Frieren: Serie's Apprentice

Serie gripped the "lightsaber" in her hand, staring in amazement.

Just like a traditional old smoker who had smoked rolled cigarettes their whole life seeing a Rick Mark V for the first time.

But unfortunately, after Serie briefly examined the magical circuits within the staff, she returned it to her disciple with a look of disdain.

"Although I still don't understand why the materials used to craft this staff can slightly enhance the caster's abilities, this sword-form staff is really quite dark."

It was clear that this "elderly" elf mage was obviously a firm traditionalist who didn't particularly approve of this "advanced concept" of using staves for close combat.

Though according to Gut's understanding, the last mage who did this seemed to also be his teacher's disciple...

Last night.

After attending the farewell banquet spontaneously organized by Association staff and escorting his teacher back to her room, Gut couldn't wait to return to his own room.

However, on the way back, Gut's steps through the inn corridor were somewhat awkward.

From his slightly bulging pocket and unconscious concealing motions, it seemed as if he was hiding having taken something important from somewhere...

After returning to his room.

Gut first hung up his outer coat and gently placed a special food box he had taken from his clothing pocket on the table.

As the window on the balcony was pushed open, bathed in the cool night breeze of the Holy Capital, Gut relaxed on his bed and browsed the system notifications from dusk.

With the successful completion of the mage examinations at Association Headquarters, the corresponding main quest's second half had also completed its reward settlement.

Currently accumulated rewards in System Space totaled: Random Otherworld Item X1, Talent Trait Upgrade Opportunity X1, Draw Opportunity X2, Cut Opportunity X1.

"I've personally experienced trait drawing and copying, but I haven't properly understood upgrade opportunities and cut opportunities yet."

Out of curiosity, Gut clicked on these two to understand them in detail.

[Talent Trait Upgrade Opportunity (1 time/only effective on host)]

[Effect: Designate one activated and upgradeable talent trait to increase its grade by one level, with corresponding trait effects enhanced (only effective below gold grade, not including gold grade)]

[Talent Trait Cut Opportunity (1 time)]

[Effect: Can cut talent traits from any target including the host. After cutting, that target will permanently lose that talent trait (only effective on gold-red grade and below), but after cutting can only be chosen by host for activation]

"I see."

Looking at the system introduction, Gut calculated seriously.

Due to existing limitations, the best target for upgrade opportunities would be purple-grade talent traits, which could be elevated to gold.

As for cut opportunities...

Compared to the other three, this operation space was undoubtedly the largest.

Externally, it could achieve effects similar to Copying, strengthening oneself while also achieving weakening effects.

If encountering enemies in the future, he could consider cutting the enemy's main combat talent traits, greatly weakening the opponent's combat power.

And internally, using it on himself also had wonderful applications.

In future time, he would inevitably acquire some gray traits with negative effects, like the Alcoholism on Heiter or the Old Injury on Himmel.

At that time, he could use talent trait cut opportunities to directly remove such negative traits.

It was just a pity that according to the limitations, cut traits could only be chosen by himself for use, unable to apply their effects to others.

Otherwise, he could play some more interesting operations.

For example, finding a Demon General, cutting the talent traits that enhanced physical strength from it, then having magic users like his teacher use them.

Or when facing a young adult enemy, cutting aging-related talent traits from a dying elder, then directly copying and throwing them at their face, making them instantly become aged and frail.

Gut thought about it—the cut opportunity should be saved for later when needed.

As for the trait upgrade opportunity...

Logically, such items that could directly improve strength should be used as early as possible.

But when Gut opened his personal trait panel, currently at purple grade, there seemed to be only Serie's Beloved Disciple.

And this was still a special trait, with improvements limited by his relationship with his teacher, unable to be enhanced through items.

But if used on blue-grade traits, Gut felt quite reluctant.

Right, there were still two trait draw opportunities.

He should use them first—maybe he could draw something good and not have to struggle with the decision.

Thinking of this, Gut immediately clicked to use them decisively.

[Ding!]

[Talent Trait Draw Opportunity X2 used, congratulations host obtained talent traits: Enhanced Intelligence (Blue), Captain's Patience (Blue)]

[Enhanced Intelligence (Blue)]

[Trait Description: When you wholeheartedly invest in magical research, your intelligence will increase somewhat]

[Trait Effect: When concentrating on magical research, intelligence slightly increases]

"Although it's blue grade, this talent trait is quite good, very versatile."

"If combined with Serie's Beloved Disciple, conducting magical research beside my teacher, under both enhancements, it could probably achieve a terrifying effect."

[Captain's Patience (Blue)]

[Trait Description: To take off or restrain, that is the question. However, this world always rewards those determined endurers]

[Trait Effect: Upon activation, whenever host accumulates over three days without taking off, gains special buff—Captain's Redemption]

[Captain's Redemption: Life force slightly increases, body recovery slightly improves, resistance to mental control moderately strengthened (Note: When caster is female or uses charm-type mental control, resistance may weaken to varying degrees)]

Gut: ...

"Too outrageous, has a beauty that disregards review completely."

After a long silence, Gut activated both talent traits.

Though from their effects alone, they were both decent.

One was versatile, the other was also a talent trait.

Unfortunately, neither was purple grade, unable to maximize the use of the trait upgrade item.

However, just as Gut regretfully wanted to close the system interface to enjoy his midnight snack, a miracle suddenly occurred.

With several pleasant system notifications sounding consecutively, Gut put the food box he was holding back down.

[Ding!]

[Talent traits: Obsessive (Blue) and Enhanced Intelligence (Blue) have complementary effects, will merge into new talent trait]

[Merge complete]

[Trait Name: Magical Seeker (Purple)]

[Trait Description: You don't believe magical power has limits. Through obsession in your character, powerful intelligence, and experience accumulated through long study, you've successfully broken through ordinary mages' so-called magical strength limits. Your understanding of magic will infinitely approach demons' level]

[Trait Effect: 1. Designate any magic, magical talent greatly enhanced during learning; 2. When host cultivates a magic to its peak, has probability of breaking original constraints, elevating magic effect limits to demon level]

"Merged, just in time."

Gut was excited. After confirming this purple-grade talent indeed had upgrade value, he unhesitatingly chose to upgrade it.

[Ding!]

[Talent Trait Upgrade Opportunity X1 used, original talent trait Magical Seeker (Purple) upgraded to Magical Transcender (Gold)]

[Magical Transcender (Gold)]

[Trait Description: You don't believe magical power has limits; and in your hands, whether human magic or demons' so-called curses, their brilliance also seems to truly have no limits]

[Trait Effect: 1. Designate any magic/curse, magical talent receives enormous enhancement during learning; 2. When host cultivates a magic to its peak, has probability of breaking original constraints, elevating magic effect limits to levels even demons cannot understand; (When host accumulates mastery of enough transcendent magic, this talent trait will change again)]

"Another talent trait that raises limits, and the trait name also contains 'transcender.'"

Gut stared at the system description of this trait, thoughtful.

Having already obtained a gold trait called Body Transcender, when looking at this equally gold-grade Magical Transcender, Gut inevitably made associations.

Especially since the system had precedent for merging related traits.

But unfortunately, after waiting long, Gut didn't hear the system notification sound again.

Could it be that further trait grade advancement required more than just merging Body Transcender and Magical Transcender? Perhaps needing a third or even more gold-grade XX Transcender traits to merge together?

Besides body and magic, what else could be transcended...

Golden spirit?

Gut shook his head, throwing some strange memories from his mind.

Golden spirit, this hymn to human qualities, couldn't possibly appear on someone like him who only went crazy over his teacher.

Perhaps there was another possibility for merger and advancement.

Gut noticed that both traits had bracketed annotations at the end, indicating they could change again after reaching certain standards.

Combining his currently known talent trait level ranking—red-gold-red-gold—Gut formed a different hypothesis from before.

That the reason Body Transcender (Gold) and Magical Transcender (Gold) currently couldn't merge was because they hadn't reached merger standards.

Perhaps he had to wait until both traits changed, advancing further to gold-red, then they could merge?

Two gold-red talent traits merging into one red-grade talent trait?

Thinking of this, Gut couldn't help shaking his head and laughing self-deprecatingly. He was thinking too much.

Perhaps Body Transcender and Magical Transcender just shared names but had no actual connection, unable to merge at all.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations host for independently comprehending the path to godhood, special main quest Path to Godhood unlocked early!]

Gut: ???

"No way, buddy? This works too?!"

[Special Main Quest · Path to Godhood (Phase One)]

[Quest Requirements: Through personal effort, strengthen any gold talent trait to gold-red grade]

[Quest Rewards: System Faith Module, Godhood Method, Talent Trait Upgrade Opportunity X1, Cut Opportunity X1, Copy Opportunity X1, Draw Opportunity X3]

"This..."

Looking at the Faith Module and Godhood Method in the system rewards, Gut finally confirmed this was real.

He never expected that mere accidental speculation would let him strike it big.

Remembering with the answer now, it seemed red-grade talent traits really were a mark unique to deities. He had only seen red-grade traits once, when peeking at the Goddess in the cathedral.

Besides Her, whether teacher Serie, Hero Himmel, or Holy Capital Bishop Heiter—these outstanding figures of the current age—none had talent traits exceeding gold-red grade.

Sitting on the bedside, Gut took several deep breaths of cool air from the night breeze outside, finally calming his excited mood.

"Godhood"—this represented individual power reaching its peak in the world, usually accompanied by infinite lifespan, held fatal attraction in any world.

But calmed Gut also realized he had merely found a correct path, with even taking the first step still having great distance.

Therefore, after brief pride, Gut adjusted his mindset back to before.

Opening the system interface, he used all remaining rewards in space tonight.

[Ding!]

[Random Otherworld Item X1 used, congratulations host obtained weapon—Carian Glintstone Staff (Modified)]

[Weapon Name: Carian Glintstone Staff (Modified)]

[Description: A staff from the "Elden Ring" world given to magical knights, can enhance glintstone sword magic (this staff has undergone localization modifications, some original effects lost, but modified version can carry this world's magical power and normally cast this world's magic)]

[Effect: Special otherworld magical staff with greatsword form. When using it to cast magic, slightly enhances caster attributes, slightly increases casting power and accelerates magic cooldown]

"This is somewhat overpowered."

Taking this slender staff from system space and gripping it, Gut tested it in his room.

Perhaps considering close combat use in its design, the staff had excellent grip feel, and in toughness and strength also exceeded this world's staves considerably, only inferior to those made of pure metal.

But most overpowered was the staff's slight attribute enhancement for users when casting.

This was easy to explain in games—intelligence points or magic power points—but in reality, it was somewhat incomprehensible.

After all, no matter how sharp, effortless, or iron-cutting a blade was forged, it couldn't make the user's own strength greater.

The system probably intentionally suppressed its effects when importing this weapon from game to reality, so the staff's improvement wasn't that significant.

Perhaps for novice mages, this would be considerable improvement, but for mages of Gut's level, those attribute point increases were negligible. Its value lay more in its built-in greatsword form.

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Powerstones?

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