Chapter 61: A Fork in the Road

At this point, Sunders explained about some of the experiments on the fitness of channeling methods.

“The quantization for the fitness of a spirit model was proposed by the ‘Wizard of All’ Runeborg. It’s too controversial, so the idea was only known between wizards, rarely by apprentices.

“Runeborg defined the fitness between a spirit model and its user as 0-100. Someone with the fitness of over 20 is considered impressive and is very likely to become a wizard.

“As I mentioned, common channeling methods like the Triangle Channeling can both make someone a wizard or cause them to waste their lives. Such methods have absolutely no guarantee over their fitness level. Someone lucky enough might do well with the Triangle Channeling and break through the barrier preventing him to become a wizard, thus finding immortality. Other people who have zero fitness may never make it into Elementary Apprentices.

“Of course, apart from the common channeling methods, almost all wizard organizations possess their own, valuable methods. They are valuable assets because they have their baselines for fitness levels.

“For example, we have more than ten special channeling methods in Brute Cavern. One of the most basic ones is called Six-Sided Rhombohedral Meditation. Any talent who studies this method will at least have a fitness of three.”

Angor was unsure about Sunders’ words from a while ago. Now, he began to understand and he asked, “At least three, which means if the talent finds the channeling method suitable, his or her fitness will easily go beyond this baseline?”

This was like the ring-toss games in carnivals on the Earth. One needed to pay money for 10 hoops and try to throw them over various prizes on the ground to claim them. However, regardless of whether one could get any prize or not, the game master would always give out a keyring for free – the “baseline”.

Likewise, if a channeling method had a base fitness level, the user could find way more controllability over it.

Sunders answered, “Yes. Many special channeling methods were secret arts passed down for generations in different wizard organizations and have their baselines. That’s why they’re sought after by everyone.”

“I see. But why not allow the apprentices to learn special methods from the start?” Angor asked.

Were they only trying to hide their own valuable secrets?

“Even if the organizations make their special methods open to the public, they still won’t guarantee the talents for becoming wizards,” said Sunders. He continued, “Do you know what fitness level you need to become a wizard for certain?”

Of course, Angor did not know. He took a guess. A fitness beyond 20 made someone possible to become a wizard, so…

“Sixty?” Angor gave an answer he thought was relatively correct.

Sunders shook his head and said, “According to Runeborg’s theory, a fitness of over 95 means a hundred percent chance for a wizard.

“Not many people can achieve such a fitness level. It’s not necessary for major organizations to reveal their special channeling methods for something that can be hardly achieved. But they can still use these methods for pertinent strategies. Generally speaking, you need to pay a great cost to acquire a special channeling method from a wizard organization.”

Sunders looked at Angor.

“That’s all I’ll tell you for now. I said I’ll let you choose a method yesterday, so let’s do it now.”

Angor’s expression went serious as Sunders continued, “The first choice. I’ll teach you the core channeling method taught in Brute Cavern, Montaus’ Octahedrite Channeling. It has the highest base fitness level among all special methods used in Brute Cavern, 13. To gain, you must pay. The cost for learning it is to sign a contract with Brute Cavern that lasts at least a hundred years. During the time, you will be subject to the organization’s arrangements, any arrangement, unconditionally…”

A century-long contract… and an extremely unfair clause at that. Angor felt a bit terrified. He wished the other choices would be better.

“The second one. Read the Initial Glory located on the third shelf in the book room and create a spirit model on your own.” Sunders did not mention any cost. Creating a spirit model independently was not something easily manageable by oneself. The process of creating most models asked for the full effort of entire organizations, hundreds of years, and repeated recalculations to complete.

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Besides, Initial Glory was a book that described how the first meditation method was created. The book did not have much value. One could probably get several dozens by spending one magic crystal in wizard marketplaces.

“The third choice. I’ll recommend a special method for you. I don’t know about its fitness baseline because it’s too special. And I don’t have it here. It doesn’t even exist in the wizarding world. The book is located in another plane called the Nightmare Realm.”

…

Questions troubled Angor’s mind when he returned to his tent.

He threw himself onto the soft blanket without removing his clothes. Even Toby, who danced on his back, did not prevent Angor from going over his own thoughts.

Sunders gave him ten days to consider. He needed to reply before they reached Goman Kingdom. Angor accepted the decision since he also needed some days to think it over.

He could not decide right away because every choice was hard for him.

To sign an unfair contract with Brute Cavern which would last for a century? Angor did not want that. He did not even know how things worked at Brute Cavern. How could he agree to become their puppet?

But… After he heard the other two options, he began to feel that the first one might be the easier one.

The second choice was to create his own spirit model. It sounded easy but was actually far from it.

Sunders warned him that this might be the most difficult choice. Countless wizards wasted their lives on this path. Angor could not imagine what it was like, but seeing Sunders’ serious attitude, he did not dare to try that option carelessly.

It took wizard organizations hundreds of years to build a usable spirit model. Could he do it all by himself? And in a short time? Not likely.

Angor gave up the second option.

The third choice was yet even stranger.

Sunders said he earned a glimpse at the special channeling method by chance in the Nightmare Realm before he became a wizard. While he was at the Nightmare Realm, he memorized the book fluently by heart, so he planned to get back to the wizarding world and change his wizardry path using this very method.

Strangely though, as he returned to the wizarding world, he forgot everything related to the content of the channeling method. The only thing he remembered was his experience, and how the channeling method seemed really important to him.

Everything that involved the Nightmare Realm was always beyond strange, so Sunders could only give up on it.

After Sunders became a wizard, he used his own talent to get into the Nightmare Realm several times. He saw the book again, but like the first time, he could remember the book clearly at first, yet as he returned to the wizarding world, he could no longer recall anything.

Also, the Nightmare Realm was one of the most particular general planes ever discovered. It was impossible to record the channeling method using small tricks. The Nightmare Realm itself was both true and fake, both fantastic and realistic. What one saw could be wrong, and what one believed to be false could instead be real.

Sunders did not make any progression after many years of effort, so he thought the special channeling method was not meant for him. He simply gave up in the end.

Until he found Angor.

Angor stuffed his head under the blanket. Sunders’ last warning was still ringing inside his mind.

“You have a special talent. It’s very likely for you to acquire the channeling method. My spells are much related to the Nightmare Realm, but I still have to tell you, that the Nightmare Realm is full of great danger. Nine out of ten wizards will not make it back out alive. Think carefully.”