After the initial excitement wore off, Anser discovered one small drawback of the Arcanefire Longbow: its doubled range didn't apply to cantrips, making it inferior to Distant Spell in that regard.
The main reason was that cantrips were unique. They could be understood as a caster's most fundamental application of the arcane—the stronger the caster, the stronger the cantrip.
They were so simple that they required no magical energy, had no complex spell structure, and couldn't be cast using higher-level spell slots.
'Not a big deal. High-level spells are still far more powerful anyway.' Anser didn't pay much attention to the minor flaw.
After familiarizing himself with his new weapon, dusk gradually settled.
He returned to Fort Jacqueline and teleported directly to the top floor of the Black Tower. Lying down on his bed, he let his consciousness sink into his mind.
On the twenty-sided die, speckled with tiny golden lights, the eleventh symbol had fully illuminated, while the twelfth had lit up by only a small portion.
'I wonder what it'll be this time?'
He reached out with his consciousness and touched the glowing symbol.
Fragments of memory immediately surfaced in his mind: the Battle of Dawn Town, the Chosen of Lolth, the hunt beneath Baldur's Gate, the otyugh, the vampire, the lich, the Artifact...
The flashback soon came to an end, yet the visions didn't stop.
Iris, Bratt, Finn, Salian...
One after another, the combat experiences of his Adventuring Party members flashed by.
They occupied only a small portion of the memories, but they were undeniably there.
'Could it be that my party members' battles also provide a small amount of resources to the die?'
Theoretically, every party member was out adventuring and earning experience. If the die skimmed off a tiny "commission" from those gains, it actually made perfect sense.
'I wonder if there'll be more changes later on?'
Unable to figure it out, he decided to set the matter aside and observe it over time.
A moment later, all the memories faded away.
The glowing symbol transformed into a die—a dazzling golden ten-sided die.
Ding—
[Please select an Adventure Trait category!]
At the same time, the ten-sided die suddenly expanded before him, hovering in midair as it slowly rotated. Each face bore a different symbol:
Prismatic Flames, a Sapling, an Elemental Orb, a Nebula, a True Dragon...
Anser immediately understood.
These were the Adventure Traits he had drawn before.
He tapped one of the symbols and instantly received its description. The meanings were similar to before, but not exactly the same.
The ten faces of the die represented:
Magic Power, Feats, Spells, Metamagic, Attributes, Class, Soul, Consciousness, Bloodline, and Companions.
'So there won't be anything completely new from now on? Or do I have to wait until the die is fully illuminated?'
Improvements across those ten dimensions were already incredibly comprehensive. Expecting an incomplete die to grant him something that completely transcended the system's rules was admittedly unrealistic.
The previous ten Adventure Traits had all been excellent, but they were still things that already existed in this world—overpowered, but not beyond the setting's limits.
'I still need to seize divinity and upgrade it into a golden die!'
Looking at the ten-sided die before him, he hesitated.
Every category had once granted him an enormous boost. Choosing one again could produce entirely different results, making the decision surprisingly difficult.
'My Magic Power and Attributes are sufficient for now. Feats... would it actually grant a legendary feat? Spells are always useful. But what would Class, Soul, or Consciousness give me?'
After thinking it over for quite a while, he ultimately decided that Spells would benefit him the most.
At least, judging from his past experiences.
'Spells it is. Let's see what happens.'
He spun the die and tapped the face representing Spells.
The die began rotating, then transformed into a four-sided die, each of its faces displaying a different option:
Sorcerer, Wizard, Paladin, and Other.
[Please select a spell list!]
"Sorcerer!"
The die shifted once more, leaving only three options:
Spell Specialization, Signature Spells, and Arcane Master.
[Please select an Adventure Trait!]
Anser examined them carefully. Each of the three spell-oriented Adventure Traits had its own strengths—or rather, each represented a different path for spellcasters.
Spell Specialization was similar to the previous Adventure Trait, Arcane Resonance. It allowed him to master the spells of an additional school of magic.
Signature Spells, as the name suggested, let him designate several spells as his signature spells, transforming them into spell-like abilities. They could be cast faster, had greater range, greater power, and could even break free from the original spell's limitations.
Arcane Master focused on breadth rather than specialization. It provided a solid theoretical foundation, letting him learn a little of everything. Choosing it would immediately grant him mastery over a large number of spells.
The descriptions weren't detailed enough for Anser to fully grasp their exact effects.
Spell Specialization felt too narrow. His repertoire was already highly diverse, covering nearly every school of magic. Even if he mastered one additional school, it still wouldn't satisfy him.
After all, nearly every school possessed powerful 9th-level spells.
But looking at things in the long run, Arcane Master didn't seem particularly meaningful either.
At level 17, he'd already be able to learn 9th-level spells—two per level. By level 20, he'd know eight of them, while there were only a little over a dozen 9th-level spells in total.
Sooner or later, he'd learn them all anyway.
"I choose Signature Spells!"
[You have obtained the Adventure Trait: Signature Spells]
...
[Signature Spells]: You are a brilliant spellcaster overflowing with innate magic. The surging primordial magic within you has always been a part of your very being. As your innate magic awakens and grows, some of your spells naturally evolve, displaying extraordinary power beyond their original limits.
You know certain spells so thoroughly that they are engraved into your very bones, responding effortlessly to your will. These are your Signature Spells.
Upon reaching the advanced stage, every two Sorcerer levels you gain, you may choose one spell as a Signature Spell, regardless of whether you previously knew that spell.
Signature Spells are treated as spell-like abilities. Whenever you cast one, it automatically benefits from every Metamagic option you have mastered, with the exact effects depending on the spell's type and function.
After extensive training and refinement, Signature Spells can continue to evolve, no longer bound by the limitations of their original spell rules.
...
'Signature Spells? Wouldn't Innate Spells be a more fitting name?' Anser's mouth hung slightly open in astonishment.
A single phrase suddenly surfaced in his mind:
Spell Creation!
If a spell could continue evolving until it departed from its original form, then wasn't that essentially creating an entirely new spell?
True, he wouldn't be creating Wizard spells that others could learn, but they could be passed down to his descendants—and his achievements would be remembered throughout Toril's history.
His name might one day stand alongside those legendary genius wizards!
'All right... that's getting a little ahead of myself.'
Anser shook his head, brushing aside the fanciful thoughts, and began carefully reviewing the spells available to him.
He was currently level 14, meaning he could select two Signature Spells. They could be either new spells or ones he had already learned.
Opening the spell list, he found a densely packed catalogue stretching before his eyes. Even after filtering out all spells of 3rd level and below, there were still an overwhelming number left.
'Huh? This is the entire spell list!'
He quickly realized the significance, and his heart began pounding.
'They're all arcane spells. Since arcane magic is fundamentally interconnected, that actually makes perfect sense.'
He carefully browsed through the list:
Raulothim's Psychic Lance, Bigby's Hand, Create Homunculus, Disintegrate, Prismatic Spray, Delayed Blast Fireball, Reverse Gravity...
There were simply too many spells.
Anser deliberated for a long time, unable to make a choice.
After all, once he chose, there would be no taking it back.
'What am I still lacking right now?'
In the end, he returned to reality, sat down at his desk, picked up a pen, and began methodically organizing his strengths, weaknesses, and the direction he wanted to take in the future.
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