Finger Strike

As Robb walked past them, they quickly stopped their conversation and cast him a complex glance before turning away, once more throwing themselves into the daily struggle to survive.

For the next class, Robb arrived early and chose a seat near the front.

He had barely sat down when he heard a few Apprentices behind him whispering.

"Look, that's him, the one who stood out in Lord Erik's class just now."

A short-haired female Apprentice deliberately raised her voice, eyes filled with provocation as she glanced at Mira.

"Hmph, another so-called genius?" another voice responded with the usual contempt. "Mira, looks like you've got a new rival. He's here to take your spot."

Mira's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Everyone has their own path."

"Yeah, just like how your path's been going in circles." The short-haired Apprentice mocked her:

"When Talisa came, didn't you say the same thing? Look at her now. And look at you."

"Shut up!" Mira snapped, anger flaring:

"You were left in the dust by Talisa too! What did your upper-tier five-star aptitude get you, huh? Don't think I don't know how much you gave up just to get a half-finished zero-circle spell model!"

At that moment, the classroom door opened, and a middle-aged female High Apprentice walked in.

She wore a dark gray robe with purple trim, her face stern and unreadable, projecting an air of seriousness.

"I am Lia. Today, I will be teaching you the 'Mental Stability Techniques' class."

Her voice was calm and firm: "This class is even more critical than Mana Circuit Optimization. Mental stability directly determines the complexity of the spells you'll be able to master in the future."

The short-haired Apprentice's face darkened, but now that a senior had arrived, she dared not speak again.

Robb found it mildly amusing. Even in a place like this, the petty cliques and teenage rivalries among Apprentices persisted.

What he found even more ironic was that these people, clearly trapped in a dangerous environment, still chose to fight each other instead of uniting.

During the lecture, Robb paid full attention. As Lia had said, the content was even more vital than the previous class.

She explained the principles behind mental fluctuations, common causes of instability, and specific techniques to stabilize one's mental field.

Like Erik, Lia also had Apprentices come to the front to practice.

Before she could randomly pick someone, Robb stepped forward without hesitation.

Following her instructions, he attempted to construct a simple mental barrier to resist external interference.

This exercise was challenging for most novice Apprentices, but for Robb, who had already grasped parts of Whispers of the Star-Eater, it was a breeze.

[Mental Disruption (Novice) +1 EXP]

"Impressive performance, Apprentice Reyne."

Lia was more direct than Erik. "You seem to have already mastered some form of advanced meditation?"

Robb tensed slightly, he hadn't expected his skills to stand out so clearly.

He quickly adjusted his expression. "Just some basic exercises, Lady Lia."

Lia didn't press further and simply nodded. "Keep it up. You have the potential to move straight to the second-tier course."

By the end of the class, Robb had gained far more than expected.

Not only had he improved his Mental Disruption skill, but he also learned several practical techniques for stabilizing mental strength, valuable tools for his future meditation and spellcasting.

As he packed up to leave, the slender female Apprentice approached him:

"Hi, I'm Mira. You were really impressive back in class."

"Thanks, I just have a bit of foundation," Robb replied politely.

"I could tell." A flash of complex emotion crossed Mira's eyes: "You reminded me of Talisa. Back then, she was just like you, always perfectly completing the instructors' tasks."

Her tone carried both admiration and a hint of subtle bitterness: "I entered the Black Mist Forest three sessions before Talisa… but now she's an Intermediate Apprentice, and I'm still stuck repeating these basic classes."

Robb didn't know how to comfort her. "Everyone has their own path. Maybe your strengths lie elsewhere."

Mira forced a smile: "Thanks. But here, mental aptitude and perception are the real keys. No matter if you're upper or lower five-star, you'll always be peripheral to the faction… unless-"

A group of Apprentices suddenly gathered around them, wearing deliberately friendly expressions.

Mira glanced at the approaching students and frowned slightly. She whispered to Robb, "Watch out for those people. They're bad news."

Then she quickly walked away.

"Hey, Reyne!" a tall Apprentice greeted him enthusiastically. "I'm Aaron. I saw your performance earlier, it was amazing! How did you do it?"

Aaron was thrilled. This new Elementary Apprentice looked far more promising than their previous targets.

Especially with the talent he displayed in class, he was bound to extract much more value from this one. The rogue Intermediate Apprentices outside had become pickier about their "supplies" lately. They needed better "prey."

Last month's was easy, just a regular Elementary Apprentice. They'd lured him to the wilderness without trouble.

The faction's enforcers seemed completely unconcerned, which only reinforced Aaron's belief that their operation was safe.

With Apprentices mysteriously disappearing every month, who would care about a few more corpses?

Out of courtesy, Robb responded to Aaron's question. "Just some luck and regular practice."

"You're too modest!" Aaron patted Robb's shoulder with deliberate strength. A calculating glint flashed in his eyes: "A genius like you must have some special training methods. Care to share a few?"

Other students in the classroom noticed Aaron's group targeting someone again. Some showed fear in their eyes, but not one dared to speak out.

Several even packed up faster, afraid of being dragged into the mess.

A bespectacled, frail-looking student whispered to his companion as they exited: "Another unlucky guy."

"Serves him right. Should've known better," the companion replied coldly, showing no sympathy. "The first lesson I learned in the Black Mist Forest, stay out of other people's business."

Robb subtly avoided the overly intimate gestures, sensing the danger these people exuded.

He knew something was wrong, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Nothing special. Just basic meditation techniques, stuff every apprentice knows."

"Word is you work as an assistant at Madam Elena's potion shop?" one of Aaron's skinny companions chimed in:

"That old woman's notorious for being picky. If she hired you, your potion skills must be pretty solid."

"Just chores, really." Robb's tone hardened at their disrespect toward Madam Elena:

"Organizing ingredients, cleaning equipment… nothing like a real student."

Aaron's smile didn't fade, but his eyes grew darker. "Why don't you join us for this week's gathering mission? We need someone good with potion materials. Profits split evenly. Totally fair."

"Sorry, I've got to prepare for the Potion Master Certification. Might not have the time," Robb declined politely.

"Potion Master Certification?" Aaron blinked in surprise but quickly recovered, feigning enthusiasm: "Even better! This mission will give you field experience. Don't worry, it'll only take half a day at most."

This guy clearly had no clue about how demanding the certification was.

Other Apprentices from Aaron's group chimed in in support. They were all part of his clique, each with blood on their hands.

The rest of the classroom tried desperately to act like they saw nothing.

Another Apprentice leaned in: "Heard you earn decent coin at the shop. Must've saved up a lot of magic crystal fragments, huh? You could put some into better gear for this trip, the returns will be huge."

The group slowly closed in on Robb, forming a semicircle.

Aaron, seeing Robb still unmoved, reached out to grab him. "Listen, kid, don't be ungrateful-"

Before he could finish, a flash of cold light crossed Robb's eyes.

The heat from his Solar Breath surged through him. His near-master-level swordcraft granted him exceptional control over his body, now put to sharp use.

His right index finger trembled slightly, but with incredible power, as he struck Aaron precisely at the junction of his chest and abdomen.

It was a unique force technique he had recently discovered after intense sword training. A sign he might soon break into mastery.

The special energy shot from his fingertip into Aaron's body, piercing several inches deep.

Aaron froze instantly. His face turned pale as a strange force exploded in his core, shattering his breathing rhythm. His chest burned, and he couldn't utter a single word.

"I said I don't have time," Robb calmly retracted his finger, sweeping his gaze across the others. "I hope that's clear."

Just then, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

The Apprentices surrounding Robb all turned instinctively.

Lia had returned, holding a few papers. She must've come back to retrieve something.

She glanced at the scene, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Lady Lia!" Aaron's companions immediately changed their tone, their voices now filled with deference and fear: "We were just chatting with the new student."

Lia said nothing. She simply cast them a cold look.

That single glance was enough to make them feel like they were sitting on pins and needles. All their arrogance vanished.