Chapter 341 – Yellow

Chapter 341 – Yellow ★★

Kai looked at the overcast sky—slivers of steel blue peeked between clouds of burnished silver with streaks of charcoal. The morning air tickled his face, cold and biting as it sneaked into the collar of his uniform.

He had left his scarf in his bedroom, finding the wool far too scratchy. Only his uniform clothes still felt comfortable. Frozen pebbles crunched and crackled beneath his boots; drowsy voices echoed as he followed the branching pathways through the dormitories.

His day off had flown by as he organized his notes and completed assignments. Knowing he’d be too distracted to study after enhancement, he had delayed till evening and retired early, using the sound wards to ensure a discreet and dignified process.

Remembering when he used to upgrade his race on the seashore, he could just shake his head at his past self.

I had a little flair for theatrics.

If his roommates had noticed, Rob hadn’t mentioned it during breakfast, Alden remained shut in his bedroom, and Rain had yet to roll off his bed this morning by the time Kai’s impatience won. The urge to move had been too strong. He couldn’t bear to sit still, waiting for the lazy siren to rouse.

I’ll catch them at lunch break. There is no hurry.

Half the fun of reaching Yellow ★★ was enjoying people’s reactions when he sprung the news on them.

His heightened Perception was little bother compared to the sheer euphoria from the enhancement—the feeling of invincibility from the spike in attributes that made him revel. Most of it was a fading illusion, but some would remain.

Unless it’s all part of the delusion…

He summoned his status—numbers didn’t lie.

• Name: Kai Tylenn (Matthew Reece Veernon)
• Race: Yellow ★★ – 3,382 / 800,000 XP
• Profession: Favored Mystic of the Isles (lv3) – 1,988 / 22,000 XP

Body stats

• Strength: 36 > 45
• Dexterity: 37 > 48
• Constitution: 46 (38+8) > 56 (48+8)
• Mind: 59 (43+16) > 68 (52+16)
• Spirit: 66 (50+16) > 77 (61+16)
• Perception: 42 (34+8) > 52 (44+8)
• Favor: 91

In less than two years, he stood at a grade that people in the archipelago only heard in stories.

Another step forward.

The enhancement had rested him more than any sleep.

All his attributes rose by around ten points. It was slightly above average for mental stats, while his physical ones wouldn’t be fully realized till he finished his growth spurt and continued to settle into his twenties.

Strength and Dexterity balanced each other out; the effects of Mind and Spirits were subtle; Perception stood out. It always took him the longest to get used to his new senses, like putting on a pair of glasses he didn’t know he needed, the world suddenly became more vivid.

Pity he hadn’t gotten a feat for his Favor, though he had expected that. The gains for climbing grades were much more drastic than progressing within them, and now that his Guide had fully unlocked, status feats wouldn’t come as easily as when he was a kid.

It’s good enough.

Earning 500,000 XP seemed unreachable right till he stumbled upon the finishing line. Naturally, Yellow ★★★ had an even more ridiculous tag—800,000 XP, nearly as much as he had ever earned. Again.

The road to Green was steep, but he’d get there one bit at a time.

I should probably siphon XP to get a few levels in my profession. Then I can probably split it.

He was ready to bet his fortune that some scholar had written a dozen volumes on the optimal XP split ratio between race and profession. Another thing he’d need to check in the library, or ask his professors.

Higher stats do make everything better.

Before coming to the mainland, getting to Yellow ★★ would have filled him with wonder. Now, it felt like the natural next step.

Less than one in ten first-years at Raelion had reached the middle stage of Yellow, though the number was bound to increase as the seasons turned. The true challenge was those at the peak of Yellow, but then again, not one of them would have started at the bottom of Red. He’d catch up. It only took time.

Flynn was right to remind him it was a marathon, not a sprint.

Humming to himself, Kai headed for his morning lessons, perhaps standing a little straighter and with his chest slightly puffed up.

The marble towers were even more resplendent with his increased Perception. Shimmering spires soared above etched reliefs depicting the deeds of famous mages, flanked by gargoyles and draconic creatures watching him with stone eyes.

Entering the Tower of Sapientia, the rush of warm air clashed with the cold. He heard muttering of bets in a distant hallway, before the glazed tiles of the atrium caught his attention, reflecting an array of beige shades. He could smell the frozen weed as the door closed behind him and…

Sitting in a hall with hundreds of teenagers is gonna be miserable.

Kai moved away from the entrance to avoid blocking the passage. He’d need a few days to attune his senses, though it might be an opportunity. Rain did always mention how much information someone could learn through scents and tasting the air.

Will I regret more asking him, or not asking him?

He sat on a bench in one of the recesses close to the stairs. His first lecture didn’t start for another twenty minutes, and the hall would still be closed.

I must have walked faster than I realized.

A new week and a new schedule. The lectures had shuffled around, still eight to ten hours a day, though the courses appeared less daunting on the wave of his upgrade. Today, he had a free block for Elemental Practice and his first encounter with the professor of Introduction to Companion Bondings—mandatory for all students with a familiar.

He was revising his routes between the classes when he heard the echo of familiar steps. Looking up, he saw a figure heading in his general direction and met her gaze.

“I didn’t expect to see you so early.” Valela carried a book overstuffed with bookmarks and sheets of notes. She smelled like citrus and sandalwood. From the slight circles under her eyes, she had spent the night studying.

“Well, someone told me Raelion’s professors adore punctuality.” Kai smiled. Then noticed the girls following in her trail.

“And here I thought we’d be the first.” Lys skipped forward with the tiniest curtsey in greeting and pulled back a lock of golden hair, fresh and rosy. “How fortunate to find my favorite freshie here. Good morning, Mat. It’s an amazing coincidence to find you—”

Stolen novel; please report.

“Come, I need to review my notes before the test.” Renaria gave him a nod and dragged Lys toward the stairs. “We’ll keep a seat for you, Val.”

“Slow your pace. I was just…” Lys sulked to her friends, trying to maintain her grace as she was pulled along.

That was nice of her.

Kai turned to Valela—committed to his policy of ignoring Lys’ comments. “How’re you doing? I don’t want to keep you if you have an exam.”

“It’s just a minor test. I already know as much as I ever will about the genealogy of the Great Houses. I could use the distraction.” Valela put away her textbook and beamed a grin at him. “I see why Rain said you were busy yesterday. Congratulations on gaining the second star of Yellow. I didn’t know you were so close.”

“I— Uh… Thank you.” Kai grinned proudly before letting out a grumbling sigh. There went his plans of slowly hinting at the news. How did she know? He was sure no one had scanned him with their senses—no student, at least. “What gave me away?”

Her smile gained a smug curve. “Your voice.”

“My… voice?”

“You’re speaking faster,” Valela said, and to her credit, she managed to keep the smugness out of her tone. “When your attributes increase, you think and move faster. The increase is too small to notice at Orange and Red, but at Yellow it becomes obvious when you know someone well.”

“Oh…” Kai nodded. Thinking back, he got the vague impression people were talking slower, though the difference had been too minute to realize why before she pointed it out. “Nice to know. I’ll pay more attention.”

There were plenty more people he had yet to tell.

Valela gave him a suspicious look. “Are you planning to hide your attributes and suddenly surprise people who don’t expect it?”