Chapter 644 - 541: The Possibility of Constructing New Magic, Nightmare’s Message

Chapter 644: Chapter 541: The Possibility of Constructing New Magic, Nightmare’s Message

The wind of the wastes, carrying grit and the salty tang of a distant sea, blew ceaselessly day and night.

It had been several days since they left Gray Rock City. Roland’s party of three traveled north along an ancient trade route, gradually leaving the densely populated areas behind.

Twisted, drought-resistant shrubs and pale, bizarrely shaped, weathered rocks became the most common sights on either side of the road. The skyline, in turn, gave way to a line of rolling, dark-hued hills.

As the last ray of daylight sank below the rolling western horizon, they stopped in a recess of a rock wall, sheltered from the wind.

The spot was slightly elevated, overlooking a stretch of dry riverbed. With a relatively open view and the rock wall providing a natural barrier, it was an ideal place to spend the night.

Holland skillfully cleared a patch of ground and used a Fire Stone to ignite the dry branches he had gathered, along with the roots of a certain oil-rich, slow-burning shrub.

The bonfire quickly crackled to life, its orange-red glow dispelling the rapidly descending chill and Darkness. It stretched the trio’s shadows long, casting them against the rough rock wall behind.

He then unstrapped his pack and began to prepare a simple dinner.

Hardtack, dried meat, and a paste made from some kind of ground root—which they had restocked in Gray Rock City—were propped over the fire to heat.

As the firelight danced, Roland did not rest.

He looked over at Ellis, who was sitting on the other side of the fire, flipping through a thick notebook by its light.

A moment later, the dancing light of the bonfire illuminated a startling sight.

Dozens of paces from the camp, the surface of a grayish-white, weathered boulder half a man’s height was now covered in a large, irregular, and still-hissing patch of scorched black.

These were not the soot stains left by the lick of an ordinary Flame, but looked as though the rock had been violently struck by a tidal wave of extremely condensed, instantly erupting heat.

The rock’s surface had a strange texture, as if it had nearly melted before rapidly cooling. There were even fine cracks at the edges. The center of the scorch mark was as dark as charcoal and still radiated a heat far beyond that of normal embers, causing the nearby air to shimmer and distort.

The few tough clumps of dead grass that had once grown in the rock’s crevices were gone, their ashes seemingly vaporized by the instantaneous blast.

Roland pulled his gaze from the scorched mark and turned toward the campfire, where a trace of shock and Concentration that he hadn’t quite managed to conceal still lingered on Ellis’s face.

"Ellis."

Roland spoke, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet night wind of the wastes.

"Besides the Burning Hand and the more basic Fireworks Technique you just demonstrated, do you know any other... spells related to Flame Power?"

Unlike Duadeng—a Zor Mage who worshiped Spider Queen Rose and had to rely on his personal library and self-study, with a system of Magic that leaned toward Shadow and poison—Ellis hailed from a proper Mage Academy. His training had been far more systematic and comprehensive, so it stood to reason that he would have mastered a more diverse array of spells.

This included some Fire Element Spells that Roland had always wanted to learn, but which were not part of Duadeng’s magical heritage.

After all, Roland not only possessed Ashes of Original Sin, a powerful Trait that profoundly affected the very nature of Flame, but he also had a high Fire Elemental Affinity.

This meant that the Power, precision, and even the fundamental nature of any Fire Spell he cast could far surpass what an ordinary Mage could imagine, producing remarkable augmentations and variations.

Compared to other schools of spells, which would require him to learn and adapt from scratch, mastering more diverse and powerful Fire Element Spells was undoubtedly the fastest and most effective way to enhance his overall strength.

As he stared at the scorched rock face still radiating heat, the shock and surprise in Ellis’s eyes quickly faded, replaced by a deep numbness that bordered on resignation.

After all, he had witnessed Roland perfectly replicate—and even subtly surpass—a spell after a single demonstration on more than one occasion over the past month.

So, he just let out a deep, almost weary sigh. His shoulders seemed to slump a little as he slowly began to answer.

"Yes... I do know some other spells related to the Fire Element, but they’re all First Ring or higher. They involve more complex Energy models and Rune configurations, but..."

A hint of difficulty crept into Ellis’s voice.

"I’m bound by the Mage Academy’s strict regulations and the Magic Contract I’ve sworn. Without special permission, I absolutely cannot teach First Ring or higher spells to anyone outside its walls. Otherwise... I’d be instantly marked and hunted down. The consequences would be far more severe than just a simple breach of discipline."

Although Ellis hadn’t explicitly said "no," the refusal and the risks involved were perfectly clear.

Roland nodded in understanding.

"I understand. Thank you for your honesty, Ellis."

After his quiet words of thanks, Roland’s eyes showed no trace of disappointment.

Compared to the only Flame Trick he could previously use, Flaming Arrow, the newly mastered First Ring Spells—Burning Hand and Fireworks Technique—were already a significant upgrade and a major expansion of his combat options.

Fireworks Technique, in particular, with its ability to create bright lights, loud noises, and even area-of-effect blinding and terrain disruption, could undoubtedly be adapted for more unpredictable and versatile tactical applications when combined with his Ashes of Original Sin Trait.

The only concern was...

Roland recalled the momentary daze on Ellis’s face after he had successfully cast the spell. He remembered Ellis’s confused expression, how he’d subconsciously asked if Roland had layered the spell with some kind of Confusion Technique. He couldn’t help but shake his head inwardly with a sense of resignation.