The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 44: The Blink

The grand hall of the Guild’s mission center bustled with murmurs and the faint glow of enchanted lanterns. At the task window, Andrew watched as Hutson disappeared into the crowd, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Has harvesting Slumbering Mushrooms suddenly become so easy?" he muttered, fingers drumming against the counter. "Odd, though... No one else has been completing this mission lately—only him."

With a flick of his hand, he summoned his communication stone and opened a channel to Maiken. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

[Andrew]: "Haven’t seen you turn in any Slumbering Mushrooms for a few days. What’s going on?"

Maiken, a seasoned gatherer of these elusive fungi, was a frequent visitor, often exchanging his finds for precious mana stones. They knew each other well.

[Maiken]: "Don’t even start. I’ve been searching everywhere, but it’s like those damn mushrooms vanished into thin air! I still can’t even scrape together ten!"

Andrew blinked in surprise. "No way. I’ve had people turning in ninety of them recently. I was starting to think they were growing like weeds. Even got me wondering if I should give it a try."

"Ninety?!" Maiken’s response was instant disbelief.

He had been hunting Slumbering Mushrooms for years and had never once seen anyone collect them in such numbers.

[Andrew]: "I’m serious. A first-tier sorcerer apprentice, new to the Woodland, brought in fifty four days ago and another forty today. You’re always lurking around Moonlight Grove—maybe you’ve run into him?"

[Maiken]: "What’s his name?"

[Andrew]: "Hutson. Sound familiar?"

A strange expression flickered across Maiken’s face—part recognition, part confusion—until it clicked. He slapped his thigh in realization.

"That loner!" he exclaimed.

Now it made sense. The silent, solitary apprentice who kept to himself, barely acknowledging anyone.

"No wonder he’s been avoiding us. He must have some special trick for harvesting Slumbering Mushrooms. That explains why the rest of us have been coming up empty!" Maiken’s frustration surged. The past few days had been exhausting, and now it seemed like all his efforts had been for nothing.

Meanwhile, in the dim glow of his quarters, Hutson examined his earnings.

"Eight mana stones. Enough for now. Time to turn these into raw combat power."

Activating his communication stone, he reached out to Lari.

[Hutson]: "Mr. Lari, what’s the price for Ice Shield and Mana Shield?"

He intended to master all three defensive spells and forge his own style—a fortress of unbreakable protection.

[Lari]: "Those are cheaper. Two mana stones each."

[Hutson]: "I’ll take both. Do you have any recommendations for offensive spells?"

[Lari]: "You’re buying both? Makes sense. Dark Energy Shield is probably too advanced for you right now. Going for those two is a solid choice."

A moment later, Lari’s voice returned with a list.

[Lari]: "I have plenty of zero-tier spells. Offensive, control, support—you name it. Here’s what I’ve got:

Stone SpikesBone SpikesFireballIce ArrowIcicle SpearMana PerceptionBlinkDrowsing TouchGround Bind... and more."

The list stretched on, a catalog of arcane power. Hutson scanned the names, many unfamiliar. One, however, caught his attention.

[Hutson]: "What does Mana Perception do?"

[Lari]: "It expands your magical energy into a sphere around you, allowing you to sense everything within that range. The stronger your spirit, the larger the radius. It’s quite practical and useful in battle. I’d recommend it."

Hutson weighed the option. "Useful, but I already have AI chip , which has a superior range." His unique ability extended to a full 250 meters—far beyond the spell’s reach. Mana Perception, though impressive, was redundant.

Instead, his gaze shifted further down the list.

[Hutson]: "What about Blink?"

[Lari]: "Ah, now that’s a good one. It’s one of the rare spatial spells at the zero-tier level, allowing you to teleport a short distance in an instant. The catch? It burns through mana fast. As a first-tier apprentice, you’d probably only manage one use per battle."

Hutson’s eyes gleamed. A spell like that could be a lifesaver.

[Hutson]: "How much?"

[Lari]: "A bit pricier. Three mana stones."

[Hutson]: "Done. Blink, plus Ice Shield and Mana Shield. Seven stones in total. I’ll take them all."

His balance dwindled to a single mana stone, but the investment was worth it.

Lari chuckled. "You’re richer than you look, kid."

He didn’t ask where Hutson had gotten the stones. Some things were better left unspoken.

At the doorstep of Building C, Unit 5, Hutson carried a hefty stack of tomes, the weight pressing against his arms. Among them was a carefully bound notebook—his key to mastering Blink. The other two spells, unfortunately, lacked written guides.

"These should keep you occupied for a while," Lari remarked, sipping his coffee.

Hutson merely nodded. He had work to do.

And soon, the battlefield would bear witness to his growing power.

Here’s your text translated into a cinematic, descriptive, and epic fantasy style:

Hutson adjusted the weight of the tomes in his arms, his expression firm with resolve. "I’ll study them carefully when I return," he said.

Lari, who had been leisurely sipping his coffee, suddenly seemed to recall something. Setting down his cup, he looked at Hutson with a knowing smile.

"By the way, I’ll be opening a course on potion-making soon. You might want to sign up. Once you’re ready to ascend to a second-tier apprentice, you’ll need to craft the Dawn Elixir."

Hutson’s gaze flickered with curiosity. "The Dawn Elixir?"

He had heard of it in passing—an essential potion for advancing to the next rank, required once a sorcerer’s mental strength reached the threshold. But he had never delved into the details. That milestone still felt distant.

Lari nodded. "The Dawn Elixir is designed to help with the transition. With your talent, its assistance should make the process quite smooth. However, you’ll need to procure the ingredients yourself—either to brew it personally or to commission someone else for the task."

"How much do the materials cost?" Hutson asked.

"About forty mana stones per batch," Lari replied. "But if you want a full-fledged sorcerer like me to brew it for you, you’ll need at least two sets of materials.

The service fee starts at thirty mana stones. If the first attempt succeeds, the extra materials are still considered part of the commission fee and won’t be refunded. If both attempts fail, you won’t get the fee back either—that’s the rule."

Lari leaned back, folding his arms. "But listen, potion-making is a fundamental skill for any sorcerer. You can’t always rely on others to brew for you. Eventually, you’ll have to master it yourself. That’s why I strongly suggest you attend the course."

Hutson, still holding the heavy tomes, found it inconvenient to bow. Instead, he flicked his fingers, sending the books vanishing into the void of his spatial ring. Then he inclined his head respectfully. "Understood. Thank you for your guidance, Master Lari."

Lari raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes lingering on Hutson’s hand. "A spatial ring, huh? I have to say, I’m surprised. A first-tier apprentice like you owning something that rare..."

Hutson glanced at his hand, flexing his fingers slightly. "Ah, this? A gift from a friend—Lilian, from Augustus Academy."

Since arriving at Moonlight Grove, he had quickly realized just how rare and valuable spatial rings were, even among sorcerers. Few apprentices could afford them.

He sighed inwardly. Another favor I owe.

He had little to offer in return to Lilian at the moment. But one day, he would repay the debt.