Chapter Thirty-Four: Second-Level Apprentice

"Sigh!" Hughes looked at the progress of his meditation technique and couldn't help but feel helpless; it was far behind his expectations. "I really don't know how long it will take to analyze the third-level apprentice's mental rune after advancing to second-level. I must hurry and reach the second level as soon as possible." Hughes calculated the days—there were two months left before the second- and third-level apprentices sent out would return. He needed to advance quickly and master a few spells.

Seeing that his meditation session was nearly over, Hughes decided to rest.

"Caw! Caw!"

"Hmm?" Hughes hadn't yet been woken by the chip's alarm when a series of cawing sounds roused him.

"Where is that crow's cry coming from?" Still half-asleep, Hughes murmured to himself.

He blinked open his eyes and saw a black crow perched at his bedside, its red eyes tilted as it peered at him, a letter clutched in its beak.

"Isn't this... my mentor's crow?"

Hughes recalled that on his first day meeting his mentor, it was this very crow that led the way.

"That must be it—otherwise, how could it have entered my room without a sound?"

The crow, seeing that Hughes was awake, dropped the letter and, flapping its wings, passed straight through the wall and disappeared.

Hughes picked up the letter the crow had left behind and looked inside.

"Hughes, I will be away for some time. For the next week, you need not come to the laboratory every morning. You are free to use your time as you wish. —Matthias Joy"

"So, my mentor has gone out? I wonder when I'll get the chance to leave and see the outside world." Since joining the Ring of Shadows, Hughes had not set foot outside. After so long, he truly wished to see beyond these walls.

"A week—a week's time should be enough."

Hughes glanced at the chip's analysis of the twelfth mental rune; it would only be a day or two before it was fully deciphered.

He planned to spend this week meditating to complete the twelfth mental rune and ascend to second-level apprentice. Then he could choose a few spells to practice.

"Chip, what time is it now?"

"Beep! It is six o'clock in the morning."

Hearing the chip's response, Hughes realized it was still early. He decided to sleep a bit longer and canceled the alarm. With no need to go to the lab today, he could afford some extra rest.

"No, this isn't right—I've added too much here."

After getting up, Hughes spent his time in his room researching potions. This time he was working on a hemostatic potion; as for stamina potions, he had already mastered those, and with the chip's assistance, his success rate was much higher.

He hadn't made many hemostatic potions before, but now he intended to refine several more. Thus, the week passed in a routine of meditation and potion-making.

Time flew by, and three days slipped past quietly. During these days, Hughes did nothing but brew potions, meditate, and eat—barely taking any time to rest.

"Just a little more," Hughes thought, sitting on his bed, drenched in sweat. He could feel that he was on the verge of constructing the twelfth mental rune; soon, he would become a second-level wizard apprentice.

What Hughes didn't know was that he was only a step away; breaking through to the next level was inevitable.

Late at night, mental runes unfolded in his mind as energy particles surged into his body.

The night passed swiftly, and at last Hughes opened his eyes.

"I've finally advanced," Hughes felt the energy within him had multiplied several times, and controlling it was now far easier.

"Beep! Hughes Bruch: Strength: 3.87, Agility: 4.16, Constitution: 4.3, Spirit: 7.13, Status: Healthy."

Looking at his attribute panel, Hughes noticed that meditation only increased his constitution and spirit, and did little for his strength and agility.

Though he'd been up all night, he felt fine—not especially tired.

Today, Hughes intended to find Lindsay to discuss potion formulas and to sell some of his own brews.

Now that he was a second-level apprentice, he could study spells, but before choosing them, he needed to prepare enough magic stones. He'd never checked spell prices, but having more stones could only help.

He prepared a wooden box, placing ten stamina potions inside. He didn't plan to give Lindsay too many at once, lest it raise suspicion.

When Hughes arrived at Lindsay's shop, he found Billy inside, chatting with Lindsay.

"Hey! Hughes, haven't seen you in days," Billy greeted him, noting the box in Hughes' hand but asking nothing—he knew Hughes was unlikely to tell the truth and didn't want to cause any discomfort.

"Yes, Billy, it's been a while," Hughes replied with a smile.

"I'll leave you two to talk. Hughes, don't forget to tutor me when you have time!"

"Of course! As long as you pay in magic stones, anytime is fine."

"Haha, it's a deal!" Billy laughed and left the shop.

"Hughes, what brings you here?" Lindsay asked once Billy had gone.

"I came to deliver something." Hughes placed the box on the table, pushing it over.

"And this is...?" Lindsay looked at the box in confusion.

Opening it, she saw the neat rows of potions inside.

"Hughes, these are—"

Lindsay was visibly unsettled, surprised at how quickly Hughes had produced so many potions.

"I brewed them over the past few nights," Hughes said, pointing to his weary face with a bitter smile.

Seeing his exhausted expression, Lindsay believed him.

"There's no need to rush with this—there aren't that many buyers yet," she said, though she still put the box away.

"Wait a minute—Hughes, you've broken through? You're a second-level apprentice now?"

As she stored the box, Lindsay suddenly sensed a wave of spiritual energy from Hughes and realized his advancement.

"Yes, I just advanced recently," Hughes admitted, knowing his fluctuation had given him away.

"That's incredibly fast," Lindsay exclaimed, unable to believe his progress.

"So, about the potion formulas you mentioned before?" Hughes shifted the topic, not wanting to dwell on his rapid cultivation.

"Oh, the formulas—don't worry, within two days I'll have someone deliver them to your dormitory. How does that sound?"

"Good! What kinds of formulas are they?" Hughes was curious.

"One is for a Morphing Potion, one for a Natural Potion, and the last is an incomplete Invisibility Potion formula."

"Invisibility Potion!" Hughes knew the value of such a formula, though it was incomplete. Were it whole, Lindsay likely wouldn't part with it.

"Yes, but unfortunately it's incomplete," Lindsay said with regret.

"What do the Morphing and Natural Potions do?"

"The Morphing Potion allows you to impersonate someone by adding their hair or blood to the brew; after drinking, you take on their appearance. The Natural Potion is more advanced—it rapidly restores life force and even a bit of mental strength, making it popular among wizards, though it's difficult to make."

"Impressive!" Hughes was intrigued—he might not need the Morphing Potion, but the Natural Potion, which could quickly restore vitality and spirit, would be in high demand. That meant more magic stones.

He was already eager to see the formulas for these two potions. As for the incomplete Invisibility Potion, perhaps the chip could help reconstruct it in the future.

When Hughes left Lindsay's shop, he carried a cloth bag containing forty magic stones earned from his potions. Since he still had raw materials in his dormitory, he didn't need to purchase more for now.