In Mentor Sophia's office, Locke placed both hands on the Amethyst Matrix, and a number soon appeared on it: [53].
Locke's eyelid twitched. Sure enough, he had now reached the level of a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice.
In just one year, I became a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, Locke thought. My learning speed is probably somewhere between fifth-grade and sixth-grade aptitude.
But as long as I find more synthesis formulas and solve the problem of obtaining Magic Stones, I believe my learning speed can improve further.
Over the past year, Locke had earned a total of one thousand Magic Stones by serving as Mentor Sophia's assistant every day. However, after learning two spells and covering the various expenses of daily experiments, he only had eight hundred Magic Stones left.
He had only managed to save those eight hundred Magic Stones by living frugally.
Locke had already made plans. Of the remaining eight hundred Magic Stones, he could use five hundred to buy a meditation method.
Without a meditation method, becoming a First-Class Wizard Apprentice was nearly unimaginable.
Between Third-Class Wizard Apprentices and Second-Class Wizard Apprentices, one could still force oneself to learn spells and forcibly raise Mental Power. But the gap between a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice and a First-Class Wizard Apprentice was simply too vast.
Without a meditation method, given his already below-average wizard aptitude, he feared it would take him a lifetime to become a First-Class Wizard Apprentice.
As for the remaining three hundred Magic Stones, he would see whether he could scrape enough together to purchase Magical Plant Breeding class from Mentor Sophia.
Because he did not have many Magic Stones, Locke did not even dare take an additional course in the Public Classroom.
For example, local Wizard Apprentices would spend money in the Public Classroom on private advanced courses, such as the Magic Circuit Vulnerability Detection Course. Formal Wizards and First-Class Wizard Apprentices would help inspect the flaws in a person's body's magic circuits, allowing them to construct magical channels more effectively.
Some wealthy local Wizard Apprentices even took Magical Pet class, basic Potion class, and other courses in hopes of acquiring a useful skill.
Locke had also considered synthesizing Magic Stones to solve his shortage, but when he placed Magic Stones into the Horadric Cube, he received a prompt saying that the synthesis level exceeded the upper limit.
Therefore, Locke knew that at his current character level cap, he could not synthesize Magic Stones.
For some reason, the synthesis level required for Magic Stones seemed especially high.
Locke heard Mentor Sophia's footsteps. He immediately walked outside and saw Sophia supporting an unfamiliar young wizard whose lower half had turned into black sludge.
Locke saw the Holly High Tower insignia on the unfamiliar young wizard's robe.
He was probably a Formal Wizard from Holly High Tower.
Supporting him, Witch Sophia sighed. "Honestly, Wesley Durant, you're already a First-Ring Wizard of Holly High Tower."
"You're a man of standing, yet you actually went and dueled a Black Wizard in private."
"You're completely insane. The curses used by those wizards from the Blood Curse Court come in all kinds of strange forms. You were lucky this time, since you happened to be near Lilith's Cottage territory. If this had happened elsewhere, the Thousand Sores Curse would have already killed you."
Wesley Durant's face was pale. "So this is the Thousand Sores Curse."
"Fortunately, I have a friend like you at Lilith's Cottage. Thank you, Sophia. You're always so kind-hearted."
"Back when we were traveling to the Academy in the wizard convoy, you helped me a great deal."
Witch Sophia sighed helplessly. "That's because we're friends from the same cohort."
"Among the Wizard Apprentices from our cohort, only a small handful of us have become Formal Wizards. But if I'm treating your injuries, you must pay the appropriate fee."
Wesley Durant said, "No problem."
Witch Sophia noticed Locke Augustine standing nearby.
She cast a spell, changing the vine flower on her wizard hat from pink to white. A trace of authority immediately appeared on her face as she quietly said to Wesley Durant, "Be quiet. My student is here."
Wesley Durant glanced at Locke. His expression immediately vanished, and his blank face gained a touch more authority.
Witch Sophia said to Locke with some impatience, "Locke, why have you come at this time? There should still be three hours before class begins."
"I'm very busy right now."
"If there's nothing important, don't disturb me."
After hesitating for a moment, Locke said to Witch Sophia, "Mentor, I came to tell you that my Mental Power has reached 53."
"I tested it using your Amethyst Matrix."
"I've also completed Poison Berry Shot and Green Purifying Grasp."
At those words, the faint impatience on Witch Sophia's face disappeared. She looked Locke Augustine up and down in surprise.
Naturally, unlike a First-Class Wizard Apprentice, she did not need the Amethyst Matrix to calculate a Wizard Apprentice's Mental Power.
After examining Locke, Witch Sophia more or less believed what he had said.
Witch Sophia was somewhat surprised. "Your growth rate has exceeded my expectations."
"Locke."
"My original plan was for you to become a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice within four years, yet you only took one year. And you constructed Poison Berry Shot in only a third of the time I expected."
Witch Sophia regarded Locke with greater seriousness. "You should possess some kind of special talent."
"Such things do happen sometimes. Methods for testing wizard aptitude are constantly improving, but no matter how detailed the examination, it is impossible to fully understand a person's talents."
"So occasionally, someone slips through the net."
"In my opinion, your true wizard aptitude should be far higher than the Academy's evaluation."
"The Academy was unlikely to assign me a student with particularly high aptitude, so this situation was probably beyond its expectations. Locke, you've given me a surprise."
Witch Sophia revealed a thoughtful expression. "In a few days, I'd like to perform a free bloodline tracing examination on you. Is that all right?"
Locke immediately nodded. "All right, Mentor."
Witch Sophia said, "I've changed my mind. Locke, since you're now a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, you can truly be of help to me."
"Come with me."
"First, draw 500 ml of blood from the Dryad, then bring it over and help me brew a curse-breaking potion. With your help, I should have an easier time."
"Locke, circumstances have changed. Perhaps your future can go farther than I originally imagined."
Witch Sophia said, "I recommend that you spend one hundred and fifty Magic Stones to purchase a set of Universal Studies courses from the Public Classroom. I don't have time to teach you such foundational courses, but they will greatly benefit you."
"I can also teach you the Magical Plant Breeding class you have always wanted to learn. You only need to pay me five hundred Magic Stones. Likewise, now that you are a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, you can learn the more advanced skills required of a potion assistant."
Locke hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Wesley Durant, who had remained silent, quietly said to Witch Sophia, "Congratulations on receiving such a good student."
"I'm so jealous. Holly High Tower assigned me several Wizard Apprentices with second-grade aptitude. It infuriates me. What use are Wizard Apprentices with that kind of aptitude? They're not even qualified to serve as experimental subjects."
"I really don't understand why those stubborn old fossils at Holly High Tower recruit Wizard Apprentices with aptitude below third grade. Can't they raise their admission requirements a little higher?"
"But I never expected that you, Sophia, would have students of your own too."
Witch Sophia coughed and said quietly, "Mr. Wesley, please watch your words. My student is still here."
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