Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Vinard reclaimed his ethereal form.

The "Heart of Myriad Functions" dissipated, and the energy pulse gradually subsided.

He looked at the mechanical doll that had "awakened," his expression somewhat stiff.

"Did I lose, and did it in my area of ​​expertise?"

Ron shook his head slightly: "Professor Vinard, you're exaggerating. This isn't about winning or losing."

"is it?"

Vinard seemed to be deep in thought: "I've lived for almost a thousand years, specializing in the field of mechanics."

"I always thought that no one could shake my position in this field."

"But today..."

He looked at the mechanical doll that was curiously looking around:

“You made me realize that ‘specialization’ does not mean ‘supreme’.”

"When you encounter a higher level of rules, the so-called 'specialization' is nothing more than the arrogance of a frog in a well."

These words were spoken frankly, without any concealment.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit strange, Antigonus steered the conversation back on track.

"Lord Ralph's strength has truly broadened my horizons."

His tone was filled with genuine admiration:
"No wonder you were able to easily crush Cyrus and Elwin. Although those two are also great wizards, their Void Rule..."

Alvin is one thing, but Cyrus's incomplete ethereal form probably hasn't even stepped through the door to mastering the rules.

Thinking of this, Antigonus shook his head and said no more.

As the gathering drew to a close, the other great wizards began to take their leave.

Salamander was the first to leave.

Before leaving, he patted Ron on the shoulder; his large, solidified lava hand radiated intense heat.
"Kid, do a good job."

"If you need any help in the future, just let me know."

Vinard also stepped forward to say goodbye.

"Ralph, today's experiment has been very helpful."

"When you have time, you are welcome to visit my colony."

Ron answered each question, and soon only he and Antigon remained in the banquet hall.

"So..." Antigonus spoke first, "What are your thoughts on the matter of the acting tower master?"

Ron picked up the wine glass on the table and swirled it gently.

"Lord Antigonus...you wish to take the position of Tower Master, so be it."

"But I need some security."

"Please speak."

Antigonus secretly breathed a sigh of relief; he was afraid that the other party wouldn't give him a chance to negotiate at all.

As long as you're willing to talk, everything is negotiable.

“First.” Ron held up one finger:
"The Crown Clan retains priority access to the core research materials of the Crystal Spire."

"No matter who becomes the tower master, this point cannot be changed."

Antigonus nodded: "That makes sense."

"Second, the existing research teams in the tower should not be arbitrarily dismissed."

“Any mandatory personnel changes require the consent of the Crown Clan unless they leave voluntarily.”

Antigonus nodded again:
“It’s acceptable. My research team is used to Emerald Ring and has no intention of encroaching on the Crystal Spire’s location.”

"Third, a detailed operational report needs to be submitted to the Crown Clan every year."

"Including but not limited to: resource allocation, research progress, personnel changes, financial status..."

"This is a basic right of oversight; I'm sure you won't refuse it?"

Antico didn't seem to mind: "I can accept that. Transparent operations have always been my style."

“You’re very sincere.” Ron put down his glass. “In that case, I only have one small personal request left.”

"Please speak."

"Slots for using the mini chessboard."

As these four words were spoken, Antigonus's expression finally changed.

"A small chessboard..."

For any great wizard aspiring to break through to a higher realm, that place is a dream testing ground.

As a top-tier wizard, Antigonus can apply for a quota once every hundred years, which is one of his most precious resources.

“The rules of the small chessboard are as follows…” Antigonus pondered for a moment:

"After using this spot, I will have to wait a hundred years before I can apply again."

“I understand your concerns,” Ron said calmly.

"But frankly, without this condition, the Crown Clan has no reason to relinquish the position of Tower Master."

“After all…” he said with a slight upturn of his lips, “we’re not without options.”

These words were like a soft knife, silently piercing Antigonus's vitals.

If the Crown Clan chooses to "delay," then the position of Tower Master will remain vacant.

Once Eve is powerful enough, she can rightfully take over.

At that point, Antigonus would have completely lost his chance.

“Alright.” Antigonus made his decision: “I can give you the slot for the small chessboard.”

"But I hope you can confirm with Princess Eve as soon as possible. I need to know whether this deal is finalized."

Ron nodded slightly: "I will give you an answer within three days."

"make a deal."

Their hands clasped together in mid-air.

………………

After everyone had left, Antigonus sat alone in the banquet hall.

Mercury flowed slowly around him, emitting a slight metallic rustling sound.

"Come out," he said softly.

Ripples spread through the air, and a figure materialized from nothingness.

It was the flowing silhouette of a woman, her features delicate, yet devoid of any expression.

“My dear,” Lady Mercury’s voice was clear and ethereal, “you seem quite pleased with today’s harvest.”

“Satisfied?” Antigonus gave a bitter smile. “I can only say… it’s still within acceptable limits.”

He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Outside the window, the distinctive emerald green sky of the planet Emerald Ring was gradually darkening, and the first star had already appeared on the horizon.

"If I really manage to get the position of acting tower master."

He seemed to be speaking to himself, and also to Lady Mercury beside him:

"From now on, I can stay in the main world for a long time and obtain a stable channel for accumulating resources."

“Through contribution points, I can apply to the Court of Truth for high-level resources that are only available to specific positions.”

His gaze deepened: "Those resources... might be able to compensate for the deficiencies of my ethereal body."

Lady Mercury stood quietly behind him without saying a word.

"As for the number of slots for using the small chessboard..."

Antigonus's tone became indifferent: "It's not so important to me now."

He turned around and gazed at his "partner":
"Giving that spot to Ralph might actually be a worthwhile deal."

"You mean..." Lady Mercury's voice carried a hint of doubt.

"In my lifetime, I may witness the birth of a new witch king."

“These pioneering cases are more valuable to me than any other resource.”

Lady Mercury remained silent for a moment, seemingly processing the information.

“My dear, do you also want to become the Witch King?” she asked.

Antigonus did not answer.

He simply watched quietly as the sky outside the window gradually became dotted with starlight.

"It has been over a thousand years since I became a great wizard."

His voice sounded tired.

"The mentor's guidance, the long accumulation of knowledge, countless attempts... yet we still couldn't take that first step."

His hand gently caressed Lady Mercury's cheek, its touch cool and smooth:
"Do you know what's the most ironic thing?"

“I created you, in the ‘perfect’ image in my mind.”

“You are closer to my ideal than any living creature…that is why you can never become her.”

Lady Mercury did not speak.

She has no real soul; she is merely an empty projection constructed according to her master's will.

“Ron Ralph…”

Antigonus withdrew his hand: "I hope you won't disappoint me."

"If even a great wizard like you can't break through to the Witch King level... then I'm afraid I'll never have the chance in this lifetime."

Outside the window, the stars shone brightly.

The woman's figure slowly dissipated and merged back into Antigonus's body.

………………

On the other side, in the study of the ancestral home of the Wang Guan clan.

Moonlight streamed down, illuminating the dark oak floor and outlining the silhouettes of a couple standing together in an embrace.

Eve listened quietly to her husband's story, her teacup long since cold, yet she never put it down.

"...So, these are the final conditions."

Ron finished recounting the entire story of the party, his gaze falling on his wife's face.

"Anticore will take over the position of acting tower master, while we will retain oversight rights and priority access to resources in exchange for a spot on the small chessboard."

The study fell silent, with the fire in the fireplace crackling softly from time to time.

Eve finally put down her teacup.

"To be honest, I have been worried about how to handle this matter for decades."

"With Mother not coming back, this position has been vacant for a long time, and it's already a mess."

Her other hand was clasped tightly with her husband's fingers.
“There is growing suspicion from the outside world, the pressure on the Court of Truth is increasing, and even our own people are beginning to waver.”

"The elders of the Crystal Spire appear respectful on the surface, but in reality, each harbors their own thoughts."

"Some people are waiting for an opportunity, some are secretly contacting other forces, and some... have probably already started looking for new 'backers'."

She turned slightly to the side: "But if we just find anyone to take over, it will cause even more problems."

Who to choose?

"Why this person and not that person?"

"Won't the chosen ones become too powerful and difficult to manage? Won't the unchosen ones harbor resentment?"

Eve gently shook her head: "Over the years, I've thought of every possible solution."

"But every solution has its own irreparable flaws."

“Now that Antigonus has offered to do so, it has saved me a lot of trouble.”

Ron nodded; he certainly understood the other person's situation.

The position of acting clan leader may seem glamorous, but in reality, it is like walking on thin ice.

Cassandra's political legacy is so vast that every step requires careful consideration.

"The key is the spot for the small chessboard; that's extremely important for my research."

His gaze deepened:

"If we can conduct the next experiment on a small chessboard... decades of experimentation can be compressed into a few months."

"This is of great significance for overcoming those difficult problems."

Eve smiled helplessly: "Mentor, I will support all your decisions."

"The position of acting tower master was not something we could control at this stage."

"Instead of letting it remain idle, we should exchange it for tangible benefits."

"Besides... Antigonus is no pushover either."

"His willingness to pay this price shows that his desire for this position is more urgent than we imagined."

Ron raised an eyebrow: "You mean..."

"The power of oversight must be strengthened."

Eve took a pre-prepared document from a drawer in her desk:
"We can accept the conditions proposed by Antigonus."

"But at the implementation level, some...refinements are needed."

She opened the document and lightly tapped a page with her finger:
"For example—the scope of authority of the supervisory representative."

“Antigone probably thinks that the so-called ‘supervision’ is just a formality, but I plan to send someone who can really give him a headache.”

What do you think of Cecilia?

Ron paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"She finally gets a vacation, and you're going to cancel it again."

………………

The news spread faster than anyone had anticipated.

The day after Ron gave Antigonus his formal reply, the entire school alliance knew the news.

"The High Wizard Antigonus is going to become the acting master of the Crystal Spire!"

This news caused a huge uproar in the circle of formal wizards.

In the central area, in the assembly hall of a certain school of thought.

Dozens of formal wizards gathered together, discussing in hushed tones this news that was poised to change the course of history.

A young wizard frowned, his voice full of confusion:
"Is Cassandra really not coming back?"

"Who knows?"

An older wizard nearby shook his head:

"If someone doesn't show their face for fifty years, anyone would have doubts."

"But the power of the ethereal form she displayed that time..."

The young wizard shivered:
"It is said that the mole at the peak of the Dark Sun level was killed on the spot, without even a chance to react."

"How could that power be fake?"

"The power is real, but people..."

The old wizard smiled knowingly: "Who can guarantee that?"

"Professor Yutel's specialty is summoning historical projections, and his disciples are no exception."

"If he knows the right method, he can summon the projection of the deceased."

"The key lies in..."

He glanced at the young wizard and said meaningfully, "Is Tower Master Cassandra still alive?"

These words, like a tiny needle, pierced the most sensitive string in everyone's heart.

Everyone understood what the old wizard was implying.

If Cassandra is really still alive, why hasn't she shown her face for fifty years?

If she were still alive, why would she give up the position of tower master to an outsider?

If she were still alive...

"No, it should be said... that Tower Master Cassandra never came back at all?"

"Shh!" The old wizard immediately raised his finger, making a shushing gesture:

"You can't just say things like that."

His gaze swept warily around him: "The Crown Clan has spies everywhere."

"What you say here today may reach Princess Eve's ears tomorrow."

"At that time..."

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood what he meant.

Offending the Crown Clan was not a wise choice, especially after Ron Ralph became a high wizard.

"Actually, if you think about it carefully..."

The young wizard said thoughtfully, "This arrangement might be Ron Ralph's doing?"

"How to say?"

"Think about it..."

The young wizard analyzed, "The position of Tower Master is still undecided, which is a hidden danger for the Crown Clan."

“There is growing suspicion from the outside world, and the pressure on the Truth Court is increasing... If this continues, problems will inevitably arise sooner or later.”

"But what about now?"

"With the High Wizard Antigonus taking over as acting tower master, the outside world's attention was diverted."

“People will start talking about ‘what Antico will do’ instead of ‘where is Cassandra?’”

"Isn't this a kind of..."

He carefully chose his words: "A means of shifting the blame?"

The old wizard gave him a deep look.

"Young man, you have a bright future."

"But remember... some things are better left unsaid even if you see them clearly."

"In the wizarding world, the most important thing is to know what to say and what not to say."

The young wizard nodded respectfully, keeping these words firmly in mind.

………………

Similar discussions are taking place simultaneously in various corners of the academic alliance.

Some people consider this a "reasonable arrangement".

After all, having the position of tower master vacant for fifty years is not a long-term solution.

As the head of the seven major schools of thought, the Crystal Spire shoulders the important responsibility of integrating resources, coordinating all parties, and leading academic development.

A tower leader who is absent for a long time will only cause this huge system to gradually lose its cohesion.

Antigonus, as the personal disciple of the King of Stability, is highly experienced, powerful, and has extensive connections.

His appointment as acting tower master is at least "qualified" enough.

Some people believe this is "the weakness of the Crown Clan".

To actually hand over the empire built by their ancestors to others is a disgrace to Cassandra.

Most of these people were veterans of Cassandra's team.

In their view, regardless of whether the tower master can return, that position should be reserved for someone from within their ranks.

If an outsider were to sit there, everyone would just think that the Crown Clan was no longer in control of the situation!

Some people believe this is "Ron Ralph's shrewdness".

Exchanging a position that is temporarily out of control for the right to use the "small chessboard" is a really worthwhile deal.

Ron traded a position that was "temporarily unused" for such a valuable resource.

This deal looks profitable no matter how you look at it.

In another dimly lit secret room, Cyrus sat alone in a chair.

"So, you really were scammed back then?"

"Cassandra never came back at all?"

The humiliation at that wedding still feels like a dull knife, repeatedly cutting at his self-esteem.

His illusory remains, the Tower of Remnants, were severely damaged in that "illusory collision".

Every scar was a reminder of how miserable he had been that day.

“Ron Ralph…”

He murmured the name, his voice filled with venom: "One day..."

But he stopped halfway through his sentence.

revenge?

What form of retaliation should be taken?
That person's strength far exceeded his imagination.

The "virtual collision" at the wedding is just the tip of the iceberg.

If the intelligence is correct, Ron once again displayed terrifying strength at the gathering on Emerald Ring.

He defeated Vinard in the "priority battle".

Vinard is a great wizard who has specialized in the field of mechanics for hundreds of years!

In his area of ​​expertise, he was completely outmatched by a junior...

This means that Ron Ralph's ethereal "level" is higher than that of most archmages.

That's a difference in talent, a difference in level, which cannot be made up for by hard work.

"fortunately……"

Cyrus was somewhat relieved: "Luckily, I didn't go to that party the other day."

He received an invitation from Antigonus, but ultimately declined it with an excuse.

"If I go... I'm afraid I'll become a laughing stock again."

………………

The Emerald Forest, Mrs. Allen's Herbal Shop.

The person at the center of the conversation was squatting in the corner of the storage room, painstakingly sorting through a pile of freshly dried herbs.

Her movements were clumsy and awkward.

As a former top wizard, she hadn't done such "lowly" work for hundreds of years.

"This is 'evening primrose'... no, the leaves have serrated edges, it should be 'night murmur'."

She muttered to herself, trying to recall the classification method Lilia had taught her yesterday.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door.

“Ta… uh, Ms. Cassandra.”

Lilia walked into the storeroom, holding a newspaper in her hand.

At Mrs. Allen's suggestion, she has stopped addressing the other party as "Tower Master".

"This is today's School Weekly."

Lilia handed over the newspaper: "The lady said you might want to take a look."

Cassandra paused for a moment, put down the herbs in her hand, and took the newspaper.

She froze when she saw the headline on the front page.

The Great Wizard Antigonus Appointed Acting Master of the Crystal Spire

"This……"

Her lips trembled slightly, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Lilia tactfully withdrew, leaving her alone.

Cassandra sat alone amidst the pile of herbs, holding a newspaper, reading the report word by word.

"With the consent of the Crown Clan, Antigonus von Astra, the disciple of the Steadfast King and a top-tier archmage known as 'Mercury Mirror,' will serve as the acting master of the Crystal Spire..."

"Acting as the Tower Master until Cassandra recovers..."

"The Crown Clan retains oversight rights and priority access to core resources..."

Her hands began to tremble.

"That brat..."

Cassandra cursed under her breath, her gaze falling on the name "Ron Ralph" mentioned in the report.

"They actually sold my position as tower master?"

"Or did you sell it to that old bastard Antigonus?"
"Back when the high wizards held meetings, this guy was always the one who disagreed with me!"

She wanted to explode with anger, roar, and go to the central government to question this "son-in-law" about his right to make decisions for her.

But the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back down.

Because she had to admit—from a purely rational point of view—that it was indeed a good choice.

In his current state, he might not even be able to defeat a great wizard of the same level.

Even if he were to return, he would be unable to oversee the affairs of the Crystal Spire.

Rather than leaving that position vacant and making it a focal point of contention among various factions...

It would be better to temporarily give way to an "acceptable" candidate in exchange for tangible benefits.

"So it turns out they just swapped the right to use the smaller chessboard."

When Cassandra saw this, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

If Ron can make good use of this resource, it will be of great help to his future development.

"That brat."

She muttered under her breath again, but her tone had changed from complaint to resigned acceptance.

Then, her gaze fell on another paragraph of the report:

"It is understood that Her Highness Eve, the acting patriarch of the Crown Clan, has expressed her support for this arrangement..."

Cassandra's expression softened upon seeing her daughter's name.

"never mind……"

She sighed and folded the newspaper, placing it aside.

"Given my condition, I'll probably have to stay here for a few more years to recover."

"Let them fight over the position of Tower Master for now."

She picked up the bouquet of "night whispers" again and continued her unfinished work.

His movements were still clumsy, but he seemed more serious than before.

"Once I've recovered from my injuries..." she silently vowed in her heart, "I must go back and teach that brat a lesson."

………………

As time passed, Antigonus successfully took over as the acting master of the Crystal Spire.

This news is the final piece of the puzzle, bringing all the previous speculation and discussion to a climax.

The Court of Truth convened a special meeting to formally confirm the appointment.

The atmosphere at the meeting was unusually calm—no one raised any objections or expressed any opposition.

It all seemed to be a matter of course.

Ron began preparing for his spot on the "small chessboard".

He needs to collect enough "samples"—these samples will be placed on a small chessboard for long-term observation.

He also needs to design a complete "experimental plan"—taking into account the special environment of the small chessboard and the various variables that may occur.

Time flows faster there, but the risks are also greater.

Any mistake can be magnified a hundredfold.

A tiny calculation error might only lead to the failure of an experiment in the outside world;

But on a small chessboard, it could have disastrous consequences.

Ron was examining a thick stack of documents in front of him in his study.

A great deal of work is still needed to translate these theories into feasible experimental protocols.

Meanwhile, Antigonus also began his plan.

After securing the position of acting tower master, he couldn't wait to begin organizing the Crystal Spire's resource network.

Those long-sealed files, those deliberately ignored channels, those reserves that only the tower master could mobilize... every single one of them made him drool.

But he soon discovered that things were not as smooth as he had imagined.

The "supervisory representative" sent by the Wang Guan clan was much more difficult to deal with than he had anticipated.

On her very first day at the Crystal Spire, the silver-haired maid showed Antigonus what it meant to be "as familiar as one's own family."

"Lord Antigonus."

She stood in the acting tower master's office, holding a thick document in her hands:

"According to Article 3, Paragraph 7 of the agreement, any allocation involving 'core resources' must be subject to prior review by the supervisory representative."

"This is the application that was sent to me this morning..."

She opened the document and read it aloud, line by line:

"One hundred units of 'Starry Crystal', intended for experimental research."

"50 ml of 'Sands of Time', for personal cultivation."

"Three 'Eternal Flames', for alchemy and forging."

She raised her head, looking fearlessly at the powerful wizard who could kill her with a single finger:

Could you please elaborate on the specific plans for the use of these resources?

Antigonus's expression froze for a moment.

These resources were indeed just approved for allocation by him.

But he didn't expect the other party to be so disrespectful as to come to his door to "question" him.

"Ms. Cecilia."

He frowned: "These are just routine resource allocations and do not involve any 'core secrets'."

"Daily allocation?"

Cecilia's expression remained unchanged:
“'Star Crystal' is a seventh-grade resource, with a market value of approximately three thousand magic stones per unit.”

"'Sands of Time' is an eighth-grade resource, and its market value is immeasurable because it is almost never circulated."

"'Eternal Fire' is a ninth-grade resource. As far as I know, the entire Crystal Spire has a reserve of no more than twenty units."

"You call this level of resource allocation 'routine'?"

Antigonus's lips twitched.

On the surface, the other party is just a "supervisor," but her understanding of the Crystal Spire's resource system... is perhaps much deeper than that of me, the newly appointed acting tower master.

"Ms. Cecilia."

He adjusted his tone:

"I admit that this resource allocation was indeed quite special."

"But please believe me, my purpose is for the development of the Crystal Spire, not for personal gain."

“Is that so?” Cecilia’s expression remained unchanged.

"Then, please submit a detailed usage report within three days."

"The report should include: the specific use of the resources, expected results, potential risks, and alternative solutions."

"These resources will be temporarily frozen until the review is approved."

Antigonus's expression turned somewhat grim.

But he also knew that it was part of the agreement and he couldn't refuse.

Eve's choice of Cecilia as the supervisor was clearly a well-thought-out decision, a deliberate attempt to hinder her own efforts.

“…Okay.” He gritted his teeth and squeezed out the word: “I will submit the report within three days.”

"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir." The silver-haired maid bowed slightly. "Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions."

After saying that, she turned and left the office.

"What a troublesome fellow..." Antigonus groaned inwardly. (End of Chapter)