New Life As An Overpowered Mage With Infinite Classes

Chapter 21

Robb was eating in the communal dining hall when idle chatter from the next table drifted over.

"Did you hear Dagon bought that stuff?" a tall, thin apprentice with medium-length hair asked conspiratorially.

"What stuff? The brain-boosting kind?" His companion's eyes went wide with surprise.

"Yeah. He said he needs it to finish his sonic spell concept..." The long-haired one nodded, his expression a mix of shock and disdain.

"Has he lost his mind? How many people have tried that and failed..."

A third person snorted and shook his head. "With his pathetic spirit power, that drug will just turn him into a monster."

Robb had been chewing on tasteless black bread while mentally reviewing the potioneering material he needed to study.

But the moment he heard them mention his dorm neighbor Dagon, he frowned and set down his plate.

Over the past few days, the experimental noise from Dagon's room had grown increasingly rare. Robb had assumed the manic researcher had finally hit a wall and chosen to rest.

Now it seemed the situation might be quite different.

"The dormitory area has been a bit too quiet lately. I hope it's not what I think it is..."

He muttered under his breath, glanced at the half-eaten black bread in his hand, and found his appetite had vanished.

Come to think of it, when he'd first arrived at the Black Mist Order, he and his neighbor Dagon had actually been on fairly friendly terms.

His very first meal here had been shared at a table with Dagon.

"My family is from Cedaria, in the northern part of the Black Mist Forest."

Back then, Dagon's temperament hadn't yet turned volatile. The somewhat pudgy boy had stirred his bowl of beet soup while quietly introducing himself.

"Our family have been musicians for generations, performing and composing for the city's nobility."

His eyes had lit up with unusual brightness when the topic turned to music. "Can you imagine, Robb? Music isn't just sound. It's a fluctuation of energy, a resonance of the soul. Ever since I was little, I could sense the connections between different notes, their rhythm, their power..."

Robb remembered politely nodding at the time, not truly grasping Dagon's passion.

"My magic aptitude isn't high, not even fifth-magnitude. On the journey here, I'd nearly given up."

Dagon had stirred his soup, his voice low, seemingly unaware that the food had long gone cold.

"But on the very first day, I saw an opportunity on the bulletin board."

He'd dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Besides the standard spirit power test, the Black Mist Order has an alternative path to advancement, completing a bounty spell concept. If you can develop a half-finished spell to the point of practical application, you also earn the right to stay. And I found a topic that perfectly matches my specialty..."

Dagon's eyes had shone. "Sonic-conductive spirit power field. The moment I saw that name, I knew it was meant for me."

In the months that followed, Dagon had indeed thrown himself wholly into the research.

Robb would occasionally glimpse, in passing, the equipment and notes piled high in his room, and the walls plastered with strange symbols and musical notation charts.

For the first couple of months, Dagon had maintained a daily routine of striking various metal vessels, sometimes producing odd tones, then cursing and starting over.

Back then, Robb had frequently complained to Andre, feeling the neighbor's noise was disrupting his meditation.

But about a month ago, Dagon had grown despondent.

His research seemed stuck. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get sound waves to truly affect the spirit power field.

"The problem is that my spirit power is too weak," he'd grumbled to Robb once. "If I were just a bit stronger, I could break through this barrier."

In recent days, those sounds had grown scarcer and scarcer.

At first Robb assumed Dagon had finally given up. But when he'd bumped into him at the communal baths the day before, he'd noticed a near-manic gleam in Dagon's eyes. His complexion was waxy yellow, and his once-pudgy frame had wasted away almost beyond recognition.

"Are you alright?" Robb had asked casually.

Dagon had looked at him and smiled, a smile with something unsettling behind it. "Alright? Of course I'm alright... I'm about to succeed, Robb."

Then he'd walked away without another word.

In hindsight, the warning signs had already been there...

With this thought, Robb wiped the last traces of sauce from his plate with the bread, forced it into his mouth, and headed for the washing area.

Perhaps... he should start being more wary of his neighbor. The thought formed as he scrubbed his plate clean.

Back in his room, Robb opened Fundamentals of Meditation and continued his practice. He should still be able to squeeze in another meditation session today.

Though he'd already expended considerable energy, the alertness draught's lingering effects had kept his mental state at a high level these past few days.

[Basic Meditation initiated]

This time, he tried incorporating what he'd learned from Lady Elena into his meditation.

No longer just mechanically tracing the rune, but feeling the natural flow of spirit power.

Whenever the flow met resistance, he would gently guide it along the most natural path, like an experienced helmsman harnessing the current rather than fighting it.

In his consciousness, the rune formed from three arcs began to shimmer with a faint glow.

Unlike its former rigid shape, the rune now seemed almost alive, trembling subtly with the pulse of his spirit power.

[Special effect triggered: Rhythm Resonance, this meditation session's effectiveness slightly increased]

[Basic Meditation EXP +1]

[Basic Meditation EXP +1]

[Basic Meditation EXP +1]

...

[Daily training limit reached. Rest recommended.]

Robb opened his eyes. The gains were slightly less than when he'd meditated with the alertness draught alone, but still far higher than when he'd first started.

"It seems 'rhythm' really is the key."

Robb murmured, jotting down the day's insights in his notebook.

His notes had grown quite comprehensive, from scattered early observations to what was now a relatively systematic theory.

After organizing his notes, Robb picked up the training sword and began practicing the basic forms of Sun God Swordcraft.

Without a professional instructor, he could only reference Andre's notes and feel his way through.

Every swing was synchronized with the Solar Breath's cadence, bringing movement and breath into a subtle harmony.

As practice deepened, the coordination grew smoother and the movements increasingly fluid.

[Basic Swordcraft EXP +1]

[Basic Swordcraft EXP +1]

[Basic Swordcraft EXP +1]

...

The sky had gradually darkened. Robb tidied his room, set down the wooden sword, stripped off his clothes, and lay down to rest.

Just as he was about to drift into sleep, an unsettling sensation crept over him.

It was an indescribable, hazy awareness, as if someone or something were watching him.

From the neighboring room came a deeply eerie sound, now high-pitched, now low, as though a person, or some thing, was writhing in agony.