As the battle between the two sides grew increasingly intense, Anser stopped stirring the pot and quietly slipped away.
There was a good chance they had already noticed something was off. If he kept pushing it, he might end up walking straight into a trap.
High above the night sky, he flew over the city, looking down at the dark streets below. Yet his mind couldn't help drifting back to the nightscape of Baldur's Gate as he remembered it.
'Next time.'
After putting some distance between himself and Baldur's Gate, he entered the Holrewen's Celestial Ritual Array and prepared to improve one of his secondary classes.
He had thought about this before. The greatest boost to his strength would come from leveling up. The next greatest would be time magic.
A 6th-level Time Wizard gained access to a new feature: "Momentary Stasis." By interfering with time itself, the wizard could forcibly restrain a target.
Since it was also a control ability, Anser felt that a power tied directly to time should be much harder to resist than ordinary control spells. It might even solve his current predicament.
On top of that, increasing his Wizard level would further strengthen the degree to which he could manipulate time.
'It improves Maeve's spellcasting abilities, and I can sell the spell models to the Magic Research Society. That's a huge profit.'
He opened his Wizard Character Sheet and selected the class advancement option. Experience points poured out of his pool like a rushing stream.
[Level Up: Wizard Level 5!]
[You gain a new class feature: "Memorize Spell"]
[You can learn two new spells, as well as one Evocation school spell.]
...
Memorize Spell: Whenever you finish a short rest, you can study your spellbook and replace one prepared spell of 1st level or higher with another spell of 1st level or higher from your spellbook.
...
This feature mainly improved a Wizard's flexibility, preventing situations where a sudden problem required a specific spell, only for the caster to realize they hadn't prepared it.
Next came the selection of three 3rd-level spells.
Among the Evocation options were even Paladin spells, such as Crusader's Mantle. However, Anser didn't choose it. He would master it sooner or later anyway, and it wasn't something he urgently needed.
After some consideration, he selected Melf's Minute Meteors—the Wizard version rather than the innate magical variant.
The reason was simple: the spell had an outstanding combat record and was extremely popular among Wizards. Selling it could earn him a fortune.
...
Melf's Minute Meteors
3rd-level Evocation
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
You create six miniature meteors within your space. They float in the air and orbit around you.
You can instantly launch one or two meteors at a time, sending them toward targets within range.
When a meteor reaches its destination or strikes a solid surface, it explodes. Creatures within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of the explosion must make a Dexterity Saving Throw.
On a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 (2–12) fire damage. On a successful save, it takes only half damage.
...
The biggest drawback of Melf's Minute Meteors was its concentration requirement, which wasn't particularly friendly to spellcasters.
Furthermore, only two meteors could be launched at a time, and once fired, their trajectories were difficult to adjust.
However, if all six meteors hit their targets, the spell's damage ceiling was extremely high. The powerful impacts also carried a certain amount of physical force.
Anser possessed the Metamagic Seeking Spell. If he applied it to the meteors, it might produce some unexpected results.
The other two spell choices were much harder to decide.
The Wizard spell list was simply too good. Nearly every option was useful.
Dispel Magic, Haste, Message, Phantom Steed, Speak with Dead, Intellect Fortress...
Even a seemingly niche spell like Phantom Steed had its own unique advantage: speed.
Its starting speed was ninety kilometers per hour—faster than Anser could fly with his Wings of the Firmament.
The higher the caster's Intelligence, the faster it moved.
It was honestly ridiculous. Perhaps, in the eyes of the archwizard who created the spell, this speed was only barely acceptable.
'I can only pick two.'
He chose Dispel Magic and Intellect Fortress, two defensive spells that made up for not choosing the Abjuration school.
...
Dispel Magic
3rd-level Abjuration
Choose one creature, object, or magical effect and end any spell of 3rd level or lower affecting the target.
If the target is under the effect of a spell of 4th level or higher, you must make an Intelligence check. On a successful check, the spell effect ends.
...
This was practically a mandatory spell for any spellcaster. It could remove debuffs affecting allies and strip beneficial magic from enemies.
Curses, control spells, ongoing magical effects, summoning spells—the range of applications was enormous. As long as magic was involved, it was worth trying.
As everyone knew, Clerics possessed a vast arsenal of buffs and curses. If you wanted to fight them, Dispel Magic was essential.
Moreover, Anser had a major advantage: upcasting.
A 7th-level Dispel Magic could remove the effects of a 7th-level spell. He could cast more than fifteen 7th-level spells in one go.
But a Cleric?
How many 7th-level spells could they cast?
The second spell was even more useful.
...
Intellect Fortress
3rd-level Abjuration
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
For the duration, you or one visible creature gains resistance to psychic damage and advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Saving Throws.
...
The spell's function was simple: it granted the rare benefit of psychic resistance while significantly improving spell saves.
If he had possessed this spell during the previous battle and cast it on all the main combatants, the drow matron mother's Hold Person would not have worked nearly so easily.
'Weaken the enemy, strengthen ourselves. Perfect.'
[Wizard Spells: Melf's Minute Meteors, Dispel Magic, Intellect Fortress. Confirm?]
"Confirm!"
In the next instant, magic power surged.
A vast flood of knowledge and insight poured into his mind like a raging torrent. The overwhelming rush left him unable to think about anything else, forcing him to devote himself completely to absorbing it.
It felt as though he were an endlessly diligent genius Wizard who had advanced to the elite stage in just a few short years, mastering several signature spells in one stroke while delving ever deeper into the mysteries of the arcane.
When the starlight of the ritual array finally faded, Anser opened his eyes.
His gaze was restrained, yet as deep as the sea.
'Arcane knowledge bestowed by the heavens... somehow it makes me feel a little guilty. Haha...'
He opened his Character Sheet.
His Magic Power had reached 260.
A modest increase.
That was simply how spellcasters worked. Their total Magic Power was directly tied to their level and the highest spell level they could cast, because both reflected their overall mastery of the arcane arts.
His experience pool still contained 4,851 experience points.
Multiclass progression required twice as much experience as normal. Advancing Wizard from level 5 to level 6 required 15,000 experience—equivalent to the amount needed to go from level 11 to level 12.
"Ah, I need a good, satisfying slaughter!"
He clenched his fists and growled through gritted teeth.
Suppressing that hungry urge, he went downstairs to the dining hall and calmly enjoyed a proper breakfast.
Ever since the Adventuring Party gained access to its shared storage, Bratt and the others had been able to communicate with the outside world at any time and make small requests to Kaleno and the others, such as food, drinks, and other daily necessities.
Living conditions within Holrewen had improved noticeably, and smiles had become much more common.
After finishing dinner, he checked the notice board and discovered a handwritten message from Iris:
Brunhilde still hasn't returned.
'Hm?'
Anser's brows furrowed slightly.
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