Wizard Apprentice Combat Power

At the end of Frostfall Moon (November), the first snow fell.

Blackstone City was blanketed in silver, a vast expanse of white.

That same day, Sunan's Mage Hand learning progress reached 100%.

'Mage Hand' learning progress has reached 100%. Obtained 'Mage Hand'.

A flood of information instantly poured into his mind. Sunan closed his eyes and digested it for a while before opening them again. He looked at the books on the table, parted his lips, and uttered a string of strange syllables.

The moment his voice rang out, one of the books suddenly trembled lightly. It then slowly floated into the air, drifting up, down, left, and right with the movement of his gaze.

Mage Hand allowed distant objects to float and be moved freely.

To outsiders, it looked as though an invisible ghostly hand was moving the objects.

That was where Mage Hand got its name.

Among the many zero-tier spells, Mage Hand was one of the most practical.

Whether for surgical experiments or potion-making, using Mage Hand as an aid could save a great deal of effort.

In battle, Mage Hand could also be used to remotely control weapons and attack enemies.

As for the effective range and weight limit of controlled objects, those depended on the caster's spellcasting proficiency and Spirit Power.

That was also why Sunan had chosen Mage Hand as his first spell.

With Mage Hand, making potions and extracting lizardman blood would be much more convenient in the future.

"What should I choose for my second spell?"

With a thought from Sunan, three spellbooks floated out of the bookcase and landed on the table.

Acid Splash, Sleep Spell, and Flash Spell.

The effects of all three spells were easy enough to understand from their names.

After thinking for a while, Sunan ultimately decided to learn Sleep Spell first.

To increase the learning progress of Biological Modification, he had captured quite a few small animals for experiments.

If he mastered Sleep Spell, conducting experiments would undoubtedly become much more convenient.

In any case, the Blackscale Lizardmen had already retreated, and the territory had no need for him to join the fighting right now. There was no need to rush into learning offensive spells.

In truth, the combat power of Level 1 Wizard Apprentices was generally nothing impressive.

When they had just advanced, Level 1 Wizard Apprentices were merely beginners whose Spirit Power surpassed that of ordinary people, allowing them to draw in Energy Particles from the outside world and store them in their bodies, thereby forming the concept of mana.

As their Spirit Power increased through meditation, their bodies would gradually grow stronger under the subtle nourishment and improvement of Energy Particles.

At that stage, Level 1 Wizard Apprentices were not much stronger than Apprentice Knights.

Compared to Apprentice Knights, they merely had a bit more Magic Resistance and were far inferior to figures at the knight rank.

Only after mastering two or three offensive spells could Level 1 Wizard Apprentices truly be considered combat-capable, possessing the strength to fight Formal Knights.

This would remain the case until they advanced to Level Two Wizard Apprentice.

Level Two Wizard Apprentices could initially control Energy Particles, enough to strengthen their physiques to a very high level. With spell assistance, even Peak Knights would be hard-pressed to match them. Only powerhouses at the Grand Knight level could resist them.

Besides that, Level Two Wizard Apprentices could contract Magic Pets and use Magical Items.

A Level Two Wizard Apprentice with a Magic Pet and combat Magical Items was someone even Grand Knights would not dare confront head-on.

Only then did the gap between Wizard Apprentices and knights truly become apparent.

Setting aside his thoughts, Sunan picked up "Sleep Spell" and began reading.

Reading "Sleep Spell Spell Model". 'Sleep Spell' learning progress +0.08%

Reading "Sleep Spell Spell Model". 'Sleep Spell' learning progress +0.08%

Time flew by.

After Frostfall Moon came Sleep Month (December), the coldest and hardest month of the year, and it too passed.

On the fifth-to-last day of December, the Blackscale Lizardmen finally retreated in disarray through the falling snow.

The war that had lasted more than two months came to an end.

After resting for five days, Blackstone City welcomed the first day of Winter Lyre Month (January) in the year 1249 of the Starlight Calendar.

That day was the New Year of the Starry Sky Principality.

The cold wind howled, but it could not conceal the joyful atmosphere within the city.

Colorfully decorated houses could be seen everywhere on the streets. Children ran through the crowds in groups, their little faces reddened by the cold wind, yet their giggles never stopped.

Inner castle, banquet hall.

The young maidservants bustled back and forth, continuously bringing fragrant ham, cheese, dried fruit, and wine to the tables.

The knights gathered around the tables, drinking and chatting merrily. Every so often, a burst of laughter erupted among them.

Old Geller directed the servants as they decorated the hall. Catching sight of the scene from the corner of his eye, he could not help but feel emotional.

At this time in previous years, the former Lord and the generals had been overwhelmed by the losses caused by the Blackscale Lizardmen. How could they have had the mood to hold a New Year banquet?

But this year was completely different.

According to Knight Jordan, they had beaten those lizard bandits badly this year. The creatures had fled back to their lair before even lasting through the first snowfall.

The surrounding villages had suffered almost no losses.

Because of this, on the first day of the New Year, the serfs had sent all manner of agricultural produce to the inner castle to express their gratitude to the Lord.

Yet what puzzled Old Geller was that he had heard it was all Young Master Sunan's doing?

The knights and generals he knew all seemed to imply as much, and whenever they mentioned Young Master Sunan, their tone was filled with utmost respect.

Old Geller could not make sense of it.

Having lived in Blackstone City for decades, he could vaguely sense that the city seemed to be undergoing some kind of positive change.

"Lord and Sir Sunan have arrived!"

A cry suddenly rang out.

The hall instantly fell silent, and everyone turned toward the entrance in unison.

Kei and Sunan walked into the hall side by side.

Both were dressed in formal attire, their faces seven or eight parts alike and equally handsome.

As the elder brother, Kei was tall and powerfully built, every muscle full and rounded, his lines firm and hard like a perfect Ancient Greece statue.

Though Sunan, the younger brother, still looked thin, he no longer seemed frail. His entire body exuded a lean, capable air.

His eyes in particular were as deep and bright as stars, making people dare not meet his gaze.

The arrival of the two brothers immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Lord."

"Sir Sunan."

The knights all bowed in greeting.

Their form of address for Sunan had also changed from Young Master to Sir, showing their respect.

Kei strode to the front of the crowd and raised his wineglass.

"Everyone worked hard last year. Tonight, let us drink to our hearts' content and enjoy fine food!"

The knights cheered loudly, the roaring noise nearly lifting the roof off the hall.

Sunan quietly watched the scene, picked up a cup of fruit wine from the table, and took a sip.

After more than two months of nourishment by Energy Particles, his physique had now risen to 2.79, nearly reaching the peak of an Apprentice Knight.

Moreover, because he could absorb Energy Particles, he was not like other Apprentice Knights, whose appetites greatly increased and who needed vast amounts of food to replenish the vitality consumed by training.

If necessary, he could even go months without eating.

Now, he ate more to satisfy his appetite than anything else.

Sunan had just finished a cup of fruit wine when Kei walked over to his side.

"Why aren't you drinking with everyone?"

"I still prefer being alone somewhere quiet."

Kei knew his younger brother's temperament, so he did not say much. He simply smiled and said, "I have good news for you. I found what you wanted. It should have been moved into your courtyard by now."