Breakthrough, Master Level Mental Power Impact

"Funding?"

"Me?"

Ian froze for a moment, looking at the stunningly beautiful wizard before him.

Chris Silver Moon Lake turned leisurely and sat down on a chair not far away, crossing her snow-white legs.

She smiled at Ian and said, "Victor recommended you to me. He said you have great potential, and that we could offer you some support if we were willing."

"Instructor Victor?"

Having understood the whole story, Ian was both stunned and moved.

He had never expected Victor to help him personally.

"Yes. For Victor's sake, I thought his recommendation was worth meeting."

Chris looked at Ian with great interest.

She seemingly could not see why a commoner wizard like him had caught Victor's attention.

With a light press of the ruby ring on her index finger, a contract suddenly appeared in her hand.

It flew toward Ian.

Spatial equipment!

Ian was instantly startled.

He had only ever seen this kind of alchemical product in books. Its starting price was several hundred Magic Stones.

She really was rich.

Taking the contract, his powerful Mental Power allowed him to grasp its general contents with just a glance.

The terms were quite simple: five Magic Stones in funding every month.

Not much.

But the conditions were absurdly simple as well.

There was only one.

When the Silver Moon Lake Family needed it, he was to provide assistance with resources—but he could refuse.

It was practically the same as having no condition at all.

It was practically the same as giving Ian five Magic Stones for free every month.

Obviously, this was not for him, but for Victor.

Instructor Victor's influence really was enormous!

"Is Instructor Victor well-known in the Academy?"

Ian raised his head to look at the woman.

Chris nodded and said, "The School's youngest Zero-ring Intermediate Potion master, a publicly acknowledged potion-making genius. There are even rumors that Wizard Horton has taken an interest in him, as have many families.

Besides, our family really does need to invest in some wizards. Even without him, we had considered you before."

Considered him.

But they had not approached him, which clearly meant they had not thought him suitable enough.

But with Victor's recommendation added in, he was suitable.

"All right. I'll sign."

Ian readily signed his name and handed the contract back to Chris.

Since Victor thought highly of him, what was there for him to fear in accepting it?

If he did not even have that confidence, he would not be standing here.

Caution was caution.

The two did not conflict.

Chris smiled, putting away the contract without even looking at the name. Perhaps, in her eyes, Ian was somewhat interesting—but only somewhat.

The main reason was still Victor's influence.

"The Magic Stones will be delivered to you tomorrow. And give Victor my regards for me. The Silver Moon Lake Family looks forward to working with him."

Chris blinked, politely seeing him off.

"Thank you, my lady."

Ian turned and left.

After leaving, Ian did not return home. Instead, he headed toward the Teaching Area.

"Not in the office."

Unable to find Victor, Ian turned and left.

Victor mostly only used this place as a spot to rest his feet.

It seemed he could only meet him again in the next class.

The next day.

A maid came to deliver Magic Stones to Ian.

Though there were only five, they were truly timely aid in the snow for Ian, of tremendous help to him.

Before long, Magic Plant Identification broke through from Beginner to Proficient, its proficiency rising by nearly thirty.

A few days later.

After class, Ian met Victor.

"Thank you for your help, Instructor. Chris also asked me to pass on her greetings."

Victor waved a hand. "Never mind that. Let me test whether you've made any progress lately."

As a Potion Genius certified by Chris, Victor's questions were quite tricky. Many were even based on the previous test.

Yet to his surprise, Ian truly had improved.

"You're progressing quickly."

Victor nodded in satisfaction.

Ian had the same feeling Victor had when he himself had studied potioneering, only falling slightly short of him.

It was just a pity that his meditation talent was a little lacking.

"I'll count this potion-making notebook as lent to you. It's what I had left over from my studies back then, and it's quite good."

Victor took a notebook with frayed edges from a nearby bookshelf and handed it to Ian.

"Instructor, I can't accept this."

Ian wanted to refuse.

The first rule of Wizards: equivalent exchange.

He had already received help, and taking a Wizard's notes on top of that would be downright shameless.

"Ten Magic Stones. Consider it an advance loan to you. You can return it to me later."

Victor smiled.

"Thank you, Instructor."

Ian no longer refused. Taking the notebook, he felt deeply moved.

Whether it was the support or the notes.

Though both were closely tied to his progress, he had no ability to repay them at all right now.

He could only remember it.

And repay it in the future.

"However, the Silver Moon Lake Family hasn't been developing very well lately. There are faint signs of trouble brewing. If anything really happens, just ignore it."

Victor reminded him.

"Understood."

Ian indicated that he understood.

If even Victor called it trouble, it was probably no small matter.

He absolutely would not get involved when the time came.

Victor's notebook was different from the free materials he had gotten.

Though it was only one book, it truly required careful study and close reading.

There were forty pages in total. On average, he could read one page a day, gaining five points of proficiency.

Ian seriously suspected that knowledge of this level, if it were in the Library, would be worth at least twenty or thirty Magic Stones.

Ten Magic Stones was purely a friendship price.

And it was still on credit.

At the same time.

Ian's skills were steadily improving as well.

Five days later.

On a slope not far from the Academy.

Dense trees rose more than ten meters high. Not far away lay the School grounds, and a city could faintly be seen several kilometers away.

"That should be the Academy marketplace."

Ian stood atop a massive boulder, gazing into the distance.

Strictly speaking, he had not truly left the School. He was merely at its outer edge.

A patrol could arrive at any moment.

He had come here to practice Wizardry.

"Can't be helped. The School has training grounds, and even provides discounted recovery potions and sparring partners, but they cost money."

Ian sighed.

The training grounds were excellent.

But they required Magic Stones.

One Magic Stone per day.

Far too expensive.

So he had come here.

This place was over a hundred meters from the School watchtower, with several large trees blocking the line of sight.

"A little risky. Once I have money, I'd better practice inside the School."

Certain that he could run back to the School within five seconds, Ian turned and began practicing Wizardry.

Today, he was mainly practicing mental power attacks. He was already on the verge of a breakthrough.

"Qilaso!"

With constant practice, his proficiency steadily increased.

Then suddenly, in one instant, Ian seemed to sense something different.

There was no incantation.

There was barely even a starting motion as a surge of mental power poured forth in an instant.

BOOM!

A tree in the distance, as thick as his waist, crashed to the ground.

At the same time, a notification sounded.

"Mental Power Impact has broken through to Master Level. Talent +3."

"Talent: 130 → 133"