Training-Addicted Mage In A Progression Fantasy-Chapter 20: Regular Exchange Festival (2)

Leon changed into a different robe and picked a few herbs of each type, storing them in his spatial pouch.

He didn’t intend to sell them right away.

This kind of trade between magicians was new to Leon as well.Being ignorant of the market prices, he planned to observe them and attempt a trade if he found an item he liked.If the trade was satisfactory, he could also avoid the hassle of exchanging for mana stones.

Leaving the bead, Leon adjusted his aura to first-grade while wearing his robe.He couldn’t completely hide his face, but it was enough to conceal that he was a regular disciple.

The street selling magical items wasn’t much different from regular shopping streets.

There were guild buildings occupying their usual spots, and tents and stalls scattered around.The tents were temporary shops set up by other merchant groups taking advantage of the exchange festival, while the stalls were mainly used by individual magicians for bartering.

Leon wandered around the market street.He gradually learned about the prices by comparing the shouted offers and the prices written on the stalls.

Most items were ranked F to D.There were a few C-rank artifacts, but higher grades were hard to find.It seemed there were separate trading methods for higher ranks.

For F-rank elixirs, they could be bought for 50 mana stones.Leon would receive 1 mana stone per month from the magic tower after a year when he could work alongside his studies.This meant a regular disciple would have to work for 50 months to buy a single elixir.

When Leon was a tri-elemental, he consumed over 50 F-rank elixirs to advance from first to second grade.Of course, most were F- rank due to the low initial reward probability, but even so, it cost 2,500 mana stones in simple calculation.It wasn’t an expense that most apprentice magicians could afford.

Moreover, the effects of F-rank elixirs drastically decreased towards the end of third grade.This was true even after becoming an omni-elemental and increasing elixir efficiency.

I have... 32 F-rank elixirs.

There were 10 elixirs left from rewards and 22 that he had steadily produced himself without consuming after reaching late third grade.

Now that Leon no longer needed them, he could sell them all without issue. The question was how to sell them.

After getting a grasp of the market prices, Leon stopped in front of a tent.A wooden sign hanging above the tent indicated that herbs were being sold.

Intrigued, Leon immediately lifted the tent flap and entered.

An old man wearing glasses noticed Leon and tilted his head curiously.Having become sensitive to mana flow after becoming an omni-elemental, Leon realized the old man was drawing mana to assess his level.Expecting this reaction to some extent, Leon pretended not to notice and examined the wooden boxes laid out in front of the old man.

Most of the herbs stored in the boxes were familiar to Leon’s eyes.They were herbs used in F-rank and E-rank elixirs.

His eyes widened as he spotted one particular herb.

Small Sunflower!

It was needed for E-rank elixir production, but it was the only herb Leon couldn’t obtain in the herb forest.

Having come up with a good idea while looking around the stalls, Leon pointed at the box containing the Small Sunflower.The old man immediately reacted upon seeing this.

“Oh... You seem to have knowledge about elixir production. Seeing how you chose without hesitation.”“There’s no reason to hesitate when I’ve found what my master wanted.”

Leon subtly indicated that he was training under a master as he asked,

“How much is it?”“Just 700 mana stones.”

Despite his casual tone, the old man looked at Leon as if challenging him to buy it.

700 was roughly the price of two E-rank elixirs.He was asking for the price of two elixirs for one of the five herbs needed to make an E-rank elixir.Although it seemed overpriced, Leon didn’t point it out.

“How about exchanging it for other herbs?”“Other herbs? I’m sorry, but this is an herb with its stem intact. It means if you plant it in the right environment and take good care of it, it will reproduce on its own.”

Leon took out another herb needed for E-rank elixir production that wasn’t on the stall.

It was freshly picked just before entering the market, so naturally, it was still alive down to the roots.

“Well, well......”

The old man’s eyes sparkled as he closely examined the herb in Leon’s hand.

“It’s in good condition for something not properly stored. If you give me two of the same quality, I’ll exchange them for one Small Sunflower.”“Two, you say?”“If you’re only exchanging one, there’s no need for me to trade. The Small Sunflower is also a rarer herb.”

Hearing this, it made sense.It was a disadvantageous condition for Leon who wanted the Small Sunflower, but the reason was rational.Of course, the notion of loss was only in general terms.For Leon, who was growing herbs in large quantities inside the bead, this level of loss was nothing.

Obtaining a new herb was more important.

However, Leon didn’t readily accept and showed signs of hesitation.The old man, seeming to have grasped Leon’s situation, asked,

“Do you only have one? I’m afraid my offer won’t change.”

Leon finally sighed and took out one more herb.

“You’ve given me what I want in exchange, but what can I do? My master’s errand comes first.”

At this, the old man smiled gently.

“What a devoted disciple.”

It wasn’t simply an attempt to haggle.The purpose was to prevent any strange intentions if the old man thought Leon had more herbs.

After exchanging two herbs for one Small Sunflower, Leon left the tent.

I guess this is enough for today...

He had been in the shopping street for quite a while in his current appearance.If he bought various items in the same appearance, it might attract attention from other magicians.

‘There’s no need to rush to sell things either.’

The exchange festival was scheduled to last for a week anyway.The second day was for individual disciple duels, the third day for duels between apprentice magicians from academies, and the fourth day for duels between ritual magicians from academies.After that, it was literally a festival.

It seemed like a good idea to come once more to check the prices of elixirs and scrolls, and then try selling a little at a time after that.

As Leon was about to retrace his steps, he noticed a small stall set up next to the tent.A man sitting with his arms crossed was dozing off with his eyes closed.Only one item was placed in front of him.

It was a plain, light brown wooden sword.It seemed too unremarkable for an artifact, which piqued Leon’s interest even more.

Leon approached the man.

The man with messy black hair sticking out in all directions opened his eyes, seemingly sensing Leon’s presence.

“Is this for sale?”“What else?”

Although his tone was brusque, the fact that he didn’t speak informally upon seeing Leon’s face was considered polite.

“Is it an artifact?”“I don’t know that myself.”“Pardon?”“I picked it up by chance while doing mercenary work in the Western Beast Forest. I only know it’s not an ordinary item because it wouldn’t break no matter how hard I struck it.”“It won’t break no matter how hard you strike it?”

The man nodded firmly.

“That’s right. It wouldn’t break no matter what I did to it. I can guarantee its durability at least.”“...Is that all?”“That’s why I’m still sprawled out here unable to pack up, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t clear if he wanted to sell it or not.Even Leon, who had initially thought of buying it, was slightly put off by the man’s indifferent attitude.

“How much is it?”“You want to buy it?”“Yes, if the price is reasonable. I’m interested in collecting antiques.”“Developing an interest in antiques at your age? That’s quite an unusual hobby.”

His sarcastic tone was strangely irritating.When Leon just stared at him without saying more, the man glanced at Leon and held out the wooden sword.

It was a gesture for Leon to appraise it.

Leon tried to use an appraisal spell to examine the sword’s abilities.

I can’t sense any abilities?

If the man’s words were true, it was just an extremely durable wooden sword.Although it was strange for wood to be this hard...

Wait a minute.

Upon closer inspection, something odd caught his eye.There was a very faint, but distinct flow of mana around the wooden sword.

Is there really something to it?

Seeing Leon lost in thought, the man blurted out,

“250 mana stones.”“I don’t have mana stones, but would you accept other items in exchange?”“Other items, you say?”“I have some elixirs given by my master.”“Hmm...... Five F-rank elixirs.”

Leon shook his head.He had figured out that there was something to the sword, but that was knowledge only he possessed.

“Asking for five F-rank elixirs for what seems to be just a sturdy club, it doesn’t seem like you really want to sell it.”“Can’t you tell at a glance that it has hidden abilities?”“Isn’t it because you couldn’t figure out those hidden abilities that you’re putting it out here?”“......You have keen insight for your young age.”

The man held out his index and middle fingers in front of Leon.

“Two.”“Hmm...”“Take a gamble on its potential. You’re buying it with some expectations anyway, right? I can’t sell it for less than that, so think carefully before you answer.”

The man seemed unwilling to give up on the last possibility.That’s probably why he had been sprawled out here, unable to dispose of this one wooden sword.After some consideration, Leon nodded.

Having finished his last trade, Leon changed his clothes again and returned to his lodgings.The regular disciples sharing the room were still out, it seemed, as Leon was alone in the room.

Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.

Thinking this was a good opportunity, Leon took out the wooden sword and examined it from various angles.

As Leon tried to levitate the wooden sword in front of him using basic telekinesis, he was surprised to find that basic telekinesis didn’t work on it.

I was thinking of using it together with the Moonlight Scattering Sword later.

Frustration welled up, but Leon forcibly suppressed it.After all, even the Moonlight Scattering Sword was incomplete.

With no other choice, he held it directly in his hand and tried various things.

He tried poking and prodding it in different ways, like when he was figuring out the use of the space-time bead, but to no avail.

Is it really related to the flow of mana?

Leon sat cross-legged with the wooden sword beside him.

As he started to regulate his breathing in a familiar manner, Leon immediately sensed something odd.

The flow of mana entering through his breathing was strange.

Leon stopped his breathing technique and immediately cast a detection spell.

After perceiving the flow of mana around him, Leon soon found the cause of the oddity.

The wooden sword was intercepting the mana that was gathering around Leon.

The intercepted mana was being sucked into the wooden sword.

A belated realization hit Leon.

There was a reason why that man gave it up so easily. He wasn’t unaware of it.

When the wooden sword was left alone, this flow might not be noticeable, but if one were to practice, there’s no way the man, being a magician, wouldn’t have noticed this fact.A sword that sucks in mana when kept nearby.While it became more certain that it had some suspicious ability, it was like a white elephant - too troublesome to keep around.

Putting it in the spatial storage would likely result in no changes, but keeping it nearby would constantly interfere with training.

As Leon let out a bitter laugh, a thought crossed his mind.

He immediately left the room and headed to a secluded place.Then he grasped the bead.

Leon entered the bead holding the wooden sword and stuck it directly into the ground.

“Snore......”

Ignoring Kito’s breathing sound as he slept with a very comfortable expression, Leon sat cross-legged and was about to start his breathing technique when.

Even before he had touched the flow of mana, the surrounding mana began to be sucked towards the wooden sword.

“Wow......”

The mana being sucked in by the wooden sword grew uncontrollably in an instant.It was as if the wooden sword had opened its mouth and was devouring mana.

The wooden sword continued to suck in mana for a long time, increasing its momentum at a terrifying speed.It was enough to wake up Kito, who had been sleeping, as he sensed the flow of magical power.

Let’s see how long it keeps sucking.

In any case, the mana in the space inside the bead would never run out.Even now, despite sucking in so much mana, there was no sign of it drying up.

About half a day passed like this.

Eventually, the wooden sword began to tremble as if it could no longer handle it, and then suddenly the vibration stopped.

And then a cracking sound echoed from the wooden sword.

It was the sound of its surface cracking.