Arrival at the Academy

The upgraded panel was astonishingly efficient. In just three days, the analysis of two level-0 cantrips was completed one after another.

Lynn inscribed both Witchcraft Models into his "Mental Core."

Together with the previously acquired [Mini Soul Shock], the three cantrips occupied roughly half of his Mental Core's current capacity.

The number of level-0 cantrips a first-level Wizard Apprentice could inscribe into their Mental Core mainly depended on the total amount and quality of their mental power, as well as the complexity of the Witchcraft Models.

Different level-0 cantrips had different model complexities and consumed different amounts of "mental bandwidth."

Lynn currently possessed 18 points of mental power, equivalent to a capacity of 18 "units."

The simplest [Magic Trick] spells, such as lighting a fire or cleaning, occupied only one "unit" of capacity.

[Weak Soul Shock] had a relatively intricate structure, and due to Lynn's Superior Soul Talent, it occupied only two units.

[Bone Hand] belonged to Undead-type Wizardry. Its structure was of medium complexity and occupied three units.

Its effect was to summon a pale skeletal claw made of energy from the ground or empty space, allowing it to grab, strike, or tear.

The claw's size, strength, and duration were directly proportional to the amount of witchpower infused into it and the precision of the user's mental power.

Its advantages were its combination of control, energy, and physical attacks. It was highly versatile, able to retrieve objects from afar, restrict an enemy's movements, or launch attacks from bizarre angles.

Its drawback was that it consumed more witchpower than [Weak Soul Shock]. The bone claw's strength was limited and could easily be dispersed by powerful attacks.

Controlling the claw for precise or rapid movements also required continuous mental focus.

Still, Lynn was very satisfied. This Wizardry was extremely practical—it could control enemies, manipulate objects, attack, and even defend.

Its duration was also long enough that it could practically be used as several different skills.

[Bone Armor] involved full-body protection. Its structure was more complicated and occupied four units.

It could instantly condense a close-fitting layer of armor over the body's surface, formed from negative energy and phantom bones. It could effectively resist physical attacks and certain energy impacts.

Its advantage was its considerable defensive power, especially against physical attacks such as blades and swords. It also cast quickly, nearly covering the entire body the instant the thought arose.

Its drawback was that it continuously consumed witchpower to maintain. Taking attacks would accelerate that consumption, while it was less effective against special damage such as pure soul attacks and blazing heat.

After mastering three level-0 cantrips, Lynn's combat ability underwent a qualitative leap.

He hid in his cabin and practiced them repeatedly until he could cast them almost instinctively.

At the same time, he gained a clearer understanding of their consumption.

With his total amount of witchpower, he could normally cast [Weak Soul Shock] ten times.

[Bone Hand] could be cast more than three times. Each use could last one hundred seconds and deliver three "powerful strikes."

[Bone Armor] consumed the most. Its duration depended on how badly it was being hit; if it took no attacks, it could last seventy seconds.

Once his witchpower was exhausted, if the battle had not ended, he could basically do nothing but take hits.

Without relying on meditation, and depending solely on the Mental Core's natural absorption and conversion, witchpower recovered extremely slowly.

As his understanding of these spells deepened, a bold thought emerged in his mind:

"[Bone Armor] is a defensive shell covering the whole body, while [Bone Hand] is a construct controlled outside the body..."

"If I fuse them, could I create a semi-automatic, offense-and-defense integrated 'Battle Bone Puppet'?"

It would be even more perfect if he modified it further and assembled it into a skeletal "mecha" with fully functional limbs.

The thought thrilled him.

If he succeeded, it would be like gaining a fearless personal bodyguard out of thin air!

Just imagine it—combining different spells to form a mighty "colossus." How wonderful would that be?

It reminded him of an anime he had watched in his previous life.

"I'll form the head..."

"I'll form the torso..."

"I'll form the arms..."

"I'll form the hemorrhoids..."

How fiery!

With that thought, Lynn immediately devoted all his attention to trying it.

Using the panel's Analysis ability, he dismantled and analyzed the model structures of the two spells in his mind, attempting to find points where they could be joined.

However, reality dealt him a crushing blow.

The fusion of Witchcraft Models was far from a simple puzzle.

The core rune circuits of the two models had fundamental conflicts. [Bone Armor]'s energy flow converged inward to stabilize itself, while [Bone Hand]'s extended outward to manipulate external objects.

Forcibly stitching them together not only failed to produce any synergistic effect, but also made the model structure extremely unstable. During the simulated construction stage, it nearly caused his Mental Core to tremble.

"No... The energy circuits conflict, the core runes are incompatible... There's no intelligent core to sustain 'autonomous action.' This simply isn't a field that level-0 cantrips can touch..."

After several failed attempts, Lynn's face turned slightly pale, and he had no choice but to abandon this fanciful idea.

"I was too hasty."

He calmed down and recognized the problem.

"The Analysis function may be powerful, but it still needs a vast foundation of knowledge. My knowledge is far too shallow."

"I know nothing about the basics of energy circuits, the principles of rune integration, or even fundamental Necromantic Constructs."

"Without theoretical support, imagination and the panel's Optimization alone can never accomplish innovation of this level."

This failure clarified his future direction of study: absorb vast amounts of knowledge, strengthen his foundation, and learn from every source.

A Wizard had never been someone who could reach the summit merely by learning the spells and techniques of their predecessors.

Every powerful Wizard required an enormous accumulation of knowledge. They not only needed to understand how Wizardry was constructed and cast, but also grasp the principles behind it.

Only by truly "mastering" Wizardry and interpreting the corresponding "rules" within it could one embody "greatness."

It was somewhat akin to the "Dao" of the Eastern world.

Having gained some insight, Lynn gave up on researching new Wizardry. Designing such things was not something a small fry like him could manage yet.

Meanwhile, the Analysis progress of the Soul Whisper Meditation Method steadily increased, finally breaking through the fifty-percent mark.

The effects were obvious. His meditation efficiency nearly doubled, the rate at which his mental power grew and his witchpower recovered both increased greatly, and the faint glow at his core became more solid and brighter.

If it could be analyzed to one hundred percent, just how terrifying would the effects be?

Just as Lynn was immersed in cultivation, a powerful spatial fluctuation swept through the area, and the entire Netherbone trembled slightly.

Noise erupted outside the cabin, along with the sailors' shouts. "Everyone! Gather on deck! We've reached Withered Bone Spire Academy!"

After sailing for nearly a month, they had finally arrived!

One had to know that the Netherbone had been traveling at full speed with the Megalodon Wraith possessing it, and they had encountered no danger or obstacles during the voyage.

If it had been an ordinary sailing ship, it would probably have struggled to arrive successfully.

Lynn took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement in his heart, and pushed open the cabin door.

When he stepped onto the deck and looked into the distance, even though he had prepared himself mentally, the sight before him still shook him to the core!

It felt as though he had entered another world.

The sky was eternally dark purple. There was no sun, moon, or stars—only twisted bands of light that writhed like blood vessels, providing dim illumination.

The air was saturated with a dense aura of negative energy, cold and oppressive.

In the distance stood a giant tower upon the barren, lifeless land, so magnificent and menacing that words could not describe it.

The Bone Spire!