Wizard: Starting with Symbiosis with Algae

【Iron Plague Virus (Poor Magic Species) (Infertile Species)】

【Observed Characteristics】

[Infertile: Individuals modified in a magic-poor environment exhibit abnormally large sizes, but almost completely lose their reproductive capacity. Unable to reproduce through normal fission, they can only maintain a low level of metabolism by relying on nutrients provided by the host.]

[Iron-eating: A miniature viral aggregate that feeds on metal. It can secrete a potent solvent to extract trace amounts of magic and elements necessary for life from metal. In magic-scarce environments, this property is the only energy source for the Iron Plague Virus and a prerequisite for its "crystallization" ability.]

[Crystallization (Cannot be used when mana is low): When mana is abundant, the Iron Plague Virus multiplies rapidly, reverting to its complete form. By consuming a massive amount of mana, it rearranges the mana and metal, precipitating mana crystals. This process completely destroys the original structure of the mana-containing metal, transforming it into fragile crystal clusters.]

[Whether they coexist]

The saying goes, "A hidden dragon should not be used."

If you have the ability to lie low, you'll always have your chance to turn things around someday.

Something that looks very fashionable should never become your enemy, even if it can't be your weapon.

Lynn thought to himself.

Yes was selected.

Symbiosis.

The last bit of nutrients in his body, which was already pitiful, were drained away.

[Consuming a small amount of nutrients, Iron Plague Virus (Mana-poor Species) (Infertile Species) is growing.]

Lynn felt as if his heart was being played with like a walnut, trembling and aching slightly.

His head started to ache, then his vision went black, his body swayed, and he almost fell headfirst onto the cold floor again.

Ruby and Joe quickly reached out and firmly grabbed Lynn's arm.

"Be careful, Lynn."

"Yes, be careful. Can't a person with legs stand up?"

Lynn said softly

"Thanks."

Over time, the group developed a tacit understanding.

I felt relatively at ease working with them; neither of them let me down at crucial moments.

This is far better than any talk of strength or anything like that.

Lynn glanced at the stamina on the panel.

The numbers following that digit were simply appalling.

He coughed lightly.

El was also a little flustered. She quickly grabbed some energy drinks and snacks like corn sticks, and before Lynn could feel exhausted again, she reminded him in her usual enthusiastic tone...

"Mr. Lynn, please have some."

"Okay, thank you."

"Mr. Lynn, there's no need to rush. Descent like this might be a bit dangerous. We can rest here for a while."

Lynn blinked hard, waiting for the thick black fog to slowly dissipate from his vision. "...Okay."

A few minutes later, Al smiled and said,

"Would you like to sit a while longer?"

"Yes, I will."

"Why don't you tell me your story? I grew up listening to stories of pioneers. We're all very interested in yours."

you?

Why did the subject change?

While eating the slightly sweet snacks that El handed him, Lynn felt a little obliged and, ignoring the differences between them, casually picked some out and said a few.

"Um... let's start from when I saw blue-green algae..."

Lynn didn't want to say more.

He only briefly explained some of the main plot points.

But Joe, standing next to him, was clearly much more enthusiastic. Once he opened his mouth, he launched into a long and rambling speech, almost exaggerating the three men's experiences into an epic worthy of being recorded in history.

Moreover, in his historical narrative, he arrived only "a few days" later than Lynn and his men, thus possessing the same extraordinary pioneering spirit. And for this pioneering cause, he also made extremely tragic sacrifices.

"Look at my legs, that's my angel round investment."

Fortunately, Ruby was also there.

She corrected Joe in a dry, uncompromising tone.

"To correct you, it's 20 days late..."

……

Several tens of minutes passed, and after receiving the order from his superior, Al went out and came back.

Her steps became light again, and she radiated joy.

How are you feeling as you recover?

"It's alright," Lynn replied.

"Mr. Joe, Ms. Ruby, what about you?"

"No problem."

"Then please follow me."

She led Lynn through a dimly lit corridor, finally stopping in front of a semi-transparent cabin.

The interior walls of the cabin were orange-red, resembling a sausage.

Lynn examined the strangely structured device before him and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't there a portal that leads directly to the surface?"

El blinked

This pioneer who created countless miracles was so ignorant about the common knowledge of the wizarding world, a contrast that she found strangely endearing.

"To prepare for potential crises, no direct portals can be installed inside the homeworld. However," she pointed to the cabin, "this is our newly activated flexible passage, where phase elements become very active. It's also quite fast."

Lynn's face was filled with question marks.

If teleportation doesn't work, then forget it.

Phase? What's that?

He felt like a savage who had just crawled out of a cave, knowing nothing.

He instinctively turned to look at Ruby.

Ruby seemed to know a little, but her lips moved as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, clearly indicating that she wasn't very confident about popularizing science.

But Joe's eyes lit up instantly.

This means he's stumbled into his area of ​​expertise.

He is a graduate of the Alchemy Academy.

I've spent five years studying and five years as an assistant.

He's very familiar with this.

He patted Lynn on the shoulder and said with a smug smile.

"In essence, phase is simply the positional relationship between objects. The teleportation you're referring to is just one branch of phase."

"Magic is also included in this category of interrelationships. Of course, that being said, the passage itself isn't particularly magical. Its function is roughly equivalent to a magical protective barrier, capable of isolating the overly dazzling and chaotic magical fluctuations on the surface of the wizarding world."

"Our world is surrounded by multiple layers of security. This is the easiest way to avoid being registered as an undocumented person of unknown origin by the border authorities."

Lynn understood.

So the three of them adjusted their equipment.

Lynn took a deep breath, stepped into the cabin first, and slid down the pipes.

Outside the translucent tunnel walls, the halos of light, known as "phase elements," resembled floating auroras, shifting and changing unpredictably before his eyes.

The scenery began to rush past him.

First, there was the lifeless gray-white dome of the ecological cabin, then the layers upon layers of complex protective layers, and finally, the earth.

The real, boundless, and profound earth was rushing towards him at an exhilarating speed.

It's fine if no one comes to greet us.

Lynn thought to herself.

This way, he can have some peace and quiet.

Lynn is a man who can endure loneliness.

Going directly to the Alchemy Academy to purchase a batch of potions and focusing on rapidly improving one's strength would be a good option.

……

After Lynn left, the empty reception room was quiet for a moment.

A man with a dog's nose darted out of Al's office like a shot.

His name was Klein, Joe's junior, and a member of the Wizarding Brotherhood.

More importantly, it's his profession; he's a journalist, a journalist with a keen sense of smell but little professional ethics.

He looked somewhat disheveled, his tie askew and pulled to one side.

But this disheveled state was definitely not what he wanted.

He was just a second-level wizard apprentice, and it was already quite an achievement for him to manage to squeeze a path through a bunch of muscular men from the Alchemy Academy who were trying to grab the news.

"After all, that great alchemy academy student 'Joe' participated in a small-scale, purely apprentice-based expedition!"

Just hours earlier, Klein felt like he was going crazy when he heard the rumor at a seminar with senior executives at the newspaper.

In fact, the news of Lynn and his companions' return had already spread far and wide among the top executives of various newspapers.

The news is just unconfirmed, so they dare not announce it.

Even if such a piece of fat meat is thrown into Antarctica and rots, polar bears will still try every means to take a bite.

Klein was panting heavily, his hands gripping firmly against Al's desk.

"El! Trust me this once."

"I'm Joe's junior from school, and nobody here knows him better than me. Leave this exclusive story on big news to me. I'll make sure it's something that will satisfy all of you."

He was born with an almost instinctive sense of smell; he was simply born for this line of work.

Moreover, he is ambitious.

He had already missed his chance to board that ship with Joe.

He missed the chance to become a great pioneer.

He absolutely did not want to miss a second chance.

Reporting on great deeds also becomes part of history.

A gentle smile suddenly appeared on El's softly shaped, slightly androgynous face.

How could such a deeply moving story be blocked by those cumbersome review processes?

Since they were able to hunt pike and had completely overcome all obstacles, El felt that the leaders above should not hesitate for even a second.

She didn't want those heroes to suffer even the slightest injustice.

That was the original purpose for which she was created.

A few days' wait? No, absolutely not.

The phase channel reaches the Earth's surface in just a few hours.

What would Lynn do if he arrived at the ground exhausted and found no one there to greet him? Would he feel disheartened?

Even if there are normal award ceremonies afterward, Lynn's return cannot be considered a complete success.

When heroes arrive, how can there be no fine wine and applause?

El would never allow such a thing to happen.

So, she made a decision in that instant.

Say.

Even if it violates the regulations

Tell me everything!

El focused his mind, gathered his energy, and took a long breath, saying:

"The story begins with Lynn's plane crash and Ruby lighting the first campfire. They completed the construction of their habitat in just three hours. In thirty hours, they had basically scouted out the surrounding area."

"Within seven days, all the main members were gathered. They defeated the terrifying creature known as the 'Flying Rod,' which even second-level wizard apprentices feared."

Klein felt a chill run down his spine.

Two people. A man and a woman.

Oh, and there's also a disabled person.

They accomplished a planetary exploration that would have required at least dozens of wizard apprentices to even attempt.

This is the epic story he has been searching for. An adventure filled with the stench of earth and rust, mingled with the burning passion of adventure.

He's sticking with this report.

"They conquered the cold wave, the thunderstorms, the waves, and the raging, beast-like billows!"

"And another thing, El! Tell me, I need more details!"

Klein sniffed, his keen sense of smell telling him.

Yes, really, there are no mistakes at all.

This is the taste of honesty and "ambition".

He craved more.

Seeing this, El laughed too.

It was truly a match made in heaven, a meeting of equals.

This kind of newspaper reporter is the one with a wizard's spirit.

Promise me you'll tell everyone, even if it's under pressure.

Without thinking, Klein took a deep breath.

The taste of greed made the air feel lively!

"Is there even a question? El, we've joined forces."

"Okay! Continue!"

...

Every story has an ending.

El clapped his hands, still wanting more, picked up a corn cob, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed it without chewing.

"They ascended to heaven and went into space."

As he listened, Klein even began to think that Joe, that opportunist, had deliberately crippled himself.

"That's cunning, Joe." He licked his slightly dry lips.

"A man, a woman, and a dog have always been the perfect combination to garner sympathy and legend."

Why isn't it him?

Damn!

Such a good thing, and they didn't even include him.

However, Klein quickly suppressed his greedy expression.

No, now is not the time to dwell on this.

There are still some work-related details that haven't been finalized!

Heroes can have flaws, but those flaws should not be the focus of reporting.

The apprentice was involved in a plane crash.

And then there's the cycle of birth and death.

He frowned and scribbled a few frustrated strokes on his notebook.

These two details are not good. They don't suit his taste either.

He wasn't even a formal, high-ranking officer in the academy, so why should he care about the death of a freshman?

As long as the path of exploration continues to extend forward, there will be as many new things as there are to be had (this is Klein's conjecture).

Furthermore, Jeremy Stone.

Two names that played almost no role in the entire incident can simply be included in the death toll.

To take up valuable space meant for the main character of the story? That's inappropriate.

Anyway, no one will bother to verify it.

But what is the name of the report?

Such exciting news deserves a legendary headline.

"Two Mere Apprentices Conquered a Planet" was almost there.

"They used the lives of three people to fill the hole in a planet," which is a bit strange.

After a period of hesitation, struggle, and confusion.

He suddenly twitched his nose; he had an idea, he had finally figured it out.

The title is called

Man, Woman, Cripple, Three Wizard Apprentices, and the Planet They Explored