Chapter 36

Alex's eyes widen for a split second but he goes back to being calm once again. He knows what Hero Acknowledgment means. It means that he will be recognized as a Hero, someone with the potential to reach the Legendary Rank. Someone who appears only once a decade and the last time that humanity got a Legendary Rank person was around half a century ago. 

The Dark Magician, also known as The Man of Forbidden Knowledge. Heroes appear every once a decade or less, but how many make it into Legendary Rank is a whole different matter. Most of them die before they reach that, Hero is just a title given to people. It doesn't necessarily make them stronger just by having a title.

And Alex being told that he is a Hero Candidate isn't that much of a surprise to him, no, what surprised him is that Ain, the plain-faced girl in front of him knows about this too. Normal people have no idea how heroes come to be, most magicians don't care, and even those who do find the process tedious.

Simply put, a Hero is made by the high-end people who decide that this person has the potential to reach Legend Rank. Of course, Alex, a peak Rank 2 Mage at the age of six is something almost unheard of, so he is obviously put for the Hero title. 

Alex now knows that there is more to this 'simple' girl Ain. Only people in high places know of this, and during his playthrough of the game in his first life… if there was one NPC that he knew the best in the game, it would be Julie, The Headmistress of Magic Academy. 

He could almost say that they were too alike, the woman was a monster through and through. But in the game, she and Alex worked together countless times.

Though their relationship did kind of go sour after Alex tried to kill her to get some of her items. Sadly he failed, the woman was too smart for her to be that simple to kill.

Still, Alex only sighs at this. In his eyes, he doesn't consider the trash who didn't reach Legendary Rank as true Heroes. The ones he calls Heroes are people like Lily, who reached the peak Legendary Rank and could have gone past it before she wasn't killed before she reached the peak of her potential.

Most of the Heroes that he remembers from in-game haven't been born yet. But there is another one who should be born by now.

'Bright…' As soon as Alex thinks of it, he can't help but become a little nervous. That was the Hero who killed the most players in his first life. Millions of them died against him, and he went past Legendary Rank… by becoming the God of the Sun. 

His legend was permanently written in the annals of human history and he became proof that humans can achieve the impossible. He killed a God while being only in Legendary Rank and took its power.

'Now that... is what I call a Hero.' Contemplates Alex, his mind going through all of the ingame meetings he had with the man. He is a Mage too, and he reached Godhood before even being one century old. Also, his luck and ability to escape danger was otherworldly.

"I see… so I am being considered for the Hero Acknowledgment?" Asks Alex, knowing that he will be put there no matter what. Lily will most likely get one too, but she is like a star compared to the close sun. One is more noticeable, and stars can't be seen during the day because of it. 'That is me and Lily, she can't be noticed because I shine too brightly.'

"Yep, also you will get a bunch of benefits from this. You will get your private building in Magic City, and even have a batch of servants that will look after you." Explains Ain with a professional tone. "Also I will get a huge reward for saving you and bringing you in."

As she said the last part, Alex smiles, in his eyes at least the girl knows that hiding something like that isn't going to be possible. After all, no one does anything for nothing.

That was the simple theology of the world and how it works. Alex didn't mind being used by Ain. Because in the end, he knew that this would happen and he would be called a Hero.

"I understand." He says in the end, his face like usual, it has a cold look on it. But Ain seemed to not notice it.

"Sooo… wanna join me for some goblin hunting?"

"No." Answers Alex simply, he goes back to reading. Not caring enough for the exact situation to this. 

Finally, he reads one last spell and runs simulations for it in his mind. That is when he gets a notification.

[Quest Completed]

_____________________

[3rd Rank Advancement Mission] (COMPLETED)

_____________________

Mission Introduction: You will truly begin walking your journey now. Your understanding of magic has advanced even more and you are closer to the T.R.U.T.H...

Mission Requirements: 

You need to have a 300 MP capacity 

Learn 50 Rank 1 Spells 

Learn 20 Rank 2 Spells

Reward: You become able to use 3rd Rank Spells, Blood-Horse Sacrificial Teleportation, 1 Random Perk Card.

_____________________

[Completed]

He smiles at that, but he just shrugs in the end and puts his hand inside his pocket. But immediately he decides against pulling out the reward. He doesn't want the book for Blood-Horse Sacrificial Teleportation to appear out of nowhere when Ain is looking at him.

"Ahhh~ c'mon, don't be so stingy, I might have to go into debt." Whines Ain, pleading to Alex to take the quest with her.

Alex on the other hand just nonchalantly looks at her and says. "And this is my problem... how?" He couldn't care less about any of Ain's debt or her problems. She could sell her body for money if she wanted to, and he wouldn't care… even if in his eyes selling her body wouldn't be the most efficient method to get money.

"Ahhhh! You Alex are a meanie!" Yells out Ain as she runs away with tears in her eyes. But Alex only sighs with amusement at the situation.

..

As she goes away, Alex goes to his bathroom and takes out the rewards, which are the Blood-Horse Sacrificial Teleportation, a book which looks dark red, and one Random Perk Card which looks like a golden card with the number one on it.

He immediately picks up the book and uses a potential point on it to learn it. Knowing that the spell is overly complicated even for Rank 3.

Instead, he picks up the Perk Card and with a thought, the golden card dissolves, and immediately a system notification appears.

[Got Perk: Fast Reader]

'Stats'

————————————————

Name: Alex

Race: Human

LVL 10 

Main Class: 

[Mage Lvl 5/5]

[Blood Mage Lvl 5/10]

Life Class:

[Novice Magic Item Maker Lvl 10/10]

Experience: 40,283

HP 15/15

MP 572/572

SP 15/15

Attributes:

Strength – 3

Dexterity – 3

Constitution – 3

Intelligence – 19

Wisdom – 5

Charisma – 5

Unused Stat Points: 

Potential Points:11

Skills:

Beginner Sword Skills Lvl 5/5

Item Maker 

Mana Meditation (Rank 1) Lvl 10/10

[+ 2 MP every Level]

Blood Mage Meditation (Rank 2) Lvl 10/10

[+5 MP every Level]

Peach Blossom Meditation (Rank 3) Lvl 10/10

[+20 MP every level]

Heavenly Yin-Yang Meditation (Rank 4) Lvl 10/10

[+30 MP every level]

Blood Sacrifice Lvl 10/10

[Restores +1 MP for every 1 ml of blood sacrificed]

Basic Enchantment (Rank 1) Lvl 5/5

[Casts different Basic Enhancements on something (item, accessories, etc)]

Perks:

Exceptionally Smart

[Every 5 levels you gain +1 Int]

Magician

[You have the ability to use magic. Your Ki abilities are locked for you to become able to use magic.]

Novice Magic Item Crafting Affinity

[Moderately Increases Magic Item Crafting affinity]

Intelligent 

[Due to having 10 Intelligence.

+60% to learning spells speed]

Blood Mage

[+100% to learning Blood Magic. 

+ 200% Blood Magic Power

-100% to learning Nature Magic]

Fast Reader

[You need only one glance to read a page and understand its contents.]

....

 Don't forget to throw some power stones :)

...

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