Chapter 197 - 1: Pilot Kid, Another Blockbuster Theory, A Strong Person’s Treatment

Chapter 197: Chapter 1: Pilot Kid, Another Blockbuster Theory, A Strong Person’s Treatment

The academy’s Wizard council quickly approved the proposal, deciding to experimentally form a Flying Corps composed of one hundred Black Tower Triangular Wings.

Just one month ago, the Black Tower Flying Corps conducted its first large-scale drill and demonstrated the stunning effect of cluster bombing to two of the council’s Wizards.

According to what Mo Ning heard from Nasha, the council’s Wizards were apparently quite pleased with the results.

The Flying Corps was successfully commissioned and received official standing within the academy, becoming one of its armed forces.

Lord Hede, just as he’d hoped, became the first commander of the Flying Corps, gaining even greater influence within the academy.

This Lord Hede, it turned out, was a shrewd man who understood the principle of returning a favor for a favor.

In his proposal, he described Mo Ning as the one who "contributed an ingenious set of tactics."

As a result, Mo Ning received another bonus reward of 500 Black Tower Points and four bottles of Magic Potion.

Strictly speaking, Hede’s modification of the Triangular Wing went somewhat against established custom.

According to the rules among Wizards, one was free to modify any Witchcraft for which they had purchased the model.

For pioneering creations like the Triangular Wing, however, it was customary to seek the original inventor’s consent as a sign of respect. Lord Hede had clearly been too hasty.

But for the money’s sake, Mo Ning didn’t complain publicly.

For one thing, with his abilities at the time, he really couldn’t have modified it into the more advanced Powered Triangular Wing.

For another, he had even better ideas in mind. From his perspective, bombing runs with the Powered Triangular Wing were already a "generation-old" tactic, so he didn’t think much of it.

Of course, Mo Ning was well aware that with the illustrious "Rose Judge," Yi Lin, backing him, Lord Hede wouldn’t have dared to not offer up some benefits.

He now knew that his Deep Red Rose Witchcraft Laboratory was one of the top five labs in the academy. How could Lord Hede possibly afford to antagonize them?

And after this whole series of dramatic events, Mo Ning had truly become the number one "star" among the current class of newcomers.

The once-prominent Sitt was now completely overshadowed.

Compared to Mo Ning, the former star of the show had been reduced to a dim firefly beside a brilliant moon.

The most awkward thing for Mo Ning was that in nearly every class—be it *Divination and Alchemy*, *Divination and Magic Pattern Study*, *Spiritual Creatures’ Divination Research*, or *Introduction to Meditation and Divination*—all the Apprentice instructors would invariably ask, "Who is Mo Ning?"

Time and again, he had no choice but to stand up, meet the instructor’s gaze with awkward politeness, and let them get a good look at his face.

And every time an instructor asked, his "prestige" among the newcomers quietly rose another notch.

This was especially true for the *Magic Potion Study* instructor, a Third Level Apprentice named Wada, who would call on him several times each class to answer a question about Divination.

Mo Ning had nowhere to hide and couldn’t feign ignorance. He could only dutifully give the correct answer, which would earn him the praise, "A clever Pilot."

Honestly, he found the instructors’ persistence hard to understand.

During a casual chat, Anya cleared up his confusion with a smile.

"Any Third Level Apprentice who is serious about their academic career would never pass up the chance to meet a Divination genius. Who knows, you might have opportunities to collaborate in the future."

The Noble Lady didn’t mention that this was also Auntie Nasha’s way of doing things.

It was only then that understanding dawned on Mo Ning.

’I’ve been keeping a low profile lately, but I guess those research papers couldn’t escape notice. It’s only natural I’d draw attention. No wonder the instructors are always looking my way in class.’

He was secretly relieved that the dozen or so articles he’d submitted to *Shine* were all under the pen name "The River Flows Eastward." Otherwise, a Lord Wizard might have actually shown up at his door.

"Alright!"

Third Level Apprentice Stone Soul, his face as impassive as ever, delivered his customary closing remarks:

"Only by understanding the path Witchcraft has traveled can we better explore the unknown. Let’s conclude today’s lecture on Chapter four of *Epic of Witchcraft* here."

"Everyone, we have concluded our study of the magnificent history of the First Ancient Wizard Empire. Next class, we will turn the page to the annals of the Second Empire."

Stone Soul’s lectures were incredibly dense with information, clearly outlining the developmental history of Secret Divination and Divination. This saved the newcomers a tremendous amount of time and effort compared to studying on their own.

Plus, since the course only cost a few Black Tower Points, not a single newcomer missed a class, even after it became an elective.

From this perspective, the academy was actually quite fair. At the very least, it was diligently disseminating the Knowledge of Divination, laying a solid foundation for the newcomers’ future advancement.

Just as he had every time before, the moment he said the word "here," Stone Soul deftly tossed out a handful of Instant Shadow Powder.

A pale flame flared up, instantly consuming his figure and leaving only a faint echo reverberating through the amphitheater.

In the braziers atop the massive surrounding stone pillars, the dancing serpents of fire shrank back as if going into hibernation, and the roaring flames dimmed.

The newcomers quickly gathered the thick stacks of notes from their desks and flooded like a river toward the steps leading down the mountain.

Mo Ning and the two young women fell behind, as usual.

The other newcomers, long aware that "Mr. Aviator" preferred to walk at the back, all packed their belongings with swift efficiency, instinctively clearing an open path for him.

Imperceptibly, Mo Ning’s meteoric rise in status had profoundly altered the internal hierarchy among the newcomers.