Forge a path to success

“Shut up,” Olek sighed. “I give up. You can’t imagine how stupid a cub can be. I can’t teach it.”

"I'm surprised you actually have students."

“I need someone to kill time,” Olek said, standing up. “After all, you’re going to die soon.”

Don't let fatalism dominate your mind. We will change the world.

“You’re only a point 6,” the great demon said mockingly, “yet you dare to talk about the world.”

Olek is gone, and Vansalal wins again. The one who tried to summon the demon has been defeated, and the young couple kisses passionately in the sunlight, their friends presenting them with golden flowers.

He walked out the door.

The next moment, at the school anniversary celebration, Vansalal was giving a speech under the watchful eyes of the entire school. He was passionate and energetic; if he had mastered anything besides magic during this time, the art of inspiring people would certainly be one of it. He recounted the past, envisioned the future, and commended the achievements of each outstanding student. Then—

"Oh my God, what is that?" he whispered from the podium, "By the Primal Spirits above...!"

Suddenly, the top of the tower turned pitch black, and a dark, muddy substance fell from the sky, transforming into spheres that enveloped each student. Piercing screams emanated from the spheres, and the sudden, unexpected event filled the scene with terror. Then, Vansalal waved his wand, and all the shadow spheres exploded simultaneously. The students, still reeling from their shock, discovered that the shadows had transformed into beautiful fireworks.

"So it was our commemorative fireworks." He chuckled. "Happy anniversary, kids."

His students jumped up, marveling at yet another terrifying idea the headmaster had come up with. A small group of cowards, pale-faced, hadn't recovered from the prank. "This won't do," Vansalar thought, "their mental fortitude is too weak." He casually cast a few minor mood-boosting spells, and the atmosphere quickly returned to its lively state. The celebration ended; the next second he was off to see his new apprentice…

"Halt, Vansalar!"

In that instant, he shifted his attention. From another perspective, Vansalal was walking down the corridor when Lavaiva called out to him from behind.

"Excuse me, what's wrong?" He held up the design drawings in his hand. "There's a legionary spell waiting for me to improve—"

"I called you three times, Archmage!" Lavaeva was unusually enraged. "How many clones have you created? How many places are you existing in at the same time? You're turning into a schizophrenic monster!"

“You know this isn’t a clone; it’s just that the demon speaks to different people.” Vansalar shrugged. “I can control it.”

"You can't control yourself! What were you doing at the school anniversary celebration?!"

"A little prank—"

“Your little prank is enough to kill a death knell!” Lavaiva exclaimed, her face turning pale with anger. “Is this something students should be exposed to? Those sensitive minds will be affected for a long time by this stimulation. You are being consumed by the madness of the shadows!”

Vansalar turned and gazed at his colleague for a long time.

"You think my method is wrong."

"There's no need to think that you're making one mistake after another. Do you know that your disciples are using illusion magic in the name of 'tests' to lure thousands of people into nightmares?"

“I know,” Vansalal said. “It was homework I assigned.”

Lavaiva was stunned.

"How could you... We were doing this to protect..."

“The results are very good. I have found a lot of talented people.” Vansalar reached into the shadows. “Look at this little guy. He has overcome the nightmare. He is only ten years old and he is already a Pure Fire.”

"Fire, courage, fire." The child, now freed, grinned foolishly and proudly held up a purple flame to Lavaiva. Lavaiva's expression froze; she saw through the truth in an instant.

“Vansara, you…can’t you see…” the female mage couldn’t bear to speak, “He has a congenital intellectual disability…”

The child, oblivious, continued holding the ball of flame. Vansalar frowned. "Hey, I like him. He works a hundred times harder than those smart kids, and he's far more talented."

"Listen to me. I don't want to deny your enthusiasm, but this selection method is clearly abnormal—"

Still wasting time. Precious ten seconds. He interrupted his colleague sharply, his waning patience revealing a cold smile. "So what do you want me to do? Have those little mages play the heroes, telling stories to children like glorious warriors?"

"Isn't this right?"

“When Karl and I were kids, we didn’t have such good fortune!” Vansalar sneered. “We only had training, hunger, service, and Fallen Ones falling from the sky, and demonic boars raiding the village! If you didn’t muster the courage, you had to face death!!”

“That’s you,” Lavaeva argued. “Not everyone can become you.”

"So I didn't give them a real threat. I just gave them a nightmare, telling them that one day a crisis would come, and they had to be strong and grow!" Vansalar roared. "Open your eyes and look at this world! Look at the troops we sent to the front lines, look at the dead apprentices, look at Karl who's exhausted to the point of madness!"

How many people spend all year begging for handouts from the Spiral Tower, never even considering the possibility of self-improvement? If the so-called 'majority' only knows how to plead and pray but doesn't know how to fight, then such people don't deserve to be saved!

Lavaeva looked at him helplessly, wanting to refute, but completely at a loss for words.

“You’ve changed, Van Salal,” she said finally.

“People change, and so do you. Don’t think I don’t know how many people you keep in your glowing little garden? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions?” Vansalar looked at her coldly. “Is it interesting to keep pets? Like a high-and-mighty, fallen person.”

"How can you say that! Those people are homeless! It's like an orphanage—"

“You’re just raising pigs,” Vansalal laughed.

The female mage was truly enraged. "And you!" she cried, "you are becoming a demon king who treats human life like dirt!"

·

Months passed without him apologizing to Lavaiva, and she did the same. They tacitly avoided discussing it, nor did they mention it to Karsod. They had far too many things to do; the archmages had no time to worry about interpersonal relationships. They had to focus on the world at large.

There were several more arguments after that, perhaps dozens, but he couldn't quite remember. In such a busy life, time is like dew flowing through the veins of a leaf, once present, yet gone without a trace.

Calsord attempted several breakthroughs, but all failed. Both gods warned him against haste, as everyone knew this was not a feat that could be accomplished overnight. Everyone believed Calsord would become the third god, but they were both too young; that was something to consider thousands of years from now. But Calsord couldn't wait; a sense of responsibility prevented him from stopping.

"Perhaps I haven't yet figured out what I'm pursuing."

Once, Kalsoder said to him, his gaze behind his glasses unusually lost. "I need to become a true god. But what is a true god? Is it a point above 7? Endless power?"

"I'm only level 6, buddy. You should ask Zhulong."

“I am not a dragon either.” The Sorcerer Supreme smiled wryly. “Perhaps this is a question that I need to define myself… The world above 7 needs me… to create the answer myself.”

“You’ll figure it out eventually,” Vansalar said casually. “When that time comes, when you find the answer, you’ll rise to the top in no time. That’s how our path works; once you understand it, you’ll be number one in the world.”

"Thank you for your kind words, I will understand eventually."

Was that their exchange last month, or perhaps six months ago? Vansalar couldn't remember; his responsibilities kept him frequently traveling between the various dust islands. In the chaotic flow of time, the so-called "present moment" increasingly resembled a dream.

Occasionally, he would think that perhaps he should modify the core spell of the Demon Slayer, making it more stable and secure. If one day he were to be completely controlled by an enemy, the Demon Slayer might become unstable… In fact, when he was enraged, some of the smaller creatures did react agitatedly. But he didn't have time to act; magical creatures had become the Spire's most valuable asset, and changing the core design required another summit meeting.

They had no time. They were constantly on the move, solving problems all over the world. Deep down, Vansalar knew he couldn't abandon his current abilities. What if the countless tragedies unfolded the next second once he was no longer the Lord of Demon Slayers? Those things couldn't be solved by his current apprentices and disciples. He had to wait patiently, until the Spiral Tower had ten archmages… or twenty…

But why are these idiots progressing so slowly? So many generations of disciples have painstakingly nurtured them, and yet less than twenty Rainbow Mages have emerged. Is elemental magic really that difficult? How come they're learning it even slower than Vaklo?

“Sir, I think there are limits to human ability,” Vacklo said as he wielded his paintbrush. “You are an unprecedented genius, we are not.”

“If this continues, the fifth particle of the Spiral Tower will be a dog,” Vansalal sighed.

“Two!” Vaklo Lokova protested loudly.

"Okay, two options. From now on, I'll treat you like two people."

"I am so honored~~~"

There isn't much time to wait. The Benevolent Elder is frequently active in the Mysterious Realm of Senluo. Eyewitness accounts of historical mysteries are increasing. And the Sea of ​​Illusions…

No one knows what lies at the bottom of the Sea of ​​Illusions. All they know is that Calsod always gazes at the sea for long periods, with a tense, almost imperceptible air.

He knew he wasn't qualified to share the burden with his best friend.

He can only do more.

·

The Empire's warning letters arrived like snowflakes, but Vaklo had grown accustomed to not opening them, simply tossing them into the trash. When leaves arrived from the city-state of Thorns and jade pendants from Dragonspring, even Vansalar felt it was time to speak with his old friend again. He arrived at the Sorcerer Supreme's laboratory, sensing the aura of greatness through the door.

The projection of the Candle Dragon.

“I would like to ask you to postpone your work, Venerable Master,” said Zhulong. “I know you love the world and life, and I admire your sense of responsibility as much as the World Tree does, but too much passion can also be a source of unease.”

“Why do you need to ask me?” Karsold laughed. “You can command me. I cannot defy your power.”

“I have no right to command anyone in the world,” said Zhulong. “Supreme Mage. Your impulsiveness is clouding your wisdom. Your powerful passion gives you unparalleled drive, but it also blinds you to many problems. You need to rest, reflect, and calm down.”

“While I’m spouting this nonsense to you, countless tragedies are happening in the world,” Karl Soder said. “I can’t stop.”

"All living beings in this world have their own destiny," Zhulong sighed. "You need to learn to accept it—"

“You’re absolutely right, Old Dragon. You’re knowledgeable, wise, and experienced. You’ve lived through the darkest times, witnessed billions of separations! You’re used to it!” Karsold roared. “But I can’t accept it. I can’t accept the tragedies that happen all the time in every corner of the world. I can’t accept the mistakes that I could have instinctively rectified. You want me to stop?”

"How can I ignore the deaths of so many lives?!"

Zhulong's persuasion had no effect. Karsod—even in the eyes of his colleagues and close friends—remained stubborn and went his own way. Relations with the various powers became somewhat strained. Envoys from Longquan Township and the city-states made several trips, but to no avail. Finally, Karsod even declared that no envoys would be allowed to enter.

“That kid is just being stubborn,” Olek told him. “Doesn’t he know the problem? Doesn’t he know he’s said the wrong thing? The facts are obvious, but the great Sorcerer Supreme refuses to back down.”

“Shut your mouth, you little bastard,” Vansalal said.

“Have you noticed? You’re getting more and more irritable.” Oleksandr grinned arrogantly. “Give me a glass of eggnog, and I’ll tell you what’s coming next.”

"Waklo! Give this idiot a rotten egg!"

Wacro brought over two glasses of eggnog, and Wacro pulled his ear and gave him a good scolding.

“Your apprentices will argue endlessly, because too many are stuck at Anti-Raylight, and not a single one has become a Silent Void.” Olek swirled his wine glass. “More and more people will become hostile to your magical creatures because of the eccentric behavior of the archmages. Some will question the meaning of the Spiral Tower, since life seemed to go on like this before you came along.”

"Finally, the Empire of Giants will take action." Olek smiled. "From today onwards, our game will be suspended, and you will no longer have the luxury of being distracted."

"Thank you for thinking of me," Vansalal said irritably.

"I look forward to seeing your ending."

He had to admit that the Great Demon's years had not been wasted. That vile fellow might truly have a part in his destiny, so much so that events unfolded exactly as he had predicted.

Shortly thereafter, the emperor announced that his oracle would conduct a comprehensive calculation on the stability of elemental magic, and the results that could be released so far were far from ideal.

The Spiral Tower strongly protested, with the Sorcerer Supreme repeatedly emphasizing that the Empire must cease its actions that offend its allies. Several meetings were held between the Empire and the Spiral Tower's leadership, mediated by the ancient dragons, but all ended in arguments.

Relations between the two sides became increasingly tense, and after several clashes between Spiral Tower apprentices and the Imperial army, the Empire announced a complete ban on Spiral Tower apprentices entering the country.

On the same day that the Supreme Master personally traveled to the capital, the World Tree was assassinated.

Chapter 237 The Path to Godhood for the Supreme Being (End)

"How dare that idiot emperor? We've guarded the border for him countless times!"

"They have the nerve to talk about wisdom? Giants are just a bunch of inflexible idiots."

"He's gone too far! I've been fed up with the Empire for ages, and if I'm looking for trouble, I'll give him a piece of my mind—"

“Shut up, all of you,” Vansalar said.

The entire hall fell silent, for the Archmage's silent rage. He had taken the seat of honor in place of the Sorcerer Supreme, and his will was the will of Calsod.

“This meeting should have been chaired by His Holiness the High Priest, but he is not here, so I am acting in his place. Why is that?” Vansalar said coldly. “You little brat who just called for war, stand up and tell me why?”

The green-haired young man stood up, so frightened he was almost incoherent: "The master... he went... to heal the World Tree..."

“So you knew.” Vansalal nodded. “Then what about the Emperor? What is the Emperor doing? I’ll tell you, the Emperor is fighting a desperate battle against the Death Path on the front lines, because he knows that once those skeletons take advantage of the situation, the World Tree will wither and the entire Senluo Secret Realm will fall apart.”

“And you dare to mention war!” Vansalar stared at them. He roared, “Who do you think you are?!”

The sorcerer faced his rage head-on; the shadow shattered his spirit, killing him instantly. The loudest idiots lay slumped dead in their seats. A bunch of fools. He tossed the useless corpses out the window and adjourned the meeting.

No one dared to disobey his orders.

He sat in the empty conference room, unable to suppress a deep skepticism about everything. How had we raised such a bunch of short-sighted idiots? These morons were even less sensible than the hunters in the mountains.

Perhaps they really were wrong.

“Hey, Vansalar,” he heard Lavaiva’s voice, “things will get better, won’t they?”

"of course."

“I think the Empire overreacted…” Lavaeva hesitated. “They may have calculated something terrible, but that might not be correct. We… sigh. If only they could have a clearer understanding of our power; in the eyes of those giants, we are still just a traveling circus…”

Of course someone was behind it. Anyone could see it couldn't be such a coincidence. "It'll be alright," he repeated, then hung up. Then he saw his old friend's tired face.

“Good news, the World Tree’s condition has stabilized.” Karsod’s eyes were filled with barely suppressed pride. “Even the old dragon might not have been able to handle this. It’s been worth all the time I’ve spent researching demons.”

“Your wisdom is unmatched.” Vansalar relaxed. “So, you really are a demon?”

“I’m convinced now, the King exists.” Karsold became serious. “I can’t find any trace of it; it’s an invisible, formless life form. It could have been much more discreet, but instead it’s making a big show of it. It’s provoking us.”

"So you can't leave yet."

“At least until the World Tree recovers, yes.” Karsod sighed. “Damn, I really want to spit in that idiot emperor’s face. But the situation is really bad right now.”

“You can rest assured and leave it to me,” Vansalal said. “With me here, not a single spark will fly.”

“Don’t be too…” Karsold hesitated.

"Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures."

“…Alright.” The Supreme Master nodded. “I’m counting on you.”

Vansalal kept his word. From apprentices to full-fledged mages, every member of the Spiral Tower had a demon by their side. In front of many teachers and students, he crushed the troublemakers, showing everyone that he didn't mind taking down fools who didn't understand the bigger picture.