Chapter 356: The Magic of Change

Meteor Burst, a ninth-circle area-of-effect spell that should theoretically be powerful but is actually used very rarely.

"The shame of ninth-circle spells."

Theoretically, it can pull a meteor down to the ground, causing a devastating area attack while delivering both fire and physical damage.

But in actual combat, it has several extremely serious problems.

First, its mana consumption is enormous; second, it has a delay, and a long one (fall time). With such high mana cost, missing the target is devastating.

Furthermore, it deals purely evocation damage, which top-tier duels resist; physical damage faces a host of targeted defenses. Most importantly...

"Disintegrate, Dragon's Breath, Wail of the Banshee, Mordenkainen's Sword, Dispel Magic—their various variants, improved versions, and sibling versions number in the hundreds. Do high-level wizards lack offensive spells? Why would I use that slow, unstable fire meteor?"

However, most casters above the ninth circle still learn this spell first.

After all, as a team caster, you may not be skilled in the evocation turret role, or even despise it, but you cannot truly lack it.

"Which version of Meteor Burst is this? I want to learn it!"

The archmage in the party, an evocation master named Marton and Li En's senior, instantly fixed his gaze on the world-destroying scene before him.

He felt that if he brought it back, his mentor would surely be delighted.

Not just his teacher; the explosion-obsessed maniacs who play evocation love the scene of stars falling the most.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The entire world plunged into a sea of fire. Several arrays in midair occasionally spat out a medium-sized meteor, which accelerated and disintegrated during its descent, ultimately transforming into a fire sea covering a vast area.

The temple in the wasteland and the Matron's hall had already been engulfed in flames, and the wails of spider monsters echoed throughout the city.

Yet Li En saw Lord Lord Kuku's technical traces at a glance.

"Although Meteor Burst is the evocation spell with the most variants (the original is too useless), this one no longer resembles the original at all..."

Li En had seen the "Lord Lord Kuku's Chain Meteor Burst (Ninth to Tenth Circle)" in the records, which matched the current description almost exactly. Yes, this was a theoretical spell, but now theory had become reality.

"One layer, two layers, three layers of spell arrays—how did it do this?"

Meteor Burst does not directly pull a meteor down; instead, it opens a spatial array, allowing the meteor to emerge from the array before falling and being guided.

In fact, this involves several steps and precise control, from spatial summoning to evocation fusion to fall control, comprehensively testing an evocation mage's elemental control and transformation abilities.

But now, Li En saw a full three layers of Meteor Burst arrays stacked together. They overlapped yet turned a single portion of mana into the summoning of a "three-headed dragon," while the subdivided mana further transformed it into a chain of fire rain.

"Without Lord Lord Kuku's multiple thought lines, how did they control three spatial arrays simultaneously? Or is this three spatial rifts of a single array?"

Others saw only the spectacle, witnessing the explosive effect of a powerful spell, but Li En saw that Lord Lord Kuku's technical difficulties had been solved in reality. The constantly erupting fire rain pouring down was truly heart-shaking.

Especially the miniature "pattern" at the array's center: a three-headed dragon, which is actually the private signature of Sage Lord Lord Kuku.

Compared to the arrays in memory, this one is far more complex.

"How was such a high-difficulty array controlled with simultaneous precision?"

Li En did not believe the opponent possessed the ability to draw an array of this caliber while multitasking; it must be stable modular casting.

Li En's fire rain series has always been impossible to mass-produce and is even somewhat useless precisely because it was custom-made for Lord Lord Kuku, who can multitask. Without multiple casting and multiple-casting focus, this spell effect is basically unattainable.

"I want this spell..."

Even though he is far from being able to use this spell now, Li En has resolved to obtain its data.

But right now, it seems not the time to consider such things...

"Don't get caught up in this. Procure a batch of supplies, and let us head to the Great Demon Realm."

"They won't sell? Then we'll just take it. This isn't crime; it's striking at evil! Cast Detect Evil first, then loot; it's not robbery."

While the city's attention is drawn to these sudden attackers, we should go about our own business.