while I do have my suspicions with Hitogami, I think Rudeus going to school aka college will be beneficial. Yes, he's stuck at the fork where either he heads straight for his mom, or grow his power to make rescuing his mom more feasible. At that point, it's a difficult thing to prioritize because although his mom's an adventure, if it's so dangerous that Hitogami recommends Rudeus trains first, would his mom be able to survive till either Paul or Rudeus makes it to her? Granted, I can't remember if they've revealed just how powerful his mom is (I can't even remember what she looks like), but here's to hoping she is.
Also, wtf is up with that panty worship? He's gone off the deep end, but I kind of like that about him. He's not some kind of perfect being and it lines up with his previous otaku personality. Also, I know most people aren't a huge fan of this common anime trope, but I love magic school settings and TOOOOUUUUURRRRRRRNAMENT ARRRRRRCCCCCCSSSSS so I'm excited to see what's coming up next.