Chapter 332: Vaporization and Corruption (Part 2)

Chapter 332: Vaporization and Corruption (Part 2)



Ren began to carefully comprehend the first layer of the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation Technique in his mind, and soon, he gained a deeper understanding of many previously unknown aspects.

"The primary purpose of the Advanced Meditation Technique is to further enhance and refine Mental Energy."

"Moreover, does each layer of this Advanced Meditation Technique also have an additional effect of enhancing Metal Control?"

"After successfully cultivating the first layer, aside from the general effect of refining Mental Energy, it also increases the power of Metal Sorcery by approximately twenty percent?"

At this point, Ren's eyes lit up.

"Twenty percent is not a small amount."

"You know, there aren't many ways to enhance the power of Sorcery."

So, in terms of difficulty, compared to the previous Basic Meditation Technique, it suddenly became much more challenging.

Ren faintly felt a sense of excitement.

Previously, the twenty pounds of Enchanted Silver he exchanged could only be deformed into a kite-shaped shield of normal size, which was more than sufficient to defend against first-tier Sorcery, but it was inadequate against the second-tier Sorcery Sam used last time.

The female staff member stood up and bowed, "Hello, sir. How may I assist you?"

Ten minutes later, Ren walked out of the Exchange Hall satisfied, with a scroll in his left hand and a wooden box in his right.

After all, it was normal for a first-tier Sorcery like 'Metal Barrier' to be unable to defend against a second-tier Sorcery.

"It's likely that it didn't even reach 1%, so the system didn't display the specific value," Ren guessed.

As Ren's thoughts moved, the Hardened Mithril in his hand immediately began to transform into the shape of a pig-headed hammer.

But now, he had only reached 5% Vaporization, and there was still the process of liquefaction, followed by crystallization. If it were an ordinary first-tier Wizard, who knows how long it would take to enter the Crystallization stage—a hundred years? Two hundred years?

At the bottom of the 'Metal Metamorphosis' talent model, there was an additional circular base, also composed of Mental Energy crystals.

"That's great, sir. I'll get it for you right away."

Is it necessary to be so exaggerated? Even a Diamond Rank Swordsman would not receive such treatment!

However, even without completing the first layer of the Advanced Meditation Technique, a value of 1% had already appeared, indicating a significant difference in the effectiveness of Mental Energy refinement!

After trying more than ten times, Ren felt his head swelling and dizzy, but the effect was also significant. Now, he was attempting the last part.

He was the only official Wizard in the 'Black Sword' squad and the second strongest after the squad leader, 'Black Sword' Guerrero.

This required him to mentally outline a complex three-dimensional pattern composed of thirty Will Runes in his mind at once.

"Incomplete?"

"Captain, the operation time of this Sorcery Array does not exceed twenty-four hours. Judging from the symbols, it should be a type of Blood Sacrifice Array. If I'm not mistaken, someone set up and utilized this Blood Sacrifice Array to open the Sealed Gateway."

Feeling the effect of Mental Energy purification, Ren's desire rapidly intensified.

Previously, when he advanced to become an official Wizard, the system prompted that Vaporization of Mental Energy had been initiated. However, due to the poor refinement effect of the Basic Meditation Technique, specific values were not displayed.

"Hmm?"

The display showed: "Spirit: 60 (Vaporization 5%)"

Ren remembered clearly that initially, his Spirit value was 64. After adding two points, it should have been 66, but now it was only 60.

Bram also looked puzzled.

"Okay, sir."

Below, a small line of text provided an explanation: Steel Heart Advanced Meditation Technique (Incomplete) lv1 (1/100), with the additional effect 'Metal Control lv1'.

Soon, Ren noticed a new skill icon on the Warhammer Wizard (Legendary) occupation panel—'A person meditating with legs crossed and eyes closed'.

Surprisingly, the Spirit value had decreased.

"The second prerequisite is clear now!"

But when he leaned in, the other two, illuminated by the Light spell, seemed to have seen a ghost, their eyes wide, fingers trembling, pointing at him in shock.

"In other words, if my Metal Barrier defense was around 40 before, after cultivating the first layer of the Meditation Technique, it would increase to 48."

However, the female staff member was stunned! Enchanted Silver was a luxury that cost 180 contribution points per pound.

Compared to the previous 0.25 seconds, it was more than twenty percent faster.

"Since entering the mine, I've been sensing a foul odor, like the smell of decay," said the team member holding a dagger, frowning.

"Then let's finish this!"

As for the Hardened Mithril, it was indeed durable, making it perfect for throwing javelins. Its power was several times greater than ordinary steel, but using it as a consumable was costly—expensive! However, Ren now had enough contribution points to maximize his combat power.

[You have gained insight into the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation (Incomplete) technique, and your understanding has improved!]



To see a noticeable difference, I'll need a larger total metal mass.

Without hesitation, Ren put down the Hardened Mithril in his hand and walked out the door.

"It's already been opened!"

"Retreat!" Black Sword Graylor gestured to the wizard Antoine and said, "Let's go."

The next moment, the group was stunned by the scene not far away.

With the additional effect of the Advanced Meditation Technique—'Metal Control', even though it still couldn't withstand the Second Rank Sorcery, the gap was significantly reduced.

Suddenly, Ren discovered that his Mental Attribute on the attribute panel had an extra bracket, as shown below:

From another perspective, Ren realized that within the same time, the amount of metal he could transform was higher than before.

As expected, there was indeed a Sealed Gateway within the Adaghi Mine, and more importantly, the gateway was now open! "Hmm!" Black Sword Graylor nodded solemnly, his eyes still fixed on the depths of the gateway without blinking, as if trying to see through it.

Ren checked his attribute panel; with his Mental Attribute of 64, he was quite confident in learning the Advanced Meditation Technique.

"In total, it's 12,600 Merit Points. Will that be enough?"

"Yes." Ren nodded.

"Looks like I'll have to make a trip to the division and exchange some Rare Metal."

[Metal Control lv1 (Passive) Effect: Your control over Metal Energy Particles has slightly improved.]



After trying over ten times, Ren quickly realized that the difficulty in cultivating the Advanced Meditation Technique lay in the complexity of the three-dimensional model formed by the combination of thirty-six Will Runes. The further he progressed, the more challenging it became.

In recent battles, as the enemies all used Sorcery, Ren found that Enchanted Silver was indeed very useful, significantly reducing the damage from their Sorcery.

After all, they had come all the way from Minster to investigate this matter.

Fifty pounds would be 9,000 Merit Points.

"Even a Peak Knight, if he only masters Superior Techniques, won't be able to breach my Metal Barrier's defense."

Sitting in the carriage, Ren was still pondering the recent changes.

Northern Minster Province, Dragon Tooth Pass.

Looking at the prerequisites for becoming a Dragon Vein Wizard, Ren had a sudden realization. After pondering for a while, Ren decided to try and see the changes before and after learning the Advanced Meditation Technique.

Ren's Mental Attribute had almost doubled! However, at this moment, Ren felt a long-forgotten sensation as his temples throbbed slightly, indicating that he had reached the limit of his current cultivation of the Advanced Meditation Technique.

But Ren didn't transform the dagger, as its metal mass was too small, and it had almost been instantaneous before.

The first stage of cultivating the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation was both simple and challenging.

Seeing Antoine suddenly stop, the other team members also ceased their idle chat and looked up.

Ren nodded and immediately began cultivating according to the requirements of the Advanced Meditation Technique.

"It seems that the pure first stage of the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation alone isn't enough to achieve this effect." Ren carefully sensed this change.

"Although the enhancement effect isn't high, it's because the degree of Vaporization is low." Ren nodded, thinking to himself.

"For most Wizards, even entering the threshold won't be something that can be accomplished in two or three months." Ren nodded.

About twenty meters ahead, a bronze metal gate over ten meters tall opened to both sides in the tunnel.

"It should be roughly like this."

"This must be the special aspect of the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation, the reason for the increased power of Metal Sorcery."

The scene before them was beyond the expectations of the Black Sword Squad.

"Among the reasons for the speed increase, there's also the enhancement effect of Mental Energy Condensation."

However, if there was enough Enchanted Silver to form a three-cornered kite shield, the defense would naturally be much stronger.

"This exceeds the attack power limit of most first-level Sorcery."

"Could it be that this is the Advanced Meditation Technique's effect on Mental Energy, removing impurities and thus reducing the total amount?"

In other words, he was just two short of completing the first stage.

The silver mist occupied the entire Mental Sea, significantly more than when he had just become a Wizard but had not yet cultivated the Advanced Meditation Technique.

"What's wrong? You two look like you've seen a ghost."

"Additionally, this also proves that Dragon Vein Wizards are also Wizards, and there is a certain correlation with the Advanced Meditation Technique. I've just learned the first stage of the Advanced Meditation Technique, and it's already showing its requirements for a Wizard's level."

"Okay, sir, please show your badge."

"Huh?"

"So that's how it is."

[You have comprehended a new skill - Steel Heart Advanced Meditation (Incomplete)]



"No wonder Mentor Mogaro asked me to cultivate it first."

And in that moment, Ren felt as if a spring had suddenly gushed forth in his mind, washing away the mental fatigue and leaving him feeling refreshed and alert.

The next moment, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

And he stood there, frozen in place!

"The effects appeared so quickly? What's the percentage of mental energy condensation?"

Finally, there was the Radiant Stone. With the recent rise of the cult, Ren planned to exchange some as a precaution.

"Indeed, I've only practiced the first layer."

The wizard Antoine, standing at the front of the team, took two steps forward with a solemn expression, approached the magic array, knelt down, and carefully examined it. Soon, he turned around and said:

Ren glanced at the system panel and couldn't help but pause.

"Sir, let me check for you. Enchanted silver ingots, 50 pounds, for a total of 9,000 merit points; Hardened Mithril ingots, 50 pounds, for a total of 1,200 merit points; Radiant Stones, 20 pounds, for a total of 2,400 merit points."

The system prompt appeared:

"Wait, I also want to exchange for a magic spell - Levitation. Can you handle it together?"

"These two attribute points are worth it!" Ren felt a sense of relief, as if an old burden had been lifted.

"You didn't remind me, and I didn't notice it either. Now I can smell it too." Another team member, carrying a giant bow, twitched his nose twice and nodded, saying.

Don't underestimate the time saved.

Suddenly, the deputy captain wizard Antoine, holding a short staff and casting a light spell, stood at the forefront of the team, but remained motionless.

The girl looked at him in surprise, and with even more respect, she took the crystal badge with both hands and placed it in a specially designed slot, asking, "Sir, which item would you like to exchange?"

"Hiss~ Crystalized Wizard?"

It was like a Lego set, with various basic units of different shapes forming a massive model.

But before Ren could think further, suddenly, his eyes lit up.

He had initially planned to take a break and go slowly, taking a few days to complete the first layer, but now, seeing the significant effects, he had other ideas in mind.

"Huh? Bram, what's on your face? It's so white." As Wizard Antoine approached with the light spell, a team member pointed at Bram, who was playing with a dagger, and asked curiously.

"Hmm? Is that a mushroom?" Another team member at the back, also carrying a giant bow, walked over curiously, looking at the white fungus that resembled ginkgo leaves and said.

He was no longer a novice wizard, knowing that for wizards of the first to third levels, the corresponding stages were mental energy condensation, liquefaction, and crystallization.

He immediately reached out and touched his face, following the gazes of the crowd.

"I can smell it too. It wasn't noticeable at the mine entrance before, but now it seems to be getting stronger."

Apparently, the first layer of the Steel Heart Advanced Meditation had been successfully practiced!

"However, my mental energy is significantly higher than that of an average first-level wizard, so the time required should be much shorter."

"I'm sorry, sir. How much did you say you needed?" After the girl clerk snapped out of her daze, Ren realized that his request might have been a bit excessive, so he patiently repeated it.

But in many cases, battles are a matter of split-second decisions.

First, it was the innate spell 'Metal Control'.

He didn't know how long it took other wizards within the Construct school to practice the first layer of Steel Heart Advanced Meditation, but it couldn't have been the same as him, learning it in just one day? "It's a pity that Mentor Mogaro isn't here; otherwise, he would have been very happy."

"Hmm? Captain, shouldn't we go inside and investigate?" Another team member asked in confusion.

"I still have 4 attribute points left. I'll probably need to consume 1 or 2 more to break through."

He had just been staring at the door, feeling a sense of unease.

For the last attempt, Ren successfully visualized a complex model composed of thirty-four will runes in one go.

"Captain, this... this is the Sealed Gateway, right?" A team member pointed at the bronze gate in astonishment.

Immediately, Ren began to sketch the complex three-dimensional pattern of the first layer of Steel Heart Advanced Meditation in his mind once more.

[Your skill Steel Heart Advanced Meditation (Incomplete) has improved. Experience +1]



"Right, and Levitation."

A white fan-shaped object appeared in his palm.

Ren refocused his attention on the newly emerged base in his mental sea.

It was like building a house, just missing the roof. So, Ren added another point. Half an hour later, Ren joyfully felt the new sensation in his mind.

Deep within the Adaghi Mine.

He reached his hand to his face and felt a large, soft object. With a firm tug, he pulled off a white, flat mushroom-shaped object from his face.

In the Exchange Hall.

Ren nodded and handed his crystal badge to the clerk.

However, with his high mental energy of 64 points, it wasn't that difficult.

"Mental Energy: 64 (1% Condensation)"

Indeed, which first-level wizard had 64 points of mental energy before learning advanced meditation? Most had around 30 points.

"I'll try out the spell later and compare the transformations."

"Hmm, do you guys smell that?"

Just as he thought this, the system prompt refreshed again: 【The prerequisites for becoming a Dragon Vein Wizard (Legendary) are: 1. The concentration of Mutated Dragon blood must be 'Rich' or higher; 2. Be a Level 3 Crystalized Wizard or higher; 3. ???】

Without hesitation, Ren added an attribute point to his Mental Attribute, instantly increasing it from 64 to 65 points.

The first Will Rune. The second. The thirty-fifth Will Rune! "Not bad! Just one more to go!"

"This requirement is too high!" Ren couldn't help but gasp.

Advancing in the ranks of a Wizard was not always a smooth journey, and it was quite possible to get stuck at a certain stage.

However, the condensation of Mental Energy had improved significantly, increasing from 1% to 5%.

But when he noticed that even Captain Graylor had a shocked expression on his face, Ren knew something was wrong.

"A legendary profession... The prerequisites require the strength of a Crystalized Wizard, which isn't too unreasonable."

But upon further thought, it did make sense.

At the same time, Ren also noticed that the silver mist surrounding the three-dimensional structure had become much denser.

At the entrance, a huge Magic Array with intricate lines was clearly visible, emitting a faint green light.

The speed of this process was beyond Ren's initial expectations but still within reason.

The entire process was incredibly fast, and after testing it several times, Ren recorded the time, which was approximately 0.16 seconds, less than 0.2 seconds.

"Hmm, the condensed Mental Energy seems to be more active than the uncondensed Mental Energy."

The interior of the gate was dark and deep, and even the light from Antoine's staff couldn't illuminate it.

It was as if there were twenty-six letters in the English alphabet, but the word "congratulations" had two instances of the letter "a".

"I want to exchange some rare metals."

"Give me twenty pounds... no, fifty pounds of Enchanted Silver, and another fifty pounds of Hardened Mithril. Oh, and add twenty pounds of Radiant Ingots." Ren thought for a moment before speaking.

"Besides, I also have the Innate Spell, Top Steel Body."

What was strange was that, according to logic, there should be someone overseeing this Magic Array, but there was no one around.

As a formal Wizard, Ren had keen senses and an Innate Spell for protection, so he took the lead in this unusually dark mine tunnel.

This couldn't help but excite Ren.

Since there were only twenty-four Will Runes, many of the aforementioned thirty-six Will Runes were repeated.

Read the error-free version at Book Bar 69! 6=9+Book_Bar first release of this novel.

Indeed, no matter what shape he transformed into, it was significantly faster than before.

"Prerequisites for learning: 1. Recommended for Wizards with Metal-type spells, each level will provide a certain boost to the Innate Spell. 2. Recommended for Wizards with a Metal Element Affinity of over 80."

"Hmm? What's this?"

Soon, Ren began to practice the advanced meditation method, gradually visualizing the first three-dimensional symbol in his mind. Half an hour later...

A five-person elite squad, the Black Sword Squad, was slowly advancing deep into the mine, led by the Diamond Rank Swordsmen Squad from Minster, renowned across the land.

"Is there something on my face?" He immediately touched his face and indeed felt a soft object. With a slight tug, he pulled it off, and there was a slight stinging sensation during the process.

As expected, his Mental Attribute had a subtle yet noticeable difference, feeling purer.

However, without knowing what was inside the Sealed Gateway, they hastily retreated. "Yes! Captain, why don't I go in and take a look?" A slender leather-armored team member, skillfully flipping two daggers in the air, suggested.

This delighted Ren. The War Hammer quickly transformed into a thick tower shield and then rapidly changed into a two-handed greatsword.

"I can add attribute points, and the enhancement of Mental Attribute can be several times that of an ordinary Wizard. This process should be able to be significantly compressed." Ren was very confident about this.

As a Peak Knight who had mastered the top-tier Peak Knight's Steel Heart Advanced Meditation, Graylor trusted his instincts, which wouldn't deceive him.

"Finally, such an important task is completed. From now on, I just need to practice diligently every day."

"It's consistent with what Master Mogaro said. This is indeed an advanced meditation technique suitable for Wizards specializing in Metal-type spells, and it's perfect for me."

As he spoke, streaks of crimson blood flowed down, making his entire appearance seem sickly and terrifying.

"Ahh!"

"My face!"

"Oh gods! My neck too! What the hell is this thing!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end