Beast Shapeshifting was the spell that the magus valued the most.
It was a simplified version of the ancient Transformation Spell. It required a complete beast's fur, skull, limbs, and claws. Then, after carving runes and magic arrays on the beast's skin, the user would be able to transform into a real beast.
At the same time, the user would have the beast's strength, agility, and combat skills. The duration of the transformation would depend on the magus' mana.
Sheila proudly declared that she could transform into a black bear for around half an hour. During that time, she would be a real black bear and the ruler of the forest.
The overlord of the forest was invincible. In the future, he would no longer need to avoid the ferocious black bears in the back mountain of the Witch Forest.
At most, she would just have to fight them and see which one was stronger. She would be able to go to places she didn't dare to go in the past. Claude didn't think much of it.
Claude didn't think much of it. He felt that the beast mimicry spell was the most useless spell there was.
Other things aside, wouldn't it be too hot and stuffy to wear such a thick and heavy black bear hide in the forest?
It was fine in the winter, but in the summer, one would have to sweat all over. When the time came, the inside of the bear's skin would be filled with the stench of sweat. Who could bear this?
She might as well have a flintlock in hand. No matter how ferocious the beast was, it would still fall in a single shot.
Moreover, you're a beautiful magus. Wouldn't it be beneath you to turn into a black bear and fight with other beasts?
Also, this black bear is a male. What if you meet a female black bear in the forest and it doesn't fight you but raises its butt for you to f * ck it? What would you do then?
If I knew this would happen, I wouldn't have taken the bear's penis off. Perhaps you'd be able to pretend to be a female black bear for a while …
Had it not been for the fact that she was too weak to get out of bed, she would have pounced on him and taken a bite out of him. How could he belittle her favorite spell like that? Helpless, she could only roll her eyes at him and curse, "You pervert! Mommy was right! Men aren't good people …"
Fortunately, Claude was rather tactful. Seeing that the magus was angry, he hurriedly turned around to pacify her and promised to teach her how to fire a flintlock when she recovered. That way, she would be safe even if she had to live in the forest.
The second spell was Vine Entanglement. It summoned a few magic-converted vines to bind the enemy.
According to the magus, a first-ring magus could only summon one vine.
She was a second-ring magus and could summon two vines.
However, these vines could be stacked, meaning that you could continue to summon vines to deal with the original target or to deal with other targets.
The reason why she was able to kill the big black bear that had barged into the shack was because she had summoned it four times in one go. Eight vines had bound the big black bear tightly, preventing it from moving.
However, she did not expect that when she stabbed the black iron spear into the black bear's heart, the black bear would break free from the entanglement of the vines with its right paw and claw her. Fortunately, she retreated quickly …
Claude had a taste of how powerful Vine Entanglement was. He believed that the weakness of the spell was that it couldn't be used against magi. It could be used against normal humans and wild beasts, but it couldn't stop a magus from casting spells.
It was similar to when he was bound tightly by the vines, but he was still able to use one of the basic spells, Spellhand, to tear apart the vines and break the magus' spear before throwing the person in front of him away.
Twisting Vines was one of the spells Claude wanted to trade. If it wasn't for the fact that he couldn't trade the basic spells engraved on the hexagram, he would have swapped Twisting Vines for his own basic spell.
It was simply too useful for him. It could trap enemies and it was the best choice to deal with sudden attacks in a confined space.
The third spell was Poison Smoke Trap. How should he put it? Claude felt that it was a little useless.
As long as he cast Appraisal Eye, he would be able to avoid the traps based on the mana imprints left behind after the Poison Smoke Trap was cast.
Naturally, normal humans and wild beasts wouldn't be able to avoid it. That was also why Sheerah had turned the Witch's Forest into a forbidden area.
She said that one Poison Smoke Trap could be used for five to six days. When she became a first circle magus, she could do it for three days.
Unfortunately, with the arrival of the rainy season, the continuous torrential rain washed away all the poisonous smoke traps she had left in the Witch Forest.
Once the poisonous smoke trap that originally terrified the black bears in the back of the mountain was gone, the big black bear on the ground that had already turned into bear skin passed through the forest. When it discovered that there was fragrant meat in the tattered shack under the big oak tree, it brazenly broke through the wooden wall and barged in.
The magus said that if the bear didn't break through the wooden wall, she could use Poison Smoke Trap to drive it away.
In fact, the Poison Smoke Trap could also be cast with one's hands, but the speed of the Poison Smoke Trap was very slow in battle. It would allow the enemy to see a wisp of black smoke drifting towards them, allowing them to dodge it easily.
The fourth was Spirit Enchantment.
This spell wasn't commonly used, but it was a key spell for magi to communicate with their pets.
From books and folklore, it could be seen and heard that in ancient times, magicians with great magical powers could subdue those ferocious magical beasts and force them to sign a master-servant blood contract, making these magical beasts obedient to him.
However, signing a blood contract required a lot of precious magic resources to set up corresponding magic runes. As magic resources ran out, magical beasts gradually disappeared from the continent.
They found that magical beasts coveted their flesh, bones, and fur as magic materials, so no one was willing to sign a blood contract.
Therefore, there were magicians who simplified it and changed it to apply to ordinary pets. The most important thing was to enlighten the pet's intelligence, so that it could understand human nature and protect its owner. Simple eyes and movements could instruct the pet to act and understand the owner's intentions.
At the same time, Spirit Enchantment could also appease angry and violent animals, but it could only be done by a mage above the fourth circle.
Sheerah said that her mother had once encountered an enraged black bear and a ferocious wild boar fighting in the forest. Her mother had calmed the two beasts down with a spell of Spiritualization, and they had left after sniffing each other.
Now that she was a second circle mage, Spirit Enchantment could only appease the wild bees, but wouldn't sting her with their stingers so that she could take honey from the wild bees …
The fifth spell was Tree Rejuvenation, also known as Plant Planting. This spell was targeted at plants.
Casting this spell could speed up the growth period of plants, make the fruits fuller, bigger, and tastier.
The row of blueberry bushes in the Witch's Forest was a masterpiece of this spell. Sheerah said that blueberries were her favorite fruit.
Her mother used to use this spell to plant the herbs she needed. She first learned this spell because a potted wildflower she raised at that time had withered. She was very sad.
So her mother taught her this spell, and the next day, the pot of wildflower was revived.
Damn, this Tree Rejuvenation spell is the real deal. It's practically a killing machine!
It's the best choice for research on plant hybridization. If used in farming, it would guarantee a good harvest.
Unfortunately, Sheerah didn't realize the importance of this spell at all. She didn't know how to farm in the forest. Apart from picking some blueberries and learning how to plant herbs from her mother, she didn't know how to use this spell.
"Strange, how should I evaluate these five spells of yours?
They don't seem to be rune spells or battle spells … "Claude was really puzzled.
While Beast Mimicry, Vine Entanglement, and Poison Smoke Trap could be used as battle spells, Spirit Enchantment and Plant Planting weren't compatible at all.
Come to think of it, the last two spells weren't rune spells either, as they couldn't be tested in alchemical formations.
"My mother said that we're nature magi, not rune magi or battle magi. Instead, we're a type of magus that worships nature.
We love freedom and peace and advocate for harmony between man and nature. We strive not to waste magic resources in order to maintain the continuation of magic civilisation.
We use our own enlightenment in nature to achieve breakthroughs in magic cultivation and raise our realm.
Nature magi like my mother mostly live in seclusion with her family in the forest and rarely show their faces outside … "Sheerah explained her origins and magic in a serious manner.
Rune magi who experimented with alchemical magic, battle magi who collected all sorts of resources for the sake of magic civilisation, and now, nature magi who worshipped nature like druids.
But no matter how much Sheerah's mother bragged about herself, she had abandoned her daughter for the sake of her own greed and went to excavate magic ruins on Nubissia, never to return.
"Alright, I agree to trade the five nature spells with you. How do you want to trade them?" he asked with a smile.
"I-I want those two spells of yours, Spellhand and Fine Control …" Sheerah lowered her head, her face red. "I-I know those two spells of yours are really precious. If … if you agree, I … I'll trade them with you."
Just like how Sheerah didn't know the value of her five spells, Claude didn't treat Spellhand and Fine Control as treasures either. Even though Maria had reminded him that those two spells were forbidden and couldn't be bought with money, Claude didn't think much of them.
However, he felt that those were common spells that every rune magus knew back in the days of magic civilisation, so there was nothing to be treasured about. There were definitely quite a number of magi who knew those two spells now. Otherwise, how would they be able to conduct all sorts of experiments in alchemical formations?
To Claude, using Spellhand and Fine Control to trade for Sheerah's five nature spells was a very good deal.
He couldn't conduct alchemical experiments at the moment, so apart from using the two spells to make his daily life a little more convenient, he didn't really have much use for them. He had to be on tenterhooks when casting them and he had to be careful not to be discovered.
But to Sheerah, the two spells would really help her in her life in the forest. At the very least, she would be able to use Spellhand to create all sorts of sharp blades when hunting beasts in the future.
"Alright, I'll trade with you," Claude said.
"But I won't trade five for two. I'll add three more spells, one for one. That way, you won't feel like you're losing out and you won't think that I'm a liar and that all men are bad."
Sheerah pouted, blushing. "I don't need your pity. I know that even if I trade five spells for your Spellhand and Fine Control, you're already losing out a lot.
I know you're a good person, but I don't need your pity and help. "
Claude almost coughed up blood. He hadn't even done anything and he was already labeled as a good person. Girl, you're lying on my bed and you're telling me you don't need my help? How can you say something like that?
Claude closed the window and drew the curtains to make sure the light in the room couldn't be seen from outside.
Then, he closed the door. Fortunately, Myjack and Gum were busy making two big sacks of bear meat downstairs, so no matter how loud the commotion upstairs was, they wouldn't be able to hear it from downstairs.
Turning around, Claude saw Sheerah on the bed with a terrified look on her face. She clutched the blanket tightly. "W-What are you trying to do?"
What am I trying to do?
Didn't I just want to show you the other three spells?
Girl, what are you thinking? What do you think I'm trying to do?
Although you're injured and don't have the strength to struggle, it's indeed a good opportunity for me. But don't you think about how your whole body is wrapped up in bandages? I'm not interested in wasting my time on bandages … "
Claude looked at the female magus on the bed with a dark expression. "Let me show you the other three spells I want to exchange with you. I'm a soldier now, and the ones below and outside are my subordinates. I have to hide my identity as a magus. What's wrong with your head?"
Claude stretched his hand out and a ball of light appeared. "This is Luminous Pearl. It's used for lighting at night.
I believe it'll be of great help to you. At the very least, you won't have to be afraid of the dark at night. "
With a flick of his hand, Claude removed the Luminous Pearl from his hand and drew a magic formation in the air. Soon, a small red flame appeared on his finger. "This is Ignite. If you learn it, you won't need flint to light a fire and won't have to worry about losing your tinder. You'll have to eat raw food."
After the flame was extinguished, Claude drew another magic formation in the air with his finger and picked up an empty cup. With a wave of his hand, a stream of clear spring water appeared in the air and poured into the empty cup.
"This is Water Condensation. If you learn it, you won't have to worry about not having clean water to drink.
There's also a Detect spell that allows you to check the mana imprints left behind after casting a spell.
I used Examine to discover the poisonous smoke traps you set up in the Witch's Forest. I easily avoided them and entered the depths of the forest.
You can choose three spells from these four, along with Spellhand and Fine Control.
We'll trade five spells for five. Neither side will lose out. "