All Chapters of 《The Arcanum Algorithm》 : Chapter 41
- Chapter 50
149 chapters
Chapter 41 The Price of Arrogance
''Crimson Banner? What sort of organisation is that... I've never heard the old hands around here mention it..." "Who cares what organisation it is? Haven't you seen how menacing and troublesome these fellows look? Let's get out of here first, we'll talk later." In the blink of an eye, Lecture Hall Nine was left with nearly eighty Crimson Banner members surrounding a dozen terrified newcomers from the Wizard Continent. The fellow who’d earlier boasted that Grimm and his crew wouldn’t last six months now looked deathly pale, his forehead glistening with cold sweat. One could almost sense the trembling beneath his robes. "You... you lot? This is a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding..." His words came out slurred. This man, Torris, no longer cared about maintaining his composure, his voice nearly breaking into tears. Who would have thought such a formidable organisation existed among this year's intake?
Chapter 42 The Lever of Knowledge
Tap, tap, tap... The echo of high heels reverberated down the corridor. As the magical clock chimed punctually, a young, beautiful witch entered the hall under the astonished stares of the crowd. Her neat, dark brown bob, smooth skin, amber eyes, and the graceful curves beneath her fitted, cinched robe all signalled a mature, sensual sorceress. This was also the first time Grimm had ever seen a wizard in their normal human form. "Well then, I shall be your instructor for the seven foundational education modules. You may address me as Tutor Elaine." Her voice carried a magnetic quality. Noticing the astonished looks directed at her, she seemed to realise something and chuckled. ""Are you surprised by my appearance? Heh, not all witches focus solely on bloodline studies. While bloodline magic offers the quickest path to power, it also alters one's appearance and carries irreversible mental corruption. Thus, it suits not every witch."
Chapter 43 The Weight of Knowledge
Time flies; two years have passed. Two years—over seven hundred natural days on the Wizards' Continent—enough time for many events to unfold. Grimm silently wielded his broom, meticulously sweeping every corner of the library. This was the part-time job he'd secured through the Crimson Banner faction, paying two magic stones a month. Do not underestimate this part-time role. Countless had fought tooth and nail for it, only for Lafey to secure it for Grimm through Crimson Banner's connections. Four magic stones monthly should have been ample for a novice of Grimm's calibre—neither lacking in aptitude nor intellect—to progress to apprentice wizard during the academy's three-year probationary period. Yet... "Could I have been mistaken?" Grimm frowned, his mood sour. Over these past two years, Grimm had mastered but one sorcery: the rudimentary modification of the hunting nose. Originally, he had mastered this spell withi
Chapter 44 The Fulcrum's Resolve
At night, the Crimson Banner convenes. The former ruling structure of the Five Great Spellcasters had long since ceased to exist. Now, the Crimson Banner was governed by twelve Alliance Elders. Of the original five great spellcasters, only the Fireball Spellcaster and the Puppet Spellcaster failed to become Alliance Elders due to "accidental" deaths. The other three spellcasters attained this status, while the remaining nine were later exceptional talents who surpassed them in both aptitude and intellect. Lafey, Yoric, Yorkiana, Binson, and Grimm still sat together. Though their friendship endured, Grimm felt an inexplicable melancholy. Yoric murmured, "Grimm, last week Lafey led us on a venture in the Barbed Thorn Forest. It was perilous, but nearly everyone secured seven magic stones. What do you say? Will you join us this time?" Grimm feigned indifference, murmuring, "Forget it. You know I'm practically useless now. Not onl
Chapter 45 The Scent of a Hypothesis
Grimm did not immediately rush to act, but instead endeavoured to calm himself through meditation, gradually settling his emotions and thoughts. For wizards, meditation served as a means to convert mental energy into equivalent magical power, whilst also constituting the most fundamental method for tempering and enhancing one's mental fortitude. Thus arose the notion of a wizard's aptitude. Depending on one's aptitude, the same meditation practice might yield a mere increment of mental energy in a year for some, while others might gain only a fraction over a decade. After one hourglass's measure of time, Grimm opened his eyes, concluding his daily essential meditation. Meditation is not about duration; one hourglass period daily is optimal. Beyond that, a wizard risks mental exhaustion, diminishing the practice's efficacy. Huff... Exhaling a breath of stale air, Grimm picked up the crystal ball to assess his current st
Chapter 46 The Alchemy of Attraction
A day later, Grimm emerged from the laboratory, his expression grim as he addressed the wizard apprentice in charge. "May I ask," he inquired, "if the academy possesses any higher-grade microscopes available for rental?" "Higher-grade?" The wizard apprentice in charge of managing the laboratory equipment was taken aback by Grimm's question. "You, a mere wizard's apprentice, require such extravagant precision data for your research? Even this high-powered microscope proves insufficient?" Typically, only alchemical potion-making demanded such extreme precision from microscopes, with occasional requirements from mechanical studies. Other disciplines scarcely needed them at all. Thus, the apprentice wizard curled his lip. "Our academy isn't exactly renowned for alchemy, so a higher-grade one is out of the question... Hmm, wait, I recall something." Grimm's face lit up with surprise. "Really?" The wizard apprentice shot Grim
Chapter 47 A Merchant's Instinct
For two consecutive days and nights, he remained in a state of intense concentration while preparing the fragrances, all the while diligently tending to his duties of cleaning the library. Two days later, Grimm arrived at the trading square on the ground floor of Blackstone Spire, dark circles under his eyes from an abnormal state of excitement, carrying thirty bottles of incense. "Would you kindly consign these thirty bottles of incense for me, priced at one magic stone per bottle?" Grimm addressed an apprentice wizard engrossed in studying a tome of magic. The wizard apprentice was a large, rotund figure. Though clad in a loose-fitting robe, it did little to conceal his ample bulk, his eyes reduced to slits beneath the folds of flesh on his face. The chubby fellow glanced up at Grimm, looking surprised. "Perfumes? What are they? I've got plenty of honey here." "Er... well, it's a sort of potion that alters one's natural scent
Chapter 48 The Symbiotic Choice
Grimm was deliberating over the matter of companion insects. Theoretically, almost any insect could serve as a wizard's companion, as the unique properties of an insect's soul passively increased a wizard's resistance to curses and illusions. Yet for this most intimate "companion" in a wizard's life, every practitioner still hoped their chosen insect might possess some distinctive traits. Of the seven insects Grimm had collected, three could be ruled out immediately. He remained indecisive about the remaining four, unable to settle on a choice. The first insect is known as the Carrion Eater. These insects were gathered from the remains of a cursed wizard's apprentice. After being cursed, the apprentice's body was devoured in mere moments by these horrific creatures, demonstrating the carrion beetle's profoundly cruel nature. Thus, Grimm had carefully preserved a few specimens. The second insect was called the botfly, a parasiti
Chapter 49 The Elemental Lever
This is a new book on magical sorcery, entitled The Fundamentals of Fire Elemental Studies. With ample magical stones at his disposal, and no word yet on the high-powered microscope after all these days, coupled with Grimm's indecision regarding the symbiotic parasite for the time being, he was unwilling to squander precious time. Thus, with no other choice, Grimm began to study elemental witchcraft. On the Wizards' Continent, every sorcerer—no matter how specialised in other disciplines—must study the fundamental elements. The reason was simple: during their apprenticeship, the first time a wizard solidified an elemental magic array within their soul using mental energy could significantly enhance their psychic power. This was an irresistible temptation for any apprentice wizard. After diligently studying the Fundamentals of Fire Elemental Magic twice, Grimm gently set the book aside and began to ponder. "This so-called elemental magic
Chapter 50 A Glimpse Beyond the Veil
An unknown span of time passed. Ding... Grimm's soul stirred, roused by the soul connection within the crystal orb. He saw the wizard apprentice named Valo from the seventh floor of Blackstone Spire calling out: "Hey, Grimm, come over here. My master's just stepped out. Oh, and bring some roach fish with you!" With a sudden jolt, Grimm sat bolt upright in bed, all traces of sleepiness vanishing instantly. At last, he could use the advanced microscope? Grimm rushed excitedly to the dissection table, gathering all the vessels containing mouse limbs. After a moment's thought, he turned his attention to the frog infested with parasitic snails. Grimm had previously amputated one of its hind legs for preservation. Yet during this period, due to the parasitic snail's infestation, the frog had developed three hind legs through "teratogenesis" – appearing like a grotesque, deformed freak, rather repulsive. This was not evolution. True e