Chương 68: The Assessment

Zelier gripped the crystal vial tightly. His heart was filled with gratitude that words could not fully express. He no longer said anything else. Instead, he placed one hand over his chest and gave Mentor Manlin a sincere bow.

"Thank you, Mentor Manlin. I won't disappoint you." …… After leaving Manlin's office, Zelier thought for a while before making his way to the marketplace. The place was still as lively as ever. However, this time he wasn't here to buy anything. After wandering around for a bit, he found a shop that specialized in selling potions. The store's interior was rather luxurious. Unlike ordinary vendors, it had its own storefront instead of competing for space with street stalls.

As soon as he entered, he saw a brass emblem hanging above the counter. Several strange plants were carved onto it. A refreshing fragrance filled the air, making anyone who breathed it feel relaxed. At the center of the shop stood several heavy, enclosed display cases. Through the glass, Zelier could see numerous potions of different colors. Every single one looked extremely valuable.

"Welcome, esteemed mage. What can I help you with?" The shopkeeper immediately greeted him with a smile.

"Hmm…" Zelier's eyes wandered across the display cases. Finally, he spotted a familiar potion. Potion of Healing. However, compared to the ones prepared by Mentor Manlin, the quality of the healing potions sold here was obviously inferior. The green liquid inside the tiny crystal bottle was much paler. Its consistency was also noticeably thinner.

"I'd like to ask, how much does this Potion of Healing cost?" Zelier pointed toward the bottle behind the glass.

"Five gold coins." The shopkeeper quickly explained.

"It can rapidly stop bleeding, repair damaged flesh, and even counter some minor poisons." Then he added:"Potions are not negotiable." Five gold coins? Zelier was secretly shocked. A single Potion of Healing actually cost that much. No wonder Vaelis had said that one bottle could practically buy Grey's life when he was injured. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Most low-level adventurers worked desperately through quests only to earn a few dozen silver coins.

After accounting for equipment repairs and other expenses, there was even less left. For example, during the first Wild Wolf extermination quest, if they had never encountered the Mistwraith, Zelier would have only received eleven silver coins. It was only because Marcus' team had both Zelier and Vaelis as powerful damage dealers that they could repeatedly accept difficult-rated quests and quickly accumulate wealth. A single Potion of Healing costing five gold coins… They truly couldn't afford something like that.

And this was already a lower-quality version. If it was one of Mentor Manlin's Potions of Healing, it could probably sell for seven or eight gold coins. Two bottles would be fifteen gold coins. Mentor Manlin had actually given him something worth so much… Seeing Zelier's surprised expression, the shopkeeper thought for a moment before speaking again.

"Of course, if you find that too expensive, you could choose a lower-grade Recovery Potion instead."

"That one only costs three gold coins, though its effects are naturally weaker."

"No… no need." Zelier waved his hand. After thinking for a moment, he asked:"Do you have any potions that can temporarily stimulate potential? Something like…"

"An Overclock Elixir?" The moment he heard that name, the shopkeeper's eyes immediately lit up.

"Master Mage, that is a highly sought-after item."

"An Overclock Elixir can temporarily awaken a person's potential."

"Although it causes weakness afterward, it can save someone's life during a critical moment."

"I don't have any in stock right now."

"But if you truly want one, I can obtain it through another channel." The shopkeeper rubbed his hands together, clearly thinking he had found a major customer.

"However, you'll need to pay a deposit first."

"Five gold coins as a deposit. Once the potion arrives, you can pay the remaining fifteen gold coins." Twenty gold coins. That number made Zelier inwardly gasp. Damn. An Overclock Elixir actually cost twenty gold coins. At that moment, his gratitude toward Mentor Manlin became even stronger.

"Thank you for the explanation."

"If I need one in the future, I'll definitely come here." Zelier nodded politely. Then he turned around and left the shop. The shopkeeper remained standing there, slightly dumbfounded. …… After leaving the potion store, Zelier followed his usual habit and wandered toward the place he always visited whenever he came to the Mage Guild. The training arena.

Except for his first visit to the guild, when he had fortunately obtained Flame Breath and Arcane Missile for free after witnessing a mage duel, most of his trips here had ended in disappointment. The place was usually deserted. Thinking about it, it made sense. For most mages, magical duels were honestly rather boring. Unlike warriors sparring against each other, where they could refine combat techniques, strengthen their bodies, and discover their weaknesses through battle, mage duels were far less interesting.

Two Novice Mages or Apprentice Mages standing dozens of meters apart simply exchanged spells like western gunslingers drawing pistols. Whoever had the greater destructive power won. There was almost no technique involved. It was purely a contest of magical strength. With that much time, a mage would be better off meditating or optimizing their spell structures. Today, Zelier had already prepared himself for another fruitless visit.

However— When he passed by the arena-like building, he unexpectedly heard lively discussions coming from inside. A mage duel? Zelier's eyes brightened. He quickened his pace. After entering the training arena, he discovered that the massive circular viewing platform was actually filled with dozens of mages. Most of them were novice magic apprentices who had not yet passed their mage evaluations. Besides them, there were more than ten apprentice mages and only a few true Novice Mages.

They were whispering among themselves, their eyes focused on the center of the arena.

"Hey, do you think Riely can pass the Novice Mage assessment this time?"

"He should have a pretty good chance, right? I heard he's always been extremely hardworking. He meditates every day and his progress is incredibly fast."

"If Riely succeeds, he'll become the youngest Novice Mage in the Blackstone Town branch."

"He just turned twenty this year!"

"Yeah. Although he's still far behind Kane Rodri from the Imperial Capital, he's already incredibly talented. His future is limitless…" Hearing their conversation, Zelier immediately understood. So it was a Novice Mage assessment. Interesting. He looked toward the center of the arena with interest. The candidate, Riely, had a tall and upright figure. His short brown hair was neat and sharp, and his face carried the confidence of youth. The examiner was none other than Mentor Marven. He gave Riely a slight nod.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, Mentor Marven!" Riely answered confidently.

"Then begin." Marven stepped aside, signaling that Riely could start charging his spell. Zelier narrowed his eyes. If he remembered correctly, the requirements for becoming a Novice Mage were: At least ten Tier-2 single-layer spell structures mastered. Casting speed reduced to within three seconds. And one Tier-3 single-layer spell structure mastered. Casting speed within five seconds. Riely… Did he really have that level of ability?

Regardless— Today, his Matrix Deduction talent would finally have a chance to show its true value.