Chapter 96 (2/2)

Link got it now.

Looking at the data that the gaming system just provided, Link’s body must have had a pretty low Innate Talent limit. Link estimated that it wouldn’t have been possible for him to rise any higher than Level-5.

At present, a Level-5 Magician might sound impressive, but in the future when there was a drastic increase in the concentration of Mana in the environment, a Level-5 Magician was nothing more than a mediocre Magician.

Strength always came with its own price. Since there was no other way to advance other than to transform this body, Link had no other choice but to grit his teeth and endure the pain.

It felt as if there were countless blades of knives stabbing him from within. His body was trembling madly in response to the pain, yet Link sunk his teeth into his blanket and suffered through the pain without making a peep of sound.

The ordeal went on for more than four hours, and when those blades finally stopped stabbing, Link was soaking in sweat and he came very close to collapsing. Still, he managed to cast a Cleaning spell on his body, then he took some snacks that Lucy had prepared for him out from his storage pendant. After filling his stomach, Link then went to bed and fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

The next moment he came to, it was already dawn.

Once he opened his eyes, Link clearly felt the surging Mana in his body.

His Maximum Mana was now 1480 points, and his Mana Restoration rate was now 79.8 points per hour. He checked his pocket watch and found out that he had slept for 15 hours, so his Mana must be full by now.

Right now, if Link didn’t suppress a portion of his Mana, there would be a frightening flux of Mana around his body that would rival even the one that Darris emanated!

Finally, he could once again cast the Level-4 spell Flame Blast that he purchased in Gladstone a few months ago.

Link rose from the bed and changed into a brand new gray robe. He cast a Mirror spell and used it to tidy up his appearance. Then, Link walked out of his room with a strong resolve in his mind.

It was 10 o’clock this morning and when he reached the first floor, Link saw the simple and honest Matt hard at work preparing a magic scroll as usual.

“Matt, I’m going out for a while,” said Link casually.

“Uh huh,” replied Matt, more as a reaction than a response. He was still focused on his magic scroll. He must not be distracted or else the magic scroll in his hands would turn into trash.

Link left the Mage Tower and headed straight towards the Glory Square near the gates of the academy. There, he then hailed a carriage.

“To River Cove town, please,” he said, after paying the coachman handsomely.

Magician’s Apprentices were required to present their tutor’s permission letter before they could leave the academy. Link had brought with him a permission letter that Herrera had prepared for him previously.

The coachman glanced at the letter, then eagerly received the gold coins and swiftly struck his whip. Very soon after, the carriage started to move and left the gates of the East Cove Magic Academy.

Link was going to fetch the Domingo crystal. A month’s time had passed, and the crystal was now purified and ready to be used again.

Once he acquired the crystal, he would then possess a combative strength that no ordinary Magician could even dream of.

…

Meanwhile, in Bale’s Mage Tower.

…

Shortly after Link left, Darris went to the main hall on the first floor. He had just got back from outside and he looked anxious and hurried, as if some emergency had occurred.

As soon as he reached the hall, he walked straight to the group of apprentices who were preparing magic scrolls. Coincidentally it was Matt that he approached.

“Where’s Link?” Darris demanded.

Matt was jolted out of his deep concentration as he was working on the most critical structure of the magic scroll. He stared helplessly as the magic scroll that he had spent so much effort on failed before his eyes. He was so devastated he was about to cry, and yet he dared not raise his voice or lose his temper with Darris.

“He went out,” answered Matt in a deflated tone.

“Out? Where did he go?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Damn it!” spat Darris, before rushing out of the tower in a flurried state.

These past few days, Darris had been snooping around to dig out as much information as he could about Link. The more he knew of the young apprentice, the more worried he got. Link was beyond any doubt a spy who was sent to investigate his tutor, Bale. Moreover, this kid was no ordinary Magician’s Apprentice, but was in fact a Level-2 Magician!

He looked for Link everywhere until he finally got to the stable near the Square of Glory. He found a coachman, then pointed his wand at his heart and coldly asked, “There was a young Magician leaving the academy just now. Do you know where he was headed?”

This coachman was so afraid he was nearly out of breath, but in the end he managed to answer, “Yes, yes, I remember him. He said he was heading to River Cove town!”

Darris then climbed into the carriage.

“To River Cove town, then. And make it quick!” he barked at the coachman.

This was his best chance to eliminate Link now that he was out in the Girvent Forest. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for a lone Magician’s Apprentice to be robbed and killed in such a place where rogues and bandits lurked behind every bush.

You are bold for a Level-2 Magician! Don’t you know that you’re playing with fire?

Darris knew that the situation was now approaching the boiling point. He was sure that Link had sneaked out to the River Cove town to report on his tutor’s secrets and expose everyone involved. Darris must do whatever it took to stop him!