leonardwarren Chapter 8 Regular Inspection
Chapter 8 Regular Inspection
At this moment, Kavi lay on the moldy and sawdust-covered floor, twitching in vain, like a fish out of water.
Each breath was accompanied by a tearing pain deep in his chest and an involuntary "hoarse" sound.
His brute strength, which he was so proud of, appeared fragile and vulnerable in the face of invisible magical power.
The passageway was unusually quiet now that Matthew and Kavi's angry shouts were gone, making Li Ang's coughs all the more distinct.
Matthew, however, dared not make any rash moves and underestimated the consumptive man who was still coughing incessantly.
The reason it was so quiet was that the other trainee apprentices, having heard Matthew banging on the door, were all hiding in their rooms, too afraid to make a sound.
Matthew's swollen lips trembled, and the gap in his missing front tooth drew in cold air, making a hissing sound like drafts.
"You...you..." His throat tightened, his syllables slurred and broken, fear coiled around his heart like a venomous snake, almost suffocating him.
The invisible power he unleashed with a mere gesture was beyond the capabilities of an ordinary person! Could it be… magic? He's learned magic? How could this sickly man be?
Just then, the creaking sound of the door opening interrupted Matthew's thoughts.
"Kavi...Kavi!" Matthew snapped back to reality at the sound of that voice, his voice shrill and distorted with fear.
He dared not look Li Ang in the eye again, and almost scrambled to the convulsing Kavi on the ground, trying with all his might to drag him up.
Kavi's burly body was as heavy as a rock at this moment. Matthew used all his strength to barely manage to put one of his arms around his neck and drag him to the other end of the passage.
He dared not look back, each step he took was a frantic stumble.
Li Ang's icy gaze and the image of Kavi being instantly knocked away were branded into his mind, replacing all his smugness and arrogance.
He had only one thought screaming wildly in his mind: get out of here, immediately, right now.
As for revenge? Showing off? At this moment, all of that was completely crushed by the bottomless fear.
He didn't even dare to think about whether Li Ang had really learned magic; the mere thought was enough to terrify him.
If Lord Celeste knew that a sickly kid whom he considered useless had managed to condense star particles and successfully cast spells in just a few days without any guidance... would he still be able to hold onto his position as the class leader?
Will Li Ang replace him? Or even... eliminate him?
No, I absolutely cannot let anyone know.
Lord Celeste, in particular, must be kept in the dark, and Kavi must also keep quiet.
Matthew dragged Kavi's heavy body, staggering back to their room through the narrow, damp passageway.
Li Ang watched the two figures disappear in a panic, then covered his mouth and coughed a few more times.
"Are you alright?" Helena came out of her room with a worried look on her face and gently patted Li Ang's back to try to ease his pain.
"I'm...I'm sorry...but I was just so scared," Helena said guiltily, her head bowed, unable to look Li Ang in the eye.
Li Ang patted Helena on the shoulder and joked with a smile:
"Why are you apologizing to me? You didn't do anything wrong. In fact, you're quite bold to come out and join in this mess."
"I didn't come out to watch the fun," Helena said, somewhat annoyed.
After chatting for a while, the two returned to their respective rooms.
Back in his room, Li Ang lay on a pile of straw and began to recall the burst of power from the [Gentle Breeze] spell, which was clearly stronger than the spell should be.
It seems that within the effect range of [Windwalker Canvas], my wind-type spells can be greatly amplified.
He had no interest in chasing after them, much less in "reporting his victory" to the eccentric head wizard.
Showing off is the behavior of the weak, and it will only attract unnecessary attention and trouble.
Matthew's pitiful amount of power was already insignificant in his eyes.
His target was never on the lower decks of this ship.
He sat down cross-legged again and closed his eyes.
As consciousness sank into the spiritual world, the azure magical star, like a newly born star, slowly rotated in the void, absorbing the rich wind elemental magic around it and striving to recover from its earlier depletion.
After finishing his meditation, he did not choose to open the "Level 0 Spellbook" to try to learn another water spell. Now, with the blessing of the Sail Domain, continuing to consolidate his wind spells was the best choice for him.
He began practicing the [Gentle Breeze] spell over and over again.
Instead of pursuing instantaneous bursts of power, the focus is on the precision of manipulation, the control of mental energy consumption, and the limits of spellcasting speed.
Let a stream of air flow silently along the corner of the wall, sweeping away every speck of mold.
It creates a stable and gentle circulating airflow in the room, like an invisible purifying barrier.
Try to compress the gathered breeze into a smaller point to create a weak impact.
Try to make the scope of "evacuation" more precise, targeting only a specific odor molecule...
With each practice and meditation, the stars in the spiritual world become more solid amidst the shimmering light, and the perception and manipulation of the wind element magic become increasingly adept.
He seemed to be conversing with the wind, feeling its rhythm and understanding its breath.
Time passed in the tedious and focused practice. Apart from going to the restaurant every day to eat and exchange some tips with Helena, Li Ang stayed in his room to practice.
A few days later, the chief wizard Seronster finally reappeared.
The reserve apprentices were gathered on the deck by Matthew again, but this time when Kavi came to call Leon, his eyes were somewhat evasive, and he did not dare to look directly into his eyes. His tone was also much more polite.
The atmosphere on the deck was even more somber than during the last talent test.
Ceronst was wrapped in a black robe, with only his sharply defined jawline visible. Behind him stood the wizard attendant holding a crystal ball.
"Half the time has already passed."
Theronster's voice remained cold and devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet it sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"Let me see how many of you so-called 'qualified individuals' are useless, and how many are... barely usable."
He tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment, and the wizard's attendant stepped forward, his voice carrying clearly throughout the cabin:
"Everyone who has successfully condensed the first magic star, step forward and place your hand on this crystal ball. The master will personally confirm it."
A commotion arose in the crowd, and the tense atmosphere almost froze.
Gathering star particles within half a month is extremely difficult for them, who have no prior experience.
Most people's faces were filled with anxiety and despair.
After a brief silence, a figure stepped forward first.
It was Matthew. He tried to straighten his back, his swollen face forcing out a hint of 'confidence,' but the unease and evasiveness deep in his eyes betrayed him.
He placed his slightly trembling hand on the crystal ball that emitted a soft glow.
hum!
A bright and steady red light shone from inside the crystal ball, like a dancing flame.
"Level 5 mental talent, Fire Element Affinity, Stardust Condensation, confirmed," the wizard's follower announced with a hint of envy.