161: Level 5 Hunter

Over the past few months, Lai'en's diligent practice of archery had more than doubled his shooting speed.

When he was in New South City, he would sometimes go to the surrounding forests to experience nature, accompanied by Holy Knight Randel, several Druids, and a Forest Nymph.

They even went to the east of Morning Song Temple, near the ruins of the Woolkas Academy, to survey the terrain.

The Illusionist Woolkas had established his academy here three hundred years ago.

Due to its immense success, it attracted all apprentices wanting to become mages from along the Treasure Sword Coast.

The mages of Kalixia feared that this academy would become a threat to their power, so they destroyed this place in a great magical battle.

However, Woolkas disappeared during the battle, and no one knew his whereabouts.

The entire magic academy was burned to ruins, standing isolated on the hill east of the town.

Local people were very afraid of these ruins, spreading rumors that there were spell-casting ghosts there.

Therefore, Gorebest's prosperity in the past was limited to extending westward, leaving the eastern hills to the grazing sheep.

It is said that the name of the Burning Mage Inn in the city came from Woolkas.

Originally, there was also a trade route to the east, which, according to ancient maps, passed through the abandoned Dwarf Durag's Tower and Firewine Bridge, reaching Green Field' Green Town, and extending all the way to the Fallen Star Sea.

Combining old and new maps, the Halfling teacher's requested destination for Lai'en, Creek Valley Village, was near Firewine Bridge.

Lai'en intended to rebuild the Woolkas Magic Academy in the future and reopen the old trade route to enhance Gorebest's status as a trade hub.

But at that time, the system prompted him that the path ahead was too dangerous and to return after his abilities improved in the future.

During this time, with the help of the Druid Vivofenson and others, Lai'en comprehended a 1st-level Divination Ranger spell: Beast Connection and a 2nd-level Enchantment Ranger spell: Animal Messenger.

On the eighth day of waiting for the Allied Forces' main force to arrive, Lai'en combined his archery skills and comprehended a 2nd-level Transmutation Ranger spell: Vigilant Arrow Array.

The system henceforth judged Lai'en's overall strength to have risen to Level 5 Hunter.

At the same time, the system determined that Lai'en's Lord Level had risen to Level 5, increasing his spell power, weapon power, and checking advantage by 16%, and by 32% within his territory.

The next upgrade would require the Lord's personal professional level to be greater than Level 6 and the number of residents to be greater than 10,000.

The three Ranger spells summarized by the system are as follows—

【Beast Connection】

Spell Level: 1st Circle

Spell School: Divination

Casting Time: 1 action

Casting Range: Touch

Spell Components: V, S, M (a small piece of fur wrapped in cloth)

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

The host establishes a telepathic link with a friendly or charmed beast that the host touches.

If the beast's Intelligence is not less than 4, this spell fails.

Until the spell ends, as long as the host and the beast are within each other's line of sight, this link remains active.

Through this link, the beast can understand messages telepathically conveyed by the host, and it will also telepathically convey its basic emotions and intentions to the host.

As long as this link is active, the beast gains advantage on attack rolls against any creature within 5 feet of the host that the host can see.

...

【Animal Messenger】

Spell Level: 2nd Circle

Spell School: Enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Casting Range: 30 feet

Spell Components: V, S, M (a bit of food)

Duration: 24 hours

This spell allows the host to use an animal to deliver a message. Designate one Tiny beast (such as a squirrel, blue jay, or bat) that the host can see within casting range.

Then choose a location the host has visited and describe the recipient's basic information, such as "a man or woman wearing a town guard uniform" or "a red-haired dwarf wearing a pointed hat."

Finally, speak a message no longer than twenty-five words.

The target beast will travel to the host's chosen location for the duration of the spell.

Flying messengers can travel 50 miles in 24 hours; non-flying messengers can only travel 25 miles.

Upon reaching the destination, the messenger will mimic the host's voice to deliver the message to the person described by the host.

The messenger will only deliver the message to a person who matches the host's description.

If the messenger fails to reach the destination within the spell's duration, the message is lost, and the beast that served as the messenger will find its way back to where the host cast the spell.

Higher Level Casting Effect: When casting this spell using a 3rd-level or higher spell slot, for each level the host's spell slot is higher than 2nd level, the spell's duration increases by 48 hours.

...

【Vigilant Arrow Array】

Spell Level: 2nd Circle

Spell School: Transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Casting Range: 5 feet

Spell Components: V, S, M (four or more arrows or bolts)

Duration: 8 hours

The host sticks four non-magical pieces of ammunition (arrows or crossbow bolts) into the ground within casting range and enchants them to defend the area.

Until the spell ends, the arrows will guard a 30-foot radius area around them. When any creature first enters the area or ends its turn in the area during a round, one of the arrows will fly up and shoot at that creature.

The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d6 piercing damage on a failed save, and the arrow that shot at the target is destroyed.

When all arrows are destroyed in this way, the spell ends.

When casting this spell, the host can designate any creature to be excluded from the spell's guarding effect.

Higher Level Casting Effect: When casting this spell using a 3rd-level or higher spell slot, for each level the host's spell slot is higher than 2nd level, the number of effective ammunition increases by two.

...

On the system attribute panel, Lai'en's weapon damage is now displayed as—

【Damage】: 2 to 7 (2 to 9 within territory, 2 to 8 outside territory)

Bow and Arrow Damage: 1d6+1 (Normal Arrows)

Twin Swords Damage (Vampire Wolf King's Fangs): 2d8+1

(Single Sword Base Damage: 3 to 17 points, 3 to 22 within territory, 3 to 19 outside territory, plus a 10% chance to trigger 1 to 3 points of lifesteal damage;

When both swords strike a single target simultaneously,

Twin Swords Base Damage: 6 to 34 points, 7 to 44 within territory, 6 to 39 outside territory,

plus a 30% chance to trigger 2 to 8 points of lifesteal damage.)

...

In terms of weapon damage alone, the two Vampire Wolf King's Fang daggers obtained a year ago were still more powerful.

The Dragon Armor and Dragon Might Scepter obtained the night before the coronation significantly increased Lai'en's spell abilities, diversifying his overall combat methods.

Only these two daggers made it easier for Lai'en to instantly kill most beasts and monsters when fighting in the wild.

Even the wolf sinews that originally connected the hilt to the wrist have now been replaced by the invisible system energy of the Qiankun Ring.

The two flying swords can now not only fly hundreds of meters away but also turn, hover, accelerate, and slow down in the air.

Lai'en can even command the twin swords while holding the Dragon Might Scepter or "Dragon Might Shortbow" with both hands to shoot arrows.

In the eyes of Randall and others, High Lord Ryan Black had already mastered true "Flying Sword Arts"!