Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 149 [The Dark Wizard (Three Stars)]

Ron clearly remembered that the essence of the path of the dark wizard was to coexist with pollution, rather than be consumed by it.

In theory, if a more stable symbiotic relationship could be found, the risk of personality breakdown might be avoided.

"If the career panel could incorporate this path into its system, perhaps it could acquire the power of corruption in a safer way?"

This idea both excited and worried Ron.

As he left the library, the old guard gave him a meaningful look:
"Have you found what you're looking for, young man?"

Ron nodded cautiously: "I learned a lot, thank you."

"Remember, knowledge is a double-edged sword; understanding darkness is not the same as embracing it."

The old man's voice was deep and serious.

"I will keep it in mind," he could only reply sincerely.

On his way back to the workshop, Ron's thoughts were still on that knowledge.

The allure of the path of the dark wizard lies in the fact that it offers a seemingly shortcut to power: whoever is more insane is stronger, rather than talent...

He shook his head, temporarily putting those thoughts out of his mind.

In any case, his primary task now is to prepare for the bloody gladiatorial tournament a month from now and strive to improve his ranking in the sequence through outstanding performance.

As for the path of the dark wizard, he might continue to study it, but he would never attempt it rashly.

At least not until a way to ensure safety is found.

Back at the workshop, Lilia was in the courtyard tutoring Dale in water element control.

Upon seeing Ron's return, both men beamed with welcome.

"Teacher, you're back!"

Lilia greeted her with delight: "Dale has made great progress today; she can maintain the water sphere form for a long time now!"

"Master!" Dale ran over excitedly:

"Look at my new skill!" With a wave of her hand, a perfect water ball floated in the air and then slowly transformed into a blooming water lily.

"Fantastic!" Ron exclaimed sincerely, ruffling the little siren's silver hair, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

On the path of pursuing power, there are some prices he is absolutely unwilling to pay easily.

"Dinner is ready, teacher," Lilia said with a smile. "It's your favorite grilled fish and vegetable soup."

“Thank you, Lilia. Let’s go together then,” Ron replied with a smile.

As night fell, the workshop lights shone warmly and brightly, dispelling the gloomy thoughts of the day.

………………

In the stillness of the night, Ron sat cross-legged in meditation in his private study room on the second floor of the workshop.

The forbidden knowledge about dark wizards, awakening, and corruption was like a dark flame, constantly drawing his attention.

In the stillness of the night, he made his decision.

"Having gathered so much information today, there should be a corresponding advanced path. Let's take a look first and not try it for now."

He said to himself, then cautiously opened the career panel.

Ron scrolled through the panel, searching for any information related to the dark wizard.

Suddenly, he noticed that a previously unnoticed option had indeed appeared silently in the career selection section:

[Black Wizard (3-star) (View detailed upgrade information)]

Logically, receiving new career advancement information should trigger a notification on the character panel, but this time there's been no response whatsoever...

Ron's heart raced as he carefully clicked on the option, and more information immediately appeared:

【Class: Dark Wizard (3 stars)】

[Advanced conditions:
1. Prerequisite profession - Wizard Apprentice (1.5 stars) √
2. Mental strength reaches 4.0 or above, and a certain degree of mental pollution has been accumulated.
3. Master at least one spell that affects the mind.

4. Possesses a special medium—high-purity Sin Domain Black Crystal
5. Complete the awakening ritual and reach 10% awakening level.

[Warning: This profession can significantly alter personality traits, amplify negative emotions, and reduce rational thinking abilities.]

After changing jobs, you will not be able to revert to your original personality!

Ron stared at the information, feeling both surprised and somewhat taken for granted.

The class panel does indeed include the path of the Dark Wizard as an available class, but the explicit warning points directly to the true nature of this path...

It can indeed irreversibly change a person's soul.

Of particular note is the Samsung rating:

This means that the overall potential of the Dark Wizard class is higher than that of the class for which he currently knows all the advanced information.

It is even higher than the two-and-a-half-star [Wizard Unknown Direction] and [Spellsword].

"The job change requirements mentioned the Sinful Domain Black Crystal,"

Ron pondered, "It's exactly the kind of key medium I read about in the book today."

He continued browsing and discovered more detailed information about the characteristics of the profession:

Main abilities of the Dark Wizard:

Corrosion Spell, Corruption Perception, Awakened Body, Whispers of the Stars (Using this ability will accelerate the accumulation of mental corruption)

Ron couldn't help but feel a little tempted.

These abilities are indeed powerful, especially the properties of the Corruption spell, which can bypass conventional defenses and directly attack the opponent's mental weaknesses.

However, the next piece of information made him realize the gravity of the situation:

[Additional Note: Unlike regular classes, Black Wizards do not need to hone their skills; they primarily advance by increasing their Awakening level.]

Each 10% increase in awakening level will unlock a new ability branch, but it will also exacerbate personality distortion.
-
10% Awakening Level: Basic erosion ability, slight personality change.
-
30% Awakening Level: Enhanced erosion ability, moderate personality distortion, and extreme emotions.
-
50% Awakening Level: High-level erosion ability, severe personality breakdown, almost complete loss of all positive emotions.
-
70% Awakening Level: Deeply corrosive abilities, complete personality alienation, retaining only the most basic rational thinking.
-
100% Awakening Level: Can advance to become an "Apostle," completely transcending human limitations. "This is not a path I can take now..."

Ron ultimately concluded: "Even if going through the career panel might be safer than direct awakening, it still essentially results in a loss of self."

He was about to close the class panel when he saw an extra message at the end:
[Special Note: The dual-soul talent may resist personality distortion to some extent, but it cannot completely eliminate this effect.]

The final outcome depends on the user's willpower and choices.

This message made Ron fall into deep thought.

The dual-soul talent may indeed provide some buffer, but the risks remain enormous.

Perhaps we will have the opportunity to try this when we acquire some rare and precious artifacts related to mental protection in the future.

After closing the career panel, Ron took out the Time Guardian Pocket Watch.

Just then, he suddenly felt a vine reach out, upon which appeared the writing tablet of the orchid's leaves:
"Master, Miss Trish has come to visit."

Ron stood up alertly and cautiously walked to the window.

In the darkness, he saw a familiar figure moving toward the workshop gate—it was Trish.

Why would she be here at this time?

Ron quickly went downstairs and, sure enough, found the brown-haired girl in the reception room, dressed casually as usual.

"Sorry to bother you so late."

Trish said in a low voice, a rare look of tension on her face:
"But I have something important to tell you."

Ron noticed that her breathing was a little rapid and her hair was slightly damp, indicating that she had rushed over.

"Come in and talk." He stepped aside to make way.

Trish quickly slipped into the room, looked around to make sure no one else was there, and then whispered:
“My mentor spoke with me tonight and pointed out a series of strange events that seem to be related to the ‘dark wizard resurgence’.”

Ron's heart skipped a beat: "The revival of dark magic?"

“Yes,” Tracy nodded, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes:
"A clandestine group of dark wizards, calling themselves the 'Eyes of the Abyss,' has always existed in the central region of the Abyss Continental Cluster. They follow a mysterious being known as the 'Lord of Paradise.' The enforcement team from the school responsible for this matter believes that Cynthia's disappearance is related to this organization, and..."

She hesitated noticeably for a moment: "Oliver is very likely one of their peripheral members as well."

Ron wasn't too surprised by the news; considering what he had read that morning and his observations of Oliver's condition, it all made perfect sense.

"Why would Lady Corinna tell you this?" Ron asked cautiously.

Trish took a deep breath:

"She said I might be one of their targets. Three days ago, the law enforcement team discovered a hidden cave during a search in the edge of the forest."

Her voice trembled slightly: "There are a large number of human and alien corpses inside, all of them with their brains emptied. There are also all sorts of strange runes and traces of rituals."

At this point, the girl pursed her lips:

"Tonight, my mentor spoke with me privately and told me about the cave, saying it was indeed related to the 'Eye of the Abyss,' and that..."

She paused, looking directly at Ron: "And she said you might be one of their targets too."

Ron frowned. "Me? Why?"

"The mentor didn't explain in detail, but warned me to remind you to be vigilant, especially towards those advanced apprentices who are behaving abnormally."

A hint of worry flashed in Trish's eyes: "He specifically mentioned that you should not contact Oliver alone."

Ron fell into thought; he had indeed had a few brief encounters with Oliver.

Do you know anything else about the 'Eye of the Abyss'?

Trish shook her head:
"Very rare. It is said that this organization has existed for several eras despite the encirclement and suppression by various wizarding forces, but has always maintained its presence. The 'Lord of Paradise' that they follow seems to be some kind of ancient being..."

What actions is the school of thought planning to take?

“I’m not sure,” Trish’s voice trailed off.
"But the mentor hinted that the school's higher-ups were preparing a large-scale purge after making contact with the Crystal Spire. She wanted us, the sequence members, to remain vigilant but not to interfere."

Ron nodded thoughtfully. "Thank you for taking the risk to tell me this."

Trish gave a faint smile:

“We’re allies, aren’t we? Besides, I think you’re one of the few people I can trust.”

She glanced at the darkening night outside the window:
"I have to go, it's past curfew. My advisor has arranged a temporary pass for me, but the time limit is limited."

Ron saw her to the door and saw the leopard woman's eyes glowing with a faint green light in the darkness.

Li Yue seems to have gradually come to trust him. In the past, she would stay by her master's side at all times, but now she consciously stands at the workshop entrance to wait.

"Be careful on the road. If there is any new information, we can exchange information at any time."

Trish nodded and quickly disappeared into the night with Li Yue.

Ron closed the door, his mind filled with a multitude of thoughts.

This new information resonated strikingly with what he had learned in the library today, making the whole situation even clearer and more dangerous.

Oliver may have already embarked on the path of a dark wizard, and is an outer member of the organization known as "The Eye of the Abyss".

This explains why he came into contact with the Black Crystal of the Sin Domain, and the increasingly severe symptoms of mental pollution he was experiencing.

But why did he become the organization's target?

Is it simply because of the talent and potential he has shown?
Or is there some deeper reason?

With these questions in mind, Ron returned to his room.

He decided to be more cautious in the coming days, and that he must be fully prepared for whatever storm might come.

The next morning, Ron got up early and, as usual, meditated on "The Star Eater's Ramblings".

After his meditation ended, just as he was about to go to the library for further research, a black parrot flew in through the window and landed on his desk.

(End of this chapter)