Chapter 7: Difficult Study Materials

Chapter 7: Difficult Study Materials

Nathan was standing in the middle of a wasteland of decimated crystal and suddenly inert magical fog. He looked down to the enormous gemstone-and-crystal book in his hands.

Is it over?

Then the book struggled mightily, attempting to wrench itself from his hands. More enchantments started attacking his flesh, simultaneously trying to disintegrate, slice and transform his hands.

I guess not.

Nathan fought back, using his experience with curse breaking to try and rip out the aggressive enchantments attacking him. The spellwork in the book shifted in a moment, flickering to a new pattern. An enormous force tried to flip the book open.

Nathan didnt know why the book wanted to open. But he was pretty sure it would be better if it remained closed. He struggled with the book, exerting his stamina and superhuman skill-boosted strength to barely manage to keep the book closed.

Behold! A worthy nemesis for my incredible studying skills! I would switch to Rage for the strength boost, but I think [Focused mind] is more important for figuring out this spellwork.

He probed at the book with his antimagic, trying to figure out a way to disable it without shattering the whole construct. A book made of gemstones seemed valuable, after all. The magic inside engaged with him, multiple mana types making contact and rapidly dissipating. Nathan felt crystal, force, gravity and void mana rapidly shifting through complex spellforms, though crystal was still the primary type.

It reminded Nathan of the inherent self-direction of divine mana, but with significant differences. These patterns were still complex and directed, without any room for the mana to act on its own accord. But they switched from one form to another rapidly, attempting new forms of attack against Nathan and his antimagic.

Nathan pushed the book between his knees and crouched over it to get more points of leverage. In response to the new contacts the book responded with the same pattern of cutting force, disintegration and crystal transformation it had tried earlier.

Like its running through a preprogrammed series of counter-intrusion responses. This book is a complicated set of magical instructions. I wonder if it's Turing-complete?

Congratulations, you have developed the [Mid-tier Spellsense] utility skill into [High-tier Spellsense].

Utility skill: [High-Tier Spellsense]The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

This skill will help you identify mana types and the detailed construction of spells more easily.

Helps you understand the overall purpose of spells and how individual elements contribute to that purpose. Does not grant understanding of how to weave mana together for specific spells.

I think Ill take that as a yes. Im not surprised that understanding computational universality and extending it to magic is worth a Development. Maybe I should have saved that Insight for the unique Development. Oh well!

The book squirmed again, trying to open and failing. When that didnt work, it resumed trying new methods to attack Nathan, running through a quick cycle of magical attacks of escalating complexity.

Nathan was burning out the channels the artifact was using to cast the spells, trying to not destroy the core mechanisms. He broke another set of multi-use conduits and the cover of the book splintered, falling to pieces around his feet. Nathan kept a tight grip on the pages underneath, seeing complicated glyphs arranged like circuitry past his bloody fingers. They dimmed where he gripped the book, the mana flowing into him.

I think the book is basically made of condensed mana and gemstones with high mana capacities. Im not sure Im going to be able to subdue it without breaking it. In fact, I think the only way is going to be ripping it into component pieces.

Mid-tier Identify 8 achieved!

Nathan started to try to rip the book in half, twisting the front in one direction and the back in the other. The spine resisted, but after a moment started to snap apart piece by piece as the fragments of crystal connecting the layered gemstones together splintered before his antimagic strength.

The book didnt like that at all, withdrawing all of its mana to start channeling a new spell deep inside the core of the spine. Nathan poked at it with his new [Spellsense], leaning on it and his [Identify] to try and figure out just what was going on.

Oh, thats definitely a self-destruct. Bad.

High-tier Spellsense 2 achieved!

Nathan finished his ripping motion, tearing dozens of translucent magical pages and a chunk of spine from the book before hucking the larger section away from him, as far as he could throw it into the river.

The book had just touched the water when it detonated. It wasnt a simple explosion. A quick pulse of crystal tore the book apart, then it all turned to void mana and sucked in everything within a few dozen feet. Then there was a large explosion, sending a plume of water a hundred feet into the air.

Nathan was blown backwards into the forest, pelted for a second time with magical crystal shrapnel. He impacted a tree and things broke with a cracking sound. Mostly the tree.

Nathan landed on his side, slightly dazed but already healing once more. He looked up just in time to roll away from a large branch falling to the ground. Foliage and entire trees crashed down all around Nathan, and he curled up into a ball as leaves and sticks rained down. The crystal shrapnel had broken bones and bruised him all over. A few of the larger spikes had impaled him, but they were already dissolving and leaving gaping wounds behind. Was that going to be a problem? Nathan checked his stamina.

Stamina: 680/680

Nope! Turns out Im great at fighting magical duels.

You have leveled up to level 59! Congratulations, you have destroyed a spell-propagation engine from the unmaterial sect of the Kalis Conclave!

Nice. No idea what the hell any of that means. But Ill remember to mention it to people back at Gemore.

Nathan took a moment to appreciate the level-up, waiting for the branches to finish crashing to the ground around him. Once satisfied the forest was done falling over, Nathan slowly got to his feet and winced around a particularly nasty wound where a spike had been driven into his kidney. The mana-crystal spike was completely dissolved and the wound was busy being sealed over, but it was a bit uncomfortable.

High-Tier Regeneration 9 Achieved!

I think I healed from at least three lethal wounds in the last thirty seconds? And none of them really slowed me down. Fascinating experience to fight through a sliced carotid.

He was standing a short way into the forest. The riverbank was now marked with a huge crater, and water was pouring into the depression. No trace of the crystal ritual formation was left, and all of the crystals had become high-velocity tree-shredding shrapnel which had scythed through the forest all around Nathan. More trees behind Nathan groaned and collapsed, weakened by pieces of crystal grapeshot.

Nathan realized he was gripping something, and let go of the pages hed torn from the book. They were flickering where hed been grasping them, but the glow on most of them smoothed out and equilibrated as they splayed across the forest floor.

Is it safe to approach? her voice called out over the gurgling of the river.

Nathan cupped his hands and yelled back, Should be fine! Just rough ground!

The woman quickly picked her way closer, examining Nathan and the Heirs. She definitely noted the bloodstains left on Nathans skin, but ignored them and extended a hand. Im Byns Bho. Glad this pit of ghouls is dealt with. We need you back at Bridgeguard now. Theres a raiding party inbound from Agmon. A hundred Orc legionaries, looking to steal anything not nailed down.

Nathan sighed, looking back at where Stella was continuing to excavate the ledge of the crater. He called out, waving them back from the riverbank.

Stella approached, tucking another blue-glowing gemstone into a pocket. What? Im starting to think the rest of it went into the river. Itll get washed away soon if we dont go after it now.

Nathan gestured at Byns. Byns just told me that theres an Agmon raiding party headed to Bridgeguard and they need us back there immediately. We go?

Khachi walked up behind Stella and rumbled a growl. We go.

Stella cast a longing look over her shoulder. But it's all Forceborn Sapphire Then she slumped, looking at the ground. To protect Gemore, we go.

Nathan hopped off his stump and pulled Sarah to her feet. I think youre about to get that chance to shine.

Skill Text comparison:

Utility skill: Mid-Tier Spellsense

This skill will help you identify mana types and spell weaves more easily. Helps you understand what individual elements of even very complex spells are accomplishing. Does not grant understanding of how to weave mana together for specific spells.

Utility skill: High-Tier Spellsense

This skill will help you identify mana types and the detailed construction of spells more easily.

Helps you understand the overall purpose of spells and how individual elements contribute to that purpose. Does not grant understanding of how to weave mana together for specific spells.

Status of Nathan Lark:

Permanent Talent 1: Magic Absorption 7

Permanent Talent 2: High-tier Regeneration 9

Talent 3: High-tier Slow Fall 3

Class: Spellbreaker Juggernaut level 59

Stamina: 645/690

Juggernaut's Wrath

Antimagic Momentum

Raging Thrill

Juggernaut's Inertia

Unarmored Resilience

Utility skills:

High-tier Focused Mind 9

High-tier Earnestness 2

Mid-tier Sprinting 5

High-tier Spellsense 2

Mid-tier Notice 8

Mid-tier Identify 7

Mid-tier Dodging Footwork 4

High-tier Enhanced Memory 2

Mid-tier Lecturing 2

Low-tier Tumbling 10