Chapter 102: Battle Casting

The entire battle was marked by the moment Ironstone collapsed, near death, onto the ground. From that point on, the pace shifted entirely, with the wounded Royar leading his men in a counterattack.

The ambush team, having lost their core leader, was immediately shattered and scattered in complete disarray.

Or rather, ever since Zhao Xu successfully turned the tables and killed Ironstone, combined with his prior reputation in the area—where many had been intimidated into unconsciousness—even the most steadfast bandits had no choice but to temporarily lay low.

After the battle concluded, everyone gathered around to congratulate Zhao Xu, with Royar’s praise flowing endlessly.

Royar even decided on the spot to let Zhao Xu keep Ironstone’s full suit of armor as spoils of war.

Zhao Xu’s gaze first swept over Maple, who quickly waved him off, insisting he had no claim to such a prize.

In truth, Zhao Xu worried that Maple possessing such a powerful full suit of armor early on might allow him to survive too long, which could end up backfiring on Zhao Xu a year later.

Seeing Maple refuse, Zhao Xu said no more and instructed Royar to exchange the armor for an equivalent amount of gold or other caster items.

Yet, when Royar took back the armor, Zhao Xu noticed Maple’s face light up with joy.

Only then did he realize that this journey had been rewarding not just for himself but for Maple’s team as well.

It was likely that Maple’s team would eventually pool their resources to purchase the armor for him.

Compared to undead creatures who were penniless and whose bodies yielded no valuable materials, these enemy martial artists, equipped with basic armor and weapons, were essentially walking wallets.

Even as Zhao Xu rode his summoned steed through the canyon, his mind was entirely detached from the outside world.

Though the moment had seemed perilous, with life and death hanging in the balance, the entire battle plan had unfolded exactly as Zhao Xu had intended.

It wasn’t that the final two magic missiles happened to deal exactly ten points of damage to bring Ironstone to the brink of death; rather, choosing to gamble with magic missiles was Zhao Xu’s own deliberate last resort.

Though he had five resurrection stones, risking his life against a high-level mage was one thing, but against an ordinary warrior, it felt far too cheap.

When Zhao Xu saw Ironstone charging at him, he could have bolstered himself with the first-level arcane spell “Mage Armor” and then used the “Shield” spell via a protective staff—an arcane spell of the first level he had yet to master.

With a +4 armor bonus combined with a +4 shield bonus, Zhao Xu would have nearly eighth-level defense, roughly equal to Ironstone’s full armor.

With this eighth-level defense, even accounting for his weaknesses, his defense would have reached as high as 18th level (10th-level base).

At that point, even if an ordinary civilian tried to stab him with a gun, and he failed to dodge, the invisible magical forces gathered around him would likely block the attack.

This was the true power of mage magic: even low-level first-tier spells, when stacked, could wield extraordinary might.

Ordinary mages might only cast two or three first-level spells a day, so such extravagance was rarely possible.

Even after missing the first opportunity to cast a defensive spell, Zhao Xu’s second spell could have been the “Protective Living Shield,” consuming three energy points via the protective staff.

This sixth-level spell could erect a shield with a three-meter radius, lasting ten minutes per caster level—amounting to a full 200 minutes—within which almost all living beings except undead and other exceptions could not pass.

Even Ironstone, with his three heads and six arms, would have found his charge decisively repelled.

Yet Zhao Xu ultimately abandoned this plan.

He should have trusted his own judgment—defend first, then counterattack.

But at that moment, a line of text flashed across his information panel:

“Adventurer Midsummer, ‘Battle Casting’ feat awakened.”

In Arthur’s world, some feats were taught by others, some self-taught, but many were only comprehended in the heat of battle.

In his previous life as a warrior, Zhao Xu had learned his “Brutal Strike” feat directly from his roommate, Zhang Qi.

Once a feat was acquired, one could pass it on—that was why Arthur’s feats had never died out.

Later, his other feat, “Follow-Through Slash,” was born from his battlefield experience mingled with despair.

So when players saw their status indicate a feat awakening, they grew excited and rushed to master it.

Upon seeing the “Battle Casting” feat awaken, Zhao Xu chose to focus on activating it.

“Battle Casting” was a prerequisite for advancing to “Spell Guard.”

Only by acquiring this feat could one smoothly progress to that advanced tier.

Antinoya had hinted to him before he left the floating city about several feats he could awaken first, one of which was “Battle Casting.”

This was a feat only awakened in the crucible of battle, injury, and the brink of death.

That was why Antinoya had never mentioned it outright—one cannot gain it through mere study.

Thinking on this, Zhao Xu smiled gently. The feat “Spell Persistence” he had yet to master was not urgent; once he reached fifth-level mage, he would gain a supreme magical feat through his class abilities, and then investing in “Spell Persistence” would not be too late.

Now, his feat list was finally complete:

[Feat (Human): Versatile Caster
Feat (Level 1): Battle Casting
Flaw Feat: Spell Mastery
Flaw Feat: Peculiar Premonition]

Zhao Xu exhaled softly and turned to regard his potential points.

After reaching level two, he had started with five out of five potential points, but now only a pitiful one remained.

Those potential points had been Zhao Xu’s assurance in his duel with the mage Lain.

Who would have guessed today would be the day he actually used them against an enemy?

He spent one potential point simulating the unmastered “Spell Potency” feat, then three more to cast a first-level spell slot as if it were a fourth-level slot—an empowered Magic Missile.

If others heard this, they’d surely cry “using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.”

Potential points had vast utility: from attacks and skill checks to attributes, saving throws, and even caster level checks, consuming potential points could grant a 1d6 advantage (1-6 points).

If Zhao Xu were hit by a control spell, using a potential point to resist would boost his success chance by 5% to 30%.

Thus, Zhao Xu’s expenditure of four points in a row was like turning four life-saving chances into one explosive burst.

He did not regret it at all; awakening the “Battle Casting” feat had cleared the final obstacle toward “Spell Guard.”

He lacked many things, but not the favor of Mystra’s city.

Suddenly, the steed beneath Zhao Xu halted abruptly, its front legs rearing up violently, nearly throwing him off.

A massive shadow blotted out the path ahead!

Zhao Xu reached for his staff just as a familiar roar filled the air—

The roar of a dragon!