The learning atmosphere in the library was the same as always.
Allen walked straight through the reading area to a separate section marked as the Witchcraft Zone.
An upper-year apprentice was in charge of this section. He sat behind the management desk, handling his own affairs without looking up.
"I'd like to learn a few witchcraft illusions."
The apprentice glanced up at him, pointed to a bookshelf, and said, "The catalog is over there. Pick the numbers you want and tell me. Standard illusion models cost ten Low-Level Magic Stones to borrow for three days. You can also get an imprint, but the price is double."
Borrowing meant you could only study via the crystal in a designated area; the memory would gradually fade after you left.
An imprint, on the other hand, involved engraving the complete magic model onto a blank memory crystal, allowing for review at any time.
For Allen, who had DSeek to record everything, there was no difference between borrowing and imprinting.
General Witchcraft—Illusion Section.
Allen stood by the bookshelf, browsing the catalog.
Before coming, Allen had seen several forum posts where older students strongly recommended three must-learn illusions:
[Silent Magic]: Greatly weakens minor sounds made by the user, such as footsteps.
[Wizard's Mark]: Leaves a personal symbol of Magic Power on an object's surface that lasts for several years.
[Soothe Animals]: Emits a gentle spiritual fluctuation to calm small, ordinary animals.
He planned to learn all of them, then pick a few more useful ones.
After browsing the catalog, Allen locked in his targets.
[Sensory Enhancement]: Temporarily provides a minor boost to the acuity of one sense, switchable between sight and hearing.
[Clarity Formula]: Slightly relaxes the brain and soothes emotions.
'Sensory Enhancement will improve my observation skills, and Clarity Formula should be helpful for my studies.'
Aside from these two, Allen didn't find any other illusions worth learning. After all, they were just the lowest level of magic for apprentices to practice with; he couldn't expect too much.
"Numbers 0-11, 0-21, 0-35, 0-53, and 0-56. Borrowing," Allen announced the illusion numbers at the management desk.
"Fifty Magic Stones in total." The apprentice calculated the price, and Allen paid the Magic Stones without hesitation.
Fifty Magic Stones. That amount was enough to cover two months of basic training expenses for Vera and Colin.
For him, it only bought the temporary right to use five illusions that didn't even qualify as Low-level Witchcraft.
The barrier of knowledge was made manifest in the Wizarding World through the most straightforward of prices.
After a short wait, he was led to a private Quiet Chamber.
A deep blue crystal was brought before him. It recorded the magic models for the illusions he had borrowed. He could use his Spiritual Power to probe inside and experience them intuitively, which was much more user-friendly than chewing through a textbook.
The moment Allen touched the Crystal Ball, he issued a scan command to DSeek.
[Magic model discovered: Silent Magic. Initiating data analysis... Rune structure: 'Dampen,' 'Distort,' 'Cover.' Analysis complete. Optimal construction path generated.]
In less than three seconds, a magic model was completely dismantled and absorbed.
He then proceeded to record the remaining four magic models one by one.
The entire process took less than five minutes.
The apprentice at the management desk saw him come out so quickly and looked at him with a hint of astonishment, assuming he was just another overconfident freshman who had been scared off by the complex models.
Allen left the library. After a night of recovery, he adjusted his Spiritual Power to its peak.
The next morning, the public practice room was empty.
The flexible curriculum was always especially kind to geniuses. While other apprentices were still struggling with their basic courses, Allen already had the privilege of managing his own time.
Of course, some practical classes couldn't be done in isolation, so he still had to attend them.
Allen chose a spot in a corner. It was relatively secluded, which would allow him to focus better.
He didn't immediately start learning the new magic; instead, he began with a "warm-up."
He reviewed the two Zero-Circle Illusions that Teacher Colvin had already taught him.
This was a necessary reinforcement. Although DSeek had mapped out the theoretically optimal construction path for him, he still needed to practice maneuvering his Spiritual Power.
His Spiritual Power delved into his Sea of Consciousness, where the miniature star cluster formed by the seven Meditation Runes was operating stably, pulling in Magic Power particles from the outside world.
He skillfully constructed the magic model for "Wizard's Hand" in his mind.
Shape, Drive, Link, Stabilize, Direct.
The outlining of the five Runes was completed in a single, smooth motion, taking less than three seconds.
A translucent arm made of pure Magic Power appeared out of thin air, as stable as a physical object.
With a thought from Allen, the hand precisely pinched a small pebble off the ground, weighed it, and then returned it to its original spot in an elegant arc. The entire process was silent, without the slightest ripple of energy.
This was a world of difference from the crude, unstable hands of Magic Power that other new students cast.
Next was "Light Magic." A soft ball of light appeared in his palm, its brightness steady and its edges sharp.
He varied his Magic Power output, and the ball's brightness began to change, shifting seamlessly from the faint glow of a firefly to a brilliant radiance that could illuminate the entire corner.
He also cast Cleaning Spell, Tiny Spark, and Communication Magic, none of which the professor had taught yet.
After running through this sequence, he had consumed a third of his Magic Power.
With the warm-up finished, Allen's mind settled, and he began to access the magic models he had imprinted yesterday.
The continuous casting and intense mental focus had put a slight strain on his brain, but this was also the perfect time to test this particular spell.
The first one: [Clarity Formula].
He followed the optimal path generated by DSeek and began to construct the three new Runes in his Sea of Consciousness. The 'Strip' Rune was like a pair of delicate tweezers, the 'Soothe' Rune was a cool mist, and the 'Activate' Rune injected a trace of vitality into his brain.
The moment the model formed, a cool energy spread out from the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, gently sweeping through every fold of his thoughts.
The sensation was like turning on liquid cooling for an overheating CPU; even his thought processes felt lighter and faster.
[DSeek Report: Mental fatigue decreased by 18.7%. Short-term memory retrieval speed increased by 14%. Effect lasts for approximately fifteen minutes.]
'An efficient learning tool,' Allen commented inwardly.
This meant that in future high-intensity study and research, his endurance would be extended by nearly twenty percent.
The second illusion was [Sensory Enhancement]. Its model, composed of four Runes, was a bit more complex than the basic illusions, but with DSeek's assistance, the construction process was still smooth.
He chose sight first. The moment Magic Power was infused, the world before his eyes was instantly "remastered in HD."
He could clearly see the depth of the Rune carvings on the wall ten meters away and could even distinguish the hair-thin signs of wear along the edges of the carvings, a result of their great age.
The trajectory of every single dust mote floating in the air was clearly discernible.
He could even see, at the other end of the practice room, a drop of condensation from the ceiling accumulating in almost static slow motion. Its surface tension made it a perfect sphere, reflecting his apprentice robes.
He deactivated the visual enhancement and switched to hearing.
The sounds of the entire world instantly flooded his ears, magnified dozens of times over.
The light footsteps of an apprentice in the hallway, the faint, intermittent clang of metal from a distant Alchemy Workshop, and even the dull roar of blood flowing through his own veins...
Countless jumbled sounds flooded his brain. If not for his powerful Spiritual Power, he probably would have been struck by a splitting headache on the spot.
He immediately followed DSeek's pre-calculated plan and adjusted the 'Filter' Rune in the magic model, blocking out internal noises like his own heartbeat and breathing.
The world instantly became much quieter. He could clearly pick up the low conversation of two early-rising apprentices fifty meters away.
"...Did you figure out the proportions for the 'Sustained-Release Agent' from yesterday's potions class? I tried three times and failed..."
"...That crucial extraction temperature is too hard to control..."
The corner of Allen's mouth curved into a barely perceptible arc.
'Brewing potions? Perhaps another potential market.'
He deactivated the magic. For a mere ten Magic Stones, the value he received far exceeded his expectations.
The third was [Silent Magic].
He stood up and began to pace around the practice room while constructing the magic model.
When the magic took effect, he looked down and could barely hear a sound as his feet stepped on the hard stone slabs.
He tried jumping, and only the faint rustle of his clothes could be heard when he landed.
The fourth, [Soothe Animals].
He closed his eyes, mixed a trace of Spiritual Power with Magic Power, and converted it into a gentle, harmless wave that spread outward. Although he couldn't verify the effect immediately, he had already mastered the model perfectly.
[Wizard's Mark]. Of the five illusions, this was the only one with a semi-permanent effect, its duration extendable depending on the amount of Magic Power infused.
Allen walked to the wall and extended his index finger until its tip was about a centimeter away. He began constructing the magic model while simultaneously designing his personal mark in his mind.
'The royal lion crest is too ostentatious. The first letter of the Weisren surname, 'W,' can serve as the main element.'
He used his Spiritual Power to stretch and deform the lines of the 'W,' making it look like a crown.
With the design complete, the magic model was constructed in sync.
He guided a trace of Magic Power and slowly imprinted it onto the wall according to the designed pattern.
The Magic Power seeped in as silently as mercury. On the wall's surface, a walnut-sized mark made of deep blue light flashed for an instant before completely disappearing.
Using his Spiritual Power, he could clearly "touch" the magic marker hidden inside the stone wall, a mark that belonged uniquely to him.
It would exist here for several years, even decades, unless erased by a higher-level Dispelling Magic.
He could use it to mark his possessions, track items, or even leave secret waypoints in key locations. He could also make it visible to use as a seal.
Five illusions. From learning to mastery, Allen took only a single morning to grasp them all, reaching a level of proficiency that would take an ordinary apprentice several months of hard practice to achieve.
In DSeek's magic library, ten standardized magic models were now available for use at any time.
This was something unimaginable to other new students.
While they were still agonizing over how to form a stable "Wizard's Hand," Allen already possessed a fully functional "toolbox."
When his practice ended, he had consumed nearly eighty percent of his total Magic Power, and his mind felt a tangible exhaustion.
Tomorrow was the day of his appointment at Alchemy Workshop No. 17 in H District.
Allen walked out of the practice room into the bright sunlight. He planned to head to the cafeteria next.
Before meeting with that Advanced Apprentice, he still needed to gather more information about them.
He never entered a deal unprepared, and he certainly wouldn't allow himself to become a lamb for the slaughter.