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...
After finishing his quiet and solitary dinner, Leylin found himself seated comfortably in his dimly lit study. The room was lined with ancient tomes and alchemical journals, while faintly glowing runes flickered on the walls, warding off any unwanted eavesdropping.
The heavy wooden door creaked as Fayern, the leader of the Roran Hawks mercenary group, entered.
Fayern was clad in worn leather armor, his muscular frame exuding the aura of a battle-hardened warrior. Though he was merely a preparatory knight, one step away from breaking through to true Knighthood, in Leylin's eyes, he was but another pawn on his grand chessboard.
Leylin, half-reclined in his luxurious recliner, lazily gazed at Fayern through cold, calculating eyes.
"Speak," Leylin's voice was calm yet commanding. "What news from the Withering Woods?"
Fayern stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Respected Young Master, as per your orders, we scouted the Withering Woods. At the cost of one dead and four gravely injured, we uncovered some clues."
Leylin's expression remained indifferent. The loss of a few mercenaries meant nothing to him. Only results mattered.
Fayern continued, "There have been strange attacks within the forest. Several scouting parties from rival factions have also fallen victim. According to the survivors, a shadowy creature ambushed them at terrifying speed."
Leylin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Details."
Fayern hesitated briefly before pulling out a rolled parchment from his leather satchel and handing it over.
"This sketch was drawn by a bandit who survived an encounter with the beast."
Leylin unrolled the parchment and examined the crude drawing. It depicted a serpentine creature with four limbs, covered in rough scales, and a small horn protruding from its head. Its forked tongue flickered menacingly in the sketch. (Image)
"Anything else?"
"It's around two meters long, yellowish-brown in color, and incredibly swift," Fayern added. "None of our men could match its speed."
Leylin's sharp mind immediately sifted through the countless bestiaries and unusual creatures compendiums he had studied during his time at the academy. However, this creature was unfamiliar, likely an ancient or mutated species.
"It resembles a snake-type magical beast, but… it doesn't match the characteristics of common serpent variants. Perhaps a hybrid of some sort," Leylin mused internally.
"However," Leylin thought, "if mere scouts managed to escape, this beast is unlikely to be of significant threat. Even a Level 2 acolyte should be able to handle it."
His priority, however, was not slaying some unknown creature. His current alchemical experiments were reaching a critical phase, and the secrets he pursued were far more valuable than wasting time in the forest. But this situation could still be turned to his advantage.
Leylin's eyes gleamed with cunning as he issued his next command, "Announce this to the mercenaries. Whoever captures or kills this creature will be rewarded with 1000 gold pieces. Additionally, I will pay generously for any materials harvested from the beast—scales, blood, horns, or bones."
Fayern's eyes widened in shock. A thousand gold coins was an astronomical sum for a mere beast hunt. This was enough to tempt the most ruthless bandits and desperate treasure hunters.
Leylin, however, viewed mortal wealth as trivial. Gold was only a tool to bend others to his will. What he truly sought were the potential magical properties the creature's body might possess—components that could fuel his experiments and growth.
"Butler." Leylin called, and the elderly butler Dicus stepped forward from the shadows.
"Yes, Young Master."
"Reward him with 100 gold coins for his efforts."
Dicus bowed and retrieved a small pouch from within his robes, the sound of clinking gold echoing as he handed it to Fayern.
Fayern's eyes gleamed with greed as he accepted the reward. "Thank you, Young Master. I will personally ensure the mission is carried out flawlessly."
Leylin dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Fayern bowed and retreated from the study, already plotting how to rally his men for the hunt.
...
In the dimly lit bedroom, Leylin sat cross-legged on a black velvet cushion, his eyes closed in deep concentration.
In his slender, pale hand, Leylin held a slender glass test tube. The crimson liquid within shimmered faintly, almost alive, pulsating with the powerful essence of a beast whose strength rivaled that of a Level 3 Acolyte.
With a calm and focused expression, Leylin raised the test tube to his lips and drank the viscous blood in one smooth motion. (Image)
The moment the blood touched his tongue, a familiar faint searing heat coursed through his body, spreading from his throat to his limbs and finally converging within his mind.
He closed his eyes, allowing the power to merge with his body. His breathing slowed as he activated the elementary meditation technique. His spiritual force stirred within him, like a vast, dark ocean beneath a tranquil surface.
Using his powerful will, Leylin guided the energy from the beast's blood to nourish and expand his mind runes. The energy was wild and violent, but under Leylin's precise control, it flowed along the intricate pathways he had meticulously carved within his consciousness.
Tiny, intricate runes began to shimmer in the depths of his mind, absorbing the potent energy and gradually solidifying. Each rune glowed faintly before stabilizing, further reinforcing his spiritual force.
The air around him seemed to ripple faintly as his consciousness delved inward, focusing on the intricate and meditation technique he had been practicing relentlessly.
Within his sea of consciousness, threads of his spiritual force flowed like delicate streams of silver light, weaving through the vast darkness of his mind. These streams slowly converged, forming intricate runes that shimmered with an eerie glow. Each rune was carved out of pure spiritual force, precise and flawless, reflecting the profound knowledge Leylin had accumulated from time under Dorotte and his own relentless experiments.
Leylin guided his spiritual force with the precision of a master craftsman, shaping and refining each line and curve of the rune. The process was slow and meticulous, demanding immense mental strength and control. However, Leylin's will was as unyielding as steel. He carefully poured more of his spiritual force into the forming rune, stabilizing its structure and enhancing its complexity.
As the rune solidified, it began to resonate with the surrounding spiritual energy, drawing it in and amplifying Leylin's own strength. A faint hum echoed through his mind as the rune connected with the previous segments he had crafted in earlier sessions, forming a continuous and stable network. With each completed rune, Leylin's mind grew sharper, his control over his magical abilities becoming more refined.
After an unknown amount of time, Leylin slowly opened his eyes. A faint blue light flickered within them before fading away. He could feel the subtle but undeniable change within his spiritual force—it had surpassed the six-unit threshold and was steadily advancing toward seven units.
The path to becoming a Level 3 Acolyte was now within reach. He had already mastered three spell models and secured enough reactive elixirs from Dorotte during his time at the academy. Now, all that remained was reaching the required spiritual force of seven units and igniting the spiritual force ascension.
Leylin glanced at the rows of blood vials neatly arranged on the shelf beside him. The potent blood from powerful creatures had been instrumental in accelerating his progress. However, as his spiritual force grew stronger, the effects of ordinary blood had diminished. Only the essence of beings with strength equivalent to a Level 3 Acolyte or higher could provide him with noticeable progress now.
Unfortunately, any potion, when used excessively, would produce a resistance towards it, and the effects would be reduced over time. The same is true for blood samples in Leylin's case, subsequently he can only switch to more potent blood, but it's obviously a struggle to gather higher quality blood.
Leylin did make adjustments to use blood of creatures with higher spiritual force, which has been quite a success but even that has a limit.
His lips curled into a faint smile. "Despite the building resistance, reaching the spiritual force of 7 shouldn't be an issue. A few more weeks... Level 3 is already within my grasp."
Leylin's patience was unmatched. Even the most talented prodigies from renowned Magus families would be envious of his rapid advancement. Yet, he knew this was only the beginning. He would not stop until he stood at the pinnacle of the Magus world.
With a deep breath, Leylin closed his eyes once more, resuming his meditation and pushing himself closer to the next breakthrough.
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