*Thud.*
The rabbit guardian's razor-sharp claws struck with overwhelming force, cracking Merlin's stone barrier and leaving it webbed with fine fractures.
"What incredible strength, and it's so fast. My *Frozen Finger* is completely ineffective!" Merlin's face showed a trace of alarm. With such power and speed, he struggled even to lock onto the rabbit's position with his mental energy. The deadly precision of *Frozen Finger* was useless if he couldn't land a direct hit.
"*Lightning Net!*" Merlin tried another spell. Though it was only a zero-level spell, he hoped the lightning might at least paralyze the rabbit for a moment.
Crackling electricity filled the air, but as Merlin expected, the spell did little to slow the creature. He then cast an enhanced version of *Dark Mist*, but it failed to disorient the guardian. Maybe, he thought, if he had the *Dark Light Domain* spell, he could have a real chance to trick it into an illusion, but for now, that wasn't an option.
Seeing an opportunity before the rabbit could launch another attack, Merlin slipped out of the chamber.
"Is that all? Running already?" The rabbit guardian seemed unsatisfied but soon returned to the corner of the chamber, its body once again shrinking and resuming its innocuous white appearance.
Watching it, Merlin could only shake his head in frustration. Who would have guessed that this seemingly harmless "rabbit" was actually a terrifying elemental beast?
And the guardian hadn't even shown its full power. The true strength of elemental creatures lay in their ability to control elements. Just dealing with its speed and physical prowess had pushed Merlin to his limits. Defeating it would be no easy task.
Returning to the flame-shaped statue, he found the flame spirit waiting for him.
"Did you fail?" the flame spirit asked calmly. "Lister isn't so easy to defeat. Getting past his chamber won't be simple."
Merlin nodded. "Yes, the puppet guard I could handle by outlasting it. But against this rabbit guardian—a fully-fledged elemental creature—I barely stand a chance."
He lifted his pale hand, realizing that *Frozen Finger* alone wasn't enough. He would need some way to limit the rabbit's speed if he wanted any chance of victory.
"If you're not ready, then train," the flame spirit advised. "If I'm not mistaken, you're not even a first-level spellcaster yet. Come back to challenge Lister after you've built your final spell and reached the first level."
The flame spirit's observation was accurate; Merlin wasn't a first-level caster. He needed one last spell—*Dark Light Domain*—to reach that rank.
"All right. Find me a quiet room to meditate. Once I've completed *Dark Light Domain* and reached the first level, I'll come back to face the guardian."
Merlin was led to a chamber and immediately began reviewing the earlier fight. The rabbit's speed was clearly an issue. Even if he used *Frozen Finger*, he could barely lock onto it. And *Dark Mist* was too weak to draw it into an illusion. But with *Dark Light Domain*, he might just succeed.
The thought excited him. Reaching the first level meant becoming a true spellcaster. However, *Dark Light Domain* required an immense amount of mental energy, nearly that of a third-level caster.
Merlin's mental strength was already at the peak of a second-level spellcaster, but to reach the third, he would need a substantial increase. Through meditation alone, he estimated it would take about six months to gather the energy he needed. Fortunately, he had another method.
In addition to his high-level meditation technique, Merlin had been brewing *Phantom Elixirs*. Before he entered the tower, his supply of ingredients had nearly run out. But after acquiring the rings of many unfortunate spellcasters who had fallen to the tower's creatures, he now had enough rare ingredients to brew multiple batches.
So, with the Matrix's assistance, Merlin settled into focused elixir production.
---
Three months passed swiftly. Merlin stirred from meditation, feeling his mental energy on the cusp of a breakthrough.
"This is my last *Phantom Elixir*. If all goes well, this will push me to third-level strength," he murmured, drinking the elixir in a single gulp. A wave of cool energy surged through his mind, and his mental power rapidly expanded.
Then, with a sudden jolt, his mind cleared. He felt a rush of clarity as his mental strength doubled.
"I did it," he whispered, delighted. Three months of intense practice and steady doses of *Phantom Elixir* had paid off. His mental strength had finally reached third-level caster capacity.
With his enhanced mental power, Merlin noticed new abilities. He could now sense beyond walls, even penetrating thicker barriers. The improvement was astonishing.
He had reached the level needed to create *Dark Light Domain* and officially become a first-level spellcaster. After nearly six months away from home, Merlin knew he was now unlikely to make it back in time for May Snow and Agis's wedding. His father had mentioned the upcoming wedding when he left Pughas City, and he had hoped to attend.
Becoming a spellcaster hadn't diminished Merlin's sense of family, and he was disappointed he might miss the event. But he brushed those thoughts aside, refocusing his mind.
"Matrix," he commanded, "analyze the *Dark Light Domain* spell model."
"*Beep.* The *Dark Light Domain* spell model has already been analyzed. Would you like me to start again?"
Merlin remembered that the Matrix had analyzed the model in the past, but his mental strength had been too low to complete it at the time.
The Matrix had reconstructed the spell's model over a hundred thousand times, eventually selecting one with optimal stability, power, and compatibility with Merlin's other spells. Confident that his now increased mental strength would be enough, Merlin began building the model in his mind.
*Dark Light Domain* was a complex spell, far more intricate than anything Merlin had previously mastered. But he was prepared. With calm concentration, he visualized the three-dimensional spell model and began the arduous process of shaping it in his mind.
---
Days passed as Merlin focused intently in the quiet chamber. Suddenly, his whole body shuddered. Darkness filled the room as waves of shadow energy condensed around him, casting the space into pitch-black.
Merlin's body acted like a black hole, drawing in every ounce of shadow energy nearby.
Finally, he opened his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh.
"It's done."
Merlin had successfully constructed the *Dark Light Domain* spell. He was now officially a first-level spellcaster—and a rare one at that, with proficiency in six elements. Even among elite spellcaster organizations, few reached this level.
Only as a first-level spellcaster could Merlin be considered a true practitioner of magic. Finally, he had taken the first steps on the long road to mastery.