What exactly did it mean to be an [Adept]?
Well, for starters, it signified that one's mana purity had reached a certain threshold. In other words, the mage in question had a more potent and refined mana pool.
That was not all.
As a direct consequence of possessing more powerful mana, one's proficiency when using Skills also rose, becoming more adept at utilising them.
In Alden's case, his breakthrough was long overdue.
From his very fight against the three scouts to his extended stay in the Wilderness and now the vast horde, the young man had seen more than his fair share of combat. Coupled with the dire urgency of seeing Ignia and Celeste in trouble, he had the catalyst to break through and become an Adept Mage.
A sense of newfound power filled Alden's body. A searing warmth rapidly spread from his core to the rest of his body, engulfing and tempering his frame under his now more potent mana.
He suppressed a wince.
*smiles in evil author*