Chapter 332 - 308: The Twisted System’s First Lesson

Chapter 332: Chapter 308: The Twisted System’s First Lesson

’Manifestation? Isn’t that related to Projection? It seems Professor Hazled is just like me, also a combination of Twist and Manifestation.’

’Just as I thought. I’m not the only one with this unique combination!’

’Perfect. I can ask him about Manifestation in the future. I can kill two birds with one stone!’

A strange sense of confidence welled up in Lloyd. He quickly gathered the tables and chairs that had ’grown legs’ and arranged them into a single, overly spacious desk. He then sat down properly, reached out to stroke the surface, and tested its texture.

He had to admit, although it looked a bit old, it felt exceptionally real. Even the weather-beaten texture was perfectly replicated.

"Your Projection is incredible. It’s so realistic."

Lloyd couldn’t help but offer a compliment.

But the professor explained:

"No, these aren’t Projections. They’re actually real. I used the power of Manifestation to grant them simple, fleeting lives."

"Huh? You can do that?"

"Of course. Manifestation is a truly wondrous system. Especially when combined with Twist, it can perform what many would consider ’Miracles.’ If you’re interested, I can teach you, step by step."

After speaking, Professor Hazled gestured for Lloyd to release a small amount of his inspiration.

As Lloyd did so, his inspiration detected an unseen, formless figure in the air, coalesced from a mysterious power.

The technique was consistent with his ’Childhood Sweetheart’s’ usual methods, only it lacked her characteristic warmth and gentleness. Instead, it felt exceptionally authoritative, while still retaining an air of kindness.

Lloyd remembered that Hildina was also the professor’s star pupil. ’Is this some kind of skill passed down from master to student?’

Then, Professor Hazled spoke again:

"Alright, relax. Don’t be nervous, and don’t let your mind wander. I’m going to examine your current state. Rest assured, I won’t pry into your thoughts or memories."

Lloyd quickly shook his head, casting the jumble of thoughts from his mind.

He then felt a gaze pierce the gray, hazy canopy above and fall upon him.

The scene gave Lloyd an inevitable sense of déjà vu—

His ’Childhood Sweetheart’ had sized him up in the same way, her gaze just as gentle, without a hint of hostility or any sense of condescending pressure.

Even the surroundings were nearly identical...

’They really were taught by the same master...’

After a few seconds, the gaze vanished. Professor Hazled was lost in thought for several minutes before he finally spoke:

"Your mental state is far healthier than I anticipated. Your life form is identical to that of a normal human, yet you possess rather remarkable Extraordinary Attributes. It’s truly incredible. It’s almost as if..."

He trailed off, seeming to hesitate before continuing.

But his tone wasn’t one of great surprise. He wasn’t jumpy and shocked like those two so-called experts Weiya had found. It seemed he had encountered individuals like Lloyd more than once.

Considering this was Mizkatoke, a place renowned for its brilliant minds, Lloyd wasn’t surprised. He no longer dared to underestimate the great figures of the world.

’But what was the professor trying to say? Why did he stop halfway through?’

Naturally, Lloyd was curious, so he ventured to ask in a humble tone:

"...as if I’m a peerless, once-in-a-century genius?"

Professor Hazled was momentarily speechless...

After several seconds, he replied in a tone that was both amused and exasperated:

"You are quite the character... When Hildina mentioned you, she only said you were hardworking and driven, exceptionally talented, and possessed a strong sense of justice. She hoped I would look out for you. She certainly never mentioned you could be so full of yourself, did she?

I don’t know whether to call you arrogant or overly humble...

Never mind... Strictly speaking, descriptions like ’once-in-a-century’ or ’peerless genius’ are hardly sufficient to describe your condition. Someone like you... you remind me of the Radiant Gold of the past."

"Hm? What’s that?"

"It’s a title for the most powerful figures of the past Era of Brilliance, describing them as being as radiant and dazzling as gold."

"Wow! Thank you for such high praise. I’ll do my best to live up to my potential!"

"Haha, Hildina is just like you. She’s also very fond of that title. It’s why she named the city under her Shelter ’Radiant.’ I suppose she hopes that a new generation of Radiant Gold will one day be born there, doesn’t she?"

Professor Hazled had been speaking with a smile, but his expression suddenly shifted, and his tone grew low and serious:

"However, I don’t entirely agree with her thinking. While I won’t interfere or try to stop her, I still believe such an idea is too bold, too reckless. It’s one of the few points of conflict between us, master and student...

I have always believed that humanity in this new era should not cling to a past that is long gone. We must find our own new path. That’s why, in Mizkatoke, the person I dislike the most isn’t Lawrence, but that pack of barbarians from the Ancient Magic System."

Lloyd took a moment to process all this information, then quickly pressed for more:

"Huh? Was the Era of Brilliance a bad thing? I don’t know much about it, but didn’t humanity achieve all sorts of astonishing feats back then? They also occupied a much wider living Space and held Domination over far more resources."