(This is the fifth chapter today. We're almost caught up! Thanks for all your support!)
Mages were far wealthier than ordinary people imagined, but their expenses could make even the richest merchants wince. Spell equipment and all kinds of materials for research added up to an astronomical sum, so most mages chose one or two fields to study. If they tried to take on too many, they would run out of either time or money.
In just a few minutes, the mages present had divided up all thirty-nine corpses of magic beasts that were at least level three. Those who got the materials they wanted even gloated that the mages who hadn't shown up had missed out on a huge opportunity.
After all, merchants usually stocked only the lowest-grade magic beast corpses. Many beasts above level three were more than ordinary hunters and Adventurers could handle. Even when merchants did acquire the occasional beast above level three, they would ship it to other cities in the Kingdom where it could fetch a higher price. Only a few were left in North Shire to be bought by local mages and nobles.
Besides, most mages spent much of their time in their laboratories conducting research, or meditating and practicing spells to improve their abilities. They didn't like hunting magic beasts themselves. Only Warriors who pursued martial strength made hunting beasts their main method of training. But even then, there were hardly more high-level Warriors than mages!
As a result, the price of magic beast materials kept rising, while the amount available for sale kept shrinking.
The three carts of magic beasts Donald had brought were just what everyone needed. With these supplies, the mages present wouldn't have to order any more beast materials for at least half a year.
Donald had also spotted the business opportunity and proposed accepting Magic Beast Cores instead of Gold Sol for the materials. Some pure Elemental Mages had little use for beast cores, which were far less important to them than Elemental Crystals, so they readily paid with the cores they had saved up.
Thus, after receiving several hundred Gold Sol, Donald also acquired Magic Beast Cores worth more than a thousand Gold Sol. Most were from level-three beasts, and there were only two level-four cores.
Once the deal was done, both sides were delighted.
Donald bade the mages farewell, then followed his teacher to receive his instruction.
The old mage Messer had taught apprentices for many years, and his experience was clearly exceptional. He didn't teach Donald any powerful spells. Instead, he began by explaining a few simple but practical spellcasting techniques, then gave him a basic lesson in alchemy.
After several hours of lessons, Donald had filled in many gaps in his foundational knowledge of magic. This would bring immeasurable benefits to his future development.
When the lesson ended, Messer sent him off to rest. But Donald felt not the slightest bit tired, so he headed straight for the club's library.
Most mages approved of his thirst for knowledge. Only diligent study could lead to success. Even the most talented apprentice could waste the most important years of his life and get nowhere as a mage if he didn't apply himself.
This time, Donald's main goal in the library was to read the notes left by the mages who had come before him and learn about their experiences advancing from apprentice to mage. According to his teacher, Messer, Donald's physical condition already met the requirements for advancement. His mental strength and control over it were both on par with those of a normal first-level mage.
What held him back was his understanding of how spells took shape and his proficiency in casting them. After all, he hadn't undergone professional training from childhood. Setting aside his combat ability, there were still plenty of gaps in his knowledge as an Apprentice Mage.
So this time, Donald focused on how to build a solid foundation and advance quickly.
Donald spent another three days at the club. Aside from reading in the library, he repeatedly practiced casting spells on the training grounds.
Unfortunately, after three days, Donald still hadn't figured out how to advance. His impatience only made him more and more frustrated.
This isn't working. Getting anxious won't solve anything!
So Donald simply gave up on trying to advance quickly. For the next two days, he read in the library or asked the more experienced mages for advice. Messer was the most helpful of them all. Then, during his evening breaks, Donald practiced a few more spells on the training grounds. With meditation and Minor Purification Potions restoring his energy, he could devote eighty percent of each day to studying without feeling very tired.
Then, as he gradually relaxed during practice, he easily cast a first-level spell. The spell naturally stirred the mental power within him, and he smoothly advanced from a level-zero apprentice to a full-fledged mage.
The process was quite extraordinary. It felt as if his soul had left his body. In that instant, Donald's ability to use mental power and observe the elements increased severalfold. It felt even more powerful than when the White Crystal Ring amplified him. To get a better sense of his true abilities, he had taken off the White Crystal Ring Messer gave him before starting to train, and practiced casting spells without any amplification.
After advancing, Donald felt profoundly satisfied, and his mental power capacity seemed to have doubled. Then the Book of Truth inside him conveyed a piece of information that delighted him.
Now that he had become a low-stage Black Iron Mage, the increase in his mental power's source—that is, the strength of his soul—had raised his access level for the Book of Truth by one rank.
And, as mentioned before, each time the Book of Truth advanced a rank, it granted its contractor an opportunity to acquire a skill. Now he could obtain his first skill!
Donald had long coveted the skills of the various unit types among the magic beasts, especially those belonging to the heroes of each race.
The Archmage's Blizzard and Teleport, the Blood Elf Prince's Siphon Mana and Flamestrike, the Paladin's Invincible Divine Shield and Resurrection, the Blademaster's Wind Walk, Mirror Image, and Bladestorm, and so on. Every one of these skills was powerful and unique. Donald wanted to acquire every last one of them.
Of course, that wasn't very likely. The Book of Truth used the rules of Warcraft and this world's professional ranks to divide the soul levels of its contracted host and summoned creatures into ten levels. The low-stage Black Iron rank corresponded to lv1, while the middle-stage Black Iron rank corresponded to lv2, equivalent to second-tier units. The rest followed the same pattern, except that the Gold rank at the end corresponded to lv10.
This world's power levels were generally divided into five ranks: Apprentice, Black Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Other than Apprentice, each rank could be further divided into three stages.
There was no need to explain the Apprentice rank. Those who reached the Black Iron rank could generally join the army or become Adventurers.
Take the mages Donald knew best, for example. Those who could use level-zero spells were apprentices. Those who had mastered level-one to level-three spells were mages of the three Black Iron stages. Starting with level-four spells, magic grew increasingly wide-ranging and powerful, making its caster a Bronze-rank expert capable of standing on their own. Silver Mages, who had mastered high-level spells of levels seven and eight, were practically strategic weapons in human form, capable of destroying a town single-handedly.
As for the Gold rank, its members had already touched the power of the laws at a superficial level and stood with one foot across the threshold of legend. Their bodies had evolved under the power of the laws, beginning to transcend the limits of ordinary beings. If they wished, they could overthrow a Kingdom with a wave of their hands.
Every Gold-rank individual was a national treasure, a deterrent force and the ultimate trump card that kept other powers from acting rashly. In Selt, the two known Gold-rank powerhouses stood on equal footing with His Majesty the King.
Donald had only ten skills to choose from, and for now, he could select only the first. He knew nothing about what happened after level nine, and the Book of Truth offered no explanation at all. Even for a master like Messer, anything beyond level nine was just a legend. He didn't know whether he would ever reach it in his lifetime.
Being able to acquire ten powerful skills is already an enormous advantage. I shouldn't be so greedy!
After all, directly granting someone an innate skill and embedding it in the very source of their soul was already an incredible blessing in the eyes of others, practically a divine gift. Usually, only the descendants of gods or devout believers of saintly stature received such abilities from a true god.
Yet Donald worshipped no deity and had nothing but an ordinary human bloodline. Now he could choose a skill for himself! This could hardly be called divine favor!
After thinking it over several times, Donald chose the Archmage's ultimate skill, Teleport, as his first innate spell. It was neither an attack nor a defense skill.
The human Archmage's Teleport was an excellent escape skill. Once upgraded, it could also serve as the perfect means of launching a surprise attack.
Donald opened the Book of Truth and checked the data it provided for the skill.
"Teleport, the Archmage's ultimate skill. Weakened due to level restrictions. Teleports one person to any location within a hundred kilometers that an allied unit has visited. Cooldown: thirty minutes."
"Upgrade paths: Greater Teleport (increases teleportation range to five hundred kilometers and reduces cooldown to fifteen minutes); Mass Teleport (transports all units within ten feet of the caster, increases teleportation range to one thousand five hundred kilometers, and reduces cooldown to five minutes); Ultimate Teleport (any target, teleportation range covers any area in this plane visited by an allied unit, no cooldown.)"
The Book of Truth explained that the cooldown existed because Donald's body and soul weren't strong enough to withstand repeated spatial teleportation over a short period. As Donald grew stronger and advanced, the cooldown would gradually decrease until it disappeared.
"With this skill at my disposal, it's perfect for traveling, hunting, and fighting!"
After reading all the information in the Book of Truth, Donald couldn't help exclaiming.
Although the skill had significant restrictions at first, its later upgrades were also incredibly powerful. Once his soul reached lv3 and he had the strength of a high-stage Black Iron Mage, he could learn Greater Teleport and travel freely throughout North Shire. At lv5, he could upgrade it to Mass Teleport, which could transport a certain number of creatures and objects across one thousand five hundred kilometers, covering nearly half of the Kingdom of Selt. At lv7, when he reached the Silver rank, he could upgrade it to Ultimate Teleport. By then, there would be nowhere in the world he couldn't go!
Donald chose Teleport as his first skill because its instant travel made it the best skill for getting away and staying alive, whether at home or on the road. In the early stages, it was more effective than any attack or defense skill. Even if he encountered an enemy or danger he couldn't overcome, he could escape in an instant.
A Paladin's Invincible Divine Shield and invincibility potions might seem powerful, but at first they could only last fifteen seconds at most. Against some fast enemies, that wasn't enough time to take more than a few steps before being caught again.
Donald was currently only a low-stage Black Iron Mage, so Teleport, which could instantly carry him out of danger, was undoubtedly his best choice for now.
With Teleport as his trump card, he could escape even if he encountered a powerful Silver-rank enemy. Combined with his formidable army of summoned creatures, he might not be able to win, but he could still get away.
Other attack and defense skills might be powerful, but staying alive came first. Teleporting was also far easier and more convenient than any other means of travel.
The items available for exchange included escape daggers and Teleportation Staves, but equipment-granted skills were naturally slower to activate than skills of one's own. They could also be interrupted and had other limitations, such as only allowing the user to teleport to a designated main base. How could they compare to a skill that could be activated with a thought? Teleport could send him to any location within its range that he had visited before.
With Teleport as a life-saving skill, he could instantly travel more than a hundred kilometers away if he encountered danger, greatly improving his chances of survival. Donald now looked forward to his future magic beast hunts with confidence. He no longer had to hold back out of caution and waste so many cores.
Before you continue