When Robb left the herbal shop after his shift, he carefully tucked the few bottles of stimulant potion into his coat.
Though Madam Elena had said they were subpar, for an apprentice candidate like him, they were a valuable reward.
In the Black Mist Forest, a perfect-quality stimulant potion could easily fetch over a dozen magic crystal shards.
Even these lesser versions would still go for two or three shards each at the market.
This was just the most basic type of stimulant potion—made primarily from moonleaf and carbonstem, with a few auxiliary ingredients.
Compared to higher-grade potions that used rare materials, its effects were clearly inferior.
But for Robb's current needs, it was more than enough.
While the potion didn't directly enhance spiritforce, it allowed the user to remain highly alert for a short period.
Compared to the bitter decoction made from black nettle leaves, its stimulant effect was several times stronger—and that unbearable bitterness typical of such potions had been skillfully neutralized.
No wonder some of the better-off students were willing to spend a small fortune to keep a few bottles on hand.
Lost in thought, Robb returned to his room.
Despite the mental and physical exhaustion from the morning's work and training, he had no intention of resting.
The exam deadline was drawing closer. Every minute counted.
More importantly, he was eager to test the ideas that had just occurred to him.
He took out one of the stimulant potions and carefully studied the clear amber liquid inside the bottle.
Under the dim light, tiny silver particles could be seen floating within—the remnants of the moonleaf.
"Let's begin."
Robb sat on his bed, adjusted to a comfortable posture, and cautiously took a small sip of the potion.
A cool sensation spread from his throat throughout his body, like a spring flowing through a dried-up riverbed.
The fatigue from his morning training vanished instantly, replaced by a state of intense clarity.
"This effect..." Robb marveled. "No wonder people are so desperate to get it."
He then closed his eyes and began to meditate.
This time, he tried to synchronize the flow of his spiritforce with the clarity induced by the potion.
In this heightened state of awareness, Robb could clearly sense the movement of his spiritforce.
The subtle fluctuations that were usually hard to detect were now as vivid as ripples in water.
"So that's it..."
He suddenly realized that the residual energy waves in the potion bore a striking similarity to the resonance of spiritual force.
That might be the reason why stimulant potions helped stabilize spiritforce.
[Basic Meditation Begins]
In his mental space, the foundational rune—composed of three curved lines—began to take shape.
But unlike before, Robb didn't replicate it mechanically. He allowed it to form naturally, following the resonance of his spiritforce.
It was like writing beautiful cursive—not about copying the letter shape exactly, but about mastering the flow of the strokes.
Gradually, he felt an unprecedented smoothness.
His spiritforce flowed like a gentle stream, guided effortlessly by the forming rune.
[Special Effect Triggered: Potion Amplification – Meditation Efficiency Slightly Increased]
[Basic Meditation EXP +1]
[Basic Meditation EXP +1]
[Basic Meditation EXP +1]
...
"This speed..." Robb opened his eyes, pleasantly surprised by the rapid gain in experience shown on his system panel.
The potion's amplifying effect, combined with the bonus from his Alchemy Apprentice class, was quietly enhancing his mental cultivation.
Just as he was about to continue meditating, an irritated voice came from the room next door—Darude again.
"Why is the 'Sonic Tremor' spell model always unstable?!"
This was followed by a crash, likely some apparatus getting smashed.
Clearly, the sound-obsessed spell researcher had hit another roadblock.
Hearing that, Robb suddenly remembered something.
Come to think of it, he had never really studied the zero-circle spell "Mucus Splash."
Back when the academy issued basic starter scrolls, aside from the Basic Meditation Method, this simple spell was the only other one included.
In the world of sorcerers, spells were like precious seeds. Each sorcerer devoted their life to nurturing a select few, developing them into unique sources of power.
The "ring" level represented the complexity of a spell's model—not necessarily its power.
Most apprentices could truly master no more than two or three spells in their lifetime. Even gifted individuals struggled to master several at once.
Because to truly master a spell meant integrating it into one's own mental framework—a long and grueling process.
He flipped open his notebook and found the rough notes he had jotted down back then:
"Some zero-circle spells, when wielded by true sorcerers, can unleash power surpassing high-circle spells."
"Each spell is a seed. An apprentice's job isn't to recite casting instructions by rote, but to find a way to resonate with the seed—helping it take root and grow within their spiritual soil."
"The zero-circle spell Mucus Splash requires the condensation of a droplet-shaped structure of spiritual force. It seems simple, but contains subtle energy flow patterns beneath the surface."
Robb studied the notes carefully. His current understanding of spiritforce had vastly improved, especially thanks to recent insights into resonance. Perhaps he could now approach this spell from a new perspective.
He pressed a cool palm to his face to refresh himself, then began focusing his spiritforce according to the notebook's guidance.
The stimulant potion's clarity was still active, allowing him to detect even the subtlest fluctuations.
Shaping the droplet in his mind wasn't difficult. The challenge lay in keeping it stable and assigning the correct resonance.
Robb remembered what his instructors had said—true spell mastery takes years.
Beginner apprentices could only manage 1–2 spells. Even intermediate ones often spent years refining just one.
It was only in the advanced stage that apprentices could begin altering and combining spells, creating personal variations.
True sorcerers alone could invent entirely new spells.
By then, the spells they had mastered were so deeply ingrained in their soul that even the slightest gesture could summon devastating power.
That's why sorcerers often appeared to cast complex spells without speaking—they had internalized them to the level of instinct.
Much like brewing a potion, Robb tried guiding his spiritual force in a similar way.
He no longer forced it to take shape immediately. Instead, he allowed it to flow naturally, gently coaxing it into the form of a droplet.
[Zero-Circle Spell "Mucus Splash" Casting Initiated]
[Spiritforce Control Optimized]
[Alchemy Apprentice Class Bonus: Slight Increase to Spiritual Precision]
"Looks like I'm on the right track." Robb could feel the spell model forming with unprecedented stability.
It was just like finding the perfect balance between ingredients in potion-making.
When all forces were in harmony, the spell came together naturally.
[Mucus Splash EXP +2]
"So that's how it is..."
Robb opened his eyes and looked at the small glob of mucus-like substance that had formed in his hand.
The spell was not only smoother to cast than before, but also used noticeably less spiritforce.
Still, he knew he was far from truly mastering the spell.
This was just the beginning—true mastery would require countless repetitions and failures.
Just like his instructors had said: "A sorcerer may spend their entire life mastering just a few spells. But that focus and depth is what lets those spells reach unfathomable heights."
It wasn't just potion-making. Even the simplest spells followed specific resonances.
And through understanding resonance, Robb had seemingly discovered a shortcut to growth.
Just as he was about to keep experimenting, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps in the hallway—accompanied by the sound of someone softly weeping.
His senses sharpened immediately.
At this hour, any unusual movement was worth investigating.
Especially after everything that had happened yesterday...