Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2617: Chapter 2618: Main Axis

Dox’s face didn’t reveal any sign of hesitation. Instead, he was looking left and right, seemingly seriously comparing the two different paths.

But in reality, both Angel and the Black Earl knew that Dox was definitely in a dilemma at that moment.

However, what surprised them was how quickly Dox made his choice.

Angel could even feel the turbulent emotions from Dox. Even before his emotions had calmed, Dox made his decision.

”Let’s take that alley,” Dox said with a very certain tone.

Although Angel felt doubtful, he didn’t question it. He just nodded and said to everyone, ”Let’s go, follow his choice.”

Dox leaned over to Angel and curiously asked, ”Are you really putting your full faith in me?”

Angel: ”Anyway, if anything goes wrong, you’ll take the fall.”

Dox smirked, ”Don’t forget, you’re the leader here.”

Angel: ”Since you say that, how about we follow my lead and turn back immediately to take the Gemini Towers path, it’s not far anyway.”

Dox rubbed his nose, ”There’s no need for that, we’re already here.”

Angel: ”If we don’t turn back, any problem will be your responsibility.”

Dox opened his mouth, muttering some incoherent words, but finally nodded, ”Alright, let’s go with my choice then!”

Angel understood well that Dox was currently in a gamble with inspiration; retreating would mean conceding, which he absolutely could not accept at this moment.

However, Angel was a bit curious whether Dox was going against inspiration this time, or following it?

Angel communicated privately with the Black Earl, who also seemed uncertain.

However, just when they were uncertain, Kaier, the ”Reclining Dragon”, unexpectedly got involved.

Kaier, although following the group, wore a face full of reluctance, ”Why do we have to go through the dark alley? The Little Garden is bright enough, and there are hardly any Ghosteye Witches.”

Kaier’s complaint fell on Angel’s and the Black Earl’s ears without a response, but someone else, the ”Phoenix Chick”, came up to reply.

Vay: ”I think so too, the Little Garden is definitely the better choice. Who knows what’s gotten into Dox’s head, insisting on the dark alley.”

The duet between Kaier and Vay made Dox’s face a bit embarrassed.

Dox leaned over and said to Kaier first, ”Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You saw, didn’t you, that Little Garden has several stone tablets, and you’re thinking of going there to record the inscriptions, right?”

Kaier: ”Even if I have that idea, it’s just to use the Photostone in passing, it’s not like we’re stopping.”

Dox: ”I don’t care about that, you still have a personal agenda.”

After dealing with Kaier, Dox turned to Vay, ”As for you...”

Vay puffed up his chest and lifted his head, ”I have no personal agenda. I just think the Little Garden is better than the dark alley.”

Looking at Vay, who was full of criticism, Dox’s anger, which had been rising, suddenly dissipated, and he reverted to a lazy tone, ”You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?”

Vay rolled his eyes. In the Noah Divination Shop he set up in Mesomyia, it’s completely dark to enhance the life-or-death atmosphere. How could he be afraid of the dark? Dox knew this but still said it, completely slandering him.

Vay: ”If you don’t give a reason, today I’ll...”

Dox: ”You’ll what?”

Vay: ”I’ll... I’ll go with Kaier to the Little Garden.”

Vay had seriously considered it. The Little Garden is visible to the end at a glance, and there shouldn’t be many dangers. Even if they did encounter Ghosteye Witches, he and Kaier could handle them. Even if there were many Ghosteye Witches, they should be able to fight their way through, then regroup with the others at the end. The adults would naturally handle the rest.

Kaier was a bit hesitant at first but thought about it and felt there was nothing wrong with going with Vay to the Little Garden. He had explored many ruins alone and wasn’t afraid to travel solo.

”Okay.” Kaier supported Vay without hesitation.

Vay immediately raised his head and looked at Dox.

Because of this exchange, everyone stopped.

Dox glanced at Angel, ”Aren’t you going to say something?”

Angel: ”What can I say? It’s normal for them to have different opinions. If I had to choose, I’d also prioritize the Little Garden. However, taking the dark alley is fine too. Both paths are fine for me.”

Angel’s words were like saying nothing, as he didn’t support either side.

Dox sighed helplessly and said to Vay, ”I don’t have a specific reason, just feel the Little Garden seems a bit off.”

As soon as Dox said this, Angel and the Black Earl exchanged a look, with answers already forming in their minds.

This time, Dox probably didn’t go against his inspiration.

However, what reason does he have for not going against inspiration?

While Angel was curious, ”Phoenix Chick” Vay jumped in again, ”Off? What’s off about it?”

Dox: ”There’s indeed no Ghosteye Witches in the Little Garden, but it’s precisely because there are no Ghosteye Witches that it feels strange. Think about it, Ghosteye Witches don’t like light, but they’re not too afraid of it. They could completely destroy the Fluorite in the Little Garden, but they haven’t, isn’t that an odd behavior?”

Vay: ”They don’t like light, so they stay away, why destroy it? There’s enough space here for them to live.”

Vay’s words actually made some sense, and Dox scratched his head, ”What you say isn’t wrong, but I feel something’s off, so choose the other side. As Angel just said, either path is fine for us anyway.”

With Dox extending Angel’s words, Vay found it hard to argue further.

Indeed, either path was walkable, and Vay had given a sort of plausible reason, so... let’s just take the dark alley.

The two apprentice wizards stopped interfering, and the group finally stepped into the dark alley.

”Do you think the reason Dox gave is why he went with his inspiration?” came the Black Earl’s usual whisper.

”I don’t know, but Dox made his decision very quickly this time. Perhaps because of that reason, or perhaps for other reasons. After all, human nature is complex. In the moment of choice, sometimes we consider many things, sometimes it’s as simple as an inexplicable drive.”

Black Earl: ”The drive you’re talking about, is it intuition?”

”Intuition, instinct, or maybe just some indescribable feeling mixed with inspiration.”

Angel spoke this because he was sure Dox made his decision while his emotions were still turbulent, not like it was a calculated decision.

Since it wasn’t a well-thought-out decision, it’s possible that other driving forces influenced his choice.

They previously overly personified inspiration, but inspiration itself lacks thought; Dox is the one who truly thinks. Dox is the main subject of everything.

Black Earl: ”Your understanding is quite interesting; perhaps you are right.”

Angel: ”Then how do you understand it, sir?”

Black Earl: ”Same as you.”

Black Earl’s tone had a hint of amusement, obviously having another idea but not planning to share it. Angel didn’t ask further, fearing Black Earl’s understanding was too advanced and might lead him into a high-level trap.

Even though Black Earl is now just a nose, not very powerful, his knowledge foundation hasn’t changed. Sometimes, when low-level Wizards forcefully probe or comprehend the words of high-level Wizards, they might fall into high-level traps. It’s not the fault of high-level Wizards; it’s that low-level Wizards overestimate themselves.

So, when Angel converses with Black Earl, they rarely touch on knowledge. And Black Earl doesn’t elevate the understanding level too much, making their exchange quite harmonious.

The dark alley path had barely been traversed when a strange scene appeared.

Five Ghosteye Witches formed a circle, continuously rotating.

Ghosteye Witches inherently have shadow transformation abilities, so at first glance, it looked like a bunch of shadows circling.

”Is this some kind of habit of the Ghosteye Witches?” Vay looked at Kaier. Although outside, Kaier didn’t immediately recognize the Ghosteye Witches, but after realizing the monster they encountered was a Ghosteye Witch, Kaier shared much about its habits.

This was typical of the Academy Faction approach.

Kaier pondered for a moment and said uncertainly, ”Is it cultivation?”

”Cultivation?” Vay looked at the swirling shadows, feeling somewhat dizzy. What kind of weird cultivation method is this?

Kaier: ”Based on current knowledge, among magical creatures related to shadows, Ghosteye Witches are rare in being communal. According to records, their cultivation method is the merging of shadows.”

Vay: ”So it’s big fish devouring small fish? These Ghosteye Witches aren’t playing; they’re fighting? Catching up to swallow each other’s shadows?”

Kaier shook his head: ”Ghosteye Witches rarely slaughter each other. Their shadow merging is akin to our networking events or tea parties, exchanging some special energy... or information within their shadows to perfect themselves.”

”As for the merging method, the books don’t specify. How they merge depends entirely on the mood of the Ghosteye Witches. I guess this might be one of their merging methods used for cultivation?”

Kaier wasn’t sure and looked towards Dox.

Dox’s eyes darted around, humming a little tune. Clearly, Dox didn’t know what was going on either.

In the end, Black Earl resolved it: ”Kaier is mostly right. Although Ghosteye Witches are low-level monsters, through shadow merging and continuous improvement, there may eventually emerge a perfect high-intelligence life.”

Kaier: ”Then the Wizard-level Ghosteye Witches in the Gemini Towers are...”

Black Earl: ”Wizard-level Ghosteye Witches are rare but not nonexistent. Wizard-level is still far from perfect, but the intelligence has indeed improved significantly. The truly perfect Ghosteye Witch has no flaws in academia, perfectly exchanging all other Ghosteye Witch information, discarding the dross, extracting the essence, achieving omniscience in the shadow world.”

”Of course, this is academic speculation. No one has seen a perfect Ghosteye Witch yet.”

”And the merging method of Ghosteye Witches is similar to what Kaier said; it depends on their mood. But the more the merges, the higher the intelligence might be, and the merging effects might diversify.”

As soon as Black Earl finished, Dox chimed in, ”Understood, understood, the more experience, the more variety.”

Dox said this with a sly smile at Angel. Angel merely raised an eyebrow, causing Dox to silently turn his attention to another—Kaier.

”It’s like comparing me and Kaier; my variety is abundant, and I can do it in all sorts of ways. As for Kaier, do you have variety?”

Kaier stayed silent.

Seeing this, Dox laughed heartily, as if he had won a fierce contest.

But just as Dox was laughing, he suddenly found he couldn’t open his mouth.

Upon touching, he discovered a tangible ”X” tape on his mouth.

Undoubtedly, it was Black Earl’s doing.

It’s easy to guess the reason, as Black Earl was seriously disseminating knowledge, while Dox was making indecent remarks on the side. In other places, like formal conferences, Dox would have been utterly destroyed.

However, being unable to speak is temporary for Dox, as Black Earl’s power from just a nose isn’t enough to completely prohibit him.

But having some quiet time was a good thing for everyone.

”How do we proceed now?” Vay asked the most practical question once peace was restored.

Five Ghosteye Witches wasn’t a lot, but in the narrow alley, their circling just blocked the path.

Vay: ”Should we just... kill them all?”

”No need.” After Angel spoke, the Moving Mirage expanded and quietly surrounded the five Ghosteye Witches.

Then, Angel simulated the nearby environment, making the circling Ghosteye Witches completely unaware that they had entered an environment.

The final step, Speedy silently manipulated the Ghosteye Witches to float high into the air.

During this process, making the Ghosteye Witches unaware of the change in their situation wasn’t easy. But Angel’s Nightmare Illusion happens to influence creatures’ judgment of the outside world within the illusionary realm to a certain extent.

They continued circling, entirely unaware they had been lifted into the air by the wind.

With the path unobstructed, they could easily pass.

When the group passed beneath the Ghosteye Witches, Vay felt somewhat awkward: ”Sir, since you can lift them, why don’t we just fly over?”

”Choice matter, what I can do alone doesn’t need the rest to do again.”

Angel’s answer was grand; it not only dispelled Vay’s doubts but also made Vay feel that Angel truly considered everyone’s situation, making him admire his idol even more.

Yet, Vay was unaware of Black Earl’s criticism echoing in Angel’s head.

”In terms of pretentiousness, you indeed resemble your mentor.”

Black Earl knew very well why Angel chose to lift the Ghosteye Witches rather than fly over them. The answer is simple: the Moving Mirage cannot fly.

Or rather, the Moving Mirage cannot fly here.

Because the central axis of the Moving Mirage is Earl Mi.