Chapter 135: A Duel Between Spells

To qualify as a third-rank mage, one must master two third-rank spells and five second-rank spells. Furthermore, candidates must pass a practical combat examination in the presence of three third-rank mages and the fourth-rank Guild Master, Nelson.

The First Prince is visiting Blackrock City tomorrow, making it inconvenient to hold the exam then, so it has been rescheduled for the day after tomorrow. It is clear that the Guild Master attaches great importance to this assessment; otherwise, he would not have made such a prompt decision.

In fact, the composition of each branch’s personnel impacts the Mages' Guild budget. A third-rank mage is a significant asset, worthy of such attention—especially when that individual is Chu Yun, a young man whom Nelson holds in high regard.

"The day after tomorrow? That should be fine. I just hope nothing happens tomorrow," Chu Yun thought. His replication ability lasts for two days, so he planned to copy the spells needed for the assessment today.

Some of the spells he currently possesses are unsuitable for the exam. For instance, the Undead Creation spell is incredibly powerful; it allows the summoning of followers with a level not exceeding the caster's intelligence. Given Chu Yun’s current intelligence, he could summon level 33 undead creatures, provided he had the materials. Although these are mere common monsters and cannot compare to fire elementals, level 33 undead are fearless and pain-insensitive, making them decent fourth-rank meat shields. However, such spells have always been considered taboo, are not recognized by the Mages' Guild, and cannot be used for examination purposes.

The Sleep Curse and the Formless Rock are too unique and classified as divine arts; Chu Yun did not want to expose them. Therefore, his best option was to replicate spells from others.

"Do you need any help? You just moved in, so there must be a lot to tidy up, right? How about I help you organize? Then you can focus on preparing for the exam," Anna offered enthusiastically.

"No, no, I don't have much stuff." Chu Yun was hiding people in his basement, so he couldn't let Anna clean the place.

"Alright then, I won't disturb you. Good luck with your preparations; the third-rank advancement exam is very difficult." After saying this, Anna left. As the lead magic tutor for the first term, she was incredibly busy.

Once she was gone, Chu Yun began his meditation. By the time his mental energy was fully restored, evening had fallen.

Many mages live here at the Magic Academy, so finding spells to replicate is simple. However, Mirror Replication has a prerequisite: one must first defeat the target. Replicating second-rank spells is easy, but for third-rank ones, one must engage in combat with a third-rank mage.

Chu Yun lacks combat experience. Since arriving in this world, most of his battles have been won through clever tricks. Now, he finally has the chance to experience a true duel between mages.

There are many rooms in the third-rank mage residential area, but occupancy is low. Besides Chu Yun, he only saw lights on in two of them. It is common for many mages to have homes in Blackrock City and not stay here.

Chu Yun entered the Mirror World and approached the nearest building.

"Let's start with you. Eldritch Blast!"

[Eldritch Blast]
Spell Effect: Fires a beam of intense energy at the target, dealing 1–10 points of spell damage.
Spell Description: As you reach higher levels, this spell can create additional beams: two at level 5, three at level 11, and four at level 17.

Chu Yun is currently a level 16 professional, allowing him to fire three Eldritch Blasts simultaneously. With his intelligence and level boosts, his magic attack power has reached a staggering 24 points, pushing the Eldritch Blast's damage to a terrifying 25–34 points.

The three blasts struck the building’s protective barrier with a thunderous roar. The barrier shattered, and the mirror image of the mage inside rushed out.

His opponent was Mage Hope, who had participated in grading the student assessments. Hope was a high-ranking member of the Mages' Guild with decent strength, though he was known for his reclusive nature; he had no family in Blackrock City and rarely interacted with others.

"You're courting death!" Hope’s mirror image spat out the simple words before launching an attack.

Chu Yun’s Spell Identification ability recognized that the opponent was casting Earth Spike, clearly intending to launch an attack from beneath the ground.

"I won't let you succeed. Spell Annihilation!"

The tier and effect of Annihilation Divine Thunder are superior, but for an incomplete spell model like this, Spell Annihilation is more than enough.

Spell Annihilation forcibly decomposes a target's spell model, whether it is being constructed or already complete, thereby nullifying the enemy's spell. The speed of this annihilation depends on the intelligence and perception of both parties; the greater the gap, the faster the process.

Chu Yun’s stats are monstrous, and under his brutal disruption, the opponent’s spell model quickly collapsed.

However, the combat styles of mages in this world are quite diverse. After the spell failed, Hope waved his wand, and a bolt of lightning instantly flashed forth.

Lightning-type spells are among the fastest in existence. Although Hope focused primarily on Earth-type magic, he had enchanted his wand with lightning strikes for combat convenience.

Hope knew his enemy was not to be trifled with, so after releasing the lightning, he immediately began chanting a new spell.

Chu Yun cast "Word of Truth: Regeneration Shield" on himself. The shield was nearly broken, but it held on with 20% durability remaining, beginning to repair itself automatically.

Hope was now casting what appeared to be a third-rank spell, which required a longer incantation. Chu Yun did not waste time; he began chanting the incantation for Elemental Spear.

He chose the Fire Elemental Spear. With the bonus from his Fire Elemental Commander specialty, both his casting speed and power were vastly improved, allowing him to finish his spell one step ahead of his opponent.

Hope’s spell model was incomplete. Facing Chu Yun’s preemptive strike, he continued to chant while simultaneously tearing open a scroll.

A massive wall of earth rose from the ground—a testament to the defensive prowess of the Earth element. Chu Yun’s Fire Spear could not change direction in time and exploded upon hitting the wall.

Although the wall collapsed, the fire from the explosion could not reach Hope.

"Quicksand Spell: Desert of Death!"

Hope’s tactic was simple: rely on his scrolls and magic equipment to endure Chu Yun’s attacks until he could successfully cast this spell, which would surely finish his opponent.

Quicksand is a second-rank spell, but "Desert of Death" is a modified, reinforced version that reaches third-rank strength—Hope’s signature, undefeated move.

The Desert of Death did not manifest beneath Chu Yun’s feet, where it would be easy to escape; instead, it closed in from the perimeter toward the center.

Usually, by the time enemies—especially monsters—realized something was wrong and tried to flee, it was already too late. The range of the Desert of Death was vast, making it nearly impossible to escape the net.

Unfortunately, Hope was merely a mirror image. While his combat instincts were sharp, his understanding of Chu Yun was insufficient. Had it been the real Hope facing Chu Yun, he certainly would not have chosen this spell for the battle.