After a few courteous words, both of them turned their gaze toward the grand wizard, who was acting as the referee.
Herlram showed no intention of delay and spoke directly, "Let's begin."
The moment those words were spoken, Lynn took the initiative. Seizing the advantage was crucial in any battle. In an instant, seven Magic Missiles materialized, shooting like arrows from a drawn bow.
Rol furrowed his brow, feeling a hint of dissatisfaction. Using Tier Zero magic for probing in an official wizard's duel seemed a bit disrespectful.
[Lesser - Magic Shield]
Rol casually raised his hand, forming a magical barrier before him. However, to his surprise, these seven Magic Missiles curved, avoiding the protective barrier and approaching from both sides.
Caught off guard, Rol's pupils contracted, but his reaction speed was no less impressive. Almost instantly, an invisible magic shield enveloped him, blocking the Magic Missiles. They created ripples upon impact but failed to breach it.
This was Tier Two magic, the "Magic Shield". However, before Rol could catch his breath, the second wave of "Magic Missiles" was already upon him.
This time, Lynn didn't hold back. The magical missiles were merely shells, with highly combustible elements mixed inside. Upon collision, they exploded. The sound of multiple muffled explosions filled the training ground.
The magical protective wall was breached instantly, and cracks appeared on Rol's Magic Shield.
"Is this really 'Magic Missile'?" Elok, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but exclaim.
The other wizard apprentices were equally astounded. They were familiar with the "Magic Missile" spell, a basic element of their studies. However, its power was usually underwhelming, so it was rarely used.
But Lynn was now using this Tier Zero magic in a battle between official wizards, and the power was astonishing.
Rol was forced to retreat repeatedly. In the blink of an eye, he had cast a protective spell one moment, only for several Magic Missiles to strike the same spot the next. The dense explosions were enough to pulverize it.
Not only that, the number of Magic Missiles kept increasing. It started with seven, then ten, and eventually reached twelve and fifteen. Even to the untrained eye, it was clear that if Lynn had intended to harm Rol, he would have been defeated long ago.
This was the "Magic Missiles"? The professors in attendance quickly recognized it. Lynn was employing a variation of the Great Wizard's improved magic. (They think he is employing Herlram's research material.)
No, that wasn't entirely accurate. After watching for a while, they noticed subtle differences.
Herlram's "Magic Missiles" involved pre-setting the flight paths of the missiles to evade obstacles, launching attacks from unexpected angles, and relying on sheer quantity to deal damage.
Lynn's magic was different. Each Magic Missile possessed the power of a small Fireball spell, and their agility was equally remarkable.
"Professor Lynn may be a genius in magical research." Philip couldn't help but exclaim. A Tier Zero magic meant for feints had been transformed into a destructive force equivalent to Tier Two advanced magic.
The other professors nodded in agreement and then turned their attention to Herlram. They were curious about how the Grand Wizard would respond.
At this moment, Herlram made no comment. He simply watched the battle between the two, deep in thought, contemplating something.
Compared to the onlooking students and professors, Rol, who was on the battlefield, was sweating profusely. He was well aware of the gap between a Tier Two wizard and a Tier Three wizard, but he didn't expect that his opponent would make him look so miserable with just an improved Tier Zero spell.
If he were to lose like this, it would be more than just a loss of face.
With this in mind, Rol's expression turned extremely serious, and the ring on his hand emitted a faint glow.
Tier Three protective magic - [Magic Barrier]
The next moment, a sturdy magical barrier appeared all around him, blocking all the incoming [Magic Missiles] from every direction. Although Rol was using an alchemical item, Herlram showed no intention of calling a halt.
Strictly speaking, various magical potions and alchemical items were part of a wizard's strength. However, individuals concerned about their reputation wouldn't typically use such items in a competition.
Lynn, still in overload mode, sensed the increase in the strength of Rol's protective magic and noticed his diminishing mental energy reserves. He decided to finish the battle swiftly.
In an instant, a total of thirty-six Magic Missiles hovered in the air. This was the limit of his casting. This single attack was already on par with Tier Three magic.
Rol watched the approaching magical missiles with a grave expression. He raised his index finger and slightly trembled it in the air, causing an invisible wave to spread forward in a semicircular shape.
The thirty-six Magic Missiles exploded in mid-air before even reaching him. The continuous explosions reverberated throughout the training ground.
Elok and others who thought Lynn was on the verge of winning were left dumbfounded, unable to make sense of the situation. Had the professor made a mistake while casting his spell? How could it explode before it even reached the enemy?
"As expected." A smirk crept onto Rol's lips. After this brief battle, he had already identified the weakness of this magic.
While Lynn had turned the Magic Missiles into explosive devices, it had made the spell itself extremely unstable. It only required a slight application of force to disrupt the surface shell, causing it to explode spontaneously.
Now, it was time for Rol to strike back. And he did so in a mocking manner.
At the moment of the explosion of dozens of Magic Missiles, Rol activated a Tier Zero spell, [Water Conjuring], causing countless yellow-green water droplets to appear around him. Riding on the dust and smoke generated by the explosions, these droplets shot toward Lynn like a continuous barrage.
Realizing that his magic had been countered, Lynn immediately deployed one of the few protective spells he had mastered - [Frost Barrier]. A wall of ice emerged, blocking the oncoming attack.
However, when the smoke from the explosions cleared, Lynn quickly noticed something was amiss. The opponent's attack seemed different from what he had expected.
Rol clenched his fist, and countless yellow-green water droplets burst instantly, transforming into a high-temperature, highly toxic, and highly corrosive steam that enveloped Lynn directly.
This was Tier Two advanced magic -
[Scorching Steam]