Oh! The Archmage Is Here!

This time, Lein openly brought Downs to the [Tesla coil] beside which they had first met.

Pointing at the coil, Lein said, "I've weakened its current. You can touch it and fully experience the charm of lightning."

With that, he took Downs's hand and had him touch it directly.

To Tesla coil enthusiasts on Earth, this was merely an artificial lightning generator.

But to Downs, it was like opening the gates to a New World.

He placed both hands on it, carefully using his elemental senses to feel the changes in this artificial lightning current of less than one milliamp.

Every transformation of the current, every twist of an Electric Serpent, was deeply etched into his mind.

"Master, this is incredible!"

"This is [science]!" Lein said with utmost seriousness.

The problem was, in this world, the end of science was magic!

On Earth, this would at most be a feast for physicists and physics enthusiasts. But to Downs, it became the most precious lesson in experiencing elemental power at the lowest possible cost.

Since ancient times, what mage had ever been able to safely experience the changes in Wind Element?

Wind Element was notoriously unstable.

A gust of wind came, and another gust went.

If one wanted to continuously experience Wind Element, it could still be done by staying in places like canyons. But continuously experiencing the power of lightning was something no one had ever managed.

Downs was incredibly fortunate to become the first mage in Chaos World to receive this kind of education.

"Master, how long can I stay?" Downs asked softly.

Lein glanced at the smoothly running waterwheel and smiled. "Until this thing starts smoking, stay as long as you want."

Downs decisively forgot all about food and sleep and spent the entire day there.

By evening, somewhat unexpectedly yet not entirely beyond Lein's expectations, Downs produced a [Lightning Whip].

Watching the dazzling arcs of electricity twist relatively tamely in Downs's hand, a certain mischievous someone taught him a move...

System notification: [Congratulations, Host. Your Eldest Disciple, Downs, has learned the Level 2 mutated spell (Five-String Lightning Whip). Downs has become a Formal Mage.]

At that moment, Lein's expression was indescribable. He had only been indulging his twisted sense of humor—who would have thought Downs would not only study it seriously, but actually learn it?

Out of guilt, Lein decided to teach his disciple one more move.

"Although you've learned close-combat fighting and can use a shield, both your [Electric Claw] and [Five-String Lightning Whip] have far too short a range. They don't resemble the techniques of a real mage at all. Other lightning attacks may look powerful, but they lose too much energy during transmission, making them ineffective in actual combat. I'll teach you one final move."

"Please instruct me, Master." Downs was brimming with excitement.

After confirming through the system that it was [too outdated, can be demonstrated], Lein took out a glittering Chaos Gold Coin and placed it on his right thumb. "Electromagnetic Cannon—no, Electromagnetic Gun. Its principle is to use the Ampere force generated by the electromagnetic field in an electromagnetic system to accelerate a metal projectile, giving it the kinetic energy required to strike a target."

Over the past few days, Lein had taught Downs quite a few physics terms related to electricity.

For most of them, Downs's ears understood, then his brain slapped them away: No, you don't understand.

Even though Downs did not understand, he still did his best to comprehend them in his own way.

Then he witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

The air suddenly began to hum.

Countless Electric Serpents, large and small, abruptly coiled around his majestic master. The Wind Element spreading outward lifted his master's short black hair and clothes.

The Insects on the ground sensed the terrifying pressure and burrowed out of the earth, fleeing in all directions.

The surrounding trees were blown slightly askew by the Wind Element spraying from his master's body.

"Don't just discharge all your electricity at once. Imagine a spiraling barrel at the center of your field of vision. Then attach all the electromagnetic energy to the coin, and finally let the coin fly along those imaginary rifling grooves." Lein's voice was like thunder, Honglonglong as it echoed beside Downs's ears.

Then, the [Electromagnetic Gun] fired!

Fast!

Too fast!

Downs's reflexes could not keep up with the trajectory of the coin at all. He only saw a flash of gold before the coin, containing supreme electrical energy, shot forth.

A golden line cut across the forest.

It first blasted apart three huge trees that required one person's arms to encircle, scattering wood chips everywhere. Then it pulverized a boulder weighing at least ten tons, too large for two people to encircle. The violent electrical energy had yet to dissipate. The metal-and-stone torrent formed after the boulder exploded ravaged everything within a thirty-degree angle and nearly ten meters behind it.

Downs was stunned. His gaping mouth could fit a large apple.

For a moment, he even forgot to breathe.

When he came back to his senses, he heard his master casually say, "Oh, I accidentally failed to control the power. That was an [Electromagnetic Cannon], not an [Electromagnetic Gun]. Only by properly allocating your strength and producing the power of an [Electromagnetic Gun] can you fight for longer."

Downs barely slept that night. He constantly compared the gap between himself and his master, only to miserably discover that he could at most use an [Electromagnetic Gun], not an [Electromagnetic Cannon].

There was no helping it. In his eyes, the difference between his total mana and his master's was like the difference between heaven and earth.

It was nearly dawn before Downs finally drifted into an uneasy sleep.

When he woke the next day, the house was indeed empty. Downs searched everywhere his master often went, yet could not find him. He knew his master most likely did not wish to say goodbye.

After respectfully kneeling and bowing toward the house where his master had lived, Downs shouted at the sky, "Master! I know I'm still not qualified to become your Direct Disciple. But thank you for teaching me these past days! I, Downs Quijote, will never forget your kindness for the rest of my life! Master! I'm leaving!"

With that, Downs leaped into the deep pool that Lein found freezing cold, tears streaming down his face.

Watching his foolish disciple dive into the water from afar, Lein felt strangely lost.

"If nothing unexpected happens, he should bring me a second disciple, right?" But then Lein reconsidered and felt utterly annoyed. "Why do I have to be trapped in a Dragon Valley? Couldn't they just give me a proper exit?"

Originally, Lein had intended for Downs to take him away. Given Downs's swimming skills, it probably would not have been a problem.

Lein simply could not bring himself to do it. A dignified "Archmage" needing his disciple to drag him out of trouble? That would be far too embarrassing.

Lein was miserable. He decided to start "swimming for fitness," at least until he could swim through the pool and escape.

Ahem! This was the legendary case of suffering for the sake of saving face.

Meanwhile, Downs skillfully swam underwater through an underground waterway nearly Thirty Meters long and arrived at the pool on the other side.

There was another waterfall here.

After climbing out of the pool, Downs followed the familiar route into a narrow mountain crevice that could only accommodate a single carriage. Three more days passed before he reached the other side of the mountain range and arrived at his hometown—Ramanque City in Ramanque County.

As the capital of the county, Ramanque City was a large city with a population of six thousand.

To people of the Celestial Empire, that population could only be considered a town. In Chaos World, however, it was already a major city.

Passing through the three-meter-high brick-and-wood city wall at the gate, Downs arrived at the Pansa Tavern, a place he knew well.

The moment Downs pushed open the smoke-blackened wooden swinging door, a sarcastic remark came flying at his face.

"Oh! Isn't this Archmage Downs Quijote, who gave up the Way of the Knight to study the path of arcane arts? So, have you learned the magic you dreamed of?"

As soon as those words fell, the entire tavern erupted, with dozens—perhaps hundreds—of voices bursting into mocking laughter together.