Chapter 267 - 23: Spreading Fame, Magic Pattern Drone (Part 3)

Chapter 267: Chapter 23: Spreading Fame, Magic Pattern Drone (Part 3)

Several nearby Apprentices immediately noticed the astonishing speed of the Pen of Contemplation, and looks of surprise appeared on their faces.

As time passed, more and more people began to notice the pen.

Most of the people in the Lecture Hall were Apprentices promoted within the last ten years, and many hadn’t even mastered the Magic Pen Technique. It was a scene they would not soon forget.

Mo Ning, however, was already used to it.

Ever since the second general assessment, he had been the focus of the new arrivals’ attention and no longer felt awkward about it.

To the other Apprentices, the class was quite difficult. Nearly all of them were frowning.

Mo Ning, however, found it quite easy. It was, after all, only the introductory Chapter, and from his perspective, it was still rather elementary.

Only a few of the points Lola explained required his serious consideration, so he had plenty of mental energy to spare for multi-tasking.

So, he held an Ink Tube Pen and began working on the Divination structure for Lightning Chain on a separate stack of paper.

Some time ago, a Thunder Feather formed from arcs of electricity had mysteriously appeared on his Phantom Carved Divine Statue. He had studied it for several months, figured out the basics, and planned to adapt it into his second Level Zero Soul Magic.

He had finally made a breakthrough in this project just a few days ago.

This conspicuous act of writing and drawing on two separate stacks of paper with two different pens inevitably drew frequent sidelong glances from the other Apprentices.

Even Lola glanced over curiously several times.

It was no exaggeration to say that no one had ever made such a profound impression on this group of Apprentices in a mere ten minutes.

Mo Ning, however, remained unperturbed.

He had multi-tasked like this more than once during his classes as a new arrival.

’Let them stare if they want.’

More than halfway through the three-hour lecture, a somewhat crude theoretical framework for his project had already taken shape on a Light Curtain in front of Mo Ning.

With a thought, a line of text appeared above the Light Curtain: Magic Pattern Drone Divination Calculator v1.0.

He had first conceived of the drone concept back when he created the Triangular Wing during the second assessment.

But with his abilities at the time, both the structural design and the control system were insurmountable obstacles.

Now, several months later, he had repeatedly studied the structure of The Aviator and had thoroughly mastered all its details.

Furthermore, he had finished reading *Basic Puppet Design Introduction*, which he had received as a reward from the academy, and had delved into several books on Magic Pattern Study. He finally possessed a sufficient theoretical foundation.

In terms of classification, a drone belongs to the category Wizards call "Flying Puppets."

Although Wizards had invented countless Flying Puppets—for combat, reconnaissance, and even auxiliary tasks like deliveries—the drone Mo Ning envisioned was completely different from these traditional designs.

This time, he wasn’t going to settle for a half-finished product.

Otherwise, wouldn’t he just be handing an opportunity to someone like First Level Wizard Hede? All they would have to do is build upon his foundation, add more functions, and they could easily reap the rewards.

That would be too great a loss for him.

Therefore, Mo Ning planned to spend more time refining his work and designing the most complete Magic Pattern Drone possible.

On the other hand, for a First Level Apprentice, Spiritual Strength was extremely limited. They could master too few types of Level Zero Witchcraft, which severely restricted their combat effectiveness.

The Magic Pattern Drone would be a powerful supplement, effectively compensating for this lack of offensive options.

"...And that concludes today’s lesson!

"In the second Chapter five days from now, I will provide an in-depth analysis of the Qi’e Magic Pattern Group, one of the three major Spiritual Magic Pattern Groups, from the perspective of Divination."

With that, Lola brought her long lecture to a close.

The Female Apprentice didn’t leave immediately, however. Instead, she smiled and announced a "homework" assignment:

"As you all know, Magic Patterns and Puppets are inextricably linked. I’d like you all to use what you’ve learned today to design a Puppet that can be controlled via Spiritual Magic Patterns.

"During our next class, I will select the best design, publicly explain its highlights, and provide a detailed Suggestion Letter with proposed modifications, free of charge."

Her words immediately sent a small stir through the crowd.

The corners of Mo Ning’s mouth lifted slightly.

’Of course,’ he thought, ’this is a common little trick many instructors use to get Apprentices to pay for the next class.’

’On the one hand, an assignment like this connects theory with practice, making it far more useful and naturally motivating the Apprentices to learn. On the other hand, the complimentary Suggestion Letter for modifications has value in itself, acting as a gift to entice the Apprentices to keep paying.’

However, Lola’s next words almost made Mo Ning lose his composure.

"Of course, considering that some people’s skill in Divination significantly exceeds the average, for the sake of fairness... Mo Ning will be excluded from the selection."

A ripple of soft laughter instantly spread through the classroom, and all eyes once again locked onto Mo Ning.

Mo Ning sighed helplessly.

’Miss Lola, isn’t this a bit much?’ he complained inwardly. ’I’m a Black Tower New Star. A formal complaint from me would land you in serious trouble!’

Lola immediately placated him with her next sentence. "Additionally, Mo Ning’s Puppet design will be evaluated separately."

She looked at Mo Ning, a smile expressing her high expectations. "I have great faith that Mo Ning will be able to produce something that truly dazzles us."

Even more gazes drifted toward Mo Ning.

Mo Ning sighed to himself again.

He had a good idea of the Female Apprentice’s true intentions. ’This is definitely more than just a simple homework assignment,’ he thought.

Nasha’s earnest words of advice had once again proven their immense value.

"See you all in five days!"

With those parting words, Lola’s body erupted in pale flames and vanished.

The crowd began to file toward the exit.

Whether intentionally or not, the Apprentices around Mo Ning made way for him.

The unwritten laws of conduct forged during their initial training still profoundly influenced the behavior of every Apprentice in the Lecture Hall.

On the third day after Mo Ning’s promotion, his fame began to spread at an astonishing speed throughout Dormitory Area 43.