Learning The Next Spell

On the first and the second floors of the library, there were many students.

While there was a mix of elementary, intermediate, and advanced mages, most of them were apprentice mages like Marcus.

Even the grand mages were still reading and studying there. As an apprentice, which was considered an elementary mage, what right did one have to go out and play?

Being an apprentice was the foundation.

If one's foundation was not good, there was a high chance that later on, when practicing magic, one would go berserk and become a black mage!

Black mages were the most hated existence in the Magic World. They were bound to be crucified and subjected to all kinds of punishment.

Being roasted to death, electrocuted to death, suffocated to death were all too easy on them.

The black mage would be castrated and thrown into...

"Hiss."

At the thought of this, Marcus walked into the sea of ​​books with a heavy heart.

Every time he learned a spell, he had to carefully choose and learn it. Only then would he be able to execute it steadily.

Once he chose a spell, he had to work hard to master it.

If he chose to forget about it and not work on it...

Then, all his previous efforts would be in vain.

As the saying went, learning a spell was like sailing a boat. If you did not advance, you would fall back!

Only by practicing and casting magic every day could one improve.

However, if one wanted to improve by leaps and bounds, they would still need professional teachers or senior students in the academy to guide them.

Otherwise, one could practice the skill with others or complete some missions to kill monsters to upgrade their skills!

"The Wind Blade Spell?"

Marcus flipped to a book and pondered for a while.

"As swift as the wind, it has the capability to slice through everything!"

Legend had it that there was a master who could use the wind spell and merge it with various elements to launch an attack.

'Perhaps I can use the wind to alter a fireball attack that is about to be blocked or countered.

'What is wind?! It is something that cannot be understood or seen.

'Even if one could see it, how confident are they that they'd be able to dodge an extremely fast gust of wind?'

[Host, you can learn this spell!]

"Get it."

Marcus flipped through a few more books,

"Shadow Flash."

"Earth Shield Spell."

[Host, you can learn these two as well!]

These two books were obviously defensive spells.

After reading them, Marcus pondered for a moment.

He should get these two books.

A single "Shadow Flash" book could be used to increase one's speed to dodge pursuit.

After mastering it, he would be incomparably swift like the wind in the dark night, leaving behind only an afterimage as he passed by. He would be untraceable!

The other book was the "Earth Shield Spell". He could learn to use rocks and soil to form a wall to block attacks. He would be invulnerable to all sorts of weapons, water, and fire!

"Perhaps I will even find other uses for these spells in the future. I'll get these three books! But the school regulations only allow me to borrow two books..."

Marcus held the three books and pondered over them. Soon after, he arrived in front of the administrator.

"Apprentice mage? Are you getting these three books?" The librarian looked at Marcus.

He flipped through his student ID and realized that Marcus was a new student with no background.

There was an easy fix.

"Pal, do you have any credits? The extra book will be counted as 500 credits."

"No."

"Pal." After the librarian saw that there was no one around, he stretched his neck and whispered to Marcus, "Actually, you can read all three of them."

"But..." The librarian subconsciously rubbed his hands.

So, he wanted money.

Marcus whispered back, "How much is it?"

"I'll calculate the extra one you have for 10 silver coins per hour.

"If it's a more advanced book, then you have to pay more. Even if you are very rich, you still can't take the books away with you.

"These are rules that we have set in secret."

Marcus complained in his heart, 'Bloodsucker!'

However, he gritted his teeth and still chose to pay the money.

No one would refuse the learning opportunity to become more powerful.

"Not bad, not bad!" The librarian opened the cloth bag and sniffed the silver coins inside. He took a deep breath and said, "Remember to return it before the library closes! Also, don't tell anyone."

"One more thing...

"Kid, I still have to remind you that it's best to practice slowly. You can never be too careful when practicing...There are consequences to bear..."

As the metal door closed, Marcus left the librarian and went to the third floor of the library.

"Mm, let's see how much I can absorb before the library closes."

The third and fourth floors of the library were places for reading and practicing magic.

It was as if this place was an entirely different dimension from the first and second floors.

The difference was like heaven and earth!

The size of the place was astonishing. It was said that even grand mages would not be able to break through the walls here.

It was completely sturdy and safe.

This was one of the favorite places for beginners to choose to practice magic.

"Number 4396, this is your training room number." An older man with a sword took the key and casually threw it to Marcus.

"Remember, it's 4396, not 4399! Don't open the wrong door or you'll have to bear the consequences."

After he finished speaking, Marcus took the key and walked into the room.

Thump, thump, thump!

Three books were placed neatly on the table.

Three hours, three books.

He was left with so little time, and he was pretty sure that even an old great mage might not be able to master it within such a tight timeframe.

But did Marcus need to master it?

He had the system, so all he needed to do was to learn the basics!

"Let me practice it one time according to the directions in the book...Wind Blade Spell!"

Marcus recited the spell and imitated the hand gestures in the book and executed it once.

Only a small wind blade appeared.

[The Wind Blade Spell is unsatisfied with your indifferent attitude. Practice speed is reduced by 25%. Current progress is 3%.]

"Wind Blade Spell, what are you doing?"

This was the first time Marcus had ever encountered such a situation.

'Could my magic have feelings?'

He called up his personal interface.

[Host: Marcus

Realm: Level-1 Apprentice Mage

Skills:-

Fireball Spell: Level-2 (Progress 30%)

Wind Blade Spell: Beginner (Progress 3%)]

Marcus saw that the Wind Blade Spell was already at the beginner stage, so he did not need to worry about it even though this spell seemed to have a very serious and dedicated personality.

Next, Marcus continued to practice the Shadow Flash Spell.

[Your speed is too slow. The Shadow Flash is dissatisfied with you and even wants to escape from you. Practice speed is reduced by 75%. Current progress is 2%.]

Hmm? Another spell with the same temper as the last one?

Since the spell had entered the system, he decided to move on to the next spell.

[The Earth Shield Spell agrees with your caution. Practice speed is increased by 90%. Current progress is 10%.]

"Good lord, this spell is an old coward."

Marcus then practiced the spell that he had learnt earlier—the Grand Fireball Spell.

However, after practicing the Grand Fireball Spell, the system didn't give him any prompts.

"Doesn't this spell have a temper?"

Regardless, he continued to practice.

Perhaps because he was so determined, his magic improved very quickly.

Marcus somehow understood that his aptitude was considerably passable to these spells. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to practice them in the first place.

Three hours passed, and Marcus's practice went very smoothly.

Thus, he took the book and left the training room. Then, he headed to the second floor.

At this time, the administrator was also packing up and preparing to clock out.

"Have you read all of them?"

"Yup, I have."

"How much do you remember?"

"I think I've pretty much memorized them, teacher."

Originally, the librarian wanted to pretend to be experienced and show off a thing or two. He did not expect this student to be so pretentious and not humble.

'Hmph, sounds like you're pretty capable. I hope you go mad from all the practicing!' The administrator chuckled in his heart and did not say anything.

Pa!

A black obsidian fell to the ground. It seemed to have fallen from the magic staff of a statue.

Marcus picked it up and placed it in front of him. "Teacher, remember to get someone to fix it tomorrow."

After saying that, he left.

The librarian took the obsidian. Suddenly, the stone turned from black to red.

The obsidian was actually a trial stone, used to test the magic power of the students.

The red color indicated that Marcus's magic power was pure.

Furthermore, this meant that Marcus's magic powers were already that of a beginner mage!

The librarian's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

He had a sharp nose that could tell if anyone was practicing black magic. If not for that, he would've immediately caught Marcus out of suspicion that the student was practicing black magic.

"Is this student even human? He seems to be improving a little too fast..."

The librarian looked out of the window through the glass to see Marcus walking leisurely on the way back to the dormitory.

Meanwhile, Marcus was ready to further digest all the magic knowledge he had just learned.