Until just a moment ago.
The old man’s final thought, at the instant the black dot descended.
"No... How can he be a Level Two Crystalized Wizard... I haven’t... advanced yet..."
The Bone Fragment shattered, turning to dust.
Ian retracted his Spiritual Power, his gaze darkening.
’Eye of Dusk...’
He remembered the black-robed figures he had encountered in the Withered Forest during the Demon Hunting War.
They were skilled in Soul Attacks and assassination, and enjoyed hunting down promising Lone Wanderers.
’So that old man was the sleeper agent they left behind in Shadow Moon.’
’The last sleeper agent.’
’In that case, I’ve unintentionally helped the High Tower get rid of a parasite.’
The corners of Ian’s mouth pulled into a cold arc.
’Just as well.’
’The old grudge is settled, the threat eliminated.’
’My state of mind... it doesn’t seem to have changed much.’
’This old dog... he was too weak. Killing him didn’t have the effect of vanquishing any inner demons at all.’
He turned and left the valley.
The night wind brushed past the hem of his dark blue robes, his figure appearing exceptionally lonely under the starlight.
Gaga, perched on his shoulder, mumbled quietly.
"Ian, you seem... a little different, gaga?"
"Oh! How am I different?" Ian felt a flicker of pleasure.
"I can’t quite put my finger on it... It just feels like you’ve lost something, but also gained something."
Ian stopped in his tracks.
He thought back to when he first transmigrated, to the version of himself in the library, treading carefully, on the verge of death at any moment.
He remembered the countless life-and-death battles over the years, the endless struggles for survival in desperate situations.
And finally, he had made it to this day.
"Perhaps it’s that..."
He looked up at the night sky. The starlight was sparse, and the clouds were heavy.
"I’ve let go of what needed to be let go."
His voice was very soft, scattering in the wind.
Gaga nodded as if it half-understood and didn’t ask any more questions.
The man and the bird vanished into the depths of the night.
Behind them, the giant crater lay quietly in the valley.
Like the mark of an era... coming to a complete end.
「Three days later. Shadow Moon Tower, Core District Teleportation Hall.」
Ian stood before a massive Teleportation Array, clutching a specially made Silver Token.
This was the credential for intercontinental teleportation, something that could only be requested with the authority of a Core Elder.
But he wasn’t here to use it today.
Instead, he would use it as a "key" to apply for... a special kind of authority.
"Elder Ian."
The Deacon Wizard of the Teleportation Hall hurried over. He was a middle-aged Warlock at Level One of the Liquid Realm.
He wore a respectful smile, but a hint of scrutiny was hidden deep in his eyes.
"Your application for ’High Tower Internal Surveillance Authority’ has been approved by the Tower Master."
As he spoke, he handed over a black, palm-sized Crystal Plate.
The surface of the Crystal Plate was engraved with dense Runes, and an eye-shaped, pale blue Gemstone was embedded in its center.
The Eye of Surveillance.
This was a top-tier Witchcraft Artifact used by Shadow Moon Tower for internal investigations.
It could call up all public surveillance footage, records, and Energy fluctuation archives within the High Tower’s range.
Of course, it required personal authorization from the Tower Master.
"Thank you."
Ian took the Crystal Plate and turned to leave.
The Deacon Wizard watched him go, his brow slightly furrowed.
’A Core Elder... suddenly applying for surveillance authority... What does he want to investigate?’
He shook his head, not daring to think about it further.
’This Elder Ian might be young, and it’s only been a few years since his promotion...’
’But his power is unfathomable, and he was personally recommended by Vice-Dean Alevia.’
’More importantly, the Tower Master, Morton, seems to pay him special attention.’
’It’s best not to provoke someone like that.’
Ian returned to his residence and went straight to the basement.
After laying down layer upon layer of Barriers, he activated the Eye of Surveillance.
The pale blue, eye-shaped Gemstone lit up, projecting a Light Curtain that unfurled in the Void.
On it were densely packed record entries.
Time, location, person, event...
Starting from twenty years ago, all the way to the present day.
All records involving the "old coot of a librarian" were filtered out.
Ian skimmed through them quickly.
Most of them were routine: work handovers, borrowing records, material requisitions...
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
But...
As the records went back eighteen years.
One entry caught his attention.
[Shadow Moon Calendar, Year 1732, 7th day of the Winter Moon.]
[Librarian Matthias (ID: L-074) requests transfer from the Core District to the ’Ancient Book Repair Room’ in the Outer Tower District. Reason: Advanced age and failing health, lack of energy.]
[Approved.]
[Note: Subject submitted a ’Resource Application for Promotion to Level One Wizard’ three years prior; denied. Psychological evaluation: Mild paranoia. Observation recommended.]
Ian’s eyes narrowed.
’Matthias.’
’So that was the old man’s real name.’
’A transfer request... to the Ancient Book Repair Room...’
He continued to scroll down.
Another five years passed.
[Shadow Moon Calendar, Year 1737, 12th day of the Summer Moon.]
[Incident reported in the Outer Tower District’s Ancient Book Repair Room: ’Spontaneous Combustion of Ancient Tomes.’ Three Apprentices suffered minor injuries. Administrator Matthias penalized for ’negligent supervision’ with three years of confinement and a 50% reduction in resources.]
[Incident Investigation Report: Suspected loss of control over Witchcraft, but no direct evidence found.]
[Note: During confinement, Matthias’s emotional state was stable. No abnormal behavior observed.]
Ian’s finger slid across the Light Curtain.
Time continued to pass.
After his confinement ended, Matthias was transferred to the even more remote "Abandoned Scripture Archiving Department."
Almost no one ever went there, and the resources were pitifully scarce.
It seemed he had been completely marginalized.
But...
Ian pulled up the "Energy Fluctuation Records" from those years.
Although there was little surveillance in the archiving department, the monitoring of Magic Power flow within the High Tower was comprehensive.
He saw the anomaly.
On a few fixed days each month, brief, faint, but extremely regular fluctuations of Magic Power would appear in the archiving department.
The frequency and intensity of the fluctuations were completely different from the mainstream Witchcraft System of Shadow Moon Tower.
Instead... it was more like some kind of secret Soul ritual.
’Just as I thought.’
Ian turned off the Light Curtain, his eyes cold as ice.
’No matter how deeply the people from the Eye of Dusk hide, they always leave a trace.’