Chapter 6: Spell Scroll

Naimi Xisi refocused attention on the Red Robe Mage, clearly the opponent had already witnessed the speed of Dragon Tongue spellcasting; instead of hastily chanting a spell, they reached inside their clothing, watching him warily.

"I see, you were trying to ambush me while I was chanting a spell."

Naimi Xisi keenly sensed the opponent's intention; unlike directly releasing a spell, whether using a pre‑prepared Spell Scroll or activating a Magic Item's built‑in spell, no chanting is required.

Such instant‑cast spells are a crucial part of mage duels; interrupting an enemy's casting at a critical moment and dealing damage yields a huge advantage.

Juan Ce Long felt a bit depressed; as a True Dragon, his hoard was far too small, not even a single Magic Item or Spell Scroll.

Although a mage can transcribe his own Spell Scrolls for reserve, he had never been to a human settlement and could not purchase the magical paper needed to make Spell Scrolls! The paper, a carrier of magical power, is made from the skins of various extraordinary monsters; the more powerful the spell, the rarer the magical paper required!

The skin beneath an elderly True Dragon's scales is the finest material for crafting a Nine‑Ring Spell Scroll!

True Dragons grow stronger with age; from hatchling they pass through twelve stages: hatchling, Young Dragon, Juvenile Dragon, Adolescent Dragon, Young Adult Dragon, Adult Dragon, Prime Dragon, Elder Dragon, Ancient Elder Dragon, Ancient Dragon, Primordial Dragon, and Primeval Dragon! And an Elder Dragon cannot be slain without the aid of a 17th‑level professional; this also shows how precious Spell Scrolls are— even the Red Robe Mage probably does not have many.

Naimi Xisi found it somewhat tricky; Dragon Tongue is indeed very brief, and a Second‑Circle Spell can be released with only six syllables, but compared with instant‑cast, it is still a bit slow.

If he possessed a protective‑spell Magic Item he could harden his defense, but now he was like a clever housewife unable to cook without rice.

"At my maximum magic resistance, I should be able to endure only light injury while resisting the Third Circle Evocation Spell—Fireball Technique—so it looks like I'll see some dragon blood today."

Naimi Xisi resolved himself, opened his dragon mouth and let out a deafening roar.

"ROAR!!!!!!"

A fierce Dragon Might enveloped the Red Robe Mage, but the mage's superior Spiritual Power left him stunned for only a second before he broke free, and the sky‑borne Naimi Xisi already exhaled a fire‑red sphere.

That was Juan Ce Long's breath.

The fire‑red sphere, blazing with tremendous heat, rushed toward the mage; his complexion changed dramatically, and he hurriedly drew a gold‑bordered Spell Scroll.

A flash of pain crossed the mage's eyes as the Scroll ignited instantly, a jade‑green ray struck the sphere, and the breath comparable to the Fireball Technique vanished in mid‑air before it could explode.

"That is… a Third Circle Abjuration Spell—Dispel Magic!" Naimi Xisi was shocked; Abjuration Spell Scrolls are the most expensive category of all Spell Scrolls, and this mage was truly wealthy.

Dispel Magic, as the name suggests, can nullify magical effects; in fact, a normal True Dragon's breath is not a magical effect but a physical phenomenon, so Dispel Magic cannot cancel a True Dragon's breath.

Unfortunately, Juan Ce Long's breath is a rare case that behaves like a magical effect; this means the breath is not only countered by Dispel Magic but also by many Abjuration spells, including Spell Resistance.

"Next, I won't believe you—do you still have a Dispel Magic Scroll?" Naimi Xisi opened his mouth again, spitting out a lightning‑glimmering spell sphere; that is the special nature of Juan Ce Long's breath—it can change its elemental damage type at the will of the spitter.

The mage had not even caught his breath when Naimi Xisi's next blast surged forward; he truly wondered if he had missed his almanac today and run into a Juan Ce Long. Although Naimi Xisi mocked his own breath, the mage felt even worse; compared with other breaths, Juan Ce Long's breath was indeed weaker, but its range was long and its speed swift!

Facing other young True Dragons, such a distance would be insufficient for their breath! He gritted his teeth, produced two more Scrolls, one of which burned to ash instantly, while his body was engulfed by a silvery white mist and reappeared ten meters away.

The breath burst outward, teal‑blue lightning danced wildly in the air, but the area was already empty.

After using a Second‑Circle Conjuration Spell Scroll—Mysterious Trail Step—the Red Robe Mage had no time to lament; he glared viciously at the sky‑borne True Dragon, tore another Scroll in his hand, and unleashed a Third Circle Enchantment Spell—Law: Clumsy! An invisible force descended upon Naimi Xisi's body, a piercing pain erupted within him, and in an instant his whole form became clumsy; he tried to chant Dragon Tongue, but the once‑fluid pronunciation now stammered.

The Red Robe Mage sneered, began reciting the incantation, and under the influence of Law: Clumsy, Naimi Xisi's chanting speed matched his own.

Third Circle Evocation Spell—Fireball Technique! A bright pea‑sized scorching orb shot from the mage's fingertip toward Naimi Xisi; despite its tiny size, it contained wildly violent power, and accelerated by kinetic energy, the Fireball Technique instantly reached the sky.

At that moment, Naimi Xisi finally managed, albeit haltingly, to complete his own spell.

Second‑Circle Conjuration Spell—Shift Form, Change Shadow! "Boom!!"

With a low roar it erupted into a raging blaze covering a twenty‑meter radius; the violent pressure wave shook the air, leaves trembled in the gale, and the deafening roar even made the Red Robe Mage's ears ache slightly.

When he looked up expectantly at the sky, what fell to the ground was not the True Dragon he anticipated but a charred Hyena Werewolf corpse.

And on the ground, where that Hyena Werewolf had stood, now stood Naimi Xisi.

Naimi Xisi's dragon body now bore a charred chest, a scent of cooked meat wafted through the air; he gasped heavily, grinned ferociously.

"It seems your trump card failed to kill me."

As soon as the Red Robe Mage uttered his incantation, Naimi Xisi had already predicted the mage would use a high‑damage Third‑Circle spell, and Fireball Technique, being the flagship damage spell of the Third Circle, was naturally on his radar.

The Second‑Circle Spell—Mysterious Trail Step—had too small a range; a ten‑meter escape could not evade the nearly twenty‑meter blast radius of Fireball Technique, so he decisively prepared Shift Form, Change Shadow.

This spell can swap the positions of any two non‑resisting beings, and its casting range far exceeds that of Fireball Technique; although it costs him a Hyena Werewolf's combat power, he believes that once the Red Robe Mage is dealt with, the remaining Barbarian Soldiers are no threat.

Naimi Xisi flapped his wings; before the Barbarian Soldiers could charge, he flew back into the sky, having broken free of Law: Clumsy's effect; he quickly uttered a few syllables and cast a spell at the mage.

First Circle Evocation Spell—Magic Missile! Three crimson magic missiles shot toward the mage; the Red Robe Mage hurriedly recited an incantation, trying to use Shield Technique to block the missiles.

But the missiles were nullified by the shield, and three sharp icy shards shot again from the sky, appearing before him. The mage was desperate; this True Dragon's Spell Slots were seemingly endless, yet he had exhausted all defensive means.

Second‑Circle Conjuration Spell—Frost Arrow.

A dimensional gate in the dragon's claw exuded a chilling aura; ice summoned from another realm, bearing massive kinetic energy, pierced the mage's body. He fell to the ground in resentment, and his final thought was: "The master was right, Plastic Energy Users are foolish barbarians, always the bottom in mage duels. I absurdly thought I could be an exception."

Seeing the mage die, Naimi Xisi breathed a sigh of relief; indeed, for a caster, the hardest opponent is another caster.

Fortunately, judging by the spells the opponent used, he must be a Plastic Energy User who primarily practices Evocation, which focuses on offense and severely lacks mobility and protection; the threats he just faced also came from other faction spells released via Scrolls.

If he were a Sixth‑level Mage who primary studies Conjuration and secondary Abjuration, or a Sixth‑level Mage who primary studies Conjuration and secondary Enchantment, Naimi Xisi would probably have to run away.

The specifics of the Eight Major Factions will be discussed later; regarding Conjuration there may be some confusion, so to clarify early: the spells the protagonist releases have both displacement and Evocation, mainly because Conjuration's core is Space‑Time and Summoning, thus displacement fits, and Evocation is the summoned energy; of course, Conjuration's attacks are far weaker than Evocation's, but it cannot be denied that it is comprehensive!

(End of Chapter)