Locke blinked.
Witch Sophia said, "You should have some connection with this person. The Magic Plant Curse you've been recently handling is the work of his student, Selfin Sagamore."
Locke felt his mind struggling to keep up. Killing a Black Wizard at the Formal Wizard level seemed like an impossible fantasy for him now—something that felt incredibly distant.
Locke asked, "Then... Teacher, are you confident you can kill Rasheed Tarir? Black Wizards have far more combat experience than us White Wizards."
Witch Sophia replied, "Among Formal Wizards, Rasheed Tarir isn't weak. His spiritual power has reached the Vaporization stage—he's no ordinary Formal Wizard."
"From what I know, he's been a Formal Wizard for over thirty years. In that time, he's mentored countless students and produced numerous research results. His strength shouldn't be underestimated."
Locke couldn't help but worry. "Then, Teacher... you..."
Witch Sophia shook her head slightly. "But he's no match for me. I can kill him. If I want him dead, he will die. I'm absolutely certain of that."
"If I couldn't even kill a Black Wizard at the Formal Wizard level who's been idling in a place like the Southeast Corner Domain for over thirty years, then I might as well not bother going to the Star Domain Sea."
"Locke, remember my words. Even if you don't come to the Star Domain Sea in the future, you must go to better places. The Southeast Corner Domain is excellent for First Class Wizard Apprentices, but for Formal Wizards, it's nothing special."
Locke fell into deep thought. Rasheed Tarir had been a Formal Wizard for over thirty years and had even reached the so-called Vaporization stage. Though Locke didn't understand what the Vaporization stage meant, it clearly wasn't something an ordinary Formal Wizard could achieve.
Meanwhile, his teacher, Witch Sophia, had only been a Formal Wizard for three years. During that time, she had spent most of it completing academy tasks—even teaching him initially had been just another academy assignment.
Yet she was so confident that if she wanted Rasheed Tarir dead, he would die.
At this moment, Locke suddenly realized what he had overlooked—his teacher, Witch Sophia, likely possessed talent far beyond the ordinary Child of Elements level.
Her talent might exceed anything he could imagine.
'Talent is only the starting point of the magical path.' Only now did Locke truly understand what this phrase meant.
Even among those with 7th-level talent, some weren't just highly compatible with certain Elemental Particles—their thought processes, their speed in producing results, were simply faster than others.
At that point, their talent could no longer be confined to the definition of apprentice-level aptitude.
Locke asked Witch Sophia, "Teacher, then what do you need me to do?"
Witch Sophia nodded. "Clever. You've guessed why I called you here."
"I need to infiltrate the territory of the Blood Curse Court to kill Rasheed Tarir. I require some assistance, and given your rapid progress in Mana, this would indeed be good combat experience for you."
"Of course, you may refuse," said Sophia the Witch. "I won't force you. In fact, I am genuinely concerned for your safety. If you wish to remain a White Wizard focused purely on research, then learning combat isn't necessary."
"I've also invited some friends to help, including Albert, a First Class Wizard Apprentice and a Wizard Seed specializing in Potionology at Lilith's Cottage."
"Another Formal Wizard student of Madam Morgana will also assist us. Moreover, my mentor, Madam Morgana, will create favorable conditions for our operation in other areas." Sophia looked at Locke. "She will also send some of her First Class Wizard Apprentice students to join us."
"I will lead this operation, so you'll all be relatively safe. In the end, only I will be the one to kill Rasheed Tarir."
"Your main role is to support me in infiltrating the Blood Curse Court's territory. Think of it as a covert mission similar to those Blood Curse Court wizard apprentices infiltrating our Lilith's Cottage territory."
Sophia asked curiously, "Locke, will you participate?"
Locke hadn't expected Sophia and Madam Morgana to reconcile—he wondered if he had played a part in it. After a moment of thought, he replied, "Teacher, I'll join."
"As your student, it would be inappropriate for me not to participate."
A faint smile curved Sophia's lips. "The Curse Formula Research Institute we're targeting is rumored to house an important resource storage site, including a large quantity of Tartarus Cave Worm Spinal Fluid."
"If the rumors are true, we could seize a batch of this precious resource. It would be ours to distribute, and I imagine you could use some as well."
Locke raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected such an opportunity to obtain the Tartarus Cave Worm Spinal Fluid he had long desired.
His reasons for joining were numerous.
The foremost was that Sophia the Witch had been exceptionally kind to him. If other First Class Wizard Apprentices were helping her, it would be inexcusable for him, her own student, to abstain.
Having enjoyed her benefits, he ought to shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.
The second major reason was that this was a rare chance for real-world experience.
His teacher was not one to make empty promises. If she said it was manageable, then it was; if she claimed it would be relatively safe, then it would be.
As a First Class Wizard Apprentice, he was no fragile infant needing constant protection—at the very least, he was confident in his ability to survive.
This incursion into Black Wizard territory might even yield some unique spoils.
Additionally, it was an opportunity to gather combat data on the defensive magic plants he had developed specifically against the Blood Curse Court.
Sophia the Witch said, "The operation begins in one month!"
"Prepare thoroughly—it would be best to equip yourself with some magic items effective against Curse Magic."
Sophia pondered for a moment, then retrieved a bottle of emerald-green potion encased in heart-shaped glass from her Astral Ring and handed it to Locke. "This is the Giant Tree Heart Potion," she said. "The main ingredient in the Potion Recipe is the heartwood of a Talmud Treant. Consider it part of your advance payment."
Just as Locke was about to speak, Sophia added, "It's also the coming-of-age gift I promised you earlier."
(End of Chapter)