Gray Robes, Fruit Wine, and a Pocket Watch

At the critical moment!

A cold gleam flashed in Li Ang's eyes as his mental power surged forth.

Two Wind Hammers, compressed to the utmost and shrieking through the air, formed in an instant and shot out.

As if struck by iron hammers, the two "jellyfish" were sent flying.

"Pfft! Pfft!"

The dark-purple "jellyfish" burst apart in midair, their bodies dripping like two tomatoes crushed to pulp as shattered pieces scattered across the ground.

Helena stared at Li Ang, who had suddenly appeared, her eyes brimming with disbelief and tears of lingering fear.

"Y-you..." she had only managed a single word.

"Tap... tap... tap..."

Steady footsteps sounded from the entrance to the passageway.

Wizard Selenst approached at an unhurried pace, a trace of calm composure on his face. With a casual point of his finger along the way, flames swallowed a jellyfish monster.

His sharp gray eyes, keen as an eagle's, first swept over the remains of the two slain monsters on the ground. Then his gaze, almost tangible, nailed itself firmly onto Li Ang, who had just lowered his hand and was still breathing a little heavily.

The passageway was deathly silent, broken only by Helena's muffled sobs.

Selenst's gaze rested on Li Ang for a full three breaths. A faint flicker of surprise first passed through his eyes, then turned into deep scrutiny and a sliver of nearly imperceptible approval.

He said nothing, merely giving a slight nod. His gaze then shifted to the still-shaken Helena, and after confirming that she was unharmed, he turned and left.

He had only come to confirm whether the stragglers had been thoroughly cleared out. As for those candidates without the talent to even condense an Astral Star, he did not care much.

Only after Selenst had left did Helena finally calm herself. She gave Li Ang a deep bow.

Then, in a trembling voice, she said, "Th-thank you so much, Li Ang. If it weren't for you, I probably would have died."

Li Ang smiled. "No need to thank me. Even without me, Wizard Selenst should have been able to save you."

After soothing Helena's emotions a little, he returned to his room.

Only then did Li Ang have time to examine the brass pocket watch he had picked up earlier.

[Acceleration Pocket Watch: Lv0]

[Status: Can be bound]

[Binding Cost: 1 Mental Power]

Li Ang eagerly bound it, and a familiar sensation of connection flowed into him.

[Binding Successful]

[Acceleration Pocket Watch: Current Level Lv0]

[Current Effect: Carrying it accelerates your recovery speed.]

[Lv1 Effect: Sleep recovery speed +10%, meditation mental recovery speed +10%, natural recovery speed +10%]

[Upgrade Requirement: Mental World magic Astral Stars reach 1; consume 5 Mental Power]

Seeing the pocket watch's effects, Li Ang suppressed the excitement in his heart and chose to upgrade it without the slightest hesitation.

Unlike facilities such as the Gale-Sailing Canvas, which lost their effects once he left this ship, this was wizard equipment that truly belonged to him!

That night, Li Ang slept for only a little over six hours and yet felt full of energy. This pocket watch would undoubtedly let him carve out a place for himself among the many apprentices.

The aftermath of the sea monster attack did not completely settle until the following morning.

The lower decks were filled with a thick stench of blood and the lingering, nauseating odor left behind by corrosive fluid.

The probationary apprentices were all injured to varying degrees, and panic hung heavily in the air.

In last night's chaos, three probationary apprentices had unfortunately died beneath the poisonous stingers of those small sea monsters. Their bodies were swiftly dealt with and thrown into the sea.

As for those who had survived, every one of them was now on edge, terrified that they might encounter another sea monster attack...

And during this unusual time, Wizard Selenst gathered everyone once more and announced news that caught them all by surprise.

"Li Ang Carlson." Selenst's cold voice called the name. "Step forward."

Under the watchful eyes of dozens of people, Li Ang calmly stepped out of the crowd.

Those gazes held shock, jealousy, and disbelief. Matthew's eyes, in particular, were filled with twisted resentment and a trace of fear he could not hide.

"Your performance last night proved your ability and value."

"You successfully condensed an Astral Star and demonstrated courage and control over your spells in actual combat."

Selenst's voice remained utterly flat, but his words themselves were an immense acknowledgment.

"From this moment onward, you are officially promoted to wizard apprentice."

An attendant behind him stepped forward, carrying a wooden tray.

On the tray lay a neatly folded gray robe of fine fabric, along with a copy of Fundamentals of Potioncraft, noticeably thicker than the Level-0 Spell Compendium.

"This is your apprentice robe and your new instructional book. There are other items that you will receive after returning to the Wizard Tower. Move your quarters to the third deck; choose any room there you like." Selenst's words were concise.

"Thank you, Lord Selenst." Li Ang bowed and accepted the items symbolizing his change in status with both hands.

When his fingers touched that soft gray fabric, he knew that he had finally truly crossed the threshold onto the path of a wizard...

When Li Ang changed into the somewhat oversized gray apprentice robe and carried his simple luggage toward the stairs leading to the third deck, under Kavi's evasive, fearful gaze and Matthew's nearly fire-spitting glare, he could clearly feel the complicated stares behind him that seemed ready to bore straight through his body.

Helena's gaze, meanwhile, carried sincere blessings and a hint of envy.

The third deck was practically a different world from the lower decks.

The corridor was spacious and bright, carpeted with thick non-slip rugs. The air no longer carried the rotten scent of mildew, but instead a faint, soothing fragrance.

Li Ang casually chose a room. Though it was not large, it was clean and tidy, furnished with a wooden bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. There was even a private washroom with a porthole.

Through the porthole, he could see the vast sky and the azure sea.

At lunchtime, Li Ang ate in the small dining room on the third deck for the first time.

White linen tablecloths and gleaming silver cutlery.

A waiter dressed in a tailcoat pushed over a cart and served the day's lunch.

The food here was no longer sour black bread and thin wheat porridge clear enough to reflect a person's face. Instead, there was soft, fragrant white bread; steaming thick soup with glistening oil and chunks of meat; and even a small cup of light aperitif fruit wine, clear in color and carrying a sweet, fresh fruit fragrance.

Li Ang slowly savored the rich flavor of the soup and the satisfaction brought by its fat, feeling the fragrance of wheat from the bread melt across his tongue. He took a small sip of the chilled fruit wine, and its slightly sour yet sweet liquid slid down his throat, bringing a long-lost sense of satisfaction that belonged to "living," rather than merely "surviving."

After lunch, Li Ang stepped over the thick, soft carpet and returned to his room. Half-reclining on the soft bed, he could not help stretching lazily in comfort.

"Mm... yes, this is the normal life a person ought to have."

The past few days of life at the bottom of the ship had tormented him terribly, even though he had lived two lives and had never suffered hardship in either.

He no longer wanted to return to that ant-like existence. To live better in this world, he had to keep growing stronger and show his value.