Chapter 36: The Mouth is Tougher Than the Body
Kraft, on the other hand, exclaimed, "No wonder it could heavily injure that demon."
This power was already enough to injure most monsters heavily, and even mighty warriors might not be able to withstand it. The sheer destructive force went beyond anything he'd encountered in his centuries of combat.
At least for him, facing such an attack, he could only dodge.
Serie stood still, a strange light flickering in her eyes. The analytical part of her mind was already dissecting the spell's construction, cataloging its innovations.
She quickly walked towards Kurtz, her voice filled with rare excitement, and grabbed Kurtz's hand directly.
"Teach me!"
Her tone contained a hint of command, though Kurtz had no intention of refusing anyway. The grip of her small fingers was surprisingly firm against his palm.
"Of course, but this magic isn't perfect yet; theoretically, its power should be able to increase even further."
"I know!" Serie's tone was steadfast.
"Your magic power isn't enough, so you can only unleash this much power, and the control process is very crude. If it could be refined, the explosion range could increase further."
The technical critique came naturally to her, but underneath lay genuine admiration for his innovation.
"Serie, this power is already terrifying, and you still want to strengthen its power? "
Kraft stepped forward, looking at the scorched pit not far away, then turned to Kurtz and smiled helplessly. The crater still radiated residual heat, distorting the air above it.
"Good thing this isn't in the Elf Forest; otherwise, after causing such a huge commotion and destruction, Kurtz, you'd definitely be arrested."
"Cough, cough! I can consider throwing it into the sky next time, that way it won't cause so much destruction."
But Serie didn't care about these things: "How did you come up with this magic?"
"Hmm... probably a sudden flash of inspiration? But the basic principle is still based on your Elves' light magic."
"I see."
Serie immediately understood that the moment everyone's vision went black earlier was not an illusion; it was this magic at work. The realization sent a thrill of excitement through her, such elegant theory in practice.
In that instant, the light in this space disappeared.
Kurtz had condensed these lights, releasing such terrifying, destructive power.
Watching the few of them discussing intently, Norn quietly said to Eric.
"It seems the magic we're going to learn is more powerful than we imagined."
Norn was actually more interested in the water-creation magic Kurtz demonstrated, as these were spells that could immediately help the villagers.
Practical magic that could improve daily life held more appeal than raw destruction.
But Eric, beside him, didn't think so.
Eric rubbed his hands excitedly.
"This is what's interesting! I don't want to learn those petty tricks! Explosion is Man's true charm. Bigger the better."
If he was going to learn, he wanted to learn something grand, powerful magic that could protect everyone and kill all enemies.
The hunger for strength burned like bright flames in his eyes.
The divergence in their views on magic might, in some ways, determine their future paths.
...
Kurtz and his group temporarily stayed in this human village.
On one hand, after gaining Serie's consent, Kurtz planned to teach magic to the people here; on the other hand, Serie's current magic power was overdrawn and required some time to recover.
Taking advantage of his free time, Kurtz came to Serie, who was sitting on a large stone, holding a small bowl of emerald green medicinal soup,
"Drink this; it can speed up your mana recovery."
Through the herbal knowledge he had learned from Kraft, Kurtz discovered this magic-restoring herb in the forest.
Kurtz also used his experience from his previous life to give it a simple and easy-to-understand name.
"Mana Recovery Potion."
Serie took the potion, hesitated for a moment, and then tilted her head back to drink it. The liquid caught the afternoon light, swirling like liquid jade in the bowl.
The bitter taste made her frown, but soon, she could feel the magic power in her body slowly recovering. The sensation was like warm streams flowing through dried riverbeds.
"It tastes bad," she commented with distaste, her nose wrinkling slightly.
"As long as it's useful," Kurtz took back the empty bowl, noting her expression with quiet amusement.
Norn had discovered this herb, growing right next to the herbs he had been given earlier to aid in his recovery from injuries.
According to him, they occasionally picked some and consumed them together, which seemed to speed up injury recovery.
No wonder Serie could feel their magical aura when she first saw them; it was likely due to consuming these herbs. The mystery had been bothering her since their first meeting.
"How are they doing with their magic studies?"
Serie pretended to ask casually, then turned her head and, while Kurtz wasn't looking, stuck out her little tongue, as if to dispel the bitter taste of the herb.
However, just as she turned her head back, she saw Kurtz hand her a bright red fruit. Her cheeks flushed slightly at being caught in such an undignified moment.
"They're doing alright, but I don't know why, even though I've demonstrated it many times, they still say they don't understand."
Kurtz felt that he was becoming increasingly skilled at taking care of Serie. The realization brought him a quiet satisfaction he didn't quite want to examine.
Just as he did this time, when he brought her the herbal soup, he also got a wild fruit to alleviate the bitterness.
"That's normal," Serie said, taking the fruit and taking a small bite.
"No matter what race, the first time they learn magic, they're completely confused."
The sweet taste dispelled the bitterness, causing Serie's little legs to sway gently unconsciously. The childlike gesture contrasted sharply with her usual composed demeanor.
"How did you learn magic back then?"
"Hmm... subconsciously, I guess?"
Kurtz couldn't remember either. His cheat ability made the whole process feel so natural that it was hard to explain.
He had just been trying to make a fire when a sudden flash of inspiration struck, and then somehow, he managed to create fire magic.
The same went for all the subsequent water-creation magic.
"Everyone's talent is different. Although they have magical talent, it's not as good as yours."
Serie paused, actually, her magical talent also seemed not as good as Kurtz's.
"But they should be able to get started soon."
She would never admit that her magical talent was not as good as Kurtz's. The thought pricked at her pride in ways she didn't want to acknowledge.
"But I really didn't expect Kraft to have no objections," Kurtz sighed.
He knew that Kraft was present when he taught those two, and Kraft completely ignored the magic Kurtz demonstrated, which was unique to the Elves.
"Don't mind him."
Serie replied casually, taking another bite of the fruit.
She taught Kurtz's magic, and she allowed him to teach it to others. Even if Kraft had an opinion, he should come to her.
However, as it currently stood, he probably had no intention of interfering with this matter.
"Do you think there's a possibility that Kraft could join us on our adventure?"
Kraft was very strong. His presence would make their journey significantly safer.
His combat experience was also very rich; after all, his age was a factor that could never be ignored, and Serie was considered a junior in his eyes.
Although he had previously stated that he didn't intend to travel with them, Kurtz still wanted to give it a try.
Serie shook her head, rejecting Kurtz's idea.
"Impossible. Kraft has a special status among the Elves and is basically very busy all the time; he can't accompany you on an adventure, it's impossible."
Kraft was more famous among the Elves than she was. The weight of reputation brought its own chains.
She was famous for her unconventional ideas, while Kraft was famous for his seniority and strength.
Naturally, he would be assigned more critical tasks.
"So, it seems you're one of the less busy ones among your Elves, then?"
Kurtz teased, unable to resist the opportunity.
Hearing him say that, Serie's cheeks puffed out slightly, clearly a little angry. The fruit paused halfway to her mouth.
Because what Kurtz said was true.
She was too young and generally did not participate in the Elves' various missions. It was a sore point she tried not to think about.
"Nonsense! I have a special status too, alright!"
Kurtz chuckled, the sound warm in the afternoon air.
This petite master in front of him was soft all over, but her mouth was incredibly stubborn. The contradiction between her fierce words and gentle nature never failed to amuse him.
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