Chapter 216: The Trickster Wizard

Chapter 216: The Trickster Wizard



At this moment, Ren suddenly thought of a question and turned to Veronica, who was beside him, and asked, "Miss Veronica, the spells that those two members of the Leviathan Squad just used, were they from the Navy's Special Item Exchange Catalog?"

"That's right, Lord Ren," Veronica replied with certainty after recalling the impression the two had left on her. "They are probably apprentice wizards trained by the Imperial Navy, and they are quite different from wizards like me who study under a master. Their spells are all obtained through the Special Item Exchange Catalog."

Veronica recalled the impression the two had left on her and confidently confirmed.

"In other words, if they have mission evaluation medals and merit points, they can exchange for the spell models they desire," Ren asked again.

"Yes, that's how it is," Veronica replied immediately.

"The spell used by that archer named Trevor just now, which you mentioned as 'Sharpened Shot,' is a metal-based spell, right?" Ren had sensed the faint silver mystical energy particles emanating from it.

This made Ren's face light up with joy.

At this moment, a knight named Hoffman, riding on a Spineback Sea Serpent, also smiled and headed towards the small boat where Ren was located.

Nehru glanced at the 'Curse Magic Blade' in his hand, which emitted a faint black glow, and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

"Lord Ren, please be careful. If necessary, I still have a formal wizard scroll given to me by my master," Nehru's voice reached the others' ears, already faint but clearly discernible as human speech.

Adding points still resulted in recovery, and it remained effective!

Although she wasn't a metal element affinity, it didn't hinder her learning; it would just result in slightly inferior effects.

Soon, more detailed intelligence arrived from Albatross.

However, based on the situation, it seemed that Captain Balon, the core of the Leviathan Squad, was being countered by the opposing wizard.

In other words, to break the stalemate, the key to the entire battle was that black-robed man.

Instantly, a vast memory of hammer technique training flooded into Ren's mind.

At this moment, everyone's gaze once again focused on Ren, not only because he was the governor of Fisherman's Port, but also because he was the strongest among those present.

"It's best not to disturb the area beneath our feet; otherwise, the spell 'Water Walking' I cast might be canceled or become unstable."

After all, fighting sea beasts in the sea was at a disadvantage.

"Captain Balon, let's immediately organize the evacuation of Fisherman's Port personnel. They won't be able to hold out for long."

"This effect... Is this a Weakness Curse?"

But once she learned it, she could provide Lord Ren with decent damage boosts during battles.

"Lord Ren, what should we do now?"

Apparently, the Leviathan Squad had encountered a formidable enemy.

After a brief contemplation, Ren decided to allocate points to Tokkar Hammer Technique.

Evidently, after the secret technique was promoted to a quasi-omega technique, its power would undoubtedly increase.

But she soon realized a problem: if even the members of the Leviathan Squad, who belonged to the Navy's Special Combat Division, found the enemy formidable, could she really provide assistance?

Of course, the wizard before her was an official wizard, and his strength was far superior.

"Alright, Lord Ren."

Since joining the Imperial Navy's Special Division, 'Tidebreaker,' allowed one to exchange for the metal-based spell 'Sharpened Shot' by completing special missions.

After all, his hammer technique secret skill wasn't limited to just one move. So, Ren quickly made up his mind.

"As for the Falcon Federation's Special Combat Squad, I'm quite interested in them."

Suddenly, Ren felt a large amount of water elemental energy particles gathering beneath his feet, giving him a subtle feeling of levitation.

This was a battle, a life-or-death struggle, not a sparring match, so without hesitation, Ren mentally added an attribute point.

Although Trevor had a good sense of Ren's capabilities, he couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed, saying, "This young man is too impulsive!"

Even the smaller serpentine sea beasts had over three meters of their bodies exposed above the water's surface, and the larger one was as tall as five meters! The lower part of the serpentine sea beast's head had a ring of spikes around its neck, and between the spikes was a layer of stretched membrane, giving it the appearance of a snake wearing an umbrella.

Ren thought for a moment, turned to the twin-tailed girl, and smiled, saying, "Miss Veronica, are you afraid?"

"Lord Ren, we..." Lieutenant Marika's face was filled with worry, but she stopped short of continuing her sentence as she suddenly thought of a question.

Immediately after, a faint blue magical aura flashed by.

If not dispelled, this curse would essentially limit him to the strength of a peak knight, at most, even with his power as a grand knight.

This made Ren anticipate the upcoming battle.

Veronica reminded him of the kind of girl gamer who was both weak and loved to play games, with a big addiction but not much skill.

The other people present immediately exchanged glances, their faces changing.

Ren quickly realized this, as he had just experienced this spell not long ago.

Suddenly, his mastery of hammer techniques seemed to break through a thin barrier, and he gained a new understanding of Tokkar Hammer Technique.

This left Veronica stunned.

When she spoke, her eyes sparkled.

Veronica wasn't afraid at all; instead, she felt a hint of excitement. It seemed that she was thinking of fighting side by side with Ren again, and her twin tails were full of vitality, while her pale cheeks became even more flushed.

Ren had been relying on his 'Curse Magic Blade' to continuously cast three curses on the enemy: 'Weakness Curse', 'Pain Curse', and 'Cold Heart Curse'. With the potential of facing formidable foes, he decided it was time to utilize his remaining two skill points.

As the remaining skill points decreased from 2 to 1, Tokkar Hammer Technique advanced from level 10 to level 11.

The direction of the sound was towards the seaside.

The three-headed serpentine sea beast was not to be underestimated, as it exhibited considerable combat prowess. Its body constantly emanated magical auras, which could be attributed either to the support of nearby allies or its innate talents as a large sea creature.

After both Hammer Techniques were promoted to Quasi-Omega, Ren could distinctly feel his understanding of hammer techniques deepening, and he seemed to be on the cusp of truly mastering the Ultimate Technique.

Indeed, on the Weapon Master (Legendary) panel, the icon for the Secret Skill 'Earth Splitting Hammer' above Tokkar Hammer Technique underwent a subtle transformation.

[Promote to Quasi-Omega, rename skill?]



The enemy squad leader was a Peak Grand Knight, made even more formidable by the buffs provided by his squad members' spells.

Ren wanted to test the power of the Quasi-Omega technique and was also enticed by the experience points reward from the battle.

Ren's body was instantly enveloped in a thin layer of water shield, a familiar water-based spell known as 'Water Shield Spell', which provided a certain degree of defense.

(Note: Quasi-Omega skills cannot be directly upgraded using skill points.) (Note: The power of Quasi-Omega skills is positively correlated with: 1. Tokkar Hammer Technique skill level; 2. Essence Power; 3. Hammer Mastery level; 4. Strength.) Ren contemplated and chose not to rename the skill.

Ren had been nearby collecting a particular material.

Joining the Empire's 'Swordsman' organization would significantly impact his future strength!

As Ren and Veronica boarded the small boat, the White Seagull, which had been sent for reconnaissance, descended from the sky.

It didn't take long for Ren to spot the traces of the Dragon Empire's combat squad, and the battle abruptly commenced.

In an instant, Ren's entire body was rid of the feeling of weakness.

"By the way, Lord Ren, if you intend to cast spells, be careful," Veronica continued to remind him.

Ren glanced at the second annotation, pondering over the words, 'The power of the Quasi-Technique is positively correlated with the following: 1. Tokkar Hammer Technique skill level.'

"The Falcon Federation?" Ren was taken aback.

Just then, she thought that if she mastered this 'Sharpened Shot,' she could have unleashed and empowered Ren's weapon during his previous battle against Wald.

【Congratulations! Your exclusive secret skill 'Ascending Dragon Hammer' from Tokkar Hammer Technique has been promoted to the Quasi-Technique 'Ascending Dragon Hammer'!】

"Lord Ren, the Leviathan Team has sent a message. They are under attack from a special combat squad of the Falcon Federation," Veronica informed him.

The combination of large sea beasts and humans made for an overwhelmingly powerful force.

Although Captain Balon's body was illuminated with various spell auras, enhancing his speed, strength, and other attributes to an incredibly high level.

As Ren regained his senses, two system prompts suddenly appeared: 【Congratulations! Your exclusive secret skill 'Ascending Dragon Hammer' has been promoted to the Quasi-Technique 'Ascending Dragon Hammer'!】

The burly man, wielding a massive two-handed hammer and forcefully pounding the ground, became even more imposing. In front of the hammer, a fan-shaped cracked area on the ground had floating rocks of various sizes, indicating its formidable power.

"Let's stop here. I'll take it from here," Ren said as he noticed a nearby small reef that could serve as a designated battlefield.

Quasi-Technique? Ren, filled with both delight and surprise, noticed a slight change in the icon of the secret skill 'Ascending Dragon Hammer' on the Legendary Weapon Master panel, which was originally located above the Tokkar Hammer Technique.

After all, having a third-rank wizard apprentice nearby to provide assistance would be quite beneficial.

The key was that this voice was familiar to everyone; it was the sound of rocks grinding against each other, the voice of Leviathan Team Captain Balon. Moreover, Ren could sense that Balon was likely enraged at this moment.

Facing battles without fear and instead feeling a yearning for them? Lord Ren indeed possessed an essential quality of a top-tier powerhouse.

However, Ren showed no fear at this moment, as his current strength was significantly greater than before.

Unfortunately, he currently had no remaining skill points.

As the two of them arrived at the scene, they saw from a distance four small and one large red-and-white striped serpentine sea beasts surrounding and attacking the Leviathan Team on the coral reef.

Veronica stared at the white seagull for a few seconds, and her originally rosy face turned slightly pale. "Lord Ren, the Leviathan Team is currently fighting against three large sea beasts!" she exclaimed.

【After promoting to a Quasi-Technique, do you wish to change the skill name?】

The Falcon Federation's group, of course, also noticed the appearance of Ren and Veronica.

But Ren had a feeling that this allocation of skill points was somewhat different from before.

The opposing group seemed to be formed with an official wizard as the core, accompanied by four Grand Knights. One of them wielded a sword and shield, guarding the wizard, while the other three controlled the serpentine sea beasts to besiege Balon, each holding different weapons.

"Your perception is sharp, Lord Ren. It is indeed the Metal Magic 'Sharpened Shot.' Unfortunately, I don't know this spell," Veronica said with a hint of regret.

"We can't hold out for much longer! If it weren't for the fact that a fishing port town is nearby, we could have evacuated earlier, and Bastus wouldn't have been severely injured," Balon explained.

"Thank you, Miss Veronica. Leave it to me from now on," Ren nodded and smiled at Veronica.

On the lower right of the icon, there was a line of small text:

Earth Splitting Hammer (Quasi-Technique) Effect: Combining essence power, use a special force exertion method to swing the heavy hammer from top to bottom, striking the ground and creating an impact with multiple shockwaves. (Note: Quasi-Techniques cannot be directly improved through skill points.) (Note: The power of a Quasi-Technique is positively correlated with the following: 1. Tokkar Hammer Technique skill level; 2. Essence Power; 3. Hammer Mastery level; 4. Strength.) Similarly, Ren chose to keep the original skill name, Earth Splitting Hammer.

"As you command, Baron!" The Leeman Brothers responded crisply. For them, executing Ren's orders was all that mattered.

"As for that giant Spineback Sea Snake..." Veronica quickly added.

Ren glanced at the girl and couldn't help but laugh.

"The Spineback Sea Snake's poison spit is highly toxic, and its melee combat ability is also strong. Its overall strength is not inferior to a Grand Knight," Veronica explained.

The unstable factor was about to be eliminated! Suddenly, Veronica covered her chest, her face turning pale. "Lord Ren, I seem to have been afflicted by the Pain Curse! Be careful, that black-robed man over there seems to be a Trickster Wizard."

Therefore, Veronica decided that when they returned, she would ask Master Anius if she could learn the 'Sharpened Shot.'

Even he had to exert considerable effort to suppress the opponent.

Especially for the original secret skill 'Ascending Dragon Hammer,' which was now more closely integrated with his essence power.

Being just a Quasi-Technique, there was no need to change it to a grandiose name. Moreover, 'Ascending Dragon Hammer' sounded quite pleasant, so he didn't bother renaming it for now.

"Okay."

If the Leviathan Team was formed around Captain Balon, a peak Grand Knight as its combat core, then the opposing group was the exact opposite.

Upon hearing that the opponent had a Trickster Wizard, Ren became more cautious.

"Then let's set off! Have White Seagull contact Major Marika to organize the evacuation first," Ren instructed.

On the lower right of the icon, there was a line of small text:

Ascending Dragon Hammer (Quasi-Technique) Effect: Combining essence power, use a special force exertion method to swing the heavy hammer from bottom to top, creating an impact with a combination of essence power and rotational force.

Nehru observed for a moment before shifting his gaze to Ren and Veronica, who were some distance away.

Additionally, there were Grand Knights fighting alongside the Serpent Sea Beasts.

Judging by the team composition, it was difficult to determine which side had the advantage.

The black-robed man named Nehru exuded an aura of energy that surpassed the limits of a Third Rank Wizard Apprentice, but his attention remained fixed on the rapidly fighting Balon.

In simple terms, he couldn't cast the spell 'High Temperature Field' during combat because it would affect the stability of the 'Water Walking' spell by covering the area beneath his feet. However, he could cast 'Scorching Touch' or 'Blazing Light'.

"Hmm!" The twin-tailed girl, seeing Ren's determination to proceed, clenched her fists with excitement.

A black-robed man glanced at the two of them and muttered, "Is this the local defense force of the Dragon Empire? A Third Rank Wizard Apprentice and a Knight, no, it seems like a Grand Knight."

As the remaining skill points decreased from 1 to 0, Tokkar Hammer Technique advanced from level 11 to level 12.

It would be difficult to gain an advantage in this situation.

"It's a Spineback Sea Serpent!"

A moment later, another mysterious wave surged towards Ren! Nehru, having finished casting his spell, paled slightly, but a smile appeared on his lips.

"Yes, Lord Ren, we..." The twin-tailed girl's face was filled with both worry and excitement.

"Hmm? Someone is controlling them?" Ren raised an eyebrow.

However, compared to Nathaniel's Weakness Curse, this one was significantly stronger.

Ren thought for a moment and then focused his attention on the system panel.

Good! Ren smiled slightly.

Trickster Wizard? Ren couldn't help but associate him with Adams, the Third Rank Wizard Apprentice he had killed before, whose methods were also quite peculiar.

"Lord Ren, I've cast the 'Water Walking' spell, which is sufficient to support your weight and allow you to walk normally on the sea surface for about half an hour."

Perhaps, from a safety perspective, her first choice should have been to retreat, not to attempt a rescue.

"Hoffman, go and eliminate these two unstable factors."

The scales of victory had already tipped in his favor, and in a few minutes, the opponents' stamina would gradually deplete.

At that moment, Veronica began chanting a spell.

More importantly, Ren keenly noticed that Balon's mouth was dripping with a hint of crimson blood.

But the next second, Ren felt a surge of negative energy surrounding him, invading his body.

"He doesn't even know that we're just sparring. It's completely different when facing a squad like this, compared to a one-on-one fight."

As the team leader, Balon was swiftly deflecting attacks from three directions, but the situation was becoming increasingly dire. One member of the Leviathan Squad was lying on the coral reef, seemingly having lost their fighting ability.

Trevor, the archer, immediately turned to another team member and asked, "What's going on? Didn't you notify them to evacuate quickly?"

"As you command, Lord Nehru," the Grand Knight with a sword and shield swiftly controlled the Spineback Sea Serpent beneath him and charged towards Ren at high speed.

Judging by the direction and distance of the sound, it seemed to be coming from the nearby sea area, not far from their Harbor Town.

Just as the group exited the training chamber, a faint roar echoed from the distant sky!

During the battle, he would occasionally pause and grimace in pain.

This hindered the opponent's ability to perform at their full potential.

Ren recognized this albatross as the pet of a Leviathan Squad member.

Ren nodded, his eyes glinting slightly.

The roar was so concentrated that despite the distance, everyone present could still hear it clearly.

With this, Hoffman should be able to easily deal with the opponent.

He had planned to lure the opponent to a nearby islet for combat, but now it seemed unnecessary, as there were plenty of other suitable battlefields to choose from.

However, compared to the Piglet Hammer, which had the advantage of 'Hammer Mastery Level 3', the Tokkar Hammer Technique remained Ren's most powerful supernatural combat skill.

"Also, time is of the essence, so I'll head over first."

Veronica, standing on the ship's side, watched as Ren, who had been deep in thought, suddenly smiled. Her expression seemed to convey a sense of eagerness.

Maryka understood that she was merely a naval administrative staff, and no matter how concerned she was, she should listen to Ren and Veronica, who had more authority regarding combat.

Instantly, a vast memory of hammer technique training flooded into Ren's mind.

After absorbing and digesting this memory, it gradually integrated into his muscles, forming a muscle memory.

"Additionally, based on the description from the White Seagull, it seems someone is controlling these sea beasts."

Since he was enhancing the power, he might as well use his remaining skill points to further improve it!

Pain Curse?

"Of course not! I feel very safe with Lord Ren."

This was because he had just sensed that the two enemies had been cursed by Lord Nehru.

Such situations had occurred numerous times in previous battles.

Therefore, the upcoming battle held no suspense.

In his opinion, those two enemies were as good as lambs to the slaughter!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end