Gurgle, gurgle—
The bubbling sound of boiling liquid gradually faded until it vanished completely.
Magus lifted the beaker carefully, pouring the thick, viscous liquid into a small potion bottle. He stoppered it tightly and set it on the wooden table behind him.
On the solid oak surface, fifteen potion bottles stood neatly in a row, glowing faintly under the warm yellow light. Their sheen shimmered with an enchanting brilliance that made Magus's lips curve into a faint smile.
These fifteen bottles represented the fruits of his effort over the past several days. The materials alone had cost more than one hundred and fifty gold coins—an extravagant sum—but to Magus, every coin had been worth it.
After steadying his mind, he began placing the potions into the Synthesis Cube one by one. As each bottle was added, the display on the synthesis interface changed continuously.
When the third bottle was placed in, the synthesized Sub-Active Potion rose in rank from Zero-Order, Low-Grade to Zero-Order, Mid-Grade.
At seven bottles, it upgraded again—to Zero-Order, High-Grade.
Magus continued, feeding the Cube more and more of the Sub-Active Potion.
Only when the twelfth bottle was added did the synthesis interface suddenly flash. The projected image shimmered, and the product's appearance transformed.
Active Potion (First-Order, Low-Grade): After consumption, significantly enhances mental activity and extends Meditation duration. Lasts for 30 days and 12 hours. Effects do not stack. Requires mental power of 5 or higher.
Compared with the Sub-Active Potion, the description now included the word "significantly"—a simple addition that represented a vast leap in potency. Moreover, the new potion not only boosted mental activity but also extended Meditation time, effectively increasing Meditation efficiency as well.
Yet Magus frowned slightly. "Only double the duration?" he muttered.
Still, he wasn't surprised to see the consumption restriction listed below. Almost every potion of a higher tier carried specific usage limits, usually tied to mental power.
If someone below the required threshold forced a potion down, the lightest consequence was mild mental derangement or damage to the soul. In worse cases, the body could twist into some unrecognizable abomination—or simply explode on the spot.
After a moment's thought, Magus tossed the remaining three Sub-Active Potions into the Cube. But with such a small amount, the synthesis quality didn't change. He sighed softly, withdrew them, and tried again—this time merging all three together.
A burst of light flashed. When it faded, a single bottle of Active Potion appeared in his palm.
Without hesitation, Magus uncorked it and drank.
The effect was immediate. The moment the potion entered his stomach, his entire consciousness sharpened. His mind felt as if it had shifted from low resolution to high—every detail of the world became crisp and vivid.
Not wasting the moment, Magus sat down cross-legged and began to Meditate.
He didn't know how long he remained in that state. When he finally opened his eyes, his first glance fell upon the wall clock—and he froze. Nearly four hours had passed, and dusk had already fallen outside.
"My Meditation time… has doubled."
Opening his personal panel, Magus was pleased to see that his mental power had risen by 0.09, and his Star Ring Meditation technique had gained 68 proficiency points in one sitting.
"The mental power increase is a bit lower than expected," he calculated, "but the proficiency gain is over six times faster than before."
If he meditated for an entire month using the Active Potion, he'd gain roughly the same improvement as six months of effort powered by twelve Sub-Active Potions. The difference in overall result wasn't dramatic—but the time saved was enormous.
For Wizard Apprentices with limited lifespans, the answer was obvious: efficiency was everything.
"This is the irreplaceable advantage of precious resources," Magus murmured. "Faster growth in mental power—and faster breakthroughs in rank."
He did a quick calculation. If he could maintain a steady supply of Active Potions, he'd be able to construct his second Star Ring within just over forty days, and advance to Second-Grade Wizard Apprentice in less than a year.
A grin spread across his face. Once he reached Second-Grade, countless restricted techniques and methods would become usable. His combat ability would soar, finally giving him the strength to stand proudly in this dangerous world.
"Should I keep synthesizing, to push the Active Potion's quality even higher?" he wondered.
After some hesitation, he shook his head. Higher-quality potions always demanded higher mental power to consume. If he crafted something he couldn't yet use, that would be a waste—and an expensive one at that.
Although the economic pressure on Blackstone City had eased recently, Magus still didn't have enough money to throw around carelessly.
"A First-Order Low-Grade Active Potion will do," he concluded. "It'll be enough until I become a Second-Grade Wizard Apprentice."
The Month of Thunder
Time passed swiftly. The calendar turned to the Month of Thunder—April. The air grew hot and heavy.
In the villages surrounding Blackstone City, serfs had finished plowing their fields, and most farm work was wrapping up. Freed laborers were redirected to the reconstruction of the Black Stone Mining Area, which had been destroyed months earlier.
According to Rune's schedule, reconstruction would be completed by the end of the month. But to save time, he had decided to recruit miners early. Under his command, the mine soon roared back to life.
Each day, ore was hauled up from the shafts, shoveled into roaring furnaces, and transformed into black iron ingots that gleamed with a metallic sheen.
The entire city was buzzing with energy.
Only the quiet courtyard where Magus lived remained untouched by the city's noise—a tranquil pocket of calm amid all the bustle.
Inside his Meditation Room, Magus sat cross-legged on the floor. His body trembled slightly—then he opened his eyes, a joyful smile lighting his face.
"I've finally constructed the second Star Ring!"
Within the depths of his consciousness, two luminous rings intertwined, forming a chain of radiant energy. They pulsed with mysterious rhythm, releasing waves of profound power that made his entire being hum with vitality.
Magus felt rejuvenated. He immediately opened his panel to confirm.
Magus · Yaniesite — Human Male, 16 years old
Spirit: 10.85 / Physique: 5.04
Skills:
Star Ring Meditation Lv3 (28 / 10,000)
Potion Making Lv2 (629 / 3,000)
Biological Modification Lv1 (3 / 1,000)
"Mental power has increased by 1.21," Magus whispered, nodding in satisfaction.
Previously, his spirit had measured only 9.64. The successful construction of the second Star Ring had instantly broken him past the ten-point threshold.
At this rate, by the time he completed the third Star Ring, his mental power would exceed twelve points, and he would officially become a Second-Grade Wizard Apprentice.
He flexed his fists in quiet pride.
"Physique has broken through five points too."
Though he hadn't deliberately trained his body, the continuous strengthening of mental power and long Meditation sessions had subtly reinforced his physical frame. If this trend continued, his physique might soon rival that of a Formal Knight.
"The proficiency of Star Ring Meditation has more than doubled," he mused. "Ten thousand points to reach mastery… At this rate, I could max it out within six months."
His gaze drifted down the skill list to the newly added Biological Modification entry.
This was a skill he had only unlocked the previous day.
After acquiring Potion Making and Puppet Refining, Magus had dedicated most of his study time to those two disciplines, dabbling in Biological Modification only occasionally. Even so, he had persisted for months, and at last, he had filled its progress bar to 100%.
Now, it appeared as a proper skill on his panel.
"As long as I keep walking the path of a Wizard," he reflected, "I'll eventually have to deal with Biological Modification. This skill will prove useful someday."
Progress and Prospects
His spell learning had also gone smoothly. The newer spells—Lockpicking, Detect Poison, and Touch of Exhaustion—were all successfully mastered.
The first two were self-explanatory; their effects matched their names.
But Touch of Exhaustion was different—his first genuine offensive spell. By channeling negative energy through physical contact, it could force an opponent into deep fatigue, draining stamina and focus alike.
Its power wasn't overwhelming, but in the absence of better spells, it provided a valuable option in close combat.
Magus sighed softly. "Not the strongest, but it's still something."
He leaned back against the cool wall, eyes narrowing in contemplation.
"I asked Rune to collect Wizard classics and magic items for me a while ago… I wonder how that's coming along?"
Outside, the evening breeze rustled through the leaves, carrying faint echoes of the city's distant noise—the clang of metal, the shouts of miners, the heartbeat of progress.
Inside, Magus sat quietly amid the stillness, a faint smile touching his lips. His path as a Wizard was only beginning, but already the road ahead gleamed with possibility.
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