Wizard: Adventures in Two Worlds
Chapter 40: Influence

Chapter 40: Influence

The strife between nations and the undertows hidden beneath the calm surface of life were unknown to ordinary people, who could only go with the flow when major changes came.

The arrival of God’s Birth Day adorned Sigerno City with blossoms aplenty. Two consecutive purges of the ’giant rats’ within the city, coupled with the Nightwatchers’ busy patrols, significantly improved security during this period.

Of course, all of this had nothing to do with Carl. Lately, he had been busy moving, tidying up his new home, and thanking others for their housewarming gifts, to the extent that he rarely visited Adolf’s estate on the outskirts anymore. Then there were breathing exercises, Martial Arts, Meditation Methods, witchcraft, and the concoction of Potions—none of which could be delayed. His daily schedule was packed to the brim, and he had declined all colleague gatherings for God’s Birth Day.

「Divine Domain Fragment.」

After consuming the secret Potion, Carl contorted his body into an odd position and began the Poison Wolf Breathing Method. Before long, a fine sweat surfaced on his skin, veins on his forehead and neck bulged prominently, and his breathing quickened. His blood seemed to be boiling, and his heart pounded as if trying to break through the confines of his ribcage, thumping loudly.

After a while, Carl ceased his movements. "HUU..." He exhaled stale air and summoned the data panel with a wave of his hand.

Name: Carl (Master of the Divine Domain Fragment)

Constitution: 0.82

Spiritual Power: 1.43

Source Material: 0

Occupation: Knight Attendant, Basic-level Wizard Apprentice

His spiritual power was steadily increasing, edging closer to that of an Intermediate Wizard Apprentice. Even his Constitution, originally at 0.79, had been honed to 0.82 through recent training.

The changes in the data made Carl smile. Exotic Beast Meat is indeed useful.

Indeed, thanks to Carl’s constant funding, Ayala’s team had now established a firm foothold in Black City. They even managed to procure several portions of Exotic Beast Meat through connections. For Carl, who had never consumed Exotic Beast Meat, the first experience was as impactful as the first time he had used the Light of Wisdom; his Constitution visibly increased at a rapid pace.

If it weren’t for the Dharma Seal diverting half of my life force, my Constitution might now be at 0.84. That 0.02 increase is not to be underestimated. Constitution data encompasses strength, explosive power, speed, recovery, and more, representing an overall value. Minor differences can have a significant impact on external performance. Moreover, it becomes increasingly difficult to improve later on; some Knight Attendants may not progress an inch despite months of training.

Picking up the broadsword beside him, Carl stepped forward and chopped down fiercely.

Furious Strike!

The sound of the sword tearing through the air was distinct. His strength had clearly increased. Previously, when he executed the Gale Slash Battle Skill, he would feel noticeably drained. Now, he was much better off, not having to worry about losing the strength to fight after executing a Battle Skill.

If my Constitution surpassed 0.9, then as a male, my pure strength might be even greater than Dana’s. But Old Lev was right too; the existence of the Dharma Seal will seriously impede the Knight Path. Unless one has a continuous supply of Exotic Beast Meat, it’s almost impossible for a Knight Attendant with a Dharma Seal to condense a Life Seed and advance to a Knight.

Halting his actions, Carl pondered.

Perhaps... I should construct the Fire Seal’s Magic Model in the Spiritual Inner Sea, eliminate the Dharma Seal, and then refine my body. This approach has two advantages. For one, it would allow me to continue on the Knight Path, although this isn’t crucial as the Wizard Path seems to have a higher ceiling at the moment. Secondly, it would mean no need to purchase Magic Models from Adolf, avoiding exposure of my true strength. If I could acquire a few more types of Dharma Seals from the Otherworld, I wouldn’t have to worry about a lack of witchcraft in the future. Promotion to Intermediate or Advanced Wizard Apprentice in secret one day might not be out of reach.

"Enough!" Carl shook his head, stopping his fanciful musings. Thinking about these things is useless now. The priority is to replicate the Magic Model of the Fire Seal.

「Several days later.」

「Black City.」

"The biggest force in Black City is the City Guard, a team of several hundred people directly under the control of the City Lord," Ayala explained. "All ten captains of the City Guard are Knights, and the chief captain, Hal, is a Peak Knight with two Dharma Seals, second only in strength to the City Lord. Some individuals are exceptionally gifted and can possess two Dharma Seals, although such people are extremely rare."

Carl nodded. According to my analysis, a Dharma Seal consumes Constitution and spiritual power. The people of this world haven’t practiced Meditation Methods and have insufficient spiritual power, so they usually can only have one Dharma Seal. But the possibility of someone with an extraordinary talent having two Dharma Seals cannot be ruled out. As for the City Lord... this person is very mysterious. Nobody knows his true strength, and few have even seen his real face, but everyone knows he is the strongest in Black City. It’s highly likely that he is a Great Knight.

Ayala continued, "The City Guard is strong, but managing the entirety of Black City is impossible for them. Especially after so many years of mining and excavation, the underground tunnels are as complex as a labyrinth, and there are many half-dead creatures and Exotic Beasts lurking about, beyond their capacity to handle. Therefore, aside from a few rich mines, other mines are controlled by different forces, and the City Guard demands a regular and fixed amount of blackstone from them every month. As long as the quota of blackstone is met, the City Guard doesn’t interfere with anything else, and there’s even a reward. If the contribution of blackstone is insufficient, however, severe punishment will be inflicted."

"Apart from the City Guard, there are four powers in Black City that have Knights: the Betty family, Whisperers of the Wind, the Brotherhood, and the Shadow Alliance. They compete with each other for blackstone." Ayala added, "Hmm... The group we encountered a few days ago were from the Brotherhood, hunting the leader of the Scythe Association. The Scythe Association no longer exists now."

Carl stroked his chin, asking, "How many Knights are there in these four powers?"

"How many?" Ayala shook her head. "The Betty family has the most Knights, with three at most. As far as I know, the others seem to only have one. Knights aren’t that common."

Hearing this, Carl felt a sense of relief. If they are not Knights, they pose no great pressure on me. And for the forces without Knights, there is no need to worry too much. Leaving aside the question of whether Peak Knight Attendants are my match, I can still escape if I can’t overcome them.

The group of people dispersed.

The shattered scarlet moon still hung in the sky. The dark night enveloped the city, and all around was silent.

Carl’s figure appeared again among the ruins. He looked at the corner where the goods had been previously placed, his expression shifting. He bent down, picked up a pinch of soil, and scrutinized it for a moment before snorting softly. Then, he took out some white powder from his person and sprinkled it around.

Detection Powder!

This is a kind of powder commonly used by Wizard Apprentices, which can reveal traces left by living beings and objects over a past period.

As the powder scattered, footprints that shouldn’t have been there began to appear before his eyes.

Are they investigating my identity? Or do they want to know what goods I brought from there? Where did I disappear to in the past few days? Is it Ayala? Or someone else?

Though Carl had intentionally bought low-quality black bread, milk, and meat strips, the abundance of food was sufficient to arouse the curiosity of others; profit always motivates people. It was not unusual for someone to conduct an investigation secretly.

However, his transmigration was his greatest secret and his untouchable taboo. He would not allow any outsider to be privy to it, not even through snooping.

I hope it’s not Ayala... Otherwise, I’ll have to replace my agent. From the beginning of their transaction, I warned Ayala not to inquire into my secrets; otherwise, she should not blame me for being discourteous.