Chapter 38: Power Boost
"Hiss—"
Don’t be fooled by Andri’s small fists; they pack quite a punch.
Bang, bang, two punches landed on Gauss’s waist, making him gasp in shock.
His Mage’s Hand nearly dissipated.
"Oh, sorry, sorry."
Only then did Andri realize she had gotten a bit too excited. She licked her lips, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It’s okay." Gauss took a few deep breaths, finally speaking after the pain gradually subsided.
His impression of Andri changed somewhat.
He hadn’t expected that, besides casting spells, she was also so strong.
He could only say, as expected of a Professional, even though Andri clearly wasn’t specialized in strength, her physical condition was much better than that of ordinary people.
"I never thought this bone would find its owner..." Andri sighed, feeling a mix of emotions.
She used to wonder if such an owner existed in this world, but now that she had truly found one, she felt a faint sense of loss instead.
"So, Senior Andri, how much is this staff selling for?" Gauss asked anxiously.
Although Andri had casually mentioned earlier that it wasn’t expensive, this staff was just too suitable for him, which made him a bit unsettled.
Moreover, Andri’s expression was unpredictable at that moment, and he didn’t know what she was thinking.
After a brief pause, Andri, still filled with emotions, finally spoke.
"Just give me 10 Silver Coins; after all, I spent quite some time polishing and making it."
The price she named instantly set Gauss’s heart at ease.
"However..."
"?"
Spoke too soon.
The heart he had just calmed was suddenly pulled up again.
Can’t you finish your sentence in one go?
Gauss turned his gaze back to Andri.
Had she regretted it?
He instinctively gripped the staff tightly.
"However, in the future, if you want to transform this bone staff into a Magic Wand, I’m afraid it won’t be easy." Andri grinned mischievously, her canine teeth biting her lip.
"It might also be my lack of skill; at least, over the years, I’ve tried many times to make it into a real Magic Wand, only to fail each time."
"I’ve tried all the magic items suitable as a staff core I had at hand, and not once did I succeed."
That’s it?
Gauss’s face remained expressionless, but inside, he quietly sighed with relief.
Her fickle remarks had made him wonder if it was something serious.
For him, making it into an official Magic Wand was a matter for later; what mattered now was securing it firmly.
"But there’s no big issue with you using it for now; after all, you’ll eventually have a second, third Magic Wand," Andri said, glancing at the "heavy-faced" Gauss and offering words of comfort.
"For us Casters, it’s perfectly normal to own several Magic Wands."
"Just like people, each Magic Wand has its specialties and characteristics: blitz attack, precision, explosion, coordination..."
Andri gestured toward her row of Magic Wands, among which one was even twice her height, making it hard to imagine how amusing it would look when she used it.
"Understood." Gauss nodded. "So, Senior, should I pay you now?"
It’s only 10 Silver Coins, which he could pay in cash.
"Tsk, fine, you’re so eager."
Andri shook her head, no longer teasing him.
She held out her fair little palm.
Gauss quickly fetched 10 Silver Coins from his pocket, placing them in her palm.
However, the moment the coins touched her palm, they suddenly disappeared.
Magic? Or a storage space like those in fantasy tales from his previous life?
But since Andri didn’t explain, he didn’t probe further.
In the ensuing time, Gauss lingered a while longer in the Thorny Hut.
Mainly because Andri offered many pieces of advice and, before leaving, lent him a magical notes book from her early days, possibly out of respect for Gron, or perhaps because he was the owner of the White Bone Staff.
As Gauss exited the Thorny Hut, the time was already nearing sunset.
In the twilight, the oak door slowly closed.
A sense of displacement washed over Gauss.
The presence of the Thorny Hut seemed to dwindle, slowly blending into the unadorned alley, becoming the least noticeable building.
What an amazing Magic.
Gauss observed for a moment before retracting his gaze.
With the White Bone Staff in hand, he walked towards the alley’s exit, his strides noticeably lighter.
The visit to the Thorny Hut was full of gains; not only had he borrowed a notes book explaining the fundamentals of Magic from Andri, but he also acquired a suitable staff material for only 10 Silver Coins.
However, he still hadn’t sold the Life Magic Stone and kept it with him.
Andri advised him not to sell it if he wasn’t in urgent need of money.
Having a Life Magic Stone for the long term supposedly had subtle benefits for the body, albeit very small, yet effective over time.
In the following days.
Like other adventurer squads, after concluding a mission, the Night Owl Squad had no immediate plans.
Gauss wasn’t sure what the others were up to.
But his days were very fulfilling.
Every day, he awoke to the sound of bells, ate, and then, with the White Bone Staff, headed outside the town to a spacious area to practice magic, read, train in swordsmanship, return to town to rest, and then repeated the cycle.
Owning the staff rekindled the enthusiasm he had when he first started learning spells.
His main focus of practice was Magic Missile.
After the recent task, his proficiency in Magic Missile had reached Level 2 (3/20).
But with the staff in his possession and his immersion in cultivation style practice, his proficiency in Magic Missile began rising swiftly again.
It rose from Level 2 (3/20) to Level 2 (6/20).
The boost from the White Bone Staff, combined with increased spell proficiency and his steadily growing Magic Power reserves.
Made his combat abilities see a significant change compared to a few days ago.
1.65 standard units of Magic Power within him.
The power compression of a single Magic Missile reduced further from 60% power to 50%.
He could now unleash three miniature Magic Missile attacks in succession without entering a Magic Power exhaustion state.
Moreover, the boost from the White Bone Staff increased the casting speed of Magic Missile and its power slightly.
Magic Missiles cast through the staff at 50% power had the destructive power equivalent to those cast with bare hands at 70% power.
His combat ability had indeed ascended another level.
He believed that in a direct confrontation, he could easily defeat himself from a few days ago, as faster casting speed granted the privilege of seizing the initiative.
When the enemy hadn’t fully unleashed their attack, your magic already hit their face, presenting an undeniable advantage.
Sometimes, casting speed is even more crucial than magic power.
The principle of "invincibility through speed" holds true for Casters as well.
Gauss counted the days, estimating it was almost time to gather for the next mission.
Perhaps due to the improvement from days of practice, he yearned for action.
He was eager to start a mission, eager to test the progress of his strength in actual combat.
On that note, next time they meet, he could suggest to Levin that they take on some non-goblin combat missions.
With his newfound strength, Gauss felt more confident.
It’s time to take down some other low-level monsters and unlock more entries in the Adventurer’s Handbook’s Monster Atlas.