Zhang Ye currently had only two copy slots, meaning he could copy two spells at a time. Since he could only copy spells of the same rank with Copy and Analyze, he naturally decided to prioritize first-rank spells.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to copy Metal Shaping and Fireball.
Metal Shaping was useful because it allowed him to shape metals freely, making it very versatile. As for Fireball, he felt that it was likely to cause more damage than Water Orb, so it made sense to pick it.
Given his limited conditions, he decided to start with these two.
Copy!
[Copy Duration: 15 minutes.]
Immediately, Zhang Ye's mind was filled with the casting methods of the two spells.
Analyze!
[Analyzing, first-rank magic. Time required: 10 minutes.]
The analysis time was relatively quick—just ten minutes. However, the duration of the copied spells was fifteen minutes. This meant he would have fifteen minutes to use the copied magic, but after that, he would need to wait for the same amount of time before he could copy a new spell for analysis.
Zhang Ye wasn't greedy, though. In fact, he felt quite satisfied. He thought this system setup was amazing.
"Hehe, now I can officially call myself a mage!" Zhang Ye grinned, his hands summoning a metal ball the size of a marble with one hand, and a Fireball the size of a ping pong ball with the other. He laughed proudly.
"Gu Jiu gu jiu~" On the side, Gu Jiu, seeing Zhang Ye so happy, also chirped in delight, making a cute sound.
Seeing that Gu Jiu was also happy for him, Zhang Ye laughed out loud. Suddenly, his eyes lit up with a thought.
"Gu Jiu probably has magic too. Let me check."
Although he didn't have another copy slot, he could still check.
Copy!
Immediately, Zhang Ye's vision was filled with Gu Jiu's magical abilities, and he was stunned. There was only one ability, but the description left him dumbfounded.
[Devour: No-tier innate magic. Devours everything to strengthen oneself.]
[Copy Duration: 1 second.]
[Analysis Time: 1 second.]
[Current copy slots full. Cannot copy.]
Though it was just eight short words, "Devours everything to strengthen oneself" sounded incredibly powerful.
With this skill, Zhang Ye could now essentially use Gu Jiu's ability to devour anything—from stones, plants, to even the most unthinkable things—and transform them into energy to grow stronger. Even... poop could be devoured…
Ahem, maybe not that!
In any case, it was clear that this was a game-breaking skill—something top-tier in any novel.
Moreover, the fact that the copy and analysis times were both just one second showed how unique this ability was.
Zhang Ye decided that once the copy duration ended, he would immediately copy and analyze this skill!
Zhang Ye went outside to test the power of his magic.
"Let's try one—Fireball!" Zhang Ye flicked his hand, sending a Fireball flying forward. It was a bit faster than the magic bullet. It hit a tree trunk nearby with a loud crack, causing the bark to splinter and smoke to rise.
Zhang Ye quickly ran over and swatted at the sparks, muttering, "Starting a forest fire, I'd be in prison for life."
Aira: "…"
Then Zhang Ye looked at the scorch mark on the tree and nodded.
"Wouldn't this break skin if it hit someone?"
Aira: "You could try."
Zhang Ye chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe not."
Next, he tried Metal Shaping. He opened his hand, and a metal ball the size of a marble appeared—similar to copper, which could be shaped freely. Zhang Ye molded it into the shape of a coin, grinning. "With this Metal Shaping, could I mold gold?"
Aira shook her head. "High-level metal magic can mold actual gold, but it has to be from another world, and it's infused with magic energy. It's not usable for everyday expenses."
Zhang Ye nodded.
That made sense. Otherwise, every mage could just create their own coins.
Metal Shaping was much more fun than Fireball. The metal in Zhang Ye's hands was like clay, able to be shaped into whatever form he wanted. He molded it into brass knuckles, slipped them on, and threw a few mock punches.
"This first-rank magic is pretty mana-hungry. After casting four first-rank spells, I've already used up about a fifth of my mana. That means with a full mana bar, I could cast about twenty first-rank spells. It's not quite enough."
Zhang Ye clicked his tongue.
Aira shrugged. "That's still pretty impressive. Your mana comes from the system, and it's the purest form of magic. Plus, your mana capacity is much larger than the average mage's. Normally, a mage who just ascended to first rank can only cast about five first-rank spells. You're much stronger than the average mage."
"Really?" Zhang Ye scratched his head and smiled, feeling pleased.
"Of course, as you continue to practice, your mana reserves and quality will far exceed others of the same rank. That's the benefit of the system, and it's partly due to your unique physique," Aira explained. "In your world, we'd call it having a 'mysterious constitution,' one that naturally holds more mana than most."
"Of course! I'm the protagonist!" Zhang Ye grinned.
Aira: "…"
She sighed inwardly. This guy really had no idea what humility was.
"Gu Jiu~" Suddenly, Gu Jiu chirped, its little eyes fixed on the Fireball in Zhang Ye's hand. Zhang Ye felt the contract between them stir with longing.
"That's right, Gu Jiu can devour magic!" Zhang Ye suddenly remembered. He crouched down and presented the Fireball to Gu Jiu.
"Can you eat it?" Zhang Ye asked curiously.
"Gu Jiu!" Without hesitation, Gu Jiu hopped onto Zhang Ye's hand and swallowed the Fireball whole. The Fireball disappeared into its body after a brief moment of tumbling, and Gu Jiu let out a burp, growing slightly larger.
"Wow, it can really eat it!" Zhang Ye exclaimed in amazement.
Aira said, "Of course. Otherwise, how would it be called The Devouring Slime?"
"Plus, magic is much more nourishing than regular food, full of magical energy. For slimes, it's an excellent supplement, so you can feed it magic. The more magic it eats, the faster it grows."
"Got it!" Zhang Ye nodded. He formed another Fireball with one hand. "Eat up, Gu Jiu! Grow bigger, so I can rely on you to dominate this world!"
"Gu Jiu!" Gu Jiu chirped happily, devouring the Fireball.
After devouring a dozen or so Fireballs, Zhang Ye suddenly felt dizzy and slightly fatigued.
"So, using up all my mana has side effects?" he asked.
"Exactly. If your mana runs out completely, you'll feel weak, and if you overuse it, you could faint or even face life-threatening consequences. That's why it's crucial for mages to keep their mana topped up," Aira explained.
"Got it, so meditating restores mana, right?" Zhang Ye nodded.
"Yep, and the system also helps accelerate your mana recovery. At your current speed, without meditation, you can recover about 10% of your mana every two seconds. With meditation, you can recover three to four times faster."
Zhang Ye was thrilled. "That means, even without meditating, my mana will be fully restored in twenty seconds?"
"So as long as I maintain a consistent rhythm and release magic every second, my mana should last indefinitely, right?"
"Correct," Aira confirmed.
Without another word, Zhang Ye activated the system training mode. Almost immediately, he could feel the surrounding magic flooding into his body, replenishing the mana he had used.
"Great! The duration is almost over, time to copy and analyze Gu Jiu's Devour!" Zhang Ye grinned, eagerly waiting as the copy duration passed.
One second later, the analysis was complete. He had perfectly mastered the ability!
Zhang Ye felt the magical power surging within him, and smiled. "Now I can devour everything, just like Gu Jiu. And whatever I devour will turn into energy to boost my body, soul, and magic power."
"The more I devour, the greater the boost!" Zhang Ye chuckled.
Aira, however, shook her head. "That's true for slimes, but for you, the process has limits. While you can devour anything, the energy you take in can't exceed your body's capacity, or you'll be overwhelmed."
Zhang Ye nodded.
That seemed fair. After all, if he could eat something like a holy-ranked magic right away, he'd be able to reach peak strength in no time.
"Got it. My body strength limits how much I can consume!" Zhang Ye nodded, feeling satisfied.
After feeding Gu Jiu a few more Fireballs, the slime suddenly stopped and closed its eyes. The gelatinous substance within its body began to swirl like a washing machine drum.
"What's Gu Jiu doing?" Zhang Ye asked curiously.
"Digesting," Aira answered. "After consuming a large amount of energy, slimes enter a digestion phase."
"Gu Jiu's still small, so the Fireballs were a big supplement for it. It needs some time to digest them, but slimes digest quickly. It won't take long before it's done."
"Got it…" Zhang Ye nodded and carefully cradled Gu Jiu in his arms. "I'll have to keep it safe."
Aira smiled slightly but didn't say anything.