Growth in Power, Into the Forest Once More!
Oliver soon returned to the academy, leaving behind the bustling noise of the outside world. He completely immersed himself in the study and practice of his orange-tier spells.
"Khal-dar-oth!"
Oliver chanted the incantation, and waves of mana surged from his core. His arm shot forward, pointing with precision!
Boom!
A powerful shockwave reverberated through the air as Stone Storm was unleashed!
A torrent of jagged rocks fell like a violent storm, wreaking havoc on the straw dummies in the training yard. They were smashed into disarray, as if a hurricane had swept through, leaving chaos in its wake.
"Now, with Stone Storm, my success rate has reached 80%," Oliver muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.
And this was without a wand（staff）.
If he had one, he would already have mastered the spell entirely.
Moreover, with a wand（staff）, the power of this spell would increase by at least 30%.
Just two more orange-tier spells, and Oliver would be ready to take the trial to become a fully-fledged mage at the Mage Tower.
He had already completed one-third of the journey.
His progress was astonishingly fast.
Once he became a fully-fledged mage, his status, power, and income would rise significantly.
As he honed his orange-tier spells, Oliver’s understanding of magical principles deepened. His mastery of other spells improved steadily, and his mental strength and mana reserves gradually increased.
The feeling of constant, rapid growth was exhilarating.
He clenched his fist, excitement flashing across his face.
"My strength has taken another leap. It’s time to venture deeper into the forest."
Recently, Oliver had hesitated to go further into the forest, wary of the danger posed by the malevolent spirit, Kramar. But now, with his near mastery of an orange-tier spell, he felt confident enough to protect himself.
Even if he encountered something as dangerous as a fully-grown Shatterbeast, he could handle it without injury. And if he ran into a stronger magical creature, he was confident he could sustain a few wounds and still make it safely back to town.
Just as he was about to leave, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Oliver, I didn’t expect you to master an orange-tier spell so quickly."
It was Hector, his senior.
Hector wore a complex expression. After witnessing Oliver's recent skirmish with Edmund and the others, he had come to realize just how formidable Oliver’s knightly talent was—his immense physical strength. It was no wonder that Professor Arcanus favored him so highly.
But now, it seemed Oliver’s magical aptitude was just as strong as his physical prowess.
"No wonder he insisted on learning magic," Hector thought to himself. "When I was practicing orange-tier spells, it took me at least five times as long. I have to tell Professor Arcanus about this."
Who could have predicted that such a genius would emerge from this small town?
A person could not harbor both a mana core and a war core within their body simultaneously, so if Oliver's knightly or magical talent was truly exceptional, his future choices would be clear.
But now, he was strong in both areas.
Choosing between becoming a knight or a mage would be a difficult decision for him.
Shaking his head to clear away such thoughts, Hector looked at Oliver and grinned.
"I recently heard something. It seems there’s some... complicated relationship between you and that little girl who’s always around the tax officer?"
"Is this about Isabella?" Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"Is James the one spreading those rumors?" Oliver asked, with a resigned sigh.
"Haha, don’t be embarrassed," Hector said, "It’s completely normal for a young man like you to have someone special. Even Professor Arcanus says, since she’s a disciple of the Forest Lady, she’s more than worthy of you. If you get the chance, he said you should boldly pursue her."
Even Professor Arcanus knew?
Oliver groaned. James had spread the news everywhere, making it sound like he was deeply involved with Isabella. The truth was, they were just ordinary friends!
It was bothersome.He tried explaining, but Hector seemed to think he was just shy.
"Awkward," Oliver thought to himself.
This was actually the first time Oliver had heard the title "Forest Lady" used for the yellow-tier mage. Apparently, she had built a magical fortress deep within the forest. Since Oliver often ventured into the forest to hunt magical creatures, it was possible that their paths would cross at some point.
After chatting briefly with Hector, Oliver went to find James.
"You idiot! Stop spreading rumors about me and Isabella. Do you know it’s even reached Professor Arcanus?" Oliver demanded.
James immediately looked guilty.
"Ah, how did this happen..." James muttered, realizing the consequences of his casual boasting. He had bragged to the crowd about how close he and Oliver were, sharing “secrets” about Oliver’s life.
"Actually, the tax officer—the woman who appears alongside Isabella—doesn't exactly like me," Oliver said, his tone turning serious. "James, this isn't something to take lightly. Don’t spread rumors like that again. It could cause trouble for both of us."
His voice carried a weight of warning.
Despite his new position and growing influence, Oliver knew there were still people who could pose serious risks, like the female tax officer. She held a high rank, with power far exceeding that of the town's minor nobility.
"I understand!" James’s expression turned serious. He realized the gravity of the situation and quickly promised to keep his mouth shut in the future. After all, if even Oliver didn’t want to provoke her, James knew better than to try.
With that matter settled, Oliver left the academy and made his way into the forest, heading for the berry bushes.
The area near the bushes had become the domain of his two magical pets, and no ordinary creatures dared enter.
When Oliver arrived, he saw the wild boar and the large tiger basking in the sunlight on the grass.
The wild boar had stopped growing, but at nearly four meters in length, it was still a formidable beast. The tiger was even more impressive, now nearly twice the size of the boar.
When they saw Oliver, both creatures excitedly bounded over, rolling on the ground and circling in joy.
And then there was the Shatterbeast cub, which immediately leaped into Oliver’s arms.
The three of them seemed to be showing off, leading him to the cave entrance.
Oliver looked inside. The cave was already piled high with prey.
Some animals were still alive, trembling in fear, while others, glowing with magical energy, lay scattered about.
The magical herbs, in particular, were of great value. They were worth at least three gold coins in total!
It seemed that, even though Oliver had been away for a few days, his pets hadn’t been idle.
It was time to use these magical herbs to improve the large tiger’s integration. The boar had already reached its maximum potential and had even leveled up to a magical creature, but the tiger’s stats were still relatively basic.
Oliver’s primary goal over the next few days would be to distribute the life essence between the tiger and the Shatterbeast cub, boosting both of them significantly.