The Level 4 mage stood up.
In the short span of their conversation, the King-tier monsters below had already been killed by Kanzaki Rei—six of them.
The mage's eyelids twitched involuntarily.
That killing efficiency was faster than even a Level 4 adventurer party.
Standing alone atop the city wall, Rei was an army unto himself.
"From Level 3 to Level 4, the mage promotion test requires you to create at least one spell of your own."
"Does Transcendent Magic count as a spell you created yourself?"
"Probably not."
"You don't have a spell of your own yet?"
Rei shook his head.
"Self-created spells are usually the ones that fit the caster best. If someone else casts a spell you invented, they'll never bring out 100% of its power."
"In fact, the spells we use today were also created by other people."
Rei listened carefully.
"How do I create a spell that belongs to me?"
The Level 4 mage scratched his head.
"Well… that's actually pretty complicated to explain."
He glanced down at the battlefield beneath the wall.
Was this really the time for a lesson?
Rei was still talking to him while simultaneously dealing with the [Eight-Flea] monsters below—casting without chanting, multitasking effortlessly.
The boy's control over magic was more flexible than that of veteran archmages who had studied magic for decades.
Trying to teach him made the mage feel strangely inferior.
The Level 4 mage sighed.
"Creating a spell from scratch is difficult. But have you ever thought about fusing spells together?"
"I have."
"How did you do it?"
"I cast two spells at the same time and try to merge them."
"But in the end, it just becomes casting two spells simultaneously."
…
For a moment, the Level 4 mage didn't know how to respond.
Casting spells simultaneously.
How many people spend their entire lives unable to achieve that?
But looking at the blazing sea of fire below, the chain lightning continuously striking the ground, and the countless ice shards flying through the air…
It was obvious Rei wasn't casting spells one by one.
"To truly fuse two spells together is something mages usually only consider after Level 5."
"But you can still use the idea of spell fusion to create new magic."
"For example—what if the spikes that erupt from the ground weren't made of earth and stone… but of ice instead?"
Rei tilted his head.
"Ice spikes?"
"Exactly."
"First memorize the casting principles of Earth Spike, then combine them with a similar ice-type spell to construct a corresponding casting logic."
"Through that logic, you search for the Root Words that can complete the casting. It's a process of filtering the fundamental language of magic—you need a certain degree of interpretation and understanding of Root Words."
"Then you repeatedly revise the casting logic, adjust the Root Words—"
"Eternal burning flames, transform into a surging tide of force—roar forth!"
Before the Level 4 mage even finished speaking, Rei had already begun chanting.
Wait…
What the hell are you mumbling over there?
Don't tell me you're chanting a self-created spell?!
I haven't even finished explaining yet!
[Spell Created — Flame Wave (Tier 2) (LV: 1)]
A surge of blazing fire rose like an ocean wave!
It crashed down toward the King-tier monster below.
Fwoosh!
But when the flames struck the shell of the [Eight-Flea], they barely caused any damage.
After all—
It was only LV: 1.
…
Oh.
Oh.
It actually worked.
The moment the mage explained the method, Rei had already begun experimenting.
So basically…
Combine two casting methods, then search for the corresponding Root Words.
That was it.
The "Proficiency Evolution" talent didn't just change the various forms a skill could take.
Proficiency itself represented Rei's mastery over a skill.
LV: 201 Proficiency meant he had practiced these skills to the point where they were as natural as parts of his own body.
Casting methods.
Corresponding Root Words.
Rei actually understood all of them.
Rather—
Rei himself was already a master of using these skills.
Using skills increased proficiency.
Reading books increased proficiency.
Researching skills also increased proficiency.
And conversely, gaining so much proficiency meant gaining the corresponding knowledge about every aspect of those skills.
Although Rei lacked a comprehensive understanding of overall magical theory, when it came to these individual skills…
His understanding surpassed almost everyone else in this world.
"So basically… creating a spell just means taking apart the structure of existing skills and recombining them."
"You should've said that earlier."
It felt like discovering a brand-new continent.
Earlier?
Earlier my ass!
Is your comprehension seriously that monstrous?
It took me ten years just to create a single original spell back when I was Level 3!
You hadn't even heard of self-created magic before today, right?!
And after two sentences from me, you've already made one?!
Comparing people like this will seriously make someone die of rage.
"If that works…"
Rei thought for a moment.
Then he spoke again.
"Gentle waters, transform into biting frost—cut through everything."
[Spell Created — Ice Blade (Tier 2) (LV: 1)]
Shing!
A crescent slash of frozen ice shot forward and sliced into the distance instantly.
Wind Blade was only Tier 1.
But Ice Blade was Tier 2.
The reason was simple.
Solid ice dealt far greater damage than intangible wind—and it could also apply a freezing effect.
"Just as I thought. It works too."
Works my ass!
Why are you creating spells so easily?!
Where's the process?!
No construction diagrams?No magical formulas?No elemental equilibrium calculations?No Root Word interpretation?No mentor reviewing the Three Great Laws of Magic?!
"You're just reciting a catchy rhyme and the spell comes out?!"
Rei turned and looked at him.
"Huh?"
The Level 4 mage froze awkwardly.
"Uh… nothing."
Damn it.
I accidentally said that out loud.
Before teaching him, he had only thought:
What an incredible junior. Truly a genius. So much mana. Such powerful spells. Casting so quickly and so frequently.
After teaching him…
He only felt like his entire decade of studying magic had been wasted.
"Your advice was really helpful. Thank you, big brother…"
"Ah—oh… no problem. No need to thank me."
The Level 4 mage stammered.
No—he hadn't helped at all.
What he had just explained was basically the opening summary of the very first lesson on spell creation taught at magical academies.
It wasn't even the real teaching content.
Looking at Rei, he couldn't help thinking:
If we could throw this kid into an academy, those arrogant so-called geniuses would finally taste what failure feels like.
But then again—
Would someone like Rei even want to attend an academy?
It felt like even the academy had nothing left to teach him.
[Flame Wave][Ice Blade][Dark Curse Bind][Glacial Abyss Lake]
After a brief moment of thought, Rei created four spells in rapid succession.
These were ideas that had come to him in a burst of inspiration.
As for other spells…
He had a few concepts in mind, but they all felt just slightly incomplete.
It seemed he still hadn't learned enough different spells yet.
Without enough examples, it was hard to construct more magic based on existing experience.
It looked like he needed to learn more spells first—to broaden his perspective.
Crackle—
The wildly bouncing [Eight-Flea] was about to land on the ground.
But the instant it touched down—
A frozen blue lake suddenly formed beneath it.
Splash!
The monster crashed into the surface.
Half its body froze solid in ice instantly.
[Glacial Abyss Lake (LV: 50)]A lake of extreme cold.Instant freezing.Deep-layer frost damage.Cold-induced necrosis.A deeper, deadlier glacial field.
Oh—
So self-created magic really was stronger than learned spells.