Perhaps due to Lina's petite stature, her demeanor in bed did not exude the same confidence as that of a high-level apprentice. Sain, at just sixteen, also had a decent physique with plenty of room to grow over the next several years. Given his growth rate, by the time he reached twenty-five, when his body would peak in various aspects, it was likely that his physical condition score would surpass 12 points.
Compared to the robust physique of the bull-headed warriors or the uniquely gifted underground dwellers, Sain's score might not seem significant. However, within the community of dark wizards, his physical condition was sufficient. After all, not every dark wizard dedicatedly trained their body like Scarface Chock did. Even Lina occasionally found it challenging to handle Sain's strength, much less other magical apprentices.
As the date of the annual assessment drew near, the previously quiet Black Magic Academy gradually buzzed with activity. Many apprentices returned from their missions, and those who had spent long periods in their dormitories or libraries also emerged to mingle in various corners of the academy.
Aside from his cohabiting girlfriend Lina, Sain had made a few "friends" over the years. Without sufficient strength, it was difficult for a lone wolf to thrive in the Black Magic Academy. Especially for entry-level apprentices, the importance of sticking together and having strong backing was evident.
Sain had many ordinary friends, but there were only two with whom he could truly connect and share deep-rooted understanding.
"Hey, Fatty! Long time no see," Sain greeted a rotund magical apprentice approaching him between the academy's various buildings.
Fatty Bos was among the group of youths who had arrived at the Black Magic Academy with Sain ten years ago. Their bond had strengthened over the years, forged through shared experiences of battling and competing for food.
Many in their cohort had died for various reasons, so Bos and Sain counted as some of the oldest friends among that group. The low-level apprentice Ilk, who had perished, likely harbored another enemy—Bos, as he had been one of the culprits in snatching food from Ilk's brother back in the day.
Upon hearing Sain's greeting, Bos paused for a moment, then his jiggly face broke into a broad grin as he opened his arms to approach Sain. The initial failure to recognize Sain was likely due to him wearing a white mask at the moment.
"Ha ha! Sain! I've heard all about the great things you've accomplished in the last two months!" Bos laughed warmly. "I heard you've even become a disciple of a great official dark wizard now?"
"That mask you're wearing—did you capture it from Ilk? A low-level magical artifact, let me take a look!"
Bos, also a low-level apprentice, lacked the inclination for meditation or deep study of magic. Instead, he had an interest in commerce and was particularly drawn to black gold. The Abyssal Street was an area of trade within the Black Magic Academy, but in Mosobla City, there were multiple commercial streets as well, often selling items of dubious origins and requiring negotiations with underground dwellers or other dark creatures.
Currently, Fatty Bos was primarily working there. Though not a disciple of an official dark wizard, it appeared that his shop had some connection or backing from a dark wizard. The magical materials Sain purchased before his expedition to the saltwater crocodile territory—like iron phosphorus powder—he obtained from Bos at friendship prices.
Bos's hefty hands didn't touch Sain's mask but patted his shoulder instead, which caused Sain to roll his eyes at Bos's enormous belly. Bos was only a year older than Sain, and Sain often wondered how he managed to gain so much weight in the perilous environment of the Shadowy Lands. It seemed like Bos hadn't been this chubby when they first arrived in the underground world.
On returning to the Black Magic Academy, Bos was not here to vie for any academy rewards. His strength ranked middle to low among low-level apprentices. Instead, he had returned because he sensed a business opportunity.
For the past three years, during the academy assessments, Bos had been selling his wares in low-level apprentice circles. From magical materials to incomplete spell models, he offered all sorts of goods, although most were mere low-level trinkets priced between a few pieces of black gold. After all, there were no wealthy individuals among the low-level apprentices, and those at intermediate levels or higher wouldn't touch Bos's subpar merchandise.
It was also possible that Bos had some quality items but was too afraid to present them to intermediate apprentices, fearing they might become targets of envy.
Before Bos could speak further, Sain removed his mask. Handing it over to Bos, he asked, "How much do you think this mask is worth in black gold?"
With nimble fingers, Bos examined the white mask Sain had given him. He was knowledgeable about such things, as his shop occasionally sold low-level or intermediate magical tools. After scrutinizing the mask for a while, he said, "At a fair price, it could sell for 120 black gold. But if you let me have it, I'd be willing to offer you 150 black gold."
Bos's answer vividly illustrated the exorbitant prices of magical artifacts and the richness of the alchemy profession. However, Sain didn't entirely believe Bos's words. Knowing Bos and his penchant for profit, he figured that even if he bought it for 150 black gold, Bos would certainly find a way to sell it for more.
How much it could be sold for depended partly on the buyer's purchasing power and partly on Bos's persuasive skills. In Mosobla City, magical artifacts were exceedingly rare, and there was almost no fixed standard price.
As Bos continued to inspect the mask, Sain noticed that he wasn't returning it anytime soon. Suddenly, Sain remarked, "This mask indeed came from Ilk, but it seems to be a gift from an official dark wizard."
Sain's response startled Bos, causing him to drop the mask back into Sain's hands. Bos's timid demeanor made Sain laugh softly. If this had been two months prior, he would have likely shared Bos's fear of retribution from an official dark wizard.
However, two months had passed without any trouble from the official dark wizard Kesserson, which allowed Sain to let go of that concern. Moreover, with more time spent with Master Mosido and Senior Sister Faye, Sain understood that if he genuinely encountered any trouble, his mentor would not sit idly by.
After all, if an official dark wizard came looking for trouble with Sain, it would essentially be inviting trouble for Master Mosido as well. Sain wasn't sure about his mentor's true strength, but based on how Vice Dean Darlong and Mentor Ferena performed in the dungeon, he figured Mosido was not a weakling among official dark wizards.