"What is it?" Gauss asked, confused.
"Nothing major," Lawrence replied. "Just wanted to say—when you start forming your class core, if you need any supplements or alchemy-grade ingredients, I can help you get them."
"Wait, you need potions to form a class?" Gauss raised an eyebrow, curious.
"You can do it without them, but the right supplements speed up the process—and can improve the quality of the results too," Lawrence explained. "For caster-type trainees like us, it's good to take focus-enhancing food or tonics. Warrior types need strength-based supplements. Different classes require different support."
"Got it," Gauss nodded. "I'll leave the shopping to you then."
Lawrence's family owned an herbal shop, and after spending this much time with him, Gauss could tell he wasn't the type to skim off the top. Trusting him with the logistics would save a lot of hassle.
"It's no trouble."
Lawrence was relieved Gauss accepted—it meant they were on good terms.
Everyone in the party had realized something after the dungeon: Gauss's potential was off the charts. He wasn't going to stop at just stepping into the professional tier. He was going to keep climbing, seeing things they'd likely never reach.
Getting close to someone like that early? A smart move.
"This meal's on me. Nobody fight me over it!" Edith stood up, suddenly enthusiastic. "Thanks for saving me, Gauss. If you ever need anything—really, anything—just call me, okay?"
She even gave him a playful wink.
Sometimes being saved isn't just about gratitude—it's a chance to build real connections. Relationships are give and take, after all.
…
Inside a modest red-brick three-story building…
SPLASH!
A green acid orb exploded on Gauss's body, splattering in every direction.
"Tsssss!"
His Mage Armor flared, glowing like ripples across his body. Steam hissed, but the armor held.
He raised a hand, signaling the trainee in front of him to stop casting.
The trainee paused, confused at first, but then looked at Gauss's face—lit with joy—and his expression changed to disbelief.
"Yeah. I did it." Gauss laughed. "Thanks for the help."
After several more days of training, Mage Armor had finally ranked up to Lv4.
Mage Armor Lv4 (0/100)
He could feel the surrounding natural mana converging toward him. A glint of energy flashed in his eyes.
It was an incredible sensation.
Like some vast, noble force was watching him.
He quickly made his way into the Association's private cultivation chamber.
Inside were shelves of supplements and food Lawrence had helped him source. The most expensive was a small, blue-glass vial at the center—Mind-Tonic Elixir, 95 silver a bottle.
It nourished the brain during intense magical exertion. Most caster trainees used one during class formation, if they could afford it.
It wasn't mandatory, but…
Forming a class wasn't instantaneous—it was a process called "Awakening." During this, the World Will bestowed enhancements to help a trainee fully shape their body and spirit, eventually forming a class core—the wellspring of all their power.
Without proper supplements, this process could be slow. Or worse—fail entirely.
Gauss sat on the bed, feeling strange.
His brain felt like it was being rebooted—alive, alert, overflowing with ideas. Like a kid discovering the world for the first time.
Text began flashing in his Adventurer Manual:
[Class Formation in Progress…]
[Intelligence Increasing Slightly…]
[Constitution Increasing Slightly…]
[Mage Armor Proficiency +1]
[Mage Armor Proficiency +1]
He exhaled slowly. A mysterious force was reshaping his mind and body—like an invisible hand.
Then came the hunger.
Intense. Unrelenting.
Wait… wasn't this supposed to be a slow, gradual transformation?
Gauss had mentally prepared for a week-long retreat. But this felt like he was going to burn out in hours.
Thank god he prepped this room properly—it had everything: food, water, medicine, resting space.
He rushed to the rations, devouring food like a beast.
So hungry. So hungry!
He felt like he could bite his own arm off if it meant relief.
If he hadn't stocked up, following the usual "slow and steady" advice others gave… he'd be in serious danger right now.
"Pffft—!" Suddenly, he burst a nosebleed from the strain.
But he couldn't stop.
His body demanded more and more food.
He ate everything—jerky, oatcakes, bread, nuts, water, mana snacks, pills, tonics, that 95-silver Mind-Tonic—all of it.
"BURP."
He leaned back, satisfied.
Strangely, even though he'd consumed enough for several weeks, his stomach wasn't bloated. It was like the food had… vanished.
At least the hunger was gone.
He sighed in relief.
He'd been one second away from biting himself.
Now full, the next wave hit—sleepiness.
Every cell in his body demanded rest.
Eat, then sleep? That's how I ascend?
He shook his head, but didn't resist. Fighting instinct now would mean rejecting the help of the World Will.
He locked the door, climbed into bed, and closed his eyes.
He was asleep within seconds—like a baby.
Though his body rested, his brain activity spiked. Neural signals and magical hormones surged.
His skin began to emit a soft, pure white glow, forming a protective aura around him.
Beside him, his bone staff glowed faintly in response.
Inside his body, mana flowed like a river—and with each cycle, it expanded rapidly.
His Quick Digestion trait kicked in hard, providing all the resources his magic needed.
And it wasn't just his mana changing.
If someone had been watching, they would've noticed something strange:
The air around him began to distort—warping like heat haze.
Dust particles vanished. Ants and mosquitoes froze in place, unmoving.
The entire room felt like it had fallen under the weight of some silent, immense power.