Silently probing the mysteries of runes and concentrating on his studies was what he ought to be doing. As for venturing out to scavenge legacies—that wasn't a risk; it was a necessity for better learning.

  Along the way, following his encounter with the point-eared elf, Tars crossed paths with a group of his own kin and two lizardmen. He remained unseen by the kobolds and stayed hidden from the lizardmen, acting as the perfect passerby—a traveler with a singular purpose.

  Nowadays, "hunting" grubs was more like picking them up. Ensuring no one was around, he activated Fetid Skin for a mere pulse. Using the spell's basic form was simple and direct for dealing with grubs; soon, he was able to stroll over to five nearby shallow nests and harvest them. He didn't stop until he had gathered ten—any more and they wouldn't fit. Two were held in his hands, while the other eight were stuffed into his storage pouch.

  By the time he reached the half-man's lair, only one grub remained in his hands. He felt a twinge of apprehension at the thought of the upcoming meeting. The silence of the vast tunnels was broken only by the sound of his own footsteps, which felt as though they were treading directly on his nerves.

  Finally, the great boulder came into view. Tars poked his head around the rock cautiously; nothing had changed since his last visit, save for a few more mushrooms.

  "Your mental power has grown more solid, little kobold."

  The hazy silhouette of the half-man appeared exactly where it had been before, in the same posture, and the voice echoed in Tars's mind with perfect consistency.

  "Greetings, Great Being! I have become a wizard apprentice." Tars bowed humbly, lifting the grub high above his head. He was mimicking the behavior of an ordinary, slightly clever kobold; performed this way, his actions were above suspicion.

  The half-man remained silent, seemingly oblivious to his words. Tars had no choice but to remain in his prostrate position, holding the grub aloft. Suddenly, a light breeze seemed to brush past his face. He looked up instinctively and was stunned to see the half-man sitting up.

  Though the figure remained ethereal and hazy, the eternal side-lying posture had shifted into a cross-legged seat upon the boulder. Tars thought he heard the half-man laughing—though he couldn't tell if the sound was in his ears, his mind, or neither. He grew even more uneasy.

  "Clever little kobold, you truly are a surprise." The half-man's voice remained devoid of emotion, which, strangely, brought Tars a sense of relief.

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  "Hmm? This grub has an unpleasant odor," the half-man remarked suddenly.

  "It is a gift for you..." Tars replied. He had become so accustomed to the scent that he hadn't noticed it at all. He took the opportunity to look up and noticed that while the half-man's eyes and mouth remained immobile, he had somehow gained the strength to sit up upon hearing of Tars's advancement.

  "Clever little one, which spell did you choose to solidify?" The half-man's single eye stared unblinkingly, looking even more unsettling from a seated position.

  "It is Fetid Skin... I learned it from the legacy scroll you gave me," Tars answered truthfully.

  The half-man fell silent again. "Very well. It is a good choice, perhaps the most appropriate. You are a kobold who knows how to make the right decision under the right circumstances."

  The shimmering silhouette flickered. Two small objects appeared out of thin air and drifted toward Tars.

  "A reward. You will find it useful soon. It can make the Zero-Ring spell Mage Armor even stronger," the half-man said.

  Tars reached out and took them. One was a palm-sized piece of deep-red hide from an unknown source; the other was a vial of yellow potion. Clearly, the half-man intended for him to learn Mage Armor next.

  Tars hesitated, wanting to ask his long-held questions, but another ripple occurred, and three more vials appeared.

  "Here, take these. The black vial is a potion to rapidly increase your mental power and help you break through to a Second-Level wizard apprentice. The two white vials are Elixirs of Lucid Mind to assist your focus while studying spells."

  The words were spoken with that same uncomfortable, emotionless rift, despite the weight of the gifts. Tars swallowed his questions. He recognized the white vials from Karyu's diary—they were powerful and expensive. Karyu had only used them for the most difficult problems.

  As for the black vial, he also recognized it from the journal, but for a different reason. It was an Elixir of Awakened Meditation. It could flood the mental space with energy, allowing even the dullest student to open a spell slot. However, it came with a terrible price: it made future mental growth significantly more difficult. According to Karyu, only old, hopeless apprentices used it to scrape their way to the Second-Level before leaving the academy to find work.

  Tars was stunned. The diary had come from the very pouch the half-man gave him. Did the half-man not know? Or was he intentionally sabotaging him?

  "Thank you," Tars whispered, bowing low. He still didn't know the half-man's name, but apparently, a Great Wizard felt no need to introduce himself to a random kobold.

  As the figure began to fade, it suddenly became clear again. "Oh? Little kobold, you seem to have doubts in your heart?"

  "I am only saddened that you did not accept my gift, Great Being." Tars buried his head even lower. He thought he heard that laugh again.

  "The negative effects of that Elixir of Awakened Meditation have been removed by me. Of course, the effect is slightly weaker. Clever little kobold—I have lost count of how many times I have said those words. You constantly surprise me. Sometimes, I even mistake you for a human and feel the urge to explain myself to you."

  The half-man's silhouette finally began to vanish. "Once you have mastered Mage Armor, come see me again. I shall give you an interesting gift."