38 Changes and Improvements

Max dragged himself out of the Headmaster's office, exhaustion dragging at his limbs. As he made it to the dorm, Max was guided by the hot steam coming from the shower area.

He stepped into one of the private chambers, reveling in the solitude. Disrobing, he turned the shower knobs and immediately, hot water cascaded from the overhead spout, enveloping his worn-out body in a soothing, steamy embrace. Max closed his eyes and let out a slow breath, letting the water wash away the remnants of his ordeal, the ache in his muscles, and the fatigue that weighed him down.

The heat penetrated his skin, sinking into his bones, and melting away the day's tension.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally stepped out of the shower, his body feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Wrapping a towel around his waist, Max padded his way back to his dormitory.

As he entered, Oliver looked at him in curiosity. "Max, how did it go?"

Max graced him with a smile, "it went well. Headmaster used the heart to create something like a potion that I consumed. He said that it would help bring out the properties out of the Seraphim Viper's heart, and alleviate pain, but oh man was it painful.

I have never experienced anything so bad. It tasted worse than your cooking, and the pain it brought was indescribable. It was like I was burning from the inside, purifying the meridians and strengthening them. Every second I had to resist losing consciousness for the best result. It was pure torture."

"Damn man, well at least, was it worth it? Have you tested the results yet?" Inquired Oliver.

"I have not tested it yet. But it better work for all the pain it brought. It did some purifying, because when it was over, I had black impurities all over my body that were pushed out during the process. Currently, all I can feel is my sore body. I will meditate in a few minutes to check the body.

On another note, how is your prep going for the finals?"

Being reminded of the upcoming finals, Oliver twitched. "It is going. Haha. Battle exam would be simple as I have already broken through. Magical theory, history, and the rest are not that challenging either. Who am I? I am a son of Viscount Dresdan. Of course I will pass them with flying colors." Bragged Oliver after giving an awkward laugh.

"Well, you do you. But good luck! I also need to do some studying. I have spent way too much time training for the final rounds, that I have not yet had time to review the coursework.

Also, you have to put in more effort. I will most likely be graduating and attending the true academy next year, so if you do not graduate by next year, then the gap between us is only going to widen" Reminded Max, showing his cockiness that was backed by his current strength.

Hearing Max's reminder to train harder, Oliver pounced on him. "You know what? I will cripple you right now so you cannot graduate and grow stronger. Face my wreath.

Ultra-Duper-Super-Fire Fist.

Blue Lightning!

Fire Hurricane!"

The small dorm room was immediately filled with heat as Oliver made exaggerated, wild gestures, his face scrunched up in intense concentration. There was a puff of smoke and the smell of burning hair, followed by a series of quiet sizzles. "Take this!" Oliver's dramatic shout was cut short by an unexpected fit of coughing as he waved away the smoke.

Max laughed heartily, sidestepping Oliver's rather uncoordinated attempts at combat. "Oliver, you and your magic… You really need to work on that," Max chuckled, patting his friend on the back.

"Yeah, yeah," Oliver grumbled, a touch of red spreading across his cheeks. "Just wait and see, I'll surpass you one day."

Max's laughter died down, replaced by a warm smile. "I look forward to that day, Oliver."

With a final pat on Oliver's back, Max moved to his bed and sat down cross-legged on it. He glanced once at Oliver, "Alright, I'm going to meditate now. Try not to burn down the dormitory while I'm at it, okay?"

Oliver mock-saluted, a grin spreading across his face. "Aye aye, captain!"

Closing his eyes, Max began to draw in his focus. He slowed his breathing, letting the tranquility wash over him. As he delved deeper into his body, he could feel the change in his meridians. Their size did not change much, but they appeared thicker and purer. Mana coursing through them was now more abundant, moving at a greater speed than before.

After completing the examination of his meridians, Max was content with the improvement that he had received. 'Nice, it was truly worth it trying so hard during the tournament. Let me meditate now, see the effects of the improved meridians.'

Next step, Max relaxed and started absorbing mana in the air.

He noted a remarkable increase in the speed of his mana absorption. It was as if his meridians had turned into a magnet, attracting the mana in the air more efficiently. Max estimated the improvement to be about a 50% increase from before.

Before the potion, mana trickled into his body like a gentle stream; now, it was more like a rushing river. Max found himself adapting to this faster pace, his body becoming attuned to the increased flow of mana. His meridians had not only become more pure and stronger after the consumption of the potion, but they also seemed to have developed a higher capacity for mana absorption.

This was a significant leap in Max's cultivation journey. As Max felt the mana flow through his body, he could not help but another detail:

His Knight strength increased, going from an early third stage novice to an almost late third stage. Bolstered by the potion, his Knight system had now overtaken his Mage system, which was at a middle third stage, a very convenient improvement, as it would speed up his journey to reaching fourth stage and graduating from the academy.

The potion had not just given him a momentary boost, but a significant shift in his abilities, making him undergo an all-round improvement.

Feeling a wave of tiredness wash over him, Max rose from his meditative pose and laid down on his bed, his mind filled with dreams and aspirations for the future.

The next day, Max woke up with a sense of optimism, feeling a significant improvement in his overall strength. Even though the strength of his spells did not increase, he now had a greater mana capacity and ability to cast more powerful and fierce spells since his meridians could handle the pressure.

As Max walked through the academy grounds, students would often turn their heads to watch him pass, whispers of his victory in the tournament and rumors about his dramatic increase in strength filling the air. It was a different experience being the center of attention at the academy, but Max took it in stride.

However, he couldn't afford to rest on his laurels. The final exams were fast approaching, and he needed to prepare. Even with his improved strength, the academic portion of the exams required a deep understanding of magical theory, the history of magic, and more.

For the next few days, Max buried himself in the library, his fame forgotten as he pored over books and texts. The hum of activity around him faded to a background noise as he focused on his studies.

The period of the finals came, intense and fast-paced. The exams were tough but fair. With the knowledge he'd crammed in the past few days, Max managed to pass all the tests with flying colors.

The end of the academic year brought a wave of relief washing over him, but it also brought with it a tinge of loneliness. His parents were not home in the village, leaving Max with an empty house to return to. Considering his circumstances, he decided to stay in the academy over the break to focus on his improvement and graduation.

However, Oliver had other plans. "Come on, Max," Oliver insisted, giving him a brotherly smack on the arm. "You can't stay cooped up in the academy all break. Come to my house. My parents won't mind, and you'll have better company."

"Alright, fine," Max relented after a moment of thought. The prospect of spending the break alone in the academy did seem bleak compared to the idea of staying with Oliver and his family.

As they packed their bags and prepared to leave the academy, Max remembered that he did not know what Andrew's plans were for the break. So, After packing the bags, Max went to find Andrew.

[In the Andrew's room]

Knock, Knock.

"Hey Andrew, how are you?" Asked Max as he entered the room, to which Andrew replied simply with a nod.

"What are your plans for the break? I will be staying at Oliver's place this summer to focus on breaking through and graduating. What is your plan? I am sure that Oliver would not mind if you wanted to join us." Invited Max.

A flash of regret passed over Andrew's face. "I wish I could, Max, but I can't. I'm actually going back home for the break. There's...there's something I need to take care of."

"Oh, well, that's alright. Understandable." Max assured him, trying to hide his disappointment.

Andrew managed a smile, though he was visibly upset. "There's something else I need to tell you," he said after a moment of hesitation. "I won't be returning after the break. I'll stay home until I've finished everything I need to do there, and that might take a few years."

"Andrew is everything ok? I and Oliver can help you if there is anything." Said Max feeling confused. Andrew had never talked about his family or background, but now he said that he needed to go back and would not be coming back for a few years. That was weird.

"Yea Max, all is good. It is a family tradition. We will meet again in the future, good luck with the graduation and the academy admission." Said Andrew while continuing to pack, not looking Max in the eyes.