The Nightmare Wizard
Chapter 76: Mage apprentice Lvl2

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Mage apprentice Lvl2

Aurus continued his explanation, looking at William with a mix of seriousness and a slight smile. "What’s done is done, and you’ve benefited greatly. Now, show me your third spell."

William, a knot in his stomach, lowered his head. "Master, I haven’t been able to finish it. I’ve failed you."

Aurus turned, an enigmatic smile gracing his face. "Try again, you’ll see."

Holding his breath, William tried to activate Agimene’s Eye. To his astonishment, it activated with an ease he had never experienced before. Disbelieving, William held his head, bewildered, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"There are other advantages to absorbing beasts," Aurus explained, his voice unhurried. "Their knowledge becomes part of your knowledge, which will improve your control over your spells. Congratulations! You can now officially be a Level 2 mage. Close your eyes and listen carefully."

William sat on the ship’s deck and gently closed his eyes, following his master’s instruction.

"A mage’s life is about discovering the mysteries of nature, but our ancestors made some breakthroughs. For example, to be a Level 1 apprentice, you must have five spiritual power points and be able to feel the mana around you. To advance to the next rank, you must train until you obtain three spells and ten spiritual power points. Now, the important thing is to remain calm. The process will be very painful, but you’ll be fine, I promise. Circulate the mana in your mind as I taught you."

William began to move the mana as he had been taught, but now it moved continuously, like a large solid line forming a figure of three joined circles. The flow was smoother and more powerful than he remembered.

"Each circle you see is a vital space in your mind," Aurus continued, his voice calm but firm. "At this moment, you will lose control. Don’t be afraid."

Aurus’s prediction was accurate. Within seconds, William began to feel something gush from the center of his brain. Blood spurted from his nose, eyes, and mouth. William gritted his teeth, but the pain was so intense that, for the first time, he truly wished he were dead. The flow became faster and faster until the three spaces in his mind opened as if they were empty shelves, ready to be filled.

The pain gradually subsided until it completely disappeared. William fell like a puppet with cut strings, exhaling a trembling sigh of relief. Aurus smiled, seeing that William had endured the trial.

"Congratulations! You’ve ascended to Apprentice Level 2. Those spaces in your mind are called Fundamental Spell Slots, and they will be the basis of your progress for the rest of your life. You have one hour to rest. Meditate and recover; we have little time."

Aurus’s voice conveyed great urgency. William wasted no time and began to recover as quickly as he could, feeling the pressure in his master’s words.

An hour passed in a flash, and Aurus spoke again, his voice firm. "Each of those spaces will allow you to use a spell without needing to recite the incantation or make hand signs, but only Level 0 spells can be used. While you are at the Apprentice Level 2 rank, you can change the spells whenever you wish, but once you ascend to Level 3, you won’t be able to change them again. You must be very careful, for if you don’t choose wisely, you could regret it for the rest of your life. That’s why I taught you the three types of spells: attack, defense, and utility spells."

Aurus paused briefly before detailing each type:

"An elemental attack spell is like a flow that manipulates elements to generate an attack, such as a fireball, lightning spear, water sphere, snowball, among others."

"A defense spell is based on generating a shield around the user; the most common is the mana shield, but there are many better ones."

"And finally, utility spells are all those that simulate or enhance some part of your body. The number of these spells is infinite, so each mage arranges them as best suits their preferences. For example, they can have two attack spells and one defense, or three utility, depending on their focus. That’s why the Apprentice Level 2 stage is the longest for novices, as they must learn and test as many spells as possible to define their preferences."

"The last thing I want you to know is the key point of all this," Aurus continued, his voice becoming more serious and revealing. "To ascend to mage, you must have your three Fundamental Spell Slots completed, reach fifty spiritual power points, and the secret almost no one knows: try to learn more than one hundred Level 0 spells. A mage’s power is based on what they know, but many underestimate this point."

Aurus paused, allowing the information to sink in. "Knowing and mastering a diverse number of spells allows you to develop more pathways within your brain. Each time you activate a new spell, you use a different part of your brain. When you’re an apprentice, it’s quite easy, as your mind is receptive. But when you ascend to being a mage, your brain will protect itself, and it will be almost impossible to use a path you haven’t activated. Furthermore, to activate it, you’ll have to use special potions, and if you felt pain just now, when you try it as a mage, this pain will be nothing in comparison."

"Most mages get stuck at level one because they aren’t able to withstand the pain of using an undeveloped zone," Aurus continued, his tone more somber. "It’s too soon to talk about this, but I need you to know that I’ll be leaving soon. As I told you, I still have unfinished business to resolve, so I’ll only be at the academy for a few months or years before I leave. By the time you reach the level of being a mage, I’ll probably already be gone, so I’m sharing as much knowledge as possible with you. What I’ve just told you, don’t tell anyone; it’s a family secret; no one at this academy knows it."