The Challenger's Return: Rebirth of the Rainbow Mage

Otto stared at the small wooden totem and scratched his chin.

[Blessed Totem]

Bronze Grade

Auxiliary Consumable Tool (1 use remaining)

Slowly emits energy over a period of ten years towards a single target, causing racial evolution.

10 years, huh?

He could evolve once more as long as he had ten years, then?

A glint appeared in Otto's eyes.

Ten years in Area 1…was too long. And by the time ten years passed in the [Tower], Otto thought there was a good chance that this item would no longer be needed.

But that wasn't the reason he'd decided to buy this object.

Didn't more than ten years pass in his mental space every time he trained?

This item was also suitably small…

In other words, there was a chance Otto could 'cheat' and get around these restrictions by directly consuming mental power to add this item to his mental space.

Allowing it to experience the same effects of time dilation that he himself utilized to train.

Otto didn't hesitate and tried to place the item inside his mental space.

It disappeared.

Otto immediately felt the strain on his mental power as a small wooden totem appeared in his mental space.

It was a light strain, but it was there. For now, it was almost effortless to support the totem.

He mentally did some calculations.

As for sustaining such a strain for ten full years…

This kind of constant pressure reminded him of curling a very light dumbbell.

Initially, there would be no problem even curling his arm for an hour straight.

But as time went on, that light dumbbell would feel heavier and heavier and his muscles would protest increasingly loudly.

Otto would just have to see if the pressure on his mind increased as time went on.

For now though, there was no trouble in starting the evolution.

Otto entered the virtual pod in his room.

His figure appeared in his mental space.

He activated the totem.

Almost instantly, a weak surge of warmth filled his body.

It seemed to be transforming his cells one by one at lightning speed.

For the moment, Otto didn't notice a difference.

Then again, the process would take ten years in total.

Otto sat on the grass and started to meditate.

He thought about the attack on the Golden Club.

Actually, regarding this attack, Otto already had some speculations.

Combined with the magical tracking devices hidden on one of the auction items sold, and Glanes's stern warning not to join the Golden Club himself…

He had a feeling that underlying this club was something more sinister.

Otto held his forehead and refocused as the weak beam of energy continually reshaped the cells in his body.

He was now alone.

It was time to start his training.

The main thing Otto would now be working on was his new profession.

A grin formed on his lips.

[Magic Scholar]

After much deliberation, Otto had decided it was between the [Magical Technician], the [Diviner], and the [Magic Scholar].

Each of these three professions could play the biggest roles when clearing floors in the future.

In the end, Otto really couldn't give up on that final profession advancement that would allow him to become a [Sage].

Its details were written on the panel.

Otto read through them carefully once again.

[Magic Scholar]

Description: Requires a mage thirsty for the study and advancement of magic.

A magic scholar intuitively understands how mana moves through the magic network of the body and boasts extensive knowledge of spells cast in a variety of ways.

The magic scholar is granted unique bonuses when casting spells, examining spells, and learning spells.

Other effects unknown.

It was a profession with a certain level of mystery that Otto found himself drawn to.

Moreover, wasn't he spending years in his mental space studying spell after spell already?

This profession seemed to be able to reward him for something he already spent time on.

His main goal now was to officially acquire the profession on his status screen.

[Magic Scholar]

To acquire this profession, learn 10 spells without the [Tower's] assistance.

Read through and fully understand "The Official Magic Guidebook."

The requirements were actually not as harsh as they looked.

Unlike Otto, when most mages (who didn't have a 'qualification') learned spells without the [Tower's] assistance, it didn't mean they were able to cast these spells.

The requirement was instead to 'learn' the spells. To understand everything about what goes into the spells, how they are cast and what makes them work.

Still, [Magic Scholar] was not a popular profession, either.

While there were meager benefits if a mage were to learn enough spells, most would only bother to buy spell formulas or use the ones they received after clearing each floor.

Time was not an unlimited resource!

Mages would rather spend their practice time getting a spell to Level 3 instead of learning how a different spell was cast.

Plus…a book appeared in Otto's hand.

It's title: "The Official Magic Guidebook."

The book was enormous. It measured 1.5m by 1m and was a full half meter tall.

Its pages were also extremely thin.

It was said to contain explanations, records, and diagrams for every single known mana pathway in the body, as well as examples of spells cast using them.

Its author was unknown.

Otto estimated conservatively that there were at least 100 million words written inside.

He breathed out.

Who knew how long this book would take him to read…

Luckily he had experience with all the magic formulas he learned during training, but he wondered why anyone else would bother taking this profession.

Before he started, though, he was interrupted by an abrupt surge of excitement through his link with his teammates.

Elliott initiated the communication skill, which Otto accepted.

"I got it!!"

"The profession?"

"Yes! I had to cook 100 different meals with entirely different flavors. It took me almost two months!"

Otto felt like rolling his eyes. All he had to do was cook 100 different meals?

Meanwhile, most mages would probably take years to become a [Magic Scholar].

Otto used his flattest tone to remark,

"Elliott, I'm extremely impressed."

Elliott merely decided to pretend that Otto was sincere.

"Thank you! Anyway, I'm now a Beginner Chef! Hopefully I can make some good meals for the team, too."

Otto chuckled lightly. He could practically see Elliott's wide grin.

"Oh, when I upgrade, by the way, everything improves. I can work with better ingredients, produce better flavor, use new techniques, and most of all, the buffs get better."

Otto raised a brow, but couldn't recall the buffs a beginner chef could add to their food.

"Elliott, does it say what effects you're able to add?"

Elliott's voice was thoughtful through the link,

"It only says I can add 'Basic Buffs' to common food ingredients. Basic buffs are…ah, mostly small increases to maximum health, stamina, mana, energy and boosts to recovery."

He proceeded to explain,

"Food ingredients are like anything other 'ingredient' in the [Tower]. There are grades from one to ten, with ten being the rarest and most powerful."

"There are also qualities of meals, from lowest to highest; that depends on my skill in cooking the ingredients!"

Suddenly, his voice turned slightly sheepish,

"Actually, I can technically cook most ingredients right now, it's just that their effects wouldn't be felt hardly at all because my profession isn't advanced enough."

Otto nodded.

"Then focus on becoming an apprentice! It won't be easy, but I hope you can become an [Apprentice Chef] by the fifth floor."

"Osu!!"

"…What?"

"…Nothing! I understand."

Otto muttered,

"Then just say that the first time."

He cut the connection and left Elliott to start practicing his cooking techniques.

His gaze dropped to the giant book in front of him.

"Better get a head start, I suppose."

Otto sat down on the grass and started to read.

**********************************************

"Finally."

Otto flipped the book to one side, then the other.

It landed with a thump onto the grass.

"The Official Magic Guidebook is complete."

After reading it, Otto was surprised to find himself quickly immersed in the book.

Perhaps because of his already rather advanced basic knowledge on the subject of magic, as well as having learned a few dozen spells by rote, it was neither too hard nor boring.

Otto was also thankful that his mental prowess had been enhanced many times over so far in the [Tower]…otherwise it would have taken him more than a few days to finish reading the book.

As soon as he closed the novel, a notification emerged.

[Would you like to set Profession 3 as [Magic Scholar]?]

"Please set Profession 3 to Magic Scholar."

[Congratulations! You have become a [Magic Scholar]!]

[Beginner Magic Scholar]

Details

1) Opens [Magical Network Vision]. As a Beginner, only usable outside of combat.

[Magical Network Vision]

You are able to see your magic network when moving mana through your body.

2) Provides small bonuses to spells in combat depending on the length of research time.

Beginner: May only research 1st Circle Spells

3) Provides large intuition bonuses when learning spells naturally.

Beginner: 50% Bonus to [Intuition]

Qualification (hidden): Spells learned naturally receive slight enhancements.

4) Grants the [Scholar's Book of Spells]

Beginner: Limited to Spells of the 1st Circle

5) Chance to instinctively recognize and block an opponent's spell.

Beginner: 0.01% base chance + 0.01% per ???

6) ??? [Unlocks upon insight]

7) ??? [Unlocks upon insight]

8) ??? [Unlocks upon insight]

Otto glanced up and down the list.

He smirked.

It even provided benefits to combat immediately because of his prior research…something he wasn't expecting.

All in all, an excellent reward.

Now, to get to training.