Chapter 10: Tavern

In this multiverse, even though there are nearly unbreakable dimensional barriers between the major planes, it doesn’t mean there is no interaction between them.

On the contrary, interactions between planes usually happen for various reasons.

These interactions could be as small as summoning each other or cooperating in battles;

Or as large as plane invasions, leading to war.

If the Internet God isn’t actually the god of the Azaea Continent, things could get really complicated!

At best, he might just be here to spread his faith and harvest essence;

At worst, he might have some sinister, hidden motives, like plundering souls, seizing resources, or even directly taking over the plane.

Judging from the Internet God’s prayer, ‘The Great Being from the Azure Star,’ nearly all the mages could confirm that he is indeed an Outer God.

So what is his purpose in coming here?

No one could guess.

The emergency meeting finally ended in a heavy atmosphere.

Three of the four pillars of the Kewell Empire decided to meet with the Internet God.

The overwhelming force that has swept across due to the Internet Divine Magic is no longer something they can stop, unless they kill the Internet God and resolve the source of the issue.

But how can a god be so easily killed?

So, meeting him, getting to know him better, and then deciding what to do next is undoubtedly the most rational choice.

In a meditation chamber engraved with Magic Seals, Dundar, under the protection of Zimor and Besse, began to chant the Internet God’s prayer, summoning the Internet.

Soon, Dundar fell silent.

He was waiting for a response from the Internet God. The anti-god Magic Seal formation here had already been deactivated. With Dundar’s unique soul power, he believed he would surely attract the Internet God’s attention.

And he waited… for half an hour.

“This…” Dundar furrowed his brows.

Zimor and Besse exchanged glances.

After a brief moment of reflection, Dundar vibrated his soul power and whispered, “I am Dundar, the headmaster of Felix Magic Academy. Honorable Internet God, I believe there may be some misunderstanding between us. Could we meet and discuss this in detail?”

Barely two seconds passed when the virtual scroll suddenly flashed.

Dundar raised an eyebrow, noticing that within the unique social account created by his soul waves, someone had suddenly sent him a message.

As he opened it, he saw that his friend list had inexplicably gained a new contact—none other than the Internet God.

The message read: “Sure! I’ve heard that the ‘Warrior’s Blood’ beer in front of your school is quite good. Let’s meet there at 8 p.m.!”

Feeling a bit uneasy, Dundar replied, “As you wish, esteemed Internet God.”

After the chat ended, Dundar looked uneasy.

This Internet God… seems quite friendly, doesn’t he?

No, no, no!

A sinister god is always adept at disguises. Do not be fooled by him.

……

……

The night was pitch black, with a gentle breeze blowing.

Inside the ‘Wizard’s Hat’ tavern, Desowa sat at the bar, silently sipping his Pioneer’s Punch.

The tavern’s liveliness seemed unrelated to him.

Although the school had not officially issued his expulsion letter, Desowa, who had caused a scene in the classroom, decided to leave on his own, not giving the school the chance to expel him.

This drink today might be his last in Willis City.

Tomorrow, he would leave to pursue freedom.

Regret it?

Perhaps.

After all, this was where he had studied and sought the Way. It was also where he rose to fame, and where he met…

Forget it. Given his current bad reputation, people avoid him like the plague. Friends? Just forget about them too!

“Hey, buddy, can you buy me a drink?”

The voice that interrupted Desowa’s melancholy thoughts came from a young man dressed in a peculiar black jacket, with a white shirt underneath, paired with blue coarse-fiber trousers, who was smiling at him.

Has the renowned magic prodigy of Felix fallen so low that even vagrants are asking him to buy them drinks?

Desowa nodded towards the bartender, signaling him to place the order.

“Thanks! I’ll have a Warrior’s Blood.”

After making the order, the young man sat beside him, saying, “Bro, you seem really down. Did your girlfriend dump you?”

Desowa rolled his eyes.

The bartender brought over a crimson cocktail and teased, “This guy is Felix’s magic prodigy. He’s the one who does the dumping; who would dare to dump him?”

Desowa shot back at the bartender, “You’ve got a big mouth!”

The bartender chuckled and said, “This Warrior’s Blood is on me. Oh, and thanks for the Mithril Ring you gave me. I must say, it opened up a whole new world for me. Now, I can barely count as a magic apprentice myself!”

With that, the bartender proudly spread open his right hand, and a flicker of flame sprang up from his palm.

It was the most basic and least useful of fire magic—the Burning Hand.

But it was also a mage’s romance!

“Congratulations!”

Desowa flashed a knowing smile.

The path to magic cultivation is at its happiest when one can successfully cast a spell for the first time.

No matter how useless or impractical it is!

“Future great mage, accept my congratulations!” The bartender grinned from ear to ear, beaming with pride.

But his sense of pride was soon shattered.

“Pfft, just being able to cast a small flame and you’re calling yourself a noble magic apprentice? Then I suppose I am too?” A young mercenary clad in leather armor raised his hand beside the bar, and a more intense and vivid crimson flame burst from his palm.

“Oh my god, Little Corin, you’ve become a magic apprentice?”

“When did you guys become magic apprentices?”

The young mercenary and bartender immediately became the center of attention, drawing astonished gasps from the tavern patrons.

“If I’m not mistaken, you guys learned it through the Internet, didn’t you?” Someone with disdain for the young man’s show-off pointed out the crucial element.

“The Internet? What’s that?”

“Here, this is the Internet! Take my advice and buy a few more Internet Rings quickly. Get one for each of your friends and family. Then, not only will you be able to communicate anytime and anywhere, but you can also learn magic, Battle Qi, or Divine Magic. There’s everything, even cooking recipes!”

“You can learn magic with this?”

Those near the bar who were unaware were stunned!

Further away, some customers perked up and listened attentively, their curiosity piqued.

“Of course! As long as you have points, you can even learn forbidden magic! Take a look at this Library. I bet there are more books here than there are in Felix Magic Academy!”

“And there are not only magic books but also online courses. Check this out! It’s just like Felix Magic Academy, except they teach online. Last night, I attended a lecture by ‘Young Mentor,’ and it was incredible! I feel like I’m going to become a powerful mage!”

“You’re lucky! The latest Internet update allows login via prayer. Back then, I had to spend two gold coins just to get a Mithril Ring. It pissed me off!”

“But praying to log in isn’t great. It can easily make you tired. Magic Seals login is still the best.”

At this moment, those who didn’t know frantically tried to gather information.

Those who did know didn’t treat it as a secret. They activated Internet Divine Magic right there, spitting out introductions while watching others gape in astonishment, feeling immensely satisfied.

“Captain Harriman, have you signed up as an online course instructor? I saw the recruitment ad. Given your Battle Master level, you can certainly become a Battle Qi instructor.”

Someone greeted a mercenary captain.

“Haha, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t signed up. I passed the review this afternoon. After I handle some matters over the next couple of days, I’ll start teaching!”

Captain Harriman, his face glowing with excitement, said so. In the social culture of the Kewell Empire, becoming an instructor was a very prestigious and respectable profession.

Even as someone like Captain Harriman, who is considered middle-class, he found it tremendously honorable to become an instructor!

Don’t be fooled by his claim of ‘handling some matters.’ The truth is, does he really have anything to do? It’s more likely he’s too nervous and afraid to start.

These past few days, he had been constantly planning how he would teach to appear knowledgeable and live up to his title as a Battle Master.

Thinking about how, in a few days, he would become an honored Battle Qi instructor!

Not only would he gain fame in the Kewell Empire, but he would also earn significant points to exchange for advanced Battle Qi techniques. Captain Harriman excitedly raised his glass and shouted, “Praise the Internet God!”

“Praise the Internet God!”

“Hahaha, I absolutely love the Internet God!”

Someone echoed enthusiastically.

And some drunkards expressed their love for the Internet God in their unique ways.

The tavern grew even more lively.

This had actually been happening for a few days now.

Whenever someone mentioned the Internet, goodness gracious, the tavern’s atmosphere would immediately rise a notch, with everyone jumping into the discussion.

From the accessible power of magic to the stories happening in some distant town, to the divine conspiracies discussed on the Forum, everyone had endless topics to talk about.

When excited, newly acquainted strangers would even activate Internet Divine Magic, add each other as friends, and agree to meet for drinks next time.

Unconsciously, people suddenly realized that life had become more hopeful.

Amidst the buzz, Desowa looked at the young man who had been quietly listening to the conversations the entire time and lifted his chin. “Hey, buddy, do you have an Internet magic tool?”

“Huh?” The young man was startled.

That look of surprise made Desowa guess something. He removed his Mithril Ring and tossed it over, saying, “Here! Just inject some soul power… uh, if you’re not a mage, focusing on it with your attention should also activate it. Pick a suitable power and give it your best shot!”

The young man caught the Mithril Ring, still looking stunned.

Desowa stood up, downed his Pioneer’s Punch in one gulp, and prepared to leave.

At that moment, the tavern’s lights suddenly brightened. The noisy atmosphere quieted down by a third, as countless pairs of eyes instinctively turned to see a group of noble mages exuding immense presence pushing open the door.