Wizard Bloodline

With everything discussed, their temporary group was officially formed. Everyone needed time to digest the meeting's content, so they quickly dispersed, leaving only Ronan and Old Wills behind.

Ronan lingered intentionally until everyone else had left, then directly asked Old Wills, "What's Linus's background?"

"I'm not entirely sure... He actually approached me first, asking to join," Old Wills replied, surprising Ronan.

"He asked to join on his own?" 

"Yes."

Old Wills nodded, "He heard about our last meeting and sought me out. Linus doesn't seem like a wandering wizard. He said he couldn't find a suitable house in town, and with the crowds, he thought of retreating to the forest for solitude."

It wasn't an entirely unreasonable explanation, but Ronan suspected there might be other reasons.

"Let's not dwell on it, as long as he means no harm to us," Ronan concluded. He doubted that their group of "poor" wizards from the treehouse district could offer anything a Level 5 apprentice would plot against. Moving on, he asked Old Wills, "With the team formed, what's your plan moving forward?"

"I'm just a humble Level 3 apprentice; there's not much of a plan. I've just lived a few more years than you," Old Wills replied with a chuckle. "I'll keep recruiting people. Our team is still a bit small."

Ronan nodded. Indeed, with only five groups, patrolling every five days seemed too frequent, especially for someone like him who preferred intense solitary training.

"Let's try it for a while. Many issues will only surface with practice. Our team needs time to gel, and we must be ready for anyone to leave at any moment," Old Wills said, thinking further ahead than Ronan.

Ronan also inquired about the arrangements for the little girl Cheryl. Learning that the Jolin couple would help take care of her when it was Old Wills' and Vinicia's turn to patrol, he felt relieved.

"By the way," Ronan finally asked the question he was most curious about, "about the Black Robes, can you tell me more?"

His expression turned serious, "I still don't know what kind of opponents we might face while patrolling."

Old Wills paused before explaining, "Black Robe wizards from the Black Wizard Lands are often twisted in nature and cruel in their methods. Their spells may not be inherently more powerful, but their casting methods and effects are far more bizarre and terrifying than regular spells."

"But don't worry, the curse-type magic that killed Porter is rare even among them. Most Black Robe wizards primarily practice dark and necromancy spells."

"Black Robes suffer more from energy particle corrosion than we do. It's said even formal wizards can't fully resolve it, so many are keen on body modifications. If you encounter them, be cautious; their vital spots might differ from ordinary people."

Ronan took note of Old Wills' words, valuing them as potentially lifesaving insights.

"Do Black Robe wizards have any obvious traits for easy identification? I've seen many wizards in Hoddam wearing black robes," Ronan wondered, stroking his chin.

Old Wills thought and replied, "It's their aura. Black Robe wizards are often surrounded by negative energy particles."

"You'll recognize it when you see it; it's usually quite distinct."

Ronan sighed, "I really hope I never have to."

Old Wills remained silent.

Back at his treehouse, Ronan continued to mull over the group's formation and the threat of the Black Robes.

He fully supported Old Wills' initiative to form this mutual aid patrol group. Preferring the quiet of the forest over the noisy town and unable to enter the academy yet, he didn't want to delay his training. The forest remained the best place to reside for now.

The group would alleviate many of his concerns.

"But I can't rely solely on this," Ronan knew well that Old Wills' small group might work during normal times, but any disruption would shatter it instantly.

Surviving the impending Black Robe crisis ultimately depended on his own strength.

"Only by becoming stronger can I have a better chance of surviving and thriving!"

Ronan pulled up his character panel, using its contents to plan his next training steps.

With the crisis looming, he decided to put rune engraving on the back burner and focus on enhancing his combat capabilities.

His first goal: elevate [Energy Missile] beyond the expert level.

Achieving this would significantly boost his combat power.

Then, he planned to learn the remaining three low-level spells from the "Zero-Level Spell Compendium" for emergencies.

Next, he would focus on [Ascetic Body Training] and [Basic Swordsmanship].

These were also training priorities.

Mid- to low-level wizard apprentice battles weren't as grand as people imagined. Often, a few spells would be exchanged before both parties entered a long "cooldown period."

Here, physical prowess made a difference.

Physical combat skills didn't require spell casting, often quickly deciding the battle's outcome.

"If I can master [Basic Swordsmanship] and combine it with proficient [Charged Weapon], unleashing an attack comparable to a typical zero-level mid-grade spell is possible without spell guidance," Ronan considered, looking at his single-handed sword.

The final point was magical equipment.

Ronan had intended to purchase one or two offensive or auxiliary magic items, but the current market prices forced him to abandon this plan.

"Two magic rings should be enough, certainly stronger than most wizards in the treehouse district."

Old Wills mentioned the harsh conditions in the Black Wizard Lands, where acts like murder and theft were rare in Hoddam but common there.

Thus, many Black Robe wizards excelled in combat, with far superior practical experience compared to their gray-robed counterparts.

This was one reason why many wizards in Hoddam dreaded the Black Robes.

Now, the news of the Black Wizard Lands' invasion hung like a dense cloud over Hoddam. Even Ronan felt like he was in the low-pressure environment before a storm, constantly feeling a heavy weight on his chest, as if something were blocking it.

Only intense training could alleviate this feeling.

On the second day of the group's formation, the routine patrols began.

The first day saw Old Wills paired with the socially anxious Vinicia.

When they patrolled near Ronan's home, Old Wills made sure to greet him from under the tree.