Ascension: Strongest Fateless Mage

On his second attempt, Zevien succeeded in evolving his magic core.

In the 3rd evolution, every magician's awakening spell would fundamentally upgrade. Their spell formations would get enhanced such that their effects would significantly increase by consuming more mana to cast them.

If previously Zevien tried to cast the <Rage Ball> skill by consuming 5000 mana to increase its damage and effects, he would fail and injure his own magic core. However, after becoming a 3rd class magician, the limit of overflow-cast increased significantly.

All sub-spells of <Somatic Violet Four Vehemence> could be cast with a maximum of 10,000 mana to exhibit significantly higher effects and damage.

The cost of <Blood Morphing Art> awakening spell remained the same since it was a unique magic spell. However, it also enhanced, in a way, such that he could now absorb 15 drops of blood from two different creatures, which would significantly increase the duration of his physical transformation, and the physical boosts and traits he would get from them.

The <Blood Hook> awakening spell's overflow-cast limit increased to 10,000 mana. The hook, and bloody rope attached to it, would be much stronger and tougher, and the hidden effect that Zevien hadn't discovered yet would also become more powerful.

Hopefully, he would soon master the <Blood Hook> spell and activate its hidden effect permanently as he did with his <Rage Ball> spell.

…

"Let's sleep early and wake up at 4:30 in the morning," Zevien said as he stretched his arms. "We'll enter our 1st magic labyrinths tomorrow."

"4:30? You can enter that early?" Vernisia was surprised.

"Yep. After going through the experiment, I managed to enter my 1st magic labyrinth again around 4:30 in the lab, so it unlocks at that time, but I never entered that early since the first few times, haha."

Soon, they fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Dan and Erica had triggered their evolution at 8 in the night, so they would be finished around midnight.

…

At a private garden on Skyward Academy's island, the Headmaster and headteachers sat at different tables while enjoying night tea.

"Master, the Eye tower captured magic pulses. It seems that two new students have already become 3rd class magicians, and two more are in the middle of their elevation process," Karina said while sitting at a table across from Headmaster Noril.

"It's good," Headmaster Noril smiled and nodded. "Astral Land doesn't give much importance to anyone below Novice Mage. The sooner these kids become Novice Mages, the better. It's even better if they fail in their evolution a few times to build their foundation better."

"Sigh… they will indeed fail a couple of times in 4th and 5th evolution," Dunlax said as he sighed. "When the old generation folks in Gaia continent failed in their 4th and 5th evolution, it would bring so much frustration trying to gather enough magic power again. But now, we have those magic crystals to reach the milestones quickly."

"Indeed," a middle-aged man with a long black ponytail said with a sigh. "I failed in my 5th evolution and lost a little over five thousand magic power. It was so frustrating."

"Haha, you are all still lucky that I am your master," Headmaster Noril laughed heartily. "I brought you all to Astral Land, so you could increase your magic power to the evolution trigger just by staying there, unlike the struggling magicians of Gaia continent."

In Astral Land, if one is below Novice Mage, their magic power constantly increases towards the evolution requirements.

For instance, after young kids awaken their magic labyrinth there at the age between 16 & 17, they would gather 500 magic power in just ten days after entering their magic labyrinth one time. The magic labyrinth would only give them a small amount of magic power. Instead, Astral Land would give more.

However, the magic power won't increase past 500 until they trigger their 1st evolution and succeed in it.

But once they completed their 1st evolution, their magic power would start increasing again just by normally living life in Astral Land and reach 1500 in just fifteen days. They can just sleep, eat, and shit daily while their magic power would increase automatically.

So in one and a half months, the kids there could become 4th class magicians. Naturally, the concept of class magicians was not recognized in Astral Land since everyone is the same below Novice Mage in there.

Because of the rapid progress, which is normal in Astral Land, the young people would fail in their evolution, mostly the 4th and 5th evolutions.

But their magic power would increase just by living and entering the magic labyrinths so they could reach the higher milestones quickly, unlike the magicians of the Gaia continent, who could only increase their magic power by staying in the magic labyrinth every month.

"How is your progress going, Master?" Karina asked curiously. "Can you tell us what stage comes after Master Mage now?"

"The progress is so-so," Headmaster Noril shook his head. "I am trying to break the limits of Master Mage and ascend to become an Astral Wizard."

"Astral Wizard?"

The headteachers repeated as they finally found the next stage in the path of magic after Master Mage.

"Haha, give us a chance to catch up to you, Master. We are ready to become Novice Mages anytime, just waiting for your instruction," Dunlax laughed.

"Wait for two more months," Headmaster Noril said with a smile as he caressed his beard. "I have arranged good spots for you all in the MGA. If they see your good performance as recently ascended Novice Mages, they will be more impressed."

"Nice. But I still wouldn't be able to escape feeling envious of those young Novice Mages in Astral Land," a woman in her early thirties said with an envious smile. "How I wish our Gaia continent had the same magic atmosphere as Astral Land."

"Haha, it's fine! We can be proud of our coming generations. Just take our current students, haha. They are all progressing fast and will truly find their place in Astral Land," Dunlax said.

"Mhmm," Headmaster Noril nodded. "Only a month has passed, and we are already seeing students completing their 3rd evolution. In one year, many of them will become 1st class magicians."

"One year to go from 5th to 1st class magician," Karina sighed. "Even Astral Land's people couldn't progress that fast before. But with these changes in magic labyrinths and the appearance of magic crystals... Sigh, it's like a dream."

"Nope, not a dream. I've never even imagined that such development would happen in the Magia Realm," said Headmaster Noril as he shook his head while smiling. "Just what lies at the peak of this magic path? Of this Magia realm? I truly want to see."