Chapter Summaries

After becoming a Primary Apprentice, Ron rejected Candidate Apprentices who tried to attach themselves to him and used Mental Interference to drive them away. Andre visited him afterward, troubled by demands from his family, and Ron offered him calming herbal tea.

• Mrs. Allen asked Ron to return the next day to help test new formulas.
• Gregory offered to become Ron's assistant, but Ron refused and walked away.
• Isabella and other Candidate Apprentices propositioned Ron, and he used Mental Interference to disorient them before warning them to leave him alone.
• Andre visited Ron and explained that Candidate Apprentices commonly sought protection from newly promoted apprentices.
• Ron noticed Andre was troubled by family demands, poured him herbal tea, and asked what was wrong.

Andre told Ron that the Royal Family had sent him to Black Mist Forest to become a Knight and serve Trish, but after she rejected him, they ordered him to serve Cynthia, a High-level Apprentice notorious for abusing her male slaves. He admitted he had hoped Ron's progress might help him escape that fate, leaving Ron to understand why Andre had finally confided in him.

• Ron reassured Andre that he would listen, and Andre explained that he had once tried to pursue Trish but she rejected him.
• Andre revealed that the Royal Family had sent him to Black Mist Forest to train as a Knight and serve Trish, whom they considered a key investment target.
• Andre said the Royal Family had given up on his spiritual aptitude and now expected him to serve Cynthia, a High-level Apprentice with a reputation for tormenting handsome male slaves.
• Ron realized the Royal Family was effectively forcing Andre into the role of a male favorite, while Andre said they knew of Cynthia's cruelty but did not care.
• Andre admitted he had hoped to form a stronger alliance with Ron, but doubted Ron could challenge Cynthia or would risk offending her for his sake.

Ron and Andre agreed to form an alliance: Ron would provide discounted potions while Andre gathered supplies and intelligence and helped with fights and errands. Andre planned to build his Knight strength and become a Formal Knight so the Royal Family could not treat him as a plaything.

• Ron showed Andre his potions and explained that Mrs. Allen had agreed to teach him the Gem-Grade Meditation Method in exchange for collecting special materials.
• Andre offered to become Ron's Knight guard if Ron helped him through his crisis.
• Ron urged Andre to focus on becoming a Formal Knight, whose independent status would earn respect even from the Royal Family.
• Ron and Andre agreed that Andre would gather materials and provide help while Ron supplied discounted potions to support his cultivation.
• Ron asked whether Cynthia wore purple dresses and spoke with a southern accent, then told Andre that Mrs. Allen had said Cynthia had nearly poisoned herself with a potion.

Ron used Simple Stardust Liquid to complete and refine his Sonic Oscillation spell, gaining the Microripple trait. He ended the night with a new combat spell and looked ahead to gathering materials and studying Whispers of the Star Eater.

• Ron and Andre toasted their cooperation, and Andre offered to help find materials from Mrs. Allen's list.
• After Andre left, Ron saved Holt's Artificial Star Dew for a future breakthrough and prepared to use his remaining Simple Stardust Liquid.
• Ron studied Darund's notebook and constructed the Sonic Oscillation spell model, using mental resonance to improve its stability and reduce mana consumption.
• Ron cast Sonic Oscillation at a wooden block, shattering it and advancing the spell from prototype to proficiency.
• Ron gained the Microripple trait, which made his attacks harder to detect, and considered the spell a potential trump card in the Black Mist Forest.

Ron studied the requirements for advancing from Wizard Apprentice to Formal Wizard and used his newly unlocked library access to plan his next steps. He left with goals of finding rare materials, mastering a Gem-Grade Meditation Method, and exploring other class paths.

• Ron reviewed his attributes and considered how magic power could fuel spells and enhance other combat classes.
• He visited the Black Mist Forest library and read the Apprentice Promotion Guide, learning about the Door Opening Ritual and its dangers.
• His Career Panel revealed the conditions and traits for the Wizard advancement path, including reaching 4.9 Spirit and mastering a Gem-Grade Meditation Method and a spell.
• Ron decided to seek Mrs. Allen's requested materials and the Whispers of the Star Eater, while investigating class paths and the School's power structure.
• A librarian closed the library, and Ron returned to his room, reflecting on the wider world before falling asleep.

Ron and Andre went to the Sunset Tavern to seek prohibited potion ingredients through the black market. Andre introduced Ron to Otto, a Gray Dwarf middleman, and began negotiating in code.

• Ron reviewed Mrs. Allen’s list of prohibited materials and agreed with Andre to look for them on the black market.
• Andre told Ron that the Sunset Tavern held a monthly trade fair and warned him that the School might seize goods from caught traders.
• Ron and Andre traveled to the outskirts of the Black Mist Forest and entered the Sunset Tavern.
• Andre identified Otto, a Gray Dwarf middleman, and approached him using a coded reference to a book from a previous meeting.
• Otto recognized Andre as the “Little Prince” and asked whether he had another special request.

Andre and Ron met Otto in a hidden room at the tavern to discuss buying rare potion materials, but Otto tested Ron’s claimed appraisal skills with a sample. Ron identified the Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash as counterfeit, leaving Otto’s reaction to be seen.

• Andre gave Otto a Magic Stone Fragment and led Ron into a locked room to discuss their materials list.
• Ron showed Otto several material names, and Otto warned that rare materials had become scarce and expensive, estimating at least 170 or 180 Magic Stone Fragments for the full list.
• Ron said he could appraise materials using his potion knowledge, and Otto offered a sample to test his abilities.
• Ron examined the supposed Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash and identified it as fake.

Ron identified counterfeit and genuine Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash, then exposed fake Crystalline Moss and earned Otto’s respect. Ron and Otto agreed that Ron would identify ten more materials in exchange for a twenty percent discount.

• Ron identified the first Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash bottle as counterfeit and the second as genuine, high-quality material.
• Otto explained that Ron’s skill had attracted attention and challenged him to identify Crystalline Moss.
• Ron recognized the Crystalline Moss as a counterfeit, and Otto accepted his ability.
• Otto offered Ron a price of ten Magic Stone Fragments for the materials, and Ron negotiated a discount in exchange for identifying ten items.
• Ron and Otto agreed that Ron would give honest evaluations of the ten materials for a twenty percent discount.

Ron and Andre secured genuine Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash from Otto and headed to Lizard Alley to search for more rare materials. As they entered, Andre explained that Peeping Mushrooms monitored visitors and alerted the alley’s managers to law enforcement or hostile intentions.

• Ron identified Otto’s materials accurately, impressing the dwarf and advancing his Herb Identification skill to Beginner 43/50.
• Otto sold Ron a bottle of Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash for five Magic Stone Fragments and warned him about the dangers and scams of Lizard Alley.
• Ron and Andre left the Sunset Tavern with the genuine material and decided to search Lizard Alley for the rest of their list.
• Andre warned Ron not to reveal their identities as members of a School and advised them to avoid using each other’s names.
• Ron and Andre entered Lizard Alley, where Andre explained that Peeping Mushrooms sensed visitors and relayed information through their mycelial network.

Ron and Andre entered Lizard Alley, a crowded foreign-race trading district, to search for materials for Blood-Qi Potions. Ron found a Goblin alchemist selling fresh, high-quality materials, and asked their price.

• Andre explained Lizard Alley's origins and warned Ron that its merchants often trick outsiders.
• Ron and Andre reached the district's guarded entrance and passed its inspection for dangerous supernatural items.
• Andre showed Ron the stall markings, and they searched for rare medicinal materials without finding Mrs. Allen's listed items.
• Andre led Ron to a Goblin alchemist whose stall carried a broad range of cultivation supplies.
• Ron identified fresh, high-quality Fire Crystal Orchid, Red Iron Grass, and Dragon Blood Tree leaves, then asked the Goblin how much they cost.

Ron and Andre searched Lizard Alley for potion ingredients, buying ordinary herbs and then negotiating for genuine but weakened Crystalline Moss from a hidden Snake-man merchant. Ron secured the rare ingredient for twelve Magic Stone Fragments, but the merchant had none of the other materials on Mrs. Allen's list.

• Ron bargained with a goblin and bought Blood-Qi Potion ingredients for eleven Magic Stone Fragments.
• Andre pointed out that the most valuable materials were kept hidden, and he led Ron to a shadowy stall at the end of Lizard Alley.
• Ron used Herb Identification to confirm that the Snake-man merchant's Crystalline Moss was genuine but old and weakened.
• Ron haggled with the Snake-man and bought the Crystalline Moss for twelve Magic Stone Fragments.
• The Snake-man showed them more hidden stock, but he had none of the other materials they needed.
• Andre praised Ron's trading skills, and Ron credited Mrs. Allen's guidance and said he felt a strange Resonance with trading.

Ron acquired the Tongue Moss of the Thirst-Dead and advanced his Herb Identification skill, gaining High-Speed Identification. After Ron and Andre realized a mercenary squad was following them, Ron led Andre into a dead-end alley to confront the pursuers.

• Ron found genuine Tongue Moss of the Thirst-Dead at an old woman's stall and raised his Herb Identification skill to Proficient, gaining High-Speed Identification.
• Ron bargained with the old woman and bought the material for fifteen Magic Stone Fragments, after purchasing the four main materials and spending nearly half his savings.
• Ron noticed the old woman watching them greedily and warned Andre that she seemed to view them as prey.
• Ron sensed they were followed by three Orcs and a Goblin scout, while Andre suspected the pursuers were organized bounty hunters.
• Ron led Andre into a narrow dead-end alley and waited for the mercenary squad to follow.

Ron and Andre lured four attackers into an alley, where Ron used his mental abilities and Andre’s help to kill three orcs and a goblin. After the last orc fell, Ron searched the bodies and silently cautioned himself not to become indifferent to life.

• Ron and Andre prepared for an ambush as three orcs and a goblin blocked the alley’s exit and demanded their valuables.
• Ron gave Andre an Agility Potion and told him to handle the orc on the left while Ron faced the others.
• Ron used Mental Interference and Sonic Oscillation to kill the orc leader, while Andre wounded the orc attacking him.
• Ron struck another orc with Sonic Oscillation and killed the fleeing goblin with a mental attack.
• The final orc fled in terror, but Ron threw his Ironwood Sword into it and Andre finished it off.
• Ron searched the corpses and reminded himself not to become indifferent to life.

Ron discovered that the goblin had been carrying the inactive Time Guardian's Pocket Watch, a Rare Relic that could reset its user's current condition and might evolve into a Glorious Legacy. As Ron and Andre left Lizard Alley, Andre explained the Bloodline Knight path, and Ron received its class advancement requirements.

• Ron found the Time Guardian's Pocket Watch hidden in the goblin's clothes and identified it as an inactive Rare Relic.
• Ron concealed the Pocket Watch's true nature from Andre, and Andre killed the last twitching Orc before they left the alley.
• Ron gathered Magic Stone Fragments and followed Andre out of Lizard Alley, thinking about how Rare Relics might help him unlock higher-tier classes.
• Andre regretted that they had not found any Sunlight Herb, and Ron agreed that the valuable plant was difficult to obtain.
• Ron asked Andre about Knight advancement paths, and Andre began explaining the Bloodline Knight path.
• Ron saw an information panel listing the Bloodline Knight's advancement requirements and traits.

Andre explained the Bloodline Awakening, Witch Hunter, and Magic Swordsman paths to Ron, revealing the legendary Corona Knight as a possible advancement for someone with the Sunlight Blessing. Back in his dormitory, Ron activated the Time Guardian's Pocket Watch with his blood, triggering a surge of energy.

• Andre described the risks and benefits of Bloodline Awakening and Witch Hunter, and Ron unlocked information about the Witch Hunter path.
• Andre explained that Magic Swordsmen combined swordsmanship and magic, and Ron unlocked advancement requirements that matched his abilities.
• Andre told Ron that a Magic Swordsman with the Sunlight Blessing might become a Corona Knight, and Ron partially unlocked information about the rare profession.
• Ron thanked Andre, returned to his dormitory, and checked the room for surveillance or traps before examining the Silver Pocket Watch.
• Ron heard the Pocket Watch's voice instruct him to forge a pact with blood, cut his fingertip, and let a drop of blood fall onto its black gemstone, which released a burst of energy.

Ron discovered that the Time Guardian's Pocket Watch could erase his fatigue, allowing him to train beyond his normal limits. He used its daily quota to improve his swordsmanship through the night, then stopped when the watch's ten resets ran out.

• Ron activated the Time Guardian's Pocket Watch with his blood and learned that it could reset negative conditions using a limited daily energy quota.
• Ron reset his accumulated fatigue and felt refreshed, then began practicing basic sword forms in his room.
• After an intense training session, Ron reset his physical soreness and gained another Basic Swordsmanship experience point.
• Ron repeatedly trained to exhaustion and used the Pocket Watch to continue, raising Basic Swordsmanship to Proficient 20/100.
• When Ron used all ten resets, the Pocket Watch refused further use until the next day, and he decided to rest.

Ron delivered the requested materials to Mrs. Allen, who rewarded his unexpectedly swift success by offering to teach him the first two stages of Whispers of the Star Eater. She warned him that the Meditation Method contained truths that could drive him mad, then began to explain its third stage.

• Ron put away the Time Guardian's Pocket Watch and woke refreshed despite his intense training.
• Ron brought Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash, Crystalline Moss, and Tongue Moss of the Thirst-Dead to Mrs. Allen, omitting his fight with the orc mercenaries.
• Mrs. Allen praised the materials and learned that Ron had obtained them from Otto in exchange for identifying herbs.
• Mrs. Allen offered to teach Ron the first two stages of Whispers of the Star Eater, including the path to becoming a Formal Wizard.
• Mrs. Allen warned Ron that the Meditation Method could drive a person mad and began to describe its third stage.

Ron received Mrs. Allen’s warning about the dangers of studying the advanced section of Whispers of the Star Eater, and she planned to begin teaching him its first stage that afternoon. Trish collected a potion for her mentor, cautioned Ron about Andre and the royal family, and revealed she had come with a private request.

• Mrs. Allen warned Ron that studying the section without sufficient mental strength could drive him into madness, then said she would teach him the first stage of Whispers of the Star Eater that afternoon.
• Ron continued his work at the Herb Shop, gaining experience in potion brewing and basic potionology.
• Trish arrived to collect a potion commissioned by Witch Corinna, and Mrs. Allen handed it over and accepted additional payment.
• Mrs. Allen sent Ron and Trish to the back lounge, where they discussed their progress and Trish warned Ron to be careful around the royal family, especially Andre.
• Trish told Ron she had come with a private request.

Ron agreed to brew basic cultivation potions for Trish and received Mrs. Allen’s instruction in the dangerous first stage of Whispers of the Star Eater. He returned to his dormitory with the core rune etched in his mind and found that the Silver Pocket Watch had reset to 0/10.

• Trish commissioned Ron to prepare Refreshing Potions and Mental Stability Liquid, and he accepted a deposit for the first batch due in a week.
• Ron considered how to improve his skills and noticed the Silver Pocket Watch responding with a faint energy fluctuation.
• Mrs. Allen warned Ron that Whispers of the Star Eater could irreversibly transform spiritual power and cause madness if mishandled.
• Mrs. Allen taught Ron the method’s core rune and first-stage practice, then warned him to use Magic Arrays to isolate his aura before meditating.
• Ron returned to his dormitory, saw that the Silver Pocket Watch had reset to 0/10, and looked out at the bright stars.

Ron used Artificial Star Dew to stabilize his mind and successfully reached the introductory stage of Whispers of the Star Eater. As the meditation revealed a disturbing cosmic vision and an ancient story, he remained exposed to its dangerous inspiration.

• Ron secured his room with protective runes and incense before attempting Whispers of the Star Eater.
• Ron struggled to build the advanced rune in his mental space until a blurry version took shape.
• Ron drank the Artificial Star Dew Holt had given him, stabilizing the rune and reaching the introductory stage of Whispers of the Star Eater.
• Ron triggered the method’s special inspiration and saw living stars in a chaotic universe.
• Ron heard an inhuman babble recounting the deaths of stars, the decay of galaxies, and the awakening of an ancient existence.