Chapter 148: Level-One Spells

Merlin turned around and saw none other than the somewhat stout Mage Relis.

"Mage Relis," Merlin greeted with a smile. In the Dark Spirit Domain, he knew only a few people, and Relis was one of the few he was quite familiar with, as they had completed the mission in Donglin City together.

"Are you really selecting level-one spells?" Relis asked, surprised to see Merlin holding *Guardian's Stone.* Merlin's name had now spread throughout the Dark Spirit Domain.

A six-element mage—if Merlin successfully became a level-one mage, he would be the most outstanding talent in the Domain's history, even surpassing Klais. Yet the fact that none of the level-seven mages had taken him on as a student spoke volumes; they doubted his potential to reach the level of a true mage. Many believed Merlin would quietly leave the Dark Spirit Domain in two years, defeated.

Merlin understood what Relis was implying, but he merely shook his head lightly and replied, "I'm just reviewing these level-one spells for future use. By the way, Mage Relis, didn't you acquire the level-one fire spell *Flame of Fury* during the mission in Donglin City? Why are you here selecting spells again?"

He glanced at the spell book in Relis's hand, prompting his question.

Relis nodded thoughtfully, understanding Merlin wasn't planning to construct level-one spells immediately, as it would require significant preparation. Smiling, she replied, "Yes, I was fortunate to succeed in constructing *Flame of Fury* after I returned to the Domain, so I'm here to choose some additional level-one spells."

"Oh? You successfully constructed *Flame of Fury*?" Merlin's eyes gleamed with interest. Initially, he hadn't thought much of Relis, especially compared to Holmes. But while Holmes had failed to construct his spell, Relis had succeeded.

"Just a bit of luck!" Relis chuckled, clearly pleased by her achievement in constructing *Flame of Fury.*

"Oh, and Mage Holmes wanted me to warn you—be careful of Mage Neal." Relis's tone turned serious, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Neal?" Merlin frowned, recalling the look of resentment in Neal's eyes. Neal was narrow-minded and prone to hold grudges.

"Would he really try something within the Dark Spirit Domain?" Merlin didn't worry much about Neal. After all, Neal was no more than a defeated rival. Even if Neal became a level-one mage, Merlin would not be intimidated.

"He wouldn't dare within the Domain. But Mage Merlin, it's best to be cautious. Neal's family has some influence—though they're not as strong as Mage Holmes' family. Still, while Neal may resent Holmes, he knows better than to act against him directly," Relis explained, indirectly implying that Neal wouldn't hesitate to target Merlin, who had no family background and was merely a wandering mage.

Although Merlin felt no fear toward Neal, he expressed his gratitude to Relis, saying, "Thank you for passing on Mage Holmes' warning. I'll keep it in mind."

Holmes, though arrogant, had the pride of someone raised as a genius within a mage family. He was nothing like the petty and vengeful Neal.

After chatting briefly, Relis bid Merlin farewell and left the Tower of Myriad Phenomena, likely eager to begin constructing her second level-one spell.

"Time is pressing; I need to speed up my progress too," Merlin thought as he watched her leave. Previously, he had felt confident that with the Matrix's help, he could construct spells quickly and become a level-one mage within a year. However, after constructing six spells, he found that the mental energy required to maintain them all was exhausting, even for someone with near-peak level-one mental capacity. His last attempt at constructing *Flame of Fury* had ended in failure.

With only two years remaining in the Dark Spirit Domain, Merlin knew he had to act quickly. Thankfully, Leo had given him an advanced mental meditation technique, accelerating his mental strength growth. As soon as he amassed enough mental energy, Merlin would waste no time constructing his first level-one spell.

Having chosen *Guardian's Stone* as his earth spell, Merlin began looking for a suitable wind spell. His current zero-level wind spell, *Gale*, provided speed but lacked agility. He needed a spell that balanced both.

There weren't many wind-based speed spells available, but there were numerous attack and binding spells, such as *Radiant Wind* and *Storm Arrow.* Speed spells were few, so Merlin carefully reviewed each one.

"*Wind Ring*: A wind-based level-one spell that enhances speed, applicable to any object, increasing its velocity. Costs fifty contribution points."

"*Wind of Freedom*: A wind-based level-one spell that can only be cast on the mage. It allows full control over the wind surrounding the body, granting swift movement and easy directional shifts. Requires the mental capacity of a level-two mage. Costs eighty contribution points."

As soon as he saw *Wind of Freedom*, Merlin knew he had found what he needed. It provided both speed and agility. While it required level-two mental strength, which might deter others, this wasn't an issue for Merlin. His mental strength was already at the peak of level-one, and with the Matrix's support, he knew he would reach level-two strength soon enough.

With *Guardian's Stone* and *Wind of Freedom* selected, Merlin moved on to choose a suitable ice spell.

His current zero-level ice spell, *Freeze*, had been one of his favorite spells, especially when combined with *Dark Mist* and *Fireball* for maximum impact. Knowing the importance of binding spells in battle, Merlin chose carefully. A powerful binding spell could easily turn the tide of a fight.

The Tower offered a variety of ice-based binding spells, but finding one that fit his needs proved challenging. It took him a few hours, but he finally narrowed his options to a few promising choices.

"*Ice Bind*: Quickly freezes the target in place. A commonly used binding spell. Costs thirty contribution points."

Merlin dismissed *Ice Bind*, finding it only slightly stronger than his enhanced *Freeze* spell.

"*Ice Trap*: Creates a large ice pit, freezing targets within a small area. Costs fifty contribution points."

Merlin kept *Ice Trap* in mind. It offered good area coverage but lacked the binding strength he desired.

"*Frozen Grasp*: An exceptionally strong binding spell with the added effect of chilling poison that invades the target's body, causing irreparable harm. Requires extensive spell construction knowledge, a complex model, and significant mental energy—only suitable for those with level-two mental strength or higher. Costs one hundred and twenty contribution points!"

The description of *Frozen Grasp* instantly caught Merlin's attention. Not only did it provide an exceptionally powerful bind, but it also inflicted chilling poison, which would penetrate the target's body. This poison was lethal; even seasoned warriors with high physical resilience would struggle against it, let alone other mages.

*Frozen Grasp* wasn't just a binding spell but also a lethal weapon. Unlike his current *Freeze*, which merely immobilized targets, *Frozen Grasp* would leave lingering effects. Once caught in this spell, a target would suffer from its poison long after the initial encounter.

That the spell required 120 contribution points was indicative of its potency. Most level-one spells cost between twenty and fifty points, with few exceeding one hundred. Merlin hadn't seen any level-one spells with such a high price.

The complexity of *Frozen Grasp* didn't concern Merlin; with the Matrix, he could reconstruct even the most intricate spell models. And the mental requirement was within reach—thanks to his new meditation technique, he would soon have the necessary mental strength of a level-two mage.

Without hesitation, Merlin chose *Frozen Grasp.*