A Trash Staff Becomes Divine Gear

It worked!

Lin Mu was ecstatic. One had become nine!

Summoning skills were notoriously difficult to increase in number.

A skill could reach max level and still summon fewer than he could now!

And all it had taken was changing one word!

The surrounding discussions continued.

But they had shifted from simple mockery to anticipation for the "good show" that afternoon.

"Wang Li, life profession: [Essential Oil Technician]. No talent."

Director Liu paid no attention to Wang Li, who was both embarrassed and upset.

Nor did he bother with the other students rushing over to ask for her contact information.

He had overseen awakening ceremonies for years. What kind of profession had he not seen?

He could not possibly comfort every one of them.

After all, this was a world where strength reigned supreme. Trash would always be eliminated.

The only reason he had been willing to offer Lin Mu a few words earlier was because Lin Mu had been a good student.

Besides, [Essential Oil Technician] was not necessarily a trash profession.

Wang Li was fairly pretty. If she made good use of her profession, she could earn plenty of money!

"All right, the awakening ceremony is over. Those who awakened combat professions can go to the Logistics Office later to collect your beginner weapons."

"At two in the afternoon, everyone will gather here for the Apprentice Trial."

Director Liu deliberately—or perhaps unintentionally—glanced at Lin Mu below the stage.

"Those who failed to awaken, awakened life professions, or have poor combat ability may leave shortly."

"But remember, professions have no distinction between noble and lowly."

"Any profession, including ordinary people, can shine in their own position!"

"For your families, for Huaxia, for Blue Star, contribute your own strength!"

Director Liu's impassioned encouragement truly stirred the blood of many students who had yet to experience the hardships of life.

The gloom on the faces of those who had failed to awaken now carried a hint of fighting spirit.

Those who had awakened combat professions were even more fired up.

They practically wanted to rush out of the academy and fight monsters for three hundred rounds.

Lin Mu stood amid the crowd, his expression calm.

Having lived two lives, what kind of workplace empty promises had he not swallowed?

These speeches were fine to listen to, nothing more.

The excited reactions of the students around him gave him an odd sense of déjà vu.

It was as though he had returned to the rally before the college entrance exam in his previous life.

Once the awakening ceremony had fully ended, Lin Mu headed straight for the academy's Logistics Office.

"Necromancer, Lin Mu."

The teacher responsible for handing out beginner equipment did not even raise his head.

He casually picked up an inconspicuous wooden staff from a pile of standard-issue weapons and tossed it over.

"There. Your staff."

Lin Mu caught the staff. It felt icy cold in his hand.

[Withered Wood Staff] (LV.0, White)

Attack: 1–3

Special Effect: Reduces mana consumption by 10% when casting skills.

Barely better than nothing.

Without changing expression, Lin Mu walked to an empty corner and focused his thoughts.

Talent: [Description Tamperer]!

[Withered Wood Staff]: A staff made from dried willow wood, with barely any signs of processing. Special Effect: Reduces mana consumption by 10% when casting skills.

His gaze fixed on the final line of the staff's description:

"Reduces mana consumption by 10% when casting skills."

"Change '10%' to '90%'..."

The description on the staff blurred slightly, then quickly became clear again.

[Withered Wood Staff] (LV.0, White)

Attack: 1–3

Special Effect: Reduces mana consumption by 90% when casting skills.

It worked!

Lin Mu's lips curled upward, unable to contain his delight.

A 90% reduction in mana consumption!

This firewood stick that even beginner villages would disdain had instantly become a top-tier mana-saving piece of equipment!

With it, [Resurrect Skeleton] would consume only 1 mana each time!

He could now keep his skeleton squad at full strength at all times without worrying about running out of mana!

This cheat ability was truly overpowered!

It was even more ridiculous than Fengling Yueying, the single-player game trainer from his previous life!

After a quick lunch, it was one-thirty in the afternoon.

Lin Mu arrived at Awakening Plaza ahead of time.

A few people were already scattered across the plaza, mostly gathered in groups of three or five as they discussed the upcoming trial.

"Lin Mu."

A gentle voice came from behind him.

Lin Mu turned around and saw a girl in a white dress.

Her shoulder-length hair framed a delicate face, and concern lingered in her eyes as she naturally walked toward him.

This girl was Su Xiaoxiao.

She was one of the few people in the class who had not mocked him after the awakening ceremony.

She had awakened the [Priest] profession, a pure support class and a fairly sought-after one.

"Su Xiaoxiao, do you need something?" Lin Mu asked curiously.

Su Xiaoxiao pressed her lips together and said softly:

"Lin Mu, Wang Hao... his [Flame Warrior] is very effective against undead creatures. You need to be careful during this afternoon's trial."

She paused, as though gathering her courage.

"How about we form a party? I'm a Priest, but at least I can heal you!"

Lin Mu looked at her in surprise.

Su Xiaoxiao came from a good family and was quite pretty.

She had always been popular in class, and the original Lin Mu had received quite a bit of care from her at school.

She was one of the rare gentle memories buried deep in the original owner's mind.

If it had been the original Lin Mu, his heart would probably have been racing already.

But Lin Mu merely considered it for a moment.

With his current fragile health, a Priest teammate could indeed provide considerable help.

"Okay." He nodded.

Just then, Wang Hao arrived again with several lackeys.

The moment he saw Lin Mu standing with Su Xiaoxiao, jealousy flared in his eyes.

Su Xiaoxiao was the school beauty. It had been one thing for her to ignore him before.

But now she was actually taking the initiative to speak with trash like Lin Mu?

"Well, well, Lin Mu. You actually dared to come?"

Wang Hao spoke in a strange tone, his jealous gaze sweeping back and forth between them.

"Don't think a pretty girl caring about you can change the fact that you're trash!"

He deliberately emphasized the word "trash."

"Once we enter the Dungeon, let's see how I smash those pathetic bone racks of yours one by one!"

Su Xiaoxiao's pretty face turned pale. Normally quiet and gentle, she could not help but speak angrily now.

"Wang Hao! We're all classmates. Why are you being so aggressive?"

Her voice trembled slightly with anger.

By then, more and more students participating in the trial had arrived at the plaza.

Ignoring Su Xiaoxiao's question, Wang Hao instead swept a vicious grin across the surrounding students.

"Listen up, everyone!" he shouted.

"Lin Mu, the most useless Necromancer!"

"Today, anyone who dares to party with this trash will be making an enemy of me, Wang Hao!"

As soon as he said this, those who had still felt some sympathy for Lin Mu instinctively stepped back, putting distance between themselves and the pair.

Although Wang Hao's [Flame Warrior] was not among the absolute best professions,

it was undoubtedly a powerful combat class.

No one wanted to offend a combat profession with good potential

for the sake of some irrelevant "trash."

Seeing the wary looks of the students around them, Su Xiaoxiao's eyes reddened with grievance.

Tears welled in her eyes.

Lin Mu gently patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry. I don't need any other teammates. Of course, you can find another party if you want."

His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally steady.

Su Xiaoxiao looked up and met Lin Mu's calm, confident eyes.

For some reason,

much of the grievance and unease in her heart faded away.

She shook her head firmly. "No! I'm willing to party with you!"

"Silence!"

Director Liu appeared on the raised platform in the plaza, his voice stern.

The noisy plaza fell silent at once.

"Students, this Apprentice Trial Dungeon is [Goblin Forest]."

"The Dungeon allows parties of up to five people. You have three hours to complete the Dungeon mission."

"Take note: if you fail to complete the mission within the allotted time, you will be unable to level up normally!"

"More importantly, the Dungeon is not absolutely safe. If you encounter danger you cannot resist, you may even lose your lives!"

"If you merely fail the mission, you will be forcibly teleported back after three hours, but you can only wait for the next Apprentice Dungeon to open."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over them.

Every student in the plaza grew tense.

Their expressions changed dramatically as they sucked in sharp breaths.

Hissing sounds filled the air, making a tremendous contribution to Blue Star's climate warming.

They would be unable to unlock all functions, unable to level up,

and might even die!

This was no joke!

Seeing that his warning had achieved its effect, Director Liu nodded.

"Now, open the Trial Dungeon entrance!"

At his command, the Awakening Array at the center of the plaza lit up once more.

A distorted Light Gate slowly took shape, radiating a dark, eerie aura.

"All students participating in the trial, enter in order!"

Under the teachers' guidance, the students entered the Light Gate one after another, their hearts filled with unease.

After successfully forming a party, Lin Mu and Su Xiaoxiao followed the crowd inside as well.

After a dizzying whirl,

Lin Mu found that the two of them had appeared at the edge of a dim forest.

The surrounding students had vanished.

They had clearly been randomly teleported to different areas of the Dungeon.

Immediately afterward,

a cold Dungeon notification sounded in the minds of every student who had entered.

[Dungeon Mission Issued]

[1. Kill at least 10 Dungeon monsters of any type. The trial will be successful, and you may choose to teleport out of the Dungeon early.]

[2. The more monsters you kill within 3 hours, the higher your rating.]

[3. Special Mission: Kill the Dungeon Boss—Goblin Shaman (Extremely Dangerous!)]