The next day I was looking over my status screen as I headed to the library.
===Status===
Name: Isaac Moreau
Affinity: ???
Rank: E+
Strength: E+
Agility: E
Stamina: E+
Mana Control: E-
Perseverance: E+
Awareness: E
-- > Martial Techniques: [Art Of Annihilation]
-- > Spells: [Frozen Domain (B)], [Meteoric Blade (E)], [Lightning Beam (D)]
==========
Hmm…
My status didn't look as bad as I thought it would.
Although I couldn't use Frozen Domain or Lightning Beam it was still good to keep the Mana Code stored in my MSM.
When it came to Magic Spells and their Mana Codes, some were available on the internet as they had been published by the Mages Institution or other private companies that would sell the Mana Codes for money.
However, most Mana Codes were hidden away by powerful families and organizations or were simply unusable for the average mage.
As every Magic Spell has a set number of Particles of varying Types needed to cast it then each mage only had a select few spells they could cast.
After all, if a Mage had an Affinity for Space Particles and Acceleration Particles then they would be able to cast Domain-Type Magic and Acceleration-Type Magic with relative ease, now that wasn't to say that they couldn't cast other types of magic however their Casting Speed, and Avatar Strength would not be very good for other types of magic as they were tuned for specific Particles and therefore Mages tended to stick to casting the spells they had an affinity for.
Even Mages with an Elemental Particle Affinity usually only cast one or two types of Elemental Particles as they had more Elemental Particles of that specific element in their Avatar.
For instance, if a Mage has an Affinity for Elemental Particles but the Elemental Particles in their Avatar were mostly Air and Water then they would cast Air or Water type spells, however, if they also possessed an Oscillation-Type Magic Affinity then they could cast Ice Spells such as the case with Valeria.
As my thoughts pondered over this, I gradually looked at the rest of my status.
It seemed my training had paid off and my stats had gone up quite a bit thankfully.
If I wasn't mistaken I should now be on par with those in the top 10 of the year.
Of course, there were always exceptions and some geniuses who excelled far beyond everyone else.
But it was obvious that I couldn't expect any miracles without putting in the effort.
At least that was my excuse anyway.
Sighing lightly, I quickened my pace as I neared the library.
Presenting my Student ID to the guard, I stepped into the magnificent world of books.
Immediately my spirits were lifted by being surrounded by novels.
My purpose in coming here today after the exam yesterday, was because I realized I sincerely lacked any form of defensive magic.
When I was fighting the monsters yesterday I had barely scraped by thanks to my stats being so high, however, when I had my leg bitten by the Griminor it essentially crippled my fighting strength.
And Rule #17 of the holy scripture states that if you have a weakness then you must adapt and overcome it.
The only reason I was able to defeat my attackers was that I did a surprise attack and by eliminating one early it was easier to focus on the second attacker.
So after cleaning up, I came to the realization that I could no longer afford to wait, so I decided to do something about it.
***
Yesterday Evening...
After cleaning myself up, I began heading to dinner when it hit me.
'Valeria would be able to help me...'
Surely if she wanted me to get to the top 10 then she would be willing to provide me with some assistance.
Briskly walking through the paved walkways surrounded by foliage, I admired the night view.
Even though our dormitory was located within the academy grounds, it felt like we were in another world entirely due to its serene atmosphere.
It reminded me of a forest retreat where students would come to relax during breaks from classes.
Indeed, there were benches scattered throughout the gardens with various students sitting around reading or talking quietly together.
Walking past a gaggle of girls gossiping loudly, I made a mental note to avoid such people.
Soon enough I arrived at the cafeteria which was situated near the entrance to the courtyard.
Quickly scanning the crowded mess hall, I spotted the teacher's area in the far corner.
Squinting my eyes until I almost couldn't see, I finally caught sight of that all too familiar platinum blonde hair neatly tied up in a bun.
Glaring daggers, at her I could almost feel the directed killing intent wash off my body.
And it wasn't fake either, while yes I was doing it to grab her attention. at the same time I truly despised that witch for the trouble she was causing me.
Then again if she was going to force me to do it anyway, I may as well squeeze her dry for everything she could offer.
Sensing my gaze on her, her head creaked sideways as she took a good look at who was glaring at her.
As I gazed into her eyes, I could feel murderous intent in them that sent shivers down my spine.
However, as she noticed it was me she gave a slight smirk before nodding toward the exit.
Understanding her message, I made it clear as I walked towards the exit and out of the building.
She followed right behind me making sure nobody got between us.
Once outside, we headed straight across the path leading away from the school.
We continued walking for several minutes, passing numerous other buildings including the dormitories before arriving at a tall apartment building.
Stepping through the doorway, Valeria motioned me inside.
Entering the dimly lit foyer I looked around curiously, wondering why the place was so extravagant.
The building was made of glass on the outside, however, inside it was polished with expensive marble and lacquered wood.
Making my way up the stairs, I entered through an open door into a large living room decorated tastefully but sparsely.
On the wall opposite the staircase hung a painting depicting a man with blond hair wearing a suit. A portrait of a beautiful lady adorned the side of the stairway.
There were also paintings of landscapes hanging elsewhere along with a few sculptures. All of them showed a certain amount of artistic merit however none really struck me as impressive.
What I found interesting was that even though the artwork was placed randomly, they somehow complemented each other. It was like someone put great care into selecting artworks that complimented one another.
This was most likely Valeria's handiwork. After all, she had probably selected all of them herself.
Taking a seat on a sofa, I waited patiently for her to sit down.
"So, what brings you here my little goose?" she asked teasingly, a sly smile adorning her beautiful face.
"I need your help," I said matter-of-factly, not bothering to beat around the bushes as that was likely to cause her to not agree to my request.
"Oh?" she mouthed, bemusement in her eyes.
Noticing this look, I curled my lip in disgust but made sure not to outwardly show it.
"I need your permission to be granted a spell selection," I muttered, not confident in her answer, after all, it was a tough request.
"Hmm..." she nodded to herself, her face more serious now.
"What do you need it for?" she asked, her tone taking a cold curve.
"You asked me to reach the top 10, however, I can't do that without a way to defend myself from those who would see to it that I do not achieve that status, so if you want your goose to lay some golden eggs then you should help me a little so we can both benefit," I said tentatively, as I wasn't sure this approach was the right one, after all, it was similar to a threat.
"I see." was all she said before going completely silent for several moments.
After sitting in a daze for a while she finally lifted her head and stared into my eyes with a calculating gaze as if deciding how much I was worth.
"You are aware this is a privilege I am only allowed to award one student throughout my career correct?" she said, her tone icy.
"I am," I answered evenly.
"Very well, however, I will need you for a task later on and you will have to do it. Do you accept?" she asked, staring at me intensely.
"I do," I said, succumbing to my fate as if I were to be married.
Suddenly a beaming smile bloomed on her face, as she gazed at me gently with warmth in her eyes.
"I knew from the moment I saw you that we would have such a fortuitous relationship!" she chirped as her eyes danced with mirth.
Sighing in resignation, I mourned the loss of my freedom.
***
Back to the present, I quickly proceeded to the back of the library, where a giant doorway lay.
Its large obsidian doors would only open with a special key that had been given to me by Valeria.
And once those massive doors opened, the real adventure awaited.
Inside the expansive space of the library stood rows upon endless rows of shelves holding thousands upon thousands of books.
Suddenly, a bright pink wisp showed up in front of me, it was a pixie, an offshoot of the Faerie Race.
"I have been informed of your visit, be warned you may only choose one and from the first floor only," she said before flying off.
With a soft sigh, I glanced over at the rows upon rows of books, where do I even begin?
Deciding to start from the top, I reached out to touch the nearest shelf.
Instantly, I felt an intense pressure press against my palm.
Grimacing at the sensation, I withdrew my hand as the bookcase suddenly rumbled sending countless volumes crashing onto the ground below.
Shaking my head, I turned to search the other shelves in hopes of finding something useful.