'Studying, huh...'
'I don't actually hate studying that much.'
'It's just that the thought of having to learn obscure and difficult knowledge from scratch in a strange Otherworld gives me a headache.'
"I understand."
But out of a longing for Magic...
Lu Cang still took the Magic Book in his hands.
He opened it to the first page.
'Obscure, difficult-to-understand text. As expected, it couldn't be Chinese characters.'
However, just as he could naturally understand Kumironi and the others when they spoke, Lu Cang could also understand these bizarre-looking words.
'Thank goodness I can read them. It would've been a huge pain if I couldn't.'
'I would've had to start by learning how to read.'
Table of Contents:
History and Origin of the Thunder Strike Skill... 1
Thunder Runes... 20
Magical Composition of the Thunder Strike Skill... 25
Chanting Spell for the Thunder Strike Skill... 29
Essentials of the Thunder Strike Skill... 29
Prospects and Variations of the Thunder Strike Skill... 32
'Heh...'
The Magic Book wasn't too thick, only 35 pages in total.
But 19 of those pages were mainly about its history and origin.
"Ah, you don't need to read the beginning."
"Just skip to page 29," Iz said.
'Nice, Iz. You really are a good teacher. Thank goodness you're not going to drone on about the long and boring history of the Thunder Strike Skill.'
For an Apprentice who just wants to cast Magic, none of that stuff is important at all.
Lu Cang flipped to page 29.
[Chanting Spell for the Thunder Strike Skill]
[Raging Thunder Power, I call upon the coming of thunder, deliver your punishment!]
"As a Tier One Magic, the Thunder Strike Skill doesn't require you to construct a casting Array."
Iz came to Lu Cang's side.
He handed Lu Cang a slender and light Magic Staff that resembled a conductor's baton.
A translucent red gemstone was embedded at the tip of the Magic Staff.
"Here, face that empty patch of ground and chant the Spell."
"Try and see if you can cast it."
Lu Cang took the Magic Staff. "Thank you."
Hearing his instructions, Lu Cang breathed a sigh of relief.
'Is chanting the Spell all I need to do?'
'If that's all it takes, you didn't have to scare me by pulling out a Magic Book.'
Lu Cang took a deep breath.
He chanted the Spell he had just seen in the Magic Book. The words of the Spell were clearly different from the other text, but he could still understand and pronounce them.
"Raging Thunder Power."
The Magic Power inside his body began to surge. The surrounding Thunder Element merged with his Magic Power, gradually becoming a part of him.
The process was wondrous, a sensation he could never have experienced on Earth.
"I call upon the coming of thunder."
BZZZT!
At the tip of his Magic Staff, crackling sparks of electricity erupted. The dancing arcs made Lu Cang's heart leap.
Electrical arcs and sparks symbolized danger back on Earth.
But now, these things were the Magic he wielded.
"Deliver your punishment!"
Chanting complete!
In that instant, Lu Cang felt as if he had grasped the power of thunder.
It was almost instinctual; the feeling that he could pull a bolt of thunder down from the sky rose within him!
Without hesitation, he swung the Magic Staff down!
With the swing of the Magic Staff!
A slender bolt of lightning struck down toward the earth!
BOOM!
Thunder Strike Skill!
The lightning bolt pierced the ground, leaving a patch of scorched earth on the grassy field.
[Magic learned—Thunder Strike Skill (Level 1)]
[Thunder Strike Skill EXP +10,000]
[Thunder Strike Skill (Level 5)]
As the Thunder Strike Skill landed, a vague understanding also flooded Lu Cang's mind.
His understanding of the Thunder Strike Skill had deepened.
"Haha, not bad," Iz laughed heartily, hands on his hips.
"You really have a Talent for Magic!"
Kumironi, also slightly surprised, praised him, "To think you actually cast the Thunder Strike Skill after reading the Spell just once."
Lu Cang asked curiously, "Isn't that how it normally works?"
Kumironi shook their head with a slight smile. "No, it's not. Normally, after getting a Magic Book, a Mage needs to read the records carefully and feel the flow of Magic Power according to the method described."
"After simulating the flow of Magic Power, they communicate with the corresponding Element. The final step is chanting the Spell."
"If they still can't cast the Magic, they have to reread the Magic Book and try to understand it a few more times."
'Oho... so that's how it is.'
'No wonder he gave me a Magic Book to look at. I was just thinking that if all I had to do was chant the Spell, he could have just told it to me verbally.'
'But looking at it this way, maybe I really do have a decent Talent for Magic.'
'Then again, it could also be the effect of my Talent.'
[Divine Skill Evolution]
[Makes it easier to master new Skills. Skill Proficiency gain for any Skill is 10,000 times the normal rate.]
[After meeting the proficiency requirements, mastered Skills can evolve.]
[Allows you to see a Skill's proficiency progress.]
'Maybe it's because of this Talent that I learned the Thunder Strike Skill on my first try.'
'Of course...'
'...it's also possible that my Talent for Magic is just naturally high.'
As Lu Cang marveled inwardly, he faced the empty ground in the distance again.
He was just about to chant the previous Spell.
But a different feeling suddenly welled up inside him. He felt like the Spell could be shorter.
[Thunder Strike Skill (Level 5)—Chant Shortening, Power slightly increased.]
"Thunder descend, deliver your punishment!"
A shorter, faster chant.
BOOM!
Immediately after, another bolt of lightning fell!
The first strike was just a slender bolt of lightning, as thin as a hemp rope, but this second time, the bolt was as thick as an arm!
Its Power was much greater, too!
"Chant... Shortening?"
An expression of utter astonishment was written all over Kumironi's face.
'This kid, he shortened the chanting Spell on only his second cast?'
'His Talent for Magic really does bear some resemblance to Iz's.'
"Again!" Iz was also getting excited seeing Lu Cang's Magic.
It had been a long time since he'd seen a true genius.
Lu Cang nodded!
[Thunder Strike Skill (Level 8)—Shorter Chanting, moderate Power increase.]
"Thunder!"
BOOM!
The third cast used only two syllables!
And his speech was faster!
The instant the syllable "-der" was out!
The lightning had already crashed down!
This time, the lightning bolt was even bigger and thicker. After striking the ground, faint arcs of electricity still lingered!
[Thunder Strike Skill (Level 10)—No Chanting, significantly increased Power.]
SWOOSH!
Lu Cang's heart surged with excitement!
He felt the Magic Power within him stir, connecting with the thunder itself!
The open sky and vast earth felt intimately connected to his mind!
He swung the Magic Wand again!
BOOM!
A purple pillar of electricity struck down like a giant python! Then a second bolt immediately followed! And a third!
[Skill Level increased—Thunder Strike Skill (Level 12)]
[Skill Level increased—Thunder Strike Skill (Level 14)]
[Skill Level increased—Thunder Strike Skill (Level 16)—No Chanting, Double Thunder Strike Skill, greater Power.]
BOOM!
From the fourth cast onward, he was casting completely without any Chanting.
'This kid's talent for Magic is truly terrifyingly high.'
BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM!
Thunder swept across the land, scorching patch after patch of the grass-covered ground. And the unnoticed blackened earth would always be soaked by a gentle stream of water.
'It's a good thing he enjoys Casting.'
Iz was unwilling to ruin the fun of a child who loved Casting.
'The feeling of controlling Supernatural Power is amazing! Being able to cast Magic feels incredible!'
'I'm a Mage now!'
'Calling the wind and summoning the rain... this feeling is pretty great.'
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over him.
'Why is my vision going black?'