Chapter 62: Dual Awakening!

Chapter 62 Dual Awakening!

Hum!

Everything returned to its original state, and had it not been for the warm fire elements in his body, he would have thought it all a mere illusion.

"Awakened?"

Levi was somewhat uncertain.

He looked toward the ground, where the dust had condensed into several lines of script.

【Basic Meditation Technique (Consummate)】688/∞

【Lesser Fireball Spell (Rank 0 Master)】2042/8000

【Fireball Spell (Rank 1 Mastery)】0/2000

【Invisible Armor Spell (Rank 0 Competent)】912/4000

【Great Dream Wandering Technique (Rank 0)】5450/10000

【Shadow Tentacle Spell (Rank 1 Novice)】220/1000

【Ice Arrow Spell (Rank 0 Mastery)】211/2000

【Solid Rock Breathing Technique (Novice)】467/1000

【Fire Element Physique (Primary)】(Elemental Awakening, Fire Spell Power Doubled, Fire Spell Casting Time Halved)

【Mana Control (Primary)】(Spiritual Awakening, Mana Control Drastically Enhanced)

Levi's face betrayed his astonishment. A dual awakening?

Two extraordinary traits?

When exactly had this Mana Control awakened?

How was it that he felt absolutely nothing?

For a moment, too many questions flooded his mind, leaving Levi somewhat unable to steady himself.

Emptying his mind, he gathered his thoughts onto the present, no longer dwelling on things that mattered little.

"In any case, I have awakened two extraordinary traits, and the Fireball Spell has also risen to the mastery rank."

Levi cast a glance at his surroundings, refraining from making any rash movements.

His heart itched with anticipation, yet he understood that the full might of these things could only be truly experienced within the dream realm.

Suddenly, the roar of slaughter and shouts drifted in from the outside.

Thud, thud, thud!

Several arrows had embedded themselves into the gate of the watchtower.

Rota opened the door, stepping outside while braced behind a magical shield.

Once Levi snapped out of it, he too followed and ran out of the watchtower at the very first moment.

"What happened?" Dreis asked with a face full of bewilderment.

Levi gazed into the distance, where the vanguard of the orc army was launching an assault upon Cold Sand City.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A rain of arrows descended from the sky, accompanied by javelins and throwing spears.

Large siege engines like catapults had not yet made their appearance.

Levi followed Rota, huddling beside the battlement as arrows and long spears flew over their heads.

Narrowly missing a stray arrow, Dreis and his two companions hastily followed suit, taking cover beneath the corner of the wall.

"Archers, fire!"

The defending commander roared.

The archers upon the city wall also began to return fire.

Levi seized the opportunity to poke his head out for a glance; the orc army was still over a hundred meters away from the wall.

This distance already exceeded the striking range of spells.

It belonged to the domain of the marksmen.

Levi and the others could only huddle in the corner of the wall, waiting for the orc army to draw near.

"This contribution points business isn't so easy to coast through after all!"

Levi lamented in his heart.

He had thought it would be as effortless as repelling the bandits last time, but he never expected to be pinned down right from the opening act, utterly powerless to strike back.

It seemed there was still a massive difference between a regular army and wandering bandits.

While he had not yet joined the fray, Levi seized the time to meditate and restore his consumed mana.

"Hmm? The speed of mana recovery has become faster."

As Levi meditated to replenish his mana, he discovered that the surrounding fire elements were actually flooding into his body automatically.

This was far faster than his utilizing spiritual power to capture the fire elements.

The retention rate of the fire elements had also reached an astonishing ninety-nine percent.

Even when the Basic Meditation Technique had reached the consummate rank, the retention rate was only eighty percent.

After awakening the Fire Element Physique, the fire element retention rate skyrocketed, increasing his cultivation efficiency by twenty-five percent.

The speed of cultivation quickened, and the speed of mana recovery accelerated.

Most importantly, the upper limit of his mana had increased.

After cultivating the Basic Meditation Technique to the consummate realm, his mana had roughly reached the limit of an apprentice mage.

Meditating to cultivate mana had become slow, yielding half the result with twice the effort.

Now, having awakened his extraordinary traits, he had become a Rank 1 Mage.

The limit of mana that his body could sustain had risen drastically.

Levi grew increasingly eager for the power of the Fire Element Physique.

Outside the city wall, the shouts of slaughter shook the heavens, while Levi remained huddled by the edge of the wall, following Rota's movements.

Whatever Rota did, he did.

From the very first day, he had understood this truth. Thud!

A soldier beside him was struck by an arrow, collapsing to the ground with a miserable wail.

Levi lent a hand, dragging him beneath the corner of the wall.

The soldier panted heavily for breath, "Thank you."

During a momentary lull in the offensive, the wounded soldier took the opportunity to retreat down the city wall to seek aid.

Levi lifted his head to take a look, only to find that the orcs were no longer rushing forward.

The orc army halted fifty to sixty meters away, using arrows and wooden spears to launch long-range attacks, wearing down the archers on the city walls.

This distance was just beyond the effective range of mages.

Rota stood up, glanced out, then sat back down with a calm smile. "We're safe for today."

After a while, both sides began to slow their assaults—ammunition for ranged weapons had been heavily depleted.

Boom!

"Charge!"

Lewin felt the wall beneath his feet tremble. He rose and looked out.

He saw the city's defenders bursting from within, launching a counterattack against the besieging orcs.

The orcs turned tail and fled, retreating with minimal casualties.

The battle had come swiftly—and ended just as quickly.

Lewin and Rota headed back to the watchtower when a messenger called out to them mid-way.

"Magister, the commander requests all remaining professionals in Hansha City to assemble at the barracks."

"Understood."

The five of them walked toward the military camp. Lewin asked, "Why are we being summoned now?"

Rota replied, "I don't know. We'll find out when we get there."

By the time they arrived, over two hundred people had already gathered in the training yard.

Some were from Maple City; others were local professionals from Hansha.

Hansha was a small town of only thirty or forty thousand souls.

Yet its proximity to the border had drawn many professionals to settle here permanently.

Border disputes were frequent, and so too were the missions that arose from them.

Oren stood atop a raised platform, scanning the crowd with a solemn voice. "I've gathered you here for one purpose: to ensure the safety and stability of Hansha City."

"From this moment onward, the Merit System is activated. Completing missions earns merit points, which can be exchanged at the quartermaster’s for cultivation resources, magical artifacts, manuals, combat techniques…"

"The quartermaster’s exchange list has already been posted. You may review it, choose what you desire."

The Merit System was a battlefield-exclusive mission framework.

Unlike the universal currency offered by the Professional Association, merit points could only be used during this war.

Its sole aim: to rally professionals to serve the war effort.

"Advanced Qi cultivation manual: *Furious Lion Qi Art*! Price: 30,000 merit points. Unlimited stock."

"Third-tier magic weapon: *Swiftwind Sword*! Price: 10,000 merit points. Limited to one unit."

"Advanced combat technique: *Earthsplitting Slash*! Price: 9,800 merit points. Unlimited stock."

"Lifetime barony title of the Malkir Kingdom! Price: 9,000 merit points. Limited to three recipients."

...

"Third-tier spell template: *Meteor Shower of Flame*! Price: 8,000 merit points. Unlimited stock."

...

"Second-tier spell template: *Repelling Fire Ring*! Price: 3,000 merit points. Unlimited stock."

...

"First-tier spell template: *Fireball*! Price: 800 merit points. Unlimited stock."

...

The crowd stared at the quartermaster’s exchange list, eyes alight with excitement.

Rare treasures—advanced manuals, elite combat techniques, scarce spells—now lay within reach.

Their enthusiasm surged like wildfire.

After scanning the list, many rushed off immediately to accept missions, eager to earn merit.

Lewin studied the tasks posted on the barracks’ bulletin board.

Most involved dangerous duties: sallying beyond the walls to hunt orcs, clearing orc patrols, seizing supplies, infiltrating enemy camps to sabotage.

"*Repelling Fire Ring* and *Meteor Shower of Flame*—both fire spells not found in Maple City’s Mage Tower,"

Lewin thought, heart pounding with longing.

(End of Chapter)