Ch. 38 - The Simplified Stardust Elixir's Effect

The crafting vessels were forged from mana-conductive metal, each piece inscribed with tiny stabilization runes capable of withstanding high-intensity mana manipulation, essential equipment for advanced potion research.

The protective inner armor was woven from a blend of supernatural materials. While not a truly enchanted item, the craftsmanship was superb, providing considerable protection without compromising mobility.

At market value, the two items together would cost at least one or two Mana Crystals.

"I'll take these two." Robb pointed at the catalogue, his tone measured. "The crafting vessel set and the protective inner armor."

The officer nodded, recording the selection. "A typical choice for potioneering apprentices, practical and unassuming. One moment while I retrieve the items."

During her absence, Robb found himself reflecting on why Lady Elena had gone to such lengths for him.

Was it simply the talent he'd shown in potioneering? Or had the enigmatic old potioneer seen something deeper within him?

Whatever the reason, he quietly committed this debt of gratitude to memory. In a place like the Black Mist Order, such help was exceedingly rare.

Soon the officer returned carrying an elegant wooden case and a neatly folded piece of dark teal fabric.

"Here are your selections." She handed them to Robb along with a thin booklet.

"Also, this is a guide to the regulations and resource locations that every Elementary Apprentice needs to know. I suggest you familiarize yourself with it promptly."

Robb accepted everything and carefully opened the wooden case to inspect its contents.

Inside was an exquisitely crafted set of brewing vessels, each gleaming with cold metallic light, their bases inscribed with fine stabilization runes.

"This set is practically flawless for the apprentice stage."

The officer watched Robb's inspection. "It's suited for not just ordinary potions, but some advanced formulas as well. Used properly, it'll serve you for a long time."

Robb closed the case and examined the inner armor.

The seemingly ordinary fabric felt extraordinarily supple to the touch, with a slight coolness, clearly no mundane material.

"Thank you for your help." He nodded politely. "Are there any other procedures I need to complete?"

"Nothing for now." The officer handed him a small green badge glowing with faint light. "Wear this. It certifies your Elementary Apprentice status and grants access to certain restricted public areas within the faction."

Robb took the badge and pinned it to his chest.

The runes on the badge immediately resonated with his spirit power, emitting a soft glow.

"Lady Elena once helped me too. Since she values you this highly, I'll offer some advice as a senior."

The officer's tone turned grave. " Elementary Apprentices have passed the most basic screening, but within the faction, you're still low on the food chain. Especially someone like you... who rises from behind. That tends to attract the attention of those with ill intent."

As he turned to leave, she added with pointed meaning. "Act with caution. Keep a low profile. That may be the most important survival rule for you in the period ahead."

Robb thanked her with a nod. He understood every implication.

After the incidents with Dagon and Marcus, he had developed a thorough understanding of the Black Mist Order's laws.

Night had fallen by the time he left the central hall.

Robb held the crafting vessels and inner armor close, feeling both excitement and a thread of vigilance.

Becoming an Elementary Apprentice meant he'd secured his first foothold in the Black Mist Order.

But this was merely the beginning. The road ahead remained long and shrouded in unknowns.

As it happened, now that he'd been officially registered as an Elementary Apprentice, he was entitled to transfer out of the dormitory.

But since the Dagon incident, the rooms around his had emptied out considerably, leaving him with a quiet, undisturbed area all to himself.

He saw no reason to move, upgrading to a better room required paying the faction a considerable sum of Mana Crystal Fragments, while his current one was free.

...

Back in his dormitory, Robb immediately locked the door and windows. Only after confirming there was no possible surveillance did he begin examining his acquisitions in detail.

First, the crafting vessel set. He carefully removed each piece from the wooden case and arranged them on his desk.

The equipment was even finer than he'd imagined, the crucible was forged from a special blue-silver alloy that conducted heat evenly and resisted most forms of mana corrosion.

Every joint on the distillation apparatus was inlaid with miniature stabilization runes for precise steam flow control. Even the seemingly ordinary measuring cups and stirring rods were made from specialized materials that could measure and blend ingredients without contaminating the potion's composition.

[Potion Crafting EXP +1]

Simply familiarizing himself thoroughly with these instruments was enough to boost his potion-crafting experience.

Robb was quietly elated. This equipment would undoubtedly accelerate his potioneering progress.

Next, he inspected the protective inner armor, potentially a lifesaver in a critical moment.

At first glance, the fitted vest was indistinguishable from ordinary clothing. But upon closer inspection, faint runes shimmered within the weave.

When touched lightly, the fabric automatically adjusted its shape to conform to his hand, soft yet possessing an incredible resilience.

"Remarkable craftsmanship." Robb murmured appreciatively, folding it carefully aside.

But now he had more pressing business, pushing the zero-circle spell Slime Splash to Proficient and fulfilling the final class change requirement for [Mage Apprentice].

Robb quickly reviewed the conditions in his mind.

[Combat class, Mage Apprentice (One-and-a-Half Stars) class change requirements.]

[1. Spirit power reaches 2.0 ✓]

[2. Basic Meditation reaches Proficient ✓]

[3. Master one spell at Proficient level]

"Just this last one." Robb told himself. "It has to be tonight."

He scanned the room for a suitable practice target.

His gaze settled on a stone at the foot of his bed, one he'd prepared specifically for spell practice.

Taking out the simplified Stardust Elixir he'd brewed under Lady Elena's guidance, Robb carefully sipped a small mouthful.

The cool sensation spread instantly from his throat throughout his body. His mind achieved unprecedented clarity.

[Simplified Stardust Elixir, Effect. Spirit power stability slightly increased; Casting precision slightly increased]

"Alright. Let's begin." Robb took a deep breath and started condensing spirit power.

With the qualitative transformation of his spirit power, his energy control was in a different league entirely.

The former vagueness had vanished, replaced by crystal-clear energy flow paths.

Every thread of spirit power operated within his awareness, like transparent water that could be precisely guided in any direction.

Robb closed his eyes, recalling Dagon's notes on sound waves.

Sound was fundamentally vibration at a specific frequency, and spirit power could likewise be tuned to specific frequencies.

This idea gave him an entirely new approach, he began experimenting with combining spirit power and specific sonic frequencies.

Remarkably, this method bore a striking resemblance to the techniques he'd developed while practicing Slime Splash.

The difference was that this time, he was consciously adjusting the vibration frequency of his spirit power rather than relying on intuition.

Under his guidance, spirit power began vibrating at a specific frequency, like a plucked string.

As the frequency adjusted, he could clearly perceive every detail of the spell model, every shift in every energy node.

[Slime Splash casting initiated]

[Optimized casting method detected]

[Simplified Stardust Elixir effect active. Spell model stability slightly increased]

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