Chapter 138: Advancement

Fred’s snoring resumed next door; he was sound asleep.

Hearing Fred’s snores, Helag pondered another issue.

Luen and his companions had also entered the Abyss Plane, and in a way, Helag felt responsible for Luen’s death.

But now, Fred was right next door, and there were other third-level apprentices upstairs, yet they weren’t taken to the Abyss Plane.

“Aside from my increased strength, nothing else has changed since last time. Could it be due to the space’s stability?”

Helag speculated that his weaker power back then made the space unstable, dragging Luen and his companions in.

He remembered the space having boundaries, a small area where they couldn’t leave Moonlight Forest.

This time, he had run far from the black creature without hitting any boundaries, indicating a more stable space that didn’t pull others in.

These were just Helag’s guesses; he’d have to ask the toad next time for clarity.

No one else seemed to notice anything unusual, and everything was normal.

After that night, life settled into a routine of guarding the station.

With the protective barrier, Moonlight Forest was very safe, and Helag and the others were often bored.

Helag spent most of his time studying the Great Dark Heaven spell model, understanding its principles and structures.

Six months later.

“Helag Merlin: Strength 9.7, Agility 9.3, Constitution 12.1, Spirit 24.3, Mana 100%.”

“Reached genetic limit, cannot improve further.”

In Helag’s mind, fifteen stars shone brightly. The second array had five points lit, with ten remaining.

After completing the meditation for the final star, Helag’s spirit reached 24.3, far exceeding the minimum requirement for advancing to a formal wizard.

His physical stats had also maxed out.

Since finishing the Moonlight Forest guard mission, Helag hadn’t been assigned any other tasks.

The conflict between Moonlight Forest and Green Cottage had completely ceased, with no large-scale battles.

There were no more formal wizard-level conflicts, though apprentice skirmishes still occurred.

Helag took a few days to get into peak condition, then brought the Ancient Potion and Amanda Potion to Larry’s house.

He wanted to advance there, with Larry overseeing to prevent any mishaps.

The northern forest cabin didn’t feel safe enough.

“You’re here?” Larry greeted him and led him to the eighth floor.

The eighth floor was spacious and tidy, not a bit cluttered.

Larry pulled out a set of golden keys and opened a heavy door, using some effort to push it open.

“This is my meditation room. The walls and door are made of special materials. You can safely advance here,” Larry said.

“Thank you, teacher!” Helag took a deep breath, feeling a bit nervous now that the moment had arrived.

Larry patted his shoulder. “You’ll be fine. You’re only seventeen, and your spirit is strong. Just follow my instructions, stay calm, and believe in yourself.”

Helag nodded, took the Ancient Potion and Amanda Potion, and entered the meditation room.

The door closed slowly behind him, shutting out all external noise.

The room was empty, with no furniture, just a bare space.

Helag took out the Ancient Potion and instructed Deep Blue, “Deep Blue, monitor my body status constantly.”

“Task registered and executing.”

A 3D model of Helag’s body appeared in his vision, with various parameters showing his status clearly.

To advance to a formal wizard, one must first drink the Ancient Potion, then push past their limits. After breaking through, they must quickly construct a first-level spell model and solidify it as their innate spell, stabilizing their spirit to complete the advancement.

If they can’t break through, they need the Amanda Potion, which burns lifespan to stimulate potential and help surpass limits.

This is why advancing before eighteen is crucial; older wizards might not have enough lifespan to burn, risking death without breaking through.

At seventeen, Helag could only safely take three Amanda Potions. Any more, and he’d die from lifespan depletion.

Helag uncorked the Ancient Potion, smelling a faint fragrance, and drank it in one gulp.

The potion tasted much better than expected, sweet and not harsh, the best he’d ever had.

The lack of harshness indicated the potion’s stability, a result of countless generations of wizard refinement.

The potion quickly spread through his body, penetrating every cell.

“Warning! 20% of cells entering a state of degeneration.”

“Warning! 30% of cells entering a state of degeneration.”

“Warning! 40% of cells entering a state of degeneration.”

As the potion took effect, Deep Blue issued constant warnings.

Helag monitored his status, noting that half his cells were degenerating without signs of breaking through.

He didn’t hesitate and drank an Amanda Potion.

“Cells accelerating division, division count decreasing,” Deep Blue reported.

Helag knew this meant his lifespan was shortening as cells divided faster.

“Warning! 20% of cells entering an unknown state. Use mana to forcibly stop?”

“No, don’t stop,” Helag instructed.

“Warning! 40% of cells entering an unknown state.”

“Warning! 40% of cells’ genetic structure changing, outcome unknown.”

“Not enough, still not enough.”

Helag shook his head; the advancement process stalled at 40%. Failure now would make future advancement nearly impossible.

He took another Amanda Potion and drank it down.