Despite his initial apprehension, the battle proved less challenging than anticipated. After trading a few blows with the goblin warlord, he came to a realization: he couldn't overpower him. Canna deduced that the warcry the goblin unleashed was a spell meant to augment its physical strength, a temporary boost as Mortem had taught him.
Armed with this insight, he decided on a different approach: fleeing as fast as he could.
With the limited space available, he found himself constrained in his ability to flee. However, leveraging his power to enhance himself and casting a few spells, he managed to run just enough until the augmentation wore off. As the effect faded, the goblin warlord visibly weakened, its muscles shrinking and its gaze losing clarity.
Without hesitation, Canna sprang into action, summoning his daggers and imbuing them with water and wind. Despite taking a couple of minutes, he swiftly dispatched the goblin warlord, achieving the same outcome in the end.
After finishing off the goblin, he approached its lifeless body. Ensuring his dagger was infused with razor-sharp winds, he plunged it into the creature's remains as if searching for something. Upon hearing the clink of metal against metal, he swiftly withdrew the dagger and reached in with his hand.
When he opened his palm, he found a mana core roughly half the size of his hand. A smile spread across Canna's face at the sight of his first intermediate mana core. Though he knew there was still a long journey ahead, he felt reassured; as long as it could aid him in achieving his ultimate goal, everything would be fine.
Following his encounter, he resumed his daily training routine with a new addition. Previously, his regimen consisted of studying mana application, lunch, intense combat sessions, rest, further spell study, and sleep.
Now, he adjusted his schedule to include studying mana application, lunch, engaging in combat, resting, additional spell study, and practicing spellcasting by obliterating medium-rating skeletons with one or two spells.
In the subsequent lesson, Mortem emphasized a critical aspect of spellcasting: "Spell Selection." According to Mortem's guidance, this element was among the most crucial factors to contemplate when preparing to cast a spell. It basically means choosing the right spell for the task at hand.
It's like picking the perfect tool for a job; the right spell can make all the difference between success and failure. So, carefully considering which spell to use is essential for achieving the desired outcome when casting a spell.
For three days straight, Canna didn't sleep. On the first two days, he was utterly engrossed in reading, neglecting both food and rest. It took Mortem's persuasion on the third day to convince his master to take a nap, albeit reluctantly. Upon awakening, Canna decided to change his reading spot and approached Tonitrum.
Requesting permission to sit beside him and even touch his scales, Canna's thoughts revealed he had been immersed in the Codex's tales of wyverns. Thus, the third day turned into a storytelling session, with Canna listening intently.
After that essential break, during which Canna refrained from using any magic, he felt relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Glancing to the side, he saw the pile of mana cores steadily growing. Mortem mentioned that the current supply of mana cores was sufficient for him to advance another rank but advised him to wait until he had thoroughly mastered the basics.
For now, it was back to his daily training regimen.
Canna faced off against the "Cythus Thorn," a three-legged abomination bristling with spikes. He kept a safe distance, acutely aware that a single needle prick could paralyze him for five seconds — a lethal window for his opponent to strike.
Mortem observes as Canna deftly maneuvers against his opponent, summoning water arrows to strike the monster's vital areas and employing wind spells to maintain distance between them.
After the monster fell, Canna saw his master lying on the ground, chest heaving with each breath.
He sent a telepathic message to Tonitrum, prompting the dragon to snort in response.
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Mortem ensured that Canna was asleep before proceeding towards Tonitrum. Using telepathy, he initiated their conversation.
"You mentioned his training is intended to make him stronger, but I sense a different purpose. Even heroes of great empires or kingdoms do not undergo such rigorous training. "Are you, by any chance, making my master a Harbinger?"