Wizard: Starting with Symbiosis with Algae

Ruby's tone shifted, softening considerably for once:

"The good news is that three level-two apprentices will come to rescue us in nine days. Don't worry too much."

Lynn turned around, her ears trembling slightly.

This tone, coupled with Ruby's voluptuous figure, surprisingly exuded a maternal glow.

As she spoke, she placed her cold palms on Lynn's body, the chill seeping into her skin through the fabric.

"Feel the flow of magic."

"I'll teach you cryogenic magic. It takes time; don't expect to learn it in one go."

Lynn responded by saying, "First question, then question."

Wizards value intellectual property rights highly; none of their things are easy to take.

"Aren't these spells from the academy subject to patent restrictions?"

Ruby patted Lynn on the shoulder and laughed.

Having already been relegated to another world, why bother with the patents of such low-level knowledge?

"According to the academy's regulations, in case of unforeseen circumstances, the leading wizard can decide to teach academy spells at their own discretion. It is indeed necessary to report this afterwards, however..."

She raised an eyebrow, her tone utterly matter-of-fact. "Do you have some misunderstanding about our academy? To recruit new students, the academy long ago canceled general education and spellcasting fees for those below the level of formal wizards. Be bold, Lynn."

Yes, wizards have done plenty of things like scalping aliens.

What's a little infringement of intellectual property rights?

Just copy openly; the Wizarding World will forgive you.

Lynn took a deep breath: "Okay, ma'am. So, where shall we begin?"

"Start with understanding how magic works. Normally, your academy instructors should teach you this step by step, but since we've come this far, for our future, imagine the feeling of blood flowing through your body. Then, fill it with chills."

After trying for a while, Lynn let out a breath of stale air.

...

Ten minutes later

He failed.

Ruby concluded expressionlessly, "Your aptitude is quite good. Without transplantation, it would take at least a month before you could learn a second spell."

Ruby is his senior in the field of magic, so he naturally listens to her.

However, Ruby's magic power didn't seem to be much higher than his own. Lynn secretly estimated it to be between 1.1 and 1.5. If he could travel freely through that torrential rain, he could catch up within two weeks.

"Go to sleep early, we have a ton of tasks waiting for us tomorrow."

Ruby touched her forehead, having been constantly controlling the output of her spells; she was under considerable mental pressure.

Lynn didn't think much of it, lay down in her wheelchair, and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Ruby smiled faintly.

……

Three days later, it was cloudy and rainy, but there was no thunder.

Lynn climbed up a red clay hill. A light drizzle washed the soil, which had no plant roots to anchor it, toward the shore.

This is the source of nutrition in the delta.

The abundant inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter are all gifts from the earth.

The weather wasn't great, and the worms weren't growing very well. However, after a new batch was released, they seemed to have become more obedient with each generation.

In another three or four generations, Lynn will be able to completely tame these creatures.

"But...where exactly is that vast mine Ruby mentioned?"

Because of the fuel supply, potatoes get sunlight all day long, so the core factor determining yield has now changed from sunlight to soil.

But this red desert is full of loose soil that can be easily washed away by rain. Where can we find a stable piece of land that won't be swept away by water?

He gazed at the mud on the high ground, its surface streaked with fine lines from the light rain, and made a hissing sound to call the worms back.

The plan for worms to cultivate the land has been temporarily shelved; they now mostly eat solid food.

It contains eight times the protein of beef.

Lynn pulled a piece of worm protein bar from his pocket.

This is an improved product made by Lynn after adding a small amount of algae.

Ruby ate it and said it was good, and perhaps most wizards would accept that.

Lynn placed a slab of stone under his buttocks, carefully mounted the worms, and 6 to 12 of them pulled from the front.

He descended the red soil slope with minimal effort.

Worms also have some potential as a means of transportation.

...

Just then, the panel, which had been silent for several days, popped up.

[Blue-light algae - Giantization (enhanced with magical power), Completed]

[Gigantification: It is no longer content with the scale of algae and is evolving into a fern-like form. Its root system is more developed, significantly improving water storage capacity and magical fixation efficiency. It is expected to consume three times the nutrients, aggregates by increasing the number of individual members, and its resistance to lodging has greatly increased.]

Lynn briefly analyzed that the core of gigantification is high consumption and high output.

This is a good thing. Moreover, a well-developed root system seems to be needed everywhere.

For example, red soil isn't stable enough; wouldn't it be better to use blue-light algae to solidify the soil? Moreover, the enhanced effect of fixing magic power is undoubtedly a good thing.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and the blue-light algae grew rapidly at a rate visible to the naked eye in the humid air.

When Ruby pushed open the slightly warped metal door of the experimental station, she found Ruby sitting beside a microscope, holding a string of freshly roasted worms. The worms were roasted to a slightly golden brown, with a thin layer of oil seeping from their surface, glistening enticingly under the light of the hydrogen lamp.

"Ruby, I've made a new discovery." Lynn shook the rain off his coat at the doorway.

Ruby looked up, handed over the skewer of grilled worms in her hand, and gestured with her chin toward the stool next to her.

The worms behind Lynn obediently lowered their heads and quietly huddled in the corner.

She gestured for Lynn to sit down and talk.

"What's wrong? Have you found a suitable spot, or have you learned a cold spell?"

"No, but I think we can stop looking."

Ruby raised an eyebrow.

Lynn bit into the grilled worm, placed the thin skewer on the edge of the table, and wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth.

Lynn rubbed the grease on his hands.

The black stuff is mineral oil.

But his stamina had returned, and he was no longer afraid.

It's okay to consume a little bit of 92-octane gasoline.

"Since the red soil is too loose and easily washed away by rain, let the cyanobacteria take root. I plan to find a low-lying area, let the cyanobacteria take root first, and then use its root network to fix the surrounding red soil. In this way, we can create a stable planting area ourselves without the need for a mine."

Ruby didn't immediately respond after hearing this. She stood up, walked to the worms in the corner, squatted down, and reached out to touch the head of one of them.

"Alright then. Since you've transplanted blue-green algae, it's normal that you know more about its characteristics than I do."

Over the past few days, Lynn has come to understand why Ruby is no longer curious about the algae growing on his body.

Too many wizards have done this.

"However, it seems we have to move. I don't know if you've noticed, but there's an extra half-island by the sea."

"islands?"