Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2320: Chapter 2321: Azure Scale

After admiring the oil painting, Rhein left the Vine Tower with a sigh.

In the Vine House, only Angel, Sanders, and Nami Midori were left.

"Does Lord Nami Midori have something to say?" It was Angel who spoke.

He noticed that after returning from the Void, Nami Midori’s usually indifferent golden vertical pupil carried a trace of hesitation, as if wanting to say something, but for some reason, it remained silent. So, Angel took the initiative to ask.

Nami Midori was silent for a long time before saying, "I still want to see the Tree Spirit."

"Ah?"

As Angel inquired further, he finally understood. During Nami Midori’s previous conversation with the Tree Spirit, it had received quite an inspiration and wanted to continue chatting with the Tree Spirit.

Angel knew very well that for Nami Midori to admit it had received significant inspiration was a challenging matter. It might even move Nami Midori’s stubborn realm; otherwise, Nami Midori would not be so keen.

Could it be, his previous guess was correct, that Nami Midori’s breakthrough was indeed related to the Tree Spirit?

Angel speculated silently in his heart, but his expression betrayed nothing, calmly saying, "Of course, there is no problem. I can refine a special log-in device for you later, so you can freely enter the Wilderness of Dreams."

Nami Midori actually wanted to refuse, not wanting to owe too many favors. However... the log-in device, it truly desired.

It could feel that the information known by the Tree Spirit was extremely beneficial, even surpassing the knowledge imparted by Mr. Feng. Although not yet causing a realm destabilization, it allowed progress in that direction.

Because of this, after pondering for a moment, Nami Midori nodded, "Then, thank you."

Angel smiled slightly, "No problem, I’m happy to assist."

Then, Angel motioned for Nami Midori to find a comfortable position, and with the Dream Entering Technique, sent it into the Wilderness of Dreams.

After Nami Midori fell asleep, Angel returned to the Vine House.

He exchanged a glance with Sanders but said nothing, instead directly opening the Geometric Lock, with numerous geometric patterns instantly enveloping the entire Vine House.

The presence of the Geometric Lock not only prevented external spying but also kept the aura of the Mysterious Object from spreading outside.

Having done all this, under Sanders’ intense gaze, Angel took out the "Mad Hatter’s Coronation."

"Is this the Mad Hatter’s Coronation? Why is it just a small box?"

Sanders looked puzzled at the small metal box on the vine table. The box was quite pretty, with intricate antique bronze-colored rose vine patterns on all sides and a blooming rose made of red crushed diamonds in the center. In the heart of the rose was a black cross.

Pretty as it was, Sanders couldn’t quite see...the flavor of a Mysterious Object.

"The true Mysterious Object is inside the box; you might want to open it and see, Mentor."

At Angel’s words, Sanders gently opened the box, finding nothing inside except for a Magic Pattern exuding a strong Mysterious Aura, engraved on the box wall.

"Is this the Mysterious Object...a Magic Tattoo Horn?"

"Yes."

With Angel’s affirmative response, Sanders was visibly surprised.

Before this, he only knew the Mad Hatter’s Coronation as a Mysterious Object useful for Enchantment Alchemy. From its name, he speculated it might be a special hat that, when worn, could enhance Enchantment Alchemy.

However, the real situation was entirely different from what he imagined; it turned out to be a Magic Tattoo Horn.

Could a Magic Pattern also transform into a Mysterious Object?

Though Sanders was reluctant to believe it, the fact was right before him—Magic Patterns could indeed become Mysterious Objects. Moreover, the intense Mysterious Aura it exuded had already confirmed its identity.

After a moment of bewilderment, Sanders finally regained his thoughts: "How is it used? Does one engrave a Magic Pattern, then attach it?"

"Though not exactly, that’s a way to understand it," Angel said, beginning to explain the usage of the Mysterious Magic Pattern.

After hearing the use, Sanders finally breathed a sigh of relief. Previously, he thought this was a one-time-use Magic Pattern, but it now seemed it could be used repeatedly.

"As for the specific effects, I’ll demonstrate them for you, Mentor." After pondering a moment, Angel mumbled, "I promised to refine a log-in device for Lord Nami Midori earlier, so I might as well do it now."

Originally, Angel intended to use the Immaculate Magic Pattern as an example, but since he had already promised to make a log-in device for Nami Midori, he decided to use the log-in device as the demonstration.

Besides, Angel was also curious about what changes would occur to a log-in device crowned with the Mad Hatter.

Angel retrieved the materials needed for the log-in device from his bracelet space, then began to contemplate what form the device should take.

Previously, Angel had made many types of log-in devices, including glasses, rings, hats, and earrings. However, these styles wouldn’t work for Nami Midori; either they were too small or unsuitable.

Angel didn’t know Nami Midori’s aesthetic preferences, and using items humans commonly used as the log-in device might not appeal to it.

After a moment of thought, Angel made a decision.

He decided to create a cyan scale that could be considered a snake scale, completely merging with Nami Midori’s skin, or seen as a petal, floating around Nami Midori.

After making the decision, he began the refining process.

The log-in device comprises two parts, which can be understood as software and hardware. The software involves the internal engraved Magical Energy Array—"Energy Storage Space"; and the hardware is the Demonic Material carrying the "Energy Storage Space."

Different Demonic Materials can showcase varying effects of the Energy Storage Space.

The better the Demonic Material, the more it extends the usability of the Energy Storage Space. For example, the first log-in device Angel crafted varied in login counts due to different Demonic Materials, with some having 149/149 uses, while others had 979/979 uses.

The hardware dictates the software’s performance.

This time, for Nami Midori’s log-in device, Angel dared not choose inferior materials, though overly good materials were unnecessary because of the log-in device’s material grade cap.

The primary materials used were Cyan Agate, Frost Cold Sand, and Blue Tranquil Wood; the cooling material was Pasent Liquid, and the shaping material was Agate Stone.

These materials were mostly mid to low-level, and with Angel’s current Alchemy prowess, the refining process was swift. In just a short while, the previously half-table pile of materials was refined into a small, jade-green liquid mass no larger than a baby’s palm under Freezing Technique.

Angel then began multitasking, shaping while picking up the engraving pen to carve the Magical Energy Array.

The "Energy Storage Space" Magical Energy Array is traditionally for storing Tricks, but Angel stored the Dream Entering Technique within, turning it into a log-in device.

Its structure consists of three Magic Patterns: the Constant Magic Pattern, the Solidification Magic Pattern, and the Soul Storage Magic Pattern. Among them, both the Constant Magic Pattern and the Solidification Magic Pattern require the depiction of the Magic Tattoo Horn representing "Transformation." This means it can employ the "Crowning of the Mad Hat."

However, a Magic Pattern or Magical Energy Array only needs one "Crowning of the Mad Hat," without the need for repetitive depictions.

After some thought, Angel decided to apply the "Crowning of the Mad Hat" on the "Constant Magic Pattern."

Because, in his idea, what’s most important for the log-in device is the number of log-ins, and the Constant Magic Pattern determines the lower limit of log-in times. Attaching the Mysterious Magic Pattern to the Constant Magic Pattern might increase the number of log-ins.

Of course, this was just his assumption, yet to be verified.

Angel had crafted a considerable number of log-in devices, and he was already exceptionally skilled at depicting Magical Energy Arrays. Even while shaping and engraving simultaneously, his speed did not diminish.

To Sanders watching from the side, Angel’s engraving of Magic Patterns appeared almost divine.

So smooth and fluent, so flawless.

According to Sanders’ estimation, at Angel’s engraving speed, it would take at most half an hour to complete the work.

Ultimately, Sanders underestimated Angel’s speed; it took him less than ten minutes to finish crafting the log-in device. Currently, it has entered the stage of condensation using a gentian liquid.

While Sanders was amazed, he also harbored some doubts.

Although he was an outsider in Enchantment Alchemy, having a student proficient in it, he naturally couldn’t lag behind and had studied many related books.

He was quite familiar with the three Magic Patterns forming the "Energy Storage Space" Magical Energy Array.

Precisely because of his familiarity, he felt something strange. Most of the time, Angel’s engraving was flawless, but there were noticeable deviations at several spots, which is a major taboo in Magic Pattern engraving. A slight deviation can lead to the entire Magical Energy Array’s failure.

However, Angel, who was renowned in Enchantment Alchemy, had deviations, and not just in one place? This was hard to imagine.

The reason Sanders didn’t bring it up immediately was that every time Angel’s engraving went astray, he would lift his head and glance at Sanders, as if reminding Sanders: "Did you see that, I made a mistake... I made another mistake..."

It seemed that Angel was intentionally making mistakes.

With this illusion in mind, Sanders did not alert Angel until the log-in device entered the condensation stage, when he hesitantly spoke: "Earlier, when you were engraving the Constant Magic Pattern, did you make a mistake?"

Angel candidly admitted: "Yes, I did make a mistake."

"On purpose?" Sanders softly asked, looking at Angel’s frank demeanor.

Angel nodded: "Yes."

"Was it to demonstrate the effect of the Mysterious Magic Pattern?" Sanders seemed to think of something and asked again.

This time, Angel didn’t respond immediately, as the condensation of the log-in device had just ended. Previously, when Angel used the Solidification Art, Freezing Technique for condensation, the time required was quite long; later, during his period of self-reflection, Angel began trying to use the Solidification Art for condensation, which more than doubled the efficiency, and combined with unique cooling materials, it could condense in just a few minutes.

This time, the condensation was completed in just five minutes, a great success.

Sanders had seen the scene when the log-in device was previously completed, but this time was noticeably different. Due to the addition of the Mysterious Magic Pattern, a faint mysterious aura emanated from the log-in device.

At the same time, it seemed to Sanders as if a phantom had appeared before him.

A thumb-sized little figure, unnoticed, appeared near the cyan scales. The faceless little figure danced bizarrely like an ancient priest around the scales. At a certain moment, the figure pulled out a hat from its bosom and tossed it directly onto the cyan scale.

The pure white hat crowned the cyan scale-shaped log-in device.

With a flash of light, the previous sights of the little figure and hat vanished, leaving only the cyan scale, emitting a faint mysterious aura.

"What was that just now?"

"The Crowning of the Mad Hat," Angel directly replied with the name of the Mysterious Magic Pattern.

Sanders nodded, half-understanding, not immediately exploring it further, but directing his attention to the log-in device.

He wasn’t interested in the log-in device itself, but cared about two things: the log-in device had actually succeeded? Furthermore, it was emitting a mysterious aura?

In his view, with Angel making so many deviations while engraving Magic Patterns, the failure probability should be high. Yet, unexpectedly, the log-in device appeared flawless, shining brightly, quite perfect.

"... Are these the effects of the Mysterious Magic Pattern?" Sanders couldn’t help but ask.

Angel nodded: "Yes, it can optimize Magic Patterns, as long as the overall flaw doesn’t exceed 3%, it can ultimately be successfully optimized."

This was why Angel intentionally created some flaws in the Energy Storage Pattern, to show Sanders the effect of flaw optimization.

3%! Sanders was somewhat astonished, this wasn’t a small number; many large Magical Energy Arrays require tens of thousands, or even more, Magic Tattoo Horns. A 3% error tolerance is quite significant.

This aspect alone lives up to being a Mysterious Object.

The only downside is that after using the Mysterious Magic Pattern, the log-in device possesses a mysterious aura.

"All items crafted using the Mysterious Magic Pattern, including Magic Rune Scrolls, actively emit a mysterious aura?" Sanders inquired.

Angel nodded: "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Sanders frowned slightly. A mysterious aura, even from a half-step mystic work, would attract many covetous eyes.

"You must restrain your use of this Mysterious Object," Sanders couldn’t help but remind.

In the Southern Domain, because of Angel’s status, he could suppress the evil intentions of many covetous eyes. But leaving the Southern Domain may invite disaster easily.

"I understand, Mr. Feng previously reminded me of the same." Angel: "Because this log-in device is for Lord Nami Midori, even if it bears a mysterious aura, it wouldn’t matter much."

Nami Midori’s strength would place her among the top in the pyramid of the Southern Domain Wizard World. Not to mention holding such a mysterious-aura-emitting, yet non-mystic log-in device; even wielding a Mysterious Object, no one would dare to covet unless they don’t wish to live.

Sanders understood this as well, nodding without further comment.

At this moment, Angel picked up the log-in device, preparing to see if the device, after the white hat’s crowning, experienced any optimizations beyond flaw correction.

Particularly, the log-in count...

With this in mind, Angel activated the Alchemy Eye for inspection.

Then, he saw a number that was beyond his expectations...