Kobold Wizard's Journal

Chapter 392 Strength and Weakness

He noticed Leiden's expression at the time and thought he would ask Leiden about it separately when he had time, but a series of things happened afterward and he forgot about it.

Ruge suddenly noticed that Mahama, who was standing next to him, was looking at him with a questioning gaze.

"Do you really have teachers? I'm not referring to those stingy guys at the wizarding academy."

Mahama looked Rug up and down.

“As the final successful candidate, I believe you should have a strong teacher,” Mahama said in a deep voice.

Ruger rolled his eyes again, feeling like he was going to use up all the eye-rolls he had saved up lately in one day. He glanced sideways at the big guy; it seemed that the failure of the Demon Hunter Wizard assessment trial had greatly affected this guy, leaving a deep impression.

"I wasn't the final qualified candidate; I was eliminated in the last round."

Ruge said slowly, recalling that he had said something similar to Mahama not long ago.

Mahama looked somewhat puzzled, which Ruge noticed.

Ruger knew that this confusion wasn't directed at the trial he'd casually mentioned, but at something about him that the big guy couldn't quite grasp.

Suddenly, Ruge noticed a change in Mahama's eyes.

“Lord Ruger,” Mahama looked at him solemnly, “you must be highly regarded by your teachers. I have heard of a special case where, perhaps in the eyes of those wizards, you are far more outstanding than I imagine, so… they prefer to let wizard apprentices like you create some new possibilities.”

Ruger rolled his eyes, nearly getting a hair from his face into them.

"From what you're saying, it doesn't seem to be that widespread."

Ruge pondered the meaning behind Mahama's words, especially the term "miser."

“It’s quite common. Teachers or members of wizarding families all know about the existence of spell sequences. Some wizarding academies also have a few outstanding wizarding apprentices who know about it. Of course, those apprentices usually have a teacher,” Mahama said, seeing that Ruge had misunderstood what he meant by widespread use. “This kind of thing isn’t something everyone can pursue. Spending too much time on knowledge they shouldn’t be exposed to will only harm them. Not everyone can rationally recognize themselves, and even those who can recognize themselves may not be able to easily resist temptations…”

Ruger raised an eyebrow. He had recently witnessed a vivid performance of what was called temptation, a performance that was both proactive and passive, such as offering one's heart and toes.

"What kind of spell sequence would it be if the Seed of the Ear spell were solidified in a zero-ring spell slot?"

Ruger changed the subject. Mahama turned his thick neck and looked into the distance.

“That spell sequence belongs to a high-ranking figure in the Holy Tribunal. I’ve only heard some legends about her,” Mahama turned to look at Ruger. “You know about immortal wizards, right? Legend has it that they can live for a very long time or even reach the path of near-immortality. And that high-ranking figure specializes in killing those who are difficult to kill, whether they are special demons or special creatures that are said to be immortal. They tremble at the sight of her… She is a sharp blade that even immortal wizards would find troublesome…”

Ruger went from listening with great interest to slightly opening his mouth.

The idea of ​​an immortal wizard and a sharp blade specifically designed to deal with such difficult-to-kill creatures sounds intriguing. It represents a clash between the wizarding path, the deterrent power of the Holy Inquisition, and a confrontation of magical knowledge.

"Although the story of this lady is not widely known, some wizarding apprentices still learn of her existence by chance, which has caused some very serious consequences. Some people fantasize that they can do the same, and in the most foolish stage, they solidify the Ear Seed spell on the zero-ring spell slot... You know, some people may work hard all their lives and only become a first-ring wizard, or even spend their whole lives as a wizarding apprentice, just holding onto the Ear Seed spell for the rest of their lives..." Mahama said.

Ruger nodded in deep agreement.

Perhaps reaching a higher level, the combination of spells will make the Seed of Ears have many wonderful uses, but if one only stays at the wizard apprentice stage for a lifetime, it will be quite distressing. And the master who is regarded as a sharp blade will naturally not reveal his secrets in a straightforward manner.

Mahama looked at him, as if he had imagined Ruge's situation.

“Spell sequences are not the only option. There are extreme proponents of spell sequences, and there are corresponding opponents. Sequence wizards often excel in a particular area,” Mahama said. “In the normal worldview, spell selection makes one more well-rounded, which is a minor drawback of sequence wizards. However, this can often be compensated for by practicing specific spells or carrying alchemical tools. The source of a sequence wizard’s strength is their spell sequence, so that is also their weakness. There is a group of people who make a living by analyzing other people’s spell sequences, and there is even an organization that calls themselves Sequence Analyzers.”

"Cracking someone else's spell sequence? That's very difficult, isn't it?"

Ruger thought about it and realized that it was not something that one person could do alone. It would probably require the cooperation of many people, and even the creation of a scene where the wizard would cast a spell.

"Yes, it's very difficult. Many spells in spell sequences are modified, and some spell sequences even require modifications to the wizard's body. So most so-called analyses, even after decades, can only yield a rough answer. A spell sequence is like a potion recipe, a more secretive one. Moreover, spell sequences don't only have one form. As I just mentioned, spell sequences lack flexibility, so some wizards try to overcome this situation. For example, a sixth-ring wizard can form a complete spell sequence with his first four spells, and the middle spells can also form different spell sequences with slightly different effects. Then, all the solidified spells together form an even more powerful spell sequence."

Mahama shrugged as he spoke.

"But it's only a slight change, making it harder for the enemy to figure out the details. Non-sequence wizards are not necessarily weaker than sequence wizards; in many cases, they are even stronger. Moreover, there are some approaches that fall somewhere in between, where instead of deliberately forming spell sequences, they choose a particular area of ​​magic based on their own philosophy and build a way of life and combat around that magic," Mahama said.

Ruger looked thoughtful.

A spell sequence does not necessarily have to consist of all spell slots. As Mahama said, one can strive for comprehensiveness like a traditional wizard, or be somewhere in between, or even balance both, such as mastering a short spell sequence consisting of three or four spells.

(End of this chapter)