Thousand-Faced Dragon

Chapter 356 The Magic of Change

Meteor Blast, an area-of-effect attack spell in the ninth ring, should theoretically be very powerful, but in reality, its usage rate is very low.

"A disgrace to the Nine-Ring Spell."

In theory, it can pull a meteorite to the ground, causing a powerful area-of-effect attack that deals both fire and physical damage.

However, in actual combat, it has several extremely serious problems.

First, it consumes a huge amount of magic power. Second, it has a long delay (fall time). With such a large magic power consumption, it's very damaging if you miss.

Another issue is that pure energy damage requires resistance in top-tier battles, and physical damage demands a multitude of targeted defenses. Most importantly...
"Phobia, Dragon's Breath, Banshee's Howl, Modern Ken's Sword, Disintegration—there are hundreds of variations, improvements, and sibling versions of them. Why would a high-level mage need more offensive spells? Why would I use that slow and unstable Meteor?"

However, for most spellcasters above the ninth ring, this is still the first spell they learn.

After all, as the team's spellcaster, you may not be good at or even despise the function of the Evoking Turret, but you can't really be without it.
"Which version of this meteor burst is it? I want to learn it!"

The archmage in the group, Marton, a master of energy manipulation and Rean's senior, immediately took notice of the devastating scene before him.

He felt that his mentor would be very happy if he brought it back.

Not only the teacher, but also the explosive maniacs who play with energy, love the scene of stars falling.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The entire world was engulfed in flames. Several magic arrays in mid-air would occasionally spit out a medium-sized meteorite, which would accelerate and disintegrate during its descent, eventually turning into a sea of ​​fire that covered an area.

The temples of the wasteland and the halls of the Matriarch were engulfed in flames, and the screams of the spider monsters echoed throughout the city.

Rean, however, immediately noticed Kuku's technical traces.

"Although Meteor Explosion is the most improved Evocation spell (the original was too useless), it's unrecognizable from the original now."

Rean had read the "Kuku's Chain Meteor Explosion (Nine to Ten Rings)" in the data, and it was basically consistent with the current description. Yes, it was a theoretical spell, but now the theory had become reality.

"One layer, two layers, three layers of magical arrays—how did it manage that?"

A meteor burst doesn't directly pull a meteor down; instead, it opens a spatial array, allowing the meteor to emerge from the array before it falls and is guided.

In fact, this involves several steps and precise control, from spatial summoning to energy fusion to fall control, comprehensively testing the energy mage's ability to control and transform elements.

But now, Rean saw three layers of meteor burst magic circles stacked together. They overlapped each other, but the original magic power was transformed into the summoning of a "three-headed dragon", and then the subdivided magic power further transformed it into a series of fire rains.

"Without Kuku's multiple thought processes, how did they manage to control three spatial arrays simultaneously? Or rather, how are these three spatial rifts within a single array?"

While others witnessed the spectacle and the explosive effects of the powerful spell, Rean saw that Kuku's technical problem had been solved in reality, and the ever-exploding rain of fire covering everything was quite unsettling.

Especially the miniature "pattern" at the center of the magic circle, which is a three-headed dragon, is actually the personal signature of the Sage Kuku.

This is much more complex than the magic array I remember.

"How is such a complex magic array managed to be controlled so precisely at the same time?"

Rean didn't think the other party had the ability to draw such a high-level spell array while multitasking, which meant stable modular casting.

Rean's Fire Rain series has never been mass-produced and is even quite useless because it was originally designed for Kuku who can multitask. Without multiple casting and multiple casting focus, the spell effect cannot be achieved.

"I want this spell."

Even though it's far from being able to use this spell, Rean is determined to obtain information about it.

But now, it doesn't seem like the time to consider these things.
"Don't get involved. Let's buy some supplies and head to the Great Demon Realm."

"They won't sell? Then let's just rob them. This isn't a crime, it's fighting evil! First, investigate the evil, then rob them, and it's not robbery."

Taking advantage of the city's attention being drawn to these sudden attackers, Rean went about his own business. His gaze turned to the sky, where flickering humanoid figures were rapidly casting spells, dragging more meteors down. Once he confirmed that two archmages were using this spell simultaneously, Rean realized that Kuku's magic had been fully matured and modularized.

His longan eyes also allowed him to see the other person's clothing and appearance.

One of the women wore a rather simple black robe that concealed what should have been a fairly good figure, while the other wore a high-ranking wizard's hat resembling that of a traditional witch, as well as what appeared to be a uniform of a high-ranking wizard.

These two Grand Mages, both above the ninth ring, were even wearing the same armbands. Further away, on a floating disc, there seemed to be some young men and women in similar uniforms.

Is this a mentor practicing terrorist attacks with his apprentices?

"Senior brother, do you know about this?"

Rean sketched the armband casually; it was a "wizard phantom inside a portal."

Its design looks like an emblem or an icon.

"A channel has been found?" Marton was initially very excited. Such a high-level spell from the same system naturally appealed to the Evocation Master. But after just one glance, he fell silent.

In the end, I sighed and realized I had no choice but to give up.

"The people of the Stu Federation, the Land of Ten Thousand Laws, are difficult to deal with. They basically don't sell their magic abroad unless you offer equivalent knowledge in exchange."

As he spoke, Marton shook his head, somewhat puzzled.

"Why are they here? They're clearly on the other side of the continent, and they look down on this continental border."

Rean obtained information about this peculiar mage kingdom from his senior brother.

Only then did he realize that the "Nine Rings Spell" he had learned was just the most basic classical version.

Over the long course of history, especially with the rise of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Laws in the last thousand years, the so-called "new magic" has brought about too many changes. They also use the nine-ring mechanism, whose energy level is not necessarily stronger than that of the old magic, but is often used in a more sophisticated and academic way.

They diligently study the traditional Nine Rings, as it forms the foundation of everything, but upon it, they develop their own brilliant magical culture.

Within a thousand years?

Rean seemed to be deep in thought.

“At least five thousand years ago, they existed in my time as well,” but the spirits of the heroes gave a different answer.

"But back then, they were in the mage capital of the Elf Empire. Ha, they didn't even change their emblem, but the races of the members changed."

There are even experts? So, someone has passed down magic and continuously improved upon it?

Shaking his head, Rean stopped thinking about things that far ahead. He glanced at the two "Great City Mages" still fighting in the sky and had a feeling that they would meet again sooner or later.

"Let's go. While no one's got the energy to deal with us."

Rean was confident he could escape the city, but if he were to be branded a dark elf assassin, cooperating with the Mirror Maiden would become much more difficult. The dark elf gods were nominal allies, and having a wanted poster placed on his person here would cause serious trouble.

While much attention was drawn to the battlefield above the city, Rean and his group's operation went smoothly. They discovered that many of their peers, too many opportunists, were essentially the same: dark elves.

"A crime that has not been discovered does not exist."

The local dark elves taught Rean and his companions a lesson through their actions.

Rean was truly amazed. One moment a monk was praying devoutly, and the next he was a masked bandit. Even the dark elf children who were playing games with him could suddenly draw their knives and stab someone.

This is a chaotic city suppressed by order. When the city lord's authority is challenged, chaos and ambitious people run rampant.

But the paladins then taught the dark elves another lesson by plundering these bandits.

(End of this chapter)