Pressing deeper into the dungeon, Lixuman advanced with unwavering determination. As a skeleton, he felt neither hunger nor thirst, so apart from necessary rests, there was no need to pause for sustenance.
Before the passage connecting the tenth and eleventh floors, he decided to take a brief respite. The earlier battle with the goblins had drained a significant portion of his magical energy, necessitating a period of recovery. Yet even while waiting for his mana to replenish, Lixuman did not idle. From within his robes, he drew a book and leaned against the cold stone wall, immersing himself in study. The flames flickering in his eye sockets pulsed in tandem with his concentration.
The book was Comprehensive Guide to First-Level Elemental Magic, borrowed from the guild. It contained detailed records of all common first-level spells. Lixuman, though an elemental mage of the first order by classification, had never relied on conventional first-level incantations. His magic stemmed from the innate manipulation of raw elements granted by his race. Now, however, he was studying the basic first-level spell, Fireball.
This spell, the quintessential entry-level magic, was the first learned by most elemental mages. Though ubiquitous, its practicality ensured its widespread use: short incantation, rapid casting, and reliable destructive force. Pronouncing the ancient magical words "Fireball" conjured the spell with minimal effort—standard practice for any first-tier elementalist.
While most mages specialized in a single element due to stamina constraints, Lixuman mastered all four.
"Ah, so this is how the magic circle is formed… connecting the mana here and here amplifies the effect," he muttered thoughtfully.
Carefully tracing the diagrams and annotations from the book, he raised his hand and began the incantation.
"Fireball!"
The archaic syllables left his throat as a crimson magic circle materialized in his palm. A searing orb of flame shot forth, striking the stone wall and erupting violently, far more potent than his crude earlier attempts.
"Success on the first try… racial advantage, perhaps?" Lixuman noted. "Accuracy could be better, though."
He studied the book again, visualized the trajectory, and carefully focused his energy.
"First-Level Elemental Magic: Fireball!"
This time, the fireball struck its mark with precision. "Excellent," he murmured. Constructing several more fireball circles, he refrained from casting to conserve mana.
Flipping the pages, he practiced Water Arrow, Earth Orb, and Wind Blade, mastering the foundational spells of the four elements before closing the book and rising to his feet. Yet even as he practiced, Lixuman found them limiting. Standard shapes constrained utility. A fireball or mud spell was basic, but he envisioned combining Earth Orb with water to blind an enemy or dispersing it into grains of sand—far more effective tactics in combat. Denying an opponent's vision, after all, was often decisive. Perhaps conventional mages clung to elegance over practicality; Lixuman cared little for such pretensions.
He approached the passage from the tenth to the eleventh floor. Beyond this point, monsters were level ten and higher; danger increased exponentially, demanding caution. He slipped into the dark corridor, vanishing from sight.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps echoed softly as he descended.
On the eleventh floor, the temperature surged instantly. The stone walls and floor were arid and unforgiving—a trial for ordinary adventurers. But as a skeleton, Lixuman felt nothing, and his innate [Elemental Resistance] rendered the heat trivial. He stepped forward, brushing against the warm currents, advancing deeper.
According to intelligence, this floor was dominated by a species of red lizard capable of manipulating fire, swift and aggressive. Soon, he encountered the legendary fire lizard. Far from the size of a mere lizard, it rivaled a crocodile—more akin to a Komodo dragon.
"Hissss!"
The creature bellowed, mouth glowing with concentrated fire energy. "Annoyingly temperamental," Lixuman muttered, relieved that the beast seemed rather unintelligent.
Whoosh! A fireball streaked straight at him. He tightened his grip on the staff, recalling defensive spells from the book. Flipping to the relevant page, he prepared his countermeasure.
Using [Swiftness], he dodged the fireball while one hand held the spellbook, the other brandished his staff—a picture of a mage in action.
"First-Level Elemental Magic: Water Wall!"
The magic stone atop his staff gleamed deep blue as a circular array formed, condensing a flowing wall of water. The incoming fireball collided with the barrier, dissipating harmlessly into a plume of steam. The fire lizard paused, then tried to bypass the wall.
"…"
Lixuman quickly scrolled through the book, attempting to manipulate the water wall with greater precision. Yet his clumsy control could not match the fire lizard's agility; the wall failed to intercept a single fireball.
"Curse this magic!" He snapped the book shut and gripped the staff, dashing forward in a blur.
"Hissss!"
The fire lizard launched another fireball, which Lixuman met with a vortex of wind infused into his staff, smashing it midair under the augmentation of [Mighty Force]. The sphere exploded in mid-flight, showering embers harmlessly.
Undeterred, he closed in on the beast.
"Die!"
No escape remained. With a devastating strike, his staff smashed the lizard's skull.
Ding! Fire Lizard Lv11 defeated. Experience +150.
"Magic is best adapted to one's own style," Lixuman observed. The spells in the book were reference points; he did not intend to replicate them, only to extract their principles for application in his own sorcery.
Squatting, he drew a small knife, sliced open the lizard's chest, and extracted a marble-sized magic stone—the heart of the creature, pulsating with innate power. Such stones were the most valuable treasures of magical beasts. Though the lizard's hide had value, he carried only what was essential. His ultimate goal lay deeper: the octahedral fire crystals of the twentieth floor and below.
Tucking the stone safely into his pouch, Lixuman pressed onward, deeper into the dungeon's fiery depths.