My Magus Academy is Run by Players?! [Western Cultivation LitRPG]

Hmm, let’s purchase some seeds to test it out first, then. It was decided that he would buy a few, and this greenhouse just happened to be the perfect spot for planting. To gauge how much would be gotten by a single purchase, Victor bought one exchange of Starfruit Sapling Seeds.

Remarkably, as he did so, the Starlight Absorbing Tree shimmered even more intensely, drawing energy from the night sky. A plant bud swiftly emerged, grew, and blossomed into a cluster of star-like seeds. Victor collected them and estimated that he could cultivate at least six Starfruit Saplings. If he was being stingy, then one for every seed, meaning at least a dozen, but denser planting might be more advantageous growth-wise.

He then walked toward the closest patch of bare soil to plant the plants. He was by no means an expert when it came to botany, so he asked Lumispora some questions regarding taking care of the plants as he buried the seeds.

“I will oversee their growth and take care of them, Master! Once they bear fruits, I will inform you,” Lumispora chirped, dancing joyfully around the sown seeds.

Some of the magical plants, much like the first two options, could thrive even in the most treacherous of environments, while others necessitated special care. Clearly, there was no one better suited for this task than the sprite overseer, Lumispora.

“That’s reassuring.” Victor nodded his head in satisfaction. The intricacies of cultivating magical plants like the Starfruit Sapling were beyond his expertise, but fortunately, he didn’t need to concern himself with those details, so to speak.

“Master, you can also spend academy points to expand the interior of the Magic Botanical Garden. Doing so will even accelerate the growth of the Starlight Absorbing Tree,” Lumispora added with a melodious voice.

“Oh?” Victor turned back toward the holographic screen and found out that he could upgrade the Magic Botanical Garden. There were precisely five levels of enhancement available.

Magic Botanical Garden Level 1 (Default Level)

• Basic greenhouse environment suitable for growing common magical plants.
• Limited spatial expansion capabilities (500 square meters).
• Standard growth acceleration for plants.

Magic Botanical Garden Level 2

• Enhanced spatial expansion (2,000 square meters).
• Improved environmental control for temperature and humidity, allowing for a wider range of magical plant species.
• Minor growth acceleration, reducing plant maturation time by 10%.

Cost: 1,000 AP

Magic Botanical Garden Level 3

• Further spatial expansion (8,000 square meters).
• Introduction of specialized microclimates, which enable the cultivation of rare and exotic magical plants.
• Moderate growth acceleration, reducing plant maturation time by 20%.

Cost: 10,000 AP

…

Dang! It’s so expensive! With it being ten times more expensive with every level, wouldn’t it cost 1,000,000 AP for level 5? Victor could feel his eyebrows twitching. Even the most generous missions so far paled so much in comparison. He would become dry bones and skin before he could unlock the last level.

That said, the benefits given for each upgrade were tremendous. The land expansion aside, one couldn’t underestimate the growth acceleration given by each level. Even a modest 10 percent boost would have a significant, cumulative impact over time.

For the moment, Victor shelved the idea of further upgrades since he didn’t need it and didn’t have the AP anyway. “Well, that’s enough for this System building for now. Let’s head back,” he decided.

Just then, Lizbeth’s voice called out for him. “Master,” the fairy said, hovering next to the Starlight Absorbing Tree, “you have to come and see this!”

Victor approached in curiosity, only to discover golden writing etched onto the tree. It was a tiny inscription, so small and discreet that one would miss it without a meticulous examination of the tree. But as soon as he tried to read it—

An intense headache suddenly struck, prompting Victor to pinch his temple in discomfort. “Agh! Not again!” he groaned. It was another magic transmission, the same one that he experienced when accessing the interspatial ring for the first time.

“You’re here already? Well then, congratulations are in order!

“Back when I was mingling with the mortals on Earth, the world was in the midst of a world war. They operated flying machines, the like of which were similar in shape to the dirigible and magic airships used by Magi but different in how they worked. Later, they even crafted a weapon of mass destruction capable of annihilating their entire civilization.

“Why am I sharing this, you wonder?

“The thing is, during my decades-long stay, I was captivated by how those mortals ingeniously developed computing machines entirely devoid of magical aid. That is the start of—

“Ah, I shouldn’t spill the beans too much. Just a heads-up, don’t be taken aback by an easter egg in the next batch of players. Toodle-oo!”

What do you mean by an easter egg in the next batch?! As if I didn’t already have enough on my plate. Sheesh.

“Master, are you okay?” Lizbeth voiced her concern.

“It’s nothing.” He reassured her with a dismissive gesture. “Let’s head back first; there’s a lot to think about.”

“Goodbye, Master!” Lumispora cheerfully bounced in place, likely to be its way of saying goodbye.

Acknowledging Lumispora with a nod, Victor made his way outside, where, to his surprise, more players had gathered. Knowing he needed to log them out for the next phase of his plan, he launched into the prepared speech for times like this.

“Tonight, monumental changes are upon us. You, acolytes, should take this chance to rest and meditate for the rest of the night,” he announced authoritatively. “Anyone who refuses to comply will be met with strict punishment accordingly and be forced to sleep for a prolonged amount of time.”

Contrary to his stern warning, the players were hyped — their eyes alight with anticipation.

“Ooh! It really is an update!” one player exclaimed.

“Woohoo!” Another raised his arms and cheered.

But there was also an exception to this, as a certain male player hesitated, “Uh, I don’t want to log out yet. I work night shifts, so I only got to play now.”

“Stupid. What if there’s a bug or a glitch that traps you in a rock or something? It might even kill you on the spot!”

“Yes. Furthermore, the headmaster will punish those who disobey, you know. You shouldn’t take the risk.”

“But I want to—”

“No buts. C’mon, let’s switch to Discord. Maybe some Valorant?”

Victor concealed a chuckle, expertly guiding the players to their rooms. Once they were settled, he retreated to his office to muse about the next update: Alpha Version 0.3.

***

Official website:

Magus Academy Online Testing Server Alpha Version 0.3 Update Announcement

Major Update:

1. New Dungeon Clearing Area
   Come and behold! The new update is now online with a new and exciting addition from the previous content update. There will be a new pseudo dungeon area called the “Arachnid Cavern” where players can hunt “Lesser Hiveborne Arachnids” and prevent them from striking back at the academy.
2. New In-Game Missions and Rewards
   Players now have access to special extermination and dungeon-resource-gathering missions. The dungeon is filled with rare resources such as spider silk and eggs. To join the dungeon clearing, players have to be at the first-stage Initiate Attunement at the very minimum or have a party of four other first-stage Initiate Attunement players. Otherwise, they will not be eligible.

3. New “Party” System
   To assist with the dungeon clearing, players can now form parties of up to five members. Now, you and your friends can officially join to do a joint mission together!
4. New Chat Feature
   It is now possible to chat with your friends over long distances via the Shadowlink Marks. Please note that it currently doesn’t support voice and video calls, which are planned for future updates.

5. New In-Game Map
   To help players navigate the large map of the game, a new in-game map feature will be added to the game. Players can now see locations of points of interest and living beings on the map. Please be aware that some creatures may not be visible from the map.

6. New Blacksmith NPC
   You have seen it, and we know it. The new cheeky and pretty NPC is here to help arm the players to face the hidden perils that will face them deep in the forest. Players can visit her in the morning to purchase weapons and armor with merit points, but please don’t bother her when she’s working in the smithy.  

7. Increase in Total Quota for Applicants and Opening up of Other Regions
   The quota for closed-alpha players has been increased to 200 or more. Not only that, now applicants from other countries can also join in on the fun and become players of Magus Academy Online.
8. New Building: “Magic Botanical Garden”
   This is a new building added to the game, which is a magic greenhouse filled with all sorts of magical plants. Currently, it doesn’t serve any direct purpose for the players, but it will become more relevant as the game progresses.

Optimization:

1. New Magical Beast Models
   With the expansion of the map, more ferocious and realistic magical beasts will be added to the game.

2. 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:

1. Adding a Formal Binding Contract
   Closed-alpha players are now obligated to sign an official agreement. This is required so that players can enjoy the best we can offer for the game and maximize the experience.

2. Update on the “Sanctum of Interdimensional Magi Guidelines”
   In response to the added features and increasing number of players, the guidelines are revised to version 3.0 to incorporate new rules. For players who have obtained the test qualification, please check it out in time to avoid a poor gaming experience.

The “Arachnid Invasion” event update has officially ended. The Arachnid Disaster Survivor title has been issued to more than 100 eligible closed-alpha players, while the Arachnid Disaster Hero title has been given to exactly 23 worthy individuals. Their IDs will be included in the Hall of Fame for everyone to see. Congratulations to those who earned any of the titles!

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 a major update, and 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!