Talent Awakening: I, the Weakest Awakened, Start with Dragonfire Spell

As Howard and Abby exchanged perplexed glances, the stunning figure of Tana gracefully alighted beside Howard, reminiscent of a fluttering butterfly.

The sudden appearance of Tana caused Abby's expression to shift subtly. She pressed her lips together, casting a wary glance at the newcomer.

Though Tana held the esteemed position of a mentor, Abby couldn't help but feel a hint of guardedness around her.

Little did she know, Margaret had long intruded on her territory.

While Abby was the official love interest of Howard, he had shared countless intimate nights with Margaret even before he and Abby had taken that step.

Tana said with a smile, "The flesh of monsters contains considerable energy. Once you've fully digested it, you'll feel its effects during your training. But remember, never consume too much monster flesh in a single day. The overwhelming energy might just backfire on you."

"Thank you for the advice, mentor," Howard replied with a nod.

"Why thank me?" Tana waved dismissively, whispering, "I brought the money with me. Do you have the shield?"

The sight of 50 gold coins made Howard's eyes gleam with anticipation. After all, to him, gold coins represented a significant boost.

Money exchanged, goods delivered; Howard broke into a grin, "Ms. Tana, does your brother need any other equipment? If I find more in the future, I can sell them to you!"

Tana chuckled at his enthusiasm, "You're really strapped for cash, aren't you?"

"Absolutely!" Howard replied, nodding vigorously.

Tana stroked her chin thoughtfully before saying, "If you're in need of money, I can introduce you to Wales. He knows many ways to make a quick fortune."

"Really? Are you close with Mr. Wales?" Howard's breathing quickened with anticipation.

He had always wanted to get in touch with Wales.

"We're not particularly close, but having worked together for over a decade, I have a good sense of who he is," Tana mused, adding, "However, he can be rather enigmatic at times."

"Never mind that. If you're keen on making money, come find me tonight, and I'll take you to meet Wales," she proposed.

"I live in the mentor's dormitory, building three, room seven."

Without further ado, Tana waved and took her leave.

Howard rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

If even a mentor like Tana found Wales mysterious, it implied that the skill book and the Invisibility Cloak he had acquired might have been Wales' own initiatives, unrelated to the academy.

But why had Wales been so benevolent to him?

He was just an orphan with no significant lineage. 

Could Wales know about his awakening of the supreme talent?

The very thought cast a shadow over Howard's expression.

He felt the pressing need to clear things up with Wales. 

Otherwise, he'd never find peace.

After all, if someone could stealthily place equipment beside him as he slept, did it not suggest that they could also silently snuff out his life while he dreamt?

Howard was not willing to let anyone have that kind of power over his destiny.

"Howard..." Abby, oblivious to Howard's inner turmoil, noticed him still staring at Tana's retreating figure and felt a pang of jealousy. 

"Snap out of it," she pouted. "She's long gone. What are you still gazing at?"

Roused from his thoughts by Abby, Howard responded with a sigh, "I wasn't watching Ms. Tana. I was thinking about Mr. Wales."

"Oh? Are you in desperate need of money?" Abby blinked, hastily adding, "I have over five hundred gold coins here. If you need them, just take them."

While Howard wasn't overly prideful, he wasn't keen on using a woman's money either. He gently declined Abby's offer.

After finishing their meal, Howard accompanied Abby back to their classroom, awaiting their afternoon class.

As the students gradually returned, their second mentor finally arrived.

The mentor appeared haggard with flushed cheeks and several flasks of wine hanging from his belt. 

Even before he entered the classroom, the strong, pungent aroma of alcohol wafted into the students' nostrils.

Staggering to the podium, the mentor glanced over the students, belched audibly, and casually waved his hand, announcing, "For this afternoon's lesson, do as you please. I... hic!"

Interrupted by another belch, he continued nonchalantly, "I need another drink. If you want to leave, just go ahead."

With that, the mentor began drinking again, utterly indifferent to the bewildered students before him.

At this moment, even Howard wore a look of astonishment on his face, wondering how a renowned institution like Holy Abyss Academy could have such a mentor.

A thought flashed through Howard's mind: could this be a test from the mentor to assess the students?

But it made no sense. 

Class assignments were done, and what could possibly be gained from testing students at this point?

Hesitating for a while, Howard exchanged bewildered looks with his classmates. 

Full of doubt yet not daring to leave, they remained seated in the classroom.

They waited like this for over two hours, until nightfall. 

Finally, the drunken mentor, having finished his bottle, announced the end of class and casually left.

"What was that all about?"

"Shh! Is this really the standard of mentors at Holy Abyss Academy? It doesn't seem to match the stories we've heard."

"Exactly! The first lesson was just history, and the second had us sitting for over two hours. What's the point?"

The students vented their frustrations, but being young, their spirits lifted quickly after the brief commotion.

Lanas approached Howard directly and extended an invitation, "Howard, we're planning to organize a gathering as an event for us newcomers. You topped the assessment, so you must come!"

"When is it?" Howard didn't decline immediately.

"Tomorrow night. As for today, we're planning to invite more people from a few other classes," Lanas responded earnestly. "Actually, it's beneficial for all of us to come together. After all, within the academy, accessing many resources doesn't only depend on individual strength but also on the collective strength of our cohort."

Howard recognized the truth in that and smiled in response, "I'll definitely be there tomorrow."

"How about a stroll tonight?" Lanas continued, "Even though Adia City isn't as grand as our Alliance, it's still quite something. After selling our spoils from the recent expedition, we should have a decent amount of money to splurge."

At those words, the students' eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Indeed, while Howard may have taken their points, he hadn't taken their treasures. 

It could be said that at this moment, many of them had a considerable amount of wealth on hand.

With the same idea in mind, Howard, along with the rest of the class, eagerly made their way towards the academy's exit.

A group of Holy Abyss Academy students instantly caused a stir within Adia City.

Fortunately, after selling their spoils, the students had varied items on their shopping lists, leading them on different paths.

Howard, accompanied by Abby, initially purchased advanced skills for archers, and then they headed to the Magic Store.

To Howard's surprise, as soon as he entered the store, one of the maids recognized him. 

She promptly approached, greeting him with respect, "Honored magus, may I assist you in finding something specific today?"

"Uh? You know me?" Howard raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Sir, you once bought over a hundred pieces of equipment and skill books in one go. How could one not remember such an event?" the maid replied with a light chuckle.

Indeed, that was true. 

Purchasing Diamond-grade or Epic-grade equipment might momentarily astonish others, but buying hundreds of lower-grade items in one go would surely leave a lasting impression.

Unfazed, Howard inquired directly, "Do you have any LV30 Iron-grade or Bronze-grade equipment?"

As he upgraded the grade of his entire equipment set, Howard began preparing for even higher-quality equipment. 

Merely upgrading the grade would limit improvements. Elevating both level and grade would expedite Howard's path to power!

"Any specific type?" The maid promptly informed, "Recently, we received a shipment of LV30 Bronze-grade leg armor. They typically sell slowly, and currently, we have over a hundred pieces in stock."

"Wrap them all up for me!" Howard couldn't help but feel elated. 

With over a hundred Bronze-grade equipments, with a bit of luck, they could be upgraded to Supreme Artifacts!

A LV30 Supreme Artifact was indeed a marvel unheard of!

Regrettably, apart from the leg armor, the quantities of other equipment equipments were all below 50 pieces. 

Purchasing them wouldn't be of much use to Howard. 

Furthermore, most of the skill books had already been sold, rendering them unworthy of his attention.

"Esteemed magus, if you wish, you can leave us your contact details. We can inform you in advance the next time we receive new stock," suggested the maid, noticing Howard's extensive purchases. 

She had an inkling that Howard wouldn't limit himself to just low-grade equipment. 

Perhaps in the future, he might buy high-grade equipment in bulk. 

By catering to Howard's needs now, she believed there would be significant business opportunities in the future.

Had Abby not been by Howard's side, the maid might have even been more forward in her approach!

After securing over 140 pieces of leg armor, Howard intended to head back to the academy with Abby, planning a subsequent visit to Tana to inquire about Wales.

However, Abby, gripping Howard's hand tightly, seemed hesitant, as if she had something on her mind but struggled to voice it.