Chapter 127

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 127: "Stolen ‘Secret’"

Using magic was a new concept for Jesse, and it sounded quite complicated.

He had never heard of the concept of using magic power at The Slaughtered Lamb or with Gakin, let alone the skills of casting spells from warlocks.

All magic involved chanting spells and waving hands as taught by others, it was all about luck whether it succeeded or failed.

Obviously, mastering the skill of casting weak spells with "power" was not something that could be achieved overnight. It definitely involved a deep communication with Arcane power or Ley Lines, rather than just accurate spell-casting like Jesse thought.

After saying this, Malin didn’t continue speaking but instead looked down at his book, leaving Jesse to ponder.

Jesse still didn’t feel a real connection with Ley Line energy.

He felt like a performer reciting a well-rehearsed and emotional speech to an audience of Arcane energies. Jesse spoke passionately and moved the audience to tears, but he had no idea what he was saying or what was touching them.

When the audience wanted to ask Jesse a question, it was like Jesse trying to delve deeper into Arcane manipulation, such as mastering the so-called power of spell-casting, which left Jesse completely puzzled.

The so-called Arcane talent actually lay here: geniuses felt like they saw siblings when facing the audience, having countless common languages to accurately and deeply feel their emotions and thoughts, because he had grown up and lived with these audience members all his life.

Jesse didn’t know the audience. He didn’t understand their culture, values, not even their language. He felt like a stranger in a foreign land.

But Shadow was completely different.

Jesse’s response to the power of the Shadow was too intense. Every time he used the Shadow power, he had to control the urge to be controlled by the Shadow’s influence.

He felt the Shadow’s power pulsating, trying to convey emotions to him. He wanted to respond but was afraid to do so.

Every time he tapped into the Shadow, he also reflected on the changes within himself. This introspection was more tiring than learning arcane magic or alchemy.

If Arcane was like a group of spectators, then Shadow was like a mysterious woman. She was alluring yet dangerous, with a hidden threat.

She never revealed why she held the knife or why she watched over your heart. Everything was left unsaid. Slowly, you became entranced by her charm, oblivious to the knife grazing your skin.

Initially, you would feel the pain, but eventually, even the pain became a part of the pleasure.

Dark magic welcomes those who are willing to embrace it. This seemed understood by all spellcasters, whether the mages in the Wizard’s Sanctum or the warlocks in the Dagger Association. But it appeared that only Jesse was truly accepted.

Thinking for a moment, Jesse glanced at his pocket watch and saw that it was already 10 o’clock. He figured his Arcane Intellect spell was about to fade away.

The morning passed quickly, and in the afternoon Malin was going to attend classes at the Wizard’s Sanctum. Jesse wondered why he was here. Was it to reflect on Malin’s lessons later?

He came to learn spells!

Jesse looked at the Warlock Pack on the floor. He had worked hard to bring the imp in. How could he waste this opportunity?

Malin had resumed reading his book. Soon, he might pick up his pen. Was there time to make more requests? Would he have to accept the reality of having nothing to practice magically for two months?

"Master," Jesse said.

"Hmm," Malin didn’t even look up.

"Could you demonstrate it for me again, Master?" Jesse asked. "Since you can cast low-level magic, casting Mage Armor again shouldn’t be difficult, right? I just want to experience how a standard Mage Armor is formed. Last time, I only observed it and didn’t feel the fluctuations of Arcane energy. Next, I should focus on caring for the Ley Lines and emotions of Arcane energy. After all, the casting process is a communication with Arcane energy, as you taught me before."

Although Jesse felt a bit guilty for nagging Malin to cast spells, he knew it was for his own good.

But now the strong desire to learn the Mage Armor spell has turned into an obsession.

He was thinking that if Malin continues to refuse this time and insists on Jesse starting the study of the Protection School courses after his return, then Jesse will just give up and not think about it anymore. If he agrees and is willing to demonstrate once, then it is the opportunity given by the Holy Light.

Uh… Holy Light?

"Exactly," Malin interrupted his drifting thoughts and said, "You are right. The intensity of casting spells is the process of deep communication with the power of Arcane, which also requires long-term learning for you. Since you are so strongly requesting it, I don’t want to break the student’s desire to learn."

Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes.

Jesse was almost roaring in his mind, Saenor, did you prepare me for this damn thing? The outcome will be decided in this moment!

This time, Malin didn’t even take out that Grimoire, confidently walked to the center of the room, and pushed a table backwards.

He looked quite excited, maybe he himself was looking for a reason to do it again?

The old mage glanced at Jesse and said, "Carefully feel the gathering of Arcane energy, feel their response when they accept my summons, listen to them talking, listen to them singing, Mr. Seso."

After speaking, he raised his right hand and began to chant.

The swirling magical winds, carrying Arcane energy from all directions, transformed the once serene room into a chaotic scene of sparkling elements – electricity, flames, and nature’s essence, released by the hunted Arcanes, no longer held Jesse’s attention.

His entire focus was on Malin’s lips, absorbing every syllable, tone, and inflection of her speech. He even discerned the pronunciation patterns in the dragon language spell, from explosive bursts akin to breaths to the trembling hisses like a snake and deep, growling sounds in his throat.

Until Malin finished casting the spell, a dazzling array surrounded him, with crystal-like armor shimmering over his robe, creating a spectacle as the whirlwind brushed against the papers on the shelves and tables.

At that moment, Jesse could only hear one voice, the spell he continually repeated in his mind, whispering, "Lockportory, Alkanet, Morodatu, Ombudsman, In-Guruku, Iskutu, Eremitarakh, Itakshi, Bedein Kartu, Nazareth." After the display, without delay, Jesse, claiming hunger, grabbed his bag and left.

To avoid arousing Malin’s suspicion, Jesse feigned composure until he left the garden, then sprinted wildly home, reciting the incantations as he went.

Attempting to memorize the spells briefly, he constantly forced himself to recite them in his mind, unable to fathom how he managed to remember so many incantations. Surely, it was the help of Arcane Intellect.

Bursting into the house, Jesse opened his Warlock Pack and shouted, "Come out, Saenor!"

Imp appeared in a flash of light, and Jesse immediately grabbed him by the neck, demanding, "Now, write it down! Write it down! Pronounce it in the common language!"

Imp couldn’t even say a word when it was handed a paper already with a price written on one side.

"Turn it over!" Jesse helped it turn the paper over and tucked it back into its pocket, then quickly took out another paper to start writing silently.

"Lockport… darn it…"

He scratched his head and cheeks while writing silently, and to his surprise, Imp finished first.

"All done, master!"

Imp handed the paper to Jesse, who tossed it aside and said, "Don’t bother me now, wait until I finish writing!"

Jesse closed his eyes and carefully remembered the scene when Malin cast the spell, until he finished writing the last syllable.

Looking at the spell written by Imp, he could feel his heart beating fast.

Putting the two papers together, comparing them one by one from the first character to the last. Apart from some differences in the way certain syllables were written, the overall pronunciation and the order of the sentences were exactly the same.

We need to make sure it’s as accurate as possible, because this magic is very important.

Jesse said a magic spell, then he cast another Arcane Intellect on himself, since the previous one must have worn off.

He didn’t care about any side effects or warnings from Malin at this moment, because he had to prioritize correctly.

With the help of Arcane Intellect, Jesse wrote down the spell that Malin had just cast, he even marked the pronunciation as best as he could, then he checked it again and corrected a few unclear parts with imp’s help.

This time, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Jesse copied the spell neatly onto another piece of paper, then he described the spell procedures from the book he read last time and illustrated Malin’s casting process with words and simple drawings until the paper was full.

Finally, he carefully placed the paper into the Warlock Pack. By the time he finished everything, it was almost evening. The Mage Armor here was much more complex than in the game, he hoped its effects would be worth the intricate casting process, not just reducing a small percentage of damage, that would be almost useless in the real world.

Is there a difference between having a 10cm diameter hole blown on you versus an 8.75cm one?

However, considering that Fear and Life Drain are much more complex and frightening in reality than in the game, there’s no reason why Mage Armor would be less effective.