Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 66 Morin's BD (No Prize Quiz + Combined Chapter)

(Don't get hung up on the specific rules; just think of them as village rules set by a rural DM. All these rules serve the purpose of the story.)

The next second, a massive flow of information instantly filled Morin's consciousness.

The techniques of meditation, the understanding of the structure of spells, and a wealth of knowledge related to magic in this world were directly imprinted in his memory.

At the same time, Morin felt as if his body had become a magnet, attracting things invisible to the naked eye in the surrounding air, making him feel clearer and stronger than ever before.

【Used successfully! 】

[The caster's level has been increased to 3, allowing them to use spells of the 2rd level.]

[New spell slots acquired: 4 x 1st-level spell slots, 2 x 2nd-level spell slots]

Please select 3 magic tricks from the list.

Please select 10 spells from the spell list.

[Please select a school of thought to specialize in]

Morin slowly opened his eyes, feeling the wondrous changes in his body and mind.

He could sense that there seemed to be something in the air that he had never noticed before—some active and tiny particles.

He himself seemed to have become clearer, and his perception of his surroundings seemed to be more acute.

However, the series of prompts he had just received immediately drew his attention to the [Spells] tab.

According to the system's instructions, he can learn 3 out of 10 spells after becoming a mage.

These three tricks have no usage restrictions; Morin can use them whenever he wants.

At level 1, you can select 6 first-level spells from the list of first-level spells to 'learn' and save them to 'My Spellbook' in the [Spells] tab.

This way, when you rest each night, you can load the spells you've 'learned' into your spell slots and use them whenever you want the next day.

It's like a programmer packaging a few packages that can be used at any time.

After that, upgrading to level 2 allows you to choose a specialization and learn two more first-level spells.
At level 3, one can 'learn' two first-level or second-level spells.

也就意味着，莫林现在可以学习3个戏法，同时将8个1环法术和2个2环法术记载进‘我的法术书’。

One advantage of the system's [Spells] tab is that once Morin has decided which spell to load into the spell slot, the system can automatically load it in the background.

Regardless of whether Maureen had rested well or not, and regardless of whether Maureen had other 'nightlife' that day, as long as the time came, everything would be ready, which was quite convenient.
This gave Morin a sudden 'idea'.

If other mages in this world need to rest for a long time to 'reload' their spell slots, then shouldn't we try to interfere with that—for example, by raiding or bombarding the enemy mages' encampment at night?

This prevents them from getting proper rest, thus affecting the mages' preparation for spells.

After getting a general understanding of the functions of the [Spells] tab, Morin couldn't wait to start building his own 'BD'.

The first thing to do was to choose three spells, and after browsing through the list of spells, Morin chose [Blade Protection], [Communication], and [Repair] without hesitation.

Although [Hand of the Mage] can be considered a signature skill for low-level mages, after thinking it over, Morin felt that it didn't seem to be a high priority for him.
The previous battles taught Morin that ground combat in this world can easily escalate into melee combat, so [Blade Protection] can be used in melee combat.

The long-range communication capabilities provided by the [Communication] spell would obviously facilitate Morin's command in an era without individual radios, especially in covert environments.

As for the [Repair Spell], according to the system's description of this spell, it can be used to repair various weapons and tools, including firearms.

In a field environment, this is obviously capable of handling some unexpected situations.

Of course, the main reason was that Morin was simply too lazy to clean the gun.

After learning magic tricks, Morin followed the instructions to choose the school of magic he wanted to specialize in.

On this choice, he didn't hesitate at all and immediately selected the [Protection School].

After all, you can only produce output if you're alive.

At the same time, he also gained a specialization trait called [Arcane Defense].

Its effect is simple and straightforward: as long as Morin casts a level 1 or higher defensive spell, he can cast a shield on himself, which will last until Morin completes his next long rest.

As for learning the eight first-level spells and two second-level spells, Morin quickly made his choice in his mind after browsing the spell list.

1st Ring Spells: [Shield], [Mage Armor], [Featherfall], [Get Out of There], [Camouflage], [Sleep], [Life Sense], [Summon Familiar]

Second-tier spells: [Invisibility], [Stealth Step]

The main strategy is to run away if you can't handle it.

As for the lack of output?

This can be completely compensated for by the ordinary weapons of this world.

In Morin's view, the spellcasting system of spell slots is inherently limited in its sustainability, and he is facing a battlefield environment with more frequent battles, rather than an adventurous environment.

Meanwhile, for most of the time, Morin encountered ordinary infantry as his enemies.

In this situation, firearms such as pistols, rifles, and machine guns are clearly more effective and provide more sustained firepower.

Just as Morin was about to record these predetermined spells into 'My Spellbook', a new prompt popped up from the system.

[I am about to begin learning my first spell. Once completed, it will be entered into my spellbook.]

Please ensure that the current environment allows sufficient time to complete the spell learning process. External interruptions during the learning process will interrupt the learning progress.

"Wait, do you have to learn this yourself? Isn't it just a matter of pointing to where you don't understand?"

Morin was stunned, because after seeing the automatic spell preparation function, he thought that the system could also automatically complete the learning of spells.

But now it seems that this system really intends to teach me?
"How about we learn it?"

After hesitating for a moment, Morin still chose to learn the first [Shield] spell.

Since the team is currently resting and the night sentry duty roster has been arranged, theoretically there shouldn't be anything to bother us.

However, the next second, when Morin saw a complex-looking three-dimensional spell model suddenly appear in front of him, along with densely packed formula-like objects around him.

He regretted it.

Morin felt as if he had suddenly started taking advanced mathematics and calculus courses on the battlefield, and in a way that he knew absolutely nothing about. It was like torture for him.

Immediately afterward, as the spell model began to transform like an animation, a voice that sounded like a university calculus professor began to ring in Morin's ears.

Then, in a calm and collected tone, he began to explain the principles, key points, and construction considerations of the [Shield] spell.
At the same time, Morin made an even more terrifying discovery—the animation and background music had been playing for more than ten minutes, but the progress bar representing her learning progress above her eyes hadn't moved an inch.

"Is Zhenzhen in class?"

Morin suddenly realized that the system seemed to require him to actually learn something before it would increase his learning progress.
"Study? Study my ass."

"Is it not okay if I don't learn?"

Realizing that the system wasn't exactly the kind of foolproof support that only protected the weak, and that learning this spell would require a lot of effort, Morin decided to slow down his learning progress for the time being.

I will take the time to study systematically after the environment becomes safer or after I return to China.

However, when Morin tried to do so, he discovered that there seemed to be no exit option after entering the 'spell learning' state.

"Do we really have to go this far?"

"Why does this room feel like some kind of place where you can't leave without doing XX?"

After several unsuccessful attempts to exit the learning state, Morin could only calm herself down and force herself to listen carefully to the knowledge points being explained by that calm, still voice.

"Thank goodness I was lying down; I would have been exhausted if I had to sit all night."

After completing the last round of night patrols, Klaus, who had temporarily assumed the duties of sergeant major, bid farewell to Corporal Bowman, who had patrolled with him, and then planned to check if Morin was already resting.

If he hadn't rested, Klaus also planned to share some of his questions and thoughts from the battle with Morin.

In his view, his platoon leader would definitely be able to answer these combat-related questions.

After reaching the door of Morin's room, Klaus stopped, straightened his clothes, and leaned his rifle against the wall.

After doing all this, he gently knocked on the door, only to find that the door was not closed properly and that light was coming from inside.

"So the platoon leader is still up so late!"

Thinking this, Klaus gently pushed open the door, and was about to report when he found Morin lying on the bedding with his hands on his abdomen in a very peaceful posture.

Eyes slightly closed, breathing evenly
"Platoon leader?"

Klaus called out softly, but received no response; Morin, lying on the bedding, remained in a peaceful sleeping position.

However, Klaus was not surprised, as he knew very well that his platoon leader hadn't had much rest these past two days.

He slept a little longer than Maureen, but he was already feeling the strain, let alone Maureen, who had even more to worry about.

With that in mind, Klaus decided not to bother his platoon leader any longer. His question wasn't urgent, and he could talk about it tomorrow.

He tiptoed to Morin's bedding, carefully extinguished an oil lamp on the floor, and then slowly left the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

"Get some rest, platoon leader."

"Don't go, Klaus! Shake me!"

If Maureen felt a sense of 'redemption' when she saw Klaus enter the room...

The extinguished oil lamp and the closed door plunged him back into the 'abyss' of learning magic.

Therefore, sometimes being too considerate by subordinates is not necessarily a good thing.

Morin spent the night immersed in his studies, and when the sun rose the next day, the 'spell learning' state finally ended automatically because the single study time had been reached.

Not long after, Morin sat up from her bedding with lifeless eyes, looking much like the female protagonist in the novel "The Room Where You Can't Leave Without XX".

However, in some aspects, the system is quite user-friendly.

Although he had studied all night, Morin was only mentally exhausted; his body had actually gotten plenty of rest, just like when he slept.

He glanced at the progress bar for learning the [Shield Spell]. After a night of learning, the progress bar had increased to 52%.

After studying all night, Morin did indeed gain a certain understanding of the fundamentals and models of magic in this world.

He estimated that if he took a few more hours to study, he should be able to completely master the [Shield] spell, and that would be the kind of 'mastery' that involves understanding the essence of the spell model.

After sitting on his bedding for a while to calm himself down, Morin took out the pocket watch that Captain Hauser had given him and glanced at it. It wasn't yet time for the troops to get up and have breakfast.

After standing up and stretching his limbs, and drinking some water to moisten his dry throat, Morin went outside and found a place to sit down and breathe in the fresh air.

At the same time, he reopened the system interface and switched to the [Intelligence] tab—where many more red dots appeared after activating his mage identity.

After a cursory glance, Morin discovered that a considerable amount of information about the world's spells and mages had been updated.

What interested him most was the information about the composition of the Holy Britannian Empire's mage community.

This intelligence report was like a typical investigation report from my previous life, containing both written summaries and various pie charts.

The current number of mages in the Holy Britannian Empire: 642

[72% of the monks are at or below the third ring level, 25% are at the fourth to sixth ring level, and 3% are at or above the seventh ring level]

[83% of the mages belong to the School of Manifestation, 11% to the School of Transformation, and the remaining 6% to other schools]

"Huh? So, after all this time, the Highland Mage Corps is just a bunch of barbarians from the Evocation School?"

This information surprised Morin somewhat; he hadn't expected that this school of thought, which conjured various fireballs, would have such a high percentage of mages in Brittany.

After continuing to browse information about Brittany mages, especially the Highland Mage Order, Morin roughly speculated on the main reasons why things had turned out this way.

That is, this 'otherworldly hero' has always used mages as some kind of 'glass cannon'.

Especially after the outbreak of the spell plague, which forced mages to learn only a single school of high-level spells, the Highland Mage Corps trained a large number of Evocation mages to provide spell firepower support for the Holy Britannian Empire's expeditionary force.

In the conventional combat mode, after both sides set up their formations, the Britannian mages fly into the air from behind the army formations, and then several fireballs or other area-of-effect attacks are used to disrupt the enemy's formation and morale. After that, the regular troops then charge forward in one fell swoop.

Since Brittany is the country with the highest 'production' of mages, this tactic has been consistently effective over the years.

Whether in the era of cold weapons, or in the early era of firearms and line infantry, the Britannians relied on this tactic to achieve victory after victory.

This is why the highland mages that Morin had previously encountered all seemed to have somewhat rigid and inflexible combat strategies.
Just as Morin was about to continue browsing the intelligence, Sergeant Klaus, who had gotten up even earlier than him, suddenly walked over, looking quite nervous.

After getting close to Morin, Klaus leaned down and whispered in his ear:
"Platoon leader, we've received some bad news from battalion headquarters, the veracity of which is still unknown."

"What bad news?"

"It seems Madrid has fallen."

(End of this chapter)