Fireball

Early the next morning, the sky had just begun to show a pale fish-belly white.

Matthew slowly opened his eyes from his meditation. His consciousness receded like a tide from the deep tranquility, returning to reality.

He let out a long, gentle breath and pulled out his pocket watch to take a look—seven in the morning.

A faint wave of joy rose from the depths of his heart.

“The average time I spend in trance is indeed getting longer and longer... I'm even meditating through the entire night more often, just like last night.”

Staring at the steady ticking of the second hand on the watch face, he mused,

“Though it's not stable enough yet, the total duration of my meditation is indeed gradually increasing.”

He knew that for him right now, there was only one way to temper his Spirit—meditation.

Therefore, every deeper and longer plunge meant his Spirit would strengthen by another sliver.

Once he finished washing up, a polite knock sounded at his door right on cue.

Matthew opened the door, and the inn's servant entered respectfully carrying a tray.

The contents of the tray were the same as usual:

A few slices of perfectly toasted rye bread with slightly charred edges, a bowl of hot soup with glistening oil droplets and chunks of meat, and a deep-red steak placed on a separate small plate.

This steak was none other than the prime magical beast meat he required daily. He had entrusted it to the inn's kitchen for special preparation to ensure a steady supply and precise portions.

As for why he no longer used the prime magical beast meat in stews, it was mainly because its gamey smell was too strong and it tasted truly awful that way!

Besides, with his relatively abundant funds, it was only natural for him to pursue higher-quality food.

He placed the tray on the table and sat down to eat in silence.

The coarse aroma of the bread, the warmth of the soup, and the unique, slightly chewy, and sweet-gamey texture of the prime magical beast meat, along with the warm current slowly spreading from it, together soothed his morning body.

He did not eat quickly, chewing each bite thoroughly to allow the food to be better absorbed. Meanwhile, his mind was already sharp and active, methodically planning his schedule for the day.

After breakfast, Matthew headed straight for the inner city gates.

Upon arriving at the gates, he habitually turned left, following a familiar path.

Before long, a tidy stable appeared before his eyes.

This was a public stable established by the inner city to facilitate travel.

Since galloping was prohibited within the inner city, leading a horse on foot out of the city was both time-consuming and inconvenient. Many Class holders and merchants who needed to travel outside chose to temporarily stable their horses here.

This was also something the owner of the Stone Oak Inn had specifically informed Matthew about, as the owner had specially reserved a horse for him here.

Moreover, the owner of the Stone Oak Inn had already taken it upon himself to cover the stabling fees. As a result, Matthew did not have to pay anything extra whenever he used the horse, which made him appreciate once again how thoughtful the owner's services were, saving him trouble at every turn.

The stable was clean and orderly, with over a dozen sturdy horses quietly chewing on fodder by the troughs.

The guard stationed there spotted Matthew and hurriedly led out a sleek, well-proportioned brown steed from the troughs. It was fully saddled and bridled, with a light travel pack draped over its back.

“Please, My Lord. Just return it before dusk,” the guard said respectfully as he handed over the reins.

Ever since Matthew had used the Fiery Lion Badge a few times, all the guards here had committed his face to memory.

Matthew nodded and swung himself onto the horse in one clean, swift motion.

The horse seemed well-trained, its gait steady. Guided by his gentle tugs, it trotted unhurriedly through the city gates and stepped onto the dirt road leading out of town.

The morning breeze brushed against his face, carrying the scent of wild grass and dew unique to the open wilderness outside the city.

He quickened his pace slightly. The horse's hooves beat a crisp rhythm on the hard dirt road as he headed toward a valley to the southwest that he had scouted beforehand.

About half an hour later, Matthew reined in his horse at a well-hidden entrance to the valley.

He tethered the horse to an old tree outside the valley, took out a waterskin and a few pieces of dry rations from his travel pack to place beside it, patted the horse's neck, and then turned to walk into the valley on foot.

He had chosen this valley after searching for quite some time—it was remote, far from main roads and human activity, and its entrance was half-concealed by thick shrubs and jagged rocks, making it difficult to spot.

Yet, the space inside the valley was rather spacious, flanked by steep rocky cliffs covered in moss and vines.

The valley floor was a flat expanse of gravel and wild grass, with a shallow creek running through the center. The water was crystal clear, babbling softly as it flowed through the stones.

The valley was quiet, save for the whistling of the wind through the rocky crevices and the occasional chirp of a bird.

Sunlight filtered through a gap in the eastern cliff face, casting a checkered pattern of light and shadow across the valley floor, where the scent of soil and decaying leaves hung in the air.

Matthew walked to the center of the valley, stopped, and took a deep breath of the crisp air.

He first looked around to ensure no one was watching, then closed his eyes, letting his mind slowly settle.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, raised his right hand, and faced his palm forward.

He quickly muttered an incantation under his breath.

With a slight shift of his mind, the spiritual energy within his body gathered like a trickling stream, swirling and condensing in his palm along a profound trajectory—

This was the 【Energy Missile】 he had practiced countless times.

A speck of grayish-white light emerged from the void. Initially the size of a grain of rice, it rapidly expanded and solidified, turning into a light orb the size of a fist.

A faint grayish-white glow flowed across the surface of the orb. Within it, fine threads of energy seemed to weave and spin continuously, radiating a stable, restrained sense of pressure.

Matthew stared at it, a slight stir in his heart.

Compared to a month ago, this Energy Missile condensed noticeably faster. The orb's outline was clearer and more stable, and it was also slightly brighter.

“It seems that even without a breakthrough in realm, increasing my proficiency does indeed benefit my control over spells...”

He thought to himself.

Then, with a light flick of his wrist, the orb shot forward!

There was no whistling sound, only a faint gray trail piercing straight through the air. In the blink of an eye, it struck a half-man-high, blue-gray rock twenty paces away.

With a loud bang, the orb exploded. The grayish-white energy rippled outward, and the rock face cracked and shattered instantly.

As the dust slowly drifted away, the rock that had been half a man's height was now mostly shattered, leaving only its base intact.

【Energy Missile: Proficiency +1】

As the familiar prompt faded from the edge of his vision, Matthew nodded slightly.

After resting for a moment,

the valley returned to silence, with only the wind whistling through the scattered rocks.

He raised his hand forward once more—

The incantation in his mouth quietly changed.

A scorching aura slowly spread from his palm.

A burst of crimson fire emerged out of thin air from his palm. Initially only the size of a fist, it rapidly expanded and condensed, turning into a fireball the size of a human head!

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