter 8: The Ugly Duckling in the Flock of Geese_1

Throughout the course of its long development, the division and addressing of wizards’ ranks have undergone numerous changes.

With the philosophical faction ’Dimensionism’ becoming the prominent school of thought in the modern wizarding world, the Great Wizard Conference of 1945 legally established the divisions and addressing of modern wizards’ ranks, which were widely promoted within the Alliance.

Any wizard who completed middle-level education through the Alliance could gain formal ’wizard’ certification.

This certification would be filed in the Wizard Covenant for reference, but there were no certificates issued.

As the fundamental force of the Alliance, the number of ’wizards’ within the Alliance is the largest. Perhaps they can only cast a dazzling flash spell or concoct some flirting potions, but it is undeniable that these ordinary wizards sustain the normal functioning of the entire wizarding world.

Of course, due to the extensive division, the wizarding world is a mixed bag. In the Alliance’s legal system, tricksters who only know a few simple magic tricks are called wizards; those who can demolish buildings with exploding fireballs are also termed as ’wizards’.

Without passing relevant tests, a wizard can only live indefinitely with an identity similar to a trickster.

This is one reason why tricksters are deeply detested in the wizarding world.

No one wishes to be deemed equal to a fool—even though legally, there is not much difference between a fool and an ordinary person.

Once a wizard graduates from university and passes the relevant examinations, he or she becomes a CPW, also known as a recognized certified wizard. Sometimes they are also simply called ’Certified Wizard’ or ’Official Wizard’ by other wizards.

In contrast to the various fragile and immature abilities of wizards, the Alliance has made clear and specific requests for the level of registered wizards.

CPWs generally can be familiar with over 300 magic words, skillfully prepare 143 common potions, master general divination methods, excel at 365 mandatory spells and 81 talisman scripts for registered wizards, and are able to sketch out 72 sets of standard magic formations within the permitted time.

Most importantly, they are fully in control of the power in their bloodline, unlike ordinary wizards, who can only passively bear and utilize those powers that do not belong to them.

In the view of modern wizarding theory, every intelligent being’s abilities are immensely vast and incalculable.

The difference between wizards and ordinary people lies in the degree of development and mastery of these abilities.

Most ordinary people, throughout their lives, only develop a small amount of bodily potential, utilize few brain cells, and perform ordinary and repetitive tasks. They have rigid bodies, confused minds, and often do not understand the difference between life and death.

But a certified wizard, has a certain degree of control over their own body. Their physique is robust and full of vitality, their brain is flexible, and their thoughts are sharp.

Through long-term practice, the Wizard Alliance has developed a series of standard tests to judge the level of wizards.

For example, concocting a certain potion, divining some details, or reciting a spell, etc. Once a wizard is able to complete a certain test, the Wizard Alliance will assume that this wizard’s control of their body has met the standard.

This set of standards was initially developed by the First University and promoted through advancement exams, and has been in use ever since. According to the judgement of the senior evaluator in the Wizard Alliance, every student normally promoted to the fourth year of the First University has the ability to be a registered wizard.

Registered wizards are the backbone of the wizarding world.

The number of registered wizards has always maintained around ten thousand amidst a population of over a million in the wizarding world.

Approximately a ratio of one in a hundred.

Even excluding demon attacks and laboratory accidents, this ratio has little room for improvement.

In the view of wizards, being a registered wizard means having a higher social status, more substantial income, and a longer lifespan. Many high-ranking positions in the wizarding world are only open to registered wizards, such as senior investigators of the Trident Sword, or assistants or lecturers at the First University.

Only by obtaining these high-level positions do registered wizards have the resources to strive for the rank of Great Wizard.

Although a person’s potential is vast, it has an endpoint.

Once a registered wizard fully controls their own body and soul, they have reached the threshold of Great Wizard status.

This is a registered wizard’s peak moment. During this time, they can concoct any potion developed by other wizards, complete most complex formations with a wave of the hand, and recite long and complicated spells without practice.

At this point, with their current physical condition, registered wizards cannot progress any further.

Therefore, they need to seek opportunities to break through themselves.

It could be a new spell, a new potion recipe, or a breakthrough in theory;

Perhaps it is a moment of enlightenment in life and death;

Perhaps it is a stroll in the long river of time.

Once registered wizards break through these shackles, they will touch upon a whole new world.

Great Wizard.

The senior professors, deans, even vice-chancellors of the First University, upper members of the Under Moon Council, senior committee members of the Wizard Council, and so on. These radiant name tags are the best footnotes for Great Wizards.

For ordinary wizards, Great Wizards seem to be everywhere, yet they are also incredibly distant.

Any Great Wizard is a precious treasure of the wizarding world, and they guide the souls of ordinary wizards.

Every breakthrough they make is a significant advancement for the wizarding world.

...

At the end of the letter was a heavy ink dot made by a brush.

Xiao Xiao seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief upon writing up to here.

Zheng Qing carefully folded the creased paper and put it in the grey cloth bag beneath his tunic.

He felt that this general knowledge was very much worth his time to read through several more times.

A burst of enthusiastic applause caught the attention of the daydreaming cost student.

Zheng Qing raised his head, the last freshman who was self-introducing was staggering off the stage.

Upon taking out his pocket watch, he realized that most of the lesson time had already passed unnoticed.

”Dong dong dong!”

The sound of knuckles knocking on the tabletop sounded.

The freshmen perked up again.

Professor Yao had already returned to stand behind the lectern. The green smoke swirling around him had somehow vanished, and his squinted eyes had reopened, revealing his sharp, dark pupils.

”The self-introductions of the new students are over, and now I have a few words to say.”

Zheng Qing perked up his ears.

But Professor Yao did not continue to speak.

Because in the front row of the classroom, a short arm was pointing straight up, interrupting his process.

It was Li Meng.

”Do you have a question?” Old Yao looked very kindly at the girl.

”Hello, Teacher!” Li Meng stood up properly, like a well-behaved lady: ”There’s someone in our class who hasn’t introduced himself yet. It’s that guy at the back by the window, short, with a watermelon head, wearing black glasses, his name is Xiao Xiao!”

”Oh! There is another new student.” Professor Yao seemed to have understood, he looked at Xiao Xiao with a smile: ”The new student over there, would you like to say a few words?”

Xiao Xiao pouted, moved through a couple of guys who were giggling foolishly, and walked up to the podium.

”Hello, everyone. My name is Xiao Xiao, Xiao from Calm Xiao, and Xiao from Happy. I’m from Huaxia. I like to wander around, and I hate taking notes the most. My pet is an old tortoise. I have no special talents.”

”I am a special admissions student from the First University. I have never participated in the Wizard Higher Education Examination; You can understand that my higher education entrance examination score is 0.”

He nodded, Xiao Xiao stepped down from the podium, utterly indifferent to the strange eyes on him.

There was a sparse round of applause in the classroom.

Zheng Qing looked at Xiao Xiao with some concern.

After all, in a group of students who had taken the higher education entrance examination, there was a student who had not.

It was like an ugly duckling mixed into a group of geese.

It was somewhat repellent.