"The Three Great Principles of Mages?" Hearing this unfamiliar term, Gaode's heart stirred. He secretly committed the principle to memory.
"Elan said it. He claimed Mage Seda told him," Amy explained. "But he only mentioned this one. He didn't share the other two."
"Why would Elan tell you this?" Gaode asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he masked his probing tone. "Besides, if 'never let others know your Magic' is one of the Three Great Principles of Mages, why would Mage Seda let you know his Magic?"
Hearing the question, Amy understood what Gaode was getting at and hurriedly explained, "Elan said it to show off his status as Mage Seda's true apprentice. He was bragging to us in the dining hall.
"You weren't there at the time, so you didn't hear it.
"It's true that Mage Seda never mentioned any Three Great Principles of Mages to us. If Elan hadn't spoken up, we never would have known about it.
"As for Mage Seda's Magic, do you remember half a year ago when he ordered Neo to test a Potion? Neo was terrified and tried to run away...
"He ran toward the backyard. I happened to be there and saw it with my own eyes. Mage Seda just reached out and touched Neo, and Neo immediately collapsed to the ground.
"If that Magic could take effect without physical contact, there would be no reason for Mage Seda to go out of his way to touch him," Amy concluded, pouting her lips in absolute certainty.
"I see..." Gaode fell into deep thought.
Amy's logic was sound, and he believed her. At the same time, he recalled his first day in this world, when he too had experienced Mage Seda's Magic firsthand. The memory of that hand, which had inflicted such immense agony upon him, still left him with a lingering fear.
He noted this secretly as his thoughts began to wander. He thought, "It seems Mage Seda has at least two types of Magic that require physical contact to take effect... So, if it truly comes down to a final confrontation, my first priority must be avoiding his touch... Aside from avoiding it, is it possible to use this to my advantage?"
"I understand. Let's get to sleep early; we have work to do tomorrow," Gaode said softly.
Having failed to get the response she had hoped for, Amy opened her mouth to speak. However, not knowing what else to say, she ultimately remained silent. Soon after, the steady rhythm of Gaode's breathing filled the room.
The following afternoon.
After finishing the preparation of the Basic Spider Venom Potion early, Gaode left the workshop and headed to the commercial district of Hogan City for the third time.
He didn't notice that in the shadows of the bushes directly opposite the Medicinal Garden's main gate, three pairs of eyes simultaneously lit up.
They belonged to three lean but rugged men. Each was unkempt, with alcohol stains on their messy beards, greasy, matted hair, and clothes covered in unwashed grime. They bore the typical appearance of the lowest rung of society. Yet, their cunning and belligerent gazes made it clear they were not decent men either.
After watching Gaode walk away, the three men began to converse in hushed tones.
"Boss, is that him?" the man with the darkest skin asked.
"That's him. I asked around. The Elder Mage of the Seda Medicinal Garden rarely leaves the house. Whether he's selling Potions or buying raw materials, he has his apprentices do it for him.
"The only difference is that an older apprentice used to handle this, but it recently changed to this kid," the man addressed as Boss replied. His voice was somewhat shrill, sharply contrasting with his ferocious gaze, making him sound rather like a rooster.
"That's a good thing. The kid looks young, so he'll definitely be easier to deal with."
"But he's a Mage Apprentice. He knows Magic..." the shortest of the three hesitated. "Are we really going to do this?"
"If it were the Elder Mage, we'd definitely have to be wary, but what's there to worry about with a little brat like this?" The Boss sneered. "A Mage Apprentice his age won't have any real combat power. He's mastered one or two Tricks at most.
"And it's highly likely to be a non-lethal Trick like Mage's Hand. We three have worked in the mines for years, and we're all packed with muscle. Are you telling me we can't take down a little punk like him?"
Among 0th Ring Magic, Mage's Hand was arguably the most famous and representative Trick. It was generally the first spell every Mage Apprentice learned and mastered. Because of this, even many non-Mages knew about it.
"Number Three, you're still too gutless," Number Two chimed in, echoing the Boss.
"The kid didn't bring a satchel this time, which means he isn't going out to sell Potions. He's going to buy raw materials for that Elder Mage," the Boss spoke up again.
"I also asked around about that. It seems the Elder Mage has been researching an Advanced Magic Potion these past few years. The required raw materials are extremely precious and expensive, so this kid must be carrying a lot of money on him.
"We're already planning to leave Hogan City to seek a new life in Bremen City anyway. Once we pull this off, we'll leave straight away. No matter how powerful that Elder Mage is, he definitely won't be able to track us down for revenge."
Hearing this, the other two couldn't help but nod, finding his logic sound.
"When do we strike?" Number Three asked.
"We'll make our move once we reach the slums. It's chaotic there, making it difficult to investigate. That will buy us plenty of time to leave Hogan City and guarantee no unexpected accidents occur."
"Alright!"
To reach Hogan City's commercial district, the dark, filthy stretch of the slums was still an unavoidable path.
However, compared to his previous two trips, Gaode—who had newly mastered three 0th Ring Magics—undeniably had much more confidence. He no longer needed to keep his head down and tread with extreme caution.
Besides, even though the slums were a hive of scum and villainy filled with thieves and rogues, under normal circumstances, why would a plainly dressed commoner run into so much trouble in broad daylight?
But Gaode forgot one universal truth: an accident is called an accident precisely because it is unexpected.
Just like at this very moment. He had just reached the corner where an alley opened onto the street. The alleyway was dim, making it impossible to even see shadows.
It was under these conditions that he suddenly felt a slight chill on the back of his head and heard the fierce whistling of wind beside his ear.
A sneak attack!
And it was aimed straight for his head.
Gaode realized it instantly, but he was too late. In his haste, he instinctively bent his body to lower the point of impact, moving his vital head out of the way.
This innate reaction saved his skull from being cracked open, but the blow landed squarely on his back. The powerful force elicited a muffled groan from Gaode, sending him stumbling forward.
Feeling the burning pain radiating from his back, Gaode made the most correct response possible at that moment. Riding the momentum of the blow, he executed a swift dive and roll, successfully evading the second strike that followed closely behind.
He quickly scrambled to his feet and got a clear look at his attackers.
Three rather sturdy men, each wielding a wooden club, were glaring at him ferociously. Pulling off a heist was one thing, but the trio had no intention of committing murder. Though ruthless, they were not completely depraved thugs. Besides, they had only planned to rob him; they bore no deep-seated grudge against Gaode. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't harbor murderous intent. Their plan was simple: knock him out with a sneak attack, strip him of his money, and immediately flee.
He thought, "Thank goodness they're only wooden clubs..." silently counting his blessings. If his attackers had been wielding lethal weapons, his odds of survival would be incredibly slim right now.
"Who are you? Why are you attacking me?!" Gaode demanded sternly.
"You've got fast reflexes, kid. Hand over all your money, and we'll let you go!" the lead man threatened, staring Gaode down.
He thought, "So they're just robbers..." Gaode finally understood. He had been wondering how he could have possibly offended anyone when he had barely interacted with the outside world since arriving in this place.
However, Gaode had no intention of paying them off to avoid trouble. Furthermore, he currently only had a few dozen Silver Coins on him. Such a meager amount definitely wouldn't satisfy the three ruffians standing before him.
With these thoughts in mind, Gaode raised his hand.
A ray flashing with a cold, piercing blue light burst forth from his fingertip. The beam, swift as lightning, shot straight toward the lead man, leaving a crystalline trail in its wake.
The ray appeared incredibly suddenly and moved blindingly fast. Coupled with the fact that Gaode's evasive roll hadn't put much distance between him and the trio, an attack under these circumstances was impossible to react to in time.
When Gaode asked for their identities, he had never expected an actual answer. The only reason he spoke was to distract them slightly and buy himself some Casting Time.
The ray struck the lead man directly. With a faint CRACK of shattering ice, a thin layer of frost instantly condensed over the man's skin.
He felt a bone-deep chill and intense agony, his expression contorting from the freezing pain.
Frozen Ray!