Chapter 127: Magical Growth

The night deepened.

The autumn chill quietly seeped through the crevices beneath the windowsill, the air brisk like a clear spring, and the surroundings particularly tranquil.

Aside from a few sporadic barks and the sharp chirps of tireless autumn insects in the corner weeds, there were no other sounds; everyone else had already fallen into slumber.

Gauss chose to read and study at night precisely because of this.

At this hour, he could truly calm his mind, without restless emotions.

The daytime clamor, the mission stress, the physical fatigue..... All of it settled at this moment.

And the learning and cultivation of the Meditation Method required precisely this state—

Clarity, tranquility, and the elimination of stray thoughts to touch upon the subtle rhythm flowing between spirit and magical power.

Of course, this was only suitable for “night owls” like him, who could stay mentally alert even late at night.

For those who would doze off at the mere sight of a book, choosing another time slot would certainly be better.

Beneath the flickering halo of the oil lamp, Gauss looked at those obscure and difficult runes, the intricate diagrams depicting spiritual pathways, and the verbal incantations.

These were ancient pieces of knowledge passed down from distant antiquity. If seen by an ordinary person, they would only experience a sharp pain in their brain.

Yet now, to his eyes, they gradually became clearer and more intimate...

Gauss’s fingertip gently brushed over the pages.

As expected!

Just as he had anticipated, the mental leap brought by 9 Intelligence granted him a more powerful learning ability, allowing him to exhibit astonishing comprehension when facing this brain-draining knowledge!

The essentials of spiritual guidance, the knack for magical sensing, and the challenges in constructing internal and external cycles—after clearing the final few boulders in his way, Gauss picked up the book and, guided by its contents, naturally settled his mind.

Meditation first required a calm heart.

One must eliminate distractions, withdraw attention from external sounds, lights, tastes, and tactile sensations, gradually turning inward, slowly closing the doors to external noise.

With his increased Intelligence, Gauss’s focus had become even stronger.

So this step progressed exceptionally smoothly.

Before long, he had passed the hurdle that stumped many—“Calm Heart”—and entered that state of pure “Self.”

Next was “Inner Observation.”

All of his perception had already turned inward. Now, sensing the interior of his body no longer relied on the human sense of sight, but rather on the sixth sense—“spirit”—to perceive the internal world.

Following the originally elusive and intangible flow of magical power within the body, he observed every corner of his form.

Throughout his body were scattered small warm and active points of light, gently rising and falling with his breath. At the center of his sea of consciousness floated the “Class Cup,” which at this moment was releasing a soft and stable glow, as if responding to his gaze.

Next came the most crucial and difficult step.

He needed to construct magical runes, using intent to guide the scattered magical power, and along a specific, arcane pathway, construct a complex circuit within the body, ultimately converging into the “Class Cup,” forming an unending cycle.

And outlining such a path required extremely precise spiritual control; any slight misstep would result in failure, or even cause magical disorder.

This was another reason why the 《Meditation Method》 was only accessible to Professionals. Aside from being incomprehensible to ordinary people, even if someone with innate intelligence could study the Meditation Method during the apprentice stage, without stepping into the profession, they could not construct the meditation inner cycle that depended on a Class.

Gauss placed the 《Meditation Method》 book on his lap.

This hefty tome was not only a paper medium recording knowledge—it was itself a simple magical item that could assist spellcasters in meditation training.

「Hoo一」

Gauss’s intent began to activate.

The ancient runes constructed with willpower inside his body slowly lit up with a glow.

All the magical power in his body responded to the call of the runes, slowly flowing along the path Gauss had outlined.

In truth, Gauss had tried this step even before fully conquering the difficult parts of the book. But whether due to an insufficient understanding of the runes or a lack of finesse in spiritual control, he had repeatedly failed.

But now, after his Intelligence increased, everything had become completely different.

Magical power gathered together very obediently, flowing along the complex path he had depicted, with precision and agility.

A “Milky Way” was born inside his body!

The first cycle of operation was a bit clumsy, like a newly-dug river channel, but with Gauss’s powerful spirit “fortifying the embankments,”

And patiently guiding and sorting it out, gradually, the magical flow also became smooth, ultimately converging into the “Class Cup.”

「Wmm!」

When the first thread of magical power that had flowed through the body’s key nodes was successfully guided into the Cup, it was as if a clear and resonant chime rang out deep in Gauss’s consciousness.

It was a feeling of fulfillment and transparency—

As well as a sense that he had crossed a vital threshold.

The runes embedded in the Class Cup became smoother and more natural in their flow, and the glow became more restrained and profound.

No wonder when veteran spellcasters shared their experiences, they always regarded understanding the Meditation Method and continuously expanding magical power as essential foundations for advancing to Tier 2.

This was indeed a mainstream and solid path to becoming stronger. Mastering meditation meant possessing the key to actively growing one’s magical reserves.

However, since the core of the meditation cycle lay in persistence and continuity, Gauss did not dare to slack off. He continued to patiently control magical power to continuously pour into the Class Cup. During this process, the magical power seemed to establish some kind of connection with his spirit. Within the Class Cup, threads of even purer magical essence merged into the flowing river of the cycle.

Magical power quietly grew stronger, almost imperceptibly.

After completing one full cycle!

Gauss followed with a burst of effort—one cycle, two cycles, three cycles...

Amidst this ceaseless inner rhythm, he remained unaware of the passage of time—

「Gugugu一—!!!」

A loud rooster’s crow pierced the silence.

Daylight gradually broke, and the village awakened. Farmers carried their tools to the fields, a few yellow dogs chased after frolicking children—another lively day began.

「Gauss? Are you up yet?」Arya’s voice, accompanied by a light knocking, sounded from outside the door. She and Ulfen had been waiting there for a while.

There was no response for a long time.

A trace of puzzlement appeared on Arya’s face.

She had purposely gotten up later than usual today, yet Gauss was even later than her.

This seemed somewhat inconsistent with the impression he had given her.

Thinking of today’s journey back to Graystone Town, she raised her voice again to call out.

After several calls—

Finally, a sound came from inside the room.

The door opened with a creak—「Aiya」—and Gauss appeared.

He was still in wrinkled pajamas, his hair sticking up messily, his eyes groggy with sleep. Clearly, he had just been woken from a deep slumber.

「Sorry to disturb you,」Arya said apologetically.「But we should be heading out soon.」

「Meep!」Ulfen also came close and sniffed around.

「Haa一一」Gauss yawned widely with a hand over his mouth, his mind gradually clearing up.

Right—last night! He had apparently circulated magical power until he passed out.

He had been too focused.

And hadn’t noticed the consumption of his mental energy.

Meditation to grow magical power came at the cost of mental strength. That was also why spellcasters needed to practice meditation in moderation, controlling the frequency.

Overexertion, at times, could harm one’s foundation instead.

Fortunately, Gauss’s reserves of mental strength were already far beyond that of spellcasters of the same rank, or else this would not have ended with just oversleeping—his mental energy could have collapsed or even backfired.

「Looks like... I’ll have to be more careful from now on,」Gauss silently warned himself.

After washing up and changing clothes, he and Arya had a simple breakfast together.

Then the two humans and one wolf officially set off on the journey back to Graystone Town.

As Gauss walked, he simultaneously turned his senses inward to feel the magical power within.

After a night of cultivation, his magical power had indeed changed slightly.

In total, it had increased enough to cast one or two downgraded Magic Missile spells!

The effect of his first meditation was excellent.

But he also understood that such immediate gains usually only occurred at the beginning—especially the first time. Beyond that, unless there was a huge boost to mental strength, the effect would gradually level out, and in the end could only be accumulated bit by bit over the years.

However, his 9 points of Intelligence were considered “overpowered” among spellcasters of his level.

And the essence of the Meditation Method was to use mental strength as a lever to pry open and expand the upper limit of magical reserves.

Therefore, relying on his exceptional Intelligence to meditate, even if the speed slowed later, his efficiency far exceeded the average—it was inevitable!

This was the power of stats!

He had a hunch that in the near future, his magical reserve would likely enter a rapid growth phase.

Gauss withdrew his thoughts.

At this moment, he, Arya, and Ulfen were all carrying some luggage, since their Small Storage Bag was filled with valuable Rust Frog meat.

Fortunately, after dividing the load, the weight was still acceptable—not too tiring.

Gauss casually rubbed Ulfen’s fluffy big head and fed him a few chunks of raw meat.

Then he looked toward Arya with concern.

「Arya, how’s your Divine Berry Technique practice going?」

At the mention of Divine Berry Technique, a trace of subtle embarrassment flashed across Arya’s face.

Gauss immediately understood.

「It’s alright, no rush.」He smiled gently—not out of pride, but genuine willingness to help.「Maybe we can discuss it more often? My brain might be turning a bit faster right now, maybe I can offer a different perspective.」

Compared to the average person’s 5 points, his current 9 points of Intelligence were like a basic computer.

Though the Divine Berry Technique was a divine spell relying on the power of nature, its energy structure and guidance method shared much underlying logic with regular spells.

With his current analytical ability at 9 Intelligence, he might spot some details Arya had overlooked.

「Then——I’ll trouble you.」Arya nodded slightly, a little shy.

This morning, seeing Gauss looking slightly listless, she had curiously asked him about it.

Only then did she find out that Gauss had successfully completed his first practice of the Meditation Method.

She herself had only completed Druidic Nature Meditation some time after becoming a Professional, so she knew how rare and valuable such a thing was.

Thinking about the younger Gauss advancing so smoothly in his cultivation while she struggled with a single Divine Berry Technique made her feel somewhat ashamed.

「Actually, compared to most people, you’re already a genius,」Gauss caught her unease and comforted her.

One must know, a typical spellcaster at Tier 1 usually could only master 2 Tier 1 Spells.

And as a special type of “nature spellcaster,” Druids were no exception—most could only handle 2 Tier 1 spells or divine spells before reaching their limits.

Yet Arya, not only had she bonded with Ulfen, but she had already mastered several cantrips, was proficient in Tier 1 Animal Communication and Entangling Spell, and now even had energy left to study another Tier 1 divine spell, Divine Berry Technique. This alone was proof of her outstanding talent.

Moreover, Gauss could tell that Arya wasn’t much older than him—she had simply started her adventuring path earlier.

「Don’t worry, I’ll help you,」Gauss said patiently.

Though they hadn’t officially formed a team, he already considered Arya the first member of his small team.

The life of an adventurer constantly involved the wilderness and nature. A Druid who could communicate with nature and link with flora and fauna could bring immense convenience to the team.

Not to mention, she had control spells, and could later bond with other animals like hawks or crows to scout the skies above the team.

Gauss knew very well that what he needed was not brute force, but partners who could compensate for his shortcomings and fight cooperatively.

He slowly sketched the image of a “Monster Killer Team” in his heart, and Arya was the first vital piece of that puzzle.

At present, the team still had many roles to fill.

Perhaps a front-line Shield Bearer, a Bard to provide group buffs, and a dedicated Priest.

The need for a full-time Shield Bearer was because when he stood at the frontlines, he often couldn’t cast spells freely, preventing him from using his full strength.

But recruiting teammates, Gauss felt, would depend on fate and luck.

Beyond power and skill, personality mattered too.

He was the type who preferred quality over quantity. If someone didn’t fit in, it could ruin the team dynamic. He’d rather keep things lean.

Otherwise, if someone uttered,「I’ve never enjoyed being in an adventuring team,」that kind of infamous line... he’d have a real headache.

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