When Victor said “junk,” he didn’t mean the items were entirely worthless. In fact, they were worth a ton of mana crystals, but most had limited practical use for the academy’s current situation. To be clear, what he had drawn from the lootboxes included a couple of unidentified magic ores that looked like adamantium, an enchanted fabric of very high quality, two Bet-tier spell scrolls, a few high-grade tools clearly meant for close-combat fighters, and, bafflingly, a frying pan among other assorted oddities.
“I didn’t even know that you could get a freaking frying pan from an Elemental Adept lootbox!” Victor almost threw the pan to the ground in frustration, but then he found that it was a magic tool from the item’s description.
Supreme Frying Pan
A magic frying pan forged by a food-obsessed Artificer from an extremely precious magic alloy, adamantium. This magic pan guarantees any dish will taste extremely delicious, regardless of the chef’s skill, or it can simply be used as a weapon to bash people’s heads.
There is a hidden feature that can be unlocked in the hands of a suitable owner.
Rank: Superior-grade magic tool
Victor stared at the description, incredulous. “Who in their right mind would forge a superior-grade frying pan?” He could almost hear the mischievous laughter of the previous headmaster, who was infamous for similar oddities. The sheer absurdity of it was both exasperating and oddly fitting. Heck, the more he thought about it, the more that he was convinced of it.
As for the hidden feature? Considering that it was a pan designed for cooking, no matter how amazing the hidden feature was, it would probably have something to do with enhancing flavor or maybe being able to cook food without needing fire.
In any case, the other high-grade magic tools were close-combat weapons and armor typically favored by Ki-Warriors, lacking the quality of superior-grade items he’d expected from this level of lootboxes. Given that only superior-grade tools matched an Elemental Adept Magus’s level, these were, in a way, duds. Well, perhaps he shouldn't have expected anything spectacular from a free gacha.
Victor sighed, sifting through the remaining haul. The last item he uncovered was a single vial of what appeared to be a shimmering, silver liquid. Faint pulses of mana radiated from it, giving the air around it a mysterious pressure. This particular item was labeled as “Liquid Essence of the Lost Sea” and appeared to be a rare and extremely volatile substance said to temporarily enhance an Elemental Adept Magus’ infused mana significantly but with unpredictable side effects.
In other words, a Magus who ingested it could unleash spell after spell, each almost matching the power of a sigil-powered attack, until the substance wore off.
“Interesting,” he murmured, carefully setting the vial aside. It could be used as a last-effort card to turn the situation around, though the unknown side effects were rather concerning. At least, he thought, not everything here is a complete waste.
With a deep breath, Victor tucked away the items into his interspatial ring and strode back to his office.
Not long after Victor settled back at his desk, Lizbeth returned, hovering just above his line of sight. “Master, I have several reports on the academy’s current state. Some of it is good news, while other parts… less so,” she relayed calmly.
“Go on.”
“First is about Elara. There’s been a recent development on her side,” Lizbeth let out.
Victor’s lips curled into a mysterious smile; he’d been waiting to hear this. Ever since he cast a mind-control spell on her, she’d been assigned to the Alchemical Hall to concoct elixirs and potions from the recipes he provided. One of his main goals was to mass-produce Mana Aptitude Enhancement Elixirs, which would boost the players’ progression through the ranks.
“Currently, the success rate of the elixir is around 30 percent, and a total of ten has been produced so far,” Lizbeth reported, “but with resources from the Magic Botanical Garden and the surrounding forest, we can sustain production for the time being. Though if we want to expand production, we have to stop producing other potions and elixirs or increase ingredients production altogether.”
“That’s not bad at all.” Victor tapped his chin thoughtfully. “If we upgrade the Magic Botanical Garden, we could accelerate the growth of magical plants and potentially increase the yield rate.”
Lizbeth nodded enthusiastically. “It would also allow us to experiment with rarer strains, which might improve her success rate.”
“Us,” in this case, of course, referred to both Elara and the players training as budding Alchemists. As headmaster, Victor enjoyed the luxury of merely sitting back in his chair, awaiting reports — an almost effortless role, one might even call it mooching.
Victor smiled in anticipation as he leaned on his chair. “What’s next?” he asked.
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“The other reports are from the players…” Lizbeth explained everything that had transpired in the academy during his short absence. Although he’d only been away a few days, a surprising amount had unfolded, including known incidents like the undead sightings and SuperNova’s disappearance. Additionally, there were new, unsettling reports of strange, flesh-like monstrosities lurking deeper within Thornwood Forest. So far, none of the players had encountered these creatures directly, but their presence was worrying.
“Hmm.” Scary… Isn’t the Thornwood Forest suddenly becoming more sinister? With the creeping undead and now grotesque monstrosities, the place was turning into a nightmare. A cold wind hit Victor’s back as he entertained the thought of relocating the academy, but that wouldn’t be possible because of the System and all.
“On a brighter note,” Lizbeth added, in an effort to shift the mood, “Auralise’s group at the academy has made some progress. They successfully tamed an entire nest of Dreadbeak Birds using spell models they’d invented.”
“Interesting.” Victor’s eyebrows rose in pleasant surprise. While the flightless Dreadbeak Birds weren’t particularly strong individually, they were agile and well-suited to use as mounts for navigating the dense forest. In large numbers, they posed a challenge even for third-stage Initiate Attunement acolytes. Tamed en masse, these creatures and the players could team up to become the academy’s new scouting force.
“I’ll be sure to reward them with merit points later,” Victor mused. It wasn’t just Auralise’s group that had made strides; other players had achieved significant breakthroughs across various sectors as well. Construction projects were advancing, new spell models had been developed, and farming efforts were flourishing. Thanks to the diligence of Dendro and Bio elemental players, the wheat fields were nearly ripe for harvest — a remarkable feat given that they had only started farming for a bit longer than two months.
At last, the players were beginning to show their worth.
The fairy crossed her legs, casting a curious glance at Victor’s face. “So, what’s the plan now, Master?”
Victor exhaled slowly, momentarily taking in the silence of his office. “Our main goal now is preparation. The academy may soon find itself in an unprecedented calamity. Handling the problems is important, but what’s even more critical is preparing our players — ensuring they’re informed and ready for what lies ahead.”
And of course, to do that, Victor was going to make an update announcement.
Magus Academy Online Testing Server Beta Version 0.1 Update Announcement
Major Update:
- New Expansion — “The Land of the Dead”
Brace yourselves for an enthralling first-ever expansion in the game! “The Land of the Dead” is now online: Foreign invaders have invaded a vast portion of the Thornwood Forest and transformed it into a withered land full of undead creatures. This expansion will feature an expansive new map, a new enemy faction, fresh tasks and missions, a new time-limited currency, and an epic ongoing war between the academy and these invaders that will unfold across several versions. Be well-prepared! - New Unknown Crisis on the Horizon
Alongside the undead invasion, players will encounter a hidden, ominous threat that could strike the academy at any moment. This is a dangerous threat, and players have to be extra cautious of not venturing too deep into the forest to avoid unnecessary death. Remember, failing to withstand the invasion will result in a server reset!
- Titles, Here We Go Again
We are aware that there are many players who missed out on previous title opportunities. Worry not, as this expansion will bring not one, not two, but three new titles into the game! All players with an average daily playtime of 6 hours or more during the expansion will receive a limited title of “Sanctum’s Hard-Worker”; players who participate in the upcoming academy’s war against the undead horde will earn a special title of “Warrior of the Dead”; lastly, those who managed to make a huge contribution in this expansion may be given a very special title of “Holy Knight.”
- Season Change
Autumn is about to end in the game, and winter is approaching fast. Ever since 2:1 time dilation was implemented, the in-game time has been much faster than the real world, making the changing of seasons faster. So, be prepared for the seasonal change and the challenges it will bring.
- Academy Store Update
In order to help players face the oncoming calamity, the store’s inventory has been updated. There will be special items such as “Mana Aptitude Enhancement Elixir” that can increase your mana aptitude, making your meditation progress faster. Some of these special items can only be purchased by using the time-limited event currency. - Increase in Closed Beta Player Quota
The quota for closed-beta players has been set to 1,500 or more.
- New Virtual Spell Market
Selling spell models just got easier! Players can now list their created spell models on the new virtual spell market, making trading spell models simpler and more efficient.
Optimization:
- New Ever-Expanding Map and Enemy Models
The new expansion brings updated landscapes, expanded maps, and improved enemy models.
- Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements
Our team has been hard at work weaving away any pesky bugs and enhancing the overall performance of the game. Your experience in Magus Academy Online will now be smoother and more enjoyable than ever.
Other Changes:
- New Ranking System
This update introduces a new ranking system for the Hall of Fame, accessible through the official website. Unlike the content creator ranking, this system will rank players based on their power rank and spell comprehension. - Easing in Restrictions on In-Game Internet Access
Based on community feedback, we’re expanding in-game internet access. While content that violates the game’s terms of service like viewing R-18 content remains restricted, we’re opening access to more apps, including social media. Please note that this feature will be monitored strictly.
Please note that the server update will occur from 12:00 EST until 18:00 EST, and you won’t be able to log in during that period of time. This is the game’s transition to the closed-beta phase and a significant major update that will become the milestone of this new phase. We appreciate your patience and feedback as we continue to refine and expand the world of Magus Academy Online. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and announcements in the world of Magus Academy Online!