New Life As An Overpowered Mage With Infinite Classes

Chapter 30

He studied the information carefully, feeling both excitement and a twinge of regret.

The excitement. he'd already fulfilled two of the three class change requirements for [Mage Apprentice].

The regret. one remained, raising the zero-circle spell Slime Splash to Proficient level.

"Just this one step left..." Robb murmured.

In truth, he'd been practicing the spell on and off, but without a proper target in his dormitory room, his practice had been far less consistent than his swordsmanship training.

Still, Slime Splash's experience was already hovering near the Beginner-level breakthrough. Just a bit more practice and he'd meet the class change requirement.

If not for the Dagon and Marcus incidents back-to-back, he might already be a [Mage Apprentice] by now.

Robb began planning his next steps.

First priority after leaving detention. rapidly push Slime Splash to Proficient and complete the class change.

The panel indicated that [Mage Apprentice] provided bonuses to spell EXP gain and spirit power recovery.

These complemented the strengths of [Knight Squire]

and [Potion Apprentice] perfectly, creating even more powerful synergy effects."Three classes developing in parallel..." Robb tapped the desk lightly.

"That would maximize the panel's advantages and create a virtuous cycle."

He envisioned the possibilities. [Potion Apprentice]'s spirit accumulation and mana affinity bonuses would accelerate [Mage Apprentice]'s growth. [Mage Apprentice]'s mana development and spell capabilities would complement [Knight Squire]'s physical enhancement, ultimately achieving a trinity of formidable combat power.

"Once I complete the class change, the potential I display during the Elementary Apprentice certification and initial resource allocation should be even more..."

Just as he was deep in planning, footsteps echoed from the corridor, breaking his concentration.

The footfall was distinctive, light and rhythmic, carrying an indescribable elegance and pressure. Definitely not an ordinary apprentice.

Robb went instantly alert, reining in his thoughts and focusing his perception outward.

A wave of spirit energy, nauseating, twisted, enough to make his scalp crawl, suddenly invaded his awareness.

The unknown spirit fluctuation was saturated with decay and the grotesque. It was like the sound of hundreds of maggots writhing through rotting flesh, translated into pure psychic sensation.

More unsettling still, the wave seemed to be heading directly toward his cell.

Robb's body tensed involuntarily. His spirit power instinctively contracted into a spherical defensive posture, dulling his inner discomfort.

He scanned his surroundings, noting that the surveillance orbs lining the corridor were all functioning normally. That was somewhat reassuring.

In a monitored public area, nothing too outrageous should happen.

With that thought, he'd already guessed the visitor's identity, someone connected to his unfortunate "neighbor."

Marcus's detention cell was nearby. During training sessions, Robb had occasionally heard Marcus cursing the terrible food.

Sure enough, a figure rounded the corridor corner moments later, approaching at a measured pace.

Through the relatively wide ventilation grate in his door, Robb discovered the visitor was a strikingly handsome young man, black hair, blue eyes, with features so perfect they bordered on the uncanny.

His skin was pale to the point of appearing sickly, gleaming with a faint luminescence under the dim corridor lights.

Most notable was the deep blue sapphire badge on his chest, the mark of a High Apprentice.

Behind this unknown visitor, Marcus followed with his head bowed like a whipped dog, cowering close behind.

The posture was a stark contrast to his usual arrogance, he looked almost pitiable and servile.

"Robb Stark?" The dark-haired man stopped before the detention cell and spoke in a peculiar cadence, his voice surprisingly gentle.

"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Oliver, Marcus's elder brother."

Robb's guard shot up. So this was the High Apprentice specializing in cursed sorcery.

"Your reputation precedes you." He offered a polite nod, keeping his voice carefully neutral.

A flawless smile spread across Oliver's face, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. "I've come to apologize for my brother's rudeness."

As he spoke, he produced a ring of keys and casually unlocked the cell door. "As compensation, I've spent Mana Crystal Fragments to secure your early release."

Robb raised an eyebrow, mind working quickly.

In the Black Mist Order, regulations did allow Mana Crystal Fragments to reduce detention time, roughly ten fragments per day.

But he'd never considered the option. Partly because those fragments were too precious, and partly because, while spartan, the detention cell met his basic needs and offered undisturbed training time.

"I appreciate the gesture." Robb said evenly, studying Oliver's every move.

He didn't step through the doorway immediately. The cell actually contained trigger-based defensive formations, designed partly to prevent escapes, partly to prevent visitors from pulling anything shady. Right now, those formations served as his shield.

Oliver's performance was impeccable. Every word and gesture was polished and courteous, his warm smile picture-perfect, the very image of a gentleman.

But it was precisely this excessive perfection that set off alarm bells.

Any High Apprentice who'd risen to prominence in the Black Mist Order was no innocent.

"No need for such formality." Oliver waved a hand. "My brother is always causing trouble. Quite the headache, really."

He turned and lightly patted Marcus's shoulder, the gesture appeared affectionate, but Robb caught the instant of rigidity and terror that seized Marcus's body.

"If you feel the punishment was insufficient, you're welcome to discipline him as you see fit right now."

Oliver's smile didn't waver, but an inscrutable glint passed through his eyes. "I wouldn't mind at all."

Robb's wariness deepened. He glanced at the cowering Marcus and shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Since you've apologized on his behalf as his brother, I consider the matter settled."

"Your magnanimity is admirable." Oliver offered praise, then seamlessly pivoted to what clearly interested him most.

"By the way, I hear you've been researching sonic magic? Dagon's project?"

There it is. The words set off every alarm in Robb's head.

So his research in detention hadn't been entirely private. Even this High Apprentice had gotten wind of it.

"Just idle curiosity. Nothing serious," Robb answered cautiously.

"An essential quality of any worthy mage is tireless inquiry. It seems you possess this admirable trait."

Oliver nodded with a smile, his true intent threaded through the flattery. "Sonic magic and cursed sorcery actually share common ground, both influence targets through subtle, insidious means. Perhaps someday we could compare notes."