Brainstorming Magic

Azar and Azshara walked into the base. People greeted Azshara along the way, and Azar's admirers enthusiastically called his name; they both smiled and returned the gestures. Azar noticed that the physical changes in the people here were quite pronounced, already very close to the Night Elf form, especially in their torsos and limbs, where five distinct fingers were clearly visible.

"You've noticed, haven't you? The changes in our fingers allow for more manual dexterity, enabling us to perform finer work. This place consists of two layers: the outer layer is where we are now. Their Arcane perception is relatively weak, so they primarily study physical changes and explore various new limb movements. The Chieftain plans to make them into skilled craftsmen. We will enter the second layer shortly; the people researching there have stronger Arcane perception, and their main focus is the combat application of the Arcane. Just like you. We are very much looking forward to you bringing us new ideas." After saying this, the two walked into a hall together. A group of people had already arrived. As they entered, everyone looked over. Azshara led Azar toward the main seat. "Everyone, I believe you all recognize the person beside me. From today on, he will be our new leader. Let us welcome him together." With that, she took the lead in applauding. The applause was enthusiastic, and Azar saw no dissatisfaction in their eyes—only worship. After all, they were young and still at an age that idolized heroes.

He cleared his throat and said, "I am very happy to work with all of you. This is the great cause of our tribe's rise. Let us work together for the future of the Zarzan Tribe!" After the slogan, Azar continued, "I am a blunt man. I value tangible things. If you are strong, you are a hero of the tribe. If you are not, I won't blame you, but you may have to leave your current post to become someone who contributes to the tribe in another way, like our partners in the outer circle. Starting today, the base will begin issuing subsidies. All your efforts will be rewarded—materially and spiritually. As long as you want it, I will satisfy you! Understood? Dismissed!" His words immediately sparked heated discussion among the crowd; hearing about the rewards, their excitement was plain to see. Azshara looked at him with surprise.

"That is a very attractive decision. Even I am tempted."

Azar looked at Azshara earnestly and said, "This decision applies to everyone in the base, including you and me."

Azar's words shocked her. Those who hadn't fully left the hall turned around quickly to look at them. Azar repeated loudly, "This decision applies to everyone in the base!"

The first fire lit by the new official burned very successfully. Over the next few days, it was clear that everyone was working much more proactively than when Azar first arrived. As for what would happen in the future, who knew? Deep down, he actually had his own selfish motives. This group would inevitably become the mage class of the future Night Elf, the future nobility. However, Azar wanted to instill a principle in them now: there is no love without reason in this world; everything must be created with one's own hands. Struggle is a spirit, a noble quality. Why did people in Africa always starve during the Earth era? It was because of damn laziness. Why could the Chinese nation rise again after every disaster? It was because diligence was ingrained in the bones of every Chinese citizen. They knew clearly that there were no saviors in the world; only through one's own industrious hands could a beautiful future be created. Azar wanted to instill his ideology in them. Over time, those who identified with him would emerge, and slowly he would have his own followers, allowing him to have a voice in future struggles. The road ahead was not going to be smooth.

Azshara hadn't come to find him in the past few days, and when they met, they only nodded. Azar believed his words that day had influenced her; after all, wise as she was, she needed to think calmly when faced with her own interests. Three days later, Azar organized the first exchange meeting. He needed to gain a clear understanding of the base's existing strength through this meeting before deciding on the next steps.

"My Lord Centurion (this was Azar's official title), our inner circle research department has completed the preliminary study of the Arcane. We have discovered that it is a new type of energy that can be used in actual combat, and its power is immense." The speaker was an older elf who appeared to have been a wizard in the past.

"Thank you for the summary. We all know this situation, otherwise, I wouldn't be here. Now, what I want to know are the specifics, do you understand?" Azar actually wanted to say, "Stop the nonsense, get to the point!"

"Yes, that is exactly what I am about to say." He paused and continued, "We have currently developed three capabilities: Evocation, Divination, and Illusion. Azshara is in charge of the Evocation School, I am in charge of the Illusion School, and Yamila is in charge of the Divination School." After speaking, he pointed to a female elf opposite him who looked about his age. She politely nodded and bowed to Azar, and Azar smiled and nodded back, then gestured for the elf to continue. "Very well, my Lord. From the current situation, Evocation can transform the Arcane into fire and ice forms for attacks, which we call Fireball and Frostbolt. If possible, I would like to invite you to the outdoor Proving Grounds, where it is convenient for our demonstration."

"Of course, practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. Only by seeing can one have the most intuitive understanding." Azar followed the suggestion, and a group of people arrived at the Proving Grounds.

"Azshara, please begin your performance." Without pleasantries, the male elf said to Azshara beside him. She didn't waste words either, directly conjuring a Fireball in her hand and throwing it at the wooden stake in front, followed by a Frostbolt. So skilled, Azar sighed inwardly, almost instant-cast. But looking at her ferocious expression, he wondered if she was treating the wooden stake as him. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shiver. The commentator's voice interrupted his wandering thoughts.

"As you can see, this is Fireball and Frostbolt. Fireball carries a burning effect, and Frostbolt carries a slowing effect."

"Yes, I see. Can I understand it this way: the lethality of Fireball is stronger and more direct, while the control effect of Frostbolt is stronger? What do you think, Azshara?"

"That seems to be the case for now." It was that same business-like tone.

"Then, the amount of Arcane energy itself must surely affect the results, right?" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's estimation of Azar rose another level; this was the talk of someone who knew the trade.

"Yes, my Lord. You are truly wise. We are currently evaluating the effects of spellcasting, attempting to establish a standard." The male elf's tone added a touch of respect.

"This direction is correct. I wish you success soon, and I will reward you then!" Azar praised with a smile.

"I have another question. Can one person learn multiple schools, or just one? How do you choose?" He asked with a look of confusion.

"We haven't found any conflicts between the various schools yet. The Arcane is the source of everything. When your Arcane energy is sufficient, you can explore the direction you like. This is also the most beautiful part of it—everything is possible. For example, Azshara: besides being proficient in Evocation, she also researches Divination and Illusion. Her ability is quite excellent."

"What is the Divination School? Can you explain it?"

"Uh, it's better to let Yamila explain that." After speaking, he stepped aside and yielded the position to the female elf.

"Very well, my Lord. Let me explain. Simply put, through spellcasting, we can briefly enter the river of time and see some things from the past that we haven't seen with our own eyes, and things that might happen in the future. It is similar to Divination. We can also observe targets from a distance and communicate with each other. Our spellcasting is a bit different in that it requires the use of the Scrying Pool."

Through the exchange just now, Azar had gained a rough understanding of their situation. He needed to think carefully about what to do next, so he said to everyone, "We've been out for a long time, and everyone must be tired. Let's return to the council hall, sit down, and talk slowly."