The afternoon sun was dazzling, and Victor, who had changed his appearance through the one-ring spell "Transfiguration", walked comfortably through the streets, wandering aimlessly.

"It's been more than a year......"

Victor, who enjoyed the breath of freedom, was very emotional, "It is said that only those who lose will know how to cherish it, and I have understood it." ”

Walking to a street garden, Victor sat lazily on a bench in the small square, his eyes staring at the fountain that kept gushing clear water, but his thoughts flew to the sky.

Looking back on the experience of the year, Victor was also amazed by his unremitting efforts.

"Maybe I'm trying to relieve stress in this way......"

Victor, who was breathing in the fresh air, thought silently: "Watching scientific theories transform into arcane theories in my own hands, feeling my spiritual power gradually increasing, and learning new knowledge...... It's a nice feeling of fulfillment! ”

Since the Magical Society has granted Victor access to the Great Library on floors 30 to 45, he goes to the Great Library whenever he has time to "read" various documents. So far, Victor has "scanned" 70% of the materials in the large library and completed the "information storage".

Under the effect of the talent "data analysis", Victor, who has the knowledge system of two worlds, has made great breakthroughs and progress in arcane research and spell model analysis.

However, Victor, who spent most of his energy on improving his strength, encountered a big setback in his promotion to the mage level: the speed at which his spiritual power was enhanced, and the degree to which his soul strength was consolidated...... All of this made the anxious Victor feel very dissatisfied.

In this case, some well-intentioned people specially prepared a "big gift" for Victor in the mage trading center - the alchemical potion "Culver".

"Culver Elixir" is an alchemical potion banned by the Magical Society. Although this potion can greatly increase the level of low- and mid-level mages, this "leap" increase comes at the cost of depleting the mage's full potential. In other words, if a low-level mage with the potential to become a high-level mage drinks this "Culver potion", although he can be promoted to a mid-level mage in a very short time, he will never be able to be promoted to a high-level mage after exhausting his potential.

Victor, who unknowingly fell into the trap, bought the alchemy potion very "impulsively" in a VIP room in the mage trading center, and drank it all on the spot......

"It's really easy to dodge with open guns, but it's hard to defend against hidden arrows!"

Victor vividly remembered that after he teleported back to his residence, he immediately began the promotion ceremony of the mage. The process of his promotion to the "Three-Ring Mage" was extremely smooth, and he also gave birth to a feeling that he could directly be promoted to the "Four-Ring Mage", "Five-Ring Mage", or even "Six-Ring Mage" and "Seven-Ring Mage......

However, just as Victor was about to follow this feeling and continue to increase the mage level in one go, the talent "Data Analysis - Mechanized Mind" saved him!

The burst of coolness woke up the "impulsive" Victor, and when he returned to his normal state, he immediately discovered the problem. However, in this short period of time, Victor's mage level has risen to the peak state of a mid-level mage on its own - "Six-Ring Mage".

Everything seems irreparable!

Fortunately, Victor received a large amount of information from the Great Library, and he found a corresponding solution at the critical moment - exchanging life force for the potential to consume.

Is it the consumption potential? Or is it draining life force?

There was no time for detailed reflection, and Victor instinctively chose the latter.

With the extraction of life force, Victor's mage level was lowered from the "Six Rings" and stabilized again at the "Four Rings" level.

When the promotion ceremony was over, Victor, whose vitality had been consumed a lot, turned pale, and his physical functions were seriously impaired!

Victor did not tell anyone about everything, but deliberately maintained this "established fact".

"That way, the enemies in the shadows will be less vigilant, and I'll be in less trouble......"

Soon after, the news spread that Victor had been promoted to the rank of mage one after another and became a "four-ring mage", and the problem that he had fallen into the process of forcibly promoting the "four-ring mage" and "coughing" from time to time was also known.

If you pay, you will gain!

Despite all the hardships that Victor has endured, his four-ring mage's combat power is genuine.

In addition, Victor, who once reached the mage level of the "Six-Ring Mage", has undergone a qualitative change in the strength of his mental power and control ability under this stimulation, and his various attributes have also been weakened or strengthened to varying degrees, namely: strength 14 (+2), constitution 08 (-1), agility 12 (+1), intelligence 22 (+6), perception 20 (+5), charm 24 (+7).

"Ahem......"

After coughing violently, Victor wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, got up again, and continued to scatter.

"Huh? Why are there so few pedestrians? Where have all the people gone? ”

Compared to when Victor first arrived in Skethity, the floating city at this time was extremely depressed.

In the course of the next walk, Victor gradually realized that every mage walking on the street would consciously keep a certain distance from others, and each mage only wore an Arcanist-level badge on his chest, and the mage-level badge about his own strength had all been removed.

"This phenomenon is very bad......"

After a moment's thought, Victor also took off the four-ring mage badge on his chest and put it in the dimensional space bag.

"Quiller, Dean, Rosa, Felton, Grant, ......"

Familiar faces flashed in Victor's mind, "They must be hiding something from me!" ”

At this time, Victor also realized that his "going out" might not be a good decision.

“…… Let's go to the Tower of Babel! ”

Looking at the Tower of Babel not far in front of him, Victor walked quickly towards it without thinking too much.

As Victor crossed the street, a surprised voice came to his ears: "Mr. Victor? Long time no see...... Do you remember me? ”

Hearing this, Victor saw a tall mage apprentice.

"Hobbes?"

The image in his memory overlapped with the mage's apprentice in front of him, and Victor asked, "Why are you here?" Could it be that today is a day off for the Academy of Magic? ”

"Nope! Mr. Victor, I came for you on purpose......" Hobbes, with a complicated face, walked forward quickly.

"That's not right! I obviously performed the 'transfiguration'...... How did he recognize me? ”

Victor was on alert in an instant.