The Spells!

Leonard listened to Alfonso's words without flinching. The mention of killing didn't stir even the slightest reaction in his dark eyes. He had already prepared himself mentally for such a demand.

"Is this the price I must pay, Teacher?" Leonard finally asked, the word 'teacher' leaving his lips with quiet resolve.

Alfonso nodded. "Yes. Guiding you onto the path of a wizard, granting you knowledge and magic, these are the gifts I've given you. But every gift comes with a price."

Leonard tilted his head slightly. "Is it common for contestants to kill each other during the trials?" he asked. If he was going to navigate this ordeal, he needed all the details.

"Of course," Alfonso replied, then added, "But—"

Leonard focused. He knew Alfonso's next words would be the crux of the matter.

"But those noble wizard apprentices from the Kingdom of Erdoru will undoubtedly see you as their enemy," Alfonso explained, his tone sharp and deliberate.

Leonard wasn't surprised. He had already anticipated this when Alfonso mentioned the cost. Based on what he had gleaned from Dybala, the nobles of Erdoru had long-established methods to ensure their descendants with wizarding talent reached the trials. These descendants, attending the academy generation after generation, would naturally form their own faction.

And so, Leonard wondered silently: 'Which faction does my teacher belong to? Or is this purely his personal vendetta?'

"You've caused too many deaths already," Alfonso continued. "This will likely limit your options. You'll only be able to join the Black Wizarding Academy. Unless, of course, you have connections in the White Wizarding Academy, but don't count on that. They will most likely reject you outright."

Leonard remained silent, absorbing every word. He was already bracing himself for the path ahead.

"Is there anything else you wish to tell me, Teacher?" he finally asked.

"If you have questions, you know where to find me," Alfonso replied, his tone signaling the end of their conversation.

Leonard nodded. Alfonso's words implied he didn't need to stay here anymore, which meant he still had five months left to spend with his family. The thought filled him with an unexpected heaviness, an emptiness he couldn't shake.

By the time Leonard returned home, the afternoon sun was dipping low on the horizon. The house was quiet; Hamilton and the others had yet to come back. Leonard sat alone, absentmindedly fiddling with the brass ring now snug on his left index finger.

Curiosity soon got the better of him. He stepped into his alchemy laboratory and picked up a random book. With a slight focus of his mental energy, the book vanished from his hand. Moments later, he felt it reappear inside the ring's space.

Leonard spent the next hour experimenting with the ring, gradually piecing together its capabilities and limits.

First, he discovered that the ring could not store living beings, unlike his alchemy laboratory.

Second, each use; whether placing an item inside or retrieving it, consumed a small amount of mental energy. This was similar to the laboratory, though the ring's ease of use made it far more convenient for everyday tasks.

Third, the space inside the ring was gravity-free. Every item floated in place, suspended as though frozen in time. With minimal effort, Leonard could use his mental energy to reposition objects inside the space, which required only a negligible amount of energy. The ring even had a self-organizing feature: items placed inside were automatically stored in separate slots, preventing them from colliding or overlapping.

Once Leonard had figured out these rules, he moved all the books from his alchemy laboratory's bookshelf into the ring. The ring, being smaller and easier to keep on his person, offered more privacy than the bulky metal cube he'd been using.

Satisfied with his newfound tool, Leonard returned to the lab. From the ring, he withdrew four specific books, the ones containing spells.

'Lesser Fireball, Mage's Hand, Whip of Thorns, Lesser Illusion.'

Leonard's fingers brushed over their covers. These were more than just spells; they were the foundation of his journey as a wizard. The weight of the responsibility ahead settled heavily on his shoulders, but he couldn't afford to falter.

Leonard quickly skimmed through the contents of the spellbooks, gaining a general understanding of the four spells they contained. All of them were classified as zero-level spells, meant for beginner wizards, but each had its unique charm.

The most lethal among the four was 'Lesser Fireball', a simplified version of the classic 'Fireball' spell found in countless magical tales. Even with the word "lesser" tacked on, its appeal was undeniable.

The first page of the book referenced its more powerful counterpart, the first-level 'Fireball'. While the text didn't specify its destructive force, it focused on teaching the basic principles of fire element manipulation. As one of the easiest first-level spells to learn, 'Fireball' had been simplified into 'Lesser Fireball' for zero-level wizards, reducing the spell to just 27 magical nodes.

When Leonard saw this, he almost wept with relief. He thought back to the grueling process of mastering the 'Sleeping Spell', which had a staggering 47 nodes. Compared to that nightmare, 'Lesser Fireball' felt like a blessing.

'"Twenty-seven nodes? This time, I'll definitely nail it! After all, I've been through worse,"' Leonard thought to himself, grinning as he imagined the destructive power the spell could unleash.

Not to mention, it was high time he added some flashy elemental magic to his repertoire. A wizard who only relied on spitting acid missiles was hardly impressive.

Next came 'Mage's Hand', a practical and versatile spell. This continuous-use spell conjured an ethereal, ghostly hand made of pure energy that could remotely interact with and manipulate objects.

The book emphasized its utility, noting that nearly every wizard learned 'Mage's Hand' at some point due to its convenience. However, there was a drawback; it required a constant supply of magic to maintain.

Despite the effort involved, Leonard could already see countless uses for this spell. It wasn't flashy, but it was undeniably useful.

The third spell, 'Whip of Thorns', was a bit more unconventional. It required a seed as a medium, and the spell's power was directly tied to the type of seed used. Once cast, the seed sprouted into a long, thorny vine that the wizard could manipulate to whip, bind, or restrain targets.

Leonard couldn't help but feel that this spell leaned more toward niche utility than mainstream appeal. He didn't even have any seeds on hand, though the book did include detailed instructions on how to cultivate and select the right ones.

Interestingly, the cultivation process relied on mutation science, a subject Leonard was already familiar with. This meant he wouldn't struggle too much with preparing the seeds if he ever decided to use this spell.

The final spell was 'Lesser Illusion', a spell designed to create illusionary images. These illusions could be made to resemble anything; a person, an animal, or even an object.

However, the book warned of the high level of skill required to cast it convincingly. Without enough proficiency, the illusion would be riddled with flaws and easily seen through. Moreover, the illusions were purely visual; they couldn't interact with the physical world or even lift a feather. Against wizards with strong mental power, the illusions would appear crude and unimpressive.

Despite its limitations, Leonard saw potential in this spell for misdirection and tactical maneuvers, though mastering it would take time.

As Leonard reviewed the spells, he noted the number of magical nodes required to construct each one:

- 'Lesser Fireball': 27 nodes (blessedly simple in comparison)

- 'Mage's Hand': 40 nodes

- 'Whip of Thorns': 36 nodes

- 'Lesser Illusion': 50 nodes (the most complex of the four)

Leonard couldn't help but compare them to the 'Sleeping Spell' he'd already learned, which had an astonishing 47 nodes; an unusually high count for a zero-level spell. Compared to that ordeal, these new spells felt manageable, even exciting.

With these spells in hand, Leonard felt more prepared than ever to embrace the challenges ahead. Each spell brought something unique to his arsenal, and he was eager to begin mastering them.