Wizard: I Can Refine Everything-Chapter 189 - 19: Return, 2nd Circle Wizard!

Within the residence, Richard glanced in horror at the basement, then ran out of the mansion without looking back.

He didn't know what exactly Su Yisa had unleashed, but he was certain it was something he couldn't afford to meddle with.

The mere whiff of the thing's presence was enough for Richard's vision to be plagued with terrifying hallucinations, which persisted in flashing before his eyes even as he activated the Courage Badge, seemingly bent on annihilating his sanity and dragging him into a quagmire of panic.

"Get away!" Richard bellowed.

He struggled to calm himself and tried to plan his next move.

On the battlefield, Richard's doppelgänger saw that Amade was hastening back toward the mansion. If Richard couldn't figure out how to escape soon, he might very well be slain by the enraged Amade in a single sword strike.

Richard had no illusions that Su Yisa would protect him. Any wizard who had made it to the Three Rings was battle-hardened; those who survived were of stern heart.

If sacrificing Richard would provide Su Yisa any additional chance at a safe escape, he wouldn't hesitate to do so.

Wizards, be they of dark or light, ultimately followed similar paths, though White Wizards seemed somewhat more human on the surface.

Outside the residence, Richard could faintly sense Amade's dreadful presence.

Seeing the Nightmare Spirits scurrying about the street, an idea suddenly struck him.

How do you hide a tree so it isn't found?

You put it in a forest.

Countless Nightmare Crystals began to emanate from within Richard, and his own aura diminished rapidly. In the span of mere seconds, thousands of Nightmare Crystals had appeared beside him, and he himself had turned into a diminutive Nightmare Spirit.

This was the most wondrous characteristic of Nightmare creatures: they grew by devouring the Power of Nightmare and regressed in its absence.

Transformed into a Nightmare Spirit, Richard pocketed the Nightmare Crystals and blended into a horde of them.

Before long, Amade arrived at the mansion riding a Black Dragon, arriving just in time to encounter Su Yisa emerging from the residence and Amanda preparing to flee.

"Wizard! You've tampered with what you shouldn't have!"

With a Demon Sword in his grasp, Amade stood like a Demon God, speaking with an aura that seemed to ripple through the very space around him.

Su Yisa, meeting Amade who had arrived just in time, felt a headache coming on.

He was unlike those lesser wizards from the Dreamwalker Club; since entering the Nightmare World in the last decade, he had never left, thus his understanding of Nightmare creatures far surpassed that of Richard and the other wizards.

Although these Nightmare creatures appeared foolish, like talented natives, once they reached the Third Level and their understanding of the Dream Rules deepened, their combat prowess would skyrocket.

Defending against the surreal tactics empowered by Dream Rules was nigh impossible.

But it was now too late for such thoughts, as Amade's timely arrival meant that a battle was inevitable.

"Amade, I'm impressed by your patience," Su Yisa said as he produced the sealed remnant from the coffin—the flesh of an unknown creature. "You resisted eating the flesh of a Nightmare King. You're truly not like those fools."

Seeing the remnant, Amade's aura surged, and his Demon Sword, covered in eyes, pierced through space, appearing instantaneously before Su Yisa.

The battle began.

...

As Amade and Su Yisa clashed fiercely, Richard, transformed into a Nightmare Spirit, had slipped into the outskirts of the town.

He had no interest in watching the struggle between the two powerful beings; his only desire was to escape this accursed place before their fight spread to him.

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Meanwhile, at the battleground, although the Black Knight Commander had died, Amade had also left.

Effectively, both sides were now leaderless.

"Don't look so gloomy; at least their commander is dead, too," Richard reassured Magic Puppet Billy. "Besides, with Lord Amade gone, we lesser soldiers can naturally retreat.

Lord Amade will forgive us."

"Leave?" Magic Puppet Billy shook its head. "What will happen to our territory if we go? What of the Nightmare Spirits we've cultivated?

A skilled Nightmare Spirit can provide us with a dose of the Power of Nightmare in just one night. If they die, we'll have to start all over.

But Lord Amade's taxes won't wait for us to finish rearing them!"

Magic Puppet Billy turned to look at the Black Knights charging into the swamp, determination in its eyes.

"Black Robe Charlie, you can leave. You're just one subordinate, and you've never held anything dear in your territory, so surviving is your greatest victory. But I am different; I can't let my domain be destroyed by these black bastards.

My domain, fostered for over three hundred years, must not fall to these wretched fiends!"

Richard, observing Magic Puppet Billy, suddenly realized that even Nightmare creatures had lives.

These Nightmare creatures had their own preferences and convictions. Perhaps most of Magic Puppet Billy's resolve was to pay the taxes later, to avoid devolving back into a Nightmare Spirit.

But within that determination, there might truly be a will to protect its domain.

"Magic Puppet Billy, could you spare me one of your Murder Puppets?" Richard suddenly asked.

"Hmm? Why do you suddenly want that thing?" Magic Puppet Billy was bemused.

"It's nothing," Richard said lightly. "Just for a keepsake. I'm planning to try my luck in other domains."

Magic Puppet Billy stared at Richard, surprised, but then sighed softly.

"You're in luck."

After saying this, Magic Puppet Billy summoned a murderous puppet half the size of a human and obediently came to Richard's side.

Richard pocketed it and then left the battlefield without looking back.

At this moment, he had enough Power of Nightmare; there was no need to fight to the death with these Black Knights. He did have ten Soul Seeds, but until he became a Great Wizard, each one used was one less he had.

...

Several days later, in the wilderness, both of Richard's doppelgangers returned to his side, transforming back into Power of Nightmare.

Richard divided this Power of Nightmare into several portions and began to refine it with his spiritual power.

Richard's spiritual power was originally at ninety, and after taking Soul Essence a few times, it reached ninety-nine point nine. To go any higher would require a large amount of Soul Essence.

"Ga, how nice. Share some with me once you're done refining," Ulysses said as he drooled over the Soul Essence in Richard's hands.

"Share with you?" Richard glanced at him, "Can your soul projection even consume Soul Essence?"

Ulysses was taken aback by the question, then somewhat angrily stomped his foot and exclaimed,

"Ga, why can't a soul projection devour Soul Essence! ***** (Gods' curse)"

Although one cannot meditate in the Nightmare World, efficient sleep allowed Richard's spiritual power to recover quickly.

In the wilderness, it took Richard over a month to refine enough Soul Essence he needed. Looking at the remaining Power of Nightmare, Richard took the Dagger from the murderous puppet's hand and then pulled out three more of the same Dagger from his Magic Pocket.

[Material: Dagger of the Murder Puppet (×3)]

[Refinable Rule: Dream Rules (extremely incomplete)]

[Refinement Consumption: 6 spiritual power]

Due to Amade's arrival, the action of the doppelganger that transformed into the Nightmare Spirit was very slow. By the time it returned to Richard, the Nightmare Creations obtained in the mansion had all transformed into Power of Nightmare, and naturally, the Dream Rules had disappeared.

Thus, the only thing left in Richard's hands was the nightmare rule within the Daggers obtained from Magic Puppet Billy.

"Refine."

As the Soul Power drained, a black Light Ball appeared above the Melter, and Richard merged it into his body. The next moment, he felt as if he'd been stamped with some kind of mark.

Afterward, Richard felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

In this Nightmare World, it was as if Richard had returned to the Wizard World.

However, the Dream Rules didn't grant Richard any special abilities, whether it was because the rules were too few or some other reason was unknown.

After the rules were refined, Richard took out a Pioneer creation from his Magic Pocket.

[Material: Broken Pioneer Creation]

[Refinable Information: Dream World Communication Technology (moderately incomplete)]

[Refinement Consumption: 50 spiritual power]

[Refinable Information: Nightmare Crystal Making Technology]

[Refinement Consumption: 200 spiritual power]

Looking at the staggering cost of refinement, Richard couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Complete Pioneer technology obviously wasn't easy to refine.

But at the same time, a question arose in Richard's mind.

The traces of the Pioneer civilization were so widespread, from the Wizard World to the Insect Nest World, and even to another dimension's Nightmare World.

Even their leftover communication technology required Richard to become a Three Rings Wizard to refine.

What kind of disaster had such a powerful civilization experienced to disappear from the annals of history?

Suddenly, an unknown fear descended upon Richard's heart. It wasn't overwhelming, but it twisted around his inner self like vines, impossible to eradicate.

Richard took a deep breath and refined the Dream World Communication Technology.

Now that he was about to leave the Nightmare World, he definitely couldn't take this device with him; he could only leave it behind for Bones as a backup.

Through the connection of the naming, Richard spent half a month locating Bones, who was wandering in the wilderness, and had Ulysses deliver the device to him.

"Ga, kiddo, take good care of this thing. Your master has sustained serious injuries right now. Although he doesn't need to be resurrected for the time being, he needs to rest for a while. During this resting period, live well and improve your strength if possible."

After speaking, Ulysses handed over the Pioneer's Crystal Creation, along with some of Richard's unnecessary Nightmare Crystals and the Dagger-less Murder Puppet to Bones.

Bones looked at Richard's supplies with a flash of surprise and determination in his eyes.

Then, Richard swallowed the Soul Essence and his soul instantly left the Nightmare World, arriving in a space of utter darkness and void.

A breakthrough to the status of Second Ring Wizard did not require the recognition of the Wizard World Origin; as long as one met the conditions, it could happen anywhere.

"The Soul Darkness... such a familiar place."

Fifty years later, changes began to occur in Richard's body that was in the Secret Realm, as the magic power of the entire realm surged towards his body.

The transformation began.

Three months later, Richard opened his eyes and stood up from the ground.

"I, the unbeaten, have returned!"