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{3rd Pov}
There was a very clear and practical reason why so many people worked extremely hard to enter prestigious High Schools and well-known Magic Universities, and that main reason was spell models.
For Mages who managed to reach the later and much more powerful stages of magic, such as the Advanced Tier, the Super Tier, or even the extremely rare Forbidden Tier, they eventually obtained the capability to partially or pseudo manipulate their own elements directly without relying too heavily on external aids.
However, individuals who were still in the weaker and less developed tiers, such as those in the Novice stage or the Intermediate stage, did not have this level of freedom or mastery.
They were heavily dependent on spell models in order to understand how to properly form spells, and they required these models as guides to successfully cast and control their magic.
Only once a Mage advanced to the higher tiers did they finally gain the ability to modify, customize, or even reconstruct spell models according to their own understanding, allowing them to create personal versions of spells that were unique to their style and preferences.
The use of spell models did not merely serve as a crutch; it significantly enhanced the efficiency of spell casting and also reduced the unnecessary waste of excess mana during the process.
This was an essential advantage because conserving mana often meant the difference between victory and defeat in prolonged battles or extensive magical training.
Naturally, the best and most reliable spell models were guarded and preserved by the top-ranking Universities and the most competitive High Schools, institutions that held a monopoly over the highest quality magical education.
On the other hand, people who tried to avoid the rigorous path and instead purchased pirated or illegally copied spell models from the outside world faced considerable risks.
These black-market spell models were often incomplete, poorly constructed, or outright flawed.
Using them could result in spells that failed, backfired, or, in worse cases, damaged a Mage's magical foundation, creating long-term problems in their magical studies and hindering their growth in the future.
Not to mention, spell models were extremely expensive, and the consequences of mishandling or leaking one were severe.
If the government ever received credible information that a spell model had been leaked, they would act quickly and decisively to locate and destroy the model in question.
The individual responsible for the leak would then be tracked down, arrested, and subjected to strict punishment according to the law, which could include imprisonment, fines, or even more severe measures depending on the level of the spell model involved.
This is precisely why, for the sake of obtaining high-quality spell models, people often aimed to gain admission to top-tier universities rather than merely seeking other resources that those institutions provided.
Moreover, even if someone were able to acquire a better spell model, the improvement in efficiency was usually relatively small.
For example, the increase in performance might be just a few percentage points, which made taking the enormous risk of illegally obtaining or using such a model generally not worth it.
The potential consequences far outweighed the marginal gains in magical efficiency, making most mages cautious about attempting such a course of action.
For Astreo, as a Novice-tier Mage, the spells that were currently available to him included 'Spirit Ripple' along with its various enhanced and variant forms.
Fortunately, Astreo had already received the System's courtesy in providing him access to its enhanced spell model.
This version of the spell was at least thirty percent more effective than the models typically available in High Schools, and it was approximately eighteen percent more efficient than the versions that could be found in even the most prestigious top-tier Universities.
The advantage this offered Astreo in both practice and combat was substantial, giving him a significant head start compared to his peers.
On this particular night, while Astreo was sleeping at precisely 8:00 P.M. in his bed, his consciousness was transported directly to the virtual training ground.
While it was true that his overall magic cultivation would not increase within this virtual space, he could still improve his magic efficiency considerably.
This allowed him to practice spells repeatedly and refine his technique without expending real-world mana, giving him a safe and effective method to optimize his magical abilities over time.
Astreo commanded the System to stimulate a Cyclops Rat, which was classified as a lesser minion-level monster.
Even among all monsters of the Lesser Minion category, the Cyclops Rat was considered one of the weakest, as the strength of a fully grown adult of its kind barely reached the minimum threshold of a Lesser Minion.
To ensure that the training remained realistic but not overly harsh, he also set the pain index to fifty percent, keeping in mind that a child, like himself, was naturally more sensitive to pain than older or more experienced individuals.
The moment the monster materialized in front of him, Astreo did not hesitate for even a fraction of a second. He immediately formed a Star Path and prepared to unleash his spell.
"Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" Astreo called out, concentrating as he formed the Star Path in a mere three seconds.
He then cast the spell directly on the Cyclops Rat, which had been preparing to lunge at him. The rat's aggressive stance immediately softened; it calmed down and stared at him with a confused expression.
However, Astreo did not allow the momentary pause to distract him.
He continued to cast the spell repeatedly—again, and again, and once more—ensuring that the effect was consistent and effective.
Within the Virtual Training Space, he effectively had access to an infinite supply of magical energy.
Nevertheless, to prevent himself from developing the bad habit of using magic excessively or carelessly, he imposed a personal restriction: the maximum amount of magic he could expend in training was equal to his real-world magical reserves.
Once his reserves were depleted, he faced a choice: either restart the simulation from the beginning or continue fighting while allowing his magic to regenerate at its natural rate.
As Astreo's magical reserves ran out, he immediately restarted the stimulation process and resumed his training, using his magic against the Cyclops Rat again and again, without pause.
This repetitive practice allowed him to refine his technique, improve his speed, and internalize the mechanics of the spell.
After a continuous three-hour training session, Astreo observed that his casting time for forming the Star Path had decreased from three seconds to 2.7 seconds.
His ultimate goal was to bring it down to a mere one second, or at the very least to one and a half seconds, before returning to his regular magical cultivation.
Following this intense session, Astreo decided to take a short break to rest and recover before resuming his rigorous training regimen, ensuring that his mind and body remained focused and alert for the next phase of practice.
However, during the seventh stimulation counted from his brief rest, Astreo made a critical mistake.
The Cyclops Rat, which he had been practicing against so many times before, suddenly dodged his attack with unexpected speed.
As Astreo prepared to strike again, the monster seized the opportunity and pounced on him with lethal force.
The impact was devastating—he felt his bones snap, his ribs shattering under the pressure, and blood immediately spurted from his mouth. At the same time, his magic failed completely, leaving him defenseless against the creature.
In the next horrifying moment, the Cyclops Rat lunged at his neck with terrifying precision. Its jaws clamped down and began to chew, ripping apart his head in a single brutal motion. The pain was instant and unimaginable—he was killed without mercy.
[Stimulation has ended… Sending Master back to training lobby]
The moment Astreo reappeared in the virtual training lobby, he erupted into frantic shouting, his voice trembling uncontrollably with sheer terror.
The memory of his ribs being broken and his neck being savagely torn apart was still fresh and vivid, and the experience left him deeply traumatized.
He began to cry uncontrollably, his body reacting violently to the fear and pain, twitching almost as if on the verge of seizures.
Every muscle in his body seemed to shake as the horror of the simulation replayed in his mind.
Fortunately, the act of crying gradually began to calm his physical movements, although his body was still trembling.
Struggling to regain control, he forced himself to use magic on his own mind and body.
"S-Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" he stammered, his voice shaking.
The spell struck him directly, soothing his frantic emotions and bringing a small measure of relief.
He cast the spell on himself a second time, focusing all his concentration on calming the lingering terror.
By the third application, he was finally completely calm, and the paralyzing fear of death that had gripped him moments before vanished entirely.
Astreo gasped heavily as he collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving from the intensity of the experience.
After a moment, he bit his lips hard and muttered bitterly to himself, "Fuck… what did I think? That everything would be easy? There are only two options: either die or survive. Even with these cheats and advantages, there is no guarantee that I can become invincible. At best, I will be nothing more than a cheater who can temporarily overpower others through sheer resources and magical cultivation, but I am far from truly untouchable."
He also felt a sense of relief and gratitude that the very first type of magic he had awakened and began training with was Psychic Magic.
Specifically, it was the Novice-tier spell, Spirit Ripples: Pacify. Although at its core this spell was one of the most basic forms of magic, with primary functions limited to stunning, confusing, or calming down targets, its fundamental utility proved to be invaluable in his current situation.
Thanks to its essential calming effect, he had been able to regain control over his mind and emotions after experiencing the overwhelming terror of the virtual training simulation.
If it had not been for the timely and precise use of this spell on himself, the consequences could have been far more severe.
He might have been left permanently traumatized, his confidence shattered, and his courage completely eroded.
He could have found himself unable to face opponents who were even slightly stronger than him, or, in the worst-case scenario, he might have lost the courage to confront monsters at all, leaving him vulnerable and incapable of progressing in his magical training.
However, after the initial wave of calmness and controlled breathing, another, far more intense emotion surged through him: rage.
How dare a mere Lesser Minion attempt to hurt him in any way?
How dare it even think it could challenge him?
His anger built quickly and relentlessly, burning like wildfire in his chest.
He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and his mind focused with a singular determination.
He would make sure that the Cyclops Rat paid for what it had done.
He would kill it.
He would kill it without hesitation, without mercy, and without allowing any chance of escape.
After spending several minutes fully calming himself down and regaining composure, Astreo immediately reentered the stimulation.
As soon as the Cyclops Rat appeared before him, he charged forward with determination, casting his spell without hesitation.
"Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" he shouted, his voice sharp and commanding.
This time, his spells, which had previously taken 2.7 seconds to form, were unleashed in just 2.5 seconds—a noticeable improvement in speed and efficiency.
The Cyclops Rat was instantly stunned, frozen rigid in place as Astreo focused all of the strength his tiny five-year-old fists could muster on a single precise strike to its solitary eye.
The moment his fist connected with the weakest point of the monster, it barely sank into the eye by only a few centimeters, a clear demonstration of how weak his raw physical power was at this stage.
However, Astreo paid no attention to the inadequacy of his attack; his focus was entirely on persistence and precision.
He continued relentlessly, striking with both hands while simultaneously chanting his spell over and over.
"Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" "Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" "Spirit Ripples: Pacify!"
His knuckles began to ache from the repeated impact, but he forced himself to punch harder with each successive blow.
Slowly, the eye of the Cyclops Rat began to bleed, marking the first signs that his relentless assault was having an effect.
"Spirit Ripples: Pacify!"
By now, his knuckles were bleeding as well, yet the surge of adrenaline coursing through his body suppressed any sense of pain.
Instead, it seemed to amplify his strength, pushing him to hit even harder with every strike.
"Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" "Spirit Ripples: Pacify!" "Spirit Ripples: Pacify!"
With one sudden, decisive motion, his fist finally pierced through the monster's eye and into its brain.
He drove his body forward with everything he had as the rat thrashed violently in response.
Still, Astreo continued chanting the spell, undeterred. "Spirit Ripples: Pacify!"
In the next instant, he stumbled backward several steps as his hand emerged, coated in the rat's blood, which sprayed outward like a fountain.
His body was instantly drenched, covered from head to toe in the blood of the Cyclops Rat.
The creature cried out in pain, twitched uncontrollably, and then collapsed, dead.
Once the Cyclops Rat's life had ended, Astreo calmly regarded its lifeless corpse for a moment before muttering, "Spirit Ripples: Pacify," this time using the spell on himself.
Immediately, a light pinkish aura enveloped his body, his irises briefly flashing pink as the calming effects took hold.
Exhausted from the extreme physical and magical exertion, he finally sank to his knees, utterly spent.
A normal Novice Tier 1 mage would typically be able to cast their magic only three to five times before completely exhausting their mana reserves.
However, Astreo possessed a significantly larger mana capacity than ordinary mages, thanks to the passive effect granted by his Awakening Stone.
During the fight against the Cyclops Rat, he had cast his magic at least nine times in succession in order to defeat the monster, nearly double what a regular mage of his level could manage.
A strong sense of exhilaration and personal accomplishment surged through him, overwhelming his body and mind with pride.
His physical strength was still barely that of a five-year-old child, and his magic cultivation remained at the Novice Tier 1 level, yet he had managed to kill a monster that normally required the combined efforts of several Novice Tier 2—or even higher—mages to bring down.
The enormity of this achievement was not lost on him.
In this moment, it was clear that Astreo had done more than simply overcome a single trial.
Not only had he conquered the paralyzing fear that had gripped him during the earlier simulation, but he had also proven himself to be far above the level of the average mage.
His determination, skill, and unique advantages had allowed him to surpass the limitations that would normally hold back others at his stage, marking a pivotal moment in his growth and setting him apart from all ordinary Novice Tier mages.
"What is my current magic casting time now?" Astreo asked, his voice steady but filled with quiet intensity.
[Master's current casting time has been reduced to 2.3 seconds from the previous 2.7 seconds.] the System replied faithfully, its tone neutral yet precise.
"It is not enough," Astreo muttered to himself as he stood up, a fierce desire burning brightly within him.
His small body trembled slightly, but it was not fear—it was the fire of ambition and determination.
If before he had sought strength merely because he could, because he wanted to survive and prosper in a dangerous world, now his motivation had changed.
He wanted to become stronger for the sake of strength itself.
The desire to be powerful, to rise above everyone else, consumed him.
A raw, insatiable greed began to stir within him, a craving for dominance and superiority.
He wanted enough strength so that no one—no petty, insignificant person—could ever dictate his fate or control his life.
He wanted to be the one to decide the destiny of others, to make them bow, to force them to submit before him willingly or unwillingly.
Power? Influence? Respect? Women?
(A/N: He is not currently driven by sexual desire; his hormones will only begin raging later in his teenage years… Fufu)
He wanted it all, and he would stop at nothing to obtain it.
Absolutely nothing could hold him back, not even the brutal virtual death he had just endured.
Each failure, each simulation, each near-death experience will only fuel the hunger inside him, sharpening his resolve to surpass every limit and claim everything he desired for himself.
After that, Astreo continued to practice magic in the Virtual Training Space.
This time, he equipped himself with a single piece of virtual Magic Equipment—a sword that had the ability to draw mana directly from the surrounding atmosphere and was specifically designed to kill Minion-level monsters efficiently.
He deliberately chose not to equip any defensive or agility-related magical equipment, focusing instead on offense.
With the sword in hand, he began systematically attacking and killing the Cyclops Rats once again.
Even though it still took several strikes to defeat each monster, the process was far easier and far more efficient compared to his previous method of punching the creatures with his bare fists, aiming for their weakest points.
With the combination of his magic to stun them and the sword's enhanced cutting power, he was able to dispatch each Cyclops Rat after casting his magic only three or four times, a dramatic improvement from before.
By 6 A.M., he concluded his intensive training session and woke up from his bed.
Because only his consciousness had been active in the Virtual Training Space, his body had remained fully relaxed, as if he had experienced a proper night of sleep.
Even his brain felt rejuvenated, refreshed, and sharper than it had been the day before.
The moment he opened his eyes and stood up his expression revealed a noticeable change: his expression was far less childish, exuding a calmness and maturity that had not been there previously.
After brushing his teeth, Astreo went to the dining area and sat down with the other children in his age group.
As he ate his food, he noticed that the other four children remained completely silent. Unlike before, they did not attempt to speak with him, exchange glances, or engage in any form of conversation as they normally would.
Their unusual quietness did not register immediately to Astreo, who continued eating as if nothing had changed.
However, when Grandma Yu approached and came to stand beside him, her sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
Something deep in her experience and intuition immediately signaled that today's Astreo was an entirely different presence from the child she had known.
There was an unsettling aura about him, a calm yet commanding demeanor that made even her experienced instincts falter for a moment.
The way his small body moved as he ate—measured, composed, and almost eerily precise—caused her to shiver unconsciously.
It was not just the poise or grace of a child; there was an underlying intensity, a quiet force that seemed to radiate from him, giving off the impression of something far more dangerous than a typical five-year-old.
'Am I really becoming senile? Why is my body reacting like this to a five-year-old kid? Am I truly not losing my mind?' Grandma Yu wondered, her thoughts racing.
How could she react in such a visceral way to a child and feel as if she were observing a predator rather than an ordinary human being?
The sensation was so foreign and disturbing that she seriously began to doubt her own sanity for a brief moment.
After finishing his breakfast, Astreo attended his kindergarten classes as usual.
Once the formal lessons were completed, he returned to the Virtual Training Space to continue his rigorous magical practice.
Meanwhile, his physical body, remaining under the control of the System, moved and functioned automatically, allowing him to read books in the library robotically without the need for conscious effort.
The combination of structured learning and relentless training ensured that his mind and body were constantly being honed, even while appearing outwardly calm and ordinary to those around him.
After two full days, and a total of three days of continuous training, Astreo had successfully reduced his casting speed to an impressive 1.4 seconds—a remarkable achievement for someone of his age and current cultivation level.
At this point, he decided to stop actively training spell casting.
He reasoned that as his cultivation increased, the casting speed for lower-tier spells would naturally improve over time.
The key issue during the novice stages was ensuring that a person could cast the magic appropriate for their tier properly; failure to do so could lead to significant difficulties when attempting more advanced spells at higher cultivation stages.
Since he had already reached a casting time of 1.4 seconds, there was no longer any immediate need to push further.
It was worth noting that a casting time of 1.4 seconds was already far superior to what most Intermediate-tier mages could achieve, making his accomplishment even more remarkable.
Not wanting to waste any more time on unnecessary practice, Astreo resumed his magic cultivation in the Dimensional Space provided by the System.
This time, he was physically present within the space, following the same structured routine as before to maximize efficiency.
Thanks to the combined effects of his Sacred-grade magic tool, which accelerated his cultivation by twenty-five times, and the equivalent of Holy Spring-level mana available within the Dimensional Space, he reached Novice Tier 2 in only ten days—a speed that would have been unimaginable under normal circumstances.
After reaching Novice Tier 2, he did not focus on practicing the Psychic Spell at that level or engage in additional virtual combat simulations.
Instead, he continued to concentrate entirely on improving his magic cultivation, prioritizing raw growth over spell practice.
It took him just another fourteen days to reach Novice Tier 3.
By this stage, his mana reserves had increased significantly, allowing him to cast Novice Tier spells approximately fifteen to seventeen times consecutively without running out.
If we consider the total time elapsed since he first awakened magic, it took him only thirty-four to thirty-five days to reach Novice Tier 3—a staggering rate of progress.
For ordinary mages, achieving this level typically required two to three years of consistent training, highlighting just how extraordinary his development had been.
With sufficient mana and a solid grasp of Novice Tier cultivation, Astreo was now ready to move on to the next step in his magical training, prepared to tackle greater challenges and continue his rapid ascent in power.
To be continued...