First Mission

After looking through them one by one, Lynn quickly found his target category—"Knowledge Consultation" tasks.

[Improve the "Lesser Phantom" Witchcraft Model and extend the illusion's duration to 1.5 minutes. Reward: 10 Contribution Points. Posted by: Marcus (Third-Class Apprentice)]

[Correct flaws in the "Frost Ray" Witchcraft Model to prevent self-inflicted frostbite from low temperatures. Reward: 8 Contribution Points. Posted by: Sera (Second-Class Apprentice)]

[Optimize the adaptability of "Glimmer Illumination" Wizardry so that it functions normally underwater. Reward: 4 Contribution Points. Posted by: Toby (First-Class Apprentice)]

[Improve the runes of "Minor Healing" Wizardry to enhance its restorative effects on burns. Reward: 7 Contribution Points. Posted by: Eve (Second-Class Apprentice)]

After reviewing them, Lynn found that they were basically all tasks involving improvements to Witchcraft Models.

These tasks were great! Easy and relaxing, and he could get Witchcraft Models for free!

Ordinary apprentices would surely need to be extremely familiar and proficient with the relevant Witchcraft Model before taking on this sort of improvement task.

Even if they wanted to get something for free, there was no way they could memorize a complex Witchcraft Model and its countless runes in such a short time.

But Lynn was different.

He had a cheat!!

No matter how complicated a model was, he could Record it, then Analyze and Optimize it.

So these tasks were perfectly suited to him.

Lynn decided to start with an easy one as a trial run.

He went straight to the task window and accepted the task to [Optimize "Glimmer Illumination" Wizardry].

The beautiful Wraith attendant asked Lynn to wait a moment, then notified the poster through the identity Nameplate.

A few minutes later, the Wraith apologetically informed him that the task poster had gone missing before a grave and was unlikely to return.

With that, she directly removed the task from the task board.

Missing? Looks like he became "material."

Lynn nodded in understanding. The mortality rate of Dark Wizards really was high.

He then accepted the task to [Improve "Minor Healing" Wizardry], only to find that its poster had gone out on a mission and was temporarily away from the Academy.

After several twists and turns, he finally managed to accept a task.

[Optimize the "Acid Splash" Witchcraft Model to increase its corrosiveness. Reward: 8 Contribution Points. Posted by: Holm (Second-Class Apprentice).]

This time, the task poster was in the Academy. After receiving the notification, he said he would arrive shortly.

Not long after, a Second-Class Apprentice in a blue apprentice robe approached. His face carried a hint of arrogance, and a gleaming Dark-Silver Plaque hung from his chest.

Led by the Wraith, Holm spotted Lynn. Seeing that he was merely a First-Class Apprentice wearing a Black Ironwood Nameplate, his brows immediately furrowed.

A First-Class Apprentice? Giving guidance to a Second-Class Apprentice like himself?

What a joke!

"Hey, you Undead really have no brains at all. You let any worthless trash accept tasks?"

Holm harshly berated the Wraith, venting his dissatisfaction.

The Wraith displayed excellent professional composure and did not take Holm's rudeness to heart.

After all, she was merely an Undead creature, while he was a Wizard Apprentice with a bright future ahead of him.

"You did not specify any requirements when posting the task. Anyone may accept it."

After hearing the Wraith's explanation, Holm knew he was in the wrong and said nothing more. Instead, he turned his attention to Lynn, his tone full of doubt and contempt.

"You accepted my task? A First-Class Apprentice?"

"Kid, are you here to mess with me? If you don't understand it, don't accept tasks at random and waste my time!"

Lynn remained calm in the face of his disdain. "Since I accepted this task, I naturally have sufficient confidence. Whether I can solve it or not, we will only know after trying."

Holm chuckled.

He had seen plenty of apprentices who did not know their own limits.

They always thought reading a couple of books made them learned enough to solve every problem in the world.

"Enough, I don't have time to fool around with you. Brat, go home and nurse at your mother's breast!"

With that, Holm turned to leave.

But his insulting words made Lynn's brows knit tightly, and anger rose in his heart.

"How about we make a bet? If I fail to Optimize your model, I'll compensate you with double the task reward in Contribution Points."

"But if the Optimization succeeds, then you will pay double the reward for this task!"

The moment those words came out, Holm stopped in his tracks.

Double Contribution Points?

Was there really such a good deal?

It would be foolish not to take a bargain delivered right to his door!

As for the Optimization succeeding...

What a joke. A problem that even I, a Second-Class Apprentice, can't solve—how could a First-Class Apprentice like you solve it?

With that thought in mind, Holm was somewhat doubtful, but he still readily agreed.

"Good kid, I'm starting to like your confidence. Then it's a deal!"

Afraid that Lynn might change his mind, Holm quickly explained the problem with his "Acid Splash" model and carved the current flawed model structure onto a blank bone plate.

Lynn took the bone plate and pretended to analyze it carefully, while in truth rapidly using the panel to Record and Analyze it.

[Analysis Target: Acid Splash (Flawed Version)]

[Problem Identified: Low efficiency at the energy conversion nodes. The ratio of negative energy to acidic particles is unbalanced, resulting in insufficient corrosive power and poor stability.]

[Optimization Plan: Adjust the angles of the node runes and introduce the concept of "Corruption Catalyst" to fine-tune the energy ratio...]

A moment later, Lynn raised his head, picked up a bone pen, and made several alterations at key points in Holm's model before explaining.

"Your problem lies in overly rigid energy conversion nodes, which cause the negative energy to erode the activity of the acidic particles."

"Fine-tune it according to this ratio, and when casting, raise the frequency of your mental power by around three thousandths. It should increase the corrosive strength by about twenty percent."

Holm looked at Lynn's revisions. They seemed to make some sense, yet he still found them hard to believe.

Had the problem that had troubled him for so long really been solved so easily?

"You make it sound easy. Who knows if you're just making it up?"

Holm muttered a few words.

"You can test it." Lynn made a gesture of invitation.

After some hesitation, Holm decided to try following Lynn's instructions.

At worst, a failed Witchcraft Model would only give him a headache for a while. But if it worked, he could earn double Contribution Points. Worth it!

The two headed one after the other to the outdoor training grounds, where special testing stone pillars could measure the exact power of Wizardry.

Standing before a stone pillar, Holm carefully constructed the Witchcraft Model.

Five seconds later, a mass of thick, dark green liquid appeared and shot toward the testing stone pillar.

"Sizzle—!"

The acid struck the pillar accurately, leaving corrosive marks behind.

The etched marks were visibly deeper than before, and the displayed value confirmed it.

It worked!

Joy first appeared on Holm's face, but then his eyes shifted as if he had thought of something. He quickly wiped away his smile.

Feigning dissatisfaction, he said to Lynn.

"Hmph, the effect is only so-so. It didn't reach the level you claimed at all! According to our agreement, you should compensate me with Magic Stones!"

Clearly, this bastard not only wanted to get the Witchcraft Model for free, but also wanted to swindle Lynn's Contribution Points!

After all, there were no witnesses, and the other party was only a First-Class Apprentice. He could just make him spend some Contribution Points to learn a lesson!

If you lack strength, don't come out acting tough!

But Lynn did not see it that way.

His gaze instantly turned cold. "You know perfectly well whether it worked. What, are you trying to renege on the debt?"

"Who's reneging? It just didn't work!"

"Kid, be smart and hand over the Magic Stones, or else..."

Holm stepped forward. The mental pressure of a Second-Class Apprentice faintly spread out, carrying a clear threat.

The Death Knight stepped forward and positioned itself directly in front of Lynn.

Looking at Holm's shameless face, Lynn knew there was no point in reasoning with him.

I just want to earn some honest money in peace. Why is that so difficult?