"Protection Fee"

Lynn roughly tidied his robe, pushed open the cabin door, and headed straight for the other cabins.

The cabins had been assigned according to talent. He first knocked on the door of Prince Alphonse's room, which was also on the top deck.

"Lynn?"

After opening the door, Alphonse keenly noticed the Negative Energy Particles Lynn had yet to fully rein in. His pupils suddenly contracted.

This is... successful meditation?

"Brother Lynn truly possesses exceptional talent. It seems you've gained quite a lot during this time."

"Good day, Your Highness Alphonse."

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Lynn put on a perfectly timed expression of "embarrassment."

"To be honest, I was fortunate enough to condense my Mental Core just now, and my heart longs deeply for Wizardry."

"It's just that... my purse is a little tight. I wonder if Your Highness could temporarily lend me a few Magic Stones..."

What the hell?

Fortunate?

Condensed a Mental Core?

Why did those words sound so strange when put together?

Alphonse's face was filled with shock. He could no longer be bothered to manage his expression.

This kid was truly a monster!

He had originally thought Lynn's successful meditation was shocking enough. Who would have thought that after such a short time, he had already become a First-Class Apprentice?

Alphonse gave Lynn a deep look, then directly turned around and took out a small pouch containing ten Magic Stones that gleamed with pure light.

"I can only take out these ten Magic Stones for now. There's no need to call it a loan; consider this a token of goodwill from a friend."

His tone was exceptionally sincere, displaying the bearing of a prince.

Investing in a top genius—ten Magic Stones were nothing worth mentioning.

"Thank you, Your Highness! Lynn will remember this kindness." Lynn accepted them solemnly.

What a good man! Those words warmed his heart.

He needed to interact with him more in the future. Whether something came up or not, he could always ask to borrow Magic Stones.

In his heart, Lynn labeled the young prince: "foolish, rich, suitable for long-term cooperation."

Next, Lynn began his journey of "borrowing money."

He sought out the Apprentices who had previously taken the initiative to befriend him, those dressed in luxurious clothes and clearly born into distinguished families.

These people were either nobles or wealthy heirs. They definitely had Magic Stones on them.

"Young lord of Grayrock City? I've just condensed my core and urgently need Magic Stones to exchange for Wizardry to protect myself. I wonder if, brother, you could..."

"Young master of this merchant guild, I was grateful for your regard the other day. Now, Lynn has encountered some difficulties..."

"..."

His wording was largely the same. The core meaning was simply to "borrow" Magic Stones.

Upon hearing that he had successfully condensed a Mental Core, everyone was stunned.

Th-this...

Everyone else had been stupid just fine, so why were you this damn amazing?

Although those nobles and children of wealthy merchants felt the pain, when they thought of Lynn's Superior Soul Talent and future potential, most gritted their teeth and took out one or two Magic Stones.

They also said polite things like, "Brother Lynn, you're too courteous," "Please take care of me in the future," and "Consider the Magic Stones a meeting gift."

Clearly, none of them expected him to repay them.

Yet Lynn still took out paper and pen with great solemnity, carefully recording everyone's name and the amount they had lent, looking every bit like a man who honored his promises.

Of course, he also recorded all those who were clearly quite wealthy but unwilling to "support" him.

Who lent something, and how much—they could be "forgotten."

But who hadn't lent anything? That debt had to be remembered clearly. There would be plenty of chances to "take good care" of them later.

When it came to the people from Black Marsh City, Carl and the others were also extremely strapped for cash themselves. But thinking that Lynn might become their backer in the future, they still scraped together nine Magic Stones.

Carl, Lillian, Eileen, and Thomas each contributed two stones, while Benjamin, whose purse was tight, took out his only one.

Only Mary stared at the small pouch of gleaming Magic Stones in Lynn's hand, desire and shame flashing through her eyes.

But in the end, she lowered her head and whispered,

"I... I don't have any Magic Stones..."

Lynn merely glanced at her indifferently. Naturally, he knew this stupid woman couldn't produce any Magic Stones.

If he hadn't given her three gold coins for the chance to take the test back then, she would probably still be entertaining clients in Nightingale Hall.

After making the rounds, Lynn had actually gathered forty-two Magic Stones!

Though it might not seem like much, for a Wizard Apprentice, it was undoubtedly a huge sum.

He suppressed the excitement in his heart and knocked on Mentor Morris's cabin door again.

"Lord Morris, Lynn has come to visit."

The cabin door opened automatically.

"What is it? Do you have some question about meditation?"

Mentor Morris's compound eyes glowed red, but when his gaze swept over Lynn, that red light suddenly froze!

"You... you've condensed a Mental Core?! You succeeded in one try?!"

Even Morris, with his vast experience, was shocked by Lynn's terrifying speed.

This wasn't merely a matter of talent. It also required extremely strong willpower, control over Negative Energy Particles, and comprehension of the meditation method!

He had previously sensed Negative Energy Particles gathering within Lynn's cabin and knew he was attempting meditation.

But he hadn't expected him to successfully condense a Mental Core so quickly!

What a monster!

"I was merely fortunate enough to get started. It's all thanks to the excellence of the meditation method bestowed by Mentor."

Lynn spoke humbly, then took out a pouch containing all his Magic Stones.

"Mentor, I would like to exchange them for an offensive Wizardry."

Morris gave Lynn a deep look. His bone-bladed arm waved, and three bone fragments of different colors floated in the air.

"Weak Soul Shock—directly attacks consciousness and can briefly stun the target. Its advantage is that it is difficult to defend against."

"Negative Energy Ray—a corrosive attack with relatively high damage, but lacking flexibility."

"Bone Hand—summons a skeletal claw to seize or attack, dealing both physical and negative energy damage."

"These are all level-zero offensive tricks, suitable for your current practice."

Lynn chose Weak Soul Shock without hesitation.

If he didn't possess Soul Talent, he would have chosen Bone Hand, a hybrid skill combining physical and magical attacks.

But his Superior Soul Talent could strengthen soul-based Wizardry and accelerate his cultivation. Choosing other Wizardry would be far too wasteful.

Moreover, soul attacks were strange and difficult to defend against, perfectly suited to his desire to screw people over.

Morris took thirty Magic Stones from the pouch and put them away, then tossed the bone fragment to him. His tone softened considerably. "Not bad. You have a good eye."

"Though Soul Wizardry is difficult to begin with, it has enormous potential. Go back and practice well. If you have questions, you may come ask me."

Back in his cabin, Lynn impatiently pressed the bone fragment against his forehead.

[Detected Witchcraft Model Weak Soul Shock. Beginning Record... Record progress: 5%...]

[Beginning Analysis of Witchcraft Model Weak Soul Shock... Analysis progress: 1%...]

He discovered in surprise that after advancing to First-Class Apprentice, the panel's abilities seemed to have upgraded as well!

The speed of Record and Analysis had noticeably increased, and moreover... the number of items it could analyze simultaneously had also increased.

With a thought, he tried to simultaneously analyze the Soul Whisper Meditation Method, Weak Soul Shock, and several books he had scanned previously.

[Analysis capacity has reached its limit. Current maximum simultaneous Analysis targets: 3]

[Analysis progress for Soul Whisper Meditation Method: 26%...]

[Analysis progress for Weak Soul Shock: 5%...]

[Analysis progress for Ogre's Delicious Recipes: 35%...]