"Water-Fire Burst Bomb!"
Andre traced Witchcraft Curse Seals in the air with both hands.
This was different from when he cast Multiple Wings of the Wind. This time, two streams of Magic Power—one blue and one red—flowed from his fingertips, forming one Witchcraft Curse Seal after another in the air.
’The Water-Fire Burst Bomb is part of the Witchcraft Missile family, but it’s different. To maximize its power, the original Witchcraft Curse Seals were heavily modified.’
’It absorbs external Magic Power more aggressively during its formation and has a much more violent reaction upon release.’
As Andre watched the Curse Seals he had traced, the differences between the Witchcraft Missile and the Water-Fire Burst Bomb kept surfacing in his mind.
Soon, Andre stopped, and the Witchcraft Curse Seals his hands had traced merged together.
As the Curse Seals fused, a strange wave of heat appeared in front of Andre. Immediately after, the seals transformed into a ball of shimmering blue and red light and shot forward.
The ball of light landed on the ground, instantly blasting out a deep crater and sending dust flying everywhere.
’COUGH, COUGH... I clearly controlled the infusion of Magic Power, yet it’s still this strong!’
Andre turned and covered his mouth and nose, but even so, the dust kicked up by the Water-Fire Burst Bomb made him cough uncontrollably.
After all the dust had settled, Andre held his breath and walked over. Looking at the deep crater blasted out by the Water-Fire Burst Bomb, he nodded in satisfaction.
The bottom of the crater was a full 10 meters deep, and its diameter reached 15 meters. Its power was on par with a weak Level 1 Witchcraft.
’And that’s with me controlling the Magic Power infusion. If I had followed the book’s instructions completely, this crater would be even bigger!’
Andre looked at the crater, extremely satisfied with the power of the Water-Fire Burst Bomb.
When casting it, he had deliberately slowed down the tracing of the Witchcraft Curse Seals and reduced the Magic Power, yet it was still this powerful.
’Powerful and fast. Its only issue is the slightly high Magic Power consumption.’
Andre glanced at the crater one more time before walking back to continue tracing Witchcraft Curse Seals.
But unlike before, this time he was not casting a Witchcraft from the Witchcraft Missile family.
’Frostfire Blade. This Witchcraft combines the powers of water and fire into the form of a Wind Blade, launched at the speed of the wind. Upon striking an enemy, it inflicts the twin agonies of ice and fire.’
’It’s also one of the rare Witchcrafts that fuses the three Elements of water, fire, and wind!’
Andre carefully traced the Witchcraft Curse Seals. Unlike the Elemental Impact of the Witchcraft Missile family, balancing this kind of three-element fusion was very difficult. However, if it could be successfully cast, its power would be immense.
The risks were also high. If the balance of the three powers was broken, a failed casting would be the least of his worries.
The most severe consequence would be an elemental explosion from the mixed powers, causing a backlash against the caster.
After Andre carefully traced the Witchcraft Curse Seals, the gentle breeze around him began to blow violently.
Then, a Wind Blade shimmering with cyan, blue, and red light flew out at lightning speed, landing in the crater just made by the Water-Fire Burst Bomb.
"PFFT!" The sound was very faint, but it was immediately followed by a GURGLE GURGLE sound that reached Andre’s ears.
Hearing this, a strange expression crossed Andre’s face.
’This... don’t tell me I hit the groundwater?’
Andre hurried to the crater and saw a meter-long, leaf-thin fissure running through its bottom. The sound of water was coming from this very fissure.
At this moment, clear water was continuously seeping out of the crack.
’Just how deep did that go?’
Andre squatted down, reaching out to touch the fissure.
But just as his hand was about to touch it, a soft sound came from its bottom, and then, the fissure erupted into a fountain.
"PWAAH!" Caught off guard, Andre was sprayed directly in the face by the groundwater. The water was full of dirt, and the force of the spray instantly turned it into mud that splattered all over him.
In an instant, Andre became a mud-man.
Immediately after, a continuous stream of groundwater soaked Andre to the bone, washing the mud from his body.
"PWAAH!" Andre quickly retreated a few steps, getting away from the fountain he had created.
"This...!" After getting away from the fountain, Andre used the light from his Magic Energy Lamp to look himself over.
He was now completely soaked, and there was still mud clinging to the thicker parts of his clothes.
"Water Mirror Technique!" With a flick of his hands, Andre cast a very simple Witchcraft.
As the Witchcraft activated, a ball of water flew over from the nearby fountain and formed into a mirror, reflecting Andre’s current appearance.
His body was a mix of clean patches and caked-on mud, making him look utterly wretched.
’Looking like this, people would believe me if I said I was a beggar.’
Andre looked at his own state, a resigned expression on his face.
Then, he stomped his right foot, activated Earth and Stone Manipulation, and sealed up the fountain he had created.
’This power... no wonder the predecessor who created this Witchcraft warned to cast it with caution.’ Andre looked at his reflection in the water mirror and gave a wry smile. He then took a new set of clothes from his Storage Ring, walked to the edge of the crater, and looked at the water inside.
In just that short time, the crater had already filled up, and with clear water at that.
"Sigh..." Andre took off his clothes, jumped into the crater, and washed off the remaining mud from his body. Then he got out, cast Gentle Wind to dry himself, changed into the new clothes, and looked at his hands.
For a moment, Andre wasn’t sure if he should continue casting to test the other spells he now knew.
The Water-Fire Burst Bomb and Frostfire Blade he had just cast were actually among the weaker of the Witchcraft spells he currently knew.
He hadn’t even tried casting the truly powerful Witchcraft yet.
Although a single casting of those spells would drain all his Magic Power, their power was also truly immense.
’I should stop for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the Task Hall and pick up a few Magical Beast hunting tasks. I can use the Magical Beasts as practice targets.’
’This power has already surpassed what’s recorded in the book. The book says the Frostfire Blade’s penetration is only a few meters, but mine went and created a fountain. Although the Water-Fire Burst Bomb helped, still...’
Andre’s brows furrowed, and he could only temporarily give up on casting more Witchcraft.
He had only cast two Witchcraft spells and already made a fountain. If he kept going, it wouldn’t be a fountain anymore, but a river.
"Time to go home, time to go home! Seven Rings, let’s go!"
Andre, holding his old, wet clothes in his hand, called Seven Rings back.
He returned to the Wizard Inheritance Hall, where he spent the rest of the night observing the natural Demon Patterns of the Howling Wind Technique and within the Wind Blade Grass.