Evolution:The Bloodthirsty Saga of the Magic Engineer

I negotiated a little more with Victor, pushing the price to a value that was fair for both of us. After a good round of arguments and counteroffers, we finally reached a satisfactory agreement.

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With that settled, I left the store and headed straight back to my engineering lab. As soon as I entered, my eyes fell on the table where several healing capsules were carefully arranged. All of them perfectly completed, waiting to be used.

My success rate for crafting instant healing devices had reached 100%. No failures. No mistakes.

It was an impressive feat, but selling all these capsules at once? That would be asking for trouble.

"Normally, selling between four and seven devices per month would be reasonable. As for the rest, I’ll have to store them."

I sighed and began storing the vials inside a reinforced box in one corner of the lab.

If I tried selling large quantities inside the Tower, I would end up attracting unwanted attention. That meant I needed to explore other options.

Black market? External sales?

"The outside world is dangerous... I need to become a Level 2 Acolyte before leaving!"

With that thought in mind, I started formulating a plan.

"After advancing to Level 2, I’ll be able to practice magic spells and perhaps take on a mission outside the Tower. If I find connections out there, I might be able to sell my vials without dealing with bureaucracy or internal regulations."

My thoughts were racing, so I did the only logical thing: "Display my current stats!"

Immediately, the virtual lab in my mind responded.

["Name: Tyler Rustel"]

["Gender: Male"]

["Age: 16 years"]

["Nível: 1 Acolyte."]

["Race: Human"]

["Strength: 2.10"]

["Agility: 2.30"]

["Vitality: 2.50"]

["Spiritual Energy: 1.90"]

I observed the numbers with a satisfied smile.

Progress was visible. My body was slowly being sculpted by the magical code I inscribed into it.

.

.

.

Time passed once again. Then, finally, I reached the limit of Level 1.

Now, only a single magical code remained to take me to the next stage.

The final code. The code that would open the path to Level 2.

I left my room with determination and headed straight to Miguel’s laboratory. The path was familiar, but my mind was focused on a single goal: purchasing the crystal potion containing magical spell formulas.

As soon as I stepped through the door, I found Miguel holding a peculiar object in his hand—a glowing triangle pulsing with mystical energy. Its faint radiance illuminated his wrinkled face, highlighting his expression of pure concentration.

I decided to wait.

Interrupting Miguel while he worked was not a smart idea. The old dwarf had a difficult temperament when his focus was broken.

When he finally finished, I took the opportunity and stepped forward. "Sir! I want to buy the crystal potion with the magical formulas!"

Miguel placed the crystal on the table and turned to me. Then, he adjusted his steampunk glasses, pushing them up onto his forehead, and stared at me with his golden ocular lenses.

"Oh! You want to start learning Rank 0 spells?" I nodded firmly.

"I’ve nearly finished constructing my final mind rune, and there’s only one step left before I advance to Level 2 Acolyte. I’d like to make some preparations in advance!"

Miguel’s expression softened with a slight smile. "Being able to progress in both engineering and Meditation… that is very satisfying to see."

For a moment, he glanced at Charlotte, who was nearby, occasionally looking at me.

She had advanced to Level 2 some time ago, but her aptitude for engineering had always been mediocre. Compared to me, her learning pace seemed much slower.

Miguel returned his attention to me and crossed his arms. "The Tower’s price for an introduction to magic models ranges between 30 and 50 magic crystals. However, I can give you a discount and lower it to 20 magic crystals."

I raised an eyebrow. Such a big discount?

"Although I could give you this information for free, I want you to understand that results only come through effort!" He smiled slightly.

That was Miguel. A fair master. The professors’ authority allowed them to sell information at favorable prices or even offer it for free, depending on the student. It was evident that Miguel approved of my progress.

"Of course! I will always remember my mentor’s teachings!" I pressed my lips together and quickly nodded, taking 20 magic crystals from the pouch at my waist.

The bluish stones fell onto the table, releasing small sparks of energy as they collided with each other.

Miguel nodded in satisfaction. "Very well! This is the crystal potion containing the introduction to magic models. You may study it at your leisure, but remember—only practice after your promotion to Level 2 Acolyte!"

He turned to a shelf filled with various tools and retrieved a crystal-clear potion the size of a fist. Inside, golden words rippled gently as if they were alive.

I carefully took the crystal potion and stored it away.

Later that night…

The sky was already dark when I sat on my bed, the now-open crystal potion held in my hands. The faint glow of the shimmering liquid had left a stain on part of my lips.

I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts. "Mages have named the spells that Acolytes can cast as Rank 0 magic, distinguishing them from the spells used by official Mages."

It was a basic yet extremely important concept.

No matter if an Acolyte was Level 2 or 3, their magic still belonged to Rank 0. That was because, in order to cast a true spell, a mage needed a body strong enough to withstand the impact of magical energy.

Only those who reached the level of First-Class Mages could cast spells without suffering injuries.

That was why mastering spell models was so crucial. "The principle of magical spell models is to construct a structure within the mind using spiritual energy. Then, this structure attracts external energy particles and transforms them through a complex process, generating the spell."

Simply put…

Spiritual energy is the engine. The spell model is the catalyst.

The concept remained the same, but different models attracted different types of particles, resulting in distinct spells.

I closed my eyes for a moment, absorbing the information. "Constructing a magic model is an extremely delicate process. Any mistake can damage spiritual energy and require weeks of recovery—or even cause critical harm."

That was one of the biggest obstacles faced even by higher-level Acolytes.

But I had an advantage.

A slight smile appeared on my face as I looked at the now-empty crystal vial. "With the Virtual Laboratory, I can minimize my failures."

"In the future, after advancing to Level 3 Acolyte, I’ll need to construct my own magic model and acquire several others. That will be an enormous expense… if not for my engineering advantage."

I paused for a moment, feeling the weight of reality on my shoulders. Ordinary Acolytes didn’t have the same opportunity.

They had to risk their lives in dangerous missions—facing magical beasts, exploring ancient ruins, and getting involved in plots that didn’t always have a favorable outcome. Only after numerous attempts—and, for some, a great deal of luck—would they obtain enough magic crystals to invest in their own growth.

It was a bloody price to pay on the path to becoming a Mage.

"Compared to the magic crystals earned by risking my life as a Level 1 Acolyte, I can obtain much more by selling these vials."

"None of that matters now. My main goal is to advance to Level 2 Acolyte!"

Level 1 Acolytes could only store a limited amount of energy particles within their bodies. This energy provided basic magical resistance, but their control over the particles was rudimentary—like trying to hold water with their hands.

A Level 2 Acolyte, on the other hand, was completely different.

The biggest difference was that they could finally cast Rank 0 spells.

With a well-structured spell model, even a simple Rank 0 spell could be amplified to have a much greater destructive effect.

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I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the process.

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The next morning…

The first thing I felt upon opening my eyes was a drastic change in my body.

"I’ve finally advanced to Level 2 Acolyte!"

The flow of energy particles within me was much more intense—much more solid than before. The sensation was like having a river of energy coursing beneath my skin, ready to be shaped.

My spiritual energy had also expanded significantly, allowing me to process thoughts and information with far greater clarity.

["Beep!"]

The voice of the Virtual Laboratory echoed in my mind.

["Spiritual energy has undergone a major increase!"]

I frowned.

["The Host’s spiritual energy has increased, and an unknown effect has occurred within the Virtual Laboratory. Processing speed has been enhanced!"]

A screen was projected inside my mind, filled with graphs and numbers. The curves showed a drastic rise in the system’s efficiency.

My eyes gleamed with excitement.

"So, the Virtual Laboratory really has undergone qualitative changes after transcending worlds…"

From the moment I arrived here, it had fused completely with my soul. Now, as my spiritual energy grew stronger, the Virtual Laboratory itself evolved along with me!

A smile spread across my face.

If this trend continued… who knew how far I could go?

...

1564 Words