Mary could only leave dejectedly, trailing behind the other apprentices from Blackswamp City, trying to blend into the crowd.
After several days of tireless effort, when the panel analysis reached 15%, Slade finally grasped the fundamentals of the "Soul Whisper Meditation Method."
Unable to wait for the full analysis, he decided to take the plunge and try his first formal meditation.
That evening, after enjoying a vegetable salad with "calming herbs" for dinner, Slade began his meditation.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he cleared his mind of distractions, channeling his mental energy to rotate and compress according to the meditation methods.
At the same time, he tried to sense the negative energy particles in the surrounding space, drawing them into his body and merging them with his spiritual power to form his first strand of magical energy.
This process was incredibly difficult, demanding absolute concentration and precision to control his spiritual power.
Typically, apprentices are given three months to master meditation after enrolling; those who fail within this time are deemed "material."
Apprentices must undergo countless trials and errors before they can find the right path.
Several times, Slade nearly faltered, his mind becoming chaotic and filled with painful, needle-like stabs from failed attempts.
Yet, thanks to his powerful soul foundation and the deep understanding gained through the panel analysis, he was able to stabilize his mind and refocus his meditation.
On the "Netherbone," blessed by the Megalodon's ghost, the abundance of negative energy and soul aura made it the perfect environment for his meditation.
After what felt like an eternity, a breakthrough finally occurred in his spiritual space.
Slade heard a faint "whisper" deep within his soul, the resonance of his own soul vibrations and spirit.
As his soul continued to whisper, scattered spiritual energy began to coalesce, slowly forming a rotating vortex at an invisible point in the center of the chaos.
At first, the rotation was sluggish and unstable, as though it could collapse at any moment.
Slade didn't dare to let his guard down. He continued to meditate, gently guiding the cold, negative energy particles from the surrounding space closer to him.
As if drawn in by an invisible force, the particles slowly began to merge with the rotating vortex of spiritual energy.
The process was slow and excruciating. The spiritual vortex was constantly buffeted and disintegrated by the incoming negative energy, only to be rebuilt and reinforced under Slade's unyielding will.
When the accumulated energy reached a critical threshold, the once-fragile vortex of spiritual energy suddenly shuddered. A faint, eerie light flickered from its center!
It spun at a steady pace, generating a weak pull, drawing in the sparse negative energy particles around it.
These particles were transformed into pure magical power, which was then stored and fed back into the surrounding spiritual energy, making it more concentrated.
The spiritual core had been formed!
Overcome with emotion, Slade could no longer maintain his meditative state. He broke the connection and opened his eyes wide, a joyful expression flooding his face.
He felt as though the entire world had changed.
He could now see the flow of energy in the air, hear the whispers of the apprentices outside, and even the creaking of the ship's wood was distinctly audible. His mind felt clearer than ever, and his thoughts seemed to move faster.
Moreover, Slade could distinctly feel that his mental strength had increased, even if just slightly.
In just one successful deep meditation, not only had he condensed his spiritual core, but he had also enhanced his mental power!
The Soul Whisper Meditation Method was truly remarkable!
A faint wisp of magical energy flowed within him, giving him a tangible sense of newfound strength.
"Is this... the source of a wizard's power?"
Slade opened his palms, marveling at the transformative change within him, and a surge of joy welled up inside.
He had finally taken this monumental step in this strange world!
From now on, he was no longer just a talented mortal, but a first-class wizard apprentice! Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
[Wizard Ranks: (From Lowest to Highest)]
[Apprentice: First-Rank Wizard Apprentice, Second-Rank Wizard Apprentice, Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice.]
[Formal Wizard: First-Ring to Third-Ring Wizard]
[Sacred Mark Wizard: Fourth-Ring to Sixth-Ring Wizard]
[Truth Wizard: Seventh-Ring to Ninth-Ring Wizard.]
Of course, Slade was still only a wizard apprentice who couldn't cast spells yet.
Now that he had the "gun," he just needed to fill it with "bullets" to create a formidable weapon!
With the foundation of "Wizard Power Source" now established, Slade was technically a true wizard apprentice, but he needed to learn more spells before he could wield that power fully.
Feeling the magic within him, Slade couldn't help but yearn to try casting spells himself.
It was a pity that he had already exchanged all of his magic stones with Morris. If he hadn't, he would've definitely used them to get a new spell to experiment with.
Or... maybe he could borrow some from someone else?
After all, this ship was full of "chosen ones" from all over the world. Many came from noble families and must have brought along plenty of "start-up capital."
Many had already visited him, trying to establish connections and seek favors from him in the future.
At the time, Slade had only given them polite, non-committal replies.
But now, thinking back, since they were hoping for something from him, it seemed only fair to ask for a "favor fee" in return.
With the academy's high mortality rate, if something were to happen to him, any assets he had would fall into the hands of his enemies.
It would be wiser to take charge of them for safekeeping, perhaps they could be used as leverage for protection once he grew stronger.
As for repaying the money... well, that was another matter.
Why should he repay money that was "borrowed" through his own abilities?
He'd never heard of a gang returning "protection money."
Having made up his mind, Slade pushed open the door to prepare for his "fundraising."
Straightening his robes, Slade stepped out and headed toward the other cabins.
Cabin assignments were based on talent, so he first knocked on the door of Prince Alphonse, who was also on the top floor.
"Slade?"
Alphonse opened the door, immediately noticing the faint traces of negative energy particles lingering around Slade. His pupils narrowed sharply.
This... had he successfully meditated?
"Brother Slade, you're truly exceptional; it seems you've made great strides recently."
"Good day, Your Highness Alphonse."
After exchanging pleasantries, Slade put on a perfectly timed expression of embarrassment.
"To be honest, I've just managed to condense my spiritual core, and now, I have a strong desire to learn witchcraft," he began.
"However... I find myself a bit short on magic stones. I wonder if Your Highness could lend me a few..."
What?
Condensed his spiritual core?
Alphonse was completely taken aback, his composure vanishing in an instant.
This kid is a genius!
At first, he thought it was remarkable that Slade had successfully meditated, but he hadn't anticipated that he would advance to first-class wizard apprentice so quickly.
Alphonse looked at Slade with a new respect, then turned and took out a small bag filled with ten magic stones that gleamed with pure light.
"I can only offer you these ten magic stones for now. Don't mention it; consider it a token of my appreciation for your friendship."
His tone was sincere, exuding the magnanimity of a prince.
Investing in a rising star, ten magic stones was nothing for someone like him.
"Thank you, Your Highness! Slade will remember your kindness," Slade said, accepting the stones with a solemn bow.
What a generous person! It warmed his heart.
He knew it was wise to stay close to him in the future, and whenever he needed magic stones, he could always ask.
Mentally, Slade labeled Alphonse as "naive, wealthy, and a potential long-term partner."
With that, Slade embarked on his "borrowing" journey.
He approached the apprentices who had previously tried to befriend him, those dressed in fine clothes, clearly of noble birth.
These were either aristocrats or nouveau riche, and surely, they had magic stones to spare.
"Young Lord of Grayrock City? I've just condensed my core and urgently need magic stones to exchange for witchcraft to protect myself. I wonder if you, my friend, could..."
"Young Master of the Merchant Guild, I greatly appreciate your kindness recently, but at the moment, I'm facing some difficulties..."
"..."
Their explanations were all remarkably similar, with the core message being "lend me some magic stones."
When they heard that Slade had successfully condensed his spiritual core, their reactions were ones of astonishment.
This... this...
Why is everyone else just doing fine, and yet you're already so far ahead?
Despite the sting of parting with their wealth, the nobles and wealthy merchants, recognizing Slade's immense talent and future potential, gritted their teeth and reluctantly pulled out one or two magic stones.
They muttered polite phrases like, "Brother Slade, you're too kind," "Please take care of me in the future," and "Consider these magic stones a small gift."
Clearly, none of them expected to get the stones back.
But Slade still took the time to carefully write down their names and the amounts he had "borrowed," appearing every bit the man of his word.
Of course, he also took note of those who were wealthy but refused to "lend" him any magic stones.
He might "forget" who had lent him and how much, but he would never forget those who didn't lend him money. He would make sure to "take care" of them later.
When it came time for the Blackswamp City group, though they were also struggling financially, Karl and the others managed to scrape together nine magic stones, hoping that Slade might be their future backer.
Karl, Lillian, Eileen, and Thomas each contributed two, while the penniless Benjamin offered his only one.
Only Mary, looking at the bag of glittering magic stones in Slade's hand, seemed torn between longing and embarrassment.
Finally, she lowered her head and whispered, "I... I don't have any magic stones..."
Slade barely spared her a glance. He knew full well that this fool couldn't produce any.
If he hadn't given her three gold coins for the testing opportunity, she'd likely still be entertaining clients at the Nightingale Brothel.