Olivia wakes from her meditation as a firm knock echoes from her door, the sound clear and steady enough to pull her mind out of its focused state.
She exhales softly, opens her eyes, and rises from her bed before walking toward the door and pulling it open without delay.
Outside stands Elijah.
"Olivia, let's go," she says directly, her tone carrying a hint of impatience.
Olivia, who has already been preparing to leave, gives a small nod and replies, "Good morning, Senior."
She steps out of the room, then turns back to lock the door behind her with a practised motion.
As she does, Elijah speaks again, her voice carrying a faint complaint.
"What a good morning! In that place, the sky is always that same dark orange shade."
She is referring to the sky of the Void Battlefield.
It hangs above like a bleeding sun, an endless dark orange expanse where the passage of time cannot be seen, where day and night blur into a single, unchanging hue.
Because of that, the federation relies on the time of the wizard world to mark the cycle of days.
Olivia glances at her and asks, "Senior Elijah, you don't seem to be in a good mood… did last night's party not go well?"
Elijah exhales through her nose but does not answer immediately.
The truth is simple.
Among a hundred Wizard Apprentices, only one becomes an Official Wizard.
And among a thousand Official Wizards, only one can advance to become a Shining Moon Wizard.
Such a breakthrough requires more than talent.
Talent matters.
But it is not the most important factor.
The real key lies in access.
Access to resources.
Access to knowledge.
In the Void Battlefield, both are measured in Merit Points.
But the war has not yet begun.
And without war, there are limited ways to earn those points.
The primary method is through tasks issued by the federation.
Yet not all tasks are equal.
Some offer far greater rewards than others.
And obtaining those better tasks often depends on connections.
That is why gatherings and parties are common among Official Wizards.
To build relationships.
To secure opportunities.
And to relieve the constant pressure.
They begin walking down the stairs from the second floor of the apartment building, their footsteps echoing faintly as they descend.
Elijah finally speaks, her tone frustrated.
"I talked until my throat went dry yesterday, and still didn't share about a single lucrative task."
They reach the first-floor lobby and walk across it, sheading toward the exit.
As they step outside, Olivia watches as Elijah raises her hand slightly and calls for a magic car.
She looks at her and says, "Senior, I told you already, you should stop wasting time on that."
Her tone is calm but firm.
"You are now an apprentice Life Alchemist. If you advance to an Official Life Alchemist, the merit you gain from refining Tier One magic tools alone will be enough to support your path toward becoming a Shining Moon Wizard."
At that moment, a magic car driven by a Wizard Apprentice arrives and stops in front of them, its surface glowing faintly with intricate runic patterns that pulse softly with mana.
Although the World Will calls primarily for Official Wizards and those above, Wizard Apprentices are also permitted to enter the Void Battlefield through the portals under the federation's arrangement.
Because of this, many apprentices, especially those around the age of twenty-five, are brought here deliberately by the federation to support the growing structure of the battlefield.
And most apprentices are willing to come.
Even if this place is a ruined world, its resources and magic energy are far richer than those found in the wizard world.
Here, with enough merit points, one can obtain things that would otherwise be impossible to access.
Elijah steps forward slightly and says, "To the Alchemy Association Street."
The apprentice driving the vehicle nods respectfully.
"Please, wizard."
They open the door and enter the car, settling into their seats side by side as the vehicle begins to move smoothly through the streets.
After a moment of silence, Elijah speaks, her tone thoughtful.
"I've been thinking… maybe I should focus entirely on Alchemy."
Olivia nods immediately, her expression calm but encouraging.
"You should do it."
Elijah exhales lightly, her brows tightening just a little.
"But I'm not as talented as you in Life Alchemy."
Olivia shakes her head slightly.
"My mother is a Life Alchemist, so I've been exposed to it since I was a child," she explains gently.
"If you had the same environment, your skills would be at least on my level."
The conversation pauses briefly.
Then Olivia shifts the topic.
"Did you find any information about Wang Hui?"
Elijah's expression dims slightly as she sighs.
"No."
Olivia's lips press together, her mood clearly lowering at the answer.
Elijah glances at her and continues, her tone more serious now.
"Olivia, you should stop wasting your merit points searching for him. You said he has enmity with the Tang Family."
Olivia nods silently.
Elijah continues, "The Tang Family has a Magic Sun Wizard. If Wang Hui is trying to avoid them, he may have already changed his name."
The words linger in the air.
Before Olivia can respond, the carriage slows and comes to a stop.
The apprentice's voice comes from the front.
"Master Wizards, we have reached Alchemy Association Street."
They step out of the car and give a small nod to the apprentice before turning toward the street ahead.
A narrow road stretches forward, lined with alchemy shops on both sides, each displaying materials, tools, and strange concoctions behind reinforced windows.
They walk forward together, passing one shop after another, the scent of herbs and refined materials lingering faintly in the air.
They pass by the main Alchemy Association building without entering it, continuing further along the street until they reach a side door beside the main structure.
Elijah pushes it open.
They step inside.
A quiet corridor extends ahead of them, lined with closed doors on both sides, the atmosphere more subdued compared to the bustling street outside.
They walk deeper into the corridor.
Then stop at one of the rooms.
Elijah reaches out and pushes the door open.
They enter.
Olivia steps inside and looks around, her gaze sweeping across the room as she takes in the arrangement before her, noting the structure and purpose of the space with quiet attention.
At the centre lies a large alchemy table, broad and well-worn, its surface marked with faint traces of previous experiments, while around it, five smaller alchemy tables are arranged in a curved formation, all facing inward toward the central table.
Three of those smaller tables are already occupied.
Two males.
One female.
All of them are apprentice Life Alchemists, just like Olivia and Elijah, and all of them work under the guidance of Wizard Valerie.
Wizard Valerie herself is also an Official Wizard, but unlike them, she stands at the peak of that stage.
Official Wizards are divided by the refinement of their mana.
Olivia and Elijah are at the initial stage; their mana is still in the atomisation phase.
But Wizard Valerie is different.
Her mana is fully crystallised.
A state that signifies completeness at this level.
With such a foundation, she can attempt a breakthrough at any moment, stepping into the Second Stage and becoming a Shining Moon Wizard.
Not only that, but she is also a Tier One Life Alchemist.
Under her supervision, they complete federation tasks and refine materials, while also receiving guidance in their alchemical practice.
As Olivia observes the room, one of the male wizards, Wizard Li Jiyun, raises his hand and waves toward Elijah, signalling her to take the table beside him.
Elijah glances at Olivia briefly.
Olivia gives a small nod.
The two remaining empty tables are not side by side.
One is positioned at the far end beside Li Jiyun.
The other lies between Wizard Wang Mingli and Wizard Mu Chen.
Olivia moves toward the latter.
She walks around the central table and stops at her assigned position, placing her hands lightly on the edge before leaning back slightly, her posture relaxed yet attentive.
Her eyes shift briefly to the two wizards on either side of her.
Something feels off.
She remembers that they used to sit together.
Always side by side.
She knows they are in a romantic relationship.
Now they are separated.
A small thought crosses her mind.
Did they quarrel?
But she does not dwell on it.
It is not her concern.
Her focus shifts inward.
Her spirit connects to her wizard identification card.
The holographic screen appears once more before her eyes, clear and responsive to her intent.
She navigates through it smoothly.
Library.
My Books.
She selects a familiar title.
Basic Wood Alchemy.
She resumes reading from where she had left off, her mind settling quickly into study.
Though categorised under Life Alchemy, the discipline itself is divided further.
Blood Alchemy.
And Wood Alchemy.
The former deals with flesh, blood, and living essence.
The latter focuses on plants, trees, and the manipulation of the wood element.
Olivia's current study lies in the latter.
Time passes quietly as she reads, absorbing the knowledge line by line, her focus uninterrupted.
Until,
The door opens.
A soft sound, yet enough to draw attention.
A female wizard steps inside.
Her light green hair gives her an appearance reminiscent of an elf, her presence calm yet commanding.
Wizard Valerie.
She closes the door behind her and walks forward, stopping beside the central table as her gaze sweeps across the room.