103 Magical Spider Child☆Returns

Thought I was dead.

HP-wise, I was dead.

Would’ve died for real if I hadn’t had endurance.

Dying this idiotic way? No grand finale here.

Administrator, if you saw that, please delete it from the log, thanks.

Anyway, endurance effect confirmed unintentionally.

Not quite resurrection after HP depletion—more like, even at zero HP, still able to act using MP as substitute.

Judging by how MP drained while on fire earlier, I suspect MP is temporarily treated as HP.

So damage meant for HP now directly reduces MP.

Effectively, HP and MP are merged.

Thus, taking an overkill attack means MP drops sharply—could be fatal.

Thanks to the star mage, my MP has increased to an extraordinary degree. I can say I’ve become considerably tougher as a result.

Still, MP is meant for its original purpose. It might be best to treat it as a reserve—just in case.

And thanks to the star mage, my magic-related stats have risen dramatically. But those stats are useless if not used, right?

Enter stage left: the Apex of Arcane Mastery!

Woo!

This skill, in fact, is nothing short of the ultimate evolution of the very magic manipulation I desired!

Incredible!

And even better—additional MP-related utility skills are included, a real bargain!

Wonder-Ho!

Currently, the price is nothing—just a bonus from Lady Wisdom!

W-What?!?

Rest assured, it has already been acquired!

Congratulations!

Now, regarding this Apex of Arcane Mastery.

It’s genuinely an extraordinary skill.

Effectively, it’s as if one has maxed out "Mana Manipulation," "MP Recovery Speed," and "MP Consumption Reduction" simultaneously.

The MP that had dropped to half a moment ago is already fully restored.

Recovery rate is two to three points per second—means full recovery within ten minutes.

What is this? Unlimited MP usage.

And with MP Consumption Reduction active, the amount consumed should be negligible, barring intentional misuse.

Even without restraint, one could use MP freely.

Constantly active abilities like the Evil Eye would consume no MP at all.

Better switch it to constant activation immediately.

And now that everything is set up, it's only natural to want to use magic.

But I don't know how.

That’s because this is the past.

I have finally learned how to use magic.

This was revealed through Lady Wisdom’s new feature—Search.

The system does not reach the level of a great master, but searching for terms related to the skill system displays their descriptions.

The manual function I have long sought has finally been implemented.

Therefore, I searched for how to use magic.

According to the results, using magic requires passing through several stages.

First, recognition of magical energy.

This corresponds to the standard ability of magical perception.

Without awareness of magical energy’s presence, it is impossible to activate any spell that uses it as fuel.

Thus, this is the fundamental prerequisite for spellcasting.

Thanks to Lady Wisdom’s effect, my magical perception is fully functional.

Next, manipulation of magical energy.

The image of magical energy within me is a viscous liquid.

Moving this liquid at will, according to my own intent.

This constitutes magical manipulation.

The faster the movement, the more complex the pattern, the better.

Normally, one would gradually gain control through repeated practice. But thanks to my mastery of magic, I can manipulate it freely at will.

Then, the construction of incantation patterns.

Each magical skill corresponds to such a pattern, automatically constructed upon selecting the appropriate spell.

The mental image of a constructed pattern resembles a pipe.

The speed at which the pattern constructs varies based on stat values.

I have reached the maximum possible construction speed. Selecting a spell activates it instantly—a mechanic bordering on exploitation.

Finally, channeling mana into the constructed pattern completes the spell.

It is like flowing liquid through a pipe.

Only when the liquid reaches the endpoint of the pipe does the spell manifest its effect in the physical world.

Increasing the volume of liquid flowing through the pipe enhances the spell’s offensive power. Accelerating the flow reduces the activation time.

However, this imposes additional strain on the pipe.

The pipe’s diameter imposes a limit on the volume that can be transported. If not sufficiently reinforced, it may rupture under water pressure.

If the strain exceeds the system’s tolerance, the spell may fail to activate—or, in the worst case, detonate unpredictably.

Higher-tier spells possess more complex and extended formulas, intensifying this tendency.

To stabilize the formula, larger and more robust pipes are required.

This, too, presents no issue for me—thanks to the Apex of Arcane Mastery.

Even activating a single spell requires such a sequence of processes.

Yet—!

As the bearer of the Apex of Arcane Mastery, I need not concern myself with such cumbersome procedures.

Mana manipulation feels no different than moving one's body. Spell matrix construction completes instantly upon selecting a spell—optimal configuration achieved in a single moment.

Magic can be cast with the ease of pouring water into a cup.

Therefore, since no monsters are present nearby, I shall attempt a spell whose effect is immediately visible.

Ah, right—Shadow Magic's appraisal completely slipped my mind.

『Shadow Manifestation: Shadows can be generated even within light』

Ugh.

Again, rather ambiguous.

Even at Level 3, still such an effect?

Shadow Magic won't be useful until it reaches a higher level.

Then, let me try casting a spell again.

This time, a poison bomb seems best.

Heretic Magic serves no purpose if there is no target to affect. Shadow Magic, frankly, would lack impact even if successful.

Abyss Magic—well, attempting that directly might be too high a threshold.

Alright!

Spell Activation!

Mana Filling Complete!

Poison Bullet Deployed!

A black, round object appeared directly in front of me, instantly launched with force—almost as if it had been waiting.

H-hey...

It succeeded rather unexpectedly, but it was magic.

Incredible.

I’m actually moved.

But this Poison Bullet has limited power.

Because this poison is not Spider Venom.

The Poison Magic bullet is not a spell that fires one's own poison. It is a single spell that fires poison.

Therefore, the poison used is specific to this spell—different from Spider Venom.

Even with my magic attack power, it cannot match the potency of Spider Venom.

It is possible to increase power by consuming more mana, but in that case, it would be more efficient to simply synthesize the poison directly.

It's a magic I've managed to master, though opportunities to use it may not be frequent...