The Wizard's Biological Chip Can Process Everything-Chapter 36: A little teacher

I pushed the heavy door open.

What I saw on the other side left me momentarily speechless.

The first thing I noticed was a dwarf with a thick orange mustache that seemed to glow under the light of industrial-style lamps.

He wore a white shirt stained with grease, dark pants, and sturdy brown boots.

A pair of steampunk-style safety goggles was firmly set on his face, the lenses shining as he examined a strange device on the table in front of him.

With tools in hand, he tightened small screws and murmured incomprehensible words to himself.

So this is Miguel, I thought. He seemed so absorbed in his work that he pretended not to notice my entrance.

The laboratory around him was so rich in detail that it felt impossible to take it all in at once.

Gears and metal parts of all sizes were scattered across tables and shelves, some covered in dust, while others gleamed as if they had been polished recently.

Strange prototypes occupied almost all the free space.

Partially disassembled mechanical arms, crates containing devices blinking in shades of blue and green, and an incomplete automaton leaning in the corner, its eyes seemingly watching me.

A giant blackboard rested against another wall, covered with notes and sketches of mechanisms I couldn’t decipher.

There was also a small steam-powered generator, emitting soft whistles that gave the space a constant, soothing hum.

It’s like being inside an engineer’s garage from my past life, I thought, impressed.

After a few minutes, he finally lifted his head from his work and looked in my direction.

—A new apprentice?

Before I could respond, his eyes fell on the floating magical servant in front of me.

He gestured with his hand, as if summoning the being of light closer.

Without warning, the servant shone intensely before exploding into countless glowing fragments that scattered through the air.

Miguel ran his gloved fingers through the floating particles, silently analyzing them. His eyes rose again and finally fixed on me.

"So, Eduard, are you willing to be my apprentice?"

Despite the strangeness of the situation, I answered quickly.

—I am willing!

He smiled, stroking the orange mustache that seemed to be his most distinctive feature.

—Good. I’ve had some apprentices in the past, but recently three of them died.

His fingers tapped against the side of the table as he continued.

—Two exploded during experiments. The other... well, let’s just say his invention worked too well. The poor fool forgot to create a shutdown mechanism. Hahaha!

He laughed so hard that his small figure leaned backward.

I, on the other hand, remained silent.

This dwarf is crazy, I thought, holding back my reaction, though I couldn’t suppress the chill running down my spine.

When his laughter finally subsided, Miguel took a deep breath, removed his goggles, and placed them on top of his head.

That was when I saw something I would never forget.

His eyes.

There were no irises, only empty sockets filled with a pulsing golden light.

He seemed to notice my discomfort and spoke lightly.

—Ah, accidents happen. It’s part of the process, right? But don’t worry. We’ll begin your initiation.

—Initiation? What initiation?

I asked, still trying to process everything that had happened so far.

He replied naturally, as if it were obvious.

—The initiation of a mage, of course.

Miguel began walking toward me.

Despite his short stature, there was an overwhelming aura around him.

He seemed larger than anyone I had ever met.

He seemed to know it too, because he stopped very close, lifting his face to look at me.

—But first, he continued, —tell me, Eduard, why do you want to become a mage?

I hesitated for a moment.

Not because I didn’t know the answer, but because the words that came to mind carried weight.

—I want to become a mage because I hunger for power and knowledge.

My hands clenched into fists as I spoke.

—I am willing to do anything to achieve what I desire.

—Ever since I discovered this magical world and left my parents’ territory, I knew that to reach my goals, I would have to go to the limits. No matter the cost. I am willing to kill... and die... for this dream.

The words came out stronger than I expected, and my eyes met Miguel’s intensely.

He stared at me for a moment, motionless, before throwing his head back and bursting into laughter.

—Hahahaha!

He laughed so much he had to bend over to catch his breath.

I stood firm, waiting for his laughter to fade.

When he finally straightened up, Miguel adjusted his goggles again and looked at me, his golden eyes burning like an intense flame.

—You will come to realize that the world is full of boys like you. Ambitious. Ruthless. Willing to do anything for power... Some will even commit sins the magical world will never forgive, all in the name of their insatiable pursuit.

He paused, taking a deep breath before shaking his head.

—But that doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you are here, ready to face whatever comes.

He stepped back, opening his arms as if presenting the chaotic laboratory around us.

—So, let’s begin!

Miguel turned efficiently, walking toward the central table of the lab.

His quick hands picked up some peculiar tools and a small pile of softly glowing blue crystals.

He turned back to me, pointing to a small box in a corner of the laboratory.

—Come, boy. Leave your items there.

—Yes, sir, I replied promptly, carrying my belongings to the box.

I placed them carefully, trying not to show any hesitation.

When I turned back, Miguel was already holding a strange object, something resembling a measuring tape, but its numbers flickered erratically every time it was pulled out.

—Before any direct contact with magical energy, we need to perform a basic analysis.

—These measurements are crucial to calibrate the potions and devices I’ll use.

—After all... he let out a sudden chuckle. —I don’t want you to overdose on energy and explode on your first day, right?

His words sent a chill down my spine, but I kept my expression firm. He began measuring me, pulling the tape and murmuring to himself.

—1.75 meters. Not bad.

Next, he led me to an unusual mechanical scale, which creaked slightly when I stepped onto it.

After adjusting a few gears, he noted my weight.

—Seventy-five kilos... You’re quite well balanced, boy.

After a few more measurements and notes in a notebook that seemed to update itself, Miguel announced:

—Alright. Everything is ready for us to begin.

He walked over to a large lever fixed to one of the walls.

With a decisive motion, he pulled it.

A metallic sound echoed through the laboratory: "Clang."

The floor around Miguel began to transform.

The metallic material seemed to bend and reorganize itself into a complex circular formation, filled with glowing golden runes and symbols.

A strange energy began to flow through the room, making the hairs on my arms stand on end.

The laboratory lights dimmed, leaving only the golden flame at the center of the formation.

Miguel turned to me, his golden eyes shining with a serious intensity.

—Boy, now stand at the center of the circle.

Without hesitation, I walked to the center of the magic circle.

After that, Miguel picked up a potion containing a blue liquid with strange letters floating inside it, then poured it into another container marked with numerical measurements. When the liquid reached a specific number, he stopped pouring and turned to me.

—This is a safe amount for your body. Now drink it all and give me your hand!

I extended my hand, took the potion, removed the wooden cork, and greedily swallowed the liquid as it flowed down like apple juice in my mouth.

As I drank, I noticed that the palm of his hand was smaller than mine, yet he gripped my hand firmly.

There was a strength in his grasp disproportionate to his small stature.

—Following the rites of ancient times, he began, —I will guide you, Eduard Edson, on the path of a Mage!

The energy around us seemed to grow stronger as Miguel began speaking in a strange language. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Although I had never heard it before, the words somehow made sense.

—Repeat after me! he commanded.

—I swear!

—I will seek the truth eternally! The words left my lips almost as if my mouth were acting on its own.

My voice, still young and tinged with traces of immaturity, echoed through the laboratory.

—Without my mentor’s permission, I swear I will not reveal any knowledge my mentor transmits to me...

Miguel continued the oath, and I repeated every word. Our voices began to merge, creating a synchronized sound.

"Hummm~~"

At the center of the formation, the golden flame suddenly flared, burning with great intensity.

The heat swallowed me, but it did not hurt.

I felt strange, and internally the liquid spread rapidly throughout my body, to the point that I could feel it moving—almost like the sensation of blood returning to your arm after you’ve slept on it and it’s gone numb.

Finally, the flame dimmed, leaving only a soft glow.

Miguel released my hand and stepped back.

He smiled, adjusting his goggles as he said,

"Congratulations on officially becoming a Level 0 Acolyte!"

I looked at my hands, slowly turning them.

Something felt different.

It was as if the world around me had changed in some inexplicable way.

Miguel watched me closely before speaking again.

—Welcome to the beginning of true power, boy. From here on, your journey will only become more interesting... or more dangerous.

I swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement.

—I was born for this moment.

...

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