The Horn's Astonishing Effects

Dean wanted to argue with Kana, but he had to admit she seemed to have a point. Wouldn't Life Detection Magic make things much more efficient right now?

Although the teachers at the Magic Academy scoffed at this spell, it wasn't actually as worthless as they claimed. There was simply almost never any use for it.

The magical fluctuations it produced were too strong. Almost anyone it scanned would immediately be alerted, so they were better off not using it.

Yet just as Dean gave up on Life Detection Magic, a piece of information surfaced in his mind.

Advanced Life Detection Magic!

There was no question about it: this spell must have come from the Infinite Eye. What surprised Dean, however, was that it was actually an advanced spell.

After all, advanced spells generally required a Sixth-Level Mage Mentor to master, though some Fifth-Level Grand Mages could just about manage to learn them.

There were also special cases—advanced spells whose effects were less useful than basic spells—and those didn't require the strength of a Sixth-Level Mage Mentor.

Still, no matter how he looked at it, this was an advanced spell, not something a Level-One Magic Apprentice like Dean could learn.

For a moment, Dean thought something had gone wrong with the Infinite Eye. Why else would it give him something so impractical? Even if that were the case, with his aptitude, learning a basic spell in a few days would already be impressive, let alone an advanced one.

Nevertheless, Dean examined it carefully. Sure enough, this wasn't merely Advanced Life Detection Magic. It was a complete set of spells designed for progressive advancement, with two other spells included.

Basic Life Detection Magic and Intermediate Life Detection Magic.

Together with Advanced Life Detection Magic, the three spells formed a set progressing from low to high.

Moreover, each individual spell in a matched set like this was bound to be much stronger than an ordinary spell of the same kind.

Even if both were called Basic Life Detection Magic, the version belonging to a set would surely be more precise and convenient.

"Big Sister Kana, Dean's spacing out again. Should I go snap him out of it?" Yanxi looked at the motionless Dean and reached out to tug on the hem of Kana's clothes.

Kana had been about to keep walking, but Yanxi's reminder made her look over too.

"No need. Leave it to me. Rousing my dear teammate is a captain's bounden duty." Grinning, she walked toward Dean.

Yanxi's little face fell, and she turned away. I should've... I should've woken Big Brother Dean up first, she thought, trying not to look at what was about to happen.

Big Brother Dean, please forgive me. Next time, I'll definitely warn you first and keep Big Sister Kana from getting her hands on you. Just forgive me this once! Yanxi silently prayed. Of course, this wasn't the first time. It happened often.

By now, Yanxi had practically memorized this prayer.

"Aaaaah!"

A burst of screaming made Yanxi's small frame shudder. Then she breathed a sigh of relief. Dean's scream had finally come!

Meanwhile, Kana held Dean by the ear, standing on tiptoe as she tugged upward with all her might. "You rotten Dean! What are you spacing out for? We've only got so much time. We can't afford to let you sit here daydreaming."

Kana knew her limits, though—specifically, the limits that kept her safe. The moment Dean swiped at her, she darted three meters away. Poor Dean was only a Mage. He barely had enough time to practice magic, let alone exercise.

So that swipe missed by a thousand percent.

"Aaaaah! Kana, you little slippery rascal! I curse you! I curse you to never find a husband!" Dean pointed at Kana, beside himself with fury.

"Bleh, bleh, bleh! I'm the captain, and you actually dared to ignore me and stand there daydreaming. Consider that a little punishment. Hmph!" Kana grinned smugly.

The tug on his ear hadn't actually hurt that much. But Dean had been deep in thought, and a surprise attack like that—on his ear, no less—had naturally given him a fright.

"Damn it! You just interrupted the great Mage Lord Dean's thinking time! Do you have any idea how serious a crime that is?"

"Then should I give your ear another tug? I'll do the other side this time, make it symmetrical." As she spoke, Kana deliberately pinched her fingers together, staring at Dean's untouched ear.

Dean shuddered and instinctively covered his other ear as he shot back, "Enjoy yourself while you can! One day, I'll sort you out!"

That was what he said, but there was little chance of it happening. As an archer, Kana might not have possessed a knight's robust physique, but she still cultivated battle aura. Naturally, she was countless times more agile than a Mage like Dean.

Let Dean catch her? What a joke. Wouldn't that be utterly humiliating for an archer like Kana?

"Give me a little time. I'm going to learn Basic Life Detection Magic." With that, Dean sat down where he was, on a pile of wheat straw.

Dean's actions left Yanxi, Kana, and Lamore staring dumbfounded. What was going on? Could someone just decide to learn a spell on the spot?

Lamore was particularly stunned. He had been busy tidying his hair and straightening his clothes, without even a moment to watch Kana tease Dean. This field was simply too dirty—or rather, not dirty, but full of tiny bits that stuck to his clothes.

With his slight obsession with cleanliness, how could Lamore pretend not to notice? He had been frantically picking the little bits off himself as they walked. Now that they had stopped, he was racing against the clock to clear them away.

Even so, Dean's actions still managed to startle him.

"Is he joking?" Lamore asked Yanxi and Kana while continuing to pick off the little bits.

"Probably... probably not? Dean boasts a little sometimes, but he usually does what he says he will... I think?" Yanxi answered uncertainly, her eyes fixed on Dean. Yet there wasn't a trace of magical fluctuation coming from him!

"I think I remember a little about this spell. It's supposed to be one of the simplest spells to understand. It seems like it's even easier than Basic Illumination," Kana said, propping her cheek on her little hand.

"But how is he going to learn it? He doesn't even have the most basic spellbook instructions," Lamore asked again.

Yanxi fell silent. She was a sword-and-shield fighter; ask her anything about magic, and she wouldn't have a clue.

"What are you looking at me for? How should I know? Keep staring, and I'll cut your hair off." Kana glared at Lamore. Why couldn't he just stand off to the side admiring himself? That way, he could satisfy himself without bothering anyone else.

But no, Lamore had to keep asking this and that. He was so annoying. Kana herself wanted to know what Dean was doing.

Come to think of it, Dean did seem a little different today, though Kana couldn't tell exactly how.

Lamore shut his mouth and hurriedly backed away a few steps. He didn't dare provoke that little devil, Kana. To Kana, cutting someone's hair was a trivial matter. Once it was cut, it was cut. Wouldn't it just grow back later?

(End of chapter)