Deep in thought, Alex stared at the screen before him, contemplating his recent progress.
"Sigh, there's been no growth in my strength rank." He sighed with a hint of disappointment.
Aurora, however, responded with an encouraging tone, "Why the sigh? You should be happy and proud of yourself. From where I'm standing, your progress is nothing short of amazing. In just half a month, you managed to kill an E-rank monster and emerge mostly unscathed."
Alex's spirits lifted as Aurora praised him, and he acknowledged, "Now that you put it that way, I have grown significantly."
In a little over half a month, Alex had transitioned from being a G rank to an F+ rank, on the verge of breaking through to E rank. Such rapid progress was almost too incredible to be believed, marking him as a true genius among geniuses.
In this world, people were naturally gifted with robust constitutions and sturdy bodies due to the presence of mana, but beyond that, most relied on hard work and training to enhance their strength. Only a select few were considered powerful from birth, attributed to their extraordinary genes.
Alternate means of gaining strength often involved unnatural and harmful practices in the long run. Drinking rare elixirs and costly potions could provide a temporary boost, but had limitations.
As one's strength rank increased, breaking through to the next level became increasingly challenging. Many individuals experienced rapid growth in their early stages, only to reach a plateau where further progress seemed unattainable.
After a moment, Alex shifted his gaze from his status screen to Aurora, evidently seeking something.
----------------------------------------------------
[Status]
[Host: Alex Blanc]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 16]
[Rank: F+]
[Magic Affinity: Dark(SS)]
[MP: 500/500]
[HP: 200/200]
[Experience: 50/10000]
[System Points: 10]
----------------------------------------------------
"The spells you taught me were simply amazing. Do you have any more spells for me?" Alex asked with an eager, childlike smile, akin to a child asking their parents for something.
Aurora was momentarily taken aback by the sheer innocence in Alex's smile.
"Uhmm, I do know a lot of spells. What kind do you want to learn?"
Alex's response was instantaneous, as he didn't need to ponder his choice. "The Dark Fire spell you taught me was simply amazing. Something similar, perhaps?"
He felt a profound gratitude for that spell, as it had saved his life when confronted by the monstrous wolf earlier.
"Oh, now that you mention that spell, I have a few similar ones: Dark Ice and Dark Lightning. They are also Tier-1. Would you like to learn them?"
Alex nodded eagerly, and Aurora proceeded to create two distinct magic circles on her hands. The one on her right hand was black and dark blue, while the one on her left hand was black and purplish-blue.
In a matter of seconds, Alex had absorbed the knowledge of both spells, much to Aurora's astonishment, even though she tried not to be surprised, having seen this happen repeatedly.
The familiar system notification also appeared, signifying that he had acquired two new spells.
==============================
[The host has learned a new magic spell]
Tier: 1
Attribute: Dark/Ice
Mana Cost: 30
Mastery: F
==============================
==============================
[The host has learned a new magic spell]
Tier: 1
Attribute: Dark/Lightning
Mana Cost: 30
Mastery: F
==============================
"I can't wait to try these new spells ASAP." Alex's excitement resembled that of a child eager to unwrap Christmas gifts.
But Aurora swiftly intervened, cautioning, "Not inside, it's dangerous. Remember the last time you nearly shot a magic projectile at your own face and left a hole in the ceiling?"
Alex's enthusiasm dwindled instantly. He realized that he needed to be more discreet about practicing his magic.
The academy grounds were no longer a safe place to assume that no one would notice. Today's unexpected visitor served as a reminder that they needed to be cautious and find a new, more secure location for practice.
Observing Alex's change in demeanor, Aurora suggested, "How about we move on to Tier-2 spells? Your mana capacity is now suitable for more advanced spells."
Eagerly, Alex nodded, encouraging Aurora to continue.
"You've already learned several offensive spells and can handle yourself in combat, but it's crucial to know defensive spells too. This is a Tier-2 defensive spell called Dark Barrier. It's perfect for you, and you can practice it indoors without raising suspicions."
With her curiosity piqued, she couldn't help but wonder, 'Now, let's see how much time he takes to learn a Tier-2 spell.'
With those words, Aurora conjured a new magic circle on her hands. Like before, it was black in color, but the main difference lay in the intricacy and size of the magic circle.
Tier-2 spells were more substantial and complex in design compared to their Tier-1 counterparts.
Just as with the Tier-1 spells, Alex took a moment to absorb the knowledge. Soon, the same magic circle from Aurora's hand appeared beneath Alex, forming a one-meter-radius ethereal dark dome that enveloped him entirely.
==============================
[The host has learned a new magic spell]
Tier: 2
Attribute: Dark
Mana Cost: 50
Mastery: F
==============================
'...What...How...? He barely took a couple seconds more to learn them!!' Aurora exclaimed, utterly bewildered. Alex gazed at her, wearing a puzzled expression.
Noticing her silence, Alex grew concerned and inquired, "Why are you so silent?"
Aurora responded with a hint of astonishment, "I initially thought it would take you at least a couple of minutes to learn, but you just mastered it as if it was nothing special."
Alex chuckled sheepishly, scratching his cheek in response.
With a trace of anticipation in her voice, Aurora queried, "I have another spell. Would you like to learn that too?"
She couldn't help but wonder how he would react this time.