Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Rewards and the Upcoming Relic Expedition!
Seeing the system's notification, Dean Bruce couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu. This was just like the tactics used in mobile games from his previous life!
First, they lure you in with a heavily discounted ten-pull or a free draw, letting you win something good to tempt you into spending more currency for additional draws.
[Following the usual pattern, the first draw should definitely yield something valuable. And with a 90% discount, there's no way I'm passing this up!]
His eyes lit up, and without any hesitation, Dean Bruce opted to go for the draw.
Ding!
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have successfully consumed 50 Supreme Mage points and initiated a ten-pull draw!"
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have drawn the reward: Dual Ice Arrow Magic Scroll x1!"
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have drawn the reward: Thunder Flash Magic Scroll x1!"
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have drawn the reward: Annihilation Blood Nail x1!"
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have drawn the reward..."
"..."
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have drawn the reward: Decoy Scarecrow x1!"
As Dean Bruce anticipated, out of the ten draws, aside from the Annihilation Blood Nail, which had an intimidating name, the rest were basic or advanced magic scrolls.
Among the rewards were two Dual Ice Arrow Magic Scrolls, one Thunder Flash Magic Scroll, three Earthfire Magic Scrolls, and two Gravity Spell Magic Scrolls—none of which were particularly rare.
Focusing his mind, Dean Bruce carefully reviewed the results of this draw.
[Dual Ice Arrow Magic Scroll]
[Upon activation, it allows the user to cast the basic spell Dual Ice Arrow. If the host uses it five times, they can fully comprehend this spell.]
[Thunder Flash Magic Scroll]
[Upon activation, it allows the user to cast the advanced spell Thunder Flash. If the host uses it five times, they can fully comprehend this spell.]
[Earthfire Magic Scroll]
[Upon activation, it allows the user to cast the advanced spell Earthfire. If the host uses it five times, they can fully comprehend this spell.]
[Gravity Spell Magic Scroll]
[Upon activation, it allows the user to cast the basic spell Gravity Spell. If the host uses it five times, they can fully comprehend this spell.]
[Decoy Scarecrow (Special Item)]
[When worn, if the user faces a life-threatening situation, this scarecrow will absorb the damage and teleport the user to a random safe location within 300 yards. The user will remain in a special state for the next 30 seconds, during which they cannot be attacked or targeted.]
[Annihilation Blood Nail (Special Item)]
[Can be used on any target below Saint level, instantly destroying their soul and causing their immediate death.]
"Perfect!"
Just as Dean Bruce had predicted, the magic scrolls didn't bring any major surprises. However, the Decoy Scarecrow and Annihilation Blood Nail were exceptional items, making him so excited that he couldn't help but pump his fist and shout with enthusiasm.
The Decoy Scarecrow could save him from a life-threatening situation once, and the Annihilation Blood Nail had the power to instantly kill any target below the Saint level!
Saint level—what did that mean?
From the knowledge Dean Bruce had gathered from books, the Saint level was considered the pinnacle of human strength. One step beyond that, and one would enter the Divine Realm, becoming a god, a being of legend!
This item could directly kill any target below the Saint level. The sheer power it possessed was unimaginable, and if word got out, it would undoubtedly drive people mad with desire.
[Perfect. With these items in hand, even if Alita Miller and her organization have any ulterior motives, I won't have to worry!]
A grin spread across Dean Bruce's face. With his newfound strength, he was growing more eager and excited for the upcoming relic expedition.
Based on the novels and anime he had consumed in his previous life, relics often contained treasures that could significantly boost one's power. He had always been curious about what these relics held, and now that he had the opportunity, he wasn't going to miss it.
Ding!
"System Notification: Host has completed ten draws. When you reach a total of one hundred draws, the prize pool will upgrade from Bronze to Silver, significantly increasing the quality of rewards!"
"..."
Seeing this message, Dean Bruce couldn't help but roll his eyes. Of course, this was just like those mobile games.
They give you something good at first, then tempt you to keep drawing more.
In his previous life, Dean Bruce had fallen for this trap countless times, spending who knows how much money on mobile games. He wasn't about to be lured in again. He quickly closed the panel, ignoring the notifications.
The items he had drawn this time were already enough to keep him busy for a while!
The only downside was that he hadn't managed to gather five of any single type of magic scroll. If he had, he could have used them to master a few more spells.
[I should head to the magic shop, buy some more scrolls, and master a few additional spells!]
[Even though I have the Dragonheart Pendant, my mana regeneration rate is still a bit too slow. It's not enough to support the casting of too many spells. I should also buy some advanced magic scrolls to keep on hand for extra protection!]
Having made up his mind, Dean Bruce wasted no time and headed straight to the marketplace. He first completed his collection of five basic magic scrolls, then bought an additional advanced magic scroll for good measure, finally returning to Notting Primary Magic Academy with satisfaction.
Instead of heading back to his dormitory, Dean Bruce made a stop at the office building. The moment Barnis George saw him, he started trembling, his words stumbling over themselves, which quickly drew the attention of the other mentors who sensed something was off.
However, they didn't dwell on it for long. As soon as Dean Bruce returned, one of the mentors said, "Dean, you're back just in time. There's an exercise scheduled for tomorrow that all mentors are required to participate in. I've heard it's a friendly match against the Magic Academy in Stanlow City!"
Upon hearing this, Dean Bruce raised an eyebrow, surprised by the idea. He hadn't expected such a thing to exist in this otherworld—a friendly competition between academies.
In reality, these matches had little to do with friendship. They were more like military exercises, designed to sharpen the skills of the academy's mentors. After all, without regular combat experience, even the most skilled mentors would see their battle readiness decline.
As Dean Bruce was contemplating how to decline, another mentor chuckled and said, "Don't even think about refusing. This is a mandatory event for all mentors. You can slack off during the competition if you want, but you still have to show up!"
Another mentor chimed in, "Of course, if you do slack off and your ranking is low, your salary will take a hit!"
"Ugh, what a headache. I specialize in support magic, and if I can't find a good team, my ranking will suffer, and so will my pay!"
Hearing this, several mentors groaned in frustration. Dean Bruce, however, merely shrugged, feeling a bit relieved. Fortunately, he had already stocked up on plenty of magic scrolls in advance.
With this "friendly" match on the horizon, he had nothing to worry about.
Not only that, but this competition outside the academy might also present an opportunity to deal with Barnis George.
Giving Barnis George a meaningful glance, Dean Bruce smiled and left, heading toward the training room.
Since the match was set for the next day, he needed to make the most of his time, using the basic scrolls he had purchased to master the spells within them. This would bolster his confidence and arsenal of techniques.
However, before he reached the training room, Dean Bruce was intercepted by Alita Miller, whose ample chest bounced as she approached, her hearty laughter filling the air. "Dean, it's finally good to see you. You've been so hard to track down these past few days."
"Hmm? What's up?" Dean Bruce asked calmly.
Alita Miller smiled and said, "Tomorrow is the competition with Stanlow City's Magic Academy. How about we team up?"
As soon as Alita Miller finished speaking, a subtle, almost inaudible voice followed: "The day of the competition is also the day we explore the relics."
"Alright,"
Dean Bruce agreed without hesitation. After all, the information he needed had been gathered by others, so he wouldn't go back on his word.
Alita Miller's smile brightened. "Then I look forward to teaming up with you, Dean. By the way, where are you off to now? The competition is tomorrow—shouldn't you be resting?"
"The training room," Dean Bruce replied. Without giving her another glance, he quickened his pace, disappearing from her view in no time.
Alita Miller was unfazed, accustomed to his manner. Instead of being upset, she smiled.
She only hoped that Dean Bruce would play the crucial role they needed during the relic expedition.
Dean Bruce, unconcerned with these thoughts, headed straight to the training room and immediately began practicing with his scrolls.
Ding!
"System Notification: Congratulations, Host! You have successfully cast 'Dual Ice Arrow' five times and have fully mastered the basic spell 'Dual Ice Arrow!'"
"..."
For the past ten days, Dean Bruce had worn the Dragonheart Pendant constantly, even while sleeping. Along with other enhancements, his mana had now reached an impressive 319 points.
Using basic spells no longer left him as exhausted and ragged as before.
After mastering several basic spells, Dean Bruce's mana was finally depleted, leaving him mentally fatigued. He slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.
"Whew... The spells my students have learned are still more effective than those learned by other means. Not only do they come with tenfold power and insight, but they also consume much less mana."
"They're clearly classified as high-level spells, yet when I use them, they hardly drain my mana. On the other hand, casting these basic spells a few dozen times leaves me worn out."
"It seems that to truly enhance my power, I need to persuade more people to learn magic from me."
"Now, with Nicholas William occupied with who knows what and Joan Michelle busy with her mentor's certification exam, who should I convince next to help boost my own abilities?"