Chapter 134 - 133: Vicious Peggy

Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Vicious Peggy

First, he tested the Spell Amplification.

Without going for maximum power, Hesia gathered a small amount of Magic Power and unleashed a standard Earth Spike.

His goal wasn’t to destroy the target, but to feel the Magic Wand’s amplification effect on the Magic itself.

SHLIIK!

A sharp Earth Spike shot out from the dirt beneath the target, striking the bottom of the iron plate with a dull thud.

The heavy iron target was jolted upwards by this force, but it was not pierced.

The effect was obvious.

A standard Earth Spike Technique had a power limit; piercing a thick, iron training target like this was unrealistic.

If Hesia had cast it barehanded, this Earth Spike would very likely have shattered on impact.

But when cast through the Magic Wand, the Earth Spike’s sturdiness was significantly enhanced, allowing it to withstand the impact.

However, what surprised Hesia even more was the feeling during Spellcasting.

Even though the target was stationary, he could clearly sense that the spell’s targeting had become exceptionally stable and precise.

He believed that if he were now facing those charging Thorny Wild Boars, his Earth Spikes would definitely not miss as easily as before.

’Let’s try this one.’

Hesia raised his Magic Wand again, this time channeling more Magic Power.

[Earth Spike Technique Lv.3]!

Unlike before, five thick Earth Spikes, like the Sharp Claws of a giant beast, stabbed out diagonally from five different directions, clamping down tightly on the iron target.

SCREEE—CLANG!

An ear-piercing sound of twisting metal rang out.

The iron target was held firmly in the center by the five Earth Spikes, and the immense pressure instantly caused it to deform noticeably.

The increase in the Earth Spikes’ own hardness indirectly enhanced the Magic’s final destructive power.

Hesia nodded in satisfaction.

Next, he would test the "Biting" effect.

He had to admit, this Magic Wand was top-grade in every respect, except its weight was frankly ridiculous.

Even though Teacher Fevik had already used exquisite Runes to lighten its weight as much as possible, the mass of the Black Ebony Wood itself, plus the density of that massive Demon Ghost Witch head, meant it still weighed over ten pounds.

If Hesia’s Strength Attribute hadn’t increased to 10 points, he probably would have struggled just to swing it.

He locked onto another undamaged iron target.

Almost as soon as the thought formed, the eyes of Peggy Pork Chop on the Wand Tip also opened, staring intently at the target.

Hesia let out a low shout, and with the aid of [Mage’s Hand], he put his full strength into his arms, swinging the heavy Magic Wand at the iron target like a warhammer.

Just as the head on the Wand Tip was about to make contact with the iron target—

The shriveled, pitch-black lips suddenly tore sideways, opening to a terrifying angle wide enough to swallow an adult’s head.

Immediately after, accompanied by a tooth-grinding sound of metal scraping, the upper and lower jaws clamped shut with the force of a Thunderbolt!

CRUNCH!

A large chunk was bitten out of the side of the iron target, leaving only a notch with a jagged edge.

’What a vicious Peggy!’

The effect of this Biting far exceeded Hesia’s most optimistic estimates.

He had originally just wanted to test if the Magic Wand could serve as a trump card in a desperate close-quarters fight, but he never expected it to be so devastatingly powerful.

Hesia hefted the now-quiet Magic Wand in his hand. "Time to go get some more iron targets from the bald guy."

...

Dusk fell, and in the grass outside the training ground, a few annoying insects were buzzing around Wilson and his men.

"Boss," Dimi, who was on lookout, lowered his voice and impatiently crushed an insect biting his ankle. "That kid’s been in there for almost a whole day. You think... he might’ve spotted us?"

Wilson frowned and replied in a similarly hushed voice, "Impossible. We’re hidden so well, not even a goblin could find us. How could a Mage who makes a living with parlor tricks have that kind of skill?"

Just then, an inopportune, rough voice suddenly boomed, "If you ask me, we should just charge in! Drag that kid out and beat him up! And while we’re at it, we can have a ’talk’ with the owner of this crappy training ground and make him pay a monthly ’Venue Maintenance Fee’!"

The voice came from a burly man with one side of his head shaved, revealing a scabby scalp. A large chunk of his right ear was also missing.

Not only was his voice incredibly loud, but as he spoke, he excitedly banged his machete against his Shield, making a piercing "CLANG! CLANG!" sound.

Dimi was scared out of his wits. He lunged forward and clamped a hand over the man’s mouth. "Mangy! Why are you yelling so loud?! Are you trying to get us all killed?! Jonathan, the owner of this training ground, is not someone to be trifled with!"

Wilson was also startled by the sudden shouting and glared angrily at the newcomer. "By the gods! What rock did you crawl out from under? During your orientation, didn’t you memorize the ’Rose Town Untouchables List’?"

The young man nicknamed "Mangy" pried Dimi’s hand away and habitually opened his big mouth, about to yell again. But when he saw the fiery glare in Wilson’s eyes, he reluctantly lowered his voice:

"I’m Vice-Captain Rupert’s cousin, from Shield Village. Came here soon as I got his letter. Another vice-captain took me in. I been here for days, ain’t seen my cousin though."

He curled his lip in disdain. "Cousin said in his letter that the Shadowless Team in Rose Town was as mighty as our village chief back home! From what I see... ain’t so great. Can’t touch this one, can’t mess with that one."

He even puffed out his chest and added, eager to take credit:

"If Dimi hadn’t stopped me this morning, I was gonna teach that bald guy a lesson."

Hearing this, Dimi, who was standing to the side, went pale with fright. He frantically shot glances at Wilson, his expression screaming: "See, boss! This is the guy! He almost caused a disaster!"

At these words, a vein throbbed in Wilson’s temple. He cursed Rupert inwardly for becoming more and more unreliable.

But this was the same spiel he himself had made up to trick new recruits. Rupert had probably learned it from him. He could only explain irritably, "You idiot! This is Rose Town! How much influence do you think your village chief would have here? Don’t you get it?"

Mangy blinked and scratched the scabby half of his scalp. He seemed to think there was some truth to that, so he fell silent.

But Wilson caught another piece of information in his words. "Wait... did you come here with a... uh, a kid whose eyes always seem to be looking in different directions?"

"Huh?" Mangy’s eyes lit up. "Boss, you know my cousin, ’Cross-eyed’ Hans? When’s he gettin’ out to meet up with me?"

Wilson’s mouth twitched.

"Him? He’s not getting out."

Dimi leaned in curiously from the side. "Boss, what happened to his cousin?"

Wilson said irritably, "That idiot cousin of his, on his first day here, ran into our town’s Baron in the street. And what does he do? He rushes right up, in front of all her guards, and tells the Baron to be his wife!"