Oh My God, He's Got Second-Ring Road Potential

The forest of knights' lances stood tall and proud.

White banners fluttered in the wind.

Inside the White Raven Tower.

The reading room.

Unlike the lifeless silence outside, the interior of the wizard tower was bathed in light. Magical lamps embedded with soulstones emitted a soft glow, illuminating every corner.

Knight attendants stood guard in silence, maintaining order in two disciplined rows.

Beside them were the tower's signature transcendent creatures—

White ravens, standing a meter tall, each possessing the strength of an apprentice.

The wizard apprentices moved quietly, their steps measured. As newcomers to the path of wizardry, they lacked the privilege to disregard the tower's rules.

"I disagree. The structure of the Wizard's Hand spell shouldn't be altered. But we could experiment by adding Soul Medium No. 95, stirring thoroughly to enhance its performance."

"Wrong! Absolutely wrong!"

"Wizard's Hand is just a First-Circle spell. No matter how much you improve it, its limits remain. We should instead incorporate elven bodily fluids, dragon teeth, and goblin eyeballs to brew a new type of potion!"

"Damn it, Akatis, you old fool! If you want to be scolded by the Tower Master, don’t drag us into it!"

Unlike the apprentices' quiet demeanor, the full-fledged wizards debated loudly.

Some were passionate, others contemplative, all pondering the future of wizardry.

A few greeted Xu Xi, eager to forge connections with the newly emerged young wizard.

"Indeed, in a world like this, only wizards can maintain a semblance of normalcy," Xu Xi thought, nodding in acknowledgment as memories of the desolation he’d witnessed resurfaced.

The Undead Calamity.

The resurrection of the dead.

For ordinary people, danger lurked in every moment.

But from a wizard's perspective, the tide of undead remained within control—at least in the Aeoca Kingdom, where the presence of a Fourth-Circle Wizard Tower kept collapse at bay.

"Strength is the foremost requirement for survival."

Xu Xi entered the reading room, exchanging soulstones for access to certain books reserved for full-fledged wizards.

"The Travels of Wizard Harry"

"The Grand Bestiary of the Undead"

"World Atlas and Records of Major Races—103rd Revised Edition"

"Chronicles of the White Raven Tower—Volume 16"

The sound of activated spell formations echoed faintly in the quiet space.

As Xu Xi inserted the soulstones, the formations turned transparent, only reverting to their normal state once the books were retrieved.

As a respected full-fledged wizard, Xu Xi enjoyed certain privileges—

Private reading rooms, unrestricted borrowing, and the option to pay for copies.

Opting to save time, he secured a private room, enveloped in the tower's sound-dampening spells, and began his exploration of the world.

"Hmm... Should I have expected this?"

"All records concerning the truth of a thousand years ago are vague, mostly speculative or personal conjecture."

He flipped through the pages. "Then again, the Fourth-Circle wizard of the White Raven Tower has already left this place."

"Without a peak powerhouse overseeing things, it’s only natural that information would be limited."

...

[The White Raven Tower’s knowledge isn’t as comprehensive as you’d hoped.]

[But compared to the fragmented details you gathered from villages and towns during earlier simulations, this is far more useful.]

[You study diligently.]

[Reading carefully, reviewing repeatedly, extracting every valuable insight.]

[You didn’t uncover the true culprit behind the summoning of the Netherworld, but you discovered something else—every decade since the Undead Calamity, the wizarding world experiences a major surge of death.]

[It’s the world’s struggle against its own demise.]

[Each wave increases the number of undead and gradually births higher-tier revenants.]

[You commit this to memory, recognizing its significance.]

[You examine the world map, gaining a foundational understanding of the wizarding world’s geography.]

[You read the Chronicles of the White Raven Tower, learning of the major shifts over the past few centuries.]

[You notice something unsettling.]

[Since the Undead Calamity a millennium ago, the number of mid-to-high-tier wizards has dwindled, fading from records altogether.]

[Once again, you’re reminded—this world hides deep secrets.]

[You peruse the Grand Bestiary of the Undead, memorizing the weaknesses, habits, and traits of nearly every type of revenant.]

[You stumble upon an unexpected revelation—undead can reproduce through soulfire division.]

Reading, noting, learning.

Without the wisdom of mortals, Xu Xi couldn’t deduce everything effortlessly, as if in a world of magic.

Fortunately, the wizarding world’s soul-centric system granted him formidable mental speed.

After several breaks and intervals, Xu Xi finally finished his research.

"Now, I have a clearer picture," he murmured.

Though these materials didn’t enhance his power—being mostly foundational knowledge—they were exactly what he needed.

Only now did the fog-shrouded fifth simulation begin to reveal a corner of its truth.

And what it showed was far from comforting.

"This time... I won’t end up a sacrificial offering," Xu Xi mused, summoning his simulator panel and eyeing the three available traits.

His fingers traced the book’s cover, feeling the subtle ridges beneath his fingertips.

The fifth simulation’s beginning was, by comparison, the most peaceful of all.

Yet the dread of a dying world weighed heavier than ever, looming over all life.

Xu Xi suspected that even if he still carried the "sacrificial offering" trait, this despairing world wouldn’t give him a chance to fulfill that role.

...

[Your mindset remains steady.]

[Armed with the wizarding world’s basic intel, you swiftly draft a plan.]

[You resolve to first attain the rank of Second-Circle Wizard within the Aeoca Kingdom.]

[Then, you’ll explore the wizarding world, seeking the boundary between life and death, observing its decay, experiencing the rare spectacle of a world’s demise.]

[A bleak, far-from-peaceful life begins.]

[Centered around the White Raven Tower, you refine your spellcraft, mastering theories absent from the real world.]

[You become a hired lecturer at the tower.]

[Teaching apprentices earns you access to the tower’s exclusive spells.]

[First-Circle: Raven Summoning.]

[This spell calls forth ordinary ravens and those imbued with transcendent power. The tower profits by selling white ravens.]

[You forgo purchasing a white raven, instead using a familiar bone bird as a base.]

[Infusing it with soulfire and three Nether Raven feathers, you forge an imperfect Nether Raven.]

[The Soul Collector’s aura radiates—]

[The Nether Raven submits.]

[It bows before you.]

[Simulation Year 4, Age 21.]

[After relentless undead hunts, your soul strength surges. Simultaneously, your reputation within the White Raven Tower grows.]

[You self-study potion-making and magical toolcraft.]

[An aging wizard, stuck at the First-Circle bottleneck, hails you as a genius, convinced you’ll reach the Second-Circle.]

[You hesitate, unsure how to respond.]