My Muscle System in the Mage World

The creator of this book appeared to be a miserable person based on Aur's understanding from the introductory part.

The person possessed exceptional talent but became obsessed with a variance spell.

In pursuit of this spell, he collected various materials for research and completion, intending to create a terrifying spell.

Unfortunately, the research took too long, and the man's mortal body perished before he could create the vital spell.

Although Aur wasn't sure about the nature of the spell the man was researching, which led him to sacrifice his entire future, it piqued Aur's interest.

However, it was all in vain, as the man had already met a tragic end with the mercilessness of time that no one could escape from.

Aur sighed thinking of this as he carefully turned the pages until he found the one marked with a feather.

The heading of the page read "Variance Spell: Vitality Magic," providing numerous details about the formation of the circle and how it could be created.

Upon seeing this, Aur frowned. There were only five spells related to vitality magic: Vigour, Strength, Draconic Body, Wizard's Hand, and Devour. These spells fell under the category of Vitality magic.

Vigour temporarily increased the body's core stamina, Strength enhanced core strength of the body, Draconic Body allowed a full transformation into a dragon, Wizard's Hand granted control over beings with life-force (similar to a degraded version of telekinesis), and Devour was similar to the dark magic, enabled Aur to absorb other living beings to grow stronger.

However, there was a drawback to Devour, as it caused a terrifying physical backlash upon absorption.

After careful consideration, Aur chose the most straightforward and useful spell for the time being: Wizard's Hand. Though tempted by Strength, Vigour and Devour which perfectly suited him, he ultimately let go of those options.

The Wizard's hand was the only spell that could be upgraded to the tier four spell, while the devour couldn't be upgraded, meaning it was stuck at tier one forever. Of course, Aur wouldn't allow his vital spell to be only tier one for the rest of his life.

The first spell one imprints into the mental space automatically becomes the vital spell of the individual and is deeply connected to the vitality of the person.

"So, for this spell to be constructed in my mental space, I need blood, lion's mane herb, Moon-shadow Sage, and Ethereal Blossom Herb..." Aur frowned upon seeing the long list of materials, which amounted to at least fifty. Among the five spells, this was considered the easiest one to create.

The requirements for the other spells were even more stringent.

"This will be troublesome," he thought as he swiftly left the room.

"Young master," Lucy, a Latina woman, bowed to Aur when she saw him, and Aur replied with a nod.

"What is your name?" Aur asked curiously.

"My name is Lucy, young master."

Aur nodded and inquired, "Where can I find the ingredients for the spell?"

"To find them, you need to go to the market of the academy, young master."

"Good, guide me there." With that, Aur walked out, with Lucy carefully following behind.

While Aur considered buying the ingredients outside, he soon realized that no wizard equipment or herbs were being sold there.

Even if they were available, they would either be found in the black market, which was too dangerous, or in the established homes of secluded and arrogant clans.

Both options were unsuitable for Aur, as the black market was risky, and the goods there were likely to be counterfeited.

Going to those clans would be troublesome, as they only cared about their own bloodline. Even if they involved an external party like Aur, the conditions imposed would restrict his freedom and make him entirely reliant on them.

Thus, for an average individual, the academy served as the middle ground for the wizard equipment market.

Only within the academy could herbs and other items be purchased at a relatively fair price, with a lower risk of counterfeits.

Aur observed the relatively secluded market where silence prevailed. People came and went without making a sound. Even though it was an authentic market, it had the appearance of a black market.

He carefully studied the scene and noticed that the people there were wearing masks. Some wore dragon masks, while others donned masks resembling different animals. They all wore simple black robes that covered their bodies entirely.

"Um... young master, it's recommended that you disguise yourself," Lucy said, handing him the clothes.

Upon seeing the clothes, Aur narrowed his eyes and examined them closely.

"Young master, please wear this," she said, looking confused.

"Does the academy think we're fools?" Aur scoffed as he silently put on the clothes.

If the servants came from the academy and the clothes were already prepared for them, wouldn't the academy leave some sort of mark to recognize them? It felt like the academy was providing a false sense of privacy to people.

The technique of disguising himself was effective, as Aur could see. Even if someone saw through the plot, what could the people do? They were nothing but helpless.

After putting on the mask and robes, Aur entered the market. Lucy pleaded with him to wait and accompany him, as she knew the ins and outs of the place.

Aur's gaze narrowed as he looked back at Lucy. "I will be going alone," he coldly stated. His pace increased, and he instantly vanished from her sight.

"Wait..." Lucy frowned as she saw Aur disappear before her eyes. "I will be in trouble now," she gritted her teeth in anger.

...

After Aur had distanced himself from Lucy, he changed back into his previous black robe, which his mother had given him. Though it was a little tattered from his battle with the wolf, the robe had a self-healing function. In two weeks, it had fully healed.

Once he removed the robes and the mask, he quickly selected another set of clothing that fully covered him. He retrieved a capybara mask from his pouch and put it on. With his new disguise, he entered the market through another entrance.

Aur walked along the paved road, coldly surveying the area. Suddenly, he spotted a small figure.

"Young master, are you new here?" the figure revealed himself from the shadows—a man in his twenties with a hunched back, below-average nose, and unkempt hair.

Aur simply nodded his head, rolling his eyes.

"Then, young master, I can show you around the place," the hunched back man offered.

Aur nodded, a smirk hidden beneath his capybara mask.

The hunched back man was stunned by Aur's immediate agreement. "What is your name?" Aur asked in a coarse but energetic voice.

The hunched back man was even more surprised by the question. "Isn't he supposed to be a student?" he thought. However, outwardly, he maintained a smile and replied, "My name is George, young master."

"So, George, I am looking for herbs and items to inscribe my first vital spell..." Aur stated.

George looked deeply at Aur. "He must be a young man trying to change his voice," he sneered inwardly. "How interesting and naive youths are. Just because they change their voice and clothes, they think we won't recognize them."