Fire Mage (Web Novel)

Chapter 652: Skills of Sage's Gem

"How do you want to check if I can receive this inheritance?" Charles looked at the hovering bluish gem and asked.

'Simple. Use your knowledge of Rune and try comprehending the 'Wisdom' Essences hidden within this Sage's Gem. If you can comprehend up to 10 Wisdom Essences and unlock the first five skills within the next ten days, this 'Sage's Gem' inheritance will be yours.'

'From what I can see, the highest number you can comprehend with your [Rune Eye] skill is only 1 wisdom essence. Even that needed a terrific comprehension speed.' He paused for a moment and soon added mysteriously.

'But there are times when miracles happen. If you grasp a tiny bit of the essence of Sage's Gem, you may have a chance to increase your comprehension and analytic speed multiple times.

'An Impossible task, huh? Unless a person's wisdom affinity is around Genius or Prodigy rank, it's almost impossible for any person to achieve such a result.'

Charles furrowed his brows, caught the 'Sage's Gem' in his hand while placing the Crystal Dimension stone on the cot, and sat on the cold floor.

At the same time, he activated his [Rune Eyes] and [Accelerate Thoughts] skills and focused his sole attention on the 'Sage's Gem.'

Minutes paused as he focused on a single streak of Wisdom Essence and started analyzing the mysterious 'Wisdom Runes.'

After 15 minutes, Charles finally grasped the secret of the first streak and managed to comprehend it.

At that moment, he also unlocked the first skill of this 'Sage's Gem' called 'Enigmatic Unraveling.'

This skill would allow Charles to decipher complex riddles, puzzles, and mysteries at incredible speed, unlocking the secrets of ancient enigmas.

'But even with my 'Accelerate Thoughts' skill, it's taking more than 15 minutes to comprehend a single streak of wisdom essence. If I'm not wrong, I need more than 10 days to comprehend a Wisdom Essence.'

In truth, what Esim said about his 'Rune Eye' skill was not wrong. With that skill alone, he would need more than 6 to 7 hours to comprehend a single streak of wisdom essence. But his [Accelerate Thoughts] skill sped up his comprehension spell multiple times and skyrocketed his progression speed.

'But this is just the start.' As he muttered, he instantly turned his appearance into elemental form and hurriedly directed his consciousness to the Crystal Dimension stone.

At that moment, the Will of Esim was startled deeply by the appearance of elemental form and soon turned serious as he analyzed the flame.

'What a monstrous genius! Did you manage to comprehend more than 10 Rebirth Flame Laws? How in the world did you achieve it? Moreover, how old are you actually?' He couldn't hide his shock at all.

"I'm turning 48. But after traveling different worlds, the real age might be longer than this. Still, I haven't touched Century yet."

While Esim was still in shock, Charles opened his mouth and added again.

"Don't be surprised yet." Saying so, he suddenly shrunk and disappeared from there.

'He entered that strange sealing dimension? Aren't he afraid of being frozen in time along with that Eye incarnation?' As those words came out of his Will, Esim suddenly realized the main effect of the rebirth flame.

'He can move in the Time Freeze zone? Is he a Reincarnator?' A strange doubt appeared in his Will.

While Esim was racking his mind, Charles arrived before the giant fireball and turned his attention toward the blue gem on his palm.

Once again, Charles cast [Rune Eye] skill and started to comprehend the wisdom essence streaks.

Although he took over 2 hours to comprehend the second wisdom essence streak this time, he wasn't discouraged.

'I can feel my understanding of solving problems and deciphering the secrets are increasing a little.' With that thought, he again focused on the 'Sage's Gem' and continued the comprehension.

After a day of hard work, he soon unlocked the second skill called the 'Analytic Enchantment' skill.

'This skill can break down and analyze magical enchantments and even curses, unraveling their nature and effects, finding the means to dispel or strengthen them.' New information about the [Analytic Enchantment] skill flowed into his head and was etched deep in his soul.

Charles didn't waste any moment and continued comprehending the Wisdom Essence Streaks.

One week passed in a blink of an eye.

At that moment, he had already comprehended 100 Essence Streaks and unlocked the third Sage's Eye skill called [Mystic Algorhytm].

'This skill can recognize and decipher magical algorithms, unlocking the hidden structures and rules governing mystical spells and rituals.' Due to this skill, his comprehension speed increased drastically.

Within a month, he managed to comprehend more than 800 Wisdom Essence Streaks and unlocked the fourth skill called 'Phantasmal Analysis.'

'With this, I can analyze and interact with illusions and phantoms, distinguishing between reality and illusion in a world of deception.' A smile appeared on his face.

'This old man's skill is far better than my Rune Eye.' Of course, he was now comprehending all the new wisdom streaks and transforming his Rune Eye into an advanced level.

Four and a half months passed within the Crystal Dimension while only a day had passed outside.

During this time, Charles had not only managed to grasp a small amount of 'Core Essence,' he even gained a little enlightenment and already comprehended 3604 Wisdom Essence Streaks!

'I almost comprehended 4 Wisdom Essences in such a short time.' But if he had yet to comprehend the Rebirth Flame or construct the 'Flame Body' spell at the start, he might have failed miserably by now.

'Thank goodness I listened to Bishop Reynolds's advice.' He let out a deep breath and continued.

Another four and a half months passed inside the crystal dimension.

'My comprehension speed indeed improved dramatically. I can now even read the flow of all the Wisdom Rules and could predict the flow of their function.' At that moment, Charles had already comprehended 10 Wisdom Essences and finally unlocked the fifth skill of 'Sage's Gem.'

"Mythos Decoding... It's an ability to decipher ancient mythologies and legends, extracting and applying hidden knowledge to contemporary situations." He muttered as he absorbed all the information about the fifth skill and decided to leave the crystal dimension.

One hour later, Charles suddenly appeared in the small room, returned to his human form, and took the Crystal Dimension stone from the cot.

'You managed to stay in the 'Time Freeze' zone for two days. It's really surprising.' Esim's ancient voice echoed in the room.

'So, how many wisdom essences did you manage to comprehend?'

Instead of responding, Charles looked at the skeletal figure and activated his 'Rune Eye' skill.

Almost a dozen new wisdom essences circled inside his eyes a second later, and he started analyzing the skeletal figure.

"You are poisoned before your death?" Charles asked while raising his eyebrows. At that moment, his eye showed some foreign energy residing within his bones and gave him a clue about the poison.

"Wait, it's not a poison but some sort of curse?"

Instead of a response from Esim, a strange silence appeared in the room.

'Young man, you are more than eligible to inherit my lifelong treasure skill. Use it wisely, and never search for me. After all, it will only lead to more trouble for you.' The ancient voice suddenly turned solemn and then added.

'I hope you live an endless life and achieve your dream. Goodbye.'

As he spoke, Charles suddenly felt his vision turned blurry and felt a suction feeling.

Before he could blink, he stood in front of the hooded state. At the same time, he saw another item hovering before him and slowly descended toward the floor.

It was the black robe that Esim had worn before!

"That old man should've at least sent me off with some warm words." As Charles spoke, he extended his right hand and caught it from falling on the ground.

Then, he activated his upgraded 'Rune Eye' and analyzed it.

...

[Name: Robe of the Shadowed Sage

Rank: Pseudo-Intellectual

Description: The Robe of the Shadowed Sage is an elegant, flowing robe crafted from arcane silk and shadowy threads. Its dark, deep indigo color absorbs light, making the wearer appear almost cloaked in darkness. Intricate patterns of ancient runes, representing knowledge and protection, are subtly woven throughout the fabric. Though it doesn't have a will, it was created by merging the essence of wisdom and rune arrays, resulting in a symbiotic-type being.

Abilities:

1. Wisdom's Insight: The user gains heightened wisdom and intellect when wearing the robe. It grants the ability to comprehend complex puzzles, decipher enigmatic texts, and see through illusions with remarkable clarity. The robe is a conduit for ancient knowledge, enhancing the wearer's understanding of magic and history. (Cooldown: Nil)

2. Veil of Shadows: The robe can draw upon the essence of shadows, allowing the wearer to meld into the darkness at Will. While in dimly lit or shadowy environments, the wearer can become nearly invisible, moving with near-silent footsteps and evading the notice of others. (Cooldown: Nil.)

3. Eclipse Shield: As a defense mechanism, the robe can create a temporary barrier of shadow energy that absorbs and nullifies incoming magical attacks. The shield's strength depends on the wearer's wisdom and concentration, making it a formidable defense against various magical threats. (Time Limit: It last up to 5 seconds. Cooldown: 1/1 Hour.)

4. Shadowstep: The wearer can momentarily teleport from one shadow to another by channeling the robe's power, traveling through short distances with incredible swiftness. This ability proves valuable for both escape and surprise attacks. (Cooldown: 1/10 seconds)

5. Ancient Ward: When the wearer faces overwhelming life-threatening danger, the robe can automatically trigger an ancient Demi-God Rank warding spell. The ward forms a protective barrier around the wearer, repelling enemies and harmful forces until they recede or the wearer finds a safer location. (Cooldown: 1/10 days)

Bonding and Limitations:

The Robe of the Shadowed Sage is not an artifact anyone can wield. It bonds with those who exhibit wisdom, intelligence, and a strong sense of moral balance. The robe recognizes and resonates with those who seek knowledge for the greater good and are willing to wield its powers responsibly.

However, the robe's power comes with a cost. Prolonged use of its shadow abilities can weigh on the wearer's spirit, making them susceptible to darker temptations and inner turmoil. The wearer must exercise caution not to succumb to the robe's allure, remaining steadfast in their commitment to wisdom and protection.]