Mana Suppression Flame, a Self-Created Spell!

After explaining the basic principles of combining alchemy and magic to Linley and demonstrating the method, Nicholas went on to detail the special techniques contained within this secret art, as well as the particular methods required to achieve such results.

Simply absorbing this knowledge took Linley an entire day.

The next day, Nicholas brought Linley back to the enormous square training ground.

Nicholas smiled and said, "Linley, it is time to attempt the combination of alchemy and magic. The only spell you can cast silently and wandlessly is Incendio, so use Incendio as the vessel for this attempt. As for the magical power of Spell Alchemy and the Alchemy Formation of Formation Alchemy, you may decide those for yourself!"

Linley nodded, his gaze turning solemn.

Over the past week or so, Linley had learned how to create many Spell Alchemy constructs, but what he most wanted to attempt was the Mana Stone Professor Green had taught him to make.

Thus, Linley raised a hand and summoned a ball of flame, then condensed the materials needed to forge a Mana Stone.

The alchemy process continued, but when it reached the stage of condensing the Mana Stone, Linley did the opposite. With a wave of his Wand, he unleashed a powerful surge of magic that scattered the half-finished alchemical construct, transforming it into a special magical force containing alchemical power.

Though this force was magic, Linley sensed an aura of mana suppression within it. It was itself magical power, yet it could seal magical power. The appearance of such a contradictory thing left Linley utterly astonished.

After examining it briefly, Linley discovered that this special magical force, processed through the secret art, could follow his will and suppress or even seal the magic of anyone he deemed an enemy, while leaving untouched the magic of those he considered allies.

This way, this mana-suppressing power would not harm his allies by mistake!

Linley was thrilled by the thought.

After all, the main reason behind Professor Green's accident back then was not merely that the Mana Suppression Scepter had been insufficiently powerful. It had also sealed Professor Green's own magic. Otherwise, Professor Green could have simply used Apparition to escape.

Now, however, the special magical force Linley had refined with the secret art could distinguish friend from foe and suppress only an enemy's magical power. This was a qualitative leap forward!

Professor Green would surely be delighted when he learned of this!

With that thought, Linley began the next step.

He raised his left hand, and a ball of flame ignited above it. Then, with another wave of the Wand in his right hand, he controlled that special magical force and fused it with the flame above his left hand.

Under the effects of the secret art Nicholas had taught him, the two powers slowly merged, and the flame gained the power of mana suppression.

Linley maintained the fused magical flame with his left hand while putting away his Wand with his right and taking out the Mithril Engraving Knife.

Linley moved with precision and speed, carving pattern after pattern onto the magical flame.

Every second the magical flame was maintained increased its consumption of Linley's magic, so the time he had to refine it was extremely limited.

With no time to think further, Linley carved the energy source and rune nexus in just two minutes. Then, over the next half hour, he engraved at the fastest speed of his life amplification-type Alchemy Runes such as "Flame," "Amplification," and "Enhancement," along with several Alchemy Runes possessing Mana Suppression Power that he would have needed to engrave onto a Mana Stone when creating the Mana Suppression Scepter.

Finally, Linley linked them all together, forming a complete Alchemy Formation.

The power of the secret art took effect once again. That strange force ingeniously fused the powers of Spell Alchemy, Formation Alchemy, and magical flame—three entirely different systems—into one.

At this point, Linley put away the engraving knife and cradled the flame in both hands.

Like a newborn child, this special magical flame danced joyfully in Linley's hands, displaying the intimate affection a child held for its father.

The flame was a meter in diameter, and its Mana Suppression Power was continuously affecting the surroundings.

With a raise of his hand, Linley absorbed the magical flame into his body rather than storing it in his Wand.

After taking back the magical flame, Linley was surprised to find that he could sense this special magical power lying dormant in some corner of his body, ready to emerge at his command at any time!

Nicholas said, "The power of this flame will not increase on its own. If you want to make it more powerful, you will need to repeat the previous process and absorb new special magical power into your body, storing it there. That way, whenever you need to use it, you can summon a flame large enough for the occasion!"

Linley nodded.

Unlike the flame created from nothing by Incendio, this special magical flame had to be stored in the body beforehand.

If Linley's body was a fish tank, then the special magical power lying dormant in the corner of his body was the water in that tank. The process Linley had just used to combine alchemy and magic was the process of making that water. Therefore, by repeating the process multiple times, he could increase the water in the fish tank and pour out more water whenever he needed it!

With a faintly benevolent smile, Nicholas said, "I did not expect you to successfully combine alchemy and magic on your very first attempt, Linley. Since you have completed the creation of this magical flame, give it a name!"

This special magical flame had never appeared in the history of magic before, so it was no exaggeration to call it a spell created by Linley himself. And naturally, a new spell needed a name of its own.

Hearing this, Linley lowered his head in thought.

At its core, this magical flame was still a special kind of fire, so its name naturally could not be separated from "flame." It contained the power of the Mana Stone and embodied his teacher's lifelong efforts. Adding the words "Mana Suppression" to its name would both summarize its power and show respect for his teacher's life's work.

In that case...

Linley suddenly raised his head. It was as though flames danced within his dark red eyes. "Grandmaster, I have decided. This special magical flame will be called the Mana Suppression Flame!"

"Mana Suppression Flame?" Nicholas nodded slightly. "Not a bad name. I think your teacher will certainly be proud of you!"

Linley smiled. "Of course he will, Grandmaster!"

After naming the Mana Suppression Flame, Linley happily experimented with ways to use it throughout the training ground.

The Mana Suppression Flame could suppress magical fluctuations nearby. The closer magic was to it, the more easily it would be suppressed. And if he expanded the flame until it was large enough to cover an entire area, Linley believed that he could even use the Mana Suppression Flame to create a Magic Sealing Barrier capable of sealing a wizard's magic!