Chapter 583: Frostburst Blade

In total, there were nine forms of Aquamancy.

The most common, obviously, being ‘Form’: To draw moisture from the air and condense it into liquid water.

This was the most basic of Aquamancy techniques, and the one every Aquamancer was most familiar with.

As the most rudimentary of techniques, the water that was produced—if not subjected to higher-level techniques or transformations—could only be used for the simplest attacks, dealing little damage to speak of. The Aqua Bullet, for example, only did a pitiful three points of Magical Damage.

The next technique was ‘Freeze.’

Once the water was hardened into solid ice, it produced dramatic increases to damage and defensive potential. Frost Arrows, Frost Lances, and Chilling effects… Once an Aquamancer became proficient in this technique, they would be toothless no longer. To put it another way, this technique was what truly made an Aquamancer.

Then there was ‘Burst!’

A low-level elemental technique available to Tier 3 Aquamancers, it was the first time they would gain any sort of area-attack capability—their first damaging area-effect spell.

Although it wasn’t that powerful, if used with skill and precision, it could nevertheless serve as the Aquamancer’s primary weapon. Consider the case of Qin Ruo, who’d used simultaneous Frostbursts and the Twelve Frostramparts Formation to win himself the title of ‘Winter Demon.’

***

In that sense, there were hardly any Aquamancers who were superior to Qin Ruo in the understanding and use of these low-level Aquamancy techniques.

When it came to mid-level Aquamancy, however, Qin Ruo was a long way from satisfactory!

After he’d reached Tier 4, Qin Ruo had skyrocketed through his levels, never spending any substantial amount of time on mastering the mid-level Aquamancy techniques available at Tier 4.

Although he’d nonetheless spent far more time on this than the grand majority of regular players, it was nowhere close to the amount he’d done in Tier 3. His proficiency with these three further techniques was a pale shadow compared to his mastery over the low-level stuff.

“Pierce!” As Qin Ruo intoned this softly, the mass of water before him drew itself into a tapering point, obeying his will. Even liquid water could be shaped into a deadly weapon with this technique!

With a thought, the Aqua Arrow he’d created with ‘Form’ and ‘Pierce’ was sent hurtling away. At a speed worthy of a Frost Arrow, it slammed right into a hapless Blacksteel Zombie nearby.

The Level 58 Blacksteel Zombie was one of Dinosaurcerer’s latest targets for his Sealing efforts. With an unlimited supply of Spectral Mana Cores from the Underworld, these days Dinosaurcerer’s favorite side pursuit when not training levels was sealing away all manner of Undead, and then giving them away as gifts.

(Of course, these gifts came with a catch: Typically, Qin Ruo had to exchange several Mana Cores for one such Soul Stone.)

With no weapon in hand, Qin Ruo’s Magical Damage was limited to 320 or less. Even so, an Aqua Arrow formed out of plain water was able to deal over eight hundred damage to the Arcane Zombie.

Essentially, ‘Pierce’ was a sharpening Elementalism technique, which increased damage slightly.

Up until now, Qin Ruo had favored speed instead, and so avoided using this technique. However, after much experimentation in the Underworld, a thought had suddenly occurred to him: Although this meager increase in damage was unlikely to prove decisive in combat, and lengthened casting time as well, it might not be completely without its uses.

On the opening strike, at least, players typically had plenty of time to ready their first spell. With that in mind, Qin Ruo had been inspired to combine this technique with a homing spell, enhancing damage so that he could establish a definite advantage right from the first move.

The first experimental subject—

But it was a terrible pity: The default spells were generally considered to be finished products, and could not be modified any further.

Qin Ruo found this somewhat disappointing—he’d been hoping to raise the damage on his Lycan Barrage. If he could enhance the damage on a multi-hit attack spell like that, the total damage produced would be even more fearsome! However—

‘Hold on…’

A new idea had surfaced: Although the standard spells couldn’t be altered, what about his own custom spells? Could those still be refined further?

Now his thoughts turned to how he’d used his Mimic skill to make his Compressed Frost Bullet Barrage appear as three flying skulls, disguising their true nature.

Eureka!

Qin Ruo suddenly burst into action.

‘Form!’

***

“Qin, what are you up to? You’ve been hanging around there for a while now.”

Not far away, Xin Yu had just wiped out a bunch of Skeletons, and now she shot a curious look in Qin Ruo’s direction, bewildered.

Although Pretty Woman had already explained this to her several times, what Xin Yu saw was Qin Ruo casting and unleashing his Aqua Magic repeatedly, but he seemed to be damaging a Blacksteel Zombie only to heal it back up again. It left her rather stupefied.

“Careful!” a man abruptly yelled from nearby.

Alarmed, Xin Yu noticed a Phantom Skeleton spawning in their vicinity, and scrambled to engage it.

The Level 50 Phantom Skeleton was a Bandit-type close-combat monster. Although not as powerful as a Tier 6 Skeleton, it was very fast, and together with its Stealth and Ambush abilities, it was a dangerous solo opponent for any Bandit to take on.

A few hours ago, Xin Yu had depended upon both her equipment as well as potions to be able to barely hold her own against a Phantom Skeleton. However, under the tutelage of Fateless, Xin Yu was really getting to grips with the basics of close-quarters combat. She didn’t need to use potions anymore, and it was no longer a challenge for her to take down a Phantom Skeleton on her own—although she was still some way from the flawless technique Fateless demanded of her.

“Remember: You are a Bandit. On the battlefield, losing your focus for even a single moment could be your end.” As he observed Xin Yu’s performance, Fateless lectured her coldly from the sidelines.

Sticking out her tongue, she nodded meekly. “It won’t happen again.”

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“Hm.” Fateless had found it somewhat annoying for Qin Ruo to summon him to the Underworld on short notice to serve as Xin Yu’s coach and babysitter. Seeing her behavior, however, little by little he was getting over it, and he’d begun to pass his expertise down to her, one lesson at a time.

In just half a day, Xin Yu had advanced from a normal, run-of-the-mill Bandit to being able to see through the Phantom Skeleton’s Stealth ability with the naked eye. Fateless felt that his time hadn’t been wasted on this apprentice that Qin Ruo had handed over to him.

He was also beginning to understand what Qin Ruo was truly after.

Shaping Xin Yu into a decent Bandit over the span of three days, and then providing her further advantages via equipment, potions, and a Pet… she could yet become another one of the stars within the Fallen Angels League!

Qin Ruo had high hopes for Xin Yu, and Fateless likewise believed that he could make something of her.

Meanwhile…

Fateless cast a glance at what was going on nearby. He was still trying out new things? There was no end to his talents. Small wonder that he could command the power and prestige that he did today.

He hadn’t moved from that spot for hours now, drilling the same spells and techniques over and over again. His perseverance was truly startling!

“Eh?” Just as he’d been about to look away, Fateless noticed something out of the corner of his eye—Qin Ruo was doing something different this time!

Before this, he’d just been testing out simpler Elementalism techniques. This, however… a Compressed Frost Bullet? Fateless had finally recognized the spell being cast.

Torrents of water surged in until an azure sphere, thirty centimeters across, had formed above Qin Ruo’s palm. Dense ripples played over its surface, and thrummed through its core.

‘What’s he up to this time?’ Fateless was transfixed.

One, two, three… five seconds passed, and still nothing had happened. And yet, Fateless could sense that the writhing mass of water Qin Ruo held was becoming increasingly unstable.

Eight seconds…

Ten seconds!

‘Splash!’

Fateless averted his gaze as his composure shattered, but already he was wondering if he could make a video clip from the recording he’d just taken, and maybe sell it off to Black Rock. Subjugator might even consider it worth an Embedded Stone.

***

Many times now he’d tried to apply the Pierce technique to the Compressed Aquaball, to no avail, until his last attempt had caused the whole thing to burst apart, drenching him from head to toe.

Qin Ruo was sputtering mad.

“Spheres have no corners. There’s nothing to sharpen. What a blooming idiot I am!”

“Form!” he whispered, drawing the water out from his damp clothes and even his hair.

Qin Ruo refused to despair.

In the end, he only had those few custom-made spells. Besides his Compressed Frost Bullet, there was the Ice Net and the Twelve Frostramparts Formation—neither of which were suitable for this.

“Hmph! If you don’t have any corners for me, I’ll pull one out of you.”

Once again, Qin Ruo began to cast the previous spell!

Once again, water churned as it was channeled into his grasp.

As the Compressed Aquaball took form, Qin Ruo immediately drew it out into a different shape. The pressurized water that it was composed of, inherently malleable, was suddenly stretched out into a glittering blue blade.

It was working!

Delighted, Qin Ruo swiftly carried on to the next step.

Pierce!

The blade of water, its surface rippling violently a moment ago, had suddenly become smooth and glossy, a razor-sharp edge leading to a finely tapered point!

This was it!

Eyes alight, Qin Ruo didn’t lose a single moment. “Freeze!”

Bone-chilling cold rolled off the newly formed ice shard. He waved his hand, and the blade of ice, created through a combination of ‘Form’ and ‘Pierce’, hurtled away!

Carrying with it a bitter chill, it stabbed into the Blacksteel Zombie.

With his Elemental Perception, Qin Ruo could sense that in the instant before his spell hit the Zombie, the overwhelming cold from it had already coated its pallid skin with a thick layer of frost. Frozen and slowed down, crystalline structures of ice had even formed around the heart that he’d been aiming for.

The blade bit deep into flesh!

Even Fateless was watching in awe.

The blade, over two feet in length, penetrated right through the Blacksteel Zombie, renowned for the resilience of its body. Half the blade was protruding out the other side.

“That’s pretty sharp.”

Fateless cried out in silence as the icy shard suddenly burst apart with a sharp crystalline crack, spraying countless Ice Blades in every direction!

The mirth drained out of his expression. Looking down at the broken shards of ice that now littered the ground all around the Blacksteel Zombie, equal parts shock and excitement were playing across his face!