The fact that critic had so accurately pieced together all this meant that he must have had exceptional observational skills and dabbled in this field for quite a while. The predictions he came up with were similar to Storm’s but with even more detail and accuracy. Victor wondered, if KuroUsagi could glean so much insight without actually playing the game, what depth of understanding might he achieve with direct access to it?

  “Interesting.”

  Victor was a Magus, after all, and he deeply respected those who pursued knowledge and sought to unravel truths. Among the players in the game, not all delved deeply into the world and tried to discover its many secrets; many were content with a more casual, follow-the-flow approach.

  With this in mind, Victor opened a private chat with him and composed a message. “Hi, are you interested in getting early access into the closed alpha?”

  “Are you going to give this person access to the game?” Lizbeth, having finished her soup, glanced at Victor with doubt.

  “Mm.” Victor nodded thoughtfully. “It’s rare to see someone with such keen observational skills and interest for knowledge about the game. He might be the closest player with the mentality of a true Magus so far. Giving him access could not only provide valuable insights but also further promote the game.”

  The sun just set on this world, which meant it would be in the morning on Earth, depending on the time zone. True to his expectations, KuroUsagi replied to his private message almost immediately.

  KuroUsagi: “Are you the fabled promotional manager of the game Magus Academy Online?”

  Cyber Warlock: “That’s right. I must say, I’m quite impressed with the content in your recent thread; that’s why I’m offering this opportunity. Naturally, the choice is yours to make. Would you like access?”

  The last question was redundant since the person in question had already applied for closed-alpha access. The chances of refusing an early entry were close to nil.

  KuroUsagi: “Really? I had just applied for access a couple of days ago, and I thought it’d take at least a month. While I still have some doubts about the game, the wealth of information on the official forum and wiki is too substantial for it to be fake. At least, there are things about this game I want to verify firsthand (apologies for being so direct).”

  It was obvious that no matter what evidence was available, doubts would remain until they tried the game for themselves. Victor understood this well, so he tried not to offer him further assurances.

  KuroUsagi: “Um, regarding this early access, is there a fee I need to pay?”

  Cyber Warlock: “No need to pay. We don’t operate on a pay-to-play basis—at least not now. All right, if you’re on board for early access, I’ll add you as soon as the new version rolls out. We’ll also arrange to send you a gaming capsule as soon as possible.”

  Victor could see whether someone had applied for a closed-alpha test on their personal page or even from their ID. He only needed to mark his profile and add it to the System to be put in the next batch. However, with the increasing number of applicants, manually searching for specific users, even with a search function, became increasingly harder and harder.

  Once that was done, Victor closed the holographic screen and headed toward his bedroom with Lizbeth in tow. The fairy was almost always by his side when he was in the academy’s main building, except for moments when Victor attended to his private needs in the bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, while there were only toilets on the lower floors, the Headmaster's Building had a full private bathroom on the top floor, but Victor seldom used it. He preferred using simple magic to clean his body, as it was cleaner and more practical.

  Settling into a more relaxed state on his bed, Victor muttered to himself, “Let’s see how much progress I have made these past few days.” He had been practicing his meditation technique—Myriad Elements Method—diligently and was now beginning to sense the threshold that stood between him and achieving the rank of an official Magus. This realization filled him with a mix of anticipation and resolve to break through this barrier.

  Victor Asteriscus

  HP: 100%

  MP: 225/225

  Power Rank: Third-stage Initiate Attunement

  Elemental Affinity: Cosmo (95%) | Anemo (82%) | Pyro (57%)

  Mana Aptitude: Inferior bright grade

  Meditation Technique: Myriad Elements Method (third level, 86%)

  Status: Healthy

  Strength: (25)

  Agility: (25)

  Vitality: (25)

  Magical Power: (34)

  Infused Mana (total): (211 → 225)

  Spell Repertoire: {Blink Step}, {Spatial Mirage}, {Slicing Wind}, {Zephyr Dash}, {Tempest Burst}, {Wind Guard}, {Flame Whip}, {Flame Dart}, {Ember Shield}, {Heat Wave}, {Demonic Eye}

  Within five days, Victor estimated he would achieve full progression and mastery of his current level in the Myriad Elements Method. Unfortunately, he lacked a high-rank meditation technique designed for an official Magus and above, so he had to think of a way to get one soon. Perhaps he could even make a customized one fit for himself through the same method as creating spell models.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Since crafting spell models using programming was possible, why not apply the same principle to meditation techniques?

  Knowing there was one person suitable to take on this job, Victor turned to Lizbeth, smiling broadly and impishly. Lizbeth seemed to feel his intent as she shivered. “Hmph, I have a feeling you’re plotting something devious again.”

  “I won’t deny it’s beneficial for me, but it seems that we’re on the same page.” Victor was still smiling, grinning even. “Oh, please call it ‘clever’ instead.”

  Lizbeth appeared to have given up resisting and let out a resigned sigh as she played along. “Speak. What do you want me to make this time, my deviously clever mastermind?”

  “It’s simple. We’ve already got a program for creating spell models. How about we design one for meditation techniques?” What he meant by “we” was, of course, Lizbeth.

  Nevertheless, unlike the program to make spell models, he had no intention of making this new program public to the players. Keeping some cards to himself was a strategic move, and there were also other practical reasons, like constantly changing meditation techniques, which could be extremely risky and counterproductive.

  After all, the path of a Magus wasn’t akin to a game where classes and builds could be changed on a whim. Magi might have mercurial personalities, but indecisiveness was not a trait they commonly exhibited.

  Despite that, Lizbeth’s response poured a bucket of cold water on his idea. “You do realize that creating meditation techniques is exponentially more complex than crafting spells, right? And where would you even source the necessary data samples from?”

  Indeed.

  Not to mention that he only knew of a few basic meditation techniques, and acquiring more from the System would consume precious AP. Plus, what Victor required was not just any random meditation technique but one on the level of an official Magus, which wasn’t something that could be easily created. It was more economically viable to just purchase a high-rank meditation technique straight from the System shop.

  The problem was that no single Cosmo-element high-rank meditation technique was available there. While those that had some connections to it did exist, they didn’t seamlessly align with the Myriad Elements Method. In a situation where he had a working program and an array of samples instead, he could potentially create the continuation of the Myriad Elements Method, shaping it to fit him and the players with their ingenuity.

  In the end, it boiled down to Victor’s ambitions and goals. If he sought an immediate, albeit less ideal solution, he could settle for an available yet average meditation technique. But if he was aiming for something greater, something that aligned with the zenith of the Magus path, then striving for excellence and not settling for less was imperative. It was a choice that required careful consideration, and the decision was his to make…

  “Like I will settle for mediocrity!” Victor tightened his fists. The memory of betrayal almost a month ago was still vivid in his mind. He was not one to yield or settle for less. Choosing the best path, despite its challenges, was the only way to fulfill his quest for vengeance, ascend to the pinnacle, and accomplish what he’d set out to do from the very beginning. For that was what it meant to be a Magus.

  [Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Embodying the Magus Spirit]

  [Congratulations on fulfilling the condition (understanding what it means to be a Magus) for this achievement.]

  [The award (30 academy points) has been granted.]

  Huh? That was unexpected. Victor never imagined that getting to this conclusion would result in an unexpected boon.

  “I knew you would say that,” Lizbeth said with an understanding look, her smile reflecting satisfaction. “I’ll see what I can do, though this will take even longer to create.”

  “Thank you, Lizbeth.”

  “Oh, what would you do without this cute little fairy to help you?” she teased, her smile turning mischievous. Maybe she had already thought of all of this, and Victor was unwittingly playing right into her hands.

  Shaking his head, Victor began his daily meditation practice. However, continuous usage of mana crystals had dwindled his reserve with only two remaining. As a result, he had to purchase more so as not to lag his meditation technique progression, and luckily, the academy points he’d gained from the hidden achievement just now subsidized this purchase of thirty more novice-grade mana crystals.

  ***

  Early in the morning the next day, the two hunting teams gathered in Victor’s office, excluding those who were either yet to promote to true acolytes or had only recently achieved the rank.

  Zero, the leader of the second hunting group, who had ventured out with Victor the previous day, stepped forward. His tone was respectful as he asked, “Esteemed Headmaster, are we going somewhere far today?” It seemed he had anticipated that today’s expedition would be different, considering the two teams had been summoned to the office.

  Excitement sparkled in the eyes of the players, all wondering if they had triggered a hidden plot or something.

  “Mm,” Victor began, confirming their speculations. “Unlike the past two days, our destination is not the forest or the river for hunting. There is indeed a special task I wish to entrust to a few of you—”

  “Me, me! Choose me, Headmaster!” GladiusZone interrupted and raised his hand, unable to hold his enthusiasm.

  “Silence when I am speaking!” Victor’s voice rang out, authoritative and commanding. He exerted a surge of his powerful mana force on GladiusZone, causing him to involuntarily drop to one knee. Ever since his meditation progress began nearing its peak, his control over his infused mana had increased manifold, and he could now precisely target someone with it.

  Sometimes, one of these players would forget the etiquette he had instilled in them and step out of line. Yet, even as the room tensed and the other players looked on with increased reverence and a hint of apprehension, they could barely hold their excitement.

  “Zero, Mike, Thunder, Locktekei, Aphrodite, and MsMelody, you six will accompany me today,” Victor announced, having carefully considered his choices. The reason he chose these players was either because they were more intelligent than the others or had special traits that could prove advantageous. Honestly, it didn’t matter who he chose on the journey today, as his presence alone could guarantee that almost nothing could go wrong.

  They came to attention and spoke together. “We’re at your command, sir!”

  The chosen six looked flattered and trotted over, leaving the rest a few steps behind. Zero and Mike exchanged glances, noticing the envious expressions on Prominence and SuperNova’s faces.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll share our findings with you later in the group,” Zero appeased them.

  “Just hang tight, and we’ll fill you in when we return,” Mike chimed in, not even trying to hide his slightly taunting smirk.

  “Go away, don’t let me see your face again!” Prominence pushed Mike away.

  Zero chose not to escalate the banter and turned to Victor with a more serious demeanor, inquiring, “If I may, where will we be going, Headmaster?”

  Hearing that, Victor replied slowly while taking the first step ahead. “To Thornwood Village.”