Chapter 30: One Step Away — Oliver’s Arrival

Ron carefully examined the information on his panel, feeling equal parts pleasant surprise and slight regret. He realized he had already fulfilled two of the three requirements to change his job to Wizard Apprentice. The only thing standing in his way was mastering the zero-ring spell "Slime Splash" to the Proficient level.

Just one more step… he murmured softly.

Although he had practiced "Slime Splash" intermittently, the lack of a suitable target in his dorm had kept him from training as diligently as he did with Corona Swordsmanship. Still, his experience points for "Slime Splash" were teetering at the edge of leveling up, and with a bit more effort, he could meet the job-change criteria.

If it weren't for the distractions of Darrend and Marcus, he might already be a Wizard Apprentice. As soon as he left the isolation room, he planned to prioritize mastering "Slime Splash," complete the job change, and exploit the synergies between Knight Squire and Wizard Apprentice. That path could lead him to the γ‑route and, eventually, to become a Magic Swordsman—a two-and-a-half-star rated advanced class with extraordinary potential.

His panel indicated that Wizard Apprentice provides bonuses to spell experience and mental energy recovery—traits that would supplement his current roles as Knight Squire and Potion Apprentice in a harmonious, powerful cycle.

"Developing three professions in parallel…" Ron tapped the table. "This maximizes my panel's advantage."

He envisioned his future: Potion Apprentice would accelerate magic affinity and energy regeneration; Wizard Apprentice would complement the physical strength of Knight Squire; together, they could form a versatile combat trinity.

With the job change, his identity verification and initial resource allocation would look impressive, showcasing his true potential.

Just as he delved into these plans, footsteps echoed down the corridor. The sound was peculiar—light, rhythmic, elegant, yet oppressive. Not the pacing of an ordinary Apprentice. Ron's thoughts snapped shut, and he focused on external stimuli.

A twisted, repulsive mental fluctuation invaded his awareness, making his scalp itch. It felt like hundreds of maggots writhing in rotting flesh—converted into mental sensation. Worse, the fluctuation was heading straight for the isolation room.

Alarmed, Ron tensed. He formed a barrier with his mental energy, shielding himself from the intrusive sensation. He glanced at the surveillance orbs in the corridor—they were fully operational. Good. In such a monitored area, nothing should go seriously wrong.

He guessed the visitor's identity—it had to be connected to his troublesome "neighbor." The isolation room holding Marcus was nearby, and when Ron was cultivating, he often overheard Marcus complaining.

Soon, he saw a figure slip from the corridor's corner. Through the door's vent, Ron recognized a young man with black hair and eyes, his beauty almost demonically perfect. His unnaturally pale skin glowed faintly under the dim lights. The dark blue gemstone badge on his chest marked him as a High Apprentice.

Behind him, Marcus followed with bowed head, looking timid—subdued, even pitifully so, unlike his usual arrogance.

"Ron Ralph?" The black-haired man stopped by the door, his tone oddly gentle. "I'm Oliver—Marcus's older brother."

Ron's heart sank. Of course—the high-ranking curse-spell specialist himself.

"A pleasure to meet you," Ron replied, keeping his voice even as he observed Oliver.

Oliver presented a perfect smile. "I apologize for my brother's rude behavior." He pulled a string of keys and unlocked the isolation door. "As compensation, I exchanged magic stone shards to secure an early release for you."

Ron raised an eyebrow. In the Black Mist Forest, magic stone shards could buy early release—about twenty shards per day deducted. He hadn't considered paying this way: shards were precious, and the isolation room provided privacy and basic cultivation needs.

"Thank you." Ron remained polite, neither humble nor arrogant. He stayed inside; the room's arrays prevented escape—and served as his protection.

Oliver's demeanor was impeccable—polite, gentle, the face of a true gentleman. But such perfection made Ron wary. How could a High Apprentice specialized in curses be benevolent?

"No need to thank me." Oliver waved dismissively. "My brother's always a headache."

Oliver patted Marcus's shoulder affectionately. Ron detected Marcus's instant stiffening and fear.

"If you aren't satisfied, I won't mind if you want to teach him a lesson now," Oliver said with unwavering smile and a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

Ron stayed alert but shook his head. "No. Your apology is enough."

"Your generosity is admirable," Oliver praised, transitioning abruptly to his main interest: "I heard you've been researching sound-wave spells—Darrend's topic?"

A red flag went up. The isolation room wasn't entirely private—Oliver knew about his studies.

"Just studying casually," Ron replied cautiously.

"Curiosity is the mark of a true Wizard," Oliver said, smiling. "Sound-waves and curses share principles—both influence targets silently. Perhaps we could exchange ideas."

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