Chapter 202 - 201: Charm Magic
"If what you had just conjured was a hammer instead of a Longsword, you could have used its larger surface area to transmit the shockwave."
Zelir gestured, "Perhaps with just one strike, you could have completely shattered this stone wall."
Zelir’s words made Mage Hedley frown slightly in thought.
’He’s right...’
’I’ve been so focused on the elegance and sharpness of the Arcane Sword that I’ve ignored the inherent properties of the energy itself.’
’No wonder it always felt like something was off.’
’In the core Energy Storage Magic Circuits, I engraved a resonance shockwave with broader destructive power to increase its area-of-effect damage.’
’If that’s the case, to maximize the power of this energy, I really should have used the shape of a hammer, not a blade.’
"An excellent suggestion!"
Hedley clapped her hands, her eyes shining with a fervent light.
"A hammer would indeed be a better fit for the shockwave Rune Circuits."
"And I can improve it even further! I can adjust that section of the Rune Circuits to have a sharpness Attribute, focusing on piercing and cutting, just like you said."
Flashes of inspiration sparked one after another in Mage Hedley’s mind.
"That way, the sword shape can still be useful... and I’ll have two brand-new spells! I’ll find you to test them once I’m done with the improvements!"
Then, Mage Hedley returned to her room and engraved a second Spell Structure.
Zelir glanced at it and, as before, finished his analysis in less than two minutes.
This spell was simpler than the previous Arcane Sword; its Spell Structure wasn’t as complex.
’It’s not quite Level Four. It should fall into the category of a more difficult Level Three Magic.’
Magic Power flowed, sketching the structure to completion.
A whip, approximately two meters long, extended from the tip of the Night Peace Staff.
The body of the whip was composed of interconnected segments of slender rock that shimmered with a dark red light. They were linked by Magic Power, giving the whip impressive flexibility.
In addition, the long whip was wreathed in a layer of roaring Flame.
"Whoa...!"
Zelir was a little stunned as he looked at the magnificent weapon in his hand.
’It’s actually pretty cool.’
He tried waving the Magic Wand, and the long whip felt like an extension of the wand itself, effortless to command.
Each swing left a scorching arc in the air, accompanied by a WHOOSHING sound.
It could also wrap around an opponent, just like a real whip.
CRACK!
With a flick of his wrist, Zelir sent the long whip lashing out like a venomous snake toward the earthen wall.
The powerful strike shattered a large part of the wall’s surface, sending rubble flying.
Furthermore, faint, charred burn marks were visible along the edges of the impact.
This one whip strike delivered a lash, a burn from the Flame, and an ensnaring effect—all three in one. It wasn’t hard to imagine the effect it would have on a physical Demon.
"It’s called the Fire Stone Whip. How does it feel?" Mage Hedley eagerly awaited Zelir’s opinion.
"Excellent."
Zelir nodded in satisfaction and dismissed the long whip.
He had no suggestions for improving this spell.
Its structure was complete, and the energy flow was extremely smooth. It was an excellent close-combat spell.
Used for emergency self-defense against low-defense Demons like goblins, one lash would be enough to wipe out a group of them.
Against unarmored Demons, it could also inflict significant damage through continuous lashing and burning.
"Hehe, I’ve been working on this spell for a long time. It can compensate for a Mage’s typical lack of close-combat ability," Mage Hedley said, her expression joyful.
"Since you say it’s excellent, all I need to do is stabilize and patch up a few other spots, and it’ll be finished!"
Hedley excitedly returned to her room and began scribbling in a notebook.
After finishing her notes, she began to temporarily engrave a Spell Structure on a piece of parchment.
"Alright, this is the last one."
Hedley handed the parchment to Zelir. "Once we’re done with this, we can call it a day."
"What kind of spell is this? Is it another offensive one?" Zelir asked curiously.
"No, it’s a Spirit Magic System spell," Hedley said.
"You research Spirit Magic System spells too?" Zelir was surprised.
"Of course. I know the Elemental, Arcane, and Spirit Magic Systems. I’m versed in all three."
Mage Hedley said with a hint of pride, "I can’t compare to you, of course, but it’s still pretty impressive."
"So what does this spell do?" Zelir’s interest was piqued.
’As for Spirit Magic System spells, he only knew the Evil Words Skill. It would be good to get more exposure.’
"Based on my intended effect... after casting it and making eye contact with someone, you should be able to captivate their mind to a certain extent."
"Hmm... Huh?"
It took Zelir a moment to realize something was off. "Captivate their mind after making eye contact... Is it Charm Magic?"
"It’s not that overt... To be precise, it’s a spell that enhances one’s personal charisma."
Mage Hedley gave a subtle smile.
"It can attract another person’s attention to a certain degree, increasing their interest in you... but we won’t know the exact effect until you test it."
"Why would you research such a strange spell..."
Zelir felt this spell didn’t quite match Mage Hedley’s style.
"It’s not strange at all. On the contrary, it’s a very practical spell in certain situations."
Mage Hedley said, "Think about it. For example, what if you need to negotiate a partnership with someone who’s particularly difficult? Their attitude is terrible, and communication is impossible. What do you do?"
"In that moment, you could just cast a spell like this. It would make him lower his guard and instantly change his attitude toward you. Wouldn’t that save a lot of trouble?"
"Alright..."
Zelir took the Scroll, read through it once, and committed it to memory.
"Come on, cast it on me! I want to see how it works," Mage Hedley said, rubbing her hands together in excitement. She could hardly wait.
"Are you sure?" Zelir asked, still hesitant.
"Of course I’m sure! Hurry up, hurry up! Hmm... wait. I’m going to imagine you’re a really obnoxious person first."
As she spoke, Mage Hedley closed her eyes and began muttering to herself.
"Hmm... a stubborn, cold-hearted person with a terrible attitude. He’s rude, disrespectful, and loves to belittle my research. In short, just the absolute worst!"
Then, Mage Hedley opened her eyes.
When she looked at Zelir, her face actually held a hint of disgust.
"You really managed to imagine the worst of me..."
Zelir shook his head.
He cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and began to focus wholeheartedly on Sketching the Spell Structure.
Soon, the Spirit Magic System spell was fully charged.
Then, Zelir slowly opened his eyes.
The moment his eyes met Mage Hedley’s, their Magic Power seemed to form a bridge between them.