Experimenting with Spells

Returning to his dorm, Leylin placed both of the books on top of his working table. He began quietly walking back and forth the living room, reflecting.

'The first step is to acquire the knowledge from the spell model and then constructing it. This will allow me to cast it. Next, shall be supplementing the knowledge gained from learning a spell with live combat data.'

'When I finish constructing the spell model, the plan is to use my crew of irrelevant sidekicks as meatshields on a quest and safely gather the data. After that, I'll leave the academy on my own and explore other possibilities...'

Leylin forthwith picked up the Umbra's Hand spellbook.

The yellow cover of the book was extremely firm, more like stone rather than parchment, and some patterns on it sent an icy cold feeling from Leylin's fingertips into his body. He particularly fancied that feeling because it reminded him of how he used to store his test subjects in his past life, using cryogenic chambers.

The book was tightly bound by a metal chain and the ends were clipped in the fashion of a belt.

"Mansidala." -Leylin spoke in a low voice the incantation required for opening it.

The book suddenly trembled and the black chains automatically untied by themselves, and the pages started to flip through.

[Begin recording of the contents.] -Aralis dutifully notified her Master.

Leylin meticulously observed the spellbook containing the model of Umbra's Hand. Only after hurriedly flipping through it once and hearing the notification from his A.I. assistant that she was done, did he put the book down.

'The construction of a spell model is the foundation for a Magus to cast spells. This process includes a series of complex variations as well as the precise construction of the spell model itself. To learn a spell, 3 months are needed at the very least... For an ordinary acolyte, that is...' -Leylin smirked coldly.

[Beginning analysis, Doctor. Estimated time until completion: 106 Hours 32 Minutes.] -Aralis' voice sounded.

'Four to five days? A good enough period of time to wait.' -Leylin nodded his head.

He stood up, straightened his grey robes, and placed the two spellbooks away neatly in a secure black crate.

He then walked to the other side of his living room, brought out his alchemy set, a batch of ingredients and with the practiced precision of a master potioneer, he began brewing useful potions that he'd eventually bring along in his expedition outside school grounds.

The education system in Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was rather loose. The academy was only providing land and the most basic of services. As for everything else, like acquiring advanced information, one had to learn from a professor. Moreover, there weren't any compulsory missions that acolytes had to take on. As long as a person could pay the school fees and did not meet a bad professor, one could normally stay here for a peaceful uninterrupted 5 years.

Of course, when there was no motivation, one's power would lessen as one did not seek to improve. To obtain magic crystals, one could only take up a mission and go outside of the academy risking their lives to fight for them. The Magus World had always upheld the principle of fair trade; the widely famed 'equivalent exchange', and this applied to practically anyone involved in the ways of the arcane arts.

Unless of course, one was Leylin Farlier. He did not believe in fair anything. He believed in taking whatever he could for his own gain, just as there was a positive risk/reward ratio. The man previously known as Fang Ming did not care for any principles, laws, or codes. He simply used, followed, bent, and broke them as long as it suited him.

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In the following dozen days or so, Leylin devoted his time to analyzing the spell models and purchasing items like grains and nutrients for the mission he was going to take up.

One afternoon, Leylin came to the Spell Testing Hall. This area was located on the left-most of the academy, a remote section with only one corridor in and out.

This was a place that the academy had specially built for acolytes and Magi to test the prowess of their spells. After all, various spells have immense might and there is also the problem of mana radiation. If the experiments are not managed properly the academy could even be blown to bits.

Its encircling white marble rock walls were stacked neatly and resembled to be unyielding. Various runes were written on these walls, two of which caught Leylin's attention. One was for the isolation of mana radiation contamination, and the other was for reinforcing the walls.

"Welcome to the Spell Testing Hall. What can I do for you today?" -Leylin walked to a counter where a big, bald guy smiled jovially at him asking.

"Hello, I would like to experiment with my newly learned spells. Please, tell me what services are available to me." -Leylin requested with the usual calm and slightly honeyed tone of his mask.

"We have two large areas designated for the acolytes and Magi. You are clearly only allowed to enter the area for acolytes. Within that area, space is divided into shared and single rooms. Shared rooms mean experimenting with your spells alongside another person. There might be interruptions caused by this, but on the other hand, it is inexpensive. As for single rooms, the fees are much more costly since your privacy and seclusion during testing are guaranteed by the academy." -The bald fatty explained with a friendly disposition.

"What are the rates for a single room?" -Leylin asked with an even tone.

The baldy's eyes shone since it was obvious that there was a promising client here: "One magic crystal per hour; paid upfront. Our single rooms have specialized measuring devices which can calculate and report the might of your spells. Furthermore, they include a bar of refreshments. It's absolutely worth it!"

"I'll pay for three hours." -Leylin nonchalantly handed over the magic crystals.

"Alright, please hold on a second." -The baldy registered him quickly and handed him a familiar black keycard-like item.

"This is your room card, number '32'. Should you need anything, you can contact this desk from your room. Another privilege single rooms have." -The bald guy kindly offered.

Leylin gave his thanks again and then entered the spell experimenting area.

[How unusual it is when they acknowledge and treat you with the respect you're owed, Doctor.] -Aralis commented with skepticism.

'Bastard could hear my crystals jingle a mile away. He's smarter than those merchants I've been dealing with so far. But not by much. He's still a chimp.' -Leylin shrugged.

On both sides of the room, the runes on the white marbles glowed with sparkling light. Some of the adjacent rooms had occupants judging by the signs outside their doors, however, no sounds were coming out from them and only the noise of Leylin's footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

[The noise isolation runes are quite effective...]

Leylin nodded his head and, after locating his own room, swiped the black card on the small plaque with the number 32 right outside the door.

The door opened and a mechanical female voice sounded: "Welcome! You have three hours. Please bear in mind that any time you spend inside exceeding this period will be charged to you by our staff upon exit."

The interior of the room was huge. The area was similar in size to a basketball court from Leylin's previous life.

In the middle were a few human-shaped targets wearing varying types of armor; leather, steel, fur, etc. To the far right, there was a giant screen on the wall. Below it, were the instructions on how to operate it: 'A Magus can attack a target with a spell, and the screen will automatically record the power of the spell.'

'The facilities here are very advanced and seem to have an intelligence of their own. I'd love to delve deeper into the magical technology of this world. Nonetheless, it shall solely be my hobby once I attain even more power. My long-term objective is still getting stronger, not running a tech company.' -Leylin thought silently.

[Why don't you try with a physical attack first? That'll give you a rough idea of what you're dealing with in terms of damage classification.] -The A.I. suggested.

'Sounds good to me. It'll also let you calibrate your sensors to match the screen. I don't wanna rely on that uncomfortable device for three hours.'

[Hehe, I knew you'd prefer me.]

'Surely I would, 10 times out of 10. I created you and you're literally a part of me now.'

Leylin's muscles on his right arm bulged as he walked to the front of a white-colored target wearing leather armor. He moved at a blinding speed and punched the middle of the mannequin, leaving a faint trace of an impression.

The screen on the right flickered, and a few words appeared on it.

'Classification: Physical Attack. Degree of power: 2. Damage to target: Minimal.'

Degree of power was the official standard that Magi use to measure the extent of their might. A single unit, as a standard, was equivalent to the energy that can be released by 1 gram of magic crystal.

'Nothing surprising there. These are Magi-made targets, designed to be hit by all kinds of spells. I'll need something packing more of a punch to destroy them.'

[Calibration finished. I can now display everything that goes in here to you, Doctor.] -Aralis informed.

'Excellent. Let's do this. Aralis, transfer both spells to me.'

During this period of continuous research, Aralis had already fully analyzed the 2 spells. The last step was to transmit the information into Leylin's hippocampus which would enable him to immediately grasp these two rank 0 spells.

[Affirmative. Transmitting in progress.] -With the A.I.'s digitized voice replying, Leylin felt a lot of memories regarding the techniques and procedures of casting these 2 spells surfacing in his mind.

Every step felt extremely familiar. It was as if they were personally practiced by him countless times.

To cast a spell, one does not only need to use their Spiritual Force as a primer but must also understand that the Mana Energy within their body will be consumed as well.

Leylin then commanded: 'Aralis, I want you to elaborate a full performance report of every spell I cast.'

[Understood.]

"Pandora - Graygonger!"

With the Byron language's incantation sounding from Leylin, a ball of dark green liquid suddenly appeared at the upper area of his right hand. White bubbles continuously frothed outside of it.

"Hah!" -Leylin flung the acidic ball in his hand and the green liquid streaked across in an arc, landing on a target wearing leather armor.

The corrosion of the physical target sounded nonstop as it continuously dissolved while emitting a huge amount of white smoke. At the same time, an odor that could prick at anyone's nose wafted out in all directions.

After a few seconds, the human target had been fully corroded, leaving only a pair of white legs behind.

'The same spell Professor Bones used that time on the red-eyed raven...'

Leylin then turned to look at the holo display Aralis had set up in his peripheral vision.

//

Classification: Magical corrosive attack || Degree of power: 5 || Damage to target: Severe

//

Leylin nodded in contentment and quickly began experimenting with another spell.

'This one's my favorite: Umbra's Hand.'

Following Leylin's incantation, a black-colored hand suddenly appeared under a target that wore steel armor. It grabbed the target's throat forcefully and, with a crashing sound, the target's head fell onto the ground.

//

Classification: Energy attack || Degree of power: 4 || Damage to target: Severe

//

Seeing the evaluation on the holo display, Leylin began to compare the advantages and drawbacks of the two spells.

'Although the might of Acidic Aqua Shot is greater, enemies can dodge it easily. It also requires constant fine-tuning with Spiritual Force. As for Umbra's Hand, it is a little weaker, yet it is exceptionally furtive and thus best used for sneak attacks.'

'These two spells, I selected with utmost diligence. Not only do they meet my Dark elemental affinity, but there no additional materials needed to cast them either, which is greatly convenient.'

Leylin's eyebrow suddenly raised: 'Aralis, how are we on the optimizing front?'

[Well, you'd need to spend 19 Spiritual Force points total and the process would be over time. 9 points for the Acidic Aqua Shot and 10 points for Umbra's Hand. But that would leave you utterly drained and vulnerable, not to mention, I still lack some complementary knowledge to really make it work as it should.]

'It isn't worth it for me at the moment.'

Leylin closed the holo display with the experiment report that his assistant had produced minutes earlier.

'Aralis, show me my full stats.'

[Done.]

At the Farlier heir's command, a 3D image of himself was projected on a blue hologram, along with various information.

//

Dr. Fang Ming (Leylin Farlier's body)

<Power Scaling>

Level 2 acolyte

<Physical Stats>

Strength - 2.24

Agility - 2.42

Vitality - 2.73

<Mystical Stats>

Spiritual Force - 0.1/4.10

Mana Energy - 0/4 (M.E. is in synchronization with S.F.)

<General Skills>

Cross Blade Technique (master) || Potioneering (expert)

<Magic Spells>

Acidic Aqua Shot (R0) - Casting time: 3 seconds || Effective distance: 7 Meters || Consumption: 2 S.F. & M.E.

Umbra's Hand (R0) - Casting time: 4 seconds || Effective distance: 10 Meters || Consumption: 2 S.F. & M.E.

//

'As I suspected, casting those two weak spells was all it took to spend my Spiritual Force and Mana Energy completely...' -Leylin rubbed his temples as they were hurting a little.

'With this constraint, learning more spells is just not feasible...'

'If only I had a magic artifact, my overall power would definitely receive a significant boost. Regrettably, all of the artifacts on sale at the Trading Post and Senior Market are either ridiculously expensive or do not meet my standards...' -Leylin concluded with a sliver of frustration on his countenance.