Chapter 431: 405 The Strongest Magician
At this time, Liz and her two companions had finally completed the task of distributing food and consequently returned to Reiger’s side.
"This girl is my attendant, and these two are travelers I met on the road, currently accompanying me for the time being."
Reiger introduced Liz and the others to Nipede and Antie.
Liz and her companions hurriedly bowed to Nipede and Antie.
"I, I am Fannie Alisier."
"I am a servant of the Alisier family, a guard for the young miss. Just call me Gel."
Fannie and Gel bowed their heads and introduced themselves.
"I, I am Liz Reinnaire, the master’s attendant. Pleased to meet you."
Liz hastily followed suit and introduced herself in the same manner.
"An attendant?" Antie was both curious and surprised, saying, "Such a beautiful young lady, and she is an attendant?"
Nipede was equally surprised.
He had assumed that someone as beautiful as she would come from a notable background, yet she turned out to be an attendant.
If she was an attendant, then this girl must be a swordsman, and perhaps a swordsman who could even catch the eye of a Sword Saint?
An attendant to a Sword Saint would at least have to be a formal swordsman, right?
"Could this young girl also be a formal swordsman?"
Nipede thought to himself.
Although he was reluctant to believe that such a delicate and beautiful young girl could be a formal swordsman, seeing that a Sword Saint had taken an interest in her, she surely wasn’t just an empty and beautiful vase.
Of course, Nipede couldn’t be sure that the girl wasn’t a mere vase, since Reiger was also young and as a spirited young man, it would be normal for him to want to include such a beautiful girl in his scope.
Moreover, since usually only magicians could use contract magic and a swordsman, especially a Sword Saint, typically wouldn’t have attendants, Nipede couldn’t determine what type of attendants a Sword Saint would desire.
Perhaps, the other party didn’t need an attendant with strong abilities but one with different kinds of capabilities.
Based on such considerations, Nipede felt that it was a bit premature to think that this girl was a powerful formal swordsman.
However...
"Reinnaire...?"
Nipede furrowed his eyebrows.
"Have I heard this surname somewhere before?"
As Nipede was lost in thought, Fannie and Gel suddenly exclaimed without any apparent reason.
"You... no, are you Master Nipede?"
"Really? Is it true?"
Fannie and Gel learned of Nipede’s name from Antie, their eyes widening as they exclaimed in surprise.
"What?" Reiger raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you know Mr. Jialan?"
In response to Reiger’s question, Fannie nodded repeatedly, while Gel looked at him with a look of surprise.
"In the Kingdom of Ginas, who does not know Master Nipede?" Gel said: "Although he is not a Tactical Level Magician or a Strategic Level Magician, he is one of the strongest magicians in the magic world, known to have explored combat magic to its limits, with strength comparable to that of a Sword Saint."
"A magician whose strength is comparable to that of a Sword Saint?"
This indeed surprised Reiger.
So, this Master Nipede had such an extraordinary background?
"Just some struggles of a mediocre talent," Nipede said with a wry smile as he felt Reiger’s surprised gaze, "Who would have known I lack the talent to become a Tactical Level Magician or a Strategic Level Magician? I could only focus all my energy on exploring combat magic like this."
Listening to Nipede’s self-deprecating words, Reiger’s surprise gradually withdrew, and he remained silent.
To become a Tactical Level Magician or a Strategic Level Magician, immense magic power and a suitable magic aptitude are indispensable.
Without sufficient magic power, one cannot endure the consumption of the immensely ranged and powerful Tactical Level Magic or Strategic Level Magic.
Without suitable magic aptitude, one cannot even learn Tactical Level Magic or Strategic Level Magic.
To successfully execute Tactical Level or Strategic Level Magic, firstly, one needs ample magic power, and secondly, the magic aptitude must reach a corresponding level.
The usage threshold for Tactical Level Magic is a fifth-level aptitude.
The usage threshold for Strategic Level Magic is a seventh-level aptitude.
If the aptitude does not meet the requirements, then even with sufficient magic power, learning Tactical Level Magic and Strategic Level Magic remains unachievable.
Therefore, both magic power and aptitude must meet the requirements to possibly cast Tactical Level Magic or Strategic Level Magic and become a Tactical Level Magician or a Strategic Level Magician.
Otherwise, even if one requirement is met, it would still be impossible to succeed.
Nipede was clearly such a person.
In Reiger’s transparent world, Nipede’s Magic Power was not a bit less than that of a strategic-level magician, and was certainly much stronger than the original owner of this body.
However, since he was neither a tactical-level magician nor a strategic-level magician, it proved that his magical aptitude was not up to par, not even reaching fifth grade in one aspect.
The fact was just so.
Nipede’s magical aptitude wasn’t poor, being grade one in the Transformation category, grade four in Manipulation, grade four in Interference, and grade one in Structure. Both his Manipulation and Interference aptitudes had reached grade four, which would allow him to learn all magics below the tactical level.
But he never had a magical aptitude reaching grade five, hence he could not become a tactical-level magician, even though his Magic Power was comparable to that of a strategic-level magician.
This was the main reason why there were so few strategic-level magicians and tactical-level magicians on the continent of Akasha.
There are so many countries and people in this world, and it is not short of some with astonishing talents, naturally capable of becoming excellent magicians.
Among them, some are naturally endowed with great Magic Power, not inferior to tactical-level magicians or strategic-level magicians, and some have outstanding magical aptitude, comparable even to that of tactical-level magicians or strategic-level magicians.
But to become a tactical-level magician or a strategic-level magician, one must have both qualities—lacking one is not good enough.
Thanks to this, the world is not short of people with Magic Power comparable to strategic-level magicians but unable to become strategic-level due to poor magical aptitude, nor is it lacking in those with great magical aptitude but insufficient Magic Power.
Therefore, there are only just over a hundred tactical-level magicians across the entire continent, and even fewer strategic-level magicians, only eight, spread thinly around the world.
Nipede was fortunate because he at least met one condition; his Magic Power was abundant, allowing him to use magic freely.
He was also unfortunate, for he lacked just one condition, thus missing out on becoming tactical-level and strategic-level.
That phrase "a person with mediocre qualifications" is a very helpless and ironic self-assessment.
However, Nipede’s "self-struggle" allowed him to reach the pinnacle in the only type of magic he could study—the combat-level magic.
Couldn’t become a tactical-level magician or strategic-level magician?
So what?
It has been said before that tactical-level magic and strategic-level magic are indeed powerful, but their conditions for use are extremely rigorous and almost impossible to use in battle.
Combat-level magic may not have the range and power of tactical-level magic and strategic-level magic, but its conditions of use are simple, making it the mainstream method in battle.
Many magicians in the magical world even believe that mastering strategic-level magic is not the strongest; the truly strong magicians are the ones who master combat-level magic.
Yuri herself has said more than once that if you don’t practice combat-level magic well, even a strategic-level magician could lose to a little street thug, because in battle there is simply no time or conditions to use strategic-level magic, and in this situation, a magician who cannot use magic is just a dead fish.
For this reason, Yuri has been diligently practicing combat-level magic since becoming a strategic-level magician in an attempt to have the power to decide her own fate.
Her efforts have not been in vain; she can now hold her own against even a seasoned swordsman. If given the opportunity, her matter-dissolving magic, which could even turn material into nothingness, would certainly be a deadly finisher for her opponents.
In Reiger’s view, Yuri was definitely stronger than Revilia, and if the two were to duel, Yuri would surely win.
But even someone like Yuri could still not match a Sword Saint, even though she had attendants like Marilyn, Ai En, and Ian who were seasoned swordsmen protecting her to cast her spells.
Nipede, however, was different.
Decades of research on combat-level magic made this magician, who had missed out on the tactical-level and strategic-level, one who could contend with a Sword Saint.
Gel just said so.
"Master Nipede had a duel with the Fire Sword Saint of the Leiblu Kingdom six years ago and the result was a draw."
This single accomplishment was enough to confirm that the rumors of Nipede’s strength being comparable to a Sword Saint were not false.
Thus, in the magical world, he was recognized as a great magician.
Therefore, even though he was not a noble, an Earl’s family like Hadi’s still had to show profound respect to him and honor him as a master.
"Was he really such an amazing old man?"
Liz seemed to have not heard of Nipede’s reputation and gazed at him in astonishment.
Fannie and Gel were excited and respectful, even giving a feeling of wanting to worship him.
Nipede was accustomed to such reactions, smiling peacefully.
"An old fellow like me isn’t worth admiring, especially in the presence of Lord Brilliant. Such a hollow reputation that took most of my life to achieve, perhaps it’s better not to mention it," he said.
With these words, Nipede was quite curious as he inquired:
"Speaking of which, such a personage as yourself, why did you come to this Mepros territory?"
Nipede seemed to have wanted to ask this question for a long time.
"I want to go to Xinyele," Reiger didn’t conceal, asking in return, "And what brings Lord Jialan here?"
"I came by invitation," Nipede responded in kind, saying, "Recently, there has been a mysterious event in Mepros territory, and I came to investigate that event."