"Pierce, I feel like you've changed a lot."

  After the tutoring session ended, Gwen suddenly remarked to Pierce. The others in the room let their gazes linger on him for a moment and instinctively nodded in agreement. They had all sensed a shift in him, though none could quite put their finger on it.

  Xavier scrutinized Pierce from head to toe. He had his suspicions, but he didn't dare confirm them yet.

  "I probably just got more handsome," Pierce quipped with a grin.

  Predictably, this drew a chorus of laughter and playful jeering, and the topic quickly shifted. Pierce merely smiled; he knew exactly what was happening. In less than ten days, his Spirit had increased fourfold. Such a radical internal shift naturally manifested in his outward aura, making him seem different to any observer.

  Gathering their books, the members of The Astra Society walked out of the classroom, chatting and laughing. As they walked, the conversation turned toward their recent meditation progress.

  Marcus turned to ask, "Xavier, you've already visualized your third Will-Rune, haven't you?"

  "Yeah, I just finished Rune #3 yesterday." Xavier nodded with a modest smile, though a hint of pride was visible. At this stage, fewer than a hundred freshmen in the entire academy had successfully constructed three runes. Every one of them was considered elite.

  As expected, Gwen and the others looked at him with naked envy. The fastest among them had only just begun their second rune; the gap between them and Xavier was already a chasm. It was easy to see that this initial lead would only widen as time went on.

  Suddenly, Xavier looked at Pierce. "How about you, Pierce? How many runes have you constructed?"

  Before Pierce could answer, Gwen gasped, looking toward the end of the hall. "It's Master Julian!"

  The group followed her gaze and saw Julian walking toward them, accompanied by a male student.

  "Master," the members of Astra said in unison, their playful demeanor instantly replaced by somber respect. Since advancing to Initiates, they had gained a much deeper understanding of an Arcanist's power, and their reverence for a full Master had grown accordingly.

  Julian nodded in acknowledgment. His gaze fell upon Pierce and lingered for a moment, his expression shifting to one of mild surprise.

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  "You've already constructed the third Will-Rune?"

  The group froze. A second later, Pierce nodded calmly. "Yes, Master."

  At his confirmation, Xavier and the others stared at Pierce with wide, disbelieving eyes. The student following behind Julian shot Pierce a look of pure envy and resentment.

  "Excellent. Keep up the hard work." A flash of approval shone in Julian's eyes. While he was surprised by Pierce’s rapid progress, the academy’s history was full of "late bloomers"—students who struggled early on but exploded with potential after reaching Rank 1. Perhaps Pierce was one of them.

  Once Julian and the student had walked away, the Astra Society members swarmed Pierce.

  "You were holding out on us, Pierce! When did you finish the third rune?" "That's insane. You advanced after me, and now you’ve already overtaken me!"

  Xavier stood at the edge of the crowd, his gaze deeply conflicted. He knew his own progress was heavily subsidized by his family’s expensive tonics. Pierce, however, had none of those resources. He had achieved this purely on his own. By comparison, Pierce’s talent was undeniably superior.

  Feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Pierce quickly changed the subject. "By the way, who was that student with Master Julian?"

  "He’s in our class. I think his name is Evan," Gwen said after a moment’s thought.

  "That's him," Marcus added. "But I remember two weeks ago, he couldn't even map out 20% of the first rune. He was about to quit and join the Knight Academy. How did he suddenly become an Initiate?"

  In the Arcane Quarter, only Initiates were allowed to walk.

  "Maybe he’s just another late bloomer," Xavier suggested, glancing at Pierce.

  ...

  Soon, the group parted ways. Pierce headed straight for the Mission Plaza.

  Just yesterday, the Omniscient Eye had completed the analysis of Verdant Radiance and Daze. He had also made a trip to the library to master Basic Alchemy and Rare Botany. He now met every single requirement for Bounty #877.

  Arriving at the plaza, he was relieved to find the mission still unpicked. Pierce registered quickly and secured the task to tend to Medicinal Garden #8.

  Following the directional signs, Pierce eventually arrived in front of a two-story cottage with a well-kept yard. "This is Garden #8?"

  He stared at the elegant building in confusion. Aside from two ordinary-looking trees in the yard, there were no medicinal plants in sight. It looked more like a private residence than a garden. He stood at the gate and called out, "Hello? Anyone home?"

  Rule #1 of Mage survival: Never enter a stranger's territory without permission, lest you trigger a lethal trap or an automated guardian.

  After a moment, the door creaked open, and a tall, slender girl stepped out. She had striking, snow-white hair that shimmered under the afternoon sun, but even more breathtaking were her silver eyes, which gleamed like polished jewels.

  "Yes?" The girl studied Pierce, her gaze dropping to the badge on his chest. A look of realization dawned on her beautiful face. "You're the student who took Bounty #877?"

  "That's me," Pierce replied.

  "Come in, then," she said, gesturing for him to follow.

  As Pierce approached, he noticed her badge—she was a 3rd-year student. A 3rd-year... that means she's at least a Rank 3 Initiate, he realized. He knew from society rumors that only the strongest survived the culls to reach the third year.

  The girl’s voice was gentle and melodic as she introduced herself. "My name is Yuna, 3rd year."