Chapter 908: The Clovis City
Now that he thinks about it, his luck has truly started after being able to obtain the pocket watch.
'Great grandpa... Please help me...' Armin prayed silently.
As he felt the activation of the Arcane Circle, Armin felt incredibly powerful for a moment as his body was filled with Arcane Energy. Soon, however, he felt a cold, creeping sensation enveloped him.
In an instant, he was no longer in the tent.
He stood alone in a dark, silent forest where the trees twisted as if they were alive.
'So this is the test of courage, huh...' Armin reminded himself. The fact that this test could help determine whether he could practice Forbidden Arts actually excited him.
He hadn't considered it before, but now, he was already thinking about what Forbidden Arts could he possibly be learned.
After all, who doesn't want to have a trump card? Anyone would want to have at least a powerful spell as a backup, even if it was a forbidden one. In any case, he would only use it if his life was being threatened.
'Right... If I can learn one someday, I want a Forbidden Art that could make me super strong and kill anyone I wanted.' Armin thought as he wanted to keep his mind busy.
If he wasn't mistaken, there were Forbidden Arts that could help him recover to full health, stay alive in any situation, or even escape from any danger. However, instead of such Forbidden Arts, he wanted something that could make him unstoppable.
Thud...
As he was trying to keep thinking of random things, the Formation Art started disturbing his mind.
Shadows danced around him, and he also started hearing whispers in harsh, taunting tones.
He couldn't understand them, but he kept reminding himself that it was just a test. After some time, something emerged from the shadows... It was a figure-one of the overseers from the orphanage where he had spent his childhood.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
"Ahh... What are you doing here?"
The figure then approached him in a hurry. He knew this person really well and one of the strictest people he knew in the orphanage... Nonetheless, this person triggered memories within him..
As this figure started getting closer, its face suddenly contorted with a cruel smile, reminding him of all his shortcomings every time he'd been told he wasn't enough.
"You..."
'So there's something like that... Incredible...' Armin thought.
The innkeeper was a friendly man named Jorn. He seemed genuinely pleased to host a new Marshall Academy student.
'I guess they have some benefits I'm not aware of...' Armin thought.
"Anything you need, you let me know, lad," Jorn had said, clapping him on the shoulder. "A student token from the Shadow Immortal's Academy goes a long way in Clovis City."
"Thank you, Mr. Jorn..."
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, Armin decided to explore Clovis City.
Clovis was bustling with its paved streets and was certainly alive with numerous merchants, street performers, and travelers.
'Street performers... They've been long gone in Melthorn City...' Armin commented in his
mind as his attention was turned to the shops.
There were Alchemist shops lined the roads, each with names as enchanting as the items they sold: The Cauldron's Dream, Arcane Essence, The Talon's Talisman.
Of course, Armin started looking at these shops...
They have shelves displaying vials of elixirs with all shades of color, alongside bins filled with
herbs, rare crystals, and peculiar trinkets.
Some stores even had small, intricately crafted golems-tiny automatons designed to perform specific tasks, like carrying a small bag or lighting candles with the flick of a
matchstick.
'This is incredible...'
Armin's eyes were particularly drawn to a store called Mystic Machinations, where rows of odd devices crafted by skilled magic artisans were displayed in the window.
Small orbs that radiated light on command, brass compasses that pointed not north but toward the source of arcane energy, and others he couldn't explain...
'Right... I should be able to find an appraiser here...' Armin thought as he held his pocket
watch.