Is there a spell similar to 'Lava Pillar' among apprentice magic?
The only question left in Anthony's mind was this; based on his years of experience, the answer was no. Moreover, the Lava Pillar was vertical, burning meteorites falling from the sky and trailing fiery streams. But what was this startling sight he was witnessing? What kind of magic was this?
As the last wisp of magical power flowed from Charlie's fingertips, an orange-red object was launched. Due to insufficient magical energy, the final strike was slightly delayed, preventing it from forming a cohesive attack, allowing Anthony to glean some insights.
This was not some fire pillar; it was clearly a series of fireballs spinning and flying!
The first fireball struck the steel automaton with a thunderous explosion, and before its might could be fully unleashed, the second, third, and up to the eighth fireball erupted almost simultaneously. The explosions were so densely packed that they melded into a massive sound.
Boom! The entire testing chamber trembled with the sound of the explosions.
Anthony's face changed dramatically as he pulled Erin behind him and chanted a spell, casting a faint blue shield over Charlie.
The surging wave of flames consumed the row of steel automatons, crashing against the wall, melting the stone, and then rolling back, knocking Charlie to the ground. The searing flood of flames licked all the way to the opposite wall behind Charlie before gradually dissipating.
Fortunately, Anthony had requested a medium-sized testing chamber, nearly a hundred meters long in its vertical dimension, providing enough space for the expanding flame energy. Otherwise, everyone in the room would have been in serious trouble.
Charlie, now sprawled on the ground, did not get up immediately; in fact, he found himself unable to move.
He had experienced the consequences of completely exhausting his magical energy before, but this time it was even more exaggerated. Not only did he feel a wave of fatigue wash over his entire body, but he also felt a burning pain coursing through his veins. His blood vessels throbbed with a burning sensation, twitching uncontrollably, as if his magical pool had shattered, causing a faint yet intense pain in his abdomen.
Charlie lay flat on the ground, trying to calm his agitated veins. He closed his eyes, and within the depths of his consciousness, an unfamiliar image began to emerge.
He was soaring over an ancient, unchanging river. Every bit of dirt carried the weight of history. The river twisted and turned, constantly branching out as it flowed forward. As his perspective slowly rose, he beheld a densely woven network, thin like a spider's web and immensely vast.
The riverbed was dry, revealing cracked patterns beneath. A yellowish color spread across the entire network, tracing back to the river's source, where a puddle of silver water shimmered with dazzling brilliance. It was so scarce yet so beautiful.
Upon closer inspection, Charlie realized that this was not water at all, but rather small, fragmented particles of lightning, pooling together and flowing like mercury.
"What is this?" Charlie asked the chip.
The chip immediately entered search mode but didn't provide a conclusion, indicating that it was unrelated to its functions. Charlie thought he might need to ask Master Nahl instead.
"Charlie! Are you alright?"
"Charlie?"
The calls brought Charlie out of his reverie. He opened his eyes to see Anthony's concerned yet excited gaze.
"Thank heavens you're finally awake," Erin sighed with relief.
Anthony asked, "How do you feel? Is there anything wrong?"
Charlie forced a smile and replied, "My whole body hurts, especially my veins. The pain feels like burning; I have no idea what kind of aftereffects to expect. It feels as if my magical pool has shattered, and my entire abdomen is in pain.
In addition to that, I feel completely drained; I don't even have the strength to sit up. It seems this potion is only suitable for desperate situations. Once consumed, the blood and magic boil within you, filling your body with explosive energy that must be released. If not, intuition tells me there will be severe consequences. But once I start casting magic, it spirals out of control, and I can't stop until I've exhausted all my magic."
Charlie carefully described his experiences before and after drinking the potion.
After a moment of contemplation, Anthony said, "Don't worry; it's probably just the result of an overwhelming surge. There shouldn't be any harmful substances in the potion.
The potion's volatility may have been caused by a few drops of Hydra's blood that I added. This was an eighth-tier beast that took three archmages to hunt down. The Hydra was auctioned at an exorbitant price at the Sky Harbor, but unfortunately, my finances only allowed me to buy a few drops of blood. The heart of the Hydra was bought by someone else; otherwise, the effects would have been even better."
Charlie wanted to ask Anthony about the strange images he saw in his consciousness, but after some thought, he held back. He would ask Master Nahl instead; the master was more specialized in this area, and if Anthony couldn't provide a perfect answer, it was better to keep such phenomena to a minimum.
Charlie replied, "The potion's effects can be adjusted over time; it still seems quite valuable."
When this topic arose, Anthony suddenly became very excited. He exclaimed, "Charlie, don't you realize? You achieved instant casting with the Fireball spell! This is a technique that even many grand mages have not mastered!"
"No! No!" Charlie quickly doused his excitement with cold water, "It's not instant casting; it only enhances casting speed by about 40%, and it provides a slight boost to mental power—around 12%. The increases in strength and agility are even more pronounced, roughly doubling."
"Then why did I see your casting speed seem so rapid? Didn't you notice how densely the fireballs were overlapping?"
"Because my casting speed was already relatively fast. To ensure accurate data, I suggest you let someone else test the potion," Charlie didn't explain why his casting speed was fast.
Anthony said solemnly, "Are you sure? Why do you provide such precise data? Is it really that accurate?"
Charlie explained, "I suppose I'm quite sensitive to the reactions of my body! My past experiences tell me that the accuracy is quite high. But teacher, you should still conduct more tests to collect more data before drawing conclusions!"
Anthony sighed, "It's not that I don't want to, but the cost of this potion is very high! If it allows for instant casting as you demonstrated, I would bet my entire fortune on it. But now that you've denied that effect, I'm hesitating.
If it only has the effects you listed, this experiment subtly proves it to be a failed product. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the 'Bloodlust Potion' and 'Surge Potion' have similar effects, but the former is over ten times cheaper. The former is targeted at combat professionals, while the latter is for spellcasters, and its properties are more stable, without risk of losing control and without such severe aftereffects."
Saying this, Anthony looked around the room and chuckled ruefully, "Moreover, this experiment damaged quite a bit of equipment. It's my fault for not preparing in advance and activating the magical shield. The compensation will also be a considerable expense. Next time, we must avoid using explosive damage spells like Fireball."
Charlie smiled awkwardly, "I'm just grateful I didn't use the staff. The Withered Wood Staff has 285 units of magic power, while my personal magic pool is just over 150. If I had used it, I would have released 23 fireballs at once, and that would have been truly disastrous; everyone in this room would have been in danger."
Anthony could only sigh and say, "I'll go back and study it further. Next time, I'll personally test the potion's effects."
Erin could not help but interject, "If the teacher is going to test it personally, you must be extra careful and set up more magical protective measures in advance."
"Of course."
Seeing Anthony's undoubtedly troubled expression, Charlie decided to share the strange phenomenon that had just occurred. Anthony's goal was to find a valuable formula, and the effects of the potion were bound to become known. If Charlie kept it to himself and asked Master Nahl first, then brought it up later, Anthony might have some thoughts about it.
Charlie said, "Teacher, after casting the spell, I experienced a strange vision in my consciousness. Can you help me analyze what it might be?"
Thus, Charlie described the vision he had experienced.
Upon hearing Charlie's account, a look of excitement appeared on Anthony's face. He temporarily suppressed his joy and asked, "Does your family have any outstanding bloodline heritage?"
So it's about bloodlines!
Recalling the scene in his consciousness, one word flickered in Charlie's mind: "Earth and Thunder."
Charlie replied, "My family inherits the Earth and Thunder bloodline."
Anthony's expression turned envious as he praised, "Very good! That's a mid-tier bloodline, and Thunder is a rare type; it counters many other bloodlines. Charlie, your talent is quite impressive; it's no wonder Master Nahl is interested in you.
Although I lack a bloodline, I know that this phenomenon means your bloodline has been activated. Each branch corresponds to certain abilities, and if you get another opportunity to replenish your dormant bloodline, you will gain a gifted ability that will greatly enhance your personal strength."
This was truly good news!
The word that the "Earth and Thunder bloodline had already died in Charlie, the useless one," had circulated in the city of Hainei for many years. Now, there was finally factual evidence to refute that claim.
Charlie took the opportunity to continue, "So, the teacher's potion has the effect of activating the bloodline, then?"
Anthony's face beamed with joy as he pondered, "Let's hope so. We still need to conduct more detailed tests. I already have some ideas for improvements."
Charlie considered the implications of his bloodline. He had witnessed the power of the Earth and Thunder bloodline before. Duke Thomas was somewhat famous in the Thousand-Year Empire, partly due to his wealth but also because of this unique bloodline.
Duke Thomas was an eighth-tier combat professional, exceptionally close to the rank of "Chosen Knight." Thanks to the power of his bloodline, his attacks were imbued with the strength of thunder, allowing him to contend with many peak grand magicians of the same tier.
Thunder was a natural nemesis of undead creatures, demons, and devils, effectively countering vile and corrupt evil beings. This made it a highly valuable bloodline.
Because of this bloodline, Duke Thomas was once voted the most popular gentleman in the empire. Many widowed noblewomen and young maidens dreamed of being his partner and bearing his children.
Perhaps, once the badge is received, Charlie could consider looking for items that stimulate his bloodline in the points market. However, the thought gave Charlie a headache, as he felt that his points were always lacking when it came time to use them.