Chapter 392: Three Years

Helag said, “But the outcome was good, so there’s no reason to punish me, right?”

Pruis nodded, “Exactly. That’s why, along with our strong arguments, you weren’t punished and even received some rewards. However, due to these factors, your reward was relatively small. A thousand contribution points may seem like a lot, but it doesn’t match your actual contribution.”

“Mainly, when your signal suddenly disappeared, we all thought you’d met with misfortune. So naturally, there was no punishment, as you wouldn’t have received the points anyway.”

“Since you were believed to have sacrificed for Silvermoon City, punishing you would dishearten others.”

“But who would have thought you’d return on your own a few months later?”

Helag chuckled, quickly signing the parchment with a quill, eager to secure the points.

If the higher-ups reconsidered, he might lose them, so he signed immediately.

“Alright, you’ll receive them soon,” Pruis said, putting away the parchment.

Helag mentioned, “My communication stone was destroyed by Eye of the Storm people.”

He felt it necessary to inform Pruis, as it involved another wizard organization.

“Eye of the Storm? I heard you smuggled from their North Slope City; Brad mentioned it. Tell me about your time in the polluted zone,” Pruis prompted.

Helag recounted his experiences, omitting many details.

He didn’t mention the murals or stone tablets, keeping those secrets.

He focused on his encounters with Eye of the Storm explorers, describing the conflicts and escapes.

Pruis nodded, “I see. Don’t worry, now that you’re back, they can’t touch you. Even if you killed some of their people, they attacked first.”

“I’ll report this. You won’t be punished; you’ll likely be rewarded. When dealing with Eye of the Storm, this is how to handle it.”

Seranthiel and Eye of the Storm had frequent conflicts, with long-standing grudges.

Helag’s issue was minor, unlikely to cause further trouble.

He asked Pruis to monitor the two second-level wizards he encountered, for future reference.

If they survived, he needed to prepare for possible encounters.

Helag remembered them, planning to confront them once he advanced to a second-level wizard.

He and Pruis talked for a long time, even having dinner together before parting.

***

Back home, Helag began planning his next steps.

His primary goal was advancing to a crystallized wizard, a lengthy process.

For most wizards, this stage took 20-30 years, even for those with good aptitude.

Wizards with poor aptitude might never complete this step, unable to advance.

Helag estimated he’d need only 3-4 years to compress his mental power.

He decided to focus entirely on this goal for the next few years.

Helag settled into a routine of training.

He spent his days compressing mental power, eating, sleeping, and occasionally going out with Reese.

Reese managed household affairs, allowing Helag to concentrate on training.

To avoid distractions, Helag took no missions and declined social activities.

Until he advanced, he planned to do nothing else.

Reese was happiest, spending every day with Helag.

Previously, Helag was often busy, rarely home, with little time for Reese.

Helag felt like a scholar preparing for exams, with Reese as his supportive wife.

Sometimes, Helag thought such a life was pleasant, with high happiness.

But reality urged him forward; Helag knew he couldn’t indulge in comfort.

To endure, he needed strength, until he could control his fate.

***

Three years later.

Helag sat in his meditation room, eyes closed, on a velvet cushion.

Reese had prepared the room for his training.

It was equipped with magical arrays, shielding Helag from distractions.

In his mind, the liquefied mental power had vanished, replaced by a gel-like substance.

This transparent, pale blue gel was the result of three years of compression.

Over three years, his mental power transformed into this gel.

This was the final step before becoming a crystallized wizard, needing refinement into a crystal.

Helag reached this stage a year ago, each refinement causing intense pain.

When pain struck, his bloodline imprint released a cooling sensation, easing the pain and refining the gel.

The Divine Core’s energy seemed endless, still not depleted after three years.

Helag felt it was vast, like an ocean, inexhaustible.

His rapid progress was thanks to the Divine Core’s energy.

His mental power had been gel-like for a year, seemingly ready to crystallize, but always just short.

Helag remained patient, methodically refining his mental power.

tln : another long time skip.