?The police precinct’s basement accommodated a shooting range and temporary holding cells. The ground floor housed the main administrative hall and interrogation chambers, the second floor was devoted to offices, conference rooms, and archives, while the third floor consisted of dormitories for staff.Rudolf made his way to the second - floor office wing, finding it entirely deserted—a clear indication of how promptly colleagues had departed for the day.Deep into the night, only one duty officer remained in the ground - floor lobby: Karita, a mildly absent - minded young woman whom the sheriff seldom assigned to outdoor missions. In the absence of incoming reports, she would surreptitiously slip into the adjacent duty room to the basement detention cells, trainee patrolman Sam stood lone watch. The cells held two prisoners convicted of petty crimes, necessitating only minimal guarding.The witch hunt had claimed three veteran patrolmen and five trainee officers, leaving Leman Town’s precinct drastically understaffed and its security at an all - time low.Painkillers stored in the cells were reserved for prisoners post - interrogation—swift confessions earned copious doses to alleviate their suffering after punishment.Rudolf exchanged greetings with Sam, obtained the medication, and retreated to the third - floor dormitory to wait in patient silence.?

  Shortly after the midnight hour, he ascended to the rooftop terrace. Constructed taller than most town buildings for optimal surveillance, the precinct’s three - story structure, crowned by the terrace, created a central blind spot in the town’s visual landscape—an ideal locale shielded from prying eyes.Starlight bathed the terrace’s stone tiles as Rudolf withdrew the astral stone. Items absorbed by the celestial map did not vanish; they reappeared in his grasp at will, a testament to the artifact’s mystical properties.Closing his eyes, he plunged his consciousness into the star map, his mind alighting on the floating celestial marker inscribed with “Wizard Apprentice Awakening Ritual.” A torrent of ceremonial knowledge flooded his mind, detailing every intricate step with crystalline clarity.After carefully reviewing the ritual’s particulars, he knelt and used the otherworldly astral stone to etch a vast astral triangle onto the stone pavement. Three smaller circles at the triangle’s vertices were incised to channel stellar energy, while a central circle at its geometric core bore the zodiac symbol of Scorpio—November, in the wizarding calendar, was revered as the Scorpio Moon.Since his natal sign in his past life had been Scorpio, his foray into star wizardry logically commenced with this water sign. Between the circles and the central symbol, mysterious glyphs spiraled—their meanings enigmatic yet vital to the ritual’s success.Barefoot, he stepped into the central circle, his gaze anchored on the Scorpio constellation blazing in the heavens, and intoned the star wizard’s incantation:“Who can unravel the stars’ silent melody?Who can arrest a meteor’s fiery flight?Who can redirect the planets’ ancient route?Master the cosmos—command the mortal realm!”?

  Instantly, the astral triangle shimmered to life, radiating a faint, ethereal luminescence. Wizard rituals were deliberately designed for subtlety, their effects muted to evade detection—a critical precaution that emboldened Rudolf to perform the ceremony atop the precinct. The glow emanated from powdered astral stone resonating with starlight; within a minute, every particle hummed with celestial energy, suffused by the cosmos above.The stardust, now aglow, began to converge toward him, forming a luminous vortex that spiraled around his form. The entire astral triangle contracted gradually, its edges undulating like a serpent awakening, slithering toward him with deliberate grace. Glimmering runes and arcane lines crept up his bare feet, winding along his calves and disappearing beneath his trousers, merging seamlessly with his skin. Rudolf felt a profound connection forge—an invisible thread linking his being to the vastness of the night sky.When the last vestige of the astral triangle dissolved into his body, the terrace returned to a profound stillness, as if the cosmic drama had been a mere phantom. Rudolf’s new status materialized in his mind:Wizard ApprenticeNatal Constellation: Scorpio (Water Element)Celestial Tongue: Venom?

  In this world, celestial bodies traversed the zodiacal ecliptic, and one’s natal constellation was determined by the sun’s position at birth. Wizards, known as star wizards, derived their power from the twelve zodiac signs, each bestowing unique celestial tongues—magical incantations pivotal to spellcasting. As a water sign, Scorpio offered several potent tongues; Rudolf had been gifted “Venom,” enabling him to imbue weapons with deadly toxins capable of piercing an apostle’s supernatural defenses. Such venom, akin to alchemist - forged bullets, was among the few forces lethal to apostles—ordinary weaponry proved futile against their resilience.?

  With the ritual concluded, Rudolf noted that the astral stone’s markings on the terrace had been completely absorbed, erasing all evidence and allaying his fears of discovery. Turning, he descended into the stairwell, the darkness embracing him as he reached into his the shadowed stairwell, as the last glimmer of starlight faded, he produced the wisdom tooth extracted from the deceased wizard, a relic he had kept hidden since the hunt. Without a moment’s hesitation, he placed it in his mouth, its smooth, otherworldly surface pressing against his tongue.?

  Immediately, the celestial map in his mind stirred, recognizing the artifact. A dossier on the Third - Tier Revenant Tooth materialized:?

  

  
• Creation: Crafted from a third - tier revenant, a reanimated corpse of moderate power.?


  

  

  
• Capabilities:?


  

  

  
1. Necrotic Command: Control corpses as revenants, limited to those who were third - tier apostles in their mortal lives.?


  

  

  
2. Organ Transmutation: Harvest fresh organs and limbs from cadavers for seamless replacement.?


  

  

  
3. False Death: Induce a state of perfect catalepsy, devoid of breath, heartbeat, or cellular activity—virtually indistinguishable from true death.?


  

  

  
• Drawbacks:Progressive corporeal frigidity; prolonged isolation accelerates cadaverous degeneration. Regular human interaction is imperative to stave off rigidity.?


  

  Rudolf paused, absorbing the implications. The mandate to remain among others contradicted his initial plan to lie low in solitude. Did this mean he must continue his role as a patrolman, maintaining a public presence?As he descended, a creeping stiffness began to seize his joints, each movement feeling as though his limbs were encased in rusted armor. Though not crippling, the discomfort was a constant, icy reminder of the artifact’s influence.He considered rousing Karita for company, but the duty officer slept deeply, oblivious to his presence. Reluctantly, he exited the precinct, stepping into the chill of the night to clear his thoughts.On the deserted streets, the stiffness was compounded by a bone - deep cold, a side effect more pronounced than anticipated. Third - tier artifacts, it seemed, exacted a tangible, physical toll. To mitigate the effects, he recalled that only taverns and bathhouses remained open at this hour.?

  First, he entered the tavern, where patrons tensed at the sight of his uniform. Yet the owner, Pabbo, offered a warm welcome and a generous discount—a benefit of his law enforcement status. Rudolf purchased a bottle of strong spirits and departed swiftly, the burn of the liquor in his throat a brief reprieve from the cold.Next, he made his way to the bathhouse, its steam billowing into the night like a celestial haze. Submerging himself in the scalding water, only his face remained above the surface, eyes half - closed as the heat penetrated his stiffened muscles. He had been correct—both the alcohol and the warmth provided temporary respite, softening the artifact’s chilling grasp.Floating in the water, he watched the minutes tick by, each moment of comfort a precious reprieve. For now, he would cling to these small mercies, balancing on the knife’s edge between his former life as a patrolman and his new reality as a wizard apprentice. The path ahead was shrouded in darkness, but one truth burned clear: in a world where apostates thrived and heretics perished, adaptability was not just a virtue—it was a necessity for survival.