Weak Soul Shock

Seeing Lynn make such an outrageous demand while they could not scrape together nine Magic Stones, Russell simply tore off the mask.

"Lynn, calling you sir is already giving you face. Isn't your appetite a little too big? As far as I know... you've made quite a haul on this ship."

"You think having good talent means you can do whatever you want? Did everyone else's Magic Stones blow in on the wind? You alone took so many. You might be living comfortably, but the rest of us will have a hard time from now on."

"I already gave you Magic Stones before. Now you open your mouth and demand another nine from us. You're clearly trying to bleed us all dry!"

"Think carefully, everyone. Are we really going to let one man bleed all of us dry? As long as we join forces, what the hell is there to fear from him?"

"Come with me and take back our Magic Stones! Don't give Lynn another chance to throw his weight around! If we stand together, the Wizard won't be able to do anything to us!"

It had to be said that Russell had a bit of cunning.

He knew that he and the others alone could not contend with Lynn, who had earned the Wizard's favor, so he wanted to seize on Lynn's "extortion" and unite everyone against him.

Unfortunately... the idea was good, but it was rather wishful thinking.

After Russell's impassioned speech, aside from the enthusiastic responses of those beside him, the other apprentices merely watched coldly.

To them, Lynn's "extortion" was certainly detestable, but Russell and his group disgusted them even more.

Let the dogs bite each other and tear out fur.

After speaking for quite a while without receiving any response, Russell's expression turned extremely ugly.

Yet with so many people present, he could not bring himself to lower his head and apologize or beg for mercy.

Of course, begging would have been useless anyway.

Lynn wanted everyone to see that their "protection fees" had been well spent!

A cold gleam flashed through Lynn's eyes as he locked onto Russell. His mental power instantly activated the model inscribed within his Mental Core—Weak Soul Shock!

An invisible, intangible soul wave carrying icy penetrating force crossed the distance between them in an instant and slammed viciously into Russell's Sea of Consciousness!

"Urgh!"

Russell felt as though a Dayun truck had crashed violently into his head. Excruciating pain came with a powerful wave of dizziness.

He screamed, clutched his head, staggered backward, and toppled to the ground.

"Holy shit! Instant casting without a chant!"

"What kind of Wizardry was that? Why didn't I see anything?"

"Could that be the legendary Kingly Overlord Aura?"

"As expected of a genius with transcendent talent. He only had to glare to kill that bastard!"

Everyone was stunned by the sudden scene. They had not seen Lynn make a single move!

Wait, were First-Class Apprentices really this strong? Killing people without leaving a trace?

The well-informed children of great nobles, however, felt their hearts turn cold.

Although they had yet to cultivate a Meditation Method or learn Wizardry, each of them possessed, more or less, one or two Wizard Artifacts capable of casting Rank 0 cantrips.

Wizard Artifacts did not need to consume the wielder's own wizard power. Instead, they drew energy particles from the world on their own.

But activating them still required short incantations and hand signs, as well as more than two seconds of preparation.

Yet all the apprentices had seen clearly that Lynn had shown no sign of casting Wizardry, but that invisible spell had unquestionably affected Russell.

Instant-cast Wizardry without chants or hand signs?

We're all apprentices, so why the hell are you so overpowered?!

Ignoring the shock and uproar around him, Lynn turned his gaze toward Lillian and Eileen.

"Who put their hands on you?"

Lillian and Eileen both pointed at the tall, skinny man.

Lynn's icy gaze fixed firmly on the tall, skinny man.

The tall, skinny man shuddered under his stare, then shouted with hollow bravado, "Y-you... what are you trying to do?!"

"Say goodnight to this beautiful world, trash!"

This time, Lynn showed no mercy. He mobilized all his wizard power and unleashed Weak Soul Shock.

"Ah—"

The tall, skinny man felt as though an ice pick had pierced his brain and churned it into mush.

Moments later, a freshly made "idiot" stood before everyone.

His Sea of Consciousness had been completely shattered by Lynn, making him a true "soulless" person.

Sure enough, Wizard Apprentices utterly crushed ordinary people, even if he himself was merely a newly advanced "rookie."

Lynn swept his gaze over the other apprentices from Blackwater City.

Seeing Russell groaning on the ground and the tall, skinny man capable only of babbling "aba aba," that group retreated again and again in terror. None of their earlier arrogance remained.

Lynn did not let them off. He fired five Weak Soul Shocks in succession, piercing their consciousnesses and making them clutch their heads and cry out in pain like Russell.

Their Seas of Consciousness had been damaged. If they were not repaired, they would likely never again be able to gather their "mental will" and become Wizard Apprentices.

In a Dark Wizard Academy, who would be generous enough to spend resources repairing their Seas of Consciousness?

Their final fate would probably be to become "materials."

The deck fell into dead silence.

Every apprentice watching looked at Lynn with fear and reverence.

Without even being seen making a move, he had instantly defeated seven Wizard Apprentices.

It had only been a few days! Was this the terror of transcendent talent?!

This man must never be provoked!

After the fight, Lynn ignored Lillian and the others' thanks. Under countless complicated gazes, he calmly returned to his cabin to continue his seclusion.

However, not long after he returned, knocks began ringing out one after another.

Lynn's heart stirred. He knew his little "performance" had worked. Kind-hearted people had surely come to "give" him Magic Stones.

Sure enough, when he opened the door, the apprentices who had previously been "short on funds" came to visit one after another with their "sincerity."

"Big Brother Lynn! This is a small token from me. Please, you must accept it!"

"Lynn, I was short on funds earlier, but things are a little better now. Please take these Magic Stones and use them!"

"Sir Lynn, once we reach the Academy, please look after me!"

This time, Lynn did not even need to open his mouth to "borrow." They voluntarily offered up Magic Stones as "protection fees."

Lynn retained his gentle demeanor, accepting each gift with a smile and updating the list and their "contribution levels" in his little notebook.

After counting them, he had somehow collected another fifty-eight Magic Stones!

Added to the twelve he had left from before, his total assets reached seventy Magic Stones!

With his purse full, Lynn did not hesitate. He sought out Instructor Morris once more and exchanged for the Witchcraft Models of Bone Hand and Bone Armor.

The two spells cost sixty Magic Stones, leaving him with ten. They could not be exchanged for anything useful, so he kept them as reserve funds for now.

Bone Armor was a practical defensive spell. When cast, it summoned bone armor to protect the caster.

Back in his cabin, Lynn pressed the two newly acquired bone fragments to his forehead.

[Witchcraft Model [Bone Hand] detected. Beginning Record...]

[Witchcraft Model [Bone Armor] detected. Beginning Record...]

[Current Analysis List (3/3): Soul Whisper Meditation Method (Analysis Progress 30%), [Bone Hand] (Analysis Progress 0%), [Bone Armor] (Analysis Progress 0%)]