Ch. 24 - Sonic Tremor (Prototype)

Robb dragged his battered body back to his room. The pain and mental tension finally eased, if only for a moment.

The Solar Breath was slowly repairing his cracked ribs and damaged organs, but this self-healing process came at a cost, every breath brought piercing pain.

Though he'd survived, the agony kept pulling his thoughts back to that overwhelmingly intense fight.

Those semi-transparent sonic rings had been nearly impossible to fully dodge. Each hit had compounded his injuries.

Without the constitution enhancement from the Knight Squire class, he'd have been a corpse already.

But what shook him even more was Dagon's mutation, the blue light flickering across that grotesque brain, the pattern of those energy fluctuations. All of it proved just how terrifying the banned substances were.

"I can't let that happen to me..." Robb told himself, peeling off his bloodstained outer garment.

Examining his chest and abdomen, he saw a sprawl of purple-black bruises. Several ribs were visibly deformed, and the slightest movement brought stabbing pain.

[Solar Breath self-healing activated]

[Estimated 6-8 hours for majority of repairs]

Robb gritted his teeth, adjusted his breathing, and guided internal energy toward the wounded areas following the technique's principles.

A warm sensation slowly spread through his body as damaged bone and tissue began mending bit by bit.

This self-healing ability was one of the knight class's key traits. Though not fast, the capacity to repair oneself without external aid was invaluable in this dangerous world.

While waiting for his body to recover, Robb took out Dagon's research notebook and began reading carefully.

In a world ruled by survival of the fittest, no resource that could strengthen him could be overlooked.

The first half of the notebook was mostly theoretical derivations and records of failed attempts. But the second half described in detail the construction process for the "Sonic Tremor" spell.

"Sound waves are not merely a physical phenomenon, they are another expression of spirit power..." Robb silently read the key passage. "Through specific frequencies, one can induce resonance in the spirit power field, generating powerful shockwaves..."

Dagon's research direction had been genuinely unique. He'd tried to merge a musician's talent with spirit power to create an entirely novel spell concept.

Though it had ended in failure, the theoretical foundation was remarkably solid.

[Sonic Tremor (Prototype) EXP +1]

[Current progress: Sonic Tremor (Prototype 5/100)]

Night fell, and Robb finally closed the notebook.

After hours of study, he'd grasped the broad strokes of Dagon's concept.

It wasn't merely an attack method, it was an entirely new way of using sonic frequencies to influence the spirit power field.

Still incomplete, but already possessing practical value.

The notebook also documented the reason for Dagon's failure, insufficient stability and control over spirit power, which was why he'd turned to banned substances, and ultimately paid with his life...

"I'll start practicing tomorrow. As for potions that stabilize spirit power, I'm pretty sure the herb shop carries something..." Robb murmured, carefully stowing the notebook.

He knew the evaluation drew closer by the day. This encounter had been dangerous, but it had also brought unexpected gains.

In the Black Mist Order, opportunity and danger were two sides of the same coin. The key was knowing how to seize them.

And now, more than ever, he was certain he could find his place in this world.

...

The morning mist of the Black Mist Order hadn't fully lifted, but Robb was already standing outside the herb shop.

He'd come even earlier than usual today. Besides his normal duties, he wanted to ask Lady Elena about spirit stabilization potions.

The bronze wind chime sounded crisply in the breeze. The shop door swung open in silence.

"Early as ever, boy." The old woman's voice drifted from the dim interior. "Seems you've got something pressing to ask me?"

Robb entered the shop. The familiar blend of herbal fragrances greeted him.

After all this time, he could now identify the components with far greater precision.

"Yes, Lady Elena." He offered a respectful bow. "I'd like to ask about spirit stabilization potions."

Lady Elena's faintly green-glowing eyes narrowed. "Oh? Ordinary Initiates rarely encounter those..."

"Indeed." Robb nodded, then gave a simplified account of Dagon's mutation the previous night.

Naturally, he omitted the details of his own combat, saying only that he'd been lucky enough to hold out until the enforcement squad arrived.

Lady Elena listened in silence, furrowed her brow but offered no further commentary, simply nodding.

"Using music to refine a sonic-conduction spell, hm? The boy's idea was actually rather interesting. He may be dead, but his line of thinking was sound..."

She turned and retrieved a small booklet from beneath the counter, flipping through it rapidly.

"I have a type of Stardust Elixir that can enhance spirit power. It does have the effect of stabilizing spirit power field fluctuations and making spell models easier to maintain."

Robb's interest sparked. "Lady Elena, do you have any in stock?"

"Not at the moment." Lady Elena closed the booklet. "But I can teach you to make a simplified version. The effect won't match genuine Stardust Elixir, but it should be sufficient for a beginner."

Robb spoke gratefully. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet." The old woman waved him off.

"I'll give you the formula, but you'll have to source the ingredients yourself. Consider it a test of your potion-crafting skills."

She took a scroll from the shelf. "Finish today's work first. When it's time, I'll teach you the preparation method. Now go process that new shipment of evening primrose root."

Robb accepted the scroll with a respectful nod and set to work.

Processing evening primrose root was a task demanding patience and precision.

The plant's medicinal potency was concentrated in a small section of tissue at the junction between root and stem. The outer protective layer had to be carefully peeled away to extract the essence within.

With his [Herb Identification] ability, Robb could judge each stalk's optimal cutting point with greater accuracy.

[Herb Identification EXP +1]

He was halfway through the task when the shop door opened gently and a slender young woman in a dark gray robe stepped inside.

Robb recognized her instantly, Triss, who had been sent to the Black Mist Order alongside them.

Compared to the frail hunter's daughter he'd first met, she had completely transformed.

Her brown hair was swept into a neat ponytail bound by a silver hair ribbon. Her features carried a quiet, understated confidence.

The most striking change was the pale blue sapphire badge on her chest, the mark of a Intermediate Apprentice.

"Good morning, Lady Elena." Triss inclined her head, her voice soft yet carrying an undercurrent of strength. "My mentor sent me to collect the herbs she ordered last time."

"Ah, it's you." Lady Elena nodded. "Everything's ready. One moment."

As the old woman went to retrieve the order, the girl's gaze swept the room and came to rest on Robb, who was still processing evening primrose.

For a brief instant, their eyes met. Triss narrowed hers slightly. "You're... Robb?"

Robb was somewhat surprised that she remembered him. "That's right, Triss. It's been a while."

"What a coincidence." The brown-haired girl's expression grew faintly complicated. "I heard you've been working here for some time?"

Robb nodded. "Yes, for a while now."

She seemed about to say more, but Lady Elena had already returned with an elegantly wrapped box. "Here you are. Everything's inside. And tell Corinna that the amethyst grass supply has been unstable lately."

Triss took the box and glanced once more at Robb. A hint of concern threaded through her tone. "How long until the final evaluation?"

"Two months and three days." Robb answered without hesitation. The number had long been etched into his mind.

She simply nodded. "Then, good luck."

With that, she turned and left the shop.

After the door closed, Lady Elena gave Robb a slightly surprised look. "You know Corinna's student?"

"We're from the same kingdom," Robb explained simply. "We were sent to the Black Mist Order together a few months ago."

"I see." Lady Elena nodded and asked nothing further, though a contemplative look flickered through her eyes.

The morning's work passed in a steady rhythm of processing various herbs. As noon approached, Lady Elena finally began the lesson she'd promised.

"Regarding the preparation of Stardust Elixir, it normally requires genuine stellar essence."

The old woman explained as she organized her tools. "But that material is far too precious. Ordinary apprentices can't possibly get their hands on it."

She produced a small bottle of faintly silver-glowing powder from a locked drawer. "This is moonlight crystal, formed when moonlight strikes certain specific crystals on the night of a full moon."

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