Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 463 "Combo Attacks of Fury" and "Aesthetic System"

Sarah clutched the heavy book tightly, tears welling in her eyes, but she tried hard not to let them fall.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady:
“My lord… before I express my gratitude to you, I would like to fulfill my duties as your servant.”

Ron put down his teacup, a look of curiosity in his eyes.

"Regarding those people you inquired about... Young Master Baroque and Lady Cecilia, I know some information that may be useful."

Sarah's voice became unusually serious:
“As a slave who was passed around as a ‘gift,’ I had the opportunity to observe their most authentic side.”

She sat down opposite Ron, her silver bells jingling softly.

The snake woman's voice no longer held timidity, but rather a firm resolve:
"This information may come in handy in your upcoming competition."

Ron didn't urge him, but waited quietly.

His years of research experience taught him that the most valuable intelligence is often hidden in the most subtle observations.

"Let's start with the young master of the Baroque."

Sarah gathered her thoughts and began to speak:
"Rumors circulate that he is the chosen one of the Burning Scale Clan, born with pure dragon blood."

But in fact... he, like me, came from the most marginal branch of the bloodline.

This information made Ron raise an eyebrow.

In a society where bloodline is paramount, one's birth often determines the course of their life, and those who can reverse this fate must have something special about them.

"His father was just an ordinary guard captain in the clan, and his mother came from a desert nomadic tribe with no dragon blood at all."

Sarah's voice carried a complex emotion:
"At the bloodline awakening ceremony fifteen years ago, everyone thought he would fail just like me."

"Including himself."

She gently stroked the communication crystal in her hand, recalling the scene from back then:
“I was just a child then, and I was assigned to serve at the ceremony.”

I clearly remember that when Baroque stood on the Awakening Altar, his whole body was trembling.

Not because of excitement, but because of fear—fear of failure, fear of being abandoned.

Ron began to construct a mental portrait of Baroque in his mind.

A young person from humble beginnings, filled with uncertainty about the future, will inevitably experience an extremely complex and fragile psychological state when facing the judgment of fate.

But a miracle happened.

Sarah's voice carried a hint of disbelief:
"The moment the dragon blood essence was injected into his body, an unprecedented energy erupted from him."

This is not ordinary dragon bloodline, but a direct lineage from 'Burning Dragon' Red.

She paused, as if savoring that shocking moment:

"The entire ceremony site was enveloped in golden-red flames, and the temperature was so high that even the stone slabs of the altar began to melt."

All the elders were shocked, for Red was one of the most powerful ancestors in the history of the Burning Scale Clan.

"From that moment on, Baroque rose from the lowest branch to become the most prominent candidate for successor in the clan."

Upon hearing this, Ron understood the profound psychological impact of such a sudden change on a person.

The dramatic fall from despair to the peak often leaves a permanent mark on a person's heart.

"Did this transformation change him?" he asked.

“It has completely changed.”

A hint of sadness appeared in Sarah's eyes:

"After successfully awakening, Baroque was like a completely different person."

He began to frantically emphasize the 'purity' of his bloodline, claiming that he was born to be Red's successor.

Anyone who mentions his background will provoke extreme anger in him.

She sighed softly:
"But I could see that the root of that anger was not arrogance, but fear."

He was afraid that others would discover his bloodline awakening was just an accident, and afraid of losing everything he had now.

Ron mentally noted down these key pieces of information.

People who lack a sense of security are often the most vulnerable to psychological attacks.

"Following this logic of pathological psychology, he should be exhibiting some unusual behavioral patterns now, right?"

"As expected of you, Young Master Baroque is indeed obsessed with collecting relics of ancient dragons."

Sarah nodded in affirmation:
"Dragon scales, dragon bones, dragon blood crystals... he will collect any item related to ancient dragon species at any cost."

It wasn't for practical use, but to prove that they had a blood connection with those legendary beings.

Her voice grew deeper:

“I heard from the clan’s old servant that Baroque’s room was filled with various dragon relics, and he would spend several hours every night praying silently to them.”

It's like proving to our ancestors that we are worthy of this bloodline.

"This is a deep-seated compensatory psychology."

Ron analyzed in his mind:

"They try to fill the void in their hearts with external symbols and attempt to prove their 'legitimacy' with material things."

Are there any other weaknesses?

“His signature move, ‘Raging Combo’.” Sarah’s expression turned somewhat frightened:
"The power of this technique is truly astonishing; the higher the level of anger, the stronger the power."

In a state of extreme rage, he could even briefly approach the attack power of a Dark Sun level opponent.

"But..." she lowered her voice:
"This power depends entirely on losing control of his emotions; when he is in a state of extreme anger, reason completely disappears."

Indiscriminately, without regard for friend or foe, and disregarding consequences, they acted like a wild beast out of control.

This weakness caught Ron's eye.

In combat, exploiting an opponent's emotional weaknesses is often more effective than a head-on confrontation.

“I understand.” He nodded in acknowledgment, then moved on to the next topic:
"And what about Cecilia? What's the real situation with her?"

Sarah's expression became complicated when the name was mentioned.

There was both fear and a certain indescribable sympathy.

“Ms. Cecilia… just as I told you before, she is not the kind of madwoman that everyone thinks she is.”

Sarah carefully organized her words:

"Her cognitive system has a very clear logic, which is the absolute pursuit of 'beauty'."

"In her worldview, beauty is the only thing of value, while ugliness is an evil that must be eliminated."

There was a chilling undertone in her words:

Her residence was called the "Mirror House" because it contained thousands of mirrors of different sizes.

Each mirror is carefully adjusted to reflect beautiful things from the perfect angle.

Ron imagined the scene: thousands of mirrors shimmering in the sunlight, creating a bizarre and fantastical illusion.

"She spends a lot of time dressing herself up every day, changing different clothes and accessories."

It wasn't to please anyone, but to meet her own standard of 'perfection.'

Sarah continued her description:

"She has extremely strict requirements for the appearance of everyone around her."

Her clothes had to be perfectly coordinated, her hairstyle had to be flawless, and even her walking posture had to conform to her aesthetic standards.

“Any ‘imperfect’ detail would drive her into a rage.”

Her voice began to tremble:

“I saw her turn a servant’s clothes to ashes because of a small stain on them.”

It wasn't anger, nor punishment, but an almost instinctive act of 'cleaning'.

This behavioral pattern reminded Ron of an extreme manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The pursuit of perfection transcends the boundaries of reason and becomes a morbid obsession.

Is her source of power also related to this?

“Yes.” Sarah nodded in confirmation:
"Her spellcasting is an extremely rare 'aesthetic system'."

By maintaining the absolute beauty of our surroundings, we draw a continuous source of strength from them.

The snake woman touched her bell, unconsciously straightening her back to maintain good posture, as if she had been reminded of her time with Cecilia:

"Therefore, the power of her magic is directly proportional to the 'aesthetic index' of the surrounding environment."

In the Mirror Pavilion, her strength almost surpassed the Moon-level.

But if something 'ugly' appears in her environment that she cannot tolerate, her power will decrease drastically.

This information confirmed for Ron the key to dealing with Cecilia.

"In other words, if we can disrupt her perception of 'beauty,' or create 'ugliness' around her..."

“She will fall into a state of extreme panic and weakness,” Sarah added.

"I witnessed an accident once, when an injured desert lizard wandered into the mirror gallery."

The lizard looked quite terrifying due to excessive blood loss.

Upon seeing this, Ms. Cecilia was completely devastated.

Not only was it unable to cast spells, it couldn't even think straight; it just screamed madly.

Ron refined his analysis of the two potential rivals in his mind.

The psychological void in the Baroque period lay in the insecurity surrounding the legitimacy of their bloodline.

Cecilia's weakness lies in her pathological dependence on a perfect environment.

Having learned this information, he had more strategic options in the Elemental Night competition.

“This information is invaluable, Sarah,” he said sincerely.

Sarah chuckled softly:
"As a slave who is passed around as a gift, observing and understanding the master's psychology is an essential skill for survival."

Although it was painful, it also allowed me to see many truths beneath the surface.

She stood up and bowed deeply to Ron:

"My lord, this is the best reward I can offer you. From now on, I will follow your advice, study pharmacology diligently, and find my own path in life."

Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on her face, which, once filled with timidity, now radiated an unprecedentedly resolute light.

Ron realized that what he had just witnessed was not just an exchange of information, but a rebirth of a soul.

This valuable information will become his sharpest hidden weapon in the upcoming Night of Elements.

………………

The training ground was still radiating heat, and the traces of lava were as menacing as scars on the earth.

Ron stood in the center of the field and took a deep breath of the sulfurous air.

Dean Salamander personally oversaw the battle, her eyes, like molten gold, burning with a stern flame:
"Today's training intensity will be three times that of yesterday. I need to confirm your true combat effectiveness under extreme pressure."

"If you can't even hold out at this level, the Elemental Night Arena will only become your graveyard."

Edwin, Lacour, and Patri are ready for battle.

Having learned his lesson from the previous out-of-control incident, Edwin has undergone a profound self-adjustment.

His lava armor was more understated than before, but Ron could sense a sharp increase in the energy density contained within it.

This compressed force is even more dangerous, like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.

Laku's sand control is also more targeted.

The sand underfoot is no longer a simple pile, but arranged according to a special structure.

Patricia hovered in mid-air, its feather-like wind membrane shimmering in the sunlight.

Her flight path seemed random, but in reality, she was weaving an invisible net of wind in the air.

"start!"

Salamanda's command rang out like a thunderclap.

The three launched their attack simultaneously, their coordination even better than yesterday.

Edwin no longer resorted to simple frontal assaults, but instead adopted guerrilla tactics.

His figure moved swiftly through the lava maze, sometimes firing lava projectiles from the left and sometimes unleashing fireballs from the right.

The intervals between each attack were perfectly timed, giving Ron no chance to catch his breath.

Laku creates ever-changing sand traps on the ground.

The once flat training ground has been transformed into a perilous sand maze, where every step could lead to a quicksand vortex.

Patricia's wind blades descended from the sky, silently cutting through the air like the scythe of death.

Faced with such a relentless offensive, Ron had no choice but to give it his all.

The demonic sword in his hand continuously cleaved through lava projectiles and wind blades.

A flowing protective barrier formed a silver protective layer around him, but under the combined attack of the three, this barrier began to crack.

"not enough!"

Salamanda roared from the sidelines:
"An attack of this caliber wouldn't even crack the top ten in Elemental Night!"

As he spoke, the temperature in the training ground began to rise sharply.

Salamander activated the underground auxiliary magic circle, making the entire environment even more hostile.

The scorching air began to obstruct vision, and the high ground temperature made every movement difficult.

Ron felt unprecedented pressure.

Under such multiple interferences, his perception began to deviate.

The "Superior Identification" system was affected by the heatwave and was unable to accurately analyze the attack trajectory.

The calculation speed of "Hermit's Knowledge" also decreases due to environmental noise;
Even the "eye of observation" has become blurred in its perception of time.

"boom!"

A lava projectile grazed his left arm, the intense heat scorching his sleeve.

"Whoosh!"

Patricia's wind blade struck from an unexpected angle, leaving a shallow bloodstain on his cheek.

"We're trapped!"

Raku's smug voice rang out, and Ron realized that his feet were already deeply embedded in the sand, being slowly swallowed up.

The three attacked with increasing ferocity and their teamwork became more and more seamless.

Ron felt like a small boat in a storm, about to be swallowed by the giant waves.

In this life-or-death crisis, his survival instinct was fully unleashed.

The brain begins to operate at an unprecedented speed, pushing all sensory abilities to their limits.

"There must be a way... there must be something we've overlooked..."

In this state of extreme focus, Ron began to try to reintegrate all his observational abilities.

"Exceptional Recognition" is responsible for detailed analysis;
Logical deduction based on "the knowledge of the hermit";

The "eye of observation" perceives the flow of time;
"Spiritual perception" explores deeper information...

Suddenly, as if struck by a divine inspiration, four different senses resonated deep within his consciousness.

It's like four tuning forks being struck at the same time, their frequencies reaching perfect harmony at a certain moment.

The world has been completely changed in Ron's eyes.

This is no longer a simple physical space, but a complex reality with countless layers of information superimposed on it.

He saw the "light of life" that ordinary people cannot perceive.

Each living person radiates a unique energy aura, twinkling like stars in the night sky.

Edwin's aura was a fiery orange-red, mixed with the majestic aura unique to dragon blood;

Laku's halo is a gentle earthy yellow, steady and deep, like the earth that embraces all things;
Patricia's halo is a light blue, as free and flowing as a breeze.

To his surprise, Ron saw countless translucent figures around the halos of these living people.

Those are souls—the remnants of the consciousness of the deceased, continuing to exist in some form beyond matter.

Behind Edwin, a massive dragon silhouette was roaring.

That was the ancestral mark in his bloodline, an ancient and powerful lava dragon.

This soul is not an independent individual, but a "memory imprint" in the bloodline, providing strength and guidance to its descendants.

Several lizardmen surrounded Laku, their eyes filled with expectation and pride.

Judging from the loving light emanating from those souls, they must be Laku's elders.

Even after they die, they are still gratified by the growth of their offspring.

Patricia is accompanied by a group of tiny wind sprites, which are some kind of more primal natural consciousness.

These sprites chattered and offered her flight advice, pointing out the best airflow paths.

These souls are connected to the living by countless rays of light.

Some of the light shone with a warm golden hue, which was the bond of blood ties;

Some of the light is a soft white, representing a deep emotional connection;
Some lights display other colors, symbolizing relationships of different natures.

But Ron soon realized that this new vision was not just an observation tool, but a powerful tactical advantage.

By observing the soul's reaction, he can predict his opponent's next move.

When Edwin prepares to unleash a powerful attack, the dragon soul behind him will enter an excited state in advance;
When Laku tries to change the shape of the sand, the spirits of his ancestors who guard him will show signs of tension.
When Patricia prepares to change her flight path, the wind sprites will adjust their positions in advance.

These subtle changes provided Ron with ample warning time.

With the aid of "spirit vision," the three types of attacks, which were originally complex and unpredictable, began to become traceable.

He began to be able to anticipate the timing and direction of each attack.

What was initially a perilous battle gradually became one that was handled with ease.

"what happened?"

Salamanda frowned on the sidelines:
"How did this kid's reaction speed suddenly improve so much?"

Edwin, Lacour, and Patri also sensed the change.

Ron, who should have been suppressed, is now displaying unprecedented combat skills.

Every dodge he made was perfectly timed, and every counterattack hit the mark.

It's like suddenly opening the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor, enabling one to perceive every detail on the battlefield.

"In that case, I'll add a little more for you!"

Edwin, somewhat skeptical, continued to unleash even more intense lava barrages.

Ron, however, was simply focused on experiencing the wonderful sensations brought about by this new ability.

In the world of "spirit vision," death is not the end, but a transformation of the form of existence.

Those departed souls continue to influence the real world in their own way, providing protection, guidance, and strength to the living.

This is a level that is richer and more complex than the material world, full of infinite possibilities.

The scales of the battle began to tip in his favor.

………………

"stop!"

Salamanda's voice boomed like thunder, abruptly halting the training session.

He strode to the center of the arena, his golden eyes fixed on Ron:

"Kid, what special ability did you use just now?"

Ron sheathed his magic sword and tried to calm his breathing.

The "spirit vision" I just experienced consumed a lot of my mental energy, and I feel somewhat tired now.

(End of this chapter)