Chapter 90: The Crimson Seal Treant
Chapter 90: The Crimson Seal Treant
"I am the one who bridges the gap between worlds..."
To ensure a smooth first summon, Rod rarely recited a full incantation, but this time, he did.
"Crimson Seal Treant!"
As Rod spoke the name of the monster, a burst of red light erupted from the ground, and the creature began to grow rapidly, like a tree sprouting from the earth.
Its limbs were thick and tree-like, with red claws at the ends of its feet. A glowing red orb adorned its back, surrounded by several green leaves.
The entire creature was roughly the size of a small house, appearing both towering and menacing up close.
The Crimson Seal Treant, commonly known as the Red Buff, Red Dominance, or simply Red, was a formidable monster compared to lesser beasts like the Three Wolves. Its strategic value was high due to the significant buffs it provided to those who defeated it.
The presence of the Treant alone was overwhelming, making the entire courtyard feel cramped. The summoning also drained the majority of Rod's magic, and maintaining its existence felt like a floodgate had been opened, with his magic pouring out in a steady stream. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep it up for long.
Given the sheer amount of magic it consumed, Rod was confident it wouldn't be weak.
"This... is a wood-type monster?" Makarov observed the large creature Rod had summoned.
In his perception, the monster's magical power was considerable, and its appearance suggested it was indeed a wood-type.
"It's called the Crimson Seal Treant. I suppose treants are wood-type, right?"
Rod gave a few simple commands like "sit down" and "stand up," and when the Treant obediently followed, he approached to touch it. The Treant's large head was like a wooden lump, with eyes glowing red.
After a moment of silently sensing the Treant's power, Rod explained, "It seems to be capable of using some wood-based magic, but its specialty is a buff called 'Ember Crown.'"
"A buff?"
"Yes." Rod pointed to himself, "Ember Crown."
The 'large light bulb' on the Treant's back flickered, emitting a red glow that swept over Rod. Three translucent red light patterns, resembling swirling dragons, appeared around him, circling his body.
When Rod tried to punch, the three light patterns automatically covered his fist, transforming into red flames.
Finally, he had an attack effect!
Makarov, with his extensive knowledge, immediately recognized the type of magic: "This is an enhancement spell? And it can be bestowed upon others, which is a hallmark of high-level enhancement magic."
"So, that's what an enhancement spell feels like. Would you like to try it?"
Makarov nodded, and Rod patted the Treant's front leg, pointing at the Guild Master: "Ember Crown."
The red glow swept over Makarov, and the same light patterns appeared around him. However, the red light on the Treant's back dimmed, indicating it couldn't provide the buff to more people.
Makarov tried a punch, then another with his fist enlarged.
The red glow seemed to adapt to any size, covering the entire fist with flames regardless of the user's size.
Makarov commented, "This is a remarkable boost, and it even makes me feel more energetic."
Rod thought for a moment. The Ember Crown not only provided additional damage but also had a minor healing effect. While the healing wasn't strong, if he could give the Guild Master a daily dose, could it perhaps extend his life and even restore his youth?
As he pondered this, Rod suddenly felt dizzy, his body weakening, and he plopped down on the ground.
The Crimson Seal Treant then vanished from where it stood.
"My mana can't hold out any longer," Rod said, rubbing his forehead. "I couldn't even maintain it for five minutes. Looks like I'll have to save it as a last resort."
"Such a powerful effect is well worth the mana cost," Makarov commented. "If you keep pushing yourself, you might have a chance to take the S-Class promotion exam this year."
"S-Class? Me?" Rod couldn't believe it. Setting aside everything else, his mana was far from sufficient.
Makarov nodded. "Yes, if you can absorb it."
"Absorb it? No thanks. I can take the S-Class exam next year." Rod forced a smile. Absorbing a monster required even more mana than summoning one.
Summoning already drained most of his mana, and he couldn't even complete the initial absorption.
Let alone maintaining a combat state afterward... He might die on the spot, or rather, suffer from mana depletion syndrome.
He needed to focus on boosting his mana reserves.
"Keep it up," Makarov said, pleased with Rod's response.
As expected, even with the allure of an S-Class promotion, he wouldn't rush into anything.
If it were Natsu, he would probably try to absorb a monster on the spot, regardless of the mana cost, just to get the chance to take the S-Class exam.
That was why Makarov had brought up the S-Class exam with Rod.
This young man's mind and character could, to some extent, make up for his lack of mana.
Natsu, on the other hand, was a different story. His strength wasn't enough to compensate for his lack of experience and discipline.
It was only mid-September, and there were still three months until the S-Class exam. Makarov was looking forward to Rod's growth.
"By the way, how long does the 'Ember Crown' effect last?"
Rod replied, "If the Treant is here, it can last about ten minutes. Without it, it's more like two minutes."
Two minutes was often enough. Mage battles usually ended quickly.
Sometimes, a single move could finish the fight, especially when there was a weakness to exploit. In other cases, an opponent might be taken down before they even realized what was happening.
Prolonged battles were rare, usually occurring in wars or when mages were very familiar with each other's abilities.
Given that, a powerful buff that lasted a few minutes was incredibly valuable.
Makarov returned to the guild hall, satisfied. Rod had a lot of potential.
However, Rod wasn't satisfied. Summoning a Treant for just a few minutes was problematic. If he couldn't end the battle quickly, he'd be in trouble.
He had been following a well-rounded training regimen, focusing on physical strength, mana, summoning magic, and absorption magic.
Each aspect was improving steadily, and his mana had been growing with the unlocking of more monsters. But today, it had suddenly become a limiting factor.
Actually, the issue with his mana had been apparent since he started learning absorption magic.
Rod sat cross-legged on the ground, deep in thought. He needed to focus on boosting his mana.
The methods: meditation and extreme physical training.
Extreme physical training not only strengthened the body but also honed the will, which was beneficial for mana growth.
The downside was that it was grueling and carried a risk of injury.
But what if he used the Ember Crown after extreme training?
The small healing effect might mitigate some of the negative side effects.
For the sake of mana growth, he could push himself a bit harder.
Waking up an hour earlier and training an hour more, but he was so sleepy.
Some readers hope I stick to the previous update schedule. I'll try my best.
The main issue is that I don't have a backlog, so I'm not sure how long I can keep up with the early mornings.
(End of Chapter)
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