Chapter 79: Mage Armor Level 3
"So, Gauss, are you looking to practice protective spells?" Lawrence’s face lit up with surprise.
"Yes."
Gauss came here with the goal of mutual training among members. Initially, he wanted to come to this town and spend some money to hire others, but now that there is something free, it’s naturally better.
To enhance his Mage Armor requires collecting a large amount of feedback from being hit, and the types should be as diverse as possible. After he gained magic resistance, the 1st Ring Mage Armor seemed to display a certain resistance to magic. He speculated it might resist other 0th Ring tricks’ attack effects.
And this Caster Mutual Aid Association is undoubtedly his best training ground, where he can gather enough data and deepen his understanding of the resonance between magic power and Mage Armor through continuous practice.
"Shall we start then?" Lawrence led Gauss to a training room.
Though the building looked quite ordinary on the outside, the interior was remarkably well-arranged, especially inside the training room, where powerful spell traces were clearly visible on the surrounding walls—spells obviously beyond the capacity of a Caster Apprentice to wield.
The association is also backed by professional casters.
"The trick I have mastered is Cold Touch." Lawrence introduced himself.
In their Mutual Aid Association, apprentices specializing in the Protective series are the most popular. Taking advantage before other members arrive, he naturally wanted to get enough practice with Gauss first.
Cold Touch? Gauss glanced at Lawrence, surprised to find that this young man, with his thick eyebrows and upright demeanor, had a core skill that was a Necromancy trick, quite a contrast.
"Let me feel it first."
Gauss activated Mage Armor. The next moment, an invisible Protective Field gathered around him. On closer inspection, there was a faint glow of light blue luster at the base of the protection.
That was his inherent magic resistance.
It seemed to have a particular influence on the original Mage Armor.
Lawrence nodded, and the next moment, he stretched out his right hand. As he closed his eyes and focused, a second later, an ethereal green skeleton-shaped ghost hand slowly emerged in front of him.
As soon as the ghost hand appeared, Gauss felt as if he was in the cold chill of a tomb, but it lasted only a moment. His inherent magic resistance seemed to dispel this negative effect for him.
Lawrence, seeing Gauss’s calm demeanor throughout, nodded secretly in approval.
No wonder he was able to obtain a recommendation letter from Ms. Andri; his skills and mental resilience were indeed stronger than most Caster Apprentices.
Though his 0th Ring trick Cold Touch might seem unimpressive, most apprentices who encounter it up close for the first time are startled by its accompanying eerie chill, a psychological oppression from Necromancy tricks.
"Let’s begin formal training."
As the initial test, the ethereal green skeleton ghost hand gently touched Gauss’s Mage Armor.
Although called Cold Touch, this Necromancy trick is essentially negative energy erosion, which the original Mage Armor would likely struggle to withstand.
However, with magic resistance, the effect was different.
After the brief contact, ripples quickly spread across the Mage Armor, but thanks to Gauss’s unique resistance emanating from his body, it eventually stabilized.
A bit weak? Upon contact, Gauss felt a chill from Cold Touch and shivered, but there were no further adverse reactions.
Meanwhile, he felt that his magic power seemed re-energized after the attack, and that resonance effect with Mage Armor reappeared!
"Please don’t stop."
Originally, seeing Gauss’s lack of reaction left Lawrence surprised and slightly disappointed. Hearing Gauss’s request, he continued attacking Gauss.
One ghost claw after another kept scratching at Gauss, the Mage Armor constantly rippling under the ghost claw’s erosion.
Thus, Gauss remained in a cycle of external cold and internal warmth.
In such alternating cold and warmth, his unique version of Mage Armor gradually became more resilient.
"Mage Armor proficiency +1"
"Mage Armor lv3 (0/50)"
Finally, at a certain moment, text flashed before Gauss’s eyes.
Mage Armor successfully advanced to lv3.
On his body surface, Mage Armor seemed to have strengthened slightly, and with it came a layer of special magic-resistant coating.
Feeling the solid defense surrounding him inside the armor, Gauss realized the significance of a 1st Ring spell reaching lv3.
Unlike a 0th Ring trick reaching lv3 proficiency, a 1st Ring spell at lv3 proficiency develops a unique personal style.
The same spell, in the hands of different people, will display subtly different effects. With deep understanding and continuous exploration, one ultimately forms their personalized spell.
The spell at this moment had already evolved beyond its original form, possibly even becoming a new spell.
Gauss closed his eyes.
Feeling the Mage Armor entering a new phase, he understood its transformation.
Deeply integrating the power of magic resistance, the original Mage Armor began evolving toward "All-Purpose Armor."
Of course, "all-purpose" here is just a concept. In reality, achieving all-purpose protection is impossible in a short time, given the countless attack types in the world.
Furthermore, this relates to many factors: magic intensity, the strength of magic resistance, Mage Armor skill proficiency, etc.
Achieving the ultimate form of all-purpose protection is still a long evolutionary process.
However, the unique "Mage Armor" now undoubtedly possesses greater growth and adaptability. Perhaps in the future, like this addition of magic resistance, it could incorporate other abilities.
Maybe, as a core skill, it’s not merely armor!
Gauss opened his eyes, a gleam flashing through them.
Lawrence, already exhausted, sat on the ground, having used up all his magic power.
Looking at Gauss, still energetic, he marveled secretly, thinking Ms. Andri must have recommended a monster; the strength was terrifying.
It felt less like facing a fellow Caster Apprentice and more like confronting a professional caster.
"Well done." Gauss pulled him up from the ground, helping him to a nearby chair.
"Are you really at the apprentice stage?" Lawrence was still shock-stricken, asking.
"What else? If I were professional, why would I be here training?" Gauss smiled and retorted.
True...
Lawrence, seeing Gauss’s relaxed demeanor, felt increasingly powerless, encountering a talented peer, expending all efforts, unable to shake.
"Are there any other arrangements for today?"
Gauss wanted to practice with others again.
His Mage Armor had reached lv3, but there was still some way to go before fully achieving resonance between magic power and Mage Armor; he needed to collect a vast amount of varied feedback from being hit.
Essentially, it was a mutual practice, without saying anyone was the sparring partner.
"Yes, there are." Lawrence rested for a moment. "I’ll call someone later."
Reminded by Gauss, he pulled himself together.
He couldn’t believe it.
Was Gauss truly that strong?
Calming down, he thought perhaps his Necromancy trick was just countered by the other party. Otherwise, there was no reason the opponent had no reaction during the first encounter.
If it were another trick, maybe the protection wouldn’t have worked as well.