Netheril’s Glory
Chapter 22: Spoils and promotion.

The two robed skeletons may have been powerful trainee-level mages when they were alive, but after they turned into undeads, they just became a pile of bones wearing gorgeous clothes. Punk shot two secondary catapults toward them; unlike last time, the spell accurately hit their target without any mishap. The undead mage's skulls were broken, and their soul flames were completely extinguished.

Punk doesn't dare to search the bone piles in front of him directly. You have to know that even if these two piles of bones now look like dross, they used to be powerful Mages; who knew whether their items will have any curse placed on them.

Most of the time, professionals, especially mages,

place curses on their magic items to protect them from thieves and also to give one last blow to their enemies, even after their death.

Countless unlucky thieves and unprepared opponents died mysteriously after casually touching a cursed item.

That's why Punk always reminded himself to never underestimate his enemies, even when it seems like they pose no danger to himself.

So to safely search these bodyes, a spell was undoubtedly the best choice.

Punk started to chant a spell in a low voice; after that, the tip of his staff begun to exude a faint purple light; a few seconds later, it started to take shape with sharp edges and corners like a carved diamond statue. Finally, it condensed into a big hand.

It was the apprentice-level spells—"Mage's hand."

Punk ordered the giant bear to stay alert, who could still exist for another ten minutes or so, then he controlled the big hand to grab robed skeletons. The skeletons' bones started to come off and scatter on the ground as Punk was shaking them like clothes in the air. Slowly, piece by piece, all the bones fell down from the robe; in the end, only the robe was fluttering in the air by the breeze.

Punk used the system to carefully analyze the robe and found that although there are obvious traces of enchantment and other magic on it, those magical effects had long disappeared under the erosion of the death energy. After all, this was just an apprentice level robe; now, only a few disappearing inscriptions with faint magic fluctuation was the only evidence that this thing was a magic item before.

And now......It only can be used as magic material after recycling...

But even these magic material were also apprentice-level magical ingredients. It is very much possible to sell them for one or two hundred gold coins. Although these gold coins are really nothing to the average mages, to Punk, who even lacks basic magic knowledge, these gold coins are essential.

After some time, Punk found two pair of boots, two belts, and three magic ring from those pile of bones. All of these items lost their magic power without exception, but still, they can be sold for at least 700 gold coins.

Honestly speaking, Punk really hoped to obtain an immense treasure or some high-level secret knowledge,

but the reality of this incident cruelly popped his fantasy bubbles, let alone treasures; he didn't even find a valuable thing that was still usable.

"In those novels on earth, isn't the MC always blessed by heaven and always find some cheats or some secret treasures? Even in the worst cases, they are likely to find at least a treasure map. When it was my turn, I only got scraps?"

Punk put the bits and pieces of the scattered items into a torn robe, which he was using as a temporary pocket and complain to himself.

In fact, Punk also knew that it is almost impossible for something good to survive in front of an official-level spell; and If there was something that can resist an official level Mage, would they not use it to protect their lives rather then saving it for him?

Although these scraps were far better than nothing, Punk still can't help but secretly complain in his heart:

"Sure enough, online novels can not be used as a reference in reality!"

Punk recorded the coordinate of the undead forest's location while carrying the bunch of "scrap" on his back. Then he turned around and headed in the direction of Konola City; even in this wasteland with no landmarks, Punk quickly figure out the path with the help of a prophecy spell.

Punk was planning to stay in Konola City for a while after completing the mission. He was going to sell his spoils to Mage Union and use the money to buy a house in the downtown area and proceed with the plan of seriously practising alchemy.

So that in the future, alchemy can easily bear his expenses. There are always unpredictable events in a mission, like what happened with those soldiers, and if Punk is not extra careful, it might become his downfall.

It was already 25 o'clock in the evening, and Pheren's three moons rose in the sky again. The weather at this time was very clear and calm. Without industrial pollution, countless stars like twinkling dots can be clearly seen in the night sky. All these stars were all actually plane like the Pheren. The light from these planes closer to Pheren passes through the Astral realm and shines on the Pheren plane's sky, forming a bright starry scene, which was a little different from the earth. Because the starry sky above Punk's head, the stars had different colours, especially the various blue and red lights emitted by the elemental planes... The dotted starry sky was beautiful like a fairy tale world; all these stars were slowly revolving around the Pheren plane because of its enormous gravitational force. Looking from the ground, all the spinning bright dots against the background of the deep and secluded night were as bright and beautiful as a rain of sparkling diamonds!

Punk looked at this magical night sky and was awed for a while.

"How beautiful, how mysterious, such deep cosmos is worth pursuing, such wonders are worth witnessing."

Punk was deeply attracted to the unknown. His face was illuminated by the bright cold moonlight, and the colourful starlight was reflecting in his eyes.

Punk only felt that the gorgeous night sky seemed to shine into his soul, and his soul was seemingly trying to become one with the cosmos.

The entire wasteland seemed to become still and silent. Suddenly, a breeze lightly moved the corners of Punk's robe, and Punk seemed to hear a tingling voice whispering in his ears in the dark. Slowly, he woke up from this mysterious state, feeling that his mental perception had been amplified more than three times. A large amount of mana was trickling through his limbs, and it was also becoming more and more condensed in the depth of his soul.

Punk can fell the world around him more clearly and with more details; he looked at his slender white fingers!

"I see, I broke through!"

The breakthrough came very suddenly but, at the same time, felt very natural to Punk. The leap in the soul level gave Punk a deeper understanding of magic and a greater level of control over it. Now even the low-level spells will get a large effect bonus after being cast with his higher-level soul.

The most important thing was that Punk finally have the qualifications to learn trainee-level spells!

He thought about the lady priest's divine armor and how it resisted dozens of strikes from a level four skeleton warrior and still did not break, and how a single spell from his staff killed multiple apprentice-level undead in seconds.

Punk couldn't help but show a smile,

"I took another step forward in my magical path.

However, people have to stammer before they can speak and walk before they can run."

He must learn some trainee-level spells to gain maximum combat power as soon as possible. Punk wanted to be ready for any unexpected reaction from the Old mage of Mage Union, after seeing his changes,

Punk, who had now recovered his expressionless face, picked up the fallen "scrap bag" from the ground and continued to walk towards Konola city in the dark. Although, the brilliance of the three moons made the night much brighter than before.

"My road has just begun!" Punk lightly exclaimed!