Sparks of Progress

Alex continued to experiment with a few of his other spells. The magical power of these spells hovered around 150, and given his E rank mastery, that outcome was expected.

Nevertheless, the qualitative leap and prowess exhibited by his spells were not to be dismissed lightly.

In the training room, the resonating echoes of Alex's spells filled the air, capturing Sherry's attention. Her eyes remained fixed on the mesmerizing display of magic.

'Compared to other students, he might not stand out much, but his talent is certainly on another level.'

Her fascination deepened with each casting, marveling at the raw power and finesse he displayed.

"Now, let's try overcharging it, shall we? Let's see what wonders it will do." declared Alex, redirecting attention to his next move.

As before, he conjured the magic circle for <Dark Bullet>. Instead of simply aiming and firing at the target, he began pouring an increasing amount of mana into it.

The previous attempt at this technique was hindered, but this time, with full concentration, Alex was determined to execute it flawlessly.

"Alex, fire it now!" Aurora noticed the magic circle becoming increasingly unstable, on the verge of exploding, yet Alex continued overcharging it, undeterred.

'Just a little more!...That's it!'

Alex persisted, comprehending the implications and fired the spell the next moment.

A massive dark projectile materialized at the end of the magic circle, propelling itself directly at the target—the training dummy.

The room crackled with energy as the overcharged <Dark Bullet> traversed its space. A brief bang resonated as it struck the dummy at high speed.

The score soared, reaching 497 points, just three shy of 500, marking a new level of magic power.

The glint in Sherry's eyes betrayed her growing fascination, and she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine admiration, "Wow, Alex! That was amazing."

However, Alex, the recipient of her praise, appeared preoccupied, his attention seemingly diverted throughout.

[A new technique has been registered]

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Technique: Overcharge

Description: After casting a spell, the caster infuses additional mana into it, increasing its magic power.

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Alex's focus shifted to the new message that surfaced after he successfully overcharged <Dark Bullet>.

This scenario mirrored a previous occurrence during his encounter with a pack of Monster Wolves.

'The message appears now only because I executed it properly this time?'

Perplexed by the absence of the message during his initial attempt, Alex refrained from dwelling on it, knowing confirmation was elusive.

Just in time, he noticed Sherry, who seemingly materialized beside him, gazing at him with fascination.

"Hmm?"

"She's amazed by your level of spellcasting. Well, anyone would be, especially considering it hasn't even been a whole month since you started." Aurora remarked, fully aware of Alex's exceptional progress.

Alex shyly scratched his cheek, uncertain of how to respond to Sherry's praise.

"Alex, can I...ask you something?"

"Well, sure, you can, as long as it's not too much."

"It's nothing serious, just... Do you possess so much magical power because of an SS rank affinity, or is it something else?"

Sherry's face radiated pure curiosity; as a researcher and scholar, she was genuinely intrigued.

"Ahmm, you can say that." Alex affirmed.

'I can't exactly reveal that I have a system capable of increasing my magic power.'

Sherry continued to pose a series of such questions, and Alex answered to the best of his ability, careful not to disclose anything about the system or Aurora.

◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆

Several hours passed, during which Alex tirelessly cast spells, striving to elevate their mastery to D rank.

The private training room, equipped with mana gathering arrays, ensured a higher density of mana.

Coupled with the rapid regeneration of his mana and an expanded pool, Alex could sustain spellcasting for extended periods.

This advantageous setup allowed him to continuously cast spells, although not endlessly, as the process still took a toll on him mentally and physically.

By the conclusion of today's training session, he had successfully elevated the mastery of most of his spells to D rank and also completed the side quest.

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[The host has completed a Quest]

[Side Quest: Increase Spell Mastery]

[+500 XP and +10 SP]

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Expressing gratitude to Sherry and affirming his commitment to assist her in future research endeavors, Alex bid her farewell, retiring for the day.

Fully exhausted, he prepared to rest. However, before succumbing to sleep, he decided to make a purchase from the system shop.

Upon opening the physical tab in the system shop, he was eager to explore its offerings but found himself lacking the required system points.

Yet, after successfully completing the side quest, he gained the option to enhance either strength, stamina, or agility.

Opting for increased strength, given his deficiency in all three stats, Alex randomly selected this attribute for improvement.

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[Purchase successful, strength increased.]

[The Host's strength has increased significantly.]

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In the next moment, Alex sensed a surge of power within him. Despite his recent exhaustion, an overwhelming urge to get up and engage in physical activity consumed him.

Although there was no clear indication of the extent to which his strength had increased, he could sense a newfound capability to kill an E rank monster with a single swift strike.

Recognizing the lateness of the hour and mindful of an impending practical class the next day, Alex decided to test his enhanced strength in the class, eager to gauge the extent of his growth.

◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆　◇　◆

The next day during the practical class, Alex felt even more energized than before, gearing up for a spar with his teacher, Miss Julia.

"Are you ready, kid? I'm prepared whenever you are. Don't hold back; strike as I taught you."

It marked the first time he would test his new skill, Sword Novice, and the increased strength in a sparring match against a real live opponent.

Eager to gauge his progress since his encounter with Marcus and anticipating the upcoming class advancement test, Alex couldn't wait to showcase his growth.

"Here I come, Miss." With newfound vigor and confidence, Alex propelled himself towards his opponent, aiming for a direct attack.

Miss Julia effortlessly blocked his assault, directed at her abdomen, and raised an eyebrow in amusement, observing his growth.

'I saw this pipsqueak just last week, and both his form and strength have suddenly improved a lot. What kind of student am I even teaching?'

While Alex's movements were notably faster and smoother, he remained no match for an academy instructor.

The spar continued for the entire class duration, and by the end, Miss Julia addressed and corrected several of his minor mistakes and unnecessary movements.