CH139
[Warning! 60% of cells entering an unknown state. Genetic structure changing, outcome unknown.]
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After drinking another Amanda Potion, Helag's advancement continued.
He noticed his spirit power was also changing.
[Spirit power: 25.2.]
[Spirit power: 27.3.]
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[Spirit power: 34.7.]
His spirit power rapidly increased, changing every second.
[Warning! 90% of cells entering an unknown state. Genetic structure changing, outcome unknown.]
[Spirit power: 41.2.]
At this level, his spirit power stabilized, with only minor fluctuations.
Helag checked his body stats and felt it was the perfect time. He gave the command.
"Deep Blue, start constructing the Great Dark Heaven spell model."
Larry had planned to help Helag prepare a first-level spell, but Helag claimed he had acquired one during his travels.
Larry didn't question further, and Moonlight Forest assumed Larry provided the spell.
[Task registered and executing.
Estimated time: 3 hours 2 minutes.
Estimated mana consumption: 70%.]
With spirit power over 40, Deep Blue's calculation speed increased exponentially, making spell model construction much faster.
The Great Dark Heaven spell was complex, far beyond zero-level spells, but now it only took three hours, a significant speed increase.
Helag didn't let Deep Blue handle everything; he also participated in constructing the spell model.
They worked together, each handling different modules to speed up the process.
Constructing the spell model was the most critical part of the advancement, determining success or failure.
Any mistake could lead to failure and unstable spirit power, potentially causing brain damage.
Helag chose the complex Great Dark Heaven spell for higher potential, relying on Deep Blue for assistance.
Originally estimated at 3 hours and 2 minutes, their combined effort reduced the time to two hours.
Helag's extensive study of the spell model paid off, familiar with every structure, parameter, and formula.
The meditation room was silent. Outside, Larry sipped coffee, lost in thought.
Two hours later.
In Helag's mind, a massive, complex spell model was complete.
At that moment, a phantom of the ancient stone tablet appeared in his mind.
Recognizing it as the tablet recording Great Dark Heaven, Helag felt a mysterious power flow from it, permeating his body.
Energy particles flooded into him, rapidly enhancing his stats.
Simultaneously, information from the tablet entered his mind.
Helag realized how ancient people passed down Great Dark Heaven through bloodlines rather than spell models.
By dripping blood on the tablet, they gained the ability to devour other bloodlines to strengthen themselves.
Helag now understood how to use this ability, feeling it as an instinct.
[100% of cells' genetic structure change complete.
Analyzing results.]
[Cell structure: Estimated division count 300+.]
Helag saw that while the basic cell structure remained, red energy was attached to the nuclei.
This energy wasn't mana or any known energy type.
"Could it be bloodline power?" Helag wondered.
[Helag Merlin:
Strength 13.3,
Agility 12.5,
Constitution 15.7,
Spirit 42.2,
Mana 20%.]
With his body stabilized, Helag checked his stats.
Strength, agility, and constitution had significantly increased, and his spirit power reached 42.2, a substantial boost.
"No wonder formal wizards are so much stronger than apprentices. My spirit power alone is on a different level."
Helag took a deep breath, adjusting to his new state.
Facing Malcolm before, he could only run, never getting a chance to attack.
Now, though still far from Malcolm's level, he wouldn't be as helpless.
"What's this?"
While examining his changes, Helag noticed white mist-like gas in his mind.
"Is this spirit power vaporization?"
Helag knew first-level wizards had three stages: vaporization, liquefaction, and crystallization.
As an apprentice, wizards couldn't see their spirit power.
The stars and array in Helag's mind were meditation imagery, not spirit power.
Different meditation methods had various imagery forms.
After advancing, spirit power appeared as a white mist in the mind.
The first stage for formal wizards was to fill their mind with this mist.
Different wizards had varying capacities, influenced by their meditation methods.
Helag didn't know if his mind was large, but it seemed bigger than average.
Once the mind was filled with mist, the second stage began: condensing the mist into a drop of water.
Completing this process marked the liquefaction stage.
After liquefaction, wizards filled their minds with liquid spirit power.
"Does that mean my brain will be full of water?" Helag mused.
After filling the mind with liquid spirit power, the final stage was condensing it into a crystal, becoming a crystallized wizard.
Dino and Malcolm were crystallized wizards Helag had met. Larry, younger, was still in the liquefaction stage but close to crystallization.
CH140
"Deep Blue's detection range has reached 1,500 meters."
As Helag's strength increased, Deep Blue's data analysis, storage capabilities, and detection range also expanded significantly.
The Great Dark Heaven spell didn't immediately boost his power like other defensive spells. Helag still needed to devour other bloodlines to strengthen himself gradually.
His defensive abilities were relatively weak compared to other newly advanced formal wizards.
Although eager to devour the black creature's bloodline, Helag knew he couldn't rush it while in Larry's meditation room.
The door to the meditation room creaked open, and Larry looked up to see Helag walking out.
Larry immediately assessed Helag's condition and smiled. "I knew you'd be fine."
Larry seemed to relax, showing he had been somewhat anxious. Advancing to a formal wizard was fraught with unknowns and dangers, and even talented individuals could fail. Larry had seen many such cases over the years.
Helag exhaled heavily, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It was a close call."
"How many Amanda Potions did you use?" Larry asked.
"Two."
Larry nodded. "That's good. If it were three, it would have been much riskier. The Moonlight Forest people should be arriving soon. The moment you advanced, the contract became void, and they would have sensed it immediately."
As he finished speaking, Larry's expression changed, and he smiled wryly. "Salin is already downstairs."
Helag and Larry went downstairs together. Salin glanced at Helag and praised, "Impressive spirit power. Are you sure you don't want to stay?"
Helag thought for a moment and replied, "I still want to explore the outside world."
Salin knew Helag had made up his mind and didn't press further. "In that case, you must leave Moonlight Forest within seven days. During this time, your actions will be closely monitored for the safety of the forest. If you haven't left after seven days, you will be forcibly expelled."
"Of course, if you ever wish to return, you are always welcome. For a talented young wizard like you, Moonlight Forest's doors are always open."
Helag sighed. "I will always remember Moonlight Forest and am grateful for everything."
Reaching this point was thanks to the resources and safe training environment provided by Moonlight Forest.
With no animosity between them, parting on good terms was the best outcome.
Helag took out the rune stone, looked at it for a moment, and handed it to Salin.
"You need to return your rune stone," Salin said.
"From now on, you are no longer part of Moonlight Forest. You cannot visit any shops or trade at the flea market. The northern forest cabin will be reclaimed in seven days, but you can stay there until you leave," Salin continued.
"I understand," Helag nodded.
After giving these instructions, Salin left without further words.
Larry watched Salin leave and then said to Helag, "Take the next couple of days to pack. I've arranged for my family to come and pick you up. Don't worry about safety; my uncle Brack, a powerful crystallized wizard, will escort you. He oversees the family's potion garden, so you'll be working with him often."
"I'll follow your arrangements, teacher," Helag replied.
A crystallized wizard personally coming to escort him showed how much the Terchy family valued Helag.
With their extensive potion business, they understood the value of a talented potion master, especially one who advanced to a formal wizard at seventeen.
Walking through the town, Helag took in the familiar streets and buildings, knowing he wouldn't have the chance to see them again.
He saw the Lion Coffeehouse and the flea market, though he didn't see Leo, only many similar figures.
Selling trinkets to exchange for resources while studying hard was the norm for most low-level wizard apprentices.
On his way back, Helag encountered some apprentices who, sensing his powerful mana, stepped aside respectfully.
They didn't know who Helag was, only that any formal wizard was a significant figure, at least to them.
Returning to his northern forest cabin, Helag found Bessie waiting.
Without a rune stone, he couldn't contact Bessie, so Larry must have informed her.
"Really? decided to leave?" Bessie asked.
"Yes, I don't like being constrained," Helag nodded.
Bessie smiled. "That's good. With your talent, you'll succeed anywhere. Larry's family is strong and will protect you. I bought some ingredients to cook dinner for you since we won't have many chances after this."
Helag smiled. "There will still be chances. I can't come in, but you can visit me. I'll be at the teacher's place for a while. You can find me if you need anything."
He added, "I'll keep researching your issue. Don't give up on yourself too soon; anything is possible."
Bessie took his words as comfort and didn't dwell on them. "It's okay, you don't need to comfort me. I've come to terms with it. As long as I live a fulfilling life, that's enough."
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They had dinner together at Helag's place. Bessie had learned many new recipes and made a full table of dishes, all quite good.
After dinner, they chatted for a couple of hours before Bessie left.
Once she was gone, Helag began packing his things.
He didn't have much, mainly some equipment in the lab, with most personal items in his space ring.
Looking at the black leg in his space ring, Helag resisted the urge to extract its bloodline power.
Salin had warned that he would be closely monitored until he left.
Helag couldn't devour the bloodline under surveillance and would have to wait until he left.
Using Deep Blue, he checked for any surveillance but found none.
Still, he felt a wizard's intuition of being watched.
Helag had never used Deep Blue to scan any formal wizard's data, fearing they'd sense his scrutiny.
It seemed formal wizards indeed had such intuition.