The 6th Circle grimoire Purnel brought was different from the spellbooks he had seen until now.
First of all, it was several times thicker, and the title was not simply the name of a spell, but something more abstract, encompassing a broader meaning.
That was because it was not a spellbook, but a grimoire.
Unlike the previous spellbooks, which had described only a single spell, these grimoires contained a full range of high-level spells of the corresponding attribute in a single volume.
Most were 6th Circle, but if the magical effect was definite and could be linked with others, they also included 5th Circle spells, and even 7th Circle spells.
Of course, he could not learn every grimoire.
There was the limit of how many patterns he could bear, and above all, he did not have the luxury of time.
So what had to come first was choosing the most efficient spells.
After spending quite a long time looking through every grimoire, he was able to narrow the dozen or so volumes down to six.
To briefly summarize their contents:
〔Book of Heavenly Punishment〕
Main Spells:
Spear of Judgment: Summons a radiant spear from the heavens to pierce the enemy.
Citadel of Thunder: Creates a holy thunder barrier that reflects enemy attacks.
Divine Bombardment: Several spheres of light fall from the sky toward the enemies.
〔Apostolic Book of Nature〕
Main Spells:
Wrath of Nature: Borrows the power of the forest, causing roots and tree vines to subdue enemies.
Downpour and Storm: Summons natural disasters that obstruct the enemy’s vision and movement.
Proliferation of Life: Heals the battlefield and exerts a power that amplifies life.
〔Book of Time〕
Main Spells:
Manipulation of Time’s Flow: Causes time within a specific area to flow faster or slower.
Field of Regression: Returns briefly to the past, allowing one to undo an enemy’s actions or change strategy.
Severance of Time: Removes a specific target from the flow of time, rendering them powerless.
〔Mantra Book of Flame〕
Main Spells:
Resurrection of Ashes: Burns enemies to annihilation and creates soldiers made of fire.
Hellfire Sphere: Summons a massive fireball imbued with the power of annihilation, engulfing the battlefield.
Undying Flame: Envelops the user’s body in flame, removes all abnormal conditions, and restores stamina.
〔Book of the Sky〕
Main Spells:
Judgment of the Stars: Summons radiant starlight from the heavens and unleashes a large-scale bombardment.
Dance of the Storm: Traps the battlefield within a wide-ranging storm and throws enemies into confusion.
Shield of the Sky: Condenses the energy of the heavens to block both physical and magical attacks.
〔Sealed Book of the Earth〕
Main Spells:
Wall of Sealing: Summons an advanced barrier made of stone and earth over a wide area.
Prison of the Earth: Drags enemies underground and binds them.
Mountain Range Transformation: Transforms the terrain into a vast mountain range.
From the descriptions alone, every single one of them was a spell he coveted, but learning them all was close to impossible.
In the end, that meant he had to choose even among these.
‘A spell that can draw out the highest efficiency from a single spell……’
In truth, the answer had been there from the beginning.
In a situation where most of them were attack spells, there was only one grimoire that contained only support magic.
The magic of a minor school that he had wanted to learn before but had been unable to because it belonged to such a high Circle.
“Chronomancy.”
It was the grimoire of chronomancy, which dealt with time—the Book of Time.
Hio picked up the dark brown grimoire that looked as good as new.
〔Book of Time〕
Main Spells:
Manipulation of Time’s Flow: Causes time within a specific area to flow faster or slower.
Field of Regression: Returns briefly to the past, allowing one to undo an enemy’s actions or change strategy.
Severance of Time: Removes a specific target from the flow of time, rendering them powerless.
Manipulating the flow of time in a set space.
Returning to the past, albeit temporarily, or erasing the time of a specific target.
It seemed to be nothing but absurd claims, but upon closer inspection, they were not entirely without reason.
After all, it was magic from an official school recognized by Tetradia.
“It’s a shame that Field of Regression is a spell completed only in theory……”
The ultimate chronomancy spell said to return one to the past, “Field of Regression,” was still only a theoretical spell that could not be cast even at the level of the 7th Circle, but that did not matter. The remaining spells were more than excellent enough.
If one only read what was written, it seemed like an absurdly overpowered cheat of a spell, but chronomancy was also a magic whose drawbacks were just as clear.
First, compared to other spells of the same Circle, its casting time was longer, and its mana consumption was nearly double.
The patterns had to be engraved from scratch to an extreme degree, so the risk was also considerable.
Even with those risks, it was magic well worth learning.
Unlike ordinary mages, who had only learned the magic of a single school, Hio could learn every kind of magic he wanted.
The number of patterns he could accommodate was also several times greater than that of an ordinary person.
“The basic pattern of chronomancy is the Transformation of Drift. Time, in the end, is also a kind of law……”
He began reading carefully from the very first page of the Book of Time.
* * *
Before going to the world’s end, the 5th Circle mage Hio had tended to neglect attack magic.
After all, he had top-tier skills that were several times stronger and easier to use than attack magic.
5th Circle attack magic was certainly powerful, but the reality was that he did not often use it compared to top-tier offensive skills like Thunder Emperor or Blue Flame.
But after returning from the world’s end and reaching the realms of the 6th and 7th Circles.
After experiencing the Infinite Night that poured out abnormalities, and its master, Kreutzwald, his thoughts changed to some extent.
The more attack magic he had, the better.
Even 6th Circle magic would not be able to deal meaningful damage to Kreutzwald, but even so, the more attack magic he had, the better.
Because in the end, it would present him with various paths to create a decisive opportunity.
That was why, even after obtaining divinity, he was researching magic so diligently.
A day spent in the Tower of Mages was quite monotonous.
Hio clung to the Book of Time, researching patterns, engraving new ones, and experimenting with the other effects that arose as a result.
In his remaining time, he did not hesitate to learn familiar magic of other attributes.
Unlike chronomancy, which he had to learn completely from the beginning, the attack magic of other attributes was something whose path he had already walked, even if it was 6th Circle, so his learning speed was fast.
And Purnel helped Hio learn chronomancy, then spent his spare time wandering through other rooms of the newly opened Magic Tower, collecting decent artifacts or grimoires.
—What do you think of this? It’s a necklace I found on the 133rd floor. Aside from the design being a little unusual, its effects are quite decent……
For example, he would bring back a necklace the size of someone’s head.
Still, his batting average was fairly high.
—This time, I’ve truly found something good. I discovered it in the laboratory of a mage renowned as a golem researcher……
It could not be otherwise, since this was the Tower of Tetradian Mages.
If someone had possessed a personal laboratory or room, they must have been a mage of some renown even within the Magic Tower, and the items or grimoires such a person possessed were highly likely to be exceptional.
—If we compare and research this with the ice golem said to be owned by that goddess of love or psycho goddess or whatever, I believe we could obtain good results.
“The ice golem Ailights has, huh.”
—If what you told me is true, it won’t be an ordinary golem. I’ve never even heard of one possessing that level of power.
“It’s probably one of the arrangements left behind by the god Venus.”
—Which is exactly why we must research it all the more. Shouldn’t we determine the differences between a golem made by a god and a golem made by humans?
“That’s true. The problem is that Ailights isn’t here right now.”
Ailights was currently away in Pieria for a while.
It was to manage her believers and gather more Divine Points.
Unlike Hio, Ailights’s faith was spread among a small number of people in a not-so-large region.
Therefore, Ailights’s plan was to make maximum use of that and acquire Divine Points.
Of course, Pieria was also a kingdom with a long history, a considerable population, and broad territory, but compared to Hio, it was truly a drop in the bucket.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which was spreading its influence across the entire Earth.
And the Order of Patience, which, centered around Irina, was steadily growing in Ripue in place of the cult.
Thus, while Hio’s Divine Points accumulated at an astonishing rate even if he did not go out of his way to do anything, Ailights had to run around on her own two feet.
“Well, we’ll try that once Ailights returns…… What about you, Purnel?”
—What do you mean?
“Are you satisfied with your current state?”
At Hio’s question, Purnel rolled his large eyes round and round.
“Is it difficult to create an essence like before?”
The reason Purnel had entered Hio’s body and come to be together with him was thanks to creating the “Specter’s Essence” himself.
But because of some ploy by Kreutzwald, his soul had been separated, and he had returned again.
—An essence can only be created once. It may be regrettable, but it will be difficult for me to accompany you any longer.
“……It’s not like I’m regretting it or anything…… Still, let’s look into it. Whether you can return to a human body.”
—Enough. As a necromancer, I like undead. I do not wish to become undead myself.
“I’m not talking about undead. I mean a human body. Among all the many Authorities out there, shouldn’t there be at least one for something like that?”
—……
Purnel, uncharacteristically, was unable to continue speaking.
Seeing him like that made Hio wonder if he had been too indifferent all this time.
He had lived as a specter for a thousand years.
Of course, for most of that time, he had been a ghost corrupted by evil and had not even retained his memories, but that did not mean he had no connections.
He must have had someone precious to him, and he must have had a dream he wanted to achieve.
Surely he had not wanted to live as a ghost.
—……For now, do not think about that. You cannot use Divine Points on such a matter, can you?
“I mean after everything is over. I’ll promise you then. There will definitely be an Authority suited to you.”
—……I told you, I do not need it.
Despite saying that, Purnel somehow looked pleased.
—Just manage those Divine Points or whatever properly. I can no longer watch over them for you now.
“I was just about to check them anyway.”
Thanks to the note left behind by Abelard Pavlenko, the final master of the Magic Tower, he had discovered that the true name of the previous God of Magic was “Drisella.”
This was information far more significant than expected. Not only had it saved him a great deal of time, but it had even allowed him to learn what the previous God of Magic’s Authority was.
「Divine Points: 6,988,042 Pt」
「Authority - Harmesia’s Swift Judgment: 6,500,000 Pt」
「Authority - Ripue’s Immortal Attunement: 8,000,000 Pt」
「Authority - Venus’s Radiant Confession: 7,777,777 Pt」
「Authority - Isera’s Wings of the Soul: 5,500,000 Pt」
「Authority - Kises’s Infinite Call: 9,000,000 Pt」
「Authority - Drisella’s Breath of Origin: 8,000,000 Pt」
「Authority - Teravor’s Vanished Rite: 7,500,000 Pt」
……
Just a little more.
Making Drisella’s Authority his own, and learning other 6th Circle magic, with chronomancy at the forefront.
Those were goals he had to achieve before the next攻略 began.