Rebirth of the Noble Mage Behind the Scenes

"Lord Vio, I don't understand what you mean."

Landon shook his head while looking at the pendant in Anvis's hand, his gaze somewhat puzzled.

"It's simple, let's conduct a little test first, shall we? Do you see this talisman?"

With a mysterious smile, Anvis slowly extended his hand, gesturing for Landon to take the pendant from him.

"If I tell you now that by activating this talisman, you can break through to High Rank in a short amount of time and gain the strength powerful enough to control your own destiny, but as a consequence, the entire Federation would plunge into war."

"Then, tell me, would you choose to activate it?"

"To gain strength from activating this talisman, and to cause the Federation to fall into war? But Lord Vio, how could that be possible?"

Holding the talisman, Landon looked at Anvis with some bewilderment.

"Whether it truly has those capabilities is not important, Landon, that's just a hypothetical scenario I set for you. What really matters is the choice your heart makes," said Anvis with a relaxed shrug and a smile.

"As we know, this is a world where magic and miracles exist. Landon, if all of this were true, then would you choose to activate this talisman?"

"I..."

Gazing at the talisman in his hand, a plain stone carving resembling a small trinket, with its inconspicuous grey hue, Landon's heart involuntary began to ponder Anvis's 'what if' scenario.

On one side lies the strength that could be easily obtained, and on the other, the cost of the Federation descending into turmoil.

"Lord Vio, I think... if that were true, I probably wouldn't choose to activate it,"

After hesitating for a moment, Landon finally shook his head, ready to hand the talisman back to Anvis.

"Why refuse it? With strength, when you encounter a situation like before, you can keep what you've gained. Isn't that good?"

Walking towards Leia's room and sounding somewhat puzzled, Anvis gently waved his hand, not immediately taking the talisman from Landon.

"I indeed desire strength, but if my own desire leads others to pay the price for me, that is not what I want," Landon disagreed with Anvis's point as he shook his head.

"Is that so?"

After listening to Landon's explanation, Anvis nodded slightly.

"Kindness, a beautiful and luxurious quality. Possessing it isn't necessarily a bad thing," Anvis commented, looking intently at Landon, his tone gradually becoming more serious.

"However, I want you to understand something, Landon. Kindness is a privilege of the strong, but also a grave for the weak."

"Now, let's change the premise of our recent hypothetical. Suppose there's a powerful enemy preparing to target someone close to you, such as Leia or Frey.

Your own strength is insufficient and there's no time to call for help; you can only watch as it happens. By activating this talisman, you could gain the power to save them.

If the cost remains the same, how would you choose then?"

"I... but, they are currently under the protection of the Starfire Organization. If it's a crisis that even Prince Ray and Teacher Galo cannot fend off, how would my being any stronger change anything?"

Hearing this new hypothetical from Anvis, Landon's expression immediately became one of struggle, instinctively unwilling to face such a choice.

"The safety of the things you hold dear cannot be entrusted to others."

Anvis gently shook his finger at Landon's avoidance.

"What if they urgently had to go out? What if they were also held up by a High Rank adversary?"

Seeing the somewhat struggling expression on Landon's face, Anvis added fuel to the fire.

"Now, let's add another detail. The acquisition of Strength from the Talisman is not like fireworks that can boost to the pinnacle instantly; it requires a relatively steady power growth process.

In other words, even if you choose to activate it at a critical moment, you won't be able to immediately gain enough Strength to save your sister and young companion. What would you do then?"

"...Lord Vio, why are you saying these things to me?"

Shaking his head vigorously, Landon stopped, instinctively avoiding his inner thoughts while starting to question Anvis's intentions.

Seeing Landon, who he had pressured into urgency, Anvis instead smiled.

"The reason I'm saying this is to tell you not to give up any opportunity to increase your Strength."

"Some things and opportunities are irrevocable; once they occur, they occur, and once missed, they're missed. No matter how much you obtain later, you will never be able to make up for it."

Taking back the Talisman from Landon's hand effortlessly, Anvis dangled it in front of the youngster's eyes.

"Indeed, choosing Strength always comes with a price. But not choosing Strength also comes with another kind of price. That is, to completely hand over your fate and the fate of those you hold dear to someone else!"

"I...seem to understand a little, Lord Vio. You're using this Talisman as a metaphor, symbolizing various situations I may encounter in the future where I need to pay a price to gain Strength."

Listening to Anvis's advice, like that from an elder, Landon gently nodded his head.

"Actually, if it really comes to that time, I think, I would still choose Strength. I'm just... feeling a bit guilty for having such a willingness to pay the price."

"There's no need to feel guilty for desiring Strength, Landon, because everyone craves Strength. Only by having a heart that constantly longs to become stronger can you better survive in this cold world."

With a smile that seemed to imply he found Landon teachable, Anvis's tone became somewhat enticing.

"To possess Strength means to have control over your own destiny and the destiny of those you cherish. It represents having the freedom to choose how to live in the face of looming crises.

Rather than being powerless and swept away by the tide of destiny, drifting with the current, or being forced to make choices that go against your heart."

As he spoke, Anvis handed the Talisman back to Landon.

"For example, this Talisman, if I were to give you another chance to choose now, what would you choose?"

"Thank you very much for your instruction, Lord Vio, I understand now!"

After listening to Anvis's words, Landon bowed solemnly to Anvis, expressing his genuine gratitude.

Then, with a slight shaking, he took the Talisman, looked at Anvis's encouraging eyes, took a deep breath, and activated the Talisman in his hands.

A rainbow light shot towards the sky and then burst out instantly, forming a magnificent giant Silver Leaf Rose.

"My recent creation, capable of releasing a Magic Flames that ignores obstacles. How about it, isn't it beautiful?"

Looking up at the sky where the Continent Destiny Net fluctuated with the blooming fireworks, Anvis's smile was radiant.

With a clear understanding of the Talisman's function, he still chose to activate it.

Then, the precondition for the ritual was fulfilled.