Tier Three!
Zhang Ye opened his eyes and immediately began copying and analyzing skills.
【Exploding Fireball: Tier Three fire magic. Condenses an exploding fireball; performs directional damage.】
【Water Whip: Tier Three water magic. Condenses water into a whip; performs damage by swinging with the arm.】
【Earth Spike: Tier Three earth magic. Summons earth spikes; performs damage in a fan shape.】
...
From Tier Three onward, there were no power assessments. According to Ella, subsequent magic would increase in power as the user's mana quantity and quality improved.
It was just like how a Tier Three mage and a Saint-tier mage could both release an Exploding Fireball, but the latter's power would be infinitely greater than the former's. The power depended on the individual and could not be generalized.
The copy duration for Tier Three magic remained fifteen minutes, while the analysis time required two hours.
It seemed that the copy duration for magic at the same tier as Zhang Ye was fifteen minutes, while magic at lower tiers could last longer.
Since Zhang Ye needed to analyze more magical skills as quickly as possible, the efficiency of analyzing spells of his own tier was the highest. He didn't feel the obsessive need to analyze those Tier Zero spells.
Starting from Tier Two, magic possessed a certain degree of lethality. For example, a Great Fireball could kill a person instantly if it hit a vital spot. Zhang Ye also tested the 【Exploding Fireball】 after its analysis was complete; it could directly shatter and incinerate a tree trunk as thick as a thigh. A direct hit on an ordinary person would definitely be fatal!
Furthermore, Zhang Ye’s Perfect Mastery allowed him to release multiple spells simultaneously. As long as his mana reserves were sufficient, he could even release dozens of Exploding Fireballs at once!
With dozens of Tier Three spells raining down, even a Tier Four magical beast would likely struggle. Thus, Zhang Ye felt he was finally capable of grinding monsters to level up.
However, for safety's sake, he spent some more time analyzing all the Tier Three magic Leona possessed. After practicing for another night, his mana quality and reserves had both improved, and his skill analysis was complete. He only prepared to go out and level up the following day.
Early the next morning, Zhang Ye was practically buzzing with anticipation.
Nevertheless, he made some preparations, brewing a pot of soup to feed Leona before heading out to level up.
This time, his targets were magical beasts below Tier Three.
Although his magical power was greater than those of the same tier and he could perform simultaneous instant casts—enough to one-shot those at his level—he had absolutely no combat experience. For safety, he wanted to practice with lower-tier magical beasts first.
Before leaving, he used the Tier Three magic 【Stone Wall】 to seal the cave entrance. After ensuring Leona would be safe, Zhang Ye finally stepped into the forest with Gujiu, feeling at ease.
“Where are the magical beasts?” Zhang Ye looked around. He wondered if it was because of Leona’s mana fluctuations, but he didn't see a single magical beast in the vicinity.
Well, although he was now Tier Three, he couldn't clearly perceive the mana fluctuations coming from Leona. Ella said this was due to the massive gap in their tiers. Furthermore, Leona’s mana fluctuations weren't directed at him but at magical beasts. Coupled with the fact that Zhang Ye lacked the sharp intuition of a beast, he couldn't sense her aura.
Left with no choice, he had to venture further away.
As he walked, Zhang Ye used his mana to leave marks. This way, when he returned, he could use mana perception to find his way back and avoid getting lost in the forest.
Zhang Ye still needed to strengthen his application of mana. After all, magic mastery and mana mastery were not the same thing.
Fortunately, under the state of Perfect Mastery of magic, he could reverse-engineer mana control. By constantly familiarizing himself with how mana was utilized, he believed it wouldn't be long before his mana mastery also reached the level of “perfect.”
Because his tier had increased, his constitution had also been greatly enhanced. Even after walking several li through the forest, Zhang Ye didn't feel tired; instead, he grew increasingly excited.
Finally, at a spot seven li away from the rock cave, he encountered his first magical beast.
A Fanged Rabbit!
That’s right, it was the Tier One magical beast that Ella had previously said Zhang Ye couldn't defeat.
The Fanged Rabbit looked very similar to a rabbit from Earth, but it had two pairs of long ears and was about the size of a husky. It had two sharp fangs near its mouth, which was the origin of its name.
【Fanged Rabbit: Tier One water-type magical beast!】
The Fanged Rabbit was not a herbivore but an omnivore; it would eat grass if there was grass and meat if there was meat!
So when it saw Zhang Ye, the Fanged Rabbit didn't run away. Instead, it stared at him and licked its lips, as if considering whether to treat this two-legged creature as food.
Zhang Ye immediately got a bit annoyed. “Hey, I haven't even eaten you yet, and you're already thinking about eating me?”
“Fine, we're having grilled rabbit today!”
With that, Zhang Ye was about to release a spell, but the Fanged Rabbit beat him to it. It opened its mouth and condensed a Water Arrow, which shot straight toward Zhang Ye’s face.
Zhang Ye was startled and dodged it with a clumsy roll.
“Oof...” Zhang Ye shook the dust off his head.
Sure enough, novels couldn't be trusted. Ordinary people had trouble dealing with normal wild animals, let alone magical beasts.
A magical beast's reaction speed was much faster than a human's, and they also possessed innate magic. For instance, the Fanged Rabbit’s innate magic was 【Water Arrow】.
Even if the power wasn't great, for a combat novice like Zhang Ye, it was enough to make him a little flustered.
After all, this was his first time using magic in battle. People needed an adaptation process, and the thick-nerved Zhang Ye was no exception.
Unless someone was a special forces international assassin, the idea of a normal person transmigrating and immediately conquering everything without blinking an eye was nonsense—it was crazy.
Once he regained his composure, Zhang Ye immediately released a spell.
【Low-tier Rock Armor】!
Instantly, a magic circle appeared behind Zhang Ye, and armor composed of rock appeared on his body.
The rock armor encased his entire body, making him look like a heavy cavalryman from the Middle Ages. His defensive power surged; a Tier Three defensive spell could absolutely block a Tier One 【Water Arrow】.
Sure enough, in the next moment, the Fanged Rabbit spat out a Water Arrow that landed on Zhang Ye. It was blocked by the rock armor, which didn't even show a scratch, only a few water spots.
Zhang Ye was overjoyed, but the Fanged Rabbit was shocked.
With its low intelligence, it now realized that the two-legged creature before it was not something it could handle. It made a split-second decision and bolted.
Ordinary wild rabbits could reach speeds of sixty or seventy kilometers per hour, let alone a magical beast. Zhang Ye only saw a blur as the Fanged Rabbit vanished.
“Holy crap!” Zhang Ye was stunned. He wanted to give chase but forgot he was still wearing the rock armor.
The rock armor was incredibly heavy. Even with mana assistance, it still hindered his movement to some extent. Zhang Ye wasn't paying attention, tripped over his own feet, and fell flat on his face.
“Ow...” Zhang Ye deactivated the Rock Armor and rubbed his chest as he climbed to his feet.
As expected, he lacked combat experience far too much. Even a Tier One Fanged Rabbit could play him for a fool.
However, he didn't lose heart. Instead, he felt that this was more realistic.
Although he was weak and lacked combat experience right now, he believed he would soon become strong.
He wanted to enjoy the process of becoming stronger!
“Let’s go! I'm going to find another Fanged Rabbit. If I don't eat rabbit today, I'll take the Jade Emperor's surname!”
Ella asked curiously, “What is the Jade Emperor's surname?”
Zhang Ye: “It's Zhang.”
Ella: “...”
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