Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 775 Fighting for a Special Funding Application Spot with This Low-Ring Wizard, You've Got Too Much of a Joke!
The Celtic team leader seemed very concerned about Locke's situation and sent a message asking, "Be careful, and you can tell me if you have any problems."

"Can I help you with anything?"

Locke responded via the water hyacinth system: "No."

"Thank you, Celtic Team Leader."

He had no desire to get involved in such matters and did not even hold a position within the White Wizard Association.

There's no benefit in it, so there's no need for me to get involved in such a murky place.

However, Lilith House is, after all, his alma mater, so if he can protect Lilith House while he's at it, then he will.

The solution is simple: after this Dark Wizards Alliance meeting is dissolved, follow behind the so-called working group leader, kill the leader elected by these dark wizards, and eliminate the other candidates.

Then, he followed the Ghost Cult, captured the witch Stephania, and questioned her about the spell model that had pulled him into the River Styx.

After completing these steps, at least for the time being, it will be difficult for this local dark wizard alliance to launch any major attacks.

However, Locke was still curious, as it seemed that the Celtic leader hadn't been very busy lately.

Team leader, you seem to have a lot of free time lately.

The Celtic team leader replied, "It's not just a guess, it's definitely true."

"I recently submitted a grant application for the Second Ring Foundation project, but it was rejected by the academic committee during the initial screening."

"The number of applications for Level 2 grants is limited. To prevent indiscriminate applications, the White Wizarding Association allocates an annual number of applications based on the number of Level 2 wizards in each college. Therefore, all Level 2 grants are screened internally by the college, and only those approved are submitted. This increases the college's success rate."

'However, my grant application was eliminated in the initial screening. So recently I'm still in the stage of thinking about projects, and I'm quite idle. Or rather, anxious…'

It seemed that it was all because of the second-circle wizard that the Celtic leader was now completely opening his heart.

'Damn it, Yunze Wetland is even more chaotic than other wizarding lands, it's incredibly chaotic. Other places only need to be evaluated every ten or five years, and if they meet the standards, they're good to go. But in Yunze Wetland, they have to meet the evaluation standards every three years, or they'll face dismissal.'

"I'm worried lately about whether I can get a grant from the Second Ring Foundation within the next three years. If I can't, I'll need to publish enough papers..."

Or at least horizontally enough.

The Celtic team leader messaged Locke: 'Sometimes I really envy you, Locke. You're just a researcher; you have no idea what pain and anxiety I'm going through right now.'

"Sigh, if I get laid off, I'll leave Jinmian Mountain and go to the medium-sized organizational work area in Yunze Wetland. It's the Qise Nursery; I think the pay there is good, and it's less stressful. I might have an easier time there."

Locke blinked.

Good grief, the Celtic team leader is so bad.

However, the Seven-Colored Nursery is also part of the Golden Crown Mountain faction, so it might indeed be a good place for the Celtic leader.

The Celtic team leader messaged Locke: 'By the way, although you don't face the pressure of assessments, the special grant from the True Knowledge Academy is different from other programs; there are also application quotas.'

"Because the Zhenzhi Academy at Jinmian Mountain can only be applied for once a year, regardless of whether the application is approved, the academy's internal academic committee reviews the application list in advance."

'To increase the approval rate, the internal list for this year seems to have been finalized. However, internal review of next year's grant applications can begin. The Academic Committee conducts internal reviews of applications six months in advance, and three lists of applications for top-tier funding have already been submitted.'

At this moment, Locke's main body, located in the Yunze Wetland, immediately took out the Lingzhi magical plant and accessed relevant information. "Is Team Leader Celt trying to make me nervous because he sees me as too relaxed?"

"However, a second-circle wizard like Zaran Bailey is indeed not worthy of being my opponent. But at the same time, there are at least ten advanced researchers in the Academy of Truth, plus those ordinary researchers in the Academy of Truth at the second-circle stage. Then, with the academic committee's advance internal review, the application for the special funding project can be said to be extremely competitive."

The Celtic leader sent a message to the Locke Tree Fruit clone: ​​'However, to apply, you need at least a good idea. So you still need to prepare well. You're still young, you have plenty of time. You've definitely missed it this year, but as for next year's special grant program, missing it isn't a big deal.'

'You can wait until the year after next or the year after that.'

'Anyway, you still have at least four more chances to apply.'

'Unlike some young people who are about to graduate, sigh, this is their last chance to apply.'

"The top-tier grant is, after all, a smaller second-tier grant. Therefore, there are still quotas for applications from specific universities, albeit independent quotas. It's simpler than the regular second-tier application process, but not by much."

Locke asked doubtfully, "Those people are almost ready to leave the station, why are they still applying for special funding?"

The Celtic team leader quickly sent a message: 'Look at you! Locke, you completely misunderstand my anxiety, but you will in time. You can definitely apply; this top-tier grant is tied to the recipient.'

"Once you've completed your training, you can take your project with you to the new university. Some universities might try to stop you, for example, requiring you to leave the project behind and finish it before you leave. But Jinmianshan University is a large and established institution; we don't care about such trivial matters."

Locke realized instantly that this was probably a good technique.

Before leaving the station, apply for a small second-ring grant, and then go directly to the wizarding school where you want to take a teaching position. For the wizarding school, this is equivalent to recruiting a second-ring wizard who comes with a second-ring project.

For that second-circle wizard, going to any school would be easier, and he could even slightly upgrade the level of the school he wanted to attend.

Jin Mianshan, with his vast wealth and influence, didn't care at all about having a top-tier grant taken away.

In other words, if I were to apply, the person who would be most furious would be the wizard who left the station back then and wanted to do this.

Locke shook his head slightly. It's all about skill, so there's no need to talk about being angry.

Locke's ancient tree clone put away the Ganoderma lucidum plant and looked at the black wizards who were recommending outstanding crystallization wizards as the leaders of the working group.

He was lost in thought.

If that's the case, then if I want to get the top-tier grant next year, I'll need to accumulate more ideas.

We need to start preparing now.

After all, the competition is too fierce.

Locke stared intently in the direction of the Ghost Cult. Having been provoked by the Celtic leader, he suddenly didn't want to return to Corfu anymore. Instead, he wanted to quickly find the Ghost Cult to search for spell models and establish cooperation with Lilith's Hut.

On the other side, towards Mount Jinmian, Team Leader Celt sat in his office in the Longevity Peach Garden, looking at the Ganoderma lucidum plant in his hand and laughing.

"Hey, after talking to Locke for so long, I'm not anxious anymore."

"Indeed, anxiety can be shared. When others are anxious, I am no longer anxious."

The Celtic team leader smiled with satisfaction.

"Great, now it's Locke's anxiety. Sigh, if I had tricked that Sun-Shepherd Dragon into handing it over, my research on enhancing the affinity of magical creature summons with wizards might have passed the internal review of the academic committee."

"What a pity, that dragon was killed by the Rose Throne."

The Celtic leader felt a chill when he thought about the Rose Witch's horrifying attack that day.

It was terrifying. Such a powerful dragon was turned into a demonic plant by the Rose Witch simply by touching it.

If you touch him, wouldn't he also turn into a demonic plant?
I dare not think about it any further.

……

In the southeast corner, Locke saw that after a long period of nominations, the Golden Skeleton King Wizard of the Bone Cult had been elected as the leader of the working group.

Clearly, even the Golden Skull King Wizard himself hadn't expected to be entrusted with such an important task.

Locke then summoned the Gray Mist Tablet, intending to inquire with Wizard Harun Vera about the recent developments in the Southeast Corner Region.

Thinking back, it's been almost a year since I last contacted Albert.

The Black Wizard's surprise attack clearly occurred at that point in time, a crucial turning point that led to the sudden shift in the battle situation. At the time, when he was communicating with Albert, he only knew that the war in the southeastern corner was raging, but he hadn't expected something like this to happen.

Later, I was very busy, so I didn't have any contact with the wizards in the southeast corner region.

At the same time, the Golden Skeleton King Wizard laughed heartily, "Thank you all for thinking so highly of me, dark wizards. I will take on this responsibility and destroy Lilith's Hut's last stand in one fell swoop."

"Lilith's Cottage is just a gathering place for wizards who sell medicine and farm. As long as we target them seriously, they will surely fall on their own. Hahahaha..."

The next moment, a bloody claw pierced his skull, gripping his soul fire.

The golden skeleton king wizard cried out in horror, "Who are you? Who are you?"

The six golden skulls on his scepter floated up, each one firing negative energy rays at the Golden Skull King Wizard who was launching an attack.

However, before these negative energy rays could even reach the person, they were swallowed whole.

The wizards from the Bone Cult were all shocked.

"Is it the White Wizard?"

"No, it was an elder from the Blood Curse Court who suddenly made a move. He's a vampire, what rank is he? A count?"

"What exactly does the Blood Curse Tribunal want? Don't think that just because your lineage has a special status in the Pale Pilgrimage, you can do whatever you want!"

The dark wizards on the Blood Curse Tribunal's side were also dumbfounded.

Especially the Blood Lord, who instantly felt the magical pressure of many crystallized wizards locked onto him, ready to attack him at any moment.

He was clearly mistaken for the mastermind behind the attack on the wizarding leader of the Bone Order.

But he didn't.

At this moment, the female leader of the Ghostly Holy Cult questioned him: "Blood Lord, no matter how much you want to get the position of group leader, you don't need to use such methods. The Alliance Leader is still watching."

Hammerk acted immediately, his skull opening its mouth and spitting out a dagger. The dagger, wreathed in gray death energy, shot towards the vampire elder who had launched the attack, like a dart.

But then the vampire elder suddenly opened his mouth wide and swallowed the dagger whole, chewing it once.

"tasty."

"It's just too weak."

Locke blinked and recognized the vampire who had suddenly attacked as a dark wizard from the magic caravan he had been following. It was this same dark wizard who had suddenly killed the headless horseman and dismembered his body parts.

Oh no, I was careless.

Locke was secretly alarmed. Locke, Locke, you really let your guard down.

After becoming a second-circle wizard, his vigilance has actually dropped to this extent.

Locke looked at the vampire and laughed, "Hussein, I should have guessed it was you. Otherwise, I would have killed those seven dark wizards back then, but you suddenly killed that headless horseman."

"I should have realized then that it wasn't a coincidence. When did you arrive in the Southeast Corner Region?"

Hussein said, "A week earlier than you."

"Because there was a slight problem."

"Locke, I'm in a bit of trouble."

These dark wizards immediately sensed something was wrong and looked at Locke, who was mixed in with the crowd of the Blood Curse Court.

There are spies too?

At the same time, they glared at the Blood Lord of the Blood Curse Court, thinking that if the Blood Curse Court had two spies, then the Blood Lord must be corrupt.

The Blood Lord was speechless. He glared at the two men in his own camp, and a chill ran down his spine.

Who are these two people?

Locke stepped out of the crowd and stood in front of Hussein.

How serious is your trouble?

Hussein said, “Very big, very big. You can see my current condition.”

Locke nodded slightly. Hussein's current magic pressure was a little over 10,000, and this was his true form, not his clone.

This means he has become a second-circle wizard.

Since their last meeting, he was about 900 points away from reaching the first-ring limit of magical pressure, but now he has become a second-ring wizard.

He also said that he had gotten himself into trouble.

So, there is only one possibility.

"You found the legacy left by the progenitor wizard in the Hall of Eternal Radiance, but there's a pitfall in that legacy?"

Hussein nodded and said, “Hmm. It’s easy to talk to smart people. So I want to ask you to help me kill all the Blood Curse Court wizards here. I expect even a second-circle Pale Pilgrim wizard to participate. If he does, I want your help. If he doesn’t show up, then I still owe you a favor.”

In return, I can do something for you if I can.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

Locke pondered for a moment and said, "In my opinion, you're talking about two things. So, you have to repay me with two things. One is to help me decipher a map, and the other is to help me explore different planes."

We're still short-handed for our own interdimensional exploration.

To conduct dimensional exploration, at least one project team needs to be assembled.

It would be much simpler if we had a trustworthy friend like Hussein to help.

Hussein said, "Okay. The deal is done."

Meanwhile, the Blood Lord was absolutely furious.

"What's going on? Who are you two? Why are you in my group?"

The female leader of the Ghostly Holy Cult looked at the two men with a gloomy expression and said, "You're quite bold. Tell me who you are?"

Locke looked at her with great interest.

"It's been a long time. How dare you? This low-level wizard, your joke has really gone too far."

The next moment, Locke appeared behind her.

"Young friend, I happen to need one of the spell models you have. I wonder if you could share it with me? I've heard that dark wizards are very hospitable."

Stephania's pupils suddenly shrank as she was shocked to see Locke appear directly behind her without her noticing.

"How can it be……"

(End of this chapter)