Chương 2: The Charm Mage

The corner of Zelier's mouth curled upward.

"So... this is my cheat." He scratched his head as he studied the interface. The attributes were neatly divided into three categories—Basic, Advanced, and Ultimate—with helpful descriptions attached to each one. If 60 was considered the average for an ordinary person, then his Basic Attributes were actually quite solid. As a mage, his two most important stats— Spirit and Intelligence —weren't lagging behind at all. In fact, they were comfortably above average. That was definitely good news.

As for the Advanced Attributes... Each upgrade cost two points, so their average value was probably around half that of the Basic Attributes. Thirty, perhaps. That made his Perception 30 perfectly average. His Charisma 45, however... Guess the previous owner wasn't bad-looking. Then there was Luck. An Ultimate Attribute. Four points per upgrade. Judging from the scaling, its average should've been somewhere around fifteen. Yet his panel showed an astonishing 41. It was even higher than his Perception. That's...

a little ridiculous. Am I actually one of those chosen-by-destiny protagonists? His gaze drifted to the final section of the interface. Talent Skills Unlocked upon reaching the next level. Choose one. Spell Surge Increase maximum mana, mana regeneration, and spell power based on a percentage of your Spirit attribute. Forge an unshakable foundation for every spell you cast.

"More firepower is always justice!" Matrix Deduction Analyze any Spell Matrix you witness and reproduce it as your own. Analysis speed scales with Intelligence. The higher your Intelligence, the faster the analysis. More complex Spell Matrices require significantly more time.

"Impressive spell. Mind if I borrow it?" Zelier rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Interesting... One is a raw-stat monster. The other is a mechanics monster. Spell Surge was straightforward. More mana. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Faster recovery. Stronger spells. Every bonus targeted the core strengths of a mage. But... Matrix Deduction... Just from the description alone, he could tell it was absurdly valuable.

In this world, learning new magic required purchasing spell scrolls. They were expensive. Some rare spells were so valuable that no amount of money could buy them. If he chose Matrix Deduction... All he had to do was witness someone casting a spell. The system would analyze the Spell Matrix, allowing him to learn it himself. A god-tier ability. The only drawback... Analysis speed depended on Intelligence. Looks like I'll have to prioritize Intelligence when leveling.

According to the attribute descriptions, Intelligence also had strong synergy with Charisma. Every four points of Intelligence granted one point of Charisma.

"... Wait."

"Does that mean I'm heading toward some kind of enchantment mage build?" Zelier vigorously shook his head. No. Way too early to think about builds. Talent Skills wouldn't unlock until he leveled up. First, he needed experience. To be fair, although mages were considered one of the most prestigious classes... They were also one of the most resource-hungry. A self-taught mage from a poor background like Zelier was painfully weak before reaching maturity. He couldn't outfight a swordsman.

He couldn't tank like a vanguard. He couldn't outrun an assassin. Until he learned truly destructive spells, even a ranger dealt better ranged damage than he did. Over the past five days, the party had killed twenty-two wild wolves. Marcus had slain nine. Grey and Vaelis had each taken six. As for Zelier... One. Just one. At this point, calling him an adventurer felt generous. He was more like a middle-school kid tagging along on a camping trip. He patted the small pouch at his waist.

Inside were nothing but rations...... and a single dagger. Seriously? The old me couldn't even bring a hand crossbow? No wonder I only got one kill... He couldn't help but roast his predecessor. A cool night breeze drifted through the camp. It carried a refreshing chill... Along with another scent. A rank, musky odor. Wolf. Zelier's eyes snapped open. Without thinking, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"CONTACT! EVERYONE UP!" The snoring inside the tent stopped instantly. A moment later, the flap was thrown open. Grey burst out first, sword already in hand. Marcus followed close behind. Then Vaelis. Within those precious few seconds... Tiny emerald lights began appearing one after another inside the surrounding bushes. Dozens of them. Glowing. Watching. Zelier clenched his fists. They weren't ghost lights. They were wolves' eyes. They're here. Judging from their positions...

The pack had already formed a broad semicircle behind the party, cutting off their retreat. His heartbeat quickened. Back on Earth, the largest animal he'd ever killed was a chicken. Now he was standing in the middle of a pitch-black forest... Surrounded by hungry wolves. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared.

"Easy there, kid." Grey never took his eyes off the darkness as he casually twirled his sword.

"They're just animals." A grin spread across his face.

"They've saved us the trouble of hunting them down." Marcus and Vaelis were already in position. Marcus planted himself at the front with shield raised. Vaelis drew his bow to full tension, arrow waiting to fly. The battle exploded into motion. A chorus of savage howls shattered the silence as the wolf pack charged. Vaelis's eyes narrowed. Twang. The arrow became a blur. It struck the lead wolf squarely in the eye. The shaft buried itself halfway into its skull. Blood erupted from the wound.

Momentum carried the beast another few steps before it collapsed lifelessly into the dirt. At the same instant— Marcus moved.

"Haah!" With a thunderous roar, he charged forward two heavy strides, immediately drawing the attention of the entire pack. His towering frame worked to his advantage. The wolves couldn't easily reach his throat. His round shield became a spinning wall of iron. Every wolf that lunged was met with a crushing shield bash. Bones cracked on impact. Before the beasts could recover, Marcus's battle blade flashed downward. One strike. One corpse.

Standing amidst the charging wolves, the burly leader looked less like a man...... and more like a war god. Grey guarded Marcus's flank. His swordsmanship was clean, ruthless, and frighteningly efficient. A single swift slash was enough to cleave a wolf clean in two. Shrill howls echoed through the forest. Flocks of birds burst from the trees in panic. Blood sprayed across the grass. Chunks of flesh and shattered organs followed.

With Marcus and Grey holding the frontline while Vaelis rained arrows from behind, the party's formation became rock solid. Soon, their fighting style shifted. Instead of broad chopping attacks, they began favoring precise thrusts. After all... A wolf's hide was worth money. The less they damaged it, the higher the reward. Marcus. Grey. Vaelis. The three veterans carved through the pack with practiced ease. Compared to them... Zelier looked painfully out of place.

Dagger in hand, he stepped forward several times, eager to help. Each time, he reluctantly stopped. There wasn't a single opening where he could contribute.

"... Sigh." He let out a long breath, feeling utterly defeated. Well... Early-game mages really do have it rough.