[10% … 35% … 59% … 78% … 90% … 100%]
[Congratulations, the system is activated.]
[This will be a choice that you will never regret.]
[Hello, Host. I am the system, and I am here to help you achieve your goal.]
The floating and eye-catching words made Vale cautious. Instead of feeling happy, he asked, "Do these floating words happen in the real world or just in my head?"
[That was the illusion that we put in your eyes, Host.]
Vale nodded; this system could actually control his vision. Like his thought, the system was scary. Unfortunately, he needed this thing to help him pass the test.
[You shouldn't worry about that, Host. The system will not harm our host.]
"Now you show me that you could read my mind, how can I trust you?" Vale questioned.
[….]
"Never mind, whatever your purpose is, it is definitely not killing me. So, you are not the real problem right now. Just show me how you could help me with my situation right now." Vale would never fully trust the system, but he realized that he required the system's help. Even if the system had some hidden purpose, Vale thought the system would use him rather than kill him.
[Host, your short-term goal is to pass the annual test. So, we could help you to become stronger and break through to the apprentice magus stage two in just one month.]
[The process to create the quest has started.]
[Main goal: breakthrough the apprentice magus stage two]
[Chains Quest 1: Proclaimed yourself as a king of apprentice magus stage one.]
[Everyone in the academy has been looking down on you. They think that you are just someone who has thrash talent. Make everyone realize that you are strong even if you are just apprentice magus stage one.]
[Reward: Ice Heart Meditation Technique (Black Level)]
Meditation techniques were one of three things that could help a magus with their cultivation, besides talent. The first was the Magic Radiation Stone. This stone came in many types and different qualities. But, for an apprentice magus stage one like him, even the worst Magic Radiation Stone could make him break through the apprentice magus stage two.
Second, the Breakthrough Potion; this kind of potion could help others to break through, but had a bad effect. This potion forced people to break through to the next level, but the bad effect was that the potion exhausted all the human body's potency and vitality.
The last was the meditation technique.
"I had heard that even someone who had no talent, if he was using God-level mediation technique, at least, he will reach master magus stage one."
There were seven levels of quality, those seven levels were Gray, Black, Blue, Yellow, Earth, Heaven, and God level of quality. The meditation technique that the academy gave to the students was half-gray level meditation, which was basically trash. For a noble student, they would get their meditation technique from their family. But, for an orphan like Vale, what he could do was just train himself with that trash meditation technique.
"Proclaiming myself as the king of apprentice magus stage one? That's quite easy, actually. Those students who are still in apprentice magus stage one are mostly younger than me. Maybe I am the worst student at practical among the same year's students, but I should be strong enough to beat those who are younger than myself."
Despite Vale's thoughts that it would be easy to beat those who were younger than him, the impact after he did so might be troublesome. Students who were the same age as him would laugh at him, and those who were younger but had reached apprentice magus stage two would challenge him.
Vale tapped his index finger on his head, then snapped his fingers.
"The system just said to proclaim myself as king of apprentice magus stage one, but who am I, Vale? No. I am the Black Masked Man, I am the king of apprentice magus stage one."
Vale grinned, appreciating how clever he was.
***
Vale understood basic magic knowledge very well, including voice-changing and height-changing potions. For two days, he gathered all the materials he needed for those two potions. It was effortless because those potions just required affordable and accessible materials.
"Each potion only works for three hours, so I will use them at night."
That night, several students were still training or studying. Vale planned to enter each student's room and beat them before proclaiming himself as the king of apprentice magus stage one.
Right after the lesson ended, Vale began preparing for his night's action. He had already targeted various younger students who were still at apprentice magus stage one, just like him.
When the moon floated in the sky, the students and teachers went to their respective rooms to rest.
Vale wore a long-sleeved black shirt with black trousers. In his right hand, he held a green potion, and in the other hand, a blue potion. He gulped them down. The bitter and sour liquid entered his throat.
"Aaa...aaa, it seems like it worked." Vale's voice had changed to be more mature and deeper than before.
Thereafter, he drank the other potion. A second later, his figure grew numerous inches taller.
"I just need one thing."
Vale grabbed a black mask from the top of his table and put it on.
"Now, it's perfect."
***
In a room with quite a bit of space, one student was reading a book. He wore fancy cloak, and on his faces there was five-corner star tattoos. He was Excel from the Horizon family. He was 14 years old and had reached apprentice magus stage one, which was an impressive achievement considering his age.
The candle lighting the room suddenly faded. Excel furrowed his brow. He could sense that something was about to happen.
The windows of the room opened, and high-pressure wind rushed in, messing up the room.
"What happened? Ack!" Excel was bewildered. He didn't know what had just happened, but he suddenly realized that someone had punched him in the face. Excel readied himself, but soon smoke filled the room, and he couldn't see anything. Several more punches landed on his face. Before he lost consciousness, he heard the attacker say something weird.
"I am the king of apprentice magus stage one, the Black Masked Man."