All Chapters of 《The Arcanum Algorithm》 : Chapter 11
- Chapter 20
147 chapters
Chapter 11 The Port of Secrets
Half a month’s travel brought them to the famous Port of Zelato. Their number had grown by one: a new apprentice named Binson, selected by Arrowize from the thousands tested in the previous two cities. He was, unfortunately, a compulsive talker. And Grimm, by a twist of fate, had become his primary audience.It had started during the testing in Tamburlain. The boy had been so ecstatic at his selection that he’d whooped and hollered, shattering the solemn atmosphere until even the Sorcerer’s command for silence went unheard. Grimm, standing nearest, had grabbed his arm and gruffly told him to stand still and be quiet.That single act of pragmatism had condemned him. Grimm now suspected his cause of death would be listed as ‘auditory trauma.’“Psst,” Binson whispered, his voice carrying easily to everyone in the party. “I’ll tell you a secret, but you can’t tell anyone. Sherry has a birthmark on her backside the size of a dinner plate. I saw it myself when I was o
Last Updated : 2025-09-05
Chapter 12 A Duke's Whispers
The feast was, like all the others, a spectacle of opulence. The apprentices were growing accustomed to such treatment in every city, and even Grimm was beginning to grasp the basic rhythms of noble etiquette, navigating the superficial social exchanges with increasing ease.This Duke, however, was different from the previous lords they had met. His rank was higher, and his demeanor around Arrowize suggested a familiar, almost casual acquaintance. He ate slices of rare beef, the meat nearly raw and dripping blood, dipping them casually in caviar and sharp mustard.Arrowize seemed distracted, stirring a bowl of colorful soup with a silver spoon, watching mushrooms swirl in the broth.“Something troubling you?” the Duke asked, a note of amusement in his voice.Arrowize shook his head slightly. “Things grow more chaotic over there. There are… whispers. Whispers of Sorcerers disappearing. Perhaps you were right. No matter how bad it g
Last Updated : 2025-09-05
Chapter 13 The First Spark
“Guide with mental resonance, ignite the personal mana…”Grimm murmured the words from the *Meditative Focus*, his brow furrowed in concentration. He sat cross-legged on the floor of his quiet room in the Zelato estate, the book open before him. It was the fifth day of their wait, and a profound breakthrough had finally occurred that morning.He had done it. He had felt it—a faint, warm trickle of energy stirring deep within him, responding to the focused pull of his will. It was a sensation unlike any other: not a muscle flexing, not a thought forming, but the awakening of a new, internal sense. It was mana.The elation had carried him through the entire day, a private, buzzing excitement. He could feel the energy now, a placid, harmless pool within his core. According to the text, this was the fundamental force a Sorcerer wielded. But as his initial excitement cooled, a new, frustrating question arose.What was the point?Last Updated : 2025-09-06Read more
Last Updated : 2025-09-06
Chapter 14 A Glimpse Beyond
The well was a simple circle of mossy stone, the water level high, only about two feet below the rim. The surface was perfectly still, a black mirror reflecting the slivers of moonlight that pierced the canopy. It looked… ordinary.Holding his breath, Grimm dropped the Glimmerstone.It struck the water with a soft *plunk*, sending a series of gentle ripples across the dark surface. The water slowly stilled, returning to its mirror-like state. For a moment, nothing happened.Then, a shape began to form beneath the surface. It clarified into a face, looking up at him from the impossible depths. It was humanoid, but with a single, gracefully spiraled horn of silver-grey emerging from its forehead. Based on the subtle cues of its features, Grimm guessed it was female. Her eyes held a sharp, intelligent curiosity, not mindless aggression. This was a being of culture, of reason.A voice, smooth but strangely accented, formed directly in his mind, bypassi
Last Updated : 2025-09-06
Chapter 15 The Weight of Departure
The docks of Zelato were a sea of cheering faces, a cacophony of well-wishers and the curious. Grimm stood at the railing of the massive ocean-going vessel, the *Sea Serpent*, waving with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Beside him, the other apprentices from the Eastern Isles—Weid, Binson, Yoric, Yorkiana, Gilram, and a sullen Lafey—did the same. Only Lafey remained withdrawn, a shadow of sorrow in her eyes. She was leaving everything she knew, likely forever.On the dock below, a final conversation took place between the powers that had brought them here. Duke Zelato stood with the two Sorcerers. Arrowize was as shrouded and enigmatic as ever. The new Sorcerer, Dira, who would captain their ship, was his opposite. His face was exposed, pale and lined, with a stark black patch over his right eye. He had a peculiar habit of hovering just an inch above the ground, a subtle use of power that Grimm suspected masked a lack of stature.After exchanging a
Last Updated : 2025-09-07
Chapter 16 The Law of the Hold
The reality of their new life descended upon them the moment they went below decks. The air was thick with the smell of salt, damp wood, and unwashed bodies. The passenger hold was a cramped, five-level labyrinth of narrow corridors and tiny cabins, each level more oppressive than the last. The lowest level was shared with the crew, a noisy, chaotic space that made the apprentices’ faces pale. Their brief taste of noble luxury was over.Lafey’s expression was thunderous. She stared at the token in her hand as if it were a poisonous insect. She had drawn the worst lot: a berth on the bottom level. “Unacceptable,” she hissed under her breath.Grimm felt a wave of relief. His token was for the third level. It was still far from luxurious, but it was a world away from the squalor below. After a lifetime in a drafty hut, he could endure this.The only ones who seemed genuinely pleased were Yoric and Yorkiana. By some incredible luck, they had
Last Updated : 2025-09-07
Chapter 17 The Strong Rule
A hand the size of a dinner plate landed on Yoric’s shoulder. The force behind it was immense, utterly irresistible. Yoric’s eyes widened in shock a second before he was lifted off his feet and thrown backward as if he were a ragdoll. He crashed into the corridor wall with a sickening thud, slumping to the floor, dazed and gasping for air.“Brother!” Yorkiana shrieked, her face white with terror. She rushed to his side, her fine white dress smudged against the grimy floor as she tried to help him stand.Everyone turned to stare at the source of the violence. A giant of a boy, easily seven feet tall, stood where Yoric had been. His frame was a mass of dense, powerful muscle, and his face, though slightly misshapen and slow of expression, radiated a primitive, terrifying strength. The sheer physical presence of him was overwhelming.“Huh,” the giant grunted, his voice a deep rumble. “Weak.”Grimm’s jaw w
Last Updated : 2025-09-08
Chapter 18 Deepwater Lessons
Grimm pushed open the door to his third-level cabin. A wave of damp, mildewy air hit him. He waved a hand in front of his face, grimacing. It was sparse and bleak—a narrow bed, a small table, a single chair, and a candleholder. But it was his. Thankfully, no one had tried to claim it; any bully desperate enough to fight over a mid-level berth would likely have been someone he could handle.With a sigh, he closed the door, sealing out the noises of the ship. He lit the candle, its flickering light pushing back the gloom, and laid his two most precious possessions on the table: *Meditative Focus* and the *Manual of Olfactory Enhancement and Scent Cataloguing*.His success with *Meditative Focus* was his anchor. After half a month of intense effort, he had finally drawn forth his mana. According to the book’s rough metrics, he estimated his current reserve was pitifully small, a mere 2 or 3 points of energy. The text suggested a Sorcerer’s potential mana
Last Updated : 2025-09-08
Chapter 19 The Pirates' Retreat
The setting sun cast a bloody glow over the endless expanse of the ocean. The *Sea Serpent*, flagship of Lilith's Cottage, cut through the rolling waves with an air of unassailable authority. On its deck, a throng of two or three hundred apprentices crowded the railings, not in fear, but in boisterous excitement. They pointed and shouted at another vessel some three hundred meters away."Look! Real pirates! I've never seen real pirates before!""Is that all they've got? Why aren't they coming closer?"Their laughter and jeers were devoid of any real apprehension. Even the sailors moved with a casual confidence, coiling ropes and adjusting sails without a trace of alarm. Their lack of fear was justified. The sailors themselves were all trained knights, over fifty of them. Their commander, and the Sorcerer Dira's servant Barron, were both Peak Knights. This was no merchant vessel; it was a fortress of the arcane, and every pirate in these waters knew it. Any large-s
Last Updated : 2025-09-09
Chapter 20 A Debt Repaid
Three days after the pirate incident, a knock sounded at Grimm's cabin door. He sighed, expecting the relentless chatter of Binson. Instead, he found Yoric and Yorkiana standing awkwardly in the corridor.Surprised, Grimm wordlessly gestured for them to enter the small, mildewed room. After a moment's hesitation, he retrieved a small, precious bottle of fruit juice he'd been saving—a luxury preserved by noble methods—and poured two small cups for his guests.The change in Yoric was remarkable. The arrogant bluster was gone, replaced by a quiet, grounded maturity. The humiliating defeat had sanded down his rough edges. Yorkiana, though still shy, found the courage to speak first."Brother Grimm," she began, her voice soft but clear. "We… we wanted to thank you. For what you did that day. We are truly grateful." She seemed to brace herself, as if expecting him to dismiss her.Grimm shifted uncomfortably. "It… it was nothing, really
Last Updated : 2025-09-09