Requirements for Applying for a Personal Laboratory

"Wizard Fray will handle everything from here. I look forward to your next visit," Lus said with a smile.

"Mm, see you next time."

Lohr nodded and left the Optimization Model Testing Grounds with Kateya.

"Lord Lohr, where would you like to go next?" Kateya asked after they left the testing grounds.

By now, her attitude toward Lohr had grown increasingly respectful. She clearly regarded him as the only stepping stone on her future path to becoming a First-Circle Wizard.

"Hmm..." Lohr thought for a moment before saying, "There's no rush to visit anywhere else for now. Can you tell me about the process for applying for a laboratory?"

His most pressing needs right now were, first, earning Contribution Points; second, creating the Microscope Spell; third, increasing his spiritual power; and fourth, safely and quickly absorbing magic crystal energy.

When earning Contribution Points, it would be best to use a laboratory as a cover next time.

After all, he could not keep using intuition as an excuse. People could accept a genius, but they would struggle to accept a freak.

Creating the Microscope Spell would lay the foundation for becoming a Space Wizard, and it would also require laboratory-reserved apprentice slots to proceed more effectively.

Absorbing magic crystal energy and converting it into Charge Points likewise required a laboratory.

As for increasing his spiritual power, that would have to be done gradually. There was no rushing it.

All in all, a personal laboratory was his most urgent need right now, so naturally he had to learn everything he could about it.

"To apply for an apprentice's personal laboratory, you need to make major contributions in optimizing spells, potions, or magical equipment."

Kateya said somewhat helplessly, "If the school has application quotas available, the requirements can be lowered appropriately."

"But our Earth-Fire School's current quota has already been taken by Randolph. If you want to apply, you'll need genuine contributions."

"In terms of improving spell models, you must at least create an apprentice-level spell useful to a First-Circle Wizard, or improve an apprentice-level spell until its power rivals that of a First-Circle spell."

"I suggest you wait. Once Randolph becomes a First-Circle Wizard, applying for a laboratory will be much easier."

In Kateya's eyes, those conditions were simply too harsh.

It was not worth Lohr's time to focus on this.

He would be better off improving some low-level spells to 0.9-circle first. Once Randolph became a First-Circle Wizard, he could naturally apply for a personal laboratory through an internal quota.

"Then Randolph is currently advan—"

Lohr stopped halfway through his sentence, swallowing the rest of his words. He reorganized his phrasing before speaking under Kateya's puzzled gaze.

"I meant, how much longer will that Randolph need before he breaks through to become a First-Circle Wizard?"

Only after starting his question did he suddenly remember that he should not yet know the steps involved in advancing to First-Circle Wizard.

One or two small slips might not matter, but once they piled up, they could easily arouse suspicion.

So whenever he could avoid them, he would do his best to avoid them.

"I heard that his spiritual power has reached the standard, and his meditation rune model advancement is nearly complete. He's only choosing the direction of his core spell now."

Kateya answered, "If nothing unexpected happens, he'll definitely break through within seven years."

Choosing a core spell direction essentially meant determining the future primary-secondary relationship between the fire and earth elements.

He could follow the path laid out by his predecessors, or forge a path of his own.

There was no need to choose if he followed his predecessors' path. But if he wanted to forge his own, he would have to think it through carefully.

Generally, one needed five to ten years to consider it slowly before making a cautious decision.

"Kateya, can you find an apprentice who has given up the wizard's path but still has unused spell slots?" Lohr asked.

He could not possibly wait seven years to obtain a personal laboratory. After all, the Murphy Continent would be thrown into ruin by the Faith Wizards in ten years.

And optimizing a 0.9-circle spell into a First-Circle spell was beyond what his current meditation model could withstand.

Therefore, there was only one way to achieve his goal now: create the Microscope Spell.

Creating an apprentice-level spell was not difficult. As long as he went back to the dormitory study and read more basic rune books, coupled with the direction he had already determined, it would be manageable.

At most, he was confident that he could create an apprentice-level Microscope Spell within three months.

"You're planning to create a new spell?" Kateya frowned slightly and hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

"This would waste a great deal of time and resources, and there's no guarantee it would be useful to a First-Circle Wizard."

"If it isn't, then all your time will have been wasted."

"You would be better off spending your time cultivating your spiritual power first. After a few years, once you become a second-level or even third-level apprentice, you can inherit a laboratory."

"Kateya, do you trust me?" Lohr asked, looking at the woman before him with a calm smile.

"I..."

Kateya pressed her lips together. Thinking of what Wizard Mara had said about Lohr's experience upon arriving at the Wizard Tower, as well as everything that had just happened at the Optimization Model Testing Grounds, she nodded involuntarily.

"I do!"

"Then help me find an apprentice in one month. Tell me how many Contribution Points you need, and once Wizard Fray's verification is complete, I'll repay you," Lohr said.

The reason he needed a month was that he only roughly understood the operating logic and framework of the Microscope Spell. He had yet to specifically study the composition of spell runes.

There were no shortcuts to this. He had to truly learn it before he could understand how to create a spell.

"Alright." Kateya nodded. "I'll find one for you."

"Let's call it a day. Go back and get some rest early," Lohr said with a smile.

Seventh-floor apprentice dormitory.

"In a month, I'll begin trying to construct the Microscope Spell model. I need to set up the general framework as quickly as possible."

Lohr sat in the study of his single dormitory room, looking at the row of bookshelves before him as he recalled the Bloodline Microscope Spell runes he had constructed with the Earth Bear in his previous life.

"First, I need to construct the basic earth-element runes."

He pulled a copy of Detailed Guide to Earth Element Runes from the shelf and read it carefully.

Combining the rune structures of Rock Wall and Wall of Flame in his consciousness with his experience from his previous life, he quickly grasped the most basic earth-element runes.

"Next, I need to construct the rune model representing compression."

He put Detailed Guide to Earth Element Runes back in its place and pulled out a much thicker copy of Comprehensive Compendium of Basic Universal Rune Models.

He opened the table of contents and flipped through three full pages before finding the page number for the compression rune model.

This time, he did not commit it directly to memory. Instead, he walked to the desk and copied the compression rune onto parchment.

The Microscope Spell looked simple, but it actually required quite a large number of rune models.

"If only I could build a microscope by hand in reality and create the rune model from that!"

After recording the compression rune, Lohr thought of the many more runes that still needed to be arranged and combined, and rubbed his brow.

A headache.

"Unfortunately, a real microscope can't observe the spell models in my consciousness, so it's basically useless."

With a sigh, he opened Comprehensive Compendium of Basic Universal Rune Models again. "The next rune: overlap."

Two hours later, Lohr looked at the nine basic runes he had recorded and nodded in satisfaction.

"That's enough for today. I'll record the rest tomorrow."

After turning off the study's magic lamp, Lohr returned to the bedroom. He first completed the Levitation Spell model he had selected during the day, then took out a magic crystal and began meditating.