Evolution:The Bloodthirsty Saga of the Magic Engineer-Chapter 54: bottles

"According to the estimates of the virtual lab," I began reflecting mentally, "the spiritual strength of a Level 1 Acolyte is approximately twice that of an average adult. Furthermore, the spiritual energy generated by my heart with 10 codes seems to have a life of its own, strongly attracting the energy particles in the air to it!"

I raised my hands, watching in fascination as a layer of bright, multicolored light enveloped my arm, like a fine mist or magical cotton candy. It was warm yet refreshing—a comforting sensation I had never experienced before. It felt as though the energy around me was recognizing me, responding to my existence almost instinctively.

Curious to test the potential of my new level, I recited a basic incantation I remembered from public lessons.

"Light! Make the Darkness bow!"

As I pronounced the words in the language of magic, a slight vibration resonated through my body, like the hum of a freshly plucked string. "Humm~~" And then, suddenly, my body began to shine intensely, as if I were a small sun at the center of the room. The light radiated from every part of me, illuminating every corner of the space, forcing even the most stubborn shadows to retreat. The walls, the furniture, even the equipment I had set up earlier—all were bathed in that warm, radiant glow.

I looked at my glowing hands, impressed, yet with a confident smile on my face. This was just a basic spell, something simple and rudimentary taught to novice Acolytes like me. It wasn’t practical in combat, only useful for lighting up dark areas, turning the caster into a kind of walking lantern. Despite its simplicity, it was a great test of spiritual endurance, as it drained a significant amount of energy to illuminate the entire body.

But what intrigued me most was that I felt no fatigue. My breathing was steady, my body relaxed. This spell, which would normally leave even Level 2 Acolytes exhausted after a short time, didn’t seem to affect me at all. "The reason for this must be that my heart is no longer the same," I thought to myself. "My heart has become a small generator." Spiritual energy flowed steadily, without waste. My mental energy seemed virtually untouched.

"I have the highest elemental affinity with light and brilliance," I murmured, observing how the luminous energy particles danced around me. "And I chose to cultivate along the path of the light element. This has been the plan I set for myself a long time ago. As for thunder and other elemental energy particles, I’ll just keep a few to use strategically in the future!"

"Snap."

The sound of my fingers snapping echoed through the room a few times. With a small mental effort, a thin layer of blue light appeared on my arm. Seconds later, a faint vibration began to course through my skin, as if an invisible force was testing me. Suddenly, an electric current pulsed, causing my arm to tremble involuntarily.

"This is like trying to hold an animal that doesn’t want to be held!" I murmured, laughing to myself as I felt the energy rebelling against my control. It was fascinating. The thunder elemental particles I had managed to gather responded almost wildly, yet they weren’t uncontrollable.

I refocused, snapping the fingers of my other hand. Another layer of blue light emerged, followed by the vibrant hum of sparks of electricity running through my fingers. Now, with both arms cloaked in energy, I began experimenting.

The light emanating from me filled the room, and the faint smell of ozone indicated that the thunder particles were functioning as I intended. I couldn’t help but smile. "After becoming a Level 1 Acolyte, I can use these energy particles for simple enchantment activities. This is incredibly convenient!"

I let my mind wander, thinking about future possibilities. "Maybe one day I could create armor that uses my body as an energy source?" But I quickly shook my head, dismissing the idea. "It would be far more useful to build automatons, weapons, and devices that work for me without relying on my energy reserves. After all, in a magical battle, the mage who exhausts their energy first loses."

A thought occurred to me, and I asked, "Virtual lab, did you record the earlier processes?"

["Beep!"]

["Recording complete. Please provide a name!"]

I pondered for a moment before responding, "Simple use of thunder element and light elemental particles."

["Beep!"]

["Renaming complete. Storing in the database."]

The virtual lab was undoubtedly my greatest tool. Not only did it help me record, but it also allowed me to review and refine every detail. This gave me a clear edge over other Acolytes. My smile widened at the thought.

But before I could get up and continue, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. I staggered slightly, grabbing the edge of the bed to steady myself.

"Hahaha… I guess I shouldn’t get arrogant!" I laughed at myself as I deactivated both spells, watching the sparks of electricity fade from my hands.

I knew the reason for my fatigue. I sat down and reflected aloud: "The spiritual strength of a Level 1 Acolyte is still very minuscule. To properly use energy particles on a daily basis, I should only do so when I’m at least a Level 3 Acolyte."

I rubbed my temples, feeling the slight discomfort of spiritual overexertion. I had already meditated earlier, so I knew there was only one way to replenish my spiritual strength now: sleep.

Quickly tidying up the room, I ensured that the container holding the cocaine crystals was secure. I lay down, holding it tightly, and closed my eyes, plunging into a deep sleep.

.

.

.

The Next Morning

I woke up full of energy, my mind and body completely recovered. After dressing, I prepared for what would be another day—but this time, it wouldn’t be just any day. I stored the cocaine crystals for later and headed straight for Mentor Miguel’s experimental laboratory.

As soon as I entered, I felt Miguel’s keen gaze on me.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

He narrowed his eyes, as though analyzing something invisible around me. "Oh? That energy movement?" he murmured before locking his eyes on me.

"Tyler, you’ve advanced!"

I smiled humbly, inclining my head slightly. "Yes!"

Miguel crossed his arms, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "It’s been just over twenty days since you started engraving the codes into your heart. Just as I said when you engraved your first code, your aptitude among third-class Acolytes is exceptionally excellent. You came very close to being a 4-star Acolyte!"

"Professor! Thank you for your praise. But! I’ve already become a Level 1 Acolyte and have grasped the basics of the public lessons..." I began, my voice carrying a tone of determination, but I was quickly interrupted.

Miguel smiled and waved his hand as though cutting through the air. "I know, hahaha! You’re eager to start creating technology prototypes, aren’t you? After all, you chose me as your mentor for that very reason."

His direct remark caught me off guard, but he was absolutely right. There was no point denying it.

Miguel continued, his voice tinged with curiosity and approval. "I heard that you’ve been teaching other Acolytes information from the public lessons to earn magic crystals. It seems your learning and memorization skills are quite remarkable. Exactly what an engineer needs to advance on the path of invention."

I bowed deeply, trying to show the utmost respect. "Thank you!"

The truth was, I had made the most of the free lessons offered at the tower. Although the information there was limited, it was more than enough to build a solid foundation. Of course, the mentors possessed knowledge on far more advanced levels, but that knowledge was guarded closely and often sold at exorbitant prices.

Cutting-edge research, personal experimental data, and unique inventions were at the top of the list of the most valuable information in the tower. This was why only the wealthiest or most promising Acolytes had access to it. Each subject cost a minimum of 30 magic crystals—a sum far beyond my reach at the moment.

I trusted Miguel. He had promised to share valuable knowledge when I joined the tower, and I knew my dedication would pay off.

Miguel nodded slightly, moving some equipment off his desk. His eyes gleamed as he pulled out three glass flasks from a drawer, each containing brilliant liquids of different colors and densities. He placed them on the desk with care.

"These three flasks represent my three areas of expertise," Miguel said, pointing to the flasks.

My eyes quickly analyzed each flask. The labels were written in precise, elegant handwriting.

1. Arcane Steam Engineering

A fusion of magic and steam technology, this specialization focuses on enhancing traditional machines with magical enchantments.

Key Skills: Enchanting boilers to improve efficiency (such as eternal heat or magical pressure control). Integrating runes into gears to reduce wear or increase power. Designing steam-powered devices that incorporate magic crystals as energy sources.

Example Projects: Creating a locomotive that traverses steep terrains using magical levitation. Forging an enchanted mechanical hand for injured mages.

...

1525 Words

...

Power Stones Campaign!

- 100 Power Stones = 2 chapters

- 500 Power Stones = 5 chapters

- 1000 Power Stones = 8 chapters

- 3000 Power Stones = 10 chapters

- 20 Golden Tickets = 1 chapter