Fatty Baus

Perhaps because Lina was so petite, she showed none of the bearing of an Advanced Apprentice in bed.

Saine's constitution was not bad either. At only sixteen this year, he still had at least several years of room to grow.

Judging by Saine's rate of physical development, by the time he reached twenty-five—when his physical qualities would be at their peak—his constitution stat would very likely surpass 12 points.

Compared with physically powerful Minotaurs or naturally gifted Underground Subhumans, Saine's constitution was indeed nothing remarkable.

But among Black Magicians, his constitution was more than sufficient.

After all, not every Black Magician was like Scarface Qiao Ke, specializing in tempering their physique and strength. Even Lina found Saine's strength somewhat hard to bear, let alone the other Magic Apprentices.

As the day of the Grade Assessment arrived, the usually quiet Black Wizard Academy gradually became livelier.

Many apprentices who had gone out on missions returned one after another. Even those who had spent long periods in their dormitory buildings or the library began appearing in small groups throughout the academy.

Aside from his live-in girlfriend Lina, Saine had actually made several "friends" over the years.

Without sufficient strength, lone wolves found it difficult to survive at the Black Wizard Academy.

This was especially true for Entry-Level Apprentices who had just arrived at the Black Wizard Academy. They deeply knew the importance of banding together for warmth and finding someone powerful to rely on.

Saine had quite a few ordinary friends, but there were only two people he could truly confide in and whose backgrounds he knew inside out.

"Hey, Fatty, long time no see." Walking among the many buildings of the magic academy, Saine greeted the potbellied Magic Apprentice approaching him.

Fatty Baus was one of the youths who had arrived at the Black Wizard Academy alongside Saine ten years ago.

They had fought side by side and shared experiences of competing for and protecting food.

Thus, over the years, their relationship had only grown better.

Especially since many of the Magic Apprentices who had arrived during the same period had already died for one reason or another, Baus and Saine were probably the pair of friends who had known each other the longest.

The deceased Low-Level Apprentice Yierke had another enemy: Baus, who stood before him.

Strictly speaking, Baus had also been one of the main culprits behind stealing his Younger Brother's food back then.

Facing Saine's greeting, Baus froze for a moment. Then the fat on his face trembled as he smiled, spread his arms, and walked toward Saine.

The reason he had not recognized Saine immediately was that Saine was currently wearing a white mask.

"Haha, Saine, I heard all about the big things you accomplished over the past two months!"

"I heard a great Formal Black Wizard has even taken you on as a disciple now?"

"Could this mask be the Pale Mask you seized from Yierke? A Low-Level Magic Item—let me have a look."

Baus was also a Low-Level Apprentice, but unlike Saine, he had little interest in meditation or studying magic. Instead, he preferred doing business and was more interested in Black Gold.

Black Street was the commercial district within the Black Wizard Academy. But in the City of Mozhsuobula, there were also several corresponding commercial streets in the city, and the goods sold there came from even more dubious sources. One often had to deal with Underground Subhumans or other Dark Beings there as well.

Fatty Baus mainly worked there now. Although he had not been taken on as a disciple by a Formal Black Wizard, the shop he operated seemed to have the backing of some Black Magician.

Before Saine headed to the Saltwater Crocodile territory, the Iron Phosphorus Powder and other casting materials he purchased had actually come from Baus at a friends-and-family price.

Baus's greasy, oversized hand ultimately did not touch Saine's mask. Instead, it patted his shoulder. Still, what made Saine roll his eyes was Baus's enormous belly.

Baus was only a year older than Saine. Saine truly did not know how he had gotten so fat in a dangerous place like the Underdark.

It seemed that when they had first arrived in the Underground World, Baus had not been this fat.

Of course, Baus had not returned to the Black Wizard Academy This Time to compete for that Academy Reward.

His strength ranked only around the lower-middle tier among Low-Level Apprentices. He had returned this time mainly because he smelled a business opportunity.

Beginning three years ago, whenever the academy held assessments, Baus would sell his wares among the Low-Level Apprentice circles.

From casting materials to certain incomplete Spell Models, he had everything.

Naturally, most of it was merely low-grade stuff, priced anywhere from a few Black Gold coins upward.

After all, there were no wealthy people among Low-Level Apprentices, while Intermediate Apprentices and above had no interest in Baus's shoddy goods.

Or perhaps Baus did have some good items in his possession, but he did not dare display them before Intermediate Apprentices and above for sale, afraid someone might set their sights on them.

Before Baus could speak again, Saine removed the mask from his face himself.

After stuffing it into Baus's hands, Saine asked, "Take a look. How much Black Gold do you think this mask is worth?"

His greasy hands deftly turned over the Pale Mask Saine had handed him. Baus knew quality goods, and the shop where he worked in the City of Mozhsuobula occasionally sold Low-Level and Intermediate Magic Items.

After examining the mask in his hands for a long while, Baus finally said, "At a normal price, it could sell for 120 Black Gold. But if you give it to me, your old pal is willing to take it off your hands for 150 Black Gold."

Baus's answer vividly demonstrated to Saine just how expensive magic items were, as well as how lucrative the profession of alchemist was.

However, Saine did not fully believe Baus's nonsense. Given his habit of never acting without profit, even if he bought it from Saine for 150 Black Gold, he was confident he could sell it for an even higher price.

As for exactly how much it could fetch, that depended partly on the buyer's wealth and partly on this fat man's gift of gab.

In the City of Mozhsuobula, magic items were so rare that there was practically no fixed standard price.

The fat man was still inspecting Saine's Pale Mask. Seeing that he showed no intention of returning it, Saine suddenly said, "This mask really did come from Yierke, but it seems it was a treasure bestowed upon him by a Formal Black Wizard."

Saine's words gave Baus such a fright that he jolted, and the Pale Mask in his hand was instantly thrown away, landing back in Saine's hands.

Baus's timid, trouble-avoiding manner made Saine chuckle. If this had been over two months ago, he would probably have been just as afraid as Baus of retaliation from a Formal Black Wizard.

But after two months had passed and Kaisersen, the Formal Black Wizard from the Plantation, had not come looking for trouble, Saine gradually set aside his worries.

Moreover, after spending more time with his mentor Moxidu, Senior Sister Fei'er, and the others, Saine knew that if he truly encountered any trouble, his mentor would certainly not stand by and do nothing.

Because if a Formal Black Wizard came looking for trouble with Saine, it would essentially mean they were picking a fight with his mentor, Moxidu.

Saine did not know the exact extent of his mentor's strength, but judging from the performances of Vice Dean Master Dadalong and Lina's mentor, Master Feilunna, in the dungeon back then, Moxidu was probably not weak among Formal Black Wizards.