Rank 1 Magus Apprentice

As Mortis finally began to feel the spiritual energy, he summoned the last remnants of his willpower and entered a state of deep focus once again.

He visualized the invisible energy being drawn in with every breath, carefully guiding each wisp through his body, channeling it down to the center of his abdomen. There, he imagined it slowly forming a small, concentrated sphere.

At first, even with perfect visualization, nothing happened. He couldn't draw in the energy. But after several more minutes of mental strain, something shifted. Bit by bit, he began to succeed… first managing to inhale the energy, then guide it, and finally, gather it.

Piece by painstaking piece, he directed the spiritual energy toward his core, and eventually, the energy began to condense and stabilize, merging together in the center of his abdomen. Slowly but surely, it took shape, forming his mana core.

When the process was complete, he opened his eyes wide, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Excitement flickered in his gaze.

He had done it.

He had officially become a Rank 1 Magus Apprentice.

In just a few short hours, he had gone from being a powerless mortal to someone capable of manipulating spiritual energy.

Curious, he focused inward toward his newly-formed mana core. Most of the energy he had gathered had been consumed during its creation, but not all of it. A small remnant remained… just a sliver, no larger than a grain, floating inside the core. The core itself was about the size of a fruit seed, pulsing softly with potential.

He wanted to continue meditating, to gather more energy immediately… but as he tried to do so, his body and mind protested. He was already at his limit.

Trying to push further would be reckless.

With a reluctant sigh, Mortis gave up and let his thoughts settle. He needed to rest and recover his mental strength before he could continue.

As he sat there contemplating his next steps, his stomach growled loudly. The long meditation and his recent breakthrough had drained more than just energy… it had left him starving.

He got up from the bed and grabbed the pitch-black leather armor bearing the academy's emblem—his chosen uniform. It was his first time wearing it, and to his surprise, it felt far more impressive than he expected.

Initially, he had thought it would offer only a slight improvement in defense. But once he had it on, he realized how wrong he was. The armor, likely enhanced with magical enchantments or crafted from special materials, felt as sturdy as steel—perhaps even stronger.

It was unexpectedly amazing.

|>>======|✦|======<<|

After dressing up, Mortis left his room and locked the door behind him using his bracelet. He made his way out of the dormitory, intent on finding the dining hall and filling his empty stomach.

As he walked through the corridors, he noticed something curious—other students were now looking at him. Their gazes weren't hostile or mocking. In fact, they seemed surprised, some even mildly impressed.

He didn't understand at first… but then it clicked.

It was the armor.

While Mortis thought nothing of wearing it, the others saw it as unusual. Most Magi wore robes, not armor—at least, not in this age. Perhaps things had been different in the ancient eras, but those days were long gone.

Here and now, a Magus in leather armor was rare enough to draw attention.

Still, he ignored the looks and kept walking. The academy was vast, and after wandering for several minutes without luck, he finally decided to ask for help.

Spotting a student nearby, he approached.

"Hey, excuse me. Could you give me directions to the dining hall? I have no idea where it is," Mortis asked.

The student turned and nodded. "Sure, it's not far. Just go down a few more corridors this way, and when you see the red walls on your left, turn left. The dining hall's right there."

He pointed clearly in the direction.

"By the way," the student added, "you are new right?"

Mortis smiled politely. "Yeah. As you can tell, I still can't even find my way around."

The other student chuckled. "Thought so. I'm Brian, Rank 2 Magus Apprentice." He extended a hand.

Mortis shook it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mortis, Rank 1 Magus Apprentice."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Rank 1 already? Didn't you just arrive today?"

Mortis scratched his head and nodded. "Yeah… I got excited and tried the meditation right away. Somehow, I was lucky and managed to advance straight to Rank 1."

"Is that rare?" he added curiously.

Brian let out a small sigh. "Not super rare. There are always a few lucky or talented ones like you who manage it in a single day. But most people need at least a few days… and the less talented ones can take up to few weeks."

Mortis nodded in understanding. "Well, I guess I really was lucky. Anyway, I should probably head to the dining hall now, I'm starving after all that meditation."

"Then let's go together," Brian offered. "I was on my way there too."

Mortis smiled. "Sure, let's go."

|>>======|✦|======<<|

A few minutes later, they arrived at the dining hall.

"We are here," Brian said. "All the food and drinks here are free. Just go up to the counter and show them your bracelet. You can pick anything from the day's menu."

"But if you want anything special or more extravagant, you'll need to pay with contribution points or spiritual crystals."

He paused, then added, "By the way, have you checked your contribution points yet?"

Mortis tilted his head. "No. How do I do that?"

Brian chuckled. "Since you're already Rank 1, just pour a little bit of your spiritual energy into the bracelet."

Mortis nodded and did as instructed. As soon as his energy flowed into the bracelet, a stream of information surged into his mind…