The first option brought up was Glittering Stone, a unique area known for its magical crystal formations and naturally occurring mana wells beneath the ground.

  It was a place of power, a place where mages could recharge and refine their spells with ease.

  It was, by all accounts, an ideal location except for one problem.

  It was too exposed.

  The region had been under Freedom of Amber’s observation for years. If we were to set up our base there, it wouldn’t take long before their spies uncovered our movements.

  And once that happened, we would be forced into a constant battle just to maintain control.

  Arkantos was the first to reject it outright.

  “Glittering Stone is too obvious,” he said, shaking his head.

  “We would have to spend more time defending it than actually planning our moves. Not worth it.”

  I nodded in agreement. One option eliminated.

  The second location on the list was Giant Rock Ancestral Home, a massive fortress carved into the mountains, once home to an ancient clan of warriors.

  The location was fortified, defensible, and had plenty of natural barriers protecting it from invasion.

  It sounded perfect.

  But again, there was a problem.

  While the fortress itself was well-hidden, the area surrounding it was not.

  There were multiple merchant trade routes passing close by, meaning that if we occupied the fortress, sooner or later, news would spread.

  Arkantos folded his arms and sighed.

  “It’s a stronghold, yes. But one that is too well-documented. We need somewhere truly hidden.”

  I exhaled through my nose and ran a hand through my hair. Two options down.

  That left us with the third and final choice.

  Arkantos tapped his fingers against the table as he spoke.

  “That brings us to our last option.”

  I already knew which location he was going to suggest before he even said it.

  Shadowblade Island.

  A small, isolated landmass far enough from the main continent to remain unnoticed, yet close enough to still be within striking distance of our enemies. It was difficult to access, surrounded by natural barriers, and, most importantly unknown to most factions.

  It was the perfect location.

  I glanced at Arkantos and nodded. “It seems like the best choice.”

  He smirked slightly. “Of course it is. That’s why I saved it for last.”

  I chuckled, shaking my head. “You Time Wave people and your theatrics.”

  Arkantos merely shrugged.

  Yes.

  This was the right choice.

  I turned to Arkantos and extended my hand.

  “Shadowblade Island, then. We’ll begin preparations immediately.”

  He grasped my hand firmly, shaking it.

  “Agreed.”

  With that, the decision was made.

  I took a deep breath, my mind already moving toward the next steps.

  We had a location. Now, we needed to prepare.

  I met Arkantos’s gaze, my expression serious.

  “We’ll be in touch to regroup the main brain of Morningstar Act on Shadowblade Island. But be careful. Freedom of Amber won’t sit idly by while we build power. And neither will the Empire.”

  Arkantos simply smiled.

  “We are always prepared for war, Eval.”

  I nodded.

  And just like that, the next phase of our revolution had begun.

  - Marsil Pov -

  I couldn’t help but ponder the weight of history—the vast amount of magical knowledge that had been lost over the centuries.

  How many mages had existed before me?

  How many spells had been forgotten, buried beneath the ruins of time?

  The thought alone was overwhelming.

  No matter how much magic I studied, no matter how much I grew in power, I would only ever scratch the surface of the great ocean that was the arcane world.

  I exhaled, my fingers tapping lightly on the wooden table.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  If I had never met Eval, if I had never been imprisoned in Grimrock Prison Mine, would I have ever walked this path?

  It was a strange thought.

  Back then, I was nothing more than an ignorant young man living on a small island, thinking that mages were little more than myths or divine figures.

  Had I stayed there, I would have never known my own potential, never learned how to wield magic, never faced the truth of this world.

  Maybe my fate had always been leading me here.

  The innkeeper walked over and placed another mug of beer in front of me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I gave him a nod of appreciation before lifting the drink and downing it in one go.

  The bitterness burned my throat, but I barely noticed.

  My mind was elsewhere, tangled in thoughts of the past and the uncertain future ahead.

  I set the empty mug down with a soft thud and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

  Enough reminiscing.

  I had spent enough time dwelling on the past.

  I wasn’t particularly interested in interacting with the other guests of the inn, though I could feel a few curious gazes lingering on me as I passed.

  Once inside my room, I shut the door and locked it.

  A deep sigh escaped me as I finally allowed myself to relax.

  The Resting Nest was a high-quality inn, and I had no doubts that it was protected by magical barriers, but I still preferred to take extra precautions.

  I removed my cloak and stretched my arms, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tension from the long day.

  It was time to focus on my studies.

  I sat down at the wooden desk near the window, where my newly purchased books and spell tomes lay neatly stacked.

  I ran my fingers over the covers, my mind already eager to absorb more knowledge.

  I decided to finish the theoretical studies first before moving on to the spells.

  As I read through the text, I began to understand more about how the composition of magic worked how elemental properties weren’t as rigid as I had once believed, how the quality of magical energy could be manipulated through different methods.

  It made me wonder...

  Could I refine my own magical energy? Could I alter the elemental properties of my spells to make them more versatile?

  The concept was fascinating.

  had always relied on raw magical force, but this book suggested that finesse could be just as important as raw power.

  I scribbled a few notes in my journal, summarizing the most important details.

  By the time I finally closed the book, I could feel the strain in my eyes. I rubbed my temples, sighing. I needed to rest.

  But before that, I had to test something.

  Standing up, I stretched my hands forward and summoned a small orb of magical energy—a simple exercise, but one that allowed me to apply what I had just learned.

  Instead of simply letting the energy flow freely, I concentrated on altering its properties.

  I envisioned fire. Heat. Destruction.

  Slowly, the energy changed, flickering from its usual bluish hue to a faint reddish glow.

  I smirked.

  It worked.

  The change was subtle, but it was there.

  If I kept training this, I could eventually modify my spells mid-cast, making them unpredictable and difficult to counter.

  Feeling satisfied with my progress, I let the energy disperse.

  I turned my attention to the two spell tomes I had purchased—Eye-Blood Aura and Cursed Crimson Globe.

  The woman at the bookshop had warned me about these spells, claiming that they were difficult to master and energy-consuming.

  But that only made me more curious.

  I reached for the Eye-Blood Aura tome first and flipped it open, my eyes scanning the first few pages.

  Just as expected, the spell’s casting method was unusual.

  It required not only magical energy but also a connection to one’s own life force.

  I frowned. This was not something to be taken lightly.

  Blood magic...? No. Not quite.

  It didn’t require a physical blood sacrifice, but rather a metaphysical link—a way to amplify one’s senses through an exchange of vitality.

  I exhaled slowly, realizing that this spell wasn’t something I could just casually practice without understanding its risks.

  I would need to experiment cautiously.

  For now, I closed the tome, making a mental note to study it further tomorrow.

  Sacril, who had been resting in the corner of the room, lifted his head and glanced at me, sensing my shift in mood.

  I smiled at him. “We’re making progress.”

  Sacril huffed softly in response, as if agreeing with me.

  Tomorrow, I would begin my spell practice.

  Tonight, however, I needed rest.

  -

  After resting for about two to three hours. I sat on my desk again.

  I worked through the entire night,

  The weight of exhaustion settled into my bones, but I ignored it.

  The pursuit of knowledge, of strength, was far more important than a few hours of rest.

  Page after page, I devoured the contents of the book, my mind racing with new ideas, new theories, and new possibilities.

  My fingers ached from gripping my pen too tightly as I scribbled notes in my journal. The candlelight flickered weakly, casting long shadows across my desk, but I kept pushing forward.

  I had set a goal for myself—to finish the book before sunrise—and I was not one to leave things undone.

  By the time I turned the final page, my vision was blurred, and my head felt heavy.

  My entire body was screaming for rest.

  With a tired sigh, I let the book slip from my hands and onto the desk with a soft thud.

  Seven hours later…

  The first thing I felt when I woke up was the warmth of the sun creeping through the window, brushing against my face.

  I could hear faint voices from the other mages in the Redglass Magic Society District.

  I groaned, my body protesting as I forced myself to sit up. It felt like I had only just closed my eyes.

  But despite the lingering drowsiness, I could feel the difference.

  My mind was sharper, my body lighter. More importantly, I could sense the change in my magical energy.

  It seems like just three hours of sleep did not cut it and I needed to sleep seven more hours...

  The flow of mana inside me was smoother, stronger.

  My control over it had significantly improved. Just three days in this city, and I could already feel a noticeable increase in my magical power at least a 20% improvement.

  This was exactly what I had hoped for when I came here.

  With a smirk, I got out of bed, stretching my limbs.

  The soreness from staying up all night still clung to my muscles, but nothing a bit of movement wouldn’t fix.

  The first thing I needed was a bath.

  As I stood under the stream, I thought about my progress.

  I had studied elemental manipulation and magic quality theories, deepening my understanding of how spells could be refined and adapted.

  And now, I had two new spells to learn.

  Eye-Blood Aura and Cursed Crimson Globe.

  Then, I headed downstairs for breakfast.

  The inn's dining area was quiet but lively,

  I took a seat in the corner, away from prying eyes.

  A simple meal of eggs, fruit, and tea was placed before me, and I wasted no time eating.

  As I chewed, my thoughts drifted back to the spells.

  Eye-Blood Aura. A counter-tracking spell that would allow me to mask my presence from detection.

  *-*-The magic behind it was deeply tied to one’s life force, making it difficult to cast but incredibly effective if mastered.

  Cursed Crimson Globe. A summoning spell, capable of creating a powerful entity born from condensed magical energy and malice. It wasn’t something that could be cast casually—it required significant power and control.

  After finishing my meal, I returned to my room, closing the door