Chapter 211: Activated Wood

Ace leaned in and watched the two pieces of wood that looked somewhat confused. They kept bumping into each other, seemingly wanting to connect, but only producing clapping sounds, which was counterproductive.

“The degree of activation seems insufficient. They don’t know how to proliferate and graft. Let’s try adjusting the expression of the Activation Rune to make them a bit ‘smarter.’”

Ace said while attempting to adjust the expression of the Activation Rune in the Spell Model.

“In addition, we need to reverse-engineer the Soul Runes of the four runes in the Life Magic series, and then stabilize the shaping so that the proliferated wood can maintain a fixed form. We should continuously observe the Mana Crystal Shaping process and try to create a new Shaping Rune. Lend me the Spirit of the Book.”

The mirror image added, walking over to Ace, taking the cowlick from his head, and inserting it into his own.

Days passed. Ace gradually found the appropriate imperfect expression of the Activation Rune.

“We can delete and modify this part and this part of the Activation Rune. I call the resulting rune Lesser Activation #2. This rune can fully express the level of activation and is perfect for activating wood.”

Ace traced a Lesser Rune stroke by stroke in the air and said to the mirror image.

“This expression works. With the help of the Spirit of the Book, I have successfully reverse-engineered the Soul Runes of the four Lesser Runes and created a rune that can stabilize shaping. I call it the Lesser Shaping Rune. When we activate this rune, we need to imagine a specific image. When the Spell Model containing the Lesser Shaping Rune is activated, this image will be the final form of the target.”

The mirror image said, the cowlick on his head swaying slightly as if nodding. He casually traced a Lesser Rune, floating in the air.

Ace pulled the cowlick from the mirror image’s head, flicked the continuously nodding cowlick, and then inserted it into his own head. He said to the mirror image with satisfaction: “Then let us begin the attempt to create activated wood.”

Ace began tracing and combining the Spell Model. Although this was a Lesser Spell, the micro-manipulation involved was quite complex. There were two main difficulties.

First, strong intention was needed to determine the expression of the Shaping Rune, ensuring the wood eventually grew into the desired shape. Second, using mental telepathy similar to whispering, the wood needed to be induced to proliferate and graft, ultimately becoming a whole.

Even if this activated wood lost its activation properties, it would no longer be a simple inanimate object but Magified Wood with initial magification. This was Ace’s goal.

If he only wanted to build an ordinary wooden sailing ship, there was no need for such trouble. But he wanted not a simple wooden sailing ship, but a Magic Brig.

A hull composed entirely of magified material could serve as a carrier for various Rune Arrays. Only by inscribing various Rune Arrays could it be a true Magic Sailing Ship, worthy of being a Wizard’s vessel.

Ace’s eyes sparkled. He activated the Spell Model. Accompanied by the pulse of Mana, a log in front of him was enveloped and transformed by the Mana of the Spell Model.

Slowly, the log turned into a standard ship plank. Subsequently, he repeated the process, creating hundreds of planks of various shapes.

Under the whisper of Ace’s mental telepathy, the activated planks spontaneously assembled into sections of the keel. Accompanied by the pulse of Mana, Ace sprinkled fertilizer made from compost, which was quickly absorbed by the activated planks, extracting the nutrients and causing them to dry and crack.

Under Ace’s control, the planks gradually began to proliferate, intertwining and merging with each other, slowly forming a unified whole.

Ace looked with satisfaction at the integrated keel that was taking shape and muttered to himself:

“This spell shall be called Lesser Activated Wood!

How can a true Wizard Apprentice use Magic just to build an ordinary brig? I want a true Magic Brig. This will be the largest Magic Item in the High Tower Territory to date, and it will be our mobile fortress at sea!”

While Ace was experimenting, Daina and Betty led a group of Wizard Apprentices and finally completed the harbor district.

The land area had been built with a cluster of buildings in the standard Medimus City-State style. The three-story villa-style building of the Harbor Administration Office was adjacent to the paved avenue. The fishermen’s residential area was connected to the fishing boat berths in the water area. Warehouses and shops were located where they could be directly accessed from the merchant ship berthing area. The naval sailor camp was adjacent to the military port berth.

On the east side of the entire harbor was a standard dry dock building. Inside this building, a large pit had been dug, connected to the harbor water area outside. Ships would be assembled here. With the rising tide, releasing the iron chains of the pit would allow the finished ship to be launched into the water.

Daina wore a fitted Magic Robe, her slender and tall figure faintly visible. She looked at the orderly harbor district and said with satisfaction to Borg and the others: “Our construction is complete. You are the Harbor Administration Director recommended by Leon. Let us report this construction to Lord Ace together.”

At noon that day, Daina, Betty, Borg, and the others arrived at the Magic School castle. Daina placed her hand on the scanning and identification Rune Array on the castle gate, inputting her Inherent Mana. Accompanied by the creaking sound of the castle gate slowly opening, the group filed in.

Because most apprentices had been taken by Daina and Betty to construct the harbor district, there were few Wizard Apprentices in the castle. As they entered, the entire hall became lively.

Apprentices familiarly found their seats, waiting for lunch in twos and threes. Bayen had also received news of the apprentices’ return via the Grimoire early in the morning.

He wore a black Magic Robe and Monster leather boots. His gray hair was combed neatly, and his face was ruddy and spirited.

Seeing Daina and the others, Bayen greeted them first. Some ordinary people in the castle were specifically responsible for the apprentices’ catering in the back kitchen. Bayen had arranged a sumptuous lunch early in the morning, waiting for everyone to return. He said to Daina and the others:

“Daina, Betty, you have worked hard. In less than a month, you built an orderly harbor district on wasteland. Today you are the great contributors. I have prepared lunch. Let’s eat together and celebrate. This is also the intention of Lord Torch-Bearer. He will arrive in person later.”

Daina had intended to decline and immediately seek audience with Ace, but hearing it was Ace’s intention, she was no longer in a hurry. She said: “Since it is Lord Ace’s wish, we must obey.”

Sweet and delicious white bread, rich cheese, oily roasted leg of lamb, sizzling marmot ribs—ordinary food and magical food were served one by one.

Caruso’s eyes lit up immediately. Spike-Headed Marmot ribs were good stuff. Not only were they chewy and refreshing, but they also contained abundant Mana. Consuming them for the first time would greatly promote the magification of Lesser Apprentices, and even Mid-level Apprentices could nourish their Inherent Mana.

This effect was reportedly discovered jointly by Arno and Warren. This discovery was recorded by Lord Ace in a book called Magical Materials and Magical Potions. It was said that they could study this subject in their third year.

Caruso thought while eating heartily. Just then, Ace walked in.

Advance chapters at Nightjar Reads · nightjarreads.com