Chapter 239: The Elemental Inscriptions' Enhancement to Alchemy
Inside the Alchemy workshop in the Trunk World.
Leonardo began testing the effects of the Advanced Earth Elemental Inscription.
A new marking had appeared on the pad of his right index finger — an earthy ochre pattern formed by three overlapping triangles, resembling a miniature mountain peak.
Unlike the Lightning and Water Elemental Inscriptions, this new one felt heavier. More settled.
Even so, Leonardo could feel the earth element in the surroundings slowly drawing toward him.
The inscription had increased his affinity for the earth element. Earth magic now hit harder, and compared to the lightning and water inscriptions he already carried, the earth element responded more deeply to the environment around him.
As long as his feet were on solid ground, earth magic under the inscription's influence would always be operating at full strength.
For the moment, though, what he most wanted to examine was how much his Alchemy had improved now that he held both the water and earth elemental inscriptions simultaneously.
After testing across a range of areas, the satisfaction and excitement in Leonardo's expression were difficult to miss.
The four base elements — water, fire, earth, and wind — held a position of central importance in Alchemy. Studying their composition, structure, and magical properties was a lifelong pursuit for any alchemist. Each had its own distinct character, and each played an indispensable role in the alchemical process.
Take water and earth as examples.
The water element was defined by softness. In Alchemy, it served as a harmoniser and purifier, dissolving impurities, nourishing materials, and conducting energy.
The earth element was defined by stability. In Alchemy, it served as a foundation and storehouse, forming carrier structures, storing energy, and precipitating impurities.
As Leonardo's elemental inscriptions strengthened his command over their respective elements, he could wield them with far greater precision and effect during the alchemical process. Every fine adjustment, every precise manipulation of the four elements within their assigned roles, could determine whether a piece of work succeeded or failed.
"A qualitative change in Alchemy…"
The raw boost to magical power that the elemental inscriptions provided — the straightforward improvement to combat ability — had ceased to be what interested him most. What they did for his Alchemy was far more compelling.
The inscriptions heightened his affinity for the corresponding elements and sharpened the precision and control he could bring to working with them. It was like observing the alchemical process through an entirely new set of eyes.
And now that the earth inscription had joined the other two, Leonardo could feel the connections between all three becoming more pronounced.
If he could gather the remaining fire and wind elemental inscriptions, the anticipated improvement to his command of the base elements alone would be worth looking forward to — and that was before considering what further interactions might emerge between all five at once.
Leonardo wanted to push deeper into Alchemy. To learn more, to understand more.
"Now that I have the earth elemental inscription, maybe the remote-communication alchemical device could actually be finished during the tournament?"
The Alchemy exchange tournament was divided into two main sections: a written examination and a practical component.
The practical itself had two parts. The first required competitors to produce a specified magical item — roughly comparable in difficulty to the Alchemy N.E.W.T. The second was open-ended: competitors could create whatever they were most confident in, and a panel of judges would assess the results.
Leonardo had originally intended to submit a different alchemical item for the open segment, since the magical mobile phone — the remote-communication device — wasn't finished yet.
But with his affinity and control over two base elements now significantly enhanced, he thought the development could move considerably faster.
And when the magical mobile phone made its debut, it was likely to cause quite a stir.