Wizard: Building a Golem Legion From Zero-Chapter 56 - 54: Fatal Mistake
The apprentice’s smile became more genuine.
He quickly calculated on the Magic Guide Terminal. "The Magic Potion equipment is 285 Magic Stones, the reagents are 200, the Alchemy Equipment is 1,850, the ’Nightwing III’ is 550, and the Space Ring is 1,000. In total, that comes to 3,885 Low-Level Magic Stones."
This was a figure that would make any beginner apprentice faint.
Allen took out his ID card and placed it lightly on the terminal on the counter.
With a soft "BEEP," a faint light flashed, and the transaction was complete.
[Account Balance: 665 Low-Level Magic Stones.]
Allen slipped the ring onto his index finger. It was a perfect fit.
With a thought, he sent a thread of Spiritual Power into it. A cubic space, far more spacious than his previous storage pouch, appeared in his perception.
He picked up the various items piled on the counter, and with another thought, they vanished instantly, reappearing inside the ring’s space.
Then, he transferred everything from his own cramped old storage pouch into the ring as well.
"Sir, you have excellent taste."
Watching Allen’s proficient handling, the apprentice’s smile gained a hint of respect. He could tell that this customer was not only wealthy but also had masterful control over his Spiritual Power.
He took the opportunity to pull out a few more items from under the counter: a Protective Talisman and a Scroll.
"Sir, take a look. This is a ’Low-Level Defense Talisman.’ When activated, it creates a shield that can block a single Low-level Witchcraft. It’s only one hundred Magic Stones."
"And this, a ’Flash Dust Bomb.’ When thrown, it produces a blinding flash and smoke. It’s a common escape tool for mandatory quests. Seeing as you’ve just been promoted to Advanced Apprentice, now is the perfect time to need these things..."
Allen’s gaze lingered on the talisman and the bomb for a moment.
DSeek refreshed his financial data in his mind. The glaring number "665" extinguished any desire to spend more.
He had already completed his shopping list for the day. Every purchase served his alchemy study plan for the coming year, and these one-time consumables were not on his list.
"I don’t need them right now." He was about to turn and leave.
Suddenly, on DSeek’s background interface, a term was captured:
Mandatory quest!
"Wait. Can you tell me more about these mandatory quests?"
Allen stopped in his tracks, his mind already racing.
Seeing that he had successfully piqued the other’s interest, the apprentice perked up:
"You can find the mandatory quests in the academy’s Quest Hall. They happen once a year. The most common ones involve going to the Silent Forest or the Sinking Dream Swamp to gather specific Demonized Plants or to hunt for materials from Low-Tier Magical Beasts."
"The mandatory quests for low-level apprentices are simpler—just things like weeding the Magic Potion Garden, feeding the herbivores in the Magic Beast Shed, or cleaning a professor’s laboratory. There’s no real danger, just a way to earn some pocket money. But for advanced apprentices, it’s a different story."
He lowered his voice. "The academy doesn’t raise bookworms who only hide in their labs. After all, the theme for Wizards is conflict and conquest. So, most mandatory quests for advanced apprentices involve combat."
"Although the academy designates safe zones, you can never be sure you won’t run into trouble. Every year, apprentices get injured on these quests, or even..."
The apprentice didn’t finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
In Allen’s mind, DSeek’s interface was instantly flooded with red alerts.
[Warning: Unrecorded key variable detected!]
[Variable Name: Annual Mandatory Quest (Advanced Apprentice)]
[Quest Type: Combat, Exploration, Gathering]
[Potential Risk: High (Injury, Death)]
[Cross-referencing with personal status...]
[Time Since Enrollment: 10 months, 21 days.]
[Time Until End of Academic Year (Mandatory Quest Deadline): Approx. 39 days.]
[Current Combat Capability Assessment: Extremely Low.]
’A huge information gap! This is a fatal oversight!’
A storm raged in Allen’s mind.
Since his transmigration, he had been meticulously cautious, relying on DSeek’s planning capabilities and the foresight of his soul from Earth. From a mortal Prince to an Advanced Apprentice, every step had been calculated.
He had planned his learning path, his source of funding, and even the direction of his knowledge acquisition for the next three years.
But he had missed this one piece of information.
’Why did I miss it?’
The reason was simple: focus.
He had been too focused on the ocean of knowledge in the Wizarding World, pouring all his time and energy into studying and making money.
He almost never went to the common rooms where apprentices chatted, nor had he ever set foot in the Quest Hall where missions were posted. He believed the return on investment for those low-level quests was far too low, much worse than running his own study groups.
This mistake, born from overconfidence and path dependence, was a fatal one.
On the surface, Allen remained composed. His handsome face was the perfect mask.
He looked at the apprentice and asked in a tone of pure curiosity, "So this quest is mandatory? What happens if you can’t complete it?"
"Of course, it’s mandatory!" the apprentice answered affirmatively. "If you don’t complete it, you risk being forced to undertake a high-difficulty mission, or even being expelled."
"Do you choose the quest yourself, or does the academy assign it?" Allen pressed.
This was the most critical question. It would determine how much autonomy he had.
"You can pick one yourself from the Quest Hall. But if you haven’t completed one by the end of the academic year, the academy will assign one to you."
The apprentice explained, "If you pick one yourself, you can choose a relatively simple one, or one with good rewards. If it’s assigned, well, there’s no telling what you’ll get."
Allen’s fingertips tapped lightly on the counter, a subconscious habit of his when he was thinking.
This mandatory quest had disrupted his entire plan, but it also forced him to shore up his weakest link—his combat ability.
’A Wizard who only knows alchemy is just a walking treasure chest.’
’I was bound to face this problem sooner or later; it has just been moved up.’
"Thanks."
Allen fished two Low-Level Magic Stones out of his pocket and placed them on the counter. "This is for you."
The apprentice’s eyes lit up. He quickly scooped up the Magic Stones, his smile becoming exceptionally bright.
"Sir, you’re too kind! If you need anything in the future, please come back to Alchemy House! My name is Todd, and I’m always at your service!"
Allen nodded, said nothing more, and turned to leave the shop.
As he stepped back into the hustle and bustle of the Apprentice Trading Market, the shops he had previously ignored now held a whole new meaning.
The Hunter’s Lodge, with its giant tusk sign, sold various kinds of Soft Armor made from Magical Beast Hides. They were no longer crude decorations, but equipment that could genuinely increase his physical defense.
The apothecary, reeking of pungent smells, had shelves lined with colorful healing potions, antidotes, and berserker potions. They were no longer irrelevant goods, but life-saving strategic supplies.
Even the stalls selling Basic Elemental Arrows and Crossbow Arrows had become, in his eyes, options for a "low-cost, ranged-firepower supplement."
The world was still the same, but his cognitive model had been forcibly reconfigured in just a few short minutes.
As he walked, he rapidly formulated a new plan in his mind.
[Emergency Protocol Initiated: Codename "Cram Session"]
[Core Objective: Within half a month, acquire comprehensive skills sufficient to complete a medium-intensity combat mission.]
[Funds: 665 Low-Level Magic Stones. Assessment: Severely insufficient; only enough for basic supplies.]
[Knowledge: Introductory theories of alchemy, artifice, and magic potions. Assessment: Can be used to craft some equipment and potions, but the time cost is high, making it unsuitable for short-term goals.]
[Equipment: Space Ring (Logistical Support), Nightwing III (Mobility). Assessment: Excellent support capabilities, zero direct combat ability.]
[Time: Approx. 39 days. Assessment: Extremely tight.]
[Recommendation: Utilize the 50,000 Magic Stone interest-free loan to immediately inscribe permanent Witchcraft and increase combat power.]
A series of analyses and decisions flashed through Allen’s mind.
His pace didn’t falter in the slightest as he quickly moved through the bustling crowd toward the exit of the trading market.
His expression returned to its usual calm, as if the storm that had just raged in his mind had never happened.
Leaving the market, the wide-open academy plaza appeared before him.
Allen took the "Nightwing III" Hoverboard from his Space Ring.
The dark metal board hovered silently 30 centimeters off the ground, the blue Rune patterns on its surface slowly lighting up.
He stepped onto it, infusing it with Magic Power while leaning slightly forward. The board automatically secured his feet.
The Nightwing III shot forward silently, accelerating smoothly and kicking up a breeze that rustled the hem of his Apprentice Robe.
With a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, it was practically the fastest way to travel across the academy plaza, where apprentices were forbidden from using teleportation or blink spells. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
’He had previously bought it out of a desire for efficiency and a sense of his past life’s aesthetics.’
Now, however, Allen added another item to its valuation: an excellent tool for battlefield entry and exit.
The wind whistled past his ears as the surrounding scenery flew backward.
A few minutes later, the Nightwing III came to a steady stop in White Stone Square, in front of the Central Library.
Allen put away the hoverboard and looked up at the great hall of knowledge.
It stood like a silent giant, countless Runes flickering across its surface, emitting an awe-inspiring fluctuation of Magic Power. It had witnessed untold ages.
