Chapter 0085: Power Enhancement

The most orthodox path before Grimm, without a doubt, was to continue delving deeper into the arcane knowledge related to his affinity with the element of fire. Only such studies could truly aid him in his future attempt to break through the threshold of becoming a wizard. Yet the art of crafting magical constructs, which currently brought him the greatest immediate benefit, was little different from a dubious shortcut—an offshoot from the main road.

This relationship was akin to the ancient distinction between the "Way" and the "Technique." The "Way" was the developmental path one chose for oneself, the lifelong pursuit destined to be followed with unwavering dedication. The "Technique," on the other hand, was merely a means to achieve some lesser goal—a supplementary method at best.

Though Grimm had as yet only mastered a handful of fire spells, and their power was insufficient to withstand his present foes, these spells nevertheless formed his "Way." If he wished to avoid straying from the path of the fire-wizard, he needed to dedicate ample time to immersing himself in the mysteries of fire, striving to comprehend its unique properties and the rules that governed it. Only thus could he truly grasp his own "Way."

As for magical constructs, while they might allow Grimm to far surpass his peers in the short term, granting him tremendous power and endless glory, they remained a means to an end, not truly aligned with his chosen path. They were suitable for gaining an edge in contests or seizing resources, but if he wished to become a true wizard, he could not afford to neglect the study of fire magic.

Most others found it impossible to walk both the "Way" and the "Technique" simultaneously; they could only choose one or the other. But for Grimm, there was no such contradiction. With the assistance of his chip, the most time-consuming aspects of magical research—collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing information—could all be entrusted to it. Grimm needed only to await the distilled essence of knowledge, integrating it seamlessly into his own magical journey.

Thus, the distinction between "Way" and "Technique" became blurred in Grimm's case.

With his spiritual power already at the level of an intermediate apprentice, Grimm could now solidify as many as six spell models within his mind’s sea, though he had thus far only succeeded with four: Burning Hand, Flame Arrow, Flame Spear, and Fire Shield.

He now faced a dilemma regarding the next direction for his fire magic studies. Two spells in particular had caught his attention: the Body of the Phoenix and the Molten Sphere.

The Body of the Phoenix would allow Grimm to harbor greater quantities of fire element within his body and dramatically increase his resistance to fire. It was also an essential step for later elemental transformations. However, mastering this spell required not only continued study of fire magic, but also knowledge of anatomy and mutation.

The Molten Sphere, as its name suggested, condensed vast quantities of fire and earth elements into a massive, meter-wide fireball. While flying, it could deal earth-type damage and knock back foes; upon detonation, it unleashed devastating fire damage—making it a potent area-of-effect spell with dual attributes.

Yet to master it, Grimm would need to study earth magic as well.

If he considered only offensive capability, the Molten Sphere was clearly the superior choice. Grimm already possessed close-range (Burning Hand) and long-range (Flame Arrow and Flame Spear) spells, but both were single-target attacks; he sorely needed an area spell to complement them.

However, with an eye to the future, if Grimm wished to make true progress along the path of fire, specialization and bodily elementalization were inevitable. Strengthening his foundation now would yield greater benefits in time.

After only a moment's hesitation, Grimm resolutely chose the Body of the Phoenix.

For most apprentice wizards, faced with a similar choice, immediate concerns outweighed long-term plans. While the Body of the Phoenix would enhance one's fire affinity and resistance, it offered little improvement in duels between apprentices. An apprentice slain in such contests would have no future to speak of. Thus, though the “correct” magical path was clear, many were compelled to sacrifice it for the sake of survival, focusing instead on maximizing combat strength.

But this dilemma did not apply to Grimm.

Thanks to his chip, the creation of magical constructs—a field where others struggled—came easily to him. Surrounded by his constructs for protection, he had no need to fear enemy threats and could optimize his magical studies without distraction.

Having decided to pursue the Body of the Phoenix, Grimm had no choice but to visit the wizard tower’s library to purchase basic texts on anatomy and mutation. Fortunately, these were fundamental disciplines in the necromantic school, readily available for magic crystals. Only if he needed advanced knowledge of psychic mutation or mental elements would he have to seek out a full necromancer for guidance.

Throughout this busy period, Kabi the Beast dutifully carried the spellbooks Grimm purchased, trailing behind him like a loyal servant. The other apprentices in the tower were baffled by the presence of a green-skinned goblin, but upon noticing the golden collar at its neck, they understood its status.

Some apprentices, to offset their magical shortcomings, would also enslave magical beasts or creatures—though usually powerful ones like Nightblade Panthers, Stone Turtles, Crimson Flame Tigers, Socratic Giant Eagles, or Earth Elementals. Rarely would anyone take a goblin as a servant.

Yet Kabi, once the servant of a second-tier wizard, was clearly no stranger to the ways of the world. Far from timid, he quickly adopted the role of devoted attendant, even haggling on Grimm’s behalf with evident delight.

After several such encounters, Grimm was surprised to find that Kabi not only had a keen sense for market trends, but also a silver tongue—a natural-born swindler. Realizing this, Grimm simply delegated all purchasing to him, handing over the shopping list and the magic crystal card, and leaving Kabi to handle procurement. Grimm himself stayed secluded, devoting his days to studying the magical knowledge relayed by the chip.

To motivate him further, Grimm struck a deal: all items would be purchased at market price, but any discount Kabi managed to negotiate would become his personal reward.

This policy sent Kabi—who had never before owned personal property—into a frenzy. He soon became the tower’s most notorious merchant, rubbing shoulders with groups of junior apprentices all day long.

Remarkably, Kabi possessed his own unique insight and talent for manipulating prices: buying low and selling high, hoarding goods, driving up demand—these intricate commercial tactics, normally the preserve of humans, he mastered within days, becoming wildly successful.

Before long, every apprentice on the first floor knew of Kabi the goblin merchant, famed for his shrewd business sense and access to rare items. This only heightened his air of mystery and intrigue.

It helped that the loot from the two fallen senior apprentices slain by Grimm and Mary—equipment and magic items far beyond the reach of most juniors—gave Kabi ample capital to work with. When Grimm entrusted all their possessions to Kabi for sale, his confidence soared.

Indeed, after making a name for himself in the market, Kabi used his earnings to outfit himself: a splendid magical robe, a full set of glittering equipment—cheap by apprentice standards, but dazzling to outsiders. With a fine magic staff and a trailing cloak, his every appearance provoked a wave of greetings. To match his new image, he even dropped the "Beast" from his name, now calling himself simply Kabi—the very picture of a merchant prince.

The apprentices flocked to him for the rare third- and fourth-tier magical items he occasionally produced—treasures far beyond the reach of ordinary apprentices.

Of course, market enforcers did sometimes come to confiscate his goods, but when Kabi discreetly revealed his master’s name, the enforcer, Ryan, could only slink away. Clearly, Ryan’s family influence had informed him of Grimm’s rising status at the training camp, and unless Kabi caused real trouble, he had no wish to offend such a promising apprentice.

These inner workings were of course unknown to most apprentices, fueling even greater curiosity. Rumors soon spread that Kabi the goblin was the servant of a full wizard, and with this mysterious reputation, his business boomed.

Unaware of all this, Grimm remained cloistered, thoughtfully planning his future. Having chosen to study the Body of the Phoenix, his magical combat prowess would not dramatically improve in the short term. To maintain his advantage in the dark caverns, he would have to fully exploit the potential of his magical constructs.

The Crocodile Hunter, with its superb burrowing ability, had been the key to establishing Grimm’s dominance as a mount, but its lack of offensive power remained a weakness. It could easily handle an intermediate apprentice, but struggled against seniors, and was almost defenseless against a proto-wizard due to its loose body structure.

At this juncture, the emergence of the Rock Python construct made up for his lack of offensive strength. A single proto-wizard-level python might not be enough against a nimble fallen proto-wizard, but what about two? Or three?

Determined, Grimm spent only three days transforming two newly acquired proto-wizard earth-elemental cores into Rock Python constructs. With these at his side, he was confident that next time he faced such enemies, he would not be driven to such a sorry state, barely escaping with his life.