Chapter Seventy-Two Analysis

"The Vitality Potion is already in my possession. Now, I just have to wait for the mental rune to complete assimilation, for the sea of consciousness to fully solidify, and for the chip to finish analyzing the first-level defensive sorcery template. Once that's done, I'll finally advance to a full-fledged sorcerer," Hughes thought as he checked the progress on the chip’s simulation of the first-level defensive sorcery template—still a long way to go.

The analysis progressing the fastest was of the enchanted item, which would be fully deciphered in less than a month. Hughes was filled with anticipation. Once the enchanted item was his, his strength would reach new heights.

Hughes had the chip display his own data and found himself satisfied with his current progress. The matter of advancing to a formal sorcerer was only a question of time; this, Hughes could easily endure.

Billy's second-tier apprentice assessment continued until the evening of the third day after Hughes finished his own test. As Hughes busied himself in the dormitory, brewing potions, he found himself wondering about Billy’s assessment—it had been several days with no word.

While dissecting herbs, Hughes suddenly noticed his courier bracelet react.

“Hughes! I’ve finished the assessment. Where are you?” As soon as he directed his mental force into the bracelet, Billy’s voice sounded immediately.

Although it was just one sentence, Hughes could hear the deep exhaustion.

After a few quick exchanges, they agreed to meet in the library.

Hughes set aside his work and hurried to the library, eager to ask about Billy’s second-tier assessment.

When Hughes arrived, he saw Billy already seated, scanning the surroundings.

“Over here, Hughes!” Billy spotted him and waved him over.

Hughes sat across from Billy, examining him for any signs of injury, but found none—only a profound fatigue.

“Hughes, didn’t you take part in the assessment? I didn’t see you at all, and I couldn't reach you with the courier bracelet inside the secret realm!” Billy asked anxiously.

“Uh, well…” Hughes hesitated, then revealed the pattern on the cuff of his apprentice robe.

“You advanced to third-tier?!” Only now did Billy notice the two stripes on Hughes’ sleeve.

“Yes,” Hughes replied simply.

“No wonder,” Billy murmured, his gaze complicated as he stared at the double stripes. No wonder he hadn’t seen Hughes during the assessment; he’d already become a third-tier apprentice.

“When did you advance?” Billy’s tone was dazed. He had only just become a second-tier apprentice, hoping to close the gap with Hughes, but in the blink of an eye, Hughes had already moved further ahead.

“Is the gap in talent really this vast?” Billy thought, looking at Hughes—who was also an apothecary, which widened the distance even more.

“It was just a few days before the assessment,” Hughes admitted, knowing that Billy had wanted to take the test together—he hadn’t expected to advance so soon himself.

“Was your third-tier assessment over quickly?” Billy had sensed from his bracelet that Hughes had tried to contact him several times in the past days.

“Yes, it was fast,” Hughes replied, then told Billy about the events of the third-tier apprentice assessment.

“By the way, why did your second-tier assessment take so long?” Hughes was curious about the length of Billy’s ordeal.

“Oh, you have no idea how troublesome it was!” Billy replied, exasperated. “First we had to navigate a labyrinth to test our mental prowess, then there was a slew of other tests—so many things to assess! It was exhausting!” The ordeal had clearly worn Billy out.

“I see,” Hughes said, surprised by the difference in assessments between the tiers.

“And after we entered the secret realm, the courier bracelet stopped working. Otherwise, I would’ve reached you. I tried so many times!” Billy guessed.

“Indeed,” Hughes agreed. The secret realm must have had some kind of jamming function.

“Enough about that. I heard the reward for the third-tier assessment is a Vitality Potion. Do you know if anyone got their hands on one?” Billy leaned in, whispering so as not to be overheard.

“Uh, I’m not too sure. I only just became a third-tier apprentice myself, so I really don’t know,” Hughes replied, deciding to keep his own Vitality Potion a secret. Such an item was far too valuable to be careless with.

“That makes sense,” Billy said without suspicion; he didn’t expect Hughes to have gotten one so soon after advancing.

After chatting for a while longer, Billy, utterly spent, went to rest. Hughes lingered in the library before returning to his dormitory.

With the end of the second-tier apprentice assessment, the Shadow Ring Academy began to bustle with life again. People could be seen moving through the halls, and the academy returned to its usual rhythm.

There was no news of the second-tier assessment rewards. Hughes suspected, like with his own Vitality Potion, they would be delivered by some strange method in the middle of the night.

“Beep! High-grade enchanted item ‘Guiding Guardian’ analysis complete!”

“Beep! ‘Guiding Guardian’: low-grade enchanted item, low-tier defensive enchanted item.”

“Beep! Main materials for ‘Guiding Guardian’: Starshadow Gold, Aether Gem, Withered Calamity Branch, …”

“Beep! Projected defensive power of ‘Guiding Guardian’: 14 points against physical attacks, 15 points against spell attacks.”

“Beep! Energy activation method: When the host is attacked, ‘Guiding Guardian’ can form an energy shield (Note: shield is instant-cast).”

The academy had settled into calm once more, and Hughes, with time on his hands, would occasionally visit Wizard Matt’s laboratory, hoping to see if his teacher had returned.

“What an effect!” Hughes was nearly euphoric at the chip’s analysis—though the ‘Guiding Guardian’ had been downgraded to a low-tier enchanted item, its effect was outstanding. The spell power of a third-tier apprentice was around 10 or 11 at most, but this item had a defensive power of 15—far surpassing a third-tier’s capabilities, and nearly matching the first-level defensive sorcery template.

“Wait!” Hughes suddenly had an idea. “Chip, set this defensive power as the minimum. Analyze and simulate the first-level defensive sorcery template.”

“Beep! Simulating.”

Seeing that the ‘Guiding Guardian’s’ defensive power had already surpassed third-tier apprentices, Hughes remembered the chip was still analyzing the first-level defensive sorcery template.

“Starshadow Alloy…” Hughes browsed the materials listed by the chip; the list was much shorter than before. Initially, there were forty or fifty materials required; now, after downgrading to a low-tier enchanted item, only a dozen or so were needed. Some Hughes recognized, others were unfamiliar.

“Looks like I’ll have to trouble Lindsay, Billy, and the others again.” Hughes’ network in the academy was limited, so it was better to entrust such tasks to friends.

After contacting Billy with his courier bracelet and arranging to meet at Lindsay’s shop, Hughes packed up the potions he’d brewed that month, intending to bring them along.

Since he was asking for help, Hughes made an extra effort—this batch of potions was a third larger than the previous ones to show his sincerity.

And so, carrying the potions, Hughes set out for Lindsay’s shop.

“Hughes!” As he walked, he suddenly heard Senior Amy calling his name.

“Long time no see, Senior Amy!” Hughes greeted her with delight, as it had indeed been a while.

“Yes, it’s been a while!” Amy’s demeanor was more refined than before, greeting Hughes with composure and grace.

Hughes noticed Amy’s changes; she appeared more mature than before, radiating a new charm.

Sensing his gaze, Amy simply smiled, saying nothing.

“I wonder what Senior Amy has been up to lately, to have changed so much,” Hughes mused. Not only had her temperament shifted, but her aura had deepened, making her harder to read. The old Amy would never have left such an impression.