Versatile Mage (Web Novel)

Over in the Antarctic, thin blue threads formed on the quiet sea and gathered into a mirror. The thin mirror floated on the cold seawater. Then, it slowly turned into thick glaciers that covered the vast, icy waters.

This icy coldness kept spreading. In a few months' time, it was already affecting the whole world. 𝖋𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖜𝔢𝔟𝖓𝖔𝔳𝔢𝔩.𝔠𝖔𝔪

Many parts of the Blue Sea Trees in the Fanxue Mountain area were visible in China. These trees kept the beaches clean by absorbing ocean silt. So, they created a pristine wetland along the coast.

After the restless sea settled down, the Ocean Demons had a smaller area to move around.

Rivers and lakes were connected to the ocean. But when the invading seawater pulled back, the Ocean Demons found it hard to enter the water systems of big cities through those rivers.

The war along the coastline was not as bad anymore. Some Ocean Demons still wandered around, and many nests were left, but the fight had changed from a nationwide sea battle to a 20,000-kilometer cleanup. It showed that the country had made it through its toughest times.

The welcoming ceremony at Pearl Institute officially started. After Dean Xiao gave his same old, long speech, he turned to Mo Fan.

"Now, it's Mo Fan's turn to speak. Feel free to ask questions," Dean Xiao said.

Mo Fan walked up to the stage and saw a large audience.

Whenever Mo Fan spoke on stage, he would feel a bit nervous. He knew himself well. Knowing that his words and actions might influence the country's young people, he felt some pressure.

"Let's get straight to the Q&A session. Does anyone have any questions?" Mo Fan was unsure of what to say, so he asked the new students to ask him questions.

This time, Pearl Institute had a much larger number of new students. It was hard to say if it was due to environmental pressure or just more people wanting to become mages. Pearl Institute, which used to have strict admission standards, had also accepted more students this time.

"Hi, Mo Fan. I'm Chen Maiya. There's something I've been wanting to tell you in person for a while." A lively girl with shoulder-length hair stood up and spoke.

Mo Fan found her familiar, but he could not remember where he had seen her before.

"Chen Maiya… Maiya?!" Mo Fan suddenly remembered her, and he was surprised.

She was the girl from the resettlement town! He remembered how her pure heart had helped him during his fight with Red Demon Lu Kun. Without her, he might not have been able to defeat the Red Demon.

Huh?

She was already old enough to be in college?

He thought that she was a child! Or had he always been wrong about her age?

She previously had a darker complexion and appeared weak as well as malnourished. But she looked different and friendly today. Her skin, though not fair, was also healthy and glowing.

Her features had matured, and her lively smile was so charming that it evoked affection and fondness in others.

"Yes. It's me. It's been a while, Mo Fan," Chen Maiya said with her familiar smile and pure gaze.

It was obvious that Chen Maiya was looking forward to seeing him; her eyes were shining. She looked at Mo Fan like he was a caring older brother and a hero.

"I didn't expect you to be here at Pearl Institute. Are you a mage now?" Mo Fan asked with a smile.

"Yes. I'm a Summoning Element Mage, just like you," Chen Maiya replied.

Mo Fan remembered that when he first joined Pearl Institute, he was also a Summoning Element Mage. This reminded him of his early days at the institute. Despite having some disagreements with his classmates, he still returned to Pearl Institute with honor.

"Chen Maiya, do you have any questions for Mo Fan?" Dean Xiao asked.

Chen Maiya shook her head and said, "I don't have any questions, but I have something to say to those who've been protecting us. We've all grown up. Thank you for everything you've done."

Mo Fan looked at her sincere, confident smile and could not find the words to respond.

At that moment, he thought of many people.

His journey was similar to Chen Maiya's, with a mentor figure coming into his life to guide him. He never thought he would become that kind of person himself.

Her simple words almost brought him to tears.

As he got older, he found himself more moved by such sentiments.

In the end, Mo Fan could not even remember what he had said.

Even though Dean Xiao's speeches were the same every year, Mo Fan finally understood the meaning of legacy.

Nothing in the world lasted forever, including himself. Even if Mo Fan reached the same level as Wen Tai, his time would eventually come to an end.

Would it truly be the end, though?

Pearl Institute would continue, the world would continue, and magic would continue.

Accepting the passage of time and passing on his will was far greater than the lifeless monuments on the Dark Plane.

The morning glow was beautiful, and so were the smiles of the young students. Mo Fan suddenly felt reassured. He knew that even if he were no longer around, there would still be people to protect and continue the legacy of Pearl Institute, the City of Belonging, and the country.

…

"Lingling, thank you," Chen Maiya said with a satisfied smile as she stood before Lingling.

After all these years, she finally had the chance to thank Mo Fan in person.

"He has saved so many people. But very few have set Pearl Institute as their goal and insisted on thanking him in person like you," Lingling said.

Chen Maiya just smiled in response. She was happy about fulfilling her long-standing wish.

"I've seen your grades. They're excellent. You're doing better than many of your peers in the Fire Element and Summoning Element. If everything goes well, you'll also be an outstanding graduate. You might even have a chance to participate in the World College Tournament," Lingling said.

In fact, Lingling was not much older than Chen Maiya.

However, Lingling was a senior student and Mo Fan's right-hand woman. She had much more experience in social and combat situations than Chen Maiya. While she was a student, she usually attended meetings with people at Dean Xiao's level.

"Yeah. It seems like I have talent. I also work hard," Chen Maiya replied.

"You're skilled in battles. I've seen your records. You already have a hunter badge, and your level isn't considered low," Lingling said.

"Yes. I joined a few hunter teams in high school and carried out some missions on the outskirts during the Ocean Demon war." Chen Maiya nodded.

"Your experience is impressive. You're a promising hunter," Lingling said as she flipped through Chen Maiya's file.

The student's resume was quite ordinary. It only showed that Chen Maiya was a top student. But after reading through the other information about Chen Maiya, Lingling felt like she had found a treasure.

Chen Maiya might appear weak and naive, but she had remarkable wilderness experiences comparable to Mo Fan when he first joined the school. What was even more impressive was that she had been specially recognized for hunting down a ruler-level Ocean Demon!

With such an achievement, Pearl Institute would have been eager to admit her, regardless of her academic performance.

No wonder Dean Xiao had mentioned her multiple times and encouraged Lingling to interact with her more.

"I've got you two ice creams. The milk tea flavor is for you, and the mango flavor is for you." Mo Fan walked over from a corner of the park. He held two ice creams in his hands and controlled a popsicle with mind control.

The popsicle was for himself. He handed the two ice creams to the two girls.

"Mo Fan, from now on, Maiya belongs to me," Lingling declared as she took the ice cream with a serious expression.

"What do you mean? Although Maiya is so attractive that both guys and girls like her, you can't just openly snatch her away like this," Mo Fan replied. He was puzzled by Lingling's excited demeanor.

Lingling was proud and very selective about who she favored.

"Yeah, so you won't have to worry about me bringing some random guy to see you in the future," Lingling added sarcastically.

Her words made Maiya blush. Nervously, she said to Lingling and Mo Fan, "I… I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mo Fan, I'm officially kicking you out of the Clearsky Hunter Agency. Maiya will take your place," Lingling announced.

"Because I'm too old?" Mo Fan's eyes widened.

"You've got too much going on and have to deal with the emotions of your admirers. You're just not focused on hunting anymore. And with your current level, the hunting bounties available to you are too limited," Lingling explained.

With Mo Fan's current strength, most of the tasks that required his involvement had significant implications for the base city and the country. However, Lingling could not always join him on these missions.

This situation frustrated Lingling to no end!

She missed the old days when Mo Fan struggled financially, had low cultivation, and needed to improve. During that time, they had plenty of tasks and exciting challenges to tackle together.

Currently, Mo Fan only sought her out when faced with particularly tough problems.

The main issue was that he was a Forbidden Mage. His level would restrict him.

To Lingling, it was a pity that Mo Fan had become a Forbidden Mage.

"You're inviting me?" Chen Maiya was somewhat shocked.

The Clearsky Hunter Agency was well-known. Mo Fan and Lingling were even a legendary duo in the hunter community.

Chen Maiya was surprised to receive an invitation from Lingling, and it was to become her partner!

"Lingling, you've changed. I always knew that being a hunter mattered more to you than anything else, and you didn't truly care about me. Fine. Since you've made your decision, I'll just leave!" Mo Fan pounded his chest and stomped his foot. He felt a mix of resignation and bitterness, similar to how a father might feel when his daughter started neglecting him after getting married.

"Give me the badge," Lingling said and ignored Mo Fan's theatrics.

"I've just been a bit busy. Please don't kick me out." Mo Fan did not give up.

"I want to go on a mission!" said Lingling.

Mo Fan glanced at Chen Maiya.

Honestly, Mo Fan had strong senses. He could sense that Chen Maiya possessed a powerful Nebula, much stronger than her peers. It reminded him of his own confidence back when he could take on the entire school alone.

However, Chen Maiya was more reserved. She gave off an impression of needing protection rather than displaying her strength.

She and Lingling were around the same age and showed exceptional potential. She seemed like an ideal partner for Lingling.

Lingling was much more powerful than her peers, which often left her feeling bored. As she got older, it was harder to find people who could keep up with her.

Chen Maiya, however, stood out as an exceptional talent, and Lingling was keen on teaming up with her.

Actually, this was a good thing. This way, Lingling would not feel as lonely anymore.

"Alright then, the Mo Fan-Lingling duo is now history. The Lingling-Maiya duo is born and set to become legends of their time!" Mo Fan sighed and accepted this reality.