Seven Years

A few days later.

Jonathan passed the Level Three Mage examination and officially became a third-year student at Ulada Magic Academy.

The news immediately sparked heated discussion throughout the academy.

Jonathan himself, however, continued to keep a low profile.

Aside from seeing him in class, people only caught glimpses of him around the academy now and then.

Jonathan trained in both magic and the warrior arts, and before he knew it, seven years had passed.

He had become a Level Three Mage at nine, a Level Four Mage at ten, and a Level Five Mage at thirteen. Now he was sixteen, and everyone thought he was still a Level Five Mage.

After all, a mage's cultivation was difficult.

In everyone else's eyes, his progress was already nothing short of freakish.

There were plenty of mages in the academy in their twenties who were still at Level Five, and even some in their forties or fifties who were stuck there.

Becoming a Level Five Mage at thirteen was already a remarkably fast pace at Ulada Magic Academy.

All of his roommates were Level Four Mages.

The fastest among them would need another year or two to reach Level Five; the slower ones might need two or three. Reaching Level Six could easily take ten years.

In everyone else's eyes, Jonathan's progress was beyond rapid. But in reality, ever since he became a Level Three Mage, he had taken each examination one level below his true rank.

When others thought he had become a Level Four Mage, he had actually already reached Level Five. When they thought he was Level Five, he was already a Level Six Mage.

At that very moment, he was a Level Seven Mage and a peak Level Six warrior.

With his soul strengthened every time he advanced thanks to the Soul Dao Fruit, and the boost growing with each breakthrough, his progress as a mage never slowed.

The warrior's path, however, offered him no such benefit. He had to build up his strength bit by bit before he could advance.

A peak Level Six warrior at sixteen was undoubtedly among the most talented on the Yulan Continent.

Though he was temporarily stuck at this level, he was sure the bottleneck wouldn't hold him for long.

By seventeen, for sure!

The Dao Fruit's ability to protect his soul had recovered, giving him a powerful trump card. Even a fatal injury wouldn't kill him right away.

Once his body healed, he could even return from the dead.

With that soul mist, even the Netherworld's laws couldn't draw his soul in within a short time.

Black Phoenix City, where a branch of the Saber Organization was located.

"Your talent really has exceeded my expectations. Sixteen years old, a Level Five Mage and a peak Level Six warrior."

Blood Swallow's feelings toward Jonathan had shifted from dislike at first, to grudging approval, and now to genuine admiration.

"There's nothing left for me to teach you. Starting today, you're officially a killer in the Saber Organization."

"I'll gradually assign you some missions. Some things can only be learned through real combat, especially on the warrior's path."

"You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Blood Swallow could no longer treat him like a kid. With Jonathan's Assassination Art, even a Level Seven warrior could fall to him.

Jonathan considered it. He had more or less gotten what he could from the Saber Organization, and now he was capable of protecting himself to some degree.

Still, there was no harm in joining.

At least until he truly came into his own, the organization could continue to shield him from the elements.

"No problem. I'm ready whenever you are."

"By the way, how's my father doing?"

Blood Swallow replied, "I knew you'd ask, so I had someone bring the news a while ago. He's now the head instructor in Blackstone Town and draws a salary from the town's lord."

"He's doing all right. He teaches the youngsters and has a drink now and then. The only thing he's missing is a woman."

"You're the one who's missing a woman!"

Jonathan shot back. After all these years, he knew Blood Swallow well by now.

Blood Swallow idolized Cesar, and had picked up his tastes, too.

Women, for one. Stone carvings, for another.

Blood Swallow merely smiled, tacitly admitting it.

"I'll head to the Magical Beast Mountain Range in a while. Afterward, I'll go see him."

"You're going to the Magical Beast Mountain Range? With your strength, you should be fine as long as you don't go too deep or run into a magical beast above Level Seven. You should be close to becoming a Level Six Mage, right?"

Jonathan replied frankly, "Almost. I'll go get certified when I get back."

"Is that so?"

Blood Swallow caught the implication in Jonathan's words and realized that he already had the strength of a Level Six Mage. He simply hadn't let anyone else know yet.

"What a genius!"

"Sir Blood Swallow, if that's all, I'll head back to the academy."

"Go ahead."

Jonathan returned to his dormitory and happened to find his other roommates there.

"Our great genius is back! Sneaking off to train hard again, were you? Jonathan, your cultivation's already progressing so fast. It's time you learned to enjoy life a little, don't you think?"

"Even Ford's a real man now!"

Ford grinned.

A city as large as Black Phoenix City naturally had places like Above the Moon in Fenlai City and Bishui Paradise. This one was called Above the Moon.

The name always struck Jonathan as oddly out of place. A melody would inexplicably start playing in his head.

He'd gone there a few times with the others, but he hadn't fooled around.

Collette teased him for pretending to be a gentleman and not knowing what he was missing. But who knew that, with memories of a past life, Jonathan had long since stopped caring about such things?

What kind of wild positions had he not tried?

He'd rather spend an hour or so building up his magical power.

Charles smiled. "That's why you're a Level Four Mage while Jonathan's a Level Five Mage!"

"Charles, don't pick on me. You're a Level Four Mage yourself. Our talent is what it is—what can I do about it? Ford, don't you agree?"

"That's right."

Charles had no reply. Even though he wasn't as devoted to having fun as Collette, and had reached Level Four before the other two, it would still take him at least another year to become a Level Five Mage.

Of the group who had entered the academy together, only Jonathan had advanced early. The only others who had reached Level Five last year were those two students with exceptional talent.

"Quit whining. Training hard is the right way. Be careful you don't spend sixty years failing to become a Level Six Mage and get kicked out of the academy. When that happens, don't say you know me. I couldn't bear the embarrassment!"

Collette laughed. "Don't worry. If that day comes, I'll cling to you for sure."

"By the time I'm sixty, you'll probably be a Level Nine Mage!"

"Someone that important is a rare sight even in the entire Bandas Kingdom. Who else would I cling to?"

"As long as you have thick enough skin, I don't mind."

"Don't worry. My skin's plenty thick."

Everyone else burst out laughing.

After a while, Jonathan said, "Joking aside, I have something serious to tell you. In a few days, I'm planning to go train in the Magical Beast Mountain Range."

At that, the other three grew serious.

Collette said, "Our academy does have a tradition of sending students to the Magical Beast Mountain Range for their graduation trials, but you're only a Level Five Mage. There's no need to rush."

"I'm not applying for a graduation trial. I just want to train in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for a month or two."