He carefully reviewed this information, feeling both delighted and somewhat regretful.
The delight was that he had already fulfilled two of the three class advancement requirements for Wizard Apprentice;
The regret was that he was still missing one—raising the Zero-ring Spell "Slime Splash" to the proficient level.
"Just one step away," Ron murmured.
In fact, he had practiced this spell on and off before, but because there were no suitable targets in his dorm room, he had been far less diligent with it than with Corona Swordsmanship.
Even so, the experience for "Slime Splash" was already close to breaking through the "beginner" level. With just a little more practice, it would meet the class advancement requirement.
If Darund and Marcus's affairs had not come one after another, he might already have been able to become a Wizard Apprentice directly.
Ron began planning what to do next:
After leaving the Confinement Room, his first priority would be to quickly practice "Slime Splash" to proficiency and complete his Wizard Apprentice advancement.
The information on the panel showed that Wizard Apprentices received bonuses to spell experience gain and mental power recovery.
This happened to complement the specialties of Knight Squire and Potion Apprentice, creating a stronger synergistic effect.
"Develop all three classes in parallel." Ron lightly tapped the table with his fingers.
"This will maximize the panel's advantages and create a positive cycle."
He imagined the possibilities ahead:
The mental power accumulation and mana affinity bonuses provided by Potion Apprentice could accelerate the growth of Wizard Apprentice;
Meanwhile, the mana growth and spellcasting abilities of Wizard Apprentice could complement the physical enhancement of Knight Squire, ultimately achieving powerful Trinity combat strength.
"As long as I can complete the advancement smoothly, when I undergo apprentice certification and receive my initial resource allocation, the potential I display should be even greater."
Just as he was deeply considering his future plans, a set of footsteps suddenly sounded in the corridor, interrupting his thoughts.
Those footsteps were unusual—light and rhythmic, carrying an indescribable elegance and oppressive air that no ordinary apprentice could possess.
Ron immediately became alert, reining in his thoughts and focusing on sensing the situation outside.
An extremely disgusting mental fluctuation, twisted enough to make his scalp tingle, suddenly entered his range of perception.
This unknown mental fluctuation was filled with decay and strangeness, like the sound of hundreds of maggots writhing through rotten flesh, except that it had all been transformed into a mental sensation.
Even more unsettling, the fluctuation seemed to be approaching the Confinement Room where he was being held.
Ron involuntarily tensed his body, his mental power instinctively contracting into a spherical defensive posture to ease his discomfort.
He swept his gaze around and noticed that the eyeball-like surveillance devices in the corridor were all functioning normally, which reassured him slightly.
In a public area under surveillance like this, nothing too excessive should happen.
With that thought, he had more or less guessed the visitor's identity. It had to be someone connected to his unlucky "neighbor."
Marcus's Confinement Room was not far away. In the past, while cultivating, Ron could occasionally hear Marcus cursing the terrible food in the Confinement Room.
Sure enough, before long, a figure slowly emerged from the corridor's corner.
Through the fairly wide ventilation opening in the door, Ron saw that the visitor was an exceptionally handsome young man. He had black hair and black eyes, with features so beautiful they were almost bewitching.
His skin was pale to the point of seeming sickly, glimmering faintly beneath the dim corridor lights.
What drew the most attention was the dark blue gemstone badge hanging from his chest—it was the mark of a High-level Apprentice.
Behind this unknown visitor, Marcus kept his head bowed like a beaten dog, following closely in a timid crouch.
He looked completely different from his usual arrogant self, even somewhat pitiful and humble.
"Ron Ralph?" The black-haired man stood before the Confinement Room door and asked in a peculiar tone, his voice unexpectedly gentle.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Oliver, Marcus's older brother."
Ron's heart tightened. As expected, this was the High-level Apprentice who specialized in curse spells.
"I've heard much about you." After politely nodding, he answered cautiously, trying to keep his voice calm and even.
A nearly perfect smile appeared on Oliver's face, revealing a row of neat white teeth. "I apologize for my younger brother's rude behavior."
As he spoke, he drew a ring of keys from his robes and easily unlocked the Confinement Room door.
"As compensation, I spent Magic Stone Fragments to secure an opportunity for your early release."
Ron raised an eyebrow, quietly weighing the matter.
There was indeed a rule in the Black Mist Forest allowing Magic Stone Fragments to reduce confinement time. The price was roughly ten Magic Stone Fragments for one day.
But he had never considered that option. First, he was reluctant to part with those precious Magic Stone Fragments; second, although the Confinement Room's conditions were crude, it provided everything needed for basic living and let him cultivate in peace.
"Thank you for your kindness," Ron said neither humbly nor arrogantly, while observing Oliver's every move.
He did not immediately step out of the room. There were actually several trigger-based Magic Arrays inside the Confinement Room.
On one hand, they prevented those inside from escaping; on the other, they prevented visitors from pulling any tricks. Now, those Magic Arrays had instead become his shield.
This Oliver before him seemed perfect in every respect. He was polite and refined, wearing a gentle smile like a true gentleman.
Yet it was precisely this overly perfect facade that put Ron on guard. How could a High-level Apprentice who had made a name for himself in the Black Mist Forest possibly be harmless?
"There's no need to be so polite." Oliver waved a hand. "My younger brother is always doing irritating things. He truly gives me a headache."
He turned and lightly patted Marcus on the shoulder. The gesture looked intimate, but Ron caught the instant stiffness and fear in Marcus's body.
"If you still feel dissatisfied, you may teach him a lesson however you like."
Oliver's smile did not change, but an unreadable glint flashed through his eyes. "I would not mind at all."
Ron remained wary. He glanced at the shrinking Marcus and shook his head. "There's no need. Since you have apologized as his elder brother, let this matter be considered settled."
"Your generosity is admirable," Oliver praised, smoothly shifting the subject to what interested him most.
"By the way, I heard you've recently been studying Sonic Spells? Darund's project?"
Here it comes! Alarm bells rang in Ron's mind.
It seemed that his research inside the Confinement Room had not been entirely confidential. Even this High-level Apprentice had heard of it.
"It was merely out of curiosity. I was just looking into it casually," Ron replied cautiously.
"The most important quality of a qualified wizard is an unceasing thirst for knowledge. It seems you possess that admirable quality as well."
Oliver nodded with a smile, though his true intention showed through amid his flattering words.
"Sonic spells and curses actually share something in common. Both use special methods to influence their targets without a sound. Perhaps we might have an opportunity to exchange ideas in the future."
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