Sorcery Testing

"Chip, calculate the sorceries I can solidify!"

[Calculating]

[Estimated number of sorceries the host can solidify: 5]

"Five? Not bad." Looking at the result provided by the Chip, Green began considering which spells he should solidify. This number was not fixed. As a wizard's mental power continued to grow stronger, the number of sorceries they could solidify would also increase.

A Formal Wizard possessed at least a hundred sorceries, yet could only solidify around ten of them, and they were basically all defensive sorceries.

"I already have a Grand Knight's Life Barrier. Apprentice-level defensive sorceries are no longer useful to me. That's why Teacher had me study offensive sorceries, so I could gain a more advantageous position in conflicts."

[Ding. Model optimization complete. Begin solidification procedure?]

"Optimization is already finished? Begin!"

The Chip's prompt interrupted Green.

"Solidification procedure initiated!"

The Chip began controlling Green's mind. A massive sorcery model gradually took shape within his mental space. Compared to the previous model, Green could clearly see that the optimized model was far more complex, and its energy efficiency was more than a level higher than before. At the same time, however, Green discovered that the optimized model placed greater demands on mental power during construction.

"If it were an ordinary apprentice, even if they knew this model, they probably wouldn't be able to construct it. This model was entirely based on the Chip's terrifying computational and control abilities." Green silently thought as he looked at the model in his mental space.

[Wizard's Hand solidification complete]

[Wizard's Hand—Zero-Level Sorcery.]

[Mental power consumption: Output strength can be freely adjusted. Minimum consumption is one unit of mental power per hour.]

[Effect: Controls objects within a range of 30 meters.]

[Guiding time: 0.2 seconds]

"The most outstanding change is the range. It'll be extremely useful for large-scale experiments. The change in consumption isn't that important instead." Green considered the optimized Wizard's Hand data.

Following the same method, the Chip quickly completed the solidification of Treant Summoning and Lesser Energy Fireball.

[Treant Summoning—Zero-Level Sorcery.]

[Mental power consumption: 3]

[Effect: Pure energy summoning. The Treant can only exist for 30 minutes. When summoned using a modified tree species, its existence time extends to three hours, and it gains certain special abilities according to the tree species.]

[Guiding time: 1 second]

[Lesser Energy Fireball—Zero-Level Sorcery.]

[Consumption: 1]

[Effect: Summons a fireball to attack targets within 200 meters. After improvement, explosion and continuous burning effects have been added.]

[Guiding time: 0.1 seconds]

With the sorcery solidification complete, Green opened his eyes. When he rose and looked out the window, the world outside was pitch-black.

It seemed he would have to wait until tomorrow to test the sorceries' power.

The following afternoon, after finishing all of that day's classes, Green arrived at the Sorcery Testing Area.

The Sorcery Testing Area was specially built by the academy for apprentices to test the power of their sorceries. After all, many sorceries carried corrosive energy. Positive-energy sorceries were one thing, but negative-energy sorceries often caused strange changes. If an ordinary apprentice used a negative-energy sorcery in a cemetery and failed to deal with the aftermath, an evil spirit might even be born.

To ensure safety, the Sorcery Testing Area had been placed at the very edge of the academy.

The castle housing the Sorcery Testing Area was visibly taller and thicker at a glance, looking far sturdier than the academy's other buildings.

All kinds of runes were carved into the castle walls. Green immediately identified their three main functions. The first was energy radiation isolation, preventing energy from leaking out. The second was reinforcement runes, increasing the walls' strength. The third was automatic energy balancing, preventing different energies from falling out of balance.

"Are you here to conduct sorcery tests?" As soon as Green reached the entrance, an apprentice in a gray robe came over and asked with a grin.

Not everyone was like Green, free from the financial pressure of magic stones. This gray-robed apprentice had clearly accepted an academy assignment and was working as a receptionist here.

In truth, if not for Teacher Lilian's favor toward Green, he would also have had to find ways to earn magic stones. Alchemy was a profession built on piles of magic stones. The initial investment for an alchemy laboratory alone would make even a Formal Wizard wince.

"I do need to conduct sorcery tests. Do you have any recommended locations?"

"The testing area is divided into two main categories: the apprentice area and the wizard area. You can only choose an area corresponding to your own level. Beyond that, there are private areas and public areas. Private areas have the advantage of no outsiders disturbing you, but they're more expensive. Public areas are shared by multiple people, though naturally they're cheaper."

"I see. How much does a private room cost?" Green asked.

The gray-robed apprentice's eyes immediately lit up when he heard that. Private rooms were not cheap. Renting out even one would earn him quite a decent commission.

"One magic stone per hour. Each private room is equipped with specialized energy-testing equipment that can accurately calculate sorcery performance. There are also energy puppets, allowing you to directly observe a sorcery's destructive power... It will definitely let you gather accurate information on your sorceries!"

Green was not short on magic stones. The various tutoring classes he held on rest days had become extremely popular, and he already had more than a hundred magic stones. Since they were inconvenient to carry around, Green had even gotten a magic stone card through the academy.

"Open one for me. Three hours." Green took out his magic stone card and handed it to the apprentice.

The instant he saw the magic stone card, the gray-robed apprentice became even more respectful. He hurriedly accepted Green's card with both hands.

"Please wait!" The gray-robed apprentice hurried to the counter beside him, swiped the magic stone card on an instrument, then took a black crystal card from beneath the counter and handed both cards back to Green.

"This is the room key. You only need to swipe it to open the room. Your room is Number 33!"

Green nodded, took the two cards, and headed toward the sorcery testing grounds.

Beside the public testing grounds, crystals glowing with light stood atop white stone pillars on both sides. Apprentices could clearly be seen conducting tests in the public area, but not a single sound emerged. The only sound in the corridor was Green's footsteps on the floor.

"There's even a soundproofing barrier. Though that makes sense. Fire Element testing usually comes with explosions. If they didn't isolate it properly, the entire academy would never get any peace and quiet." Green silently thought.

He soon arrived at the private area. The safety measures here were clearly better. It was impossible to see what was happening inside, and every room was completely isolated.

Green nodded in satisfaction. He quickly found his room in the private area, took out the black crystal card, and swiped it!

Click! The door opened, and a screen of light appeared on it with two lines of text.

[Remaining time: 2 hours 59 minutes]

[Please watch the time. Once time runs out, the equipment will automatically shut down.]

Upon entering the room, Green found its size beyond his imagination. It was roughly as large as a university sports field from his previous life.

There were several targets around the perimeter and in the center of the grounds, labeled leather armor, plate armor, and beast.

There was also a sign by the entrance. Apprentices could directly attack with sorcery. These targets were covered with different types of defensive sorcery. After being attacked, they would automatically record and display the sorcery's power.

"Let's try Lesser Energy Fireball first!"

A fireball suddenly appeared in front of Green. Its crimson flames radiated intense heat.

"Go!" The fireball shot toward the target at high speed and struck the one labeled plate armor.

Boom!!!

A tremendous explosion rang out. Flames from the fireball scattered everywhere. Some embedded themselves in the target and continued burning. The flames that landed on the ground seemed to encounter some kind of obstruction and quickly went out.

After burning continuously for several dozen seconds, the flames finally extinguished, and a projection appeared on the target.

[Fire energy attack. Initial attack intensity: 5. Continuous burning: 1.]

"Chip, update the internal calculation units according to the current method of energy measurement."

The method used to measure sorcery power in the wizard world was based on the radiation released by one unit of attributeless elemental energy.

[Updating]

[Adjusted data: Life Barrier can withstand an energy attack of 30 degrees.]

Looking at the extremely high value of his Life Barrier, Green felt filled with security. Unlike other Knights, Green surpassed them at every stage. Therefore, the value of his Life Barrier also exceeded that of other Grand Knights.

An ordinary Grand Knight should only be able to withstand attacks of 5 to 7 degrees. The Second-Class Apprentices and Third-Class Apprentices all used Zero-Level Sorcery, which generally ranged between 3 and 5 degrees, with 5 degrees being the highest. That was why Teacher Lilian believed Green had no need to further strengthen his defenses. At the apprentice level, it was difficult for anyone to break Green's defenses.

The one thing Teacher Lilian had not anticipated was that Green was completely different from other Grand Knights. First-Level Spells cast by Formal Wizards generally ranged from 15 to 20 degrees, with the highest not exceeding 25 degrees. Green's Life Barrier could easily withstand the sorceries of a First-Level Wizard. Combined with his formidable physique, any ordinary Formal Wizard who tried to confront him head-on would only be walking toward death.

Of course, Green would not truly fight a Formal Wizard head-on. Wizards possessed strange and unpredictable methods. If the other side knew curse-type sorceries, Green had no idea whether his Life Barrier could withstand them.

His overwhelming defensive power had somewhat eased Green's lack-of-firepower anxiety.

"Mm! Now that the values have been adjusted, I won't need to come to the training grounds in the future. The Chip can calculate a sorcery's power directly!"

Green nodded in satisfaction and began testing his other sorceries.

"Let's start with the pure-energy Treant!"

Green energy gathered in front of him, slowly taking the shape of a Treant. At last, the energy transformed into solid matter, and a Treant appeared before Green.

Looking at the three-meter-tall Treant before him, Green felt a mental connection with it. With a thought, the Treant charged straight at a target and slapped it with its palm.

[Physical attack. Attack intensity: 2.]

This attack intensity was already quite high. Even a Knight Apprentice would not be able to take many hits.

Green had the Treant continue attacking, and every subsequent attack was displayed as 2.

Green's Chip offered more precise readings. Each strike was between 1.9 and 2.1, without much variation.

"A Treant with this level of strength is roughly equivalent to a Formal Knight. However, it has no concept of fatigue or injury, and every strike can reach its peak. It far surpasses ordinary Knights. Without three to five ordinary Knights, there's no way to defeat it."

"However, a Treant at this level can only block and delay apprentices capable of casting sorcery. It would be too difficult for it to fight enemies directly. A sorcery of around three degrees could destroy it." After calculating for a long time, Green reached this conclusion.

He dispelled the sorcery, dismissing the Treant before him. Then Green tossed out an acorn and used Treant Summoning.

The instant the sorcery activated, the Life Element scattered through the air continuously gathered inside the acorn.

Whoosh.

A seven-meter-tall Treant rose from the ground, its enormous frame completely surpassing the previous Treant.

"Teacher Lilian was right. The Treant I summon through the normal process is far stronger than those of other apprentices."

"Chip, inspect this Treant's attributes."

[Treant. Strength: 5. Speed: 3. Constitution: 6. Mental power: None.]

[Talent 1: Nature Aura] (High-speed recovery, increased Fire Element resistance)

[Talent 2: Resistant Skin (6)]

[Skill: Entanglement] (Rapidly grows branches to bind enemies)

The luxurious status panel shocked even Green. Ordinary apprentices basically had no chance of defeating this Treant. With Resistant Skin at a full 6 degrees along with the rapid recovery of Nature Aura, even if apprentices exhausted all their mental power, they would find it difficult to inflict any real damage on this Treant.

Bang!

[Physical attack. Attack intensity: 5.]

"The attack has already reached the peak of Zero-Level Sorcery. It looks like I should seek out more life-type sorceries. With my Elemental Affinity, perhaps even more qualitative changes will occur." Green said joyfully as he looked at the data displayed on the target.

After conducting several more rounds of tests and calibrating the data, Green hurried to the academy's sales area, intending to buy several Zero-Level life-type sorceries.