Kobold Wizard's Journal

Chapter 7 Apprentices and Spells

The Demonic Scar Meditation Method belongs to the third generation of meditation methods.

It is mentioned in both the Black Book and the Enlightenment Heritage that in the ancient period of meditation, the threshold for entry was extremely high, and there was no level distinction among wizard apprentices. There was only one stage from apprentice to formal wizard.

By the second generation of meditation, the overall environment of the wizarding world had changed. The difficulty of entry was successfully reduced, and wizard apprentices began to be divided into three clear levels, and then formal wizards. In addition, different innate spells would be generated at the third level of apprenticeship depending on the school of meditation.

By the time of the third generation of meditation, thanks to the efforts of the great wizards, the entry-level mental strength requirements were lowered again, and the wizard apprenticeship was reduced to five levels. Each stage was smoother, the mental strength was more condensed, and the difficulty of being promoted to a formal wizard was also reduced. Of course, the reduction is relative, and standing still is the normal portrayal of all living beings on the road to transcendence.

This third generation of meditation no longer has the innate spells of the second generation, but instead has a temporary spell slot at each stage.

Temporary spell slots, also known as pseudo-spell slots, are created by great wizards to increase the survivability of low-level apprentices. When a wizard apprentice reaches level five, he or she will have five pseudo-spell slots.

That is to say, when he becomes a first-level wizard apprentice, it is best for him to prepare two different zero-ring spells, one of which is essential for solidification and accompanies him throughout his life, and the other is stored in a temporary spell slot.

The so-called temporary spell slot, as the name suggests, requires you to wait until meditation to re-energize the spell model stored in it each time you use it, and you need to make preparations in advance for each spell casting.

The temporary spell slots of the Magic Scar Meditation Method are those magic scars. A fifth-level wizard apprentice has five magic scars, and each magic scar can store a zero-ring spell.

This pseudo-spell slot, like a real spell slot, can cast spells quickly and with low cost. Its disadvantage is that there is no chance to replenish it in fierce battle, and it cannot help to gain insight into the true meaning of the spell like a real spell slot. However, it has an advantage: the so-called temporary nature means that the stored spells can be changed according to one's own thoughts and situations.

Ruge looked at the resources at hand and recalled the choices and confusions of Karu in the diary.

A large number of wizard apprentices will choose fireball to solidify.

The zero-ring spell, Fireball, is much weaker than the first-ring spell Fireball, but it is more practical than Fireball in some cases. It is smaller in size, only as big as an ordinary person's fist, and faster in speed. As a zero-ring spell, the casting cost is naturally much lower than that of a first-ring spell, so formal wizards will also use one or two Fireballs in some occasions, such as not seeking power, but just to quickly ignite a distant target.

The Fireball spell is solidified in the spell slot, and the wizard apprentice can be said to be reborn immediately. The ultra-low consumption of the solidified spell allows a first-level apprentice to undertake a large number of spellcasting operations, like a fireball-launching wizard weapon with legs. With long-term casting, this solidified spell will also allow more comprehension and the consumption will be reduced even further.

He thought for a moment, picked out a book about fire bomb techniques, and placed it on his left hand side as a backup.

He looked at the remaining books and the six scrolls beside them.

In the diary, he learned that these scrolls were made by Kalu, and making and selling them was Kalu's main source of income. This kind of scroll was called the inheritance scroll, and it was not used in battle. It was mainly used for low-level spells that needed to be learned but did not require time and energy to study.

For example, among these six scrolls, two are inheritance scrolls of secret magic marks. Perhaps because they usually sell well, they are produced and stocked in large quantities.

The Secret Mark is a zero-ring spell that every wizard must learn, but in general perception, there is no need to waste time studying this spell. It only needs to be mastered simply. Then, you only need to spend a few magic stones, buy a scroll of inheritance, and gently unfold it. The spell model can be quickly constructed in the mind with guidance.

Everything falls into place.

In addition to the two scrolls of arcane seals, there are four different scrolls of inheritance left.

Hair removal, zero-ring spell.

A little-known hair spell, though perhaps useful when you're too lazy to wash or groom, many people find it more worthwhile to acquire a sharp razor than to attempt to learn it. Fortunately, the world has the great invention of the Scroll of Inheritance. This spell is often used as a prank between friends. With just a few magic stones, one can permanently master the supreme secret technique of turning a friend bald. Regularly practicing this spell fosters friendship.

The power of the bull, a zero-ring spell.

Everyone knows that Bull Strength is slightly weaker than Giant Strength in terms of increasing strength, but it can give the recipient amazing endurance and perform better in surviving in the wild than Giant Strength.

Foul-smelling skin, zero-ring spell.

It stinks and is very powerful, and can even make the enemy dizzy. The price is that the caster has to endure it, but the price is also an advantage. As the caster, one will gradually adapt to it, and the residual effect of multiple castings will make the spell effect gradually approach the legendary constant effect. It is a very peculiar zero-ring spell, mainly used by low-level wizard apprentices to avoid large underground beasts. Casting this spell may get you beaten, but you will never fall into the beast's mouth.

Mental boiling, zero-ring spell.

After the spell is cast, it can temporarily make the mental power more active, keep awake, and have a slight effect in combating mental confusion. Generally speaking, it is not very useful, but it has a special feature that makes it world-famous in the wizarding world. Once it is solidified in the spell position and integrated with the mental space, it will enhance the qualifications of the wizard apprentice, increase the efficiency of meditation, and promote the growth of mental power.

Of course, this effect is very weak, but from another perspective it is also very strong, because it can be used for a lifetime, which is difficult to achieve with other spells. Zero-ring spells like Fireball rarely appear when one becomes a formal wizard.

But choosing to solidify the spiritual boiling in the spell position is equivalent to saying goodbye to the powerful means during the wizard apprenticeship period.

He put down the scroll in his hand and withdrew the mental power used for perception.

He believed that the information in these scrolls should be viewed with a discount. For example, the amazing endurance mentioned in the zero-ring spell "Bull Strength" was certainly effective and would not be faked, but it could be slightly exaggerated. The so-called amazing might just be an exaggeration. After all, these scrolls were commodities.

The half-man said that he was expected to learn a zero-level spell before mastering six runes, although the prediction of this mysterious brainless man was not accurate.

But the implication of his words was that he guessed that he would not be interested in the things on these quick-made scrolls.

Besides books on firebombs, diaries, and illustrated guides for broadening one's horizons, there were also three zero-level spells: Magic Skin, Ear Planting, and Freeze Ray.

Probably half of the people expected that he would choose to try among them and then spend some time to master one of them.

It was written in the diary that everyone has some mysterious and different spell compatibility. The half-human was able to give him these options because he was afraid that he would not find a compatible one and would be too stupid to learn.

He took out an hourglass-shaped object from among some miscellaneous items. There was no sand inside, but a diamond-shaped crystal was embedded in it. He understood its use by perceiving it with his mental power. The crystal emitted a soft white light under the guidance of his mental power.

Banren was quite thoughtful, allowing him to have a sense of time even in this place without sunlight.

The diamond-shaped crystal wasn't just a lamp; its upper and lower ends would alternately illuminate as time passed, one end representing daytime and the other nighttime, with each rotation representing the passing of a day. This method was far more effective than using your belly to tell time; at least in this underground world, there was a clearer concept of the number of days.

He calculated the food and planned to take two days to roughly read through the four zero-ring spell books to see if he was compatible with them.

The reason why he believed so firmly in the theory of compatibility was because it was already before his eyes.

Although he didn't want to admit it, when he used his mental power to sense the inheritance scrolls of the zero-ring spell hair removal and the foul-smelling skin, he had a strange and indescribable feeling in his heart.

It seemed that was the good friend he had been waiting for for a long time.

There is another word that is often mentioned in Kalu's diary, called spiritual light. The indescribable feeling is like the throbbing of spiritual light.

Some wizards, when forced to face important decisions but lack strong evidence, will choose to follow the guidance of the spiritual light in their hearts.

The first reading without trying to understand everything was faster than I expected.

When he put down the last book and had read more than half of the Fireball Technique, less than a day had passed.

Four books were placed in front of him.

He raised his hand and stroked the four books one by one.

He didn't want to go on like this.

Perhaps, a change in mindset is needed.

He raised his head and glanced across the depression in the cave wall, looking at the insect shells and animal skins placed there.

His old habits were still affecting him.

In the comfortable environment of the past, he always liked to do things in one go.

He believes that it is more cost-effective and wiser, even if it means waiting for a long time and enduring some hardship and pain in the process, even if it is not necessary sometimes, but he always does it that way because he is used to it.

The environment is no longer the same now, and there is no comfort at all.

Perhaps, at the right time, make a choice that is only suitable for the present.

That's not bad either. It's what he should do now. That's better. He doesn't need to put too much energy into thinking about the future. There may be no future in this environment.

Now, he was sure that these four zero-ring spells were not something he could learn in a short time, and he was just a small dog-headed man with no ability to resist. Even if he said that Ai Sijin could knock him down with two or three punches, the strong dog-headed girl would not agree with him.

“This might actually be a good choice…”

He set the book aside and picked up the scroll of fetid skin.

Since you want to use the inheritance scroll, you naturally have to choose between Stinking Skin and Bull's Strength. After casting Bull's Strength, the blessing of the spell will last for a period of time, which is very suitable for use as a temporary spell slot. Stinking Skin requires continuous consumption of mental power to maintain after casting the spell, and is suitable for solidification into a real spell slot.

The smelly skin is also very suitable for a loner like him, increasing the chances of survival when hunting alone in the wild.

Moreover, he was looking forward to solidifying this zero-ring spell that suited him into the spell slot.

The Black Book states that those with average talent should only construct a zero-ring spell model within their mental space before becoming a first-level wizard apprentice, to avoid interfering with the formation of the magic mark. After completing the promotion and resting to recover, they can use all of these inheritance scrolls, including the other spell he is suited to, Depilation.

He took a deep breath and slowly unfolded the inheritance scroll of the foul-smelling skin, his mental power naturally resonating with it.

(End of this chapter)