A Wizard's Secret

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Ka-chak."

A chilly aura leaked from the thick glass container and created a layer of frost on the surface of the container. Even Merlin's fingers were frozen by it.

"Guardian Monument!"

Merlin was taken by surprise. He suddenly recalled that the hundred years' ice bone marrow was a strange item; it could freeze anything once it was released.

Merlin's finger was just slightly frozen by the chilly aura but it had already gone numb and unable to move.

After Guardian Monument had shrouded Merlin's entire body, the chilly aura continued to spread and rapidly froze Guardian Monument as well. It was more powerful than Merlin's Large Frost as common spells such as Guardian Monument could not stop the freezing ability of the hundred year's ice bone marrow.

Once he realized that, Merlin quickly sealed the glass container, finally stopping the spread of the aura. For his finger, he cast Furious Flame to heat it for a long while to melt the ice crystals.

However, Merlin's finger on his left hand was injured by the aura and he had to rest for quite some time to recover.

"Such incredible aura - hundred years' ice bone marrow. This is the real deal!"

Merlin mumbled in a low voice. Just a wisp of its aura was already fearsome; Merlin could not imagine cultivating Glacial Finger with it.

However, before cultivating Glacial Finger, he would need to make some preparations.

Merlin first used a sharp thorn to etch some strange signs on his right-hand finger. It seemed to be an irregular hexagonal symbol. Since it was etched using a thorn, it appeared to be an obvious tattoo.

After etching this strange symbol, he had to place his Mind Power on this strange symbol according to the requirement of cultivating Glacial Finger. Merlin was skilled at using Mind Power, so he immediately placed his Mind Power on the odd symbol.

After Merlin had done it, he began to experience a strange yet indescribable sensation. He was sure that some changes had occurred to his finger due to this action.

Thereafter, Merlin cast Frigid Ice.

"Ka-chak."

Frigid Ice rapidly froze Merlin's finger. Different from Large Frost, Frigid Ice contained ice poison. After Merlin's finger was frozen by Frigid Ice, the ice poison immediately spread into Merlin's body.

However, a strange thing happened - Merlin clearly felt that the ice poison was blocked by a strange power in his finger. He inspected it carefully to find that it originated from the strange symbol that he had etched on his finger.

"This symbol… Does it have a special power like the mysterious runes?"

Merlin had studied runology in the Dark Magic Region but it was too broad and complex. Even if the Dark Magic Region was most specialized in runology, Merlin did not spend much time on the subject. At most, he knew a little of the common knowledge in runology.

This mysterious rune was slightly similar to runology but Merlin knew that this was no rune at all. It contained a special power and was an indispensable aspect in cultivating Pandora Demon Ability, Glacial Finger.

Although the ice poison of Frigid Ice could not invade Merlin's body, the ice poison of hundred years' ice bone marrow was more deadly than that of Frigid Ice. Thus, it was essential to use Frigid Ice for Glacial Finger to slightly counter the ice poison of the hundred years' ice bone marrow.

After his finger was frozen by Frigid Ice, Merlin immediately opened the lid to the glass container. At once, a chilly aura leaked from it.

Merlin rapidly guided the aura to freeze his finger. The aura of the hundred years' ice bone marrow was comparable to that of Frigid Ice, so both had to reach equilibrium and allowed the ice bone marrow to be completely absorbed into his body.

This was the cultivation process of Glacial Finger. The entire process was extremely lengthy since Merlin would have to release the chilly aura bit by bit. Every time he released the aura, he had to cast Frigid Ice a few times.

Under the effect of the special symbol, Merlin's finger gradually turned into the color of a white ice crystal. Thereafter, he had to continue his cultivation until his finger had resumed its initial color, showing that he had successfully cultivated Glacial Finger.

Of course, he would have only succeeded in the first stage of Glacial Finger. There was a succeeding second stage but that required the help of some Fourth-level spells. Merlin could not cultivate that stage in his current position.

The cultivation process of Pandora Demon Ability, Glacial Finger, took too much effort. Merlin's Mind Power was highly concentrated every day in fear that he could have overcast Frigid Ice and broke his finger. On the other hand, the aura of hundred years' ice bone marrow was too much to handle and even the ice poison of Frigid Ice could not withstand it. Hence, he had to be focused at all times and maintained the balance between the two.

One month had gone past but Merlin's finger was still in a pale white color. Neither it had not turned into the color of ice crystals, nor had it resumed its initial color. If he wanted to cultivate Glacial Finger, he would need another one or two months.

However, Merlin had already stopped his cultivation. There was still a large chunk of hundred years' ice bone marrow left. If he released only a little of its aura every day, the volume of the item in the glass container would not decrease so drastically.

Instead, the consumption of Magic Power in Merlin's Frigid Ice had taken a toll on him. It was not adequate to simply rely on the recovery rate of the Spell Model, so Merlin used elemental crystal stones to replenish his Magic Power.

Hence, the Ice elemental crystal stones in Merlin's ring had depleted after this month. Merlin could no longer replenish his Magic Power by using the elemental crystal stones, so he had no choice but to stop.

"It's been two months. The Alkaline Earth Potions at Wizard Vladi's place should be sold out by now. I may receive an abundance of elemental crystal stones from the sale."

Merlin kept the hundred years' ice bone marrow in his ring and glanced at his stiffened finger. Merlin then reached out his hand and pointed his finger at a decayed pinewood on the ground.

"Pandora Demon Ability, Glacial Finger!"

Soon after he finished his words, a wisp of translucent chilly aura appeared from the pinewood on the ground. The wood was directly frozen.

"Ka-chak."

Merlin lightly touched it and the frozen pinewood broke into smithereens along with the ice crystal.

Merlin took a deep breath; he was overwhelmed with shock. If that was a person, the person would suffer the same fate as the pinewood.

"Such fearsome ability, Glacial Finger. Who knows how much stronger this is than Frigid Ice? In addition, I haven't finished cultivating it. Should I finish the cultivation, how terrifying can this ability be?"

Merlin muttered and stared unbelievably at his finger that had changed its color completely. Although he had expected that Glacial Finger would be extremely powerful, he was surprised at the strength shown by the unperfected ability.

"Let's test it more. Earth Guard!"

Merlin directly cast Earth Guard and an earth wall immediately appeared out of thin air. Merlin pointed his finger at the earth wall again.

"Ka-chak."

Without surprise, the earth wall was frozen by the aura and was blasted into pieces.

"Guardian Monument!"

Merlin once again cast his First-level spell, Guardian Monument. When he used Glacial Finger once more, it was effective; Guardian Monument was frozen completed and directly broken into pieces.

"Glacial Finger actually uses the Magic Power in Frost and in Frigid Ice?"

Merlin soon realized that he appeared to consume a large amount of Magic Power every time he cast Glacial finger. Moreover, only the Magic Power in the Spell Models of Frost and Frigid Ice would decrease, showing that Glacial Finger only consumed the Magic Power accumulated from Ice Elements.

An ordinary Guardian Monument could not stand against the freezing effect of Glacial Finger at all. Merlin tried to increase the strength of his Defensive spell, so he cast the strengthened version of Guardian Monument.

At once, six gigantic monuments showed up in mid-air, brimming with bright light. This was the strengthened version of Guardian Monument and was infinitely similar to a Second-level spell.

"Pandora Demon Ability, Glacial Finger!"

Merlin only pointed at the monuments. Instantaneously, Guardian Monument was frozen and blasted into pieces, turning into spots of light.

Even the strengthened version of Guardian Monument could not block the freezing effect of Glacial Finger. Upon realizing this, Merlin's expression gradually turned grim.

"Guardian Monument!"

This time, Merlin cast the strengthened version of Guardian Monument via his Enhancing casting tool. This was currently Merlin's strongest Defensive spell.

With the enhanced effect of his Enhancing casting tool, the defensive ability of Guardian Monument came close to that of a Third-level Defensive spell.

"Pandora Demon Ability, Glacial Finger!"

Merlin cast Glacial Finger again. Merlin put his entire effort into this cast - he clearly sensed that the Magic Power in Frigid Ice and Frost was immediately cut down by half.

However, Merlin could still take the impact after spending so much Magic Power.

"Ka-chak."

It took a slightly longer time to freeze Guardian Monument that came close to Third-level spell. In the end, it was still frozen and blasted into pieces.

"Not even Third-level Defensive spell can block it?"

Merlin's expression turned dark this time. He was taken aback by extreme shock. He had cast Guardian Monument with Enhancing casting tool. Even Wizard Sammir was unable to break through it but Merlin's Glacial Finger could directly break it.

Moreover, this was the unperfected Glacial Finger. To have such fearsome effect at this point, how terrifying would it be once it was perfected?

"Pandora Demon Ability… It's indeed similar to a demon's ability where it doesn't belong to a human. Most of the Spell Casters don't even have such powerful ability."

Merlin mumbled. He understood it clearly now; the Glacial Finger he obtained by chance was a fearsome ability. That was the reason it was called Pandora Demon Ability, a strong power that induced fear even in the heart of Spell Casters!