"Great, only forty-nine left," Lucian encouraged, glancing at Carrie, who was practically glowing with excitement.
While Carrie moved ahead to search for new targets, Lucian opened his system panel to examine his teaching rewards.
He started with the Scorching Fire Arrow upgrade, revealing three possible paths, each represented by a new icon: Multi-Arrows, Enhanced Arrow Speed, and Improved Accuracy.
"Multi-Arrows, huh? Extra arrows, faster shots, or better accuracy…" Lucian pondered. Seeing Carrie successfully take down another Blood Crow, he weighed his options and chose Multi-Arrows. After all, doubling the number of arrows would effectively double the spell's impact, offering a greater advantage than the other two options.
Boom—
An influx of knowledge surged into Lucian's mind, encompassing not only spell runes but also archery techniques. These fragments combined, forming a complete skill in his mind: Multi-Scorching Arrow.
This spell allowed the simultaneous release of up to five enchanted arrows, with each additional arrow exponentially increasing the mental energy required. In exchange, each arrow added a significant power boost, making it a high-cost, high-reward spell.
"Once we're done with this mission, I'll have a new technique to teach Carrie." Lucian smiled, then moved on to the next upgrade: Scorching Fire II.
The upgrade options for Scorching Fire II included increased firepower, enhanced flame adhesion, and improved accuracy. The last option caught Lucian's attention. Since Scorching Fire's primary limitation was its straightforward attack method, an upgrade that improved accuracy seemed intriguing.
After making his selection, a new stream of knowledge surged into his mind, and Lucian closed his eyes briefly to absorb it. When he opened them, he uttered a special phrase.
"Ignite…"
As Lucian's voice resonated, a boulder about twenty meters away suddenly ignited in blue flames.
Sizzle—the intense blue fire crackled as it began to fracture the stone's surface.
"Mentor?" Carrie, having finished her latest hunt, turned to see the blue flames flaring from the boulder and looked at Lucian in surprise.
"Just an idea I had," Lucian explained with a smile, withdrawing his mental control over the spell. The blue flames slowly dissipated, leaving the rock scorched and faintly red-hot.
"Sound-activated, remote casting," Lucian mused, satisfied with the results. The upgraded Scorching Fire—now the Torchfire Spell—was a stealthy, surprise attack that could target an enemy using sound to pinpoint its location. If paired with sound frequencies outside human hearing, like ultrasonic waves, this spell could strike an opponent entirely undetected.
The Torchfire Spell was a perfect ambush tool. Although not overwhelmingly powerful, it could easily catch an enemy off guard and bypass their defences. Used correctly, this spell could even pose a serious threat to a third-level wizard apprentice.
"Let's call it… Torchfire." Lucian named this new evolution of Scorching Fire, recalling how the blue flames had turned the boulder into a blazing torch.
Interestingly, the system categorized Torchfire and Multi-Scorching Arrow as variations of the same spell, sharing a single progress bar. This meant that if Carrie fully mastered either one, Lucian would unlock further knowledge and rewards from the system.
"This must be the system's way of encouraging personalized instruction," Lucian realized, glancing over at Carrie. He decided that instead of waiting until they returned to the academy, they'd start right away.
"Carrie."
"Yes, Mentor?" Carrie lowered her bow and turned to Lucian.
"I think we can refine your arrow-based spell even further," Lucian said, taking her bow and drawing two arrows from her quiver.
He nocked both arrows, pulling back the bowstring, as magic infused each arrowhead, transforming them into dual Scorching Fire Arrows.
Releasing the arrows, Lucian sent them streaking forward, each avoiding the boulder and landing side by side, where they exploded with a burst of blue flames.
Carrie: (°ロ°)!
Lucian returned the bow to her with a calm smile.
Carrie stared, dumbfounded. Lucian hadn't even asked her about her modified spell model, yet not only had he flawlessly recreated it, he'd even upgraded it!
In disbelief, Carrie grabbed two arrows, pulled back the bow and began to form the spell model.
She managed to enchant the first arrow successfully, but the second arrow remained inert.
Determined, she tried to focus on both arrows simultaneously, but as soon as she did, the first arrow threatened to explode prematurely. Defeated, she released the arrows individually, firing them without the intended effect.
"Keep practising. Once we're back at the academy, I'll guide you through it," Lucian said, patting her shoulder.
Carrie looked up at Lucian, admiration shining in her eyes.
She realized now that Lucian's efforts went far beyond simply improving the spell for her. He'd been quietly guiding her, encouraging her to experiment, think critically, and ultimately succeed on her own.
"Mentor…" Carrie whispered, giving Lucian a quick hug, though due to her height, it looked more like she was clinging to his leg.