Chapter 88: Advanced Rune Gems

Chapter 88: Advanced Rune Gems

If before, Herb still felt a sense of superiority as a third-level wizard apprentice facing a second-level wizard apprentice, now all that arrogance was completely gone. He had a vague sense that Su Nan was no ordinary second-level wizard apprentice. The other's strength far exceeded what he had anticipated.

Suppressing his greed, Herb began to focus on battling Su Nan. With strange incantations, one second-level spell after another rained down, filling the courtyard with dazzling magical light.

Though Herb hadn't mastered silent casting or quick casting, he had already grasped the technique of segmented casting. This was a spellcasting method similar to using enchanted items, allowing him to release pre-prepared spells quickly and succinctly by reciting only a fragment of the incantation. It was essentially a crippled version of silent casting, a necessary prerequisite for mastering it.

Segmented casting was extremely demanding on mental energy, and only third-level wizard apprentices could typically master it. Those who did could cast spells two to three times faster than before.

Su Nan felt as if he were facing a storm of spells. If not for the powerful defensive capabilities of his Ring of Extreme Protection, he would have been reduced to a sieve by now.

"One second-level spell has already drained the Ring of Extreme Protection of nearly 100 defense points. With 1,000 defense points, I can only withstand eleven second-level spells at most. I need to end this quickly."

"Indeed, I can only rely on that."

Su Nan took a deep breath, flipped his wrist, and a glowing rune gem appeared between his index and middle fingers. In the next second, he threw the gem.

Herb saw this but didn't take it seriously. Su Nan had already thrown several rune gems before, and their power was comparable to that of energy runes. Herb didn't even need to activate his protective magic items; the energy runes alone were enough to block them.

Seeing Su Nan repeat the same trick, Herb paid no mind and continued casting spells. But the next moment, he was horrified to see the gem explode mid-air, transforming into a thunderbolt as thick as a barrel, crashing down with a terrifying force!

The overwhelming power instantly enveloped Herb, sending a chill up his spine. In terror, Herb was forced to interrupt his spell, enduring the mental backlash to immediately cast an energy rune.

Boom!

Blinding lightning enveloped Herb, and the necklace around his neck and the ring on his left index finger flashed brightly before rapidly dimming. The protective enchantments of both magic items were shredded almost instantly!

Next, three layers of earth energy runes, which had managed to hold for a split second, were also torn apart! The lightning then swept over his entire body, writhing like electric snakes and causing intense pain, making Herb scream in agony!

Fortunately, as a third-level wizard apprentice, his mental fortitude was exceptional. He endured the pain, mobilized energy particles, and quickly dispelled the lightning. Green light then illuminated his body, and plant energy particles surged to rapidly heal his wounds.

While healing, Herb stared at Su Nan with shock and horror. What was that gem? Why was its power so terrifying?

By now, Su Nan had already taken out a second rune gem and threw it.

When he learned that the Golden Rock Marquis had a wizard apprentice backing him, Su Nan had the idea to synthesize rune gems as a trump card. These advanced rune gems were the result of his efforts. Each one was synthesized from eighteen rune gems, making them twenty to thirty times more powerful than ordinary rune gems!

It wasn't that Su Nan couldn't use more rune gems for synthesis, but eighteen was the limit. Any more, and the advanced rune gem would be too powerful for him to control, potentially causing self-inflicted harm. It would be like a three-year-old trying to shoot a handgun, unable to withstand the recoil.

Swish!

The rune gem transformed into a wave of intense flames, surging toward Herb like a tidal wave.

Herb's expression changed, and he retreated rapidly, mobilizing energy particles to block the flames while casting spells.

"Elemental Protection"!

A faint glow appeared in his palm and spread over his entire body.

Just as he finished casting, Herb was engulfed by the surging flames.

As the name suggested, "Elemental Protection" reduced the damage from various elemental attacks. Despite this, when Herb emerged from the flames, he was badly injured, his body covered in new, charred wounds. He looked utterly disheveled, a far cry from his earlier composed demeanor.

"Damn it!"

Herb's face twisted in anger. As a third-level wizard apprentice, he had been reduced to this state by a second-level wizard apprentice. If this news spread, he would be a laughingstock.

Worse, he had just recently vowed to make Su Nan taste death, and now he was the one struggling and looking thoroughly pathetic. The irony was almost unbearable.

"I will kill you!"

With a fierce roar, Herb's emaciated body began to swell rapidly, as if filled with air.

In the blink of an eye, Herb's height soared to over three meters. His body was covered in thick, black hair, and his limbs grew abnormally muscular and powerful, exuding an explosive force that made anyone who saw him feel a chill.

Apart from retaining human-like facial features and the ability to walk upright, Herb now resembled a giant bear.

"Transformation spell?"

"No, that can't be right. Transformation is a fourth-level spell, and a third-level wizard apprentice can't possibly master it."

"It must be a physical enhancement. This guy has integrated the bloodline of a beastman into his body!"

Su Nan's eyes narrowed slightly.

It seemed that Herb had delved deeply into the study of beastman bloodlines.

At this moment, Herb's eyes had turned an eerie dark red, and his large mouth emitted a foul stench.

With a roar, he took heavy steps, charging at Su Nan like a tank.

Boom!

The rune gem transformed into a bolt of lightning and struck down from the sky.

This time, Herb did not dodge but chose to withstand the lightning.

Thanks to the enhancement from the beastman bloodline, his physical strength had reached an astonishing level. Despite the electric snakes wriggling across his body, he managed to maintain his charge, quickly closing the distance to within five meters of Su Nan.

Looking at Su Nan's 'slight' frame, a sinister smile spread across Herb's face.

At this range, even a low-level protective magic item wouldn't be able to save him!

The boy is doomed!

Herb's heart was filled with a surge of killing intent and intense excitement.

But as he closed the distance, he was startled to see that Su Nan showed no signs of panic. Instead, he wore a faint, almost mocking smile.

A sense of unease welled up in Herb's heart.

The next second, a bone-chilling cold erupted from Su Nan, sweeping outward like a storm!

Crack! Crack!

Ice crystals rapidly formed in the air, and a thick layer of ice spread across the ground.

Herb had no time to react. A layer of thick frost instantly formed on his body, slowing his massive frame to a near halt.

Seizing this opportunity, Su Nan quickly retreated to a safe distance. The ring on his right middle finger glowed faintly.

In an instant, countless wisps of black mist emerged from the air, rapidly condensing into a giant claw filled with a dense aura of death.

Claw of Catastrophe!

Faced with the ferocious claw, Herb, now encased in ice and moving sluggishly, had no way to dodge. He could only watch helplessly as the claw struck him with full force.

Rip!

A sound like tearing cloth echoed, and multiple bloody wounds appeared on Herb's body.

The dense aura of death seeped into his wounds, corroding his flesh and causing blood to gush out like a fountain.

"Aaahh!!"

Herb let out a piercing scream.

Although not visible from the outside, the intense negative energy from the Claw of Catastrophe was viciously attacking his internal organs and bones.

The intense pain made Herb's eyes turn even redder, and he seemed to enter a state of berserk rage. His eyes turned a pale blood red, as if the pupils had dissolved within the eyeballs, emitting a faint blood-red glow.

Sssss!

A thick mist of blood vapor erupted from Herb's skin, rising into the air.

The extreme heat quickly melted the ice on his body.

"Something like a beastman berserk ability."

Su Nan sneered.

While this state could significantly boost combat power, it inevitably affected one's rationality.

For a wizard, maintaining clear and rational thinking was crucial.

Sure enough, as soon as Herb regained his mobility, he roared and charged at Su Nan, transformed into a ferocious beast.

Su Nan remained calm, flipping his hand to reveal three rune gems nestled between his fingers.

In the next moment, the three rune gems flew out, transforming into bolts of lightning that struck down at Herb!

Boom!

A deafening thunderclap echoed through the courtyard.

The blinding lightning resembled a giant sphere, completely engulfing Herb!

Fine electrical arcs spread outward, sweeping across the entire courtyard. The beastmen, the giant bear, and the hidden dragon were all momentarily paralyzed by the electric shock.

Only the iron golem was immune to the paralysis, taking the opportunity to punch a beastman into a bloody pulp.

When the lightning finally dissipated, a massive crater, five to six meters deep, had formed in the center of the courtyard.

Herb lay at the center of the crater, his massive body having reverted to its original form. His skin was charred black, and it was hard to find a single patch of unburned flesh.

Five long, bloody wounds ran across his chest and abdomen, the skin and flesh flayed outward in a gruesome sight.

After reverting from his beast form, he seemed to regain some clarity. His eyes filled with terror as he struggled to lift his head, emitting a strange, guttural sound, as if trying to say something.

But Su Nan, well aware of the dangers of a wizard apprentice, didn't give him the chance. He shot bolts of lightning through Herb's forehead, throat, and heart, ensuring he was dead beyond any doubt.

With a look of utter defiance and despair, Herb's life finally flickered out.

Sensing Herb's soul dissipate, Su Nan let out a sigh of relief.

Despite appearing unharmed, Su Nan had used all his trump cards. If he hadn't killed Herb, he would have had to consider fleeing.

"All the advanced rune gems are gone," Su Nan muttered, a pang of regret in his voice.

Each advanced rune gem cost over three hundred gold coins to synthesize. He had used all his savings to create just six of them. The three he just used were the last he had.

Fortunately, the final blow had finished off Herb.

At the same time, with Herb's death, his giant bear familiar let out a mournful cry, its body crumbling into ashes that dissipated in the air.

Without their controller, the two beastmen fell into chaos and were quickly dispatched by the hidden dragon and the iron golem.

With the enemies dealt with, Su Nan relaxed and approached Herb's body, squatting down.

"A battle that cost nearly two thousand gold coins. I hope you have something to make up for my losses."

Su Nan reached out and began searching the body.

Most of Herb's belongings had been destroyed by the lightning, including two suspected offensive alchemical magic items.

Only the more stable defensive and spatial magic items remained intact.

The two defensive magic items were alchemical-grade, of little use to Su Nan, so he stored them for his students to exchange.

The spatial ring, however, contained a treasure trove of items.

Gold coins, gems, books, various materials, and miscellaneous items.

Just the gems alone numbered over a hundred, more than enough to cover Su Nan's expenses and then some, lifting his spirits.

However, this wasn't the place to count his spoils. He stored everything and planned to sort through it back at the base.

As he stood up, Su Nan noticed a few guards peering into the courtyard.

They had heard the noise stop and sent people to investigate.

Seeing Su Nan standing unharmed in the courtyard, the guards' faces lit up with joy. One of them turned and shouted excitedly, "Lord Su Nan has won!"

Soon, a group of people rushed into the courtyard.

Koy, who led the group, quickened his pace. Seeing Su Nan unscathed, he let out a sigh of relief.

His gaze swept over the devastated courtyard, which looked as if it had been ravaged by a storm, and he whistled in amazement.

A battle between wizard apprentices was indeed terrifying. Even a dozen knights fighting together wouldn't cause this much destruction.

"Where is the wizard apprentice?" Koy asked, coming back to his senses.

"Dealt with," Su Nan replied, pointing to the charred body in the crater.

Koy's expression brightened immediately.

He had been worried about the enemy wizard apprentice for some time. The fact that the threat had come to them and been eliminated so thoroughly was a huge relief.

"The war in the spring will be a lot easier now," Koy grinned.

Su Nan smiled but didn't respond.

Under normal circumstances, Herb's actions weren't wrong. As a third-level wizard apprentice, he should have easily defeated a second-level wizard apprentice with no surprises.

Unfortunately, he had run into Su Nan, who was equipped with superior gear and items, leading to his demise.

He was simply unlucky.

Shaking his head, Su Nan didn't bother explaining to Koy. Instead, he instructed him to burn Herb's body as soon as possible.

Given Herb's appearance, it was likely he had integrated the bloodline of a primitive beastman. Who knew if his body was contagious? A single mishap could lead to someone contracting the beast transformation disease.

Koy quickly understood the implications and agreed, turning to arrange for the body's disposal.

Su Nan dismissed the iron golem and left the lord's mansion.

He couldn't wait to see what was inside Herb's spatial ring.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end