Mistake, mistake. If only I'd thought of it sooner, I definitely wouldn’t have used Frost Nova. After all, it’s just a limited control spell. I should’ve gone with something explosive like Fireball instead—just blast him with raw power. Even if he’s got some magic item that blocks spell damage, he definitely wouldn’t be having such an easy time. Forget everything else, just the shockwave from Fireball would be enough to send him sprawling, arms and legs flailing, utterly humiliated.
Alright, just a minor hiccup. Fireball it is!
After a couple of self-comforting words, Raymond started confidently chanting the incantation for Fireball again. This time, he was calm and collected—no abbreviated spells, no moving while casting. He just stood there, reciting every word with textbook precision, from element arrangement to the swirling of magical currents. Even the strictest teacher would have to admit it was flawless.
This time, surely nothing could go wrong, Raymond thought smugly to himself.
But then...
Before Raymond could finish basking in his triumph, a shrill screech suddenly rang out by his ear.
He only heard a sharp "swish," as if something had sliced through the air, and then Raymond suddenly felt a numbness in his shoulder. The next moment, he was flying through the air like a kite with its string cut...
He flew for several meters before crashing heavily to the ground.
Only then did Raymond feel a burning pain in his shoulder. Thinking back to that piercing sound, he instantly realized—Gale Whip, a second-level spell!
But realizing what it was didn’t mean he understood how it happened. In fact, after recognizing it as Gale Whip, Raymond was even more confused. What the hell... How could Gale Whip appear here? Did he mess up the incantation and accidentally cast Gale Whip instead of Fireball, triggering some kind of magical backlash?
Otherwise, how do you explain it? Are you seriously telling me to believe that Gale Whip was cast by a mere magic apprentice?
The answer came sooner than expected...
Raymond hadn't even managed to struggle to his feet before another sharp, whistling sound tore through the air beside him. The next moment, his other shoulder went numb, and he was sent flying again like a broken kite.
No way...
Raymond lay on the ground again, his mind struggling to catch up. What the hell was happening? Did I mess up the incantation? How could Gale Whip appear again?
Don't tell me it's really...
As the thought struck him, Raymond's face grew paler. No matter how incompetent, a mage couldn't possibly mess up the same spell twice—let alone suffer backlash from the same spell both times. The only reasonable explanation was that both Gale Whips really were cast by a ninth-level magic apprentice.
No, no, no—not a ninth-level apprentice...
That bastard just raised his hand and unleashed two Gale Whips. That's clearly Spell Abbreviation and Silent Casting—two distinct magical abilities. Damn it, this bastard's a mage, at least one who’s mastered two magical abilities!
For a moment, Raymond seriously wanted to die. You—you're a perfectly good mage, so why pretend to be an apprentice just to smack me around with Gale Whip? Are you mentally deranged or something...?
Raymond really couldn't wrap his head around it. When did this bastard advance to mage? Just a month ago he was still a ninth-level apprentice, and now suddenly he’s a full mage—oh, and he’s mastered at least two magical abilities on the side. Is there any justice left in the world?
"How could you possibly advance to mage!"
"Why not?" Lin Yun gave Raymond a strange look, not bothering to explain. He just casually added, "Oh, and when you get back, don’t forget to thank your father."
"What do you mean?" Raymond was stunned.
But Lin Yun had no intention of answering.
In truth, if Lin Yun hadn’t suddenly remembered that respectable old man, Raymond would’ve been a corpse the moment Frost Nova was cast. Twenty years of surviving the apocalypse had honed Lin Yun’s vigilance—there’s no way Raymond could have fooled him with just Spell Abbreviation and Mobile Casting.
Almost as soon as the magical fluctuations shifted, Lin Yun already had an Ice Lance ready in his hand. If nothing unexpected happened, once Frost Nova was released and the Mana Vortex contracted, that Ice Lance would’ve pierced straight through Raymond’s skull.
Just like Lin Yun said, Raymond really should thank Old Perry. Almost at the exact moment the Ice Lance was about to fly, Lin Yun suddenly realized—this wasn’t a kill-or-be-killed apocalypse anymore. The attack wasn’t meant to kill him. Besides, the young mage’s father was a truly respectable old man.
So Lin Yun forcibly held back the Ice Lance and used a rough magic shield to block Frost Nova.
"By the way, come help me with something."
Still that annoying, commanding tone. But now, Raymond didn’t dare argue. A mage who could toss out two Gale Whips and send him flying wasn’t someone he could afford to cross—if things got ugly, he’d be the one to suffer.
So Raymond had no choice but to swallow his pride. "What do you want me to do?"
"Enchant those," Lin Yun said, busy at the alchemy table as he pointed at a few glass bottles nearby.
"Oh..."
Enchanting was the simplest alchemical procedure—nothing complicated for Raymond, now a mage. In fact, every mage dabbled in alchemy to some extent; many high-level mages were top-tier alchemists themselves.
Ever since alchemy was invented, it’s been intertwined with magic. They’re two sides of the same coin. If you want to go far in the magical world, you can’t do it without alchemy. Alchemical gear gives you a direct boost in combat power, potions provide crucial support when you need it most, and alchemical constructs are considered strategic-level assets. Without alchemy, even the most gifted mage’s achievements are destined to be limited.
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Likewise, alchemy can’t exist without magic. A good mage isn’t necessarily a good alchemist, but every good alchemist is a good mage. It might sound awkward, but it’s true—more complex alchemical formulas require a deep foundation in magical theory. Some people might achieve a little in alchemy through talent and hard work, but to go deeper, you have to be a mage.
Without enough magical knowledge, you’ll never understand those intricate alchemical formulas. Without sufficient casting ability, forget about ever crafting a magic relic yourself.
Raymond’s achievements in alchemy weren’t exactly impressive—he was a long way from crafting a magic relic. But enchanting a few glass bottles was no problem. One by one, he enchanted the bottles, deft and relaxed. He even had time to keep wondering: When did that bastard become a mage...?
Wait, what’s that smell?
Just as Raymond was lost in thought, a sharp, pungent odor suddenly wafted over. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, then his expression abruptly changed.
Because Raymond clearly saw Lin Yun toss a Firestone into a test tube beside the alchemy table...
"Oh shit..." Raymond sucked in a breath. Once a Firestone is hit with magical energy, it instantly produces temperatures of several hundred degrees. Dropping it into Red Coral Solution is basically throwing a match into a pile of dry tinder.
It’s over, it’s really over—this bastard’s going to get me killed. As the Firestone hit the test tube, a burst of red light flared out, and Raymond could already feel the searing heat from a distance.
Raymond wanted to curse, but it was too late. With temperatures soaring, the Red Coral Solution spun out of control. Wild magical energy rampaged, scarlet light flooded the alchemy lab like spilled blood, and a torrent of red bubbles surged from the tube. Feeling the terrifying magical fluctuations, Raymond resigned himself and shut his eyes.
This time, I’m really dead...