"So, this is the orb which will test your capabilities!" said Theodore.
Alex's mind tensed.
His breathing became heavier with the passing time.
His heart was pounding very hard.
He was anxious.
Of a fact that:
"Will I be able to pass it?
Will I be able to complete the first question of my career?"
However, Alex gave a sigh, drank water, gave some to the standing Theodore.
Theodore drank the water.
The sweet taste of the water cleansed his body and mind alike,
Refreshing them completely.
Soon after, Alex placed his hand on the orb, just as Theodore had instructed.
Alex's mind was full of anxiety and worry about his fate.
5 minutes passed, nothing happened.
10 minutes passed, nothing happened.
15 minutes passed, still happened nothing.
With each passing time, Theodore was becoming more and more impatient.
Finally, 30 long minutes passed!
Theodore's patience level seemed to be on ground if his frustation was on the heavens.
"F*ck you, you dumba**!
You should die. You're not even capable of making it lit up!
How are you going to become the ultimate mage!
You weakling!"
Shouted Theodore.
After all– Who had such patience to watch that stance for 0.5 hours straight!
Theodore was so angry that he fired all the slang words he knew on him.
Each word hitting like a hammer to Alex's heart.
But, Alex had his hopes up very high.
He was still standing,
His palm resting on the orb.
But suddenly,
Theodore rushed towards him, saying,"Give me this orb!
You're not worthy of it!"
But, as soon as he was about to snatch the orb from Alex's grasp,
He froze, disbelief in his eyes.
After Few Hours:
"Well, so I've got a common grade magic crystal, ha!
But still, it's my first reward after all!
I should be celebrating!" said Alex to himself.
He thought about the incident few hours ago:
Just as Theodore was about to snatch that orb,
A bright, eye blinding green light came out of the orb.
Theodore froze in shock, disbelief visible in his eyes.
That's what had happened that time.
However, since for the next few hours he had trained to at least learn mana manipulation,
He learned it and got the corresponding reward!
{You have successfully learned Mana Manipulation!}
{You have got one Common Grade Magic Crystal!}
{You have one more quest left!}
{Remaining Time: 18 Hours!}
The crystal that he had got was small, about one adult's middle finger size.
The bigger crystals were about one adult's fist.
Some were even in the size of the head of an adult!
However, size didn't matter!
What mattered the most,
Was that he could now use that for learning a new spell,
Thus completing the next question!
But, he could still get money if ge sold it.
But,
"No, I will not sell it for money!
If I sell, I could never learn a new spell within these several hours left."
Yes,
That was what Alex had thought.
Yes it's true that he could get a new one after selling it, but what kept him from selling it,
Was that it was his first reward from his first completed quest.
That was like remembering first payment in your career,
You feel lost when you forget it.
That's why, Alex thought of using it.
After all, who does not uses free items?
However, coming back to Alex,
After lunch, he came outside with his grimoire.
He opened it, the first spell appeared:
Water Splash!!
It was the first spell from the water magic section.
In this spell, the caster would throw blobs of water to the opponent.
The spell seemed to be powerless.
Because how much damage will a blob of water deal to them, right!
But, with precise control over mana and more experience with the spell can make it far more powerful.
However, Alex sighed after seeing the spell, his eyes focusing on every letter of that page.
His grimoire was unique,
In a sense that instead of usual grimoires having one spell per page,
His grimoire had two spells per page.
It was the reason that he was surprised upon opening the grimoire.
However, he selected the topmost spell, noted the mana flow,
Type of control and then he started learning it.
The first 30 minutes passed, not even a drop of water generating.
One hour passed, still nothing changed.
He was frustrated.
He didn't expected to not even progressing in a spell even after working hard for a long period of time.
However, he didn't give up.
He knew,
He would get a new spell after learning it.
Few hours passed.
Nothing happened!
Theodore would come for few moments,
Commenting on his work, trying to make him indirectly better.
However, the day passed with no progress at all!
The Next Day:
"What the heck!
I can't even learn it!
Only 45 minutes are left. What I will do with that rest of the time!"
When everything seemed impossible,
Theodore reached out,
Gave Alex one strange looking herb.
"Eat it.
And you will see a miracle happening!"
Said Theodore, trying to make him feel better.
Alex was looking at the herb, swallowing his saliva slowly,
Looking at it with doubts.
"Don't worry, you won't be hurt.
It is completely safe!
Just try!" said Theodore.
Alex's heart raced.
He couldn't decide whether he would chew that unknown plant,
Or throw it away as ye did with the food items he hated the most.
However, with Thoedore insisting and his own rapid loss of hope, he thought of eating it.
In the hope that something extraordinary will happen,
A miracle!!
However, he chewed it.
It had the taste of mint.
"Hey, did you give me mint?" asked Alex.
"Nope!" replied Theodore.
Suddenly, Alex's mind was racing with all types of worries.
He thought about it being poisonous.
He thought he would lie unconscious, making it easier for Theodore to traffick his little body.
After some time,
He felt an unusual feeling all over his body,
Like drinking water after staying thirsty for several days.
Suddenly, he heard the same voice in his mind.
{Your Mana Capacity has increased!}
{Your Mana Release Capacity has increased!}
"What! Did this herb just buffed me out!
It's truly a miracle!" said Alex internally,
Avoiding Theodore to hear whatever he was thinking at that exact moment.
After that, Theodore left and Alex was all alone again.
He had understood that his rate of using and releasing mana during casting a spell was somewhat lesser than the required!
So, after the herb, he was now confident that he would learn it.
30 minutes passed in a blink.
Fifteen Minutes Left!!
The rate of development was absurd!
It started with a drop, then slowly becoming a bigger than the previous drop.
With every five casting, the size had increased.
But, in the last fifteen minutes, the growth was slow.
He needed to cast it for seven consecutive times.
Three minutes left....
Two minutes left....
Thirty seconds left....
Ten....
Nine....
Eight....
Seven....
Six....
Five....
Four....
Three....
Two....
One....
{Congratulations!}
{You have learned one spell!}
{Reward: Thunderous Flower!}
★★★★★
(A/N: Sorry for the late readers.
I was planning for another book that i would start after my failure of the first book!
Sorry!)