From Ship’s Slave to Night Raven Mage

“Why preserve the fact that the great Night Crow Mage Ron once served as a black slave aboard a ship?” This is the latest abstract topic making the rounds among students and professors at the Royal Academy of Truth. The academy's dean said, “Lord Ron is reminding the world to never forget hardship. He honed his will from the lowest depths, and that's what made him the peerless figure who later fought ten thousand demons alone at the edge of the Abyss!” The Empire's chief historian scoffed, “Foolishness! Could an ordinary slave ship really have held Lord Ron? The latest research shows that the currents in those waters were treacherous and unpredictable. He was clearly using his status as a slave as cover while secretly plotting a grand scheme that would upend the entire region!” A fanatical mentor of the Necromancy School cried, “You're all missing the point! Has no one noticed the Night Crow on his shoulder, with one wing half bone? He must have turned that entire slave ship, a veritable hell on earth, into a breeding ground for that supreme undead creature!” An obscure lich added, “There's something you should all know. This story was already embellished long ago. His true identity was actually...” But years earlier, in the foul-smelling lower hold of a slave ship, Ron had taken a bite of moldy black bread, hard as iron. Looking at the monstrous rat in the darkness wagging its tail frantically to curry favor with him, he nearly burst into tears. “That freaky mage up above is going to drag people off for live experiments again tomorrow. I can't spend another second in this dump... Tonight, I'm taking my rat buddy and pulling off something big!” 【Traditional Mage】【Lighthearted Banter】【Plot-Driven】