Negative Energy Fundamentals

The next morning, after Locke got up and finished his morning routine, he took out the completed level-five synthesized item from the Horadric Cube.

However, the level-five synthesized item, the Deep Blue Jade, was only slightly larger than the level-four one and had not changed much otherwise.

Locke tried pouring Mana into it and found that this Deep Blue Jade was not much different from the level-four synthesized Deep Blue Jade.

Locke showed no disappointment in the dormitory. He had expected this outcome long ago.

The Horadric Cube's synthesis formulas had to be explored on his own.

The Horadric Cube truly was a supreme divine artifact, but using it well still depended on its master's individual abilities.

The current situation showed that simply using sapphires to synthesize a level-five item did not provide much of an upgrade. The formula was wrong. New materials had to be added before the Deep Blue Jade's effectiveness could possibly improve dramatically.

Locke made up his mind. "I previously synthesized rubies to level four, but the level-four rubies only got bigger. Next time, I'll try synthesizing a level-four ruby with a level-four Deep Blue Jade."

"Let's see whether I can create a useful synthesized item like the Deep Blue Jade."

"The formula can start with one ruby and two Deep Blue Jades."

Locke studied by himself in the dormitory for the entire morning, then headed to the classroom from yesterday.

Professor Alder was already inside. The dark circles beneath his eyes seemed even worse, but there was now flesh on his face.

Locke had heard that a student had died in Alder's office yesterday. That student had been French and was also someone Locke knew... Cohen Julian.

Professor Alder held a rat skull in his hand and smiled. "You're here. Do you know what this is? In the eyes of those mortals, it's merely an animal skull."

"But in my eyes, it is a treasure."

"And in my enemies' eyes, it is the Grim Reaper."

Professor Alder softly recited an incantation. At once, the deathly aura around him was drawn toward the rat skull in his palm.

Locke immediately became alert. His left hand gripped a wildflower hidden in his pocket, while the index finger of his right hand twitched. If he wished, in the next instant, the Magic Vine hidden beneath his coat would turn into a giant hand and attack Professor Alder.

Yet Professor Alder seemed not to notice.

A faint green glimmer flashed through the skull's eye sockets in his palm, like the resentful gaze of an undead creature.

Then Alder threw the skull out the window. It struck a tree outside the classroom, and the ordinary skull let out a piercing scream the instant it hit the trunk.

Then, in an instant, the rat skull exploded. The thick tree was blasted apart from the middle, while the plants in the surrounding earth rapidly withered and blackened. Even the soil developed an unnatural green toxin.

Locke rubbed his forehead. The explosion had left his head slightly dizzy.

But he should not have been the target of the Skull Explosion.

Professor Alder glanced at Locke. "Death Magic usually has stricter casting requirements, but that also means it is more powerful."

"Skull Explosion is one of the few cantrips that contains three stages of damage."

"And the range of each stage is different."

Professor Alder said, "The first stage is mental damage. At the moment of the explosion, the skull releases the wails and resentment of the deceased from when they were alive, causing a slight mental effect on those nearby."

"Don't be fooled just because you're only a little dizzy. If an ordinary human had been standing here, they would already have fainted."

"And they might even suffer permanent damage to their mind."

"The second stage is damage caused by highly compressed negative energy suddenly exploding."

"The third stage is corpse poison formed by the extreme concentration of negative energy during the Skull Explosion. It invades living bodies. If you had been my target just now, then even if you avoided the first two stages of damage, the third would still seriously injure you."

Locke was dumbfounded, and inwardly alarmed.

Headmaster Tungus had said that Locke no longer needed to fear Professor Alder.

But he had meant the previous Professor Alder, whose body had been weak, not the current Professor Alder, whose body had just been transformed by a 0.3-ring spell.

If the current Professor Alder wanted to make a move against him...

Locke thought about it, and his expression turned grave.

Professor Alder looked Locke over and smiled gently. "Death Magic is naturally more powerful, since it also has more side effects."

"I have personally improved this spell many times, giving it my own style. In my experience, its power has reached the limit."

"That is why I want to teach it to you, so that you can learn it."

Alder sighed. "That way, I won't have lived an entire life in the Wizarding World for nothing."

He walked over, patted Locke on the shoulder, and said, "This can also be considered an orderly inheritance, another way for me to continue myself."

"The conditions for using Skull Explosion are a small animal skull and having killed someone within the past forty-eight hours. You use that person's deathly aura to fill the skull used for casting."

"I've only killed one person in the past two days, that... forget it, I can't remember his name."

"So I can't cast Skull Explosion a second time anytime soon."

"This spell should be quite useful to you as well. You can use it as a trump card in the future."

Professor Alder's initiative in explaining lowered the barrier between them.

Locke relaxed slightly.

Professor Alder said, "Then let's begin learning now. For the first lesson, we'll study Negative Energy Fundamentals."

"I thought about it last night. Having you learn from me for one hour a day is too inefficient. There are less than three months left, and I'm not sure I can teach you everything."

"Therefore, from now on, I will teach you as much as possible every afternoon."

Professor Alder's eyes darkened, and his expression grew serious. "I don't want my spells to be lost, so Locke, I hope you will study seriously."

"I heard that Kode and Patti still haven't completed their spells. Perfect. You can compete with them and see whether they complete their first spells first, or you complete your second spell first."

Locke raised his brows. For some reason, he suddenly felt a chill. It was as if Professor Alder's words had been some kind of threat.

However, he laughed freely.

It was rare to have a teacher so eager to entrust everything to him.

This was nothing but beneficial to him.

Locke found a place and sat down. "Then let's begin, Professor Alder."

Alder nodded and said with satisfaction, "Good."