Chapter 8, Intermediate Mage

Duke did not know the origin of this pendant, but it had accompanied him since childhood. His understanding of its abilities was limited. At present, the only spell he could use was the one it came with—Moonlight Sacred Shield. This spell would create a thin, transparent layer around his body, which had astonishing defensive capabilities; individuals approximately two levels higher than himself could not break through it. However, the drawbacks of this spell were equally apparent. It consumed magical energy at an alarming rate, and with his current strength as a novice mage and potential as a senior mage, he still could not sustain it for long.

He stood lightly on a branch, graceful like a startled swan, swaying up and down as the branch was stirred by the wind, yet his figure would not fall.

Yes, the students think so too! Miles said, burying his head deeply.

This is that little fellow; he is probably meditating...

The bright moonlight filtered through the leaves, delicately scattering over his face and body

In this grove, you should go greet the others and tell them not to come in, allowing that little fellow Duke to have it as a training ground. Saying this, Hermann waved his hand to signal Miles to stop following him, and he walked alone towards a dark gray tower hidden in the shadows

After several leaps, Duke's figure quickly appeared in the forest that came into view

Every time I enter, I find it incredible. Meditating inside, the speed at which I recover my magical power is actually more than five times that of the outside world. However, I can only activate it under the moonlight at midnight. I must wait until I become a Magus before I can summon it at any time. Currently, I am just a novice mage, and there is still a gap between me and the Magus, equivalent to a 'Great Mage' in the books. No matter how fast I am, it will take at least three months to half a year to advance. After that, there are the Great Magus, the Title Magus, and the Holy Rank. The road ahead seems to stretch on endlessly! Right now, I am just a novice mage, and there is still a gap between me and the Magus, equivalent to a 'Great Mage' in the books. No matter how fast I am, it will take at least three months to half a year to advance. After that, there are the Great Magus, the Title Magus, and the Holy Rank. The road ahead seems to stretch on endlessly! But who am I? I am Duke Daniel, the descendant of the strongest under this starry sky, and I will ultimately become the strongest Duke! Duke roared in his heart, thinking: 'I felt on the verge of a breakthrough during the day, so tonight I will push forward and strive towards becoming an intermediate mage.'

Hermann raised two fingers, signaling for silence

However, the position of the boss is still mine

Bang

Although it sounds simple, very few people are able to achieve this step

Applying the weight-bearing technique on oneself and then engaging in physically demanding exercises indeed yields impressive results... The effect is at least double the consumption of physical strength after depleting magical energy, or even more. However, most people cannot multitask as I do, as maintaining the weight-bearing technique continuously requires magical energy to sustain it. So... is there a better method?

Therefore, I can tolerate everything about him at the academy, especially since he hasn't done anything heinous; he is just a bit arrogant in character. Shouldn't young people be like this?" Hermann turned to look at Miles, his expression one of protectiveness, leaving Miles with no doubt that if he dared to utter a word of dissent, the teacher would certainly strike him with the pointer.

Duke stood up and stretched, feeling an indescribable comfort in his body, which had previously been exhausted from fatigue.

The pendant hanging from his chest emitted a soft glow under the baptism of the moonlight, the light and the bookish radiance gradually expanded, transforming into a sphere of light that enveloped Duke's entire figure. Finally, with a flash of brilliance, it seemed as if Duke had vanished from this world. Those outside looked over and noticed nothing unusual, yet Duke remained standing at the treetop.

Snap

Hermann shook his head uncertainly and then recalled, "I have never seen a member of the Daniel family, nor do I know their cultivation methods. I have only met the current patriarch of the Angus clan, who serves as the guardian of the Daniel lineage. Do you know where the most powerful clan on our continent resides? In a dilapidated house, a single-story, crumbling tile-roofed dwelling. They have only one servant, an elderly man in his twilight years, yet the homes of this elderly man's children can rival some of the main buildings in the academy.

Myles pointed to the shapeless sphere, which was surrounded by countless magical energies, unsure of how to begin speaking.

He secured the pendant, which floated down among the trees, and began a rapid exercise to deplete his magical energy

"Hehe, there's no need to be so polite; just call me teacher." Hermann was indeed the president of Good Academy and also the most powerful figure within the institution.

Alas, they are all true warriors. Angus is one of them, and so are those with the surname Daniel... They do not care about the quality of their food, nor do they care about their living conditions, but they are all heroes who save the continent, heroes deserving of their title! Dean Herman became increasingly agitated as he spoke, to the point where his aged body began to tremble slightly.

His long eyelashes trembled slightly, and his eyes slowly opened. Then, he struggled to sit cross-legged. A transparent orb of light concealed his figure among the trees as he began to meditate, restoring his magical power

Time slowly flows away, and the moon above begins to gradually tilt.

Miles did not expect that the teacher he had always respected would also use profanity

Duke's current state can be described as multitasking in four ways: first, he is employing a weight-bearing technique; second, he is engaging in physically demanding exercise; third, he is attentive to his surroundings, ensuring he does not collide with trees or other obstacles; and fourth, he is also able to contemplate other matters.

Dean Herman!" Miles said respectfully, bowing his head.

In the distance, some dormitory rooms still emanate a faint light, as some students are diligently practicing.

After much discussion, Loreg finally clarified to Duke what the stakes were, what the profits entailed, and what the dividends meant. However, in the end, Duke still managed to seize nearly a quarter of the stakes, which made him realize that money could indeed come so easily.

Miles had just arrived not long ago when an old man, whose wrinkled face resembled the shriveled skin of a dried orange, suddenly appeared beside him

Luo Leige was at a loss for words; before he could settle accounts with anyone, he was robbed by Duke. All the losses had to be borne by him alone, which was the first time he had encountered such a situation in over a decade of professional trading

Duke lay on the roof tiles, feeling as if he could reach out and grasp countless stars.

Upon closer inspection, Duke realized it was Richie

Haha, not bad, not bad. This young man should also know that by exhausting the last bit of magic within him and depleting the final ounce of strength in his body before meditating, the magic will become purer, more powerful, and more tightly compressed. Duke grinned and said, "But the method you used is not as good as mine! However, my vision and *books* are still quite precise; just randomly picking someone to be second can yield such outstanding results!"

He closed his eyes and carefully felt it, then burst into laughter: "I have finally reached the intermediate mage!"

As night falls, the bright moonlight bathes the early summer night sky, surrounded by countless sparkling stars

"Yes, the members of the Daniel family have a different approach to cultivation compared to ordinary people. From a young age, they train their ability to multitask, which results in a more refined and powerful magical energy. This allows them to exert greater effectiveness in battle," Hermann said as he led Myers outside. "But they also have to endure hardships that are unimaginable to most... I heard all of this from that old fellow Angus."

So soon

Shh, don't make a noise, he is coming out soon

At this moment, Richie appeared as if he had just been pulled out of the water, completely drenched, with countless beads of sweat dripping down, forming a large puddle on the ground. Despite being this exhausted, Richie did not rest; instead, he sat cross-legged to meditate

Duke firmly said, as he looked up at the night sky, the moonlight now shining directly overhead, "Let the training begin..."

He gritted his teeth and shouted loudly. Despite being drenched, he still felt that the magic and strength within him had not yet been exhausted, and he could continue. Once again, he poured all his strength into his legs and ran forward, while also swinging his arms, which felt as if they were bound with lead weights, continuously throwing punches.

If it were not for the lush green grass surrounding Duke, nourished by magical powers and thriving far more than in other places, it would seem as if nothing had ever happened here

The night sky is as transparent as an endless ocean, quiet, mysterious, and immensely vast

He swung his fists and kicked with his feet, each movement leaving behind trails of afterimages accompanied by the whooshing sound of the wind

During his night patrol, Miles noticed this unusual scene. He followed the wildly flowing magical energy and tracked it to the location where Duke was concealing himself

Haha, truly comfortable

Suddenly, from the adjacent building, there came heavy gasps. A figure was supporting itself on its knees, its chest heaving violently like a bellows.

If that senior student really took action during the day, Duke did not know what the final outcome would be, but he would do everything possible to inflict the maximum damage on the opponent before the transparent protective shield disappeared, even to the extent that the opponent would never be able to rise again. Duke was quite confident in achieving such a level.

A white sphere formed by the frenzied accumulation of magical energy suddenly emitted a sound of shattering, after which, as if the thickened magical energy was no longer under Duke's control, it dispersed in all directions.

The visible magical fluctuations converged from all directions towards this grove. Upon reaching a tree, they formed a spherical shape before ultimately vanishing.

Duke's body could no longer support him; with a thud, he collapsed to the ground. At this moment, his breathing began to weaken...

In the blink of an eye, the vanished Duke reappeared.

Duke felt his body becoming heavier and heavier, making it increasingly difficult to take a step forward

Sweat trickled down his forehead and nose into his eyes, the bitterness and sting instantly jolting him awake. Drops of sweat were falling from between his brows and the tips of his hair, merging into the soil among the trees.

Not enough! Continue!

Teacher