Chapter 77 : Chapter 77

Chapter 77. The Pay-to-Win Strategy

“It worked just like that?”

Leiber stared at the ring in disbelief. Before entering the room, he had estimated his chances of obtaining this spell ring at only ten percent. Yet it had actually succeeded.

“It’s basically finished,” Fulan said. “If you want additional services—like reducing the cooldown time, adding coordinated casting, instant casting, or other special attributes—that will require extra fees.”

Leiber swallowed and handed the ring back to Fulan.

“Add faster cooldown and coordinated casting.”

“That will be four gold coins in total.”

Without hesitation, Leiber pulled four gold coins from his ornate wallet and pressed them onto the table.

The reason Fulan still accepted these additional services was to disguise herself as a genuine craftsman.

If she only engraved spells for people, it would be difficult not to arouse suspicion. By offering extra services, she could present herself as a craftsman who was simply cheaper than others.

These additional services took quite a bit of time. About half an hour later, Fulan finally handed the ring back to him.

Now, tiny runes had appeared along the ring’s band. Inside the gemstone, faint runic characters drifted slowly. Other than that, it looked no different from before.

Leiber looked at the softly glowing spell ring and slipped it onto his finger. He twisted it slightly and then cast Fireball as he normally would.

He had already cast Fireball many times today, and his mind was beginning to feel tired. Yet after wearing the ring, casting the spell felt far smoother than usual.

“This is coordinated casting!” he exclaimed as he felt the real effect.

This was another function of spell rings. After undergoing special treatment, they could assist the user during casting and enhance the power of the spell.

A fireball larger than before appeared in his hand.

This time, he could clearly feel how solid the fireball was. The fire elements were tightly compressed together.

He had never cast a spell so smoothly before, nor had he ever felt such control over a spell.

He canceled the Fireball and looked at the now dim ring in his hand. Then he glanced at the other empty fingers.

An idea formed in his mind.

He removed the ring that enhanced mental power from his other hand. Earlier, he had already noticed that the ring had no effect when he used the spell ring.

And now, he no longer needed the slight mental boost it provided.

“I want six more Fireball spell rings.”

He glanced at the remaining space on his fingers. There was a protective ring and a physique-enhancing ring that he could not remove. Besides that, he was almost out of money.

So for now, he could only make six.

Fulan’s face immediately fell. She had not expected anyone to commission so many identical rings.

However, her eyes turned slightly, and she still accepted the request.

“Well, I might as well earn some money today,” she thought.

Once these Fireball rings were finished, she could close shop for the day. She did not have enough mental power to waste on endlessly crafting rings—she still had books to write.

Fulan sighed and took out the materials stored beneath the table.

---

Leiber returned to the residence of the Elemental School and immediately sought out the apprentice who had easily defeated him earlier that day.

BANG! BANG!

The apprentice’s door was struck so hard it nearly jumped off its hinges. The force pushed the door slightly inward before it rebounded with a loud clattering sound.

After quite some time, Jelin finally opened the door.

Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and he looked tired, though excitement still lingered on his face. However, he was clearly displeased about being interrupted and kept frowning.

“What are you doing here?”

Jelin spoke coldly. He had been reading a newly purchased spellbook and intended to study late into the night. The interruption had completely ruined his mood.

Leiber smiled and said slowly,

“Let’s fight again. This time, I’m prepared.”

Jelin looked puzzled but spoke indifferently.

“Oh? Another duel? Did you buy a Flame Explosion spell scroll and come to blow me up?”

He had little interest in this opponent whom he had defeated effortlessly that morning.

In his eyes, Leiber’s combat ability depended entirely on his equipment. His spellcasting, on the other hand, still needed a great deal of refinement.

“You’re not scared, are you? Are you afraid of my new equipment?”

Leiber spoke with a smile.

Jelin was still a hot-blooded young man, and he naturally could not tolerate such provocation.

“Fine. Let’s go again. This time I’ll show you that a mage’s strength comes from spells. All that trash equipment of yours is useless!”

He could not stand someone who flaunted equipment in the dueling arena all day.

In Jelin’s view, spells were the true foundation of a mage.

His financial situation was quite good, but he had spent all his money on spells and spellbooks.

Even the door he had accidentally blown up while experimenting with magic a few months ago had never been repaired.

Some time later, the two appeared in the dueling arena.

Night had already fallen. Only a few damaged lamps remained lit, providing faint illumination.

When Jelin and Leiber stood at a distance from each other, Jelin suddenly noticed something reflecting light on Leiber’s hands.

When he looked closely, he saw that Leiber’s fingers were almost completely covered with rings.

Six of them had large gemstones.

Jelin rarely bothered to learn about equipment. Anyone else would have immediately recognized them.

Damn it—that’s six spell rings! Only spell rings used gemstones that large.

“Trying to look mysterious,” Jelin scoffed dismissively.

He thought Leiber was simply wearing decorative items. There was no way such things could defeat him.

“Begin!”

As soon as the duel started, Jelin immediately cast a Flame Shield around himself at incredible speed.

He knew that most of Leiber’s spells were fire-based, so a shield with high resistance to fire damage was perfect for dealing with him.

Sure enough, Leiber immediately threw a Fireball.

It struck the Flame Shield directly, causing the shield to tremble violently, as though it were about to collapse.

“Still using Fireball,” Jelin thought with satisfaction at having predicted the spell.

Yet at the same time, confusion arose in his mind.

Why was this Fireball stronger than before? That morning, his Flame Shield had blocked the attack easily—it certainly had not nearly shattered.

And why had Leiber cast it so quickly? This time the Fireball had arrived immediately after Jelin finished casting his shield. Earlier that day, Leiber had always been two seconds slower.

Before he could think further, another Fireball rushed toward him.

He had no choice but to abandon the attack spell he had been preparing and instead reinforce his Flame Shield with mental power.

When the second Fireball exploded, flames spread across the ground around him.

Even through the shield, Jelin could feel the intense heat.

“How is he so fast?”

The question flashed through his mind.

But he had no time to think about it.

Because he suddenly saw two Fireballs flying toward him from the left and right.

“I surrender,” he blurted instinctively in order to save his life.