The book also described a spell called the "Aqua Glide Spell," which let the caster move through water without being slowed down by resistance.
Alex also realized that the secret arts described in the arcana didn't rely on specific spells or hand gestures, which was quite different from the magic he knew in the European wizarding world.
Even for someone like him, who was highly sensitive to magic, when he first started learning spells, he had to follow precise incantations and wand movements to cast magic.
Besides using lumen, mastering these secret techniques demanded
Not only a strong body but also a calm and focused mind. Beginners often needed to perform certain hand signs to complete a spell.
'Is this what they call "Heaven and Man as One" here? Physical fitness and meditation? This sounds exactly like how I trained to develop my magic sensitivity.'
At that moment, he realized that his own training before discovering magic closely matched the core principles of these secret arts.
'So, oriental magic requires a certain level of magic sensitivity right from the start. It seems they don't use wands as tools to aid spellcasting, so they focus on building their natural magical strength from the beginning. No wonder they're so powerful.'
From the few written records he had seen, Alex could imagine that in his distant homeland, the development and spellcasting habits of wizards, or mystics, as they might be called, differed greatly.
That made him even more interested in the spells contained within the arcana.
As he continued reading, another secret technique caught his eye and made him excited.
The [Fitness Technique] was described as a supportive practice method with two stages.
The first stage involved steadily increasing one's magic reserves and sensitivity through physical exercise and breathing techniques, almost identical to Alex's own training routine.
What surprised him even more was the second stage.
Once the magic reserves and sensitivity reached a certain level, the practitioner could enhance their control and perception of magic, then channel that magic to strengthen and temper their body.
This method, recorded in the arcana, aimed to improve overall physical strength by using magic itself to reinforce the body.
After practicing for a long time, a person's strength, speed, endurance, resistance to blows, and flexibility improved dramatically.
Eventually, they might even develop some extraordinary abilities, like shrinking their bones, hardening their body like steel, or stretching and softening their muscles to a certain degree.
Seeing this, Alex immediately thought of the many magical skills horned basilisk had shown.
For example, horned basilisk could twist and change direction instantly while moving, just like a real snake.
Its body was even harder than steel, so tough that not even the full-force God Mie Slash could break it.
Alex also remembered how, back at the silver wand headquarters, the Ashwinder had quickly rescued the Poisonous Leopard right in front of him.
Since horned basilisk had been training the Ashwinder in its "snake molting" technique from a young age and had adopted it as a loyal companion, it made sense that the Ashwinder had learned this special fitness method.
It's likely that this training is what gave the Ashwinder its incredible speed.
Alex was surprised by the kind of magic he was encountering.
The secret technique at the second stage reminded him a lot of the lightning tempering he'd experienced before, but the [Fitness Technique] made the process controllable and active, which was a breakthrough.
Staring intently at the arcana of the technique, he realized that mastering this secret was crucial not only for boosting his strength but also for improving his training methods.
Compared to other difficult spells, Alex felt that the significance of the "Fitness Technique" to the wizarding world could be revolutionary.
He smiled and nodded at the thought, then shook his head with a hint of helplessness.
'Still, this isn't guaranteed. Whether it's the "Fitness Technique" or my own "Training Method," both require rigorous, hard work. Given the current state of the wizarding world, many wizards might not be willing to endure such hardships. In the end, only those who can truly discipline themselves will gain the benefits.'
Alex figured the real situation was probably more complicated than he imagined, but he didn't waste time worrying about others.
He just needed to focus on himself.
With that in mind, he turned his attention back to the other secret arts recorded in the arcana.
Techniques like [Fitness Art], [Earth Walking Art], and [Water Walking Art] all seemed very practical.
Then, Alex spotted two secret arts he'd seen before on horned basilisk: [Serpens Occulta] and [Spiritual Shield].
The description of [Serpens Occulta] was straightforward.
It was an attack spell that summoned a magical snake embodying part of the caster's consciousness and traits, making it more powerful and easier to control.
Compared to other spells, applying techniques like the "Tracking Curse" to it often resulted in twice the effect with half the effort.
The spell also had a high "magic power conversion rate," a term Alex had coined himself to describe how effectively magic power is turned into actual magic when casting a spell.
This rate depends on many factors, including the caster's sensitivity to magic and their proficiency with the specific spell.
In other words, the more sensitive a wizard is to magical power and the more skilled they are with their spells, the better they can convert magic energy into spellwork.
Usually, ordinary wizards have a conversion rate below 1.
A rate of 0.6 is considered decent, 0.7 is quite good, and 0.8 means the wizard is very proficient with that particular spell.
It's almost impossible to reach above 0.9 because casting itself involves some energy loss.
Even Alex, who's exceptionally talented, can only achieve about a 0.95 conversion rate when using his signature spell, Thundris Tempest.
This is because his body has been strengthened by lightning, allowing him to control the magic almost like an extension of his own arm.
For other complex spells, like the Levitation Charm, his conversion rate only gets close to 0.9.
It's important to note that a high conversion rate means the spell is cast efficiently and with integrity, but it doesn't necessarily mean the spell is powerful.
The spell's inherent power depends mostly on its type.
For example, a Stunning Spell with a 0.9 conversion rate won't be as destructive as an Avada Kedavra with a 0.5 conversion rate.
However, a higher conversion rate means the spell uses magic more efficiently and is easier to control.
If two spells have the same effect, the one with the higher conversion rate is clearly more advantageous.
The spell called "Mystic Snake" has a relatively high learning curve, but once mastered, it starts with a conversion rate around 0.7, which is impressive for a curse since it has both a high minimum and maximum potential.
After some practice, Alex raised his hand and summoned a pale silver and blue snake made of light.