Lynn was not new to taking magic potions. He had already studied potion-making and understood how to use his mental power to guide the potion's effects to maximize its benefits.
As the potion entered his stomach, a warm energy quickly spread throughout his body.
A refreshing sensation surged into his mind, akin to eating a mint candy, instantly making him feel exceptionally clear-headed.
But unlike an ordinary sense of freshness, this feeling was intense and profound, as if cleansing the dust from his soul.
His mental power became extraordinarily active. As it circulated faster, even the energy particles in the air seemed to respond, rushing into his body.
At that moment, Lynn felt as if he were enveloped by a light and gentle force. His previously exhausted body gradually regained vitality.
That long-lost sense of comfort made him feel refreshed, and his energy was greatly restored.
The night passed in silence.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on Lynn's face, gently waking him from his meditation.
He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and bright, as if filled with an invisible force.
"My mental field has become significantly more active. If this continues steadily, breaking through to a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice may not be far off."
Lynn let out a deep breath, feeling clear-headed and confident.
War was dangerous, but it was also a redistribution of resources, bringing opportunities that were usually out of reach.
Without this war, he would never have gained access to the Nightshadow Fortress's potion vault and obtained such precious resources.
If he had relied solely on his wages from serving the Furnace, it would have taken him an untold amount of time to advance to a Level 3 Wizard Apprentice.
But now, with these potions, he was confident that he could raise his mental power to 15 points within two months and attempt to break through.
However, his brows soon furrowed. Despite the benefits he had gained, he knew that his current location was still unsafe it was far too close to the Nightshadow Fortress.
Even though he had successfully escaped their control and had been traveling for an entire day and night, if the wizards of the Nightshadow Fortress could fly, tracking him down would be all too easy.
This small town was still within their sphere of influence, meaning he could be discovered at any time.
Lynn was fully aware that, no matter what, he had to leave as soon as possible.
Wizards were the supernatural elites of this world, standing at the top of the hierarchy, but they were still a minority.
Most people in this world lacked the potential to become wizards. They were called "Muggles," and the principal power structures of the world duchies, kingdoms, and empires were built by them.
The relationship between wizards and these ordinary nations was often one of dominance and subjugation.
Powerful supernatural factions always held control over the surrounding duchies, kingdoms, and empires.
Just like in Lynn's previous life, where a king needed the Pope's recognition to ascend the throne, the rulers of this world also required the acknowledgment of a great wizard to claim power.
The Furnace, as a Level 4 force, controlled the Kingdom of Elruvia. The entire kingdom was under its dominion.
Meanwhile, the Nightshadow Fortress and the Bitterheart Sect resided within the Duchy of Saram.
The Duchy of Saram had multiple Level 3 factions that collectively controlled the nation's political affairs.
Between these two nations was the Duchy of Kaishira. It, too, had been governed by multiple Level 3 factions until the Furnace's invasion.
Since the war began, more than half of Kaishira's factions had been wiped out. A few more campaigns and the duchy would likely be annexed into the Kingdom of Elruvia.
After all, the so-called Kingdom of Elruvia had once been nothing more than a small duchy itself.
It was only when the Furnace produced a Level 4 wizard that its expansion began, growing stronger and eventually becoming the kingdom it is today.
In short, for Lynn to return to the Furnace, he would need to cross three countries.
Apprentices of the Furnace could use powerful teleportation arrays to travel effortlessly, but Lynn could now only rely on his own two legs making his return all the more difficult.
As a Level 2 Wizard Apprentice, he could not fly. Crossing three nations on foot was no small feat.
Fortunately, the Furnace had established a second battlefront within the Duchy of Saram.
This meant that Lynn didn't have to traverse all three countries. If he could reach that battlefront, he could deliver the information about what had happened here.
This gave him a glimmer of hope.
"The Emerald Isle Forest is in the southern part of the Duchy of Saram, while the Pale Moon Plateau is in the west. The two are separated by two provinces. If I travel on horseback, I should be able to reach my destination in about a month."
Before being conscripted, Lynn had prepared for the journey by purchasing a map of the Duchy of Saram. Now, it was finally proving useful.
Unlike ordinary maps, this was a wizard's map, vastly different from the ones used by commoners.
Its most significant feature was that it marked the locations of all supernatural forces.
Every wizard faction, wizard family, and wizard trading post within the Duchy of Saram was clearly labeled.
"About fifty miles from here, there's a larger city. I can go there to get a good horse, then avoid any supernatural forces and head straight for the Pale Moon Plateau."
Lynn traced a route on the map, carefully avoiding all known wizard factions.
He understood that the situation was volatile. The Nightshadow Fortress and the Bitterheart Sect had already allied. No one could be certain whether the other Level 2 wizard factions or wizard families in the duchy would join forces to oppose the Furnace.
Thus, he had no intention of taking risks and preferred to avoid all supernatural forces entirely.
As for why he wasn't getting a horse in this small town, Lynn had his reasons he was completely broke.
If he were to rob someone in this town and steal a horse, it would be too conspicuous, attracting unwanted trouble and potentially exposing his whereabouts.
On the other hand, acquiring money in a large city and then purchasing a horse would be much safer. Crime was more common in big cities, and a single incident wouldn't cause too much of a stir.
Lynn couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.
"A dignified Level 2 Wizard Apprentice… yet I'm stuck worrying about money."
"Who could have predicted that the Furnace would suffer such a crushing defeat? I always thought the Black Dragon Witch had everything under control, but she got completely overturned in the end."
After all, the Furnace's past wars had either been steamrolling victories or prolonged battles where they won through sheer resource expenditure.
For a hundred years, the Furnace had never experienced such a devastating loss especially not one involving the apprentice of the Furnace's master himself.
Losing with such an advantage… The Black Dragon Witch's reputation was bound to take a severe hit.
Of course, reputation was the least of her concerns. Whether she could even survive was another question entirely.
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