novellaaa Chapter 23 The Ring
Chapter 23 The Ring
That powerful spiritual force was like an invisible probe, repeatedly scanning him, not missing a single detail.
It swept over the plain, even somewhat worn, bracelet on Krall's wrist—the runes inside the bracelet flickered slightly in response to the probe, revealing its true nature.
Then, it swept over the equally unremarkable, dull ring on his finger—as if it had sunk into the sea, without any reaction.
Clara's heart pounded wildly like a rapid drumbeat, but he desperately suppressed the surging fear and held fast to the only pillar in his heart.
The most important ring...
It could never be discovered!
This absolute confidence, stemming from the ring's own mysterious power, was his only reliance at that moment.
Regardless of its appearance, feel, or the mental probing it is currently undergoing, it is perfectly disguised as the most ordinary of ordinary ornaments.
"You're quite lucky."
Kairon's calm voice rang out, carrying a hint of scrutiny that was barely perceptible.
"Besides those two items, he also had a protective witchcraft item hidden on him." He had clearly seen through the bracelet's secret.
Clara's mind was not shaken by this.
He had expected that the bracelet's disguise would not fool a qualified wizard.
As long as the core ring remains intact, everything is acceptable.
However, Karon's next words were like a cold needle, instantly piercing the calm that Klara had forcibly maintained:
"As for your ring..."
Karon's gaze fell squarely on Clara's fingers, his tone inquisitive and playful.
"It looks quite ordinary. Could you take it off and let me see it?"
Kairon's seemingly casual but actually profound words set off alarm bells in Clara's mind!
His mind raced, countless thoughts flashing through his mind in an instant, but his actions showed not the slightest hesitation!
He quickly, even with a hint of deliberate compliance, slipped the crucial ring off his finger.
Kairon took the unremarkable ring, his fingertips tracing the cold metal surface, his sharp gaze seemingly trying to pierce through its ordinary appearance and uncover the secrets that might be hidden within.
He mobilized his mental energy and searched carefully again, but still found nothing.
"Little apprentice," Kairon's gaze refocused on Klar, carrying a scrutinizing and oppressive air.
"Can you tell me why you wear such an ordinary-looking ring all the time?"
Clara forced himself to suppress all his turbulent emotions, knowing that any unusual fluctuation could become a fatal flaw.
He met Kairon's gaze, his voice steady with a perfectly timed hint of remembrance:
"This is a memento from my father, my mentor. I've always kept it with me; it's a keepsake."
He wasn't lying; that's part of the truth.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Kaylon remained noncommittal, showing neither satisfaction nor doubt. He casually tossed the ring back to Clara, as if he had truly lost interest in a mere mortal object.
"Once you advance to the third-level apprentice level, you can come and learn from me."
After saying that, he waved his sleeve, and the mental barrier that separated the inside from the outside instantly vanished without a trace.
Immediately afterwards, Chiron's voice echoed clearly in the now noisy corridor, carrying the authority of a formal wizard:
"I, Kellon Mossad, today accept Clara Leighton as my disciple."
"Disciple Klar greets Master!"
Klar responded immediately in a loud voice, his posture extremely respectful.
Before he finished speaking, Kairon's figure had vanished like a ghost, leaving only Clara kneeling on the ground, barely clinging to life.
"Who is this guy? He actually got accepted as a disciple by Instructor Chiron?"
"She seems to be a new apprentice, her name is something like Clare..."
"Getting noticed by a mentor right after entering the tower? That's incredibly lucky!"
……
The surrounding apprentices buzzed with discussion, but Clara paid no attention.
He slowly stood up, his lowered eyes churning with a deep-seated hatred that could freeze one's blood!
Hick! Kurt! Today's humiliation, today's defeat, are all your fault! You...
Just you wait!
……
"You mean, that idiot Lor is dead? And Instructor Kaylon, who went to handle the scene, not only didn't pursue the matter, but actually took that Klar as his disciple?"
In the laboratory, after listening to Dira's report, Hick stopped his experiment and frowned.
"Yes, Boss Hick."
Dila nodded quickly and recounted all the details she had gathered:
"The specific details were kept secret by Mentor Kairon's mental barrier, and no one knows the specifics."
"However... before the barrier rose, some apprentices who were nearby vaguely heard Klar shout something... it sounded like it was part of a study on the fusion of elements and the body?"
"Elements merging with the body?!"
Hick's eyes flashed with a sharp light. How could a first-level apprentice who had just joined the Wizard Tower know the key to advancing from a first-level wizard to a second-level wizard!
"As expected! This Krall definitely has a big problem!"
He put down the tools in his hands, his fingers unconsciously stroking his chin as he fell into deep thought.
"A ring that could be perfectly hidden right under the nose of a first-level wizard... the origin of this ring is probably even more astonishing than we imagined!"
Knowing all sorts of "tricks," Hick simply didn't believe that the ring was as ordinary as it appeared.
But the question is... what exactly is it?
Is an old man hiding inside?
A remnant soul?
Or is it a key to another dimension?
"Boss Hick," Dila asked in a low voice, seeing Hick fall into a long silence, "So... what should we do now?"
"What should we do? What can we do? He's a disciple of a mentor now, so let's not resort to the methods we used before."
"So... we're just going to call it quits like this?"
Dila was somewhat unwilling. Seeing Hick's attitude, it was clear that this Klar had a big secret. To let him go like this was a bit...
"Let it go? How could we let it go! Now that he's Professor Kaylon's disciple, let's see whether he studies directly under Professor Kaylon or in the main classroom."
Hick also felt that this Krall was a problem; if he wasn't handled properly, he might really become a minor boss who was defeated by this "protagonist".
"Boss, what do you mean...?"
Dila clearly didn't understand Hick's intention and asked in confusion.
Looking at the skinny, monkey-like Dila, Hick couldn't help but sigh. If it were Kurt, he would probably have already started flattering him.
No one cared about this or that, no matter if they understood it or not, they just started taking pictures.
"If that Clara is studying with Instructor Kellon, we shouldn't act rashly. But if this Clara is studying in the large classroom, then we can think of a way to deal with her."
"Understood, Uncle Hick."
Dila seemed to understand something and nodded quickly.
Hick put down his experiment, his eyes filled with a melancholy.
"Klara! I'll see what other tricks you have up your sleeve. I refuse to believe I can't handle you!"