Wizards begin by accessing the Inspiration panel.

Chapter 89 Master-Level Tricks

I remember a couple of days ago, when I triggered the Inspiration upgrade for the level 0 spell [Summon Skeleton], I upgraded Summon Skeleton to Master level. As a result, I found that the Trick [Manipulate Bones] also upgraded from Proficient level to Master level.

After all, such a significant improvement is difficult to explain using the commonalities of witchcraft.

Therefore, it is more likely that there is some kind of intrinsic connection between these two forms of witchcraft.

Previously, I was unable to verify this because I was out of energy, but this time, I can finally verify it.

As for why Richard chose to relentlessly pursue the level zero spell "Summon Skeletons," it's because he discovered that the power of this spell primarily depends on the degree of control the user has over it.

In other words, the higher the level of control, the greater the power.

Unlike level 0 spells such as Shadow Grip, Lesser Shadow Bolt, and Shadow Shock, which require the use of dark elemental energy.

Richard still clearly remembered the time when he and Mero encountered the giant crocodile in the Dead Swamp. The previous chief, Emilia, who saved them, used the Shadow Grip, a giant hand formed from dark elements, which was four meters in diameter.

As for himself, at the same level of skill, his magic was only two meters in diameter, and his power was far inferior.

This is due to the difference in wizard aptitude!

To be precise, it is caused by the difference in affinity for dark elements.

According to Meiluo's later revelation, Richard knew that Emilia's affinity for dark elements was superb, no wonder she was called a super genius!

Therefore, through this incident, Richard realized that the more a wizard's aptitude a wizard relies on, the more important it is for him to focus on improving their skills.

At least until his wizarding aptitude shows significant improvement, this logic holds true.

[Host detected performing magic to manipulate skeletons. Do/Do you consume energy to gain inspiration for manipulating skeletons?]

This time, looking at the value 5781 at the far right of the slider, Richard thought for a moment and decided to drag the slider to 1781 to test the effect, and then selected "Yes!"

In an instant, Richard's soul seemed to leave his body, and he returned to the dream. This time, the scene in the dream was a dark cemetery.

He possessed the body of a gray-robed apprentice whose face was obscured, with a basin of bones placed in front of him.

Richard focused his gaze on the skeleton in the basin, chanted a spell, and with a thought, his mental tendrils quickly assembled the skeleton. As the number of mental tendrils increased, Richard now controlled the skeleton with great ease.

With a surge of inspiration, he recalled that when he first started learning to manipulate skeletons, he needed to use his fingers to fly across his hands, and his mental energy to control the skeletons through his fingers, much like manipulating shadow puppets.

Later, after his mental energy was divided into tendrils, he no longer needed to use his fingers for assistance.

Now, Richard realized once again that although he was already able to separate fifteen spiritual tendrils, with continuous practice in his dreams, he seemed to be able to separate a tiny thread from his spiritual energy ball again.

Thus, one, two, the number of spiritual tendrils gradually increased.

Gradually, the number of spiritual tendrils exceeded twenty.

Thirty pieces.

For a moment, Richard felt as if he could control everything on the skeleton!

Suddenly, his comprehension was interrupted, and Richard's soul rapidly returned to his body!

Richard, waking from his reverie, immediately felt a pang of regret. He was just about to grasp something, but he had to give up halfway because he hadn't set enough energy points!

This time, Richard didn't hesitate to invest 1000 energy points for further insights!

So Richard returned to the dream again and practiced his already mastered trick of manipulating skeletons over and over again.

The tendrils of mental energy slowly increased again, but seemed to be getting closer and closer to a certain limit!

Richard controlled the skeleton with the ease of a second, as if it were his own body.

Suddenly, Richard felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, and he instantly had a sudden realization!

He discovered that he no longer needed to separate individual tendrils of spiritual energy to control the skeleton.

Instead, a portion of the person's consciousness directly possessed the skeleton.

That's him, the skeleton.

He is the skeleton.

Regardless of each other!

As one returns to their physical body from the dream.

Richard pulled up the panel and looked thoughtful.

The panel's [Witchcraft] section clearly displays: Manipulate Bones (Grandmaster 26%, Arcane: Possess Skeleton), Summon Skeleton (Master 68%, Arcane: Triple Summon).

Here, a level above the master level appeared—the grandmaster level.

At the same time, the zero-level sorcery of summoning skeletons has also been enhanced to an unprecedented master level due to the manipulation of bones through magic.

[Possess a Skeleton: Consumes a certain amount of mental energy to possess a portion of one's consciousness in the controlled skeleton or summoned skeleton. Mental energy is continuously consumed during possession, and using special skills while possessing will significantly increase mental energy consumption.]

Richard focused on several key phrases: "the skeletons or skeleton summons controlled" and "using special skills while possessing."

After much deliberation, if it were truly as described in the Inspiration Panel, then the effectiveness of this secret technique could definitely serve as his trump card.

A moment later, Richard and his two companions continued into the deep underground cave, making their way quickly by the light of the moss on the rock walls and the faint glow of the unknown mushrooms.

Before long, Richard and his two companions discovered the fish-men's tracks again.

This time, Richard wanted to try out a new secret technique, so he found an excuse to have Ophelia and Andrea take charge of the ordinary merman warriors, while he controlled the skeleton warrior to face the intermediate merman warriors wielding dual swords.

While his two teammates were engaged in battle, Richard focused his attention on his summoned creature—the Skeleton Warrior—and used the secret technique of possessing a skeleton for the first time.

The next second, a part of his consciousness possessed the skeleton warrior.

Facing the dual-wielding merman, the skeleton warrior charged forward, leaping high into the air and wielding his iron sword in a sweeping slash, accompanied by the high-frequency vibration of a sword technique!

This set of movements is so fluid and smooth, without the slightest bit of the stiffness in the Skeleton Warrior's joints!

The bulging eyes of the dual-wielding merman seemed to sense danger. With all its might, it crossed its two swords in front of its chest, trying to block the attack from the extremely eerie skeleton warrior!

But to the disbelief of the dual-wielding merman, the opponent's slash, like a hot knife through butter, instantly severed both of its blades.

The next second, the dual-wielding merman felt its body lighten, looked down, and immediately let out a scream!

It turned out that its chest and abdomen had been ripped open by the skeleton warrior's sword!

Various foul-smelling organs were spilled all over the ground!

Dual-wielding merman, dead!

Richard instantly recalled the possessed part of the consciousness back to his body.

That sword strike just now was really effective!

The only drawback is that it consumes a lot of mental energy. Richard estimated that this set of movements consumed about two points of mental energy, which is equivalent to casting a normal level zero spell, such as a slow spell or a weakness spell.

At that moment, Ophelia and Andrea, who had just finished killing the other small fry, saw the tragic death of the dual-wielding fishman.

The way she looked back at Richard was as if she were looking at a monster!

Richard took one look and immediately gave a wry smile, realizing that he had revealed too much of his strength!

(End of this chapter)