"Magic Control"

There was still some food in the pack. Anse took out two pieces of bread and a small chunk of cheese, handing them to Brat. "Eat something before you rest."

"Mm." Brat reached out to take them and began to wolf the food down.

The two had been walking in the dark for over an hour, exhausted and on edge, and neither was in the mood for conversation.

As he ate, Anse focused on the die within his mind, wanting to know how much further he had to go to level up.

But the moment the D20 appeared, he nearly bit his own tongue.

The symbol on one of its faces had fully lit up, and another symbol was beginning to shimmer with a faint glow.

"What did I do today? How did it light up?" he wondered.

He tapped the die, and fragments of memory flashed before his eyes like a slideshow: becoming a Sorcerer, fighting, escaping, saving others, fleeing for his life...

Is it related to my experiences? Anse began to grasp the pattern.

After a long while, the memory flashes faded, and the lit-up symbol transformed into a cluster of iridescent flames.

Ding—

[You have gained the adventure trait: Magic Control.]

"Magic Control": You possess extraordinary control over magic. Your spellcasting speed is increased, your spell stability is higher, and you will not suffer from magical backlash due to spell failure.

Mana +5, Attack Roll +1, Spell Save DC +1.

Current Level: 1st Circle.

Anse's heart skipped a beat, a mix of shock and delight washing over him.

What kind of divine ability is this? It fits my current situation perfectly.

This meant he could essentially ignore the effects of the chaotic Weave and cast spells normally, without needing to worry about meeting a tragic end like his Mentor, Fabian.

His increased control over spells indirectly boosted his hit rate and damage. While 5 points of mana might seem insignificant in the late game, it was incredibly powerful at this early stage.

He felt much more confident about tomorrow's actions.

The die has twenty faces, which means twenty traits. With this, could I become a legend, or perhaps go even further? Anse couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.

This world was filled with professionals, legends, and Gods—a rich, vibrant place full of infinite possibilities.

If the natives could do it, why couldn't he, a transmigrator with a cheat, dream big?

One step at a time. Don't get ahead of yourself. At the very least, stay alive first, he warned himself silently. Faerun was filled with danger at every turn.

Coming back to his senses, he pulled up his Character Sheet. His mana had reached 9, which was quite substantial.

He took another look at his experience: 275/300. He was almost ready to level up.

Why is it only Combat Experience? He felt a bit puzzled.

In game mechanics, non-combat challenges like negotiations or trade, as well as adventure milestones, all granted experience, and experience was split evenly in a party.

Based on the settings, all classes can level up through combat. Mages study magic or alchemy, and Sorcerers should be able to level up by training their innate magic...

He had been casting cantrips all day, but he hadn't dared to cast any 1st-circle spells, so he couldn't confirm this hypothesis.

Additionally, a Godberry Staff had appeared in the equipment section of his Character Sheet; it must have been Fabian's Spare Staff.

He touched it lightly, and the detailed description of the staff immediately popped up—it was even more useful than an Identify spell.

[Magic Item: Godberry Staff]

"Category": Staff

"Rarity": Fine (Requires Attunement)

A natural magic staff, likely carved from ancient oak. It can serve as a melee weapon and possesses 6 charges.

"Godberry": While holding this staff, you can cast the 1st-circle spell Godberry Spell, consuming 1 charge per use.

"Restore Charges": This staff naturally recovers 3 charges every day.

"Not bad." A smile tugged at the corners of Anse's eyes.

Godberry Spell was a 1st-circle Conjuration spell for Druids and Rangers that summoned 10 Magic Berries. Eating one berry restored 1 hit point, and a single berry could satisfy a creature's nutritional needs for an entire day.

It might not seem like much under normal circumstances, but it was a god-tier skill when fleeing for one's life.

However, to use its magical abilities, he had to attune to it—that is, establish a mental connection with the staff.

This required at least an hour of uninterrupted time, during which he had to focus his mind on the magic item, maintaining physical contact and meditating.

A professional could not be attuned to more than three magic items at once.

Attunement would end immediately if the holder no longer met the item's requirements, if the item was more than 100 feet away for at least 24 hours, if the holder died, or if another creature attuned to the item.

In other words, attunement was not a soul-bind; it had no binding constraints.

This is much better than that plain Crystal Focus of mine.

Anse decided to complete the attunement before going to sleep; it would be of great use tomorrow.

"You seem to be in a very good mood."

Brat had finished his bread and was sipping his water in small mouthfuls, looking as content as if he were drinking fine wine.

"Another day survived; isn't that worth celebrating?" Anse smiled slightly, half-teasing, half-referring to his own experience of transmigrating and being reborn.

"Haha, that's an interesting way to put it." Brat didn't probe further, his smile easy and carefree.

Anse looked at Brat, just about to speak, when he noticed a line of text slowly manifesting "above" his head:

[Brat, Human, Level 2 Warrior]

"Huh, a new function of the die?"

He turned his head and closed his eyes, discovering that the text was projected into his mind by the die. It appeared automatically whenever he focused his mental energy on a target, and it wasn't limited to living beings; magical items and miscellaneous objects displayed information as well.

This must be an upgraded version of the combat log, though the information was far too brief.

"What's wrong?" Brat asked, puzzled.

"Nothing, just lost in thought. Brat, do you have any family?" Anse deliberately changed the subject.

"I do, but they aren't here."

"That's good."

"With the wizard tower gone, what are your plans? Are you heading to Candlekeep?" Brat asked.

"I'm afraid my aptitude isn't enough to get into Candlekeep," Anse shook his head slightly.

Candlekeep was arguably the greatest academy of knowledge and library in Faerun. It was a neutral faction, and the price of entry was the donation of a written work not already held in their collection.

Scholars could visit, but they could stay for no more than ten days. Formally joining Candlekeep was extremely difficult; they didn't just accept anyone.

"If you still want to continue studying spells, you could go to Silverymoon. Waterdeep and Neverwinter are good choices, too," Brat suggested.

Anse laughed, "Isn't being a Sorcerer great? Why make things difficult for myself?"

"You have a great mindset," Brat praised. "I've seen many people with deep obsessions who refuse to adapt even when other paths are available."

"..."

The two chatted for a while, mostly to get to know each other better, though they avoided touching on too much that was private.

Neither mentioned their plans after leaving; at the very least, their goals were aligned until they escaped Baldur's Gate.

However, during their conversation, Anse noticed that a few more words had appeared above Brat's head.

[Brat, Human, Level 2 Warrior, HP: 18]

"It seems the more close contact I have, the more information I can obtain." He knew too little about the die and would have to explore it slowly through practice.

The night deepened, and the mountain hollow grew quiet.

Brat used some candles to fashion a crude lantern and took the initiative to inventory the miscellaneous items in their packs, preparing for the next day.

Anse pulled his own backpack over and began sorting through his spoils.

The three coin purses must have belonged to the apprentices; altogether, they contained only 6 gold, 7 silver, and 31 copper pieces, a mix of various currencies.

There were two spellbooks, both non-magical items, containing transcribed cantrips and study notes, though they held little real value.

The most valuable items were the few gemstones found in the Alchemy Room, mostly Blue Quartz and Turquoise, which were worth a fair bit.

Next were the miscellaneous items: a pocket watch, a telescope, paper and pens, a dagger, small loaves of bread, honey, dried meat, sausages, black pepper...

"A pity there are no diamonds."

Anse shook his head in regret, spread out his blanket, leaned against the corner, and placed the Godberry Staff across his knees to begin his meditation.

Brat deliberately moved a bit further away, appearing to settle in on the perimeter—whether to keep watch or because he feared Anse didn't trust him, it was hard to say.