Super Magic Staff

That old bastard had actually attacked a colleague just to snatch someone up?

Hadn't he been all breezy and unruffled earlier, saying I should choose for myself? Yet now he hadn't hesitated to use magic to stop Barton and make Blue Tower's request to me ahead of time?

He was ruthless...

Lynn clicked his tongue inwardly. For a moment, he imagined old Barton recovering in a while and flying into a thunderous rage, making the whole place erupt like chickens flying and dogs jumping, and couldn't help laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Adolph immediately asked him.

"..." Lynn braced himself and tried to smooth it over. "Mr. Adolph, please don't joke with me anymore. Right now, I'm still only an Apprentice Mage. I'm not qualified to join a Mage Tower."

Adolph's lips moved, just as he was about to explain, but Lynn took one step ahead and said, "Right now, I only want to study second-ring magic honestly and pass the Initiate Mage assessment. As for Mage Towers, I still don't understand them very well, so I don't have much room to choose. Something like this must be considered seriously, wouldn't you say?"

His words were extremely sincere and plain, leaving no room to refute.

Adolph did not dwell on it much either. Stroking his long beard, he nodded with a smile. "Very well. After you obtain your Initiate Mage qualification, remember to come find me. Remember, child, you will need Blue Tower's help."

This was the arrogance of Mage Towers. Every mage in a Mage Tower believed the path of magic they pursued was the most correct one.

Even though Lynn had already displayed enough talent to make him take notice, he would only think that it was not Blue Tower that needed Lynn, but Lynn who needed Blue Tower.

"All right," Lynn said politely. "I'll be sure to consider it seriously."

Seeing that the matter had come to a temporary close, Adolph waved his robe sleeves and dispelled the two area spells.

Barton immediately came rushing over, cursing and grumbling.

At the sight, Adolph turned back with a wooden face, and the two of them—one headless, one unhappy—fell into a chaotic tangle.

Seth, for his part, was already used to it. The two old men had been like this for more than a day or two.

Lynn took advantage of the chaos to find an excuse and quickly left the place.

Over the next few days, he did not go to the Magic Association or the third floor of the Golden Tower again.

Aside from holing up in the inn to read and study as usual and occasionally going out for walks, he only made a trip to a magic shop, where he picked out a magic book for 30 silver coins.

Zero-ring cantrip [Message Casting], capable of transmitting a message to one communicable target within a range of 50 meters and receiving the other party's reply. This kind of exchange could only be heard by both sides.

The price of cantrips fluctuated greatly. Depending on the quality of the magic book, they ranged from 20 to 100 silver coins. The one Lynn bought was of the lowest quality.

Fortunately, his spirituality had just improved, and he accurately captured the spiritual knowledge inscribed in the book. In only half an hour, he had completely mastered this cantrip.

Considering the complex environment out in the wild, a concealed method of transmitting messages like "Message Casting" was extremely important. I could even serve as the "message tube" in the party.

Lynn savored the process of learning new magic from the magic book just now and found it very interesting.

Even if this mission failed to uncover information related to the Corruption Cult, with the 10-gold-coin reward Elaine had promised after finding Charlotte Fenrir, he would still be able to buy a second-ring magic book.

In that case, he would be able to take the Initiate Mage assessment.

What second-ring spell should I learn? Lynn thought, filled with anticipation.

Time passed quickly. On the morning of the third day, Elaine returned to the Iris Inn as promised.

She looked as if she had gone to a clothing store to carefully have a set of fitted clothes more suitable for adventuring custom-made: a sky-blue top, light-brown trousers, thick-soled short boots, and a grass-green short cloak over them.

Lynn nodded appreciatively. She was fairly smart, knowing to wear natural colors as much as possible. That pure-white academy-style long dress from before would have been far too conspicuous in a forest.

"So, how was it? Haven't seen me for a few days. Did you miss me?" Elaine came up to him cheerfully.

Expressionless, Lynn said, "You came at just the right time. I was just preparing to go pick up my staff."

"..." Elaine puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction. "You're so cold!"

Lynn rolled his eyes at her. "Haven't I always been like this?"

The half-elf girl was instantly at a loss for words. Thinking carefully, Lynn really did seem to have never fallen for this act of hers.

Elaine's green eyes blinked, and she sank into thought, like a warrior whose fighting spirit had been stirred.

Her earlier performance had all been tested in social circles and had never failed. Few men could keep themselves under control.

But Lynn seemed a little different.

He was too rational. From the beginning, he had seen that she was merely performing as a friendly, approachable, beautiful girl.

Of course, the beautiful-girl part did not need to be performed.

No... I really am approachable and friendly...

Elaine gently shook her head. She had nearly confused herself.

This was the first time she had ever begun to doubt herself...

"Hurry up. Liam and the others are already prepared. They're just waiting for us."

Lynn tidied up his outfit and brought along his coin pouch and backpack. He had arranged to meet the three teammates at the residence on Dew Street at noon.

"Oh, oh." Only then did Elaine come back to herself and hurriedly followed.

All of her things were kept in the storage space of the Emerald Staff, so she only needed to carry the staff and could set out at any time.

Near the Magic Association, inside the magic-item crafting shop.

It was still a disorderly mess of an environment, and the Stone-Skin Gnome stood quietly behind the counter.

When he saw the two of them come in, he immediately lifted his head and said mechanically, "Guest, your staff has been completed."

Once Lynn walked up to the counter, he picked up a long wooden case from beside him and set it on the tabletop.

Brimming with anticipation, Lynn opened the wooden case. At once, a sea-blue wave of mana spread out like rippling water.

It was a metal staff, silver-white from end to end, with the Aquamarine Gem Elaine had given him embedded at the top.

"This is a magic amplification gem of excellent quality. I paired it with Glimmer Silver, which conducts mana more strongly. It is a lower-grade metal than Mithril. If possible, I sincerely suggest that you switch to Mithril for the shaft in the future."

After hearing that, Lynn gave a bitter laugh inwardly. If he could, of course he wanted to!

For a proper Mithril staff, the materials alone would cost more than fifty gold coins. Add the complicated craftsmanship on top, and without at least a hundred gold coins, there was basically no way to get one.

That was already Elite Mage equipment...

"You may test the staff's effects," the Stone-Skin Gnome said.

Lynn immediately took out the staff and held it in his hand. At once, he felt his spirituality being drawn along by an invisible force.

Seeing his unusual expression, Elaine came closer at just the right moment and explained softly, "The first time you use a staff, you need to perform a binding ritual. Fill the staff's magic patterns with your spirituality, then activate it with mana, and that will do."

Lynn smiled gratefully. Following what she had said, he released his spirituality to his heart's content, fused it with the staff, and guided the mana within his body along the magic patterns his palm was touching.

The Aquamarine Gem immediately lit up, and even the staff made of Glimmer Silver gave off a faint glow.

"Have you thought of a name?" Elaine asked curiously.

Lynn sensed the information the staff was transmitting, and the corners of his mouth gradually.

"Of course," he said with a smile, raising the staff. Silver-white and sea-blue light reflected in his eyes. "Let's call it the Super Magic Staff."

Aside from the basic mana-recovery function of a magical implement, it also possessed excellent mana guidance and magic amplification abilities, and had one effect that could be actively controlled:

[Mana Surge]: During its duration, mana consumption increases while strengthening the effects of all magic released.

Lynn was overjoyed. This effect was practically tailor-made for him!