Fourth Ring Spell Selection

After bidding farewell to the cold, indifferent middle-aged mage, Ryan followed the path he had taken back to the reception hall.

Seeing Ryan emerge from the corridor with a contemplative expression, the lady behind the reception desk brightened. She had a deep impression of Ryan; whether it was his handsome appearance and sunny temperament, or the fact that the elusive Guild Master had personally instructed her to pay him special attention and granted him a private audience, all of it had etched the image of this young mage into her mind.

Seeing the handsome, golden-haired youth walking slowly toward her, the receptionist lightly twirled her soft, long hair, tucking a strand behind her ear to perfectly showcase her feminine charm. A sweet smile bloomed on her lovely face as she said softly, "Mage Ryan, you've returned. Is there anything you need help with?"

Ryan glanced at the now-hospitable receptionist, his azure eyes calm and undisturbed. Ignoring the flirtatious undertones she displayed, he asked in a neutral tone, "Excuse me, where can I exchange for spell models?"

Seeing that the fresh, delectable young mage before her remained unmoved by the beauty she had used countless times before, the receptionist felt a surge of frustration. Confident in her looks, she felt she had finally encountered a handsome mage who suited her tastes—a hundred times more pleasing than the gloomy, lifeless mages who frequented the Mages Guild. Even if they couldn't be lovers, a little fun would have been nice.

Despite the dramatic play unfolding in her mind, the receptionist maintained a subtle, beaming smile and kept her tone gentle: "Mage Ryan, spell models are exchanged using Magic Crystals in the guild's dedicated rooms. Let me show you the way."

With that, the receptionist swayed her hips as she stepped out from behind the counter, making a move to hook her arm into Ryan's while saying with a radiant smile, "I'll take you there."

Ryan shifted slightly, brushing past the receptionist with effortless grace, and responded nonchalantly, "Mm, that would be a bother. Thank you."

The young mage before her was impervious to her charms, and the beautiful receptionist felt a prickle of irritation, even beginning to doubt her own allure. However, considering her position, she had to maintain a professional, perfect smile as she walked ahead of Ryan to lead the way.

After rounding a few corners, Ryan followed the receptionist to the dedicated room housing the Magic Crystals.

The receptionist looked at Ryan, who was examining the door's decorations, and said in a sweet voice, "Mage Ryan, this is where you exchange for spell models. Duty calls, so I must return to my post. You can come find me here after I get off work." With that, she gave him a wink and handed Ryan a slip of paper with an address written on it.

Ryan hesitated for a moment, took the slip, and gave a slight nod.

Seeing Ryan accept the paper, the receptionist's smile deepened. Feeling triumphant and convinced that her beauty remained as potent as ever, she happily bid Ryan farewell and departed.

Once the enthusiastic lady had left, Ryan glanced at the note in his hand, shook his head silently, and snapped his fingers. The paper ignited without a breeze, and the white ash drifted onto the soil of a potted plant in the corner.

Putting the trivial matter behind him, Ryan entered the room and walked familiarly to the head-sized Magic Crystal in the center. He took out the silver circular badge given to him by Alexander and verified his identity before the crystal.

Through the magical information contained within the badge, Ryan understood that it was not only a pass to enter the ruins but also a symbol of membership in the Waterdeep Mages Guild. Furthermore, it was something only a few "seed" members possessed, which spoke volumes of the high regard Alexander held for him.

He channeled his magic into the crystal, and as his power pulsed faintly, Ryan felt his consciousness pulled into an unknown space.

Within this space, against a deep, boundless night sky, stars of various colors swirled in concentric circles, twinkling as brightly as diamonds. This was the legacy system that mages had prided themselves on since the modern era, following the fall of the Netherese Empire.

Mages had discovered a unique type of Magic Crystal capable of storing and imprinting information. Moreover, these crystals could transmit data through magic and the Weave that permeated the world. Legendary archmages had utilized these properties to create a mysterious space to store spell models, allowing every mage to purchase them, which greatly facilitated the inheritance of magic. As for its other wondrous uses, they were beyond the knowledge of a mage at Ryan's level.

Although he had seen this magnificent, beautiful night sky many times, Ryan was still struck by the power and wisdom of the mages behind it.

One had to realize that after the Netherese era, magic had vanished from the daily lives of the common people. Miraculous and profound spells became the exclusive domain of the transcendent, appearing only as footnotes in legendary chronicles.

To prevent the abuse of magic and maintain their ruling status, mages had placed heavy restrictions on spells. Spell models required exorbitant prices to purchase, and some unique spells even required one to contribute significant merit to the organization to earn the right to exchange for them.

The high costs and insurmountable barriers made being a mage the most expensive profession in Faerûn, while also successfully blocking a large number of financially strapped commoners from entering the world of magic. Consequently, in Faerûn, becoming a noble and powerful mage was often a consideration reserved only for the upper class.

Having been in this world for many years, Ryan deeply understood the exploitation of the lower classes and the massive class chasm that existed. The rigidity of the class structure in this world of swords and magic was even worse than in the curry-scented nation of his past life.

Ryan felt incredibly fortunate that in this life, he was born into a wealthy noble family. While he was skeptical of the nobles' constant claims of being "born to rule," he ultimately enjoyed the benefits of this status, possessing the initial capital to study magic from the start. Compared to the common farmers buried in the dirt, struggling for survival their entire lives, Ryan felt deeply lucky. Fate was truly wondrous; the good karma from his past life had finally been rewarded.

Because of this, Ryan could face the various setbacks and blows in this life with a positive attitude. Nothing cleanses a person's soul more than a second chance at life; in the flickering, fleeting moments of a near-death experience, one always comes to understand the meaning of their own existence.

Ryan shifted his focus to the circle of green stars in the fourth ring. The green stars lit up one by one, shimmering with dazzling brilliance. Descriptions and general effects of various spell models flashed before his eyes, his deep gaze flickering with light and shadow.

Suddenly, Ryan's eyes lit up. Among the stars, he found one of the "mage god-tier skills" he had dreamed of: Dimension Door. Its effect was displayed as: Teleport to any location within 400 feet, with the ability to carry objects and touched creatures.

As a noble mage, Ryan believed that not mastering a spatial ability was shameful. Furthermore, his unique experiences had enhanced his comprehension of spatial magic, granting him a special bonus for such spells.

The Dimension Door spell could be used to charge the backline, kite enemies with mobility, or perform a tactical retreat when the battle turned unfavorable. It fit Ryan's needs perfectly. He had coveted it since he first became a mage; after all, as a veteran MOBA player, how could he not understand the importance of having a "Flash"?

With this fortuitous opportunity, Ryan decisively chose to "freeload" this spell as his first fourth-ring spell. Sensing the complex and intricate spell model imprinting itself into his spellbook, waiting only for him to return and transcribe it, Ryan happily began selecting his second spell.

After picking and choosing among a pile of fourth-ring spells for a long time, Ryan fell into hesitation, wavering between Ice Storm and Wall of Fire.

Ice Storm could compensate for the lack of area-of-effect damage in Fireball. When a massive wind vortex swept across the battlefield, accompanied by fist-sized hailstones, it could be paired with Fireball to let enemies truly experience the despair and terror of being caught between ice and fire—a perfect skill for an artillery mage.

Wall of Fire, on the other hand, was the premier choice for crowd control. Whether used to intercept enemies, cover a retreat, divide the battlefield, or host a barbecue, its effects were excellent and its applications wide. It could even be paired with the Grease spell he had "magically modified" to increase damage, making it an extremely suitable choice.

After weighing his options, Ryan reasoned that as he traveled the world, he would inevitably encounter many battlefields. Compared to the indiscriminate nature of Ice Storm, Wall of Fire was better suited for him. After all, Ryan really didn't want his teammates to be frozen into ice sculptures while charging forward; that would be simply too stupid.

Having selected his spells, Ryan withdrew from the Magic Crystal's mental space network. He rubbed his forehead and shook his head, calming the pain from his overdrawn mental energy. "Damn it, I lingered too long; my mental energy is running low."

However, looking at the models of the two fourth-ring spells recorded in his spellbook, Ryan couldn't help but beam with joy. Even back in Silverymoon, every spell Ryan acquired had been bought with his own money, with Yefalin at most offering advice when he made his choices.

Mages, who believed in "knowledge above all, equivalent exchange," always operated on a "you get what you pay for" basis, so Ryan had always lamented his wallet. Yet, he understood the value and importance of knowledge better than anyone, so he had no complaints. Being able to "freeload" two fourth-ring spell models this time left him more than satisfied.

Ryan understood in his heart that this reward far exceeded the risks he had taken, to the point of being enviable. He figured that on one hand, it was the old man's care for a junior, and on the other, it was a test of tempering hidden behind a kind face.

"The younger generation of the Mages Guild... I'm quite curious to see them." Thinking of the peers the old man mentioned who would be participating in the exploration of the ruins, Ryan felt a headache at the thought of the troublesome matters, yet a sense of eagerness stirred in his heart. "Ten years of sharpening a sword, the frosty blade has yet to be tested. Today I show it to you, who has any grievances? As it turns out, no matter how much I lie to myself, I still want to see the colorful world and the heroes of the land."