Chương 88: Advancement

While the others were talking, Kaden remained standing silently to the side. His eyes were empty. His expression was numb. His entire being looked as if his soul had already left his body. In a single day, Kaden's emotions had gone through a roller coaster of despair and hope. Just yesterday, he had been sitting in a tavern with his friends, boasting about how they would become the strongest adventurer team in Blackstone Town.

They had excitedly discussed how they would spend their bounty once they completed their first big quest. But today... His companions were all dead. Their bodies still lay cold in that filthy swamp. And just when he had been completely crushed by despair, that terrifying monster had been effortlessly slain by another group of adventurers. Kaden no longer knew what expression he should wear while facing reality. His mind was completely blank.

"Is the adventurer profession... really suitable for me?" Kaden lowered his head and stared at his palm, utterly lost. Just as countless thoughts swirled through his mind, a hand suddenly patted his shoulder. Kaden looked up. The mage named Zeliel was standing in front of him.

"Take this." Zeliel placed a handful of silver coins into Kaden's hand.

"I'm not the type of person who likes giving lectures..." He paused briefly.

"But don't make the same mistake again in the future. Consider this your reward. Think carefully about what you want to do next." After saying that, Zeliel didn't linger. He exchanged a few words with Marcus and the others, then left the Adventurer Association. Kaden couldn't say a single word. He simply leaned against the counter and slowly crouched down. His fingers tightly gripped the coins. His eyes nearly overflowed with tears again.... After returning to the Nightflower Inn, Zeliel wasn't in a hurry.

Just like usual, he enjoyed a hearty meal before returning to his room. The room was quiet. The noise from outside the window felt like it belonged to another world, completely isolated from him. Zeliel locked the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, and allowed the cold moonlight to spill across the room. First, he entered a state of shallow meditation. He used it to calm the exhaustion and excitement left behind from the day's battle.

Zeliel wanted to face the coming transformation with the most perfect and tranquil state of mind possible. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. After his shallow meditation ended, the night sky outside was already filled with countless stars. His mind was now as calm as an ancient well untouched by ripples. Peaceful. Serene. The time had come to take the final step. Advancing into a Lower-Tier Mage! Zeliel closed his eyes.

He focused his mind and immersed his consciousness into his vast Sea of Consciousness. The Source Seed, which had previously emitted a steady glow, suddenly began pulsating at a strange rhythm. Each vibration was stronger than the last. A massive force beyond description erupted from the Source Seed. Like a supernova explosion, it violently spread outward. The entire Sea of Consciousness fell into chaos.

The magic power that once flowed like a quiet stream had transformed into a raging river roaring through his mind. Zeliel could clearly sense that the circulation speed of his mana was rapidly increasing. This meant the speed at which he constructed Spell Matrices would undergo a qualitative leap. The light emitted by the Source Seed was no longer gentle. It became increasingly brilliant. This represented the fact that every strand of mana produced within it had become purer and more condensed.

Even the Source Seed's own mana regeneration speed had increased significantly during this transformation. And all of this was only the beginning. Under the powerful pulses of the Source Seed, the Sea of Consciousness that carried his mana began expanding. What was once a small pool gradually transformed into a lake. His maximum mana capacity increased dramatically. This all-encompassing improvement brought an irresistible sensation of comfort.

A warm current spread through every inch of his body, washing over his nerves. Every cell seemed to release a satisfied sigh. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier. The entire world in Zeliel's vision became weightless and distorted, as if he were floating among the clouds. Finally, Zeliel could no longer endure it. He fell backward onto the bed. And sank into deep sleep. Meanwhile, inside his body... A magnificent transformation continued unfolding....

The first rays of dawn pierced through the clouds and illuminated the dim room. Morning had arrived. Zeliel's eyelids twitched slightly. His consciousness slowly rose from the depths of a dark ocean. At first, everything was a blurry chaos. Then gradually, clarity returned. Zeliel opened his eyes and slowly sat up. He stared blankly for a moment before touching his face. I... actually fell asleep during my advancement. So... did I succeed? With a thought, the data panel appeared before him.

The moment Zeliel saw his new attributes, his eyes widened. Strength: 65 Agility: 61 Constitution: 68 Spirit: 71 → 91 Intelligence: 94 → 114 Perception: 30 → 32 Charisma: 52 → 54 Luck: 41 → 51 Talent Skills: Talent: Spell Genesis Available for Selection [Successful Advancement: Lower-Tier Mage]"My mana has completely increased..." Zeliel let out a quiet sigh.

After crossing the advancement threshold of a Lower-Tier Mage, the power erupting from his Source Seed had directly increased his Spirit and Intelligence by twenty points. His Perception and Charisma had also increased by two points each, which could be considered a small bonus. However, what surprised Zeliel the most was still Luck. This ultimate attribute required four points just to increase by one. Yet it had increased by ten points in a single advancement.

Under normal circumstances, he would have needed forty attribute points—equivalent to ten levels—to achieve such an increase. A person with an average Luck of only 15... Yet he possessed 51 points. I wonder if I lay down in the middle of a road right now, whether a carriage coming toward me would somehow lose control and crash into the roadside instead... Zeliel couldn't help but start imagining the possibilities. The previously locked talents, Source Overload and Mana Bond, were now both available for selection.

Zeliel lowered his eyes and thought for a moment. Then he made his decision. So... It's you. Mana Bond! Source Overload was indeed incredibly powerful. A powerful magic amplification buff with no drawbacks. But in Zeliel's opinion, it still couldn't compare to steadily improving his overall attributes. By choosing Mana Bond, his future level-ups could focus on compensating for his early weakness in Spirit while also strengthening his physical body.

A mage who couldn't protect himself was destined to become the weakest link in a team. A vulnerability enemies would target. A fragile piece of exquisite porcelain waiting to be shattered. Only by staying alive... Could a mage continue dealing damage. [Talent Skill "Mana Bond" has been unlocked] The original attribute panel changed once again.

Strength: 65 → 88 Agility: 61 → 84 Constitution: 68 → 91 Spirit: 91 Intelligence: 114 Perception: 32 Charisma: 54 Luck: 51 Talent Skills: Talent: Spell Genesis Talent: Mana Bond The three physical attributes—Strength, Agility, and Constitution—received a massive boost instantly. His Constitution had even risen to the same level as his Spirit. After the increase, no further changes appeared on the attribute panel.

So percentage-based increases don't trigger the interactions between Strength, Agility, and Constitution... Zeliel thought silently. As he pondered, he suddenly felt a strange change occurring inside his body. Unlike the overwhelming surge of mana during his advancement... This was a completely different energy. One filled with vibrant life force. It surged directly out from the Source Seed. Then it merged with his own mana. A miraculous transformation began.