’So this is my cheat ability...’

Zelir scratched his head.

The Attributes were categorized as Basic, Advanced, and Ultimate, and it even thoughtfully included notes for each.

’If the standard for a normal person is 60 points, my Basic Attributes are pretty solid.’

’As a Mage, my most important Attributes, Spirit and Intelligence, aren’t lagging. They’re even a bit above average, which is good news.’

’As for Advanced Attributes, it costs 2 points per increase, so the average should probably be halved to 30, right?’

’Thirty Perception is about average, but 45 Charm is a different story.’

’Is it because this body’s original owner was good-looking?’

And then there’s Luck.

’Luck, of all things, is an Ultimate Attribute, and it costs 4 points per increase.’

’Based on that cost, the average for Luck should be around 15. But my stats show an astonishing 41, even higher than my Perception.’

’That’s a bit ridiculous... Am I the chosen one?’

Next, Zelir shifted his gaze to the Talent Skills section at the very bottom of the panel.

Mage Talent Skills, unlocked upon leveling up.

Choose one of two.

Option One: Magical Surge.

Increases maximum Magic Power, Magic Power recovery speed, and Magic Power Strength based on a percentage of your Spirit Attribute, making your foundation as a Mage as solid as bedrock.

"Firepower! Is Justice!"

Option Two: Technique Celestial Calculation.

Allows you to analyze the Spell Structure of any Magic you see and reproduce it for your own use.

However, the analysis speed is linked to Intelligence; the higher the Intelligence, the faster the analysis. The complexity of the Spell Structure also affects your progress.

"Your Magic is pretty good, but in the next second, it’s mine."

Zelir stroked his chin, pondering his options.

’Looking at it this way, one seems like a pure stats build, and the other is a mechanics-based build...’

’If I choose Magical Surge, my Mana pool and regeneration, as well as my Magic Power, will all get a boost. These are the core Attributes for a Mage.’

’But Technique Celestial Calculation...’

’Just from the description, it’s clear that Technique Celestial Calculation is an incredible skill.’

In this Otherworld, the only way to learn Magic is to spend a fortune buying Magic Scrolls. Some rare forms of Magic are priceless, and a single scroll can be impossible to find.

’If I choose Technique Celestial Calculation, I’d only need to witness someone else Casting to analyze the Spell Structure. You could call it a god-tier skill.’

’But the analysis speed is tied to Intelligence...’

’That means I’d have to focus my points on Intelligence. And according to the panel, Intelligence is strongly linked to Charm; four points in Intelligence increases Charm by one.’

’Am I supposed to become a Charm Mage?’

Zelir shook his head vigorously.

’Forget it. It’s too early to think about all this.’

’The Talent Skills only unlock after leveling up. I still need to find a way to get more Experience Points.’

To be honest, while Mage is a noble profession, it requires a massive investment of resources to become powerful.

A self-taught Mage from a humble background like Zelir was hardly of any great use before he was fully developed.

They can’t outfight a Swordsman, can’t take a beating like a Vanguard, and can’t escape as fast as an Assassin. Until they learn powerful offensive Magic, even their ranged damage pales in comparison to a Ranger’s.

Over the past five days, the party had killed a total of twenty-two wild wolves. Marcus got nine, while Gray and Valles had each killed six.

As for Zelir, he had only killed one.

That had nothing to do with being an Adventurer anymore. Zelir felt more like a middle schooler on a field trip.

He felt his cloth pouch; aside from some dry rations, all he had was a dagger.

’If I’d even brought a Hand Crossbow, I wouldn’t have ended up with just a single kill... So dumb,’ Zelir couldn’t help but curse the body’s original owner.

A night breeze swept past, bringing with it a refreshing coolness, and a strange smell...

The rank stench of wild wolves!

Zelir, deep in thought, was instantly on alert. He subconsciously let out a thunderous shout!

"Alert!!!"

The snoring and teeth-grinding from inside the tent ceased abruptly. Accompanied by a few scrambling sounds, the tent flap was violently thrown open.

Gray was the first to charge out, sword in hand, followed by Marcus and Valles.

In the space of a few seconds, pairs of eerie green lights slowly emerged from the dark bushes, flickering without pause.

Zelir clenched his fists. He knew those weren’t will-o’-the-wisps, but the eyes of wolves.

They were here.

Judging by the position of the eyes, the wild wolves had already formed a semicircle, surrounding the party’s flank and rear.

Zelir couldn’t help but feel a surge of nervousness.

In his past life, the most he had ever killed was a chicken. Facing these vicious wolves in the pitch-black night, he felt completely out of his depth.

"Don’t panic, kid. They’re just a bunch of beasts."

Gray’s eyes were locked on the bushes as he gave his sword a casual flourish.

"Good of them to deliver themselves to our doorstep. Saves us the trouble of hunting them all over the mountains."

Marcus and Valles were also ready. One raised his shield at the vanguard, while the other had drawn his bowstring taut, poised to strike.

The battle erupted in an instant, the wolves’ howls and their Charge breaking out at the same time!

Valles’s eyes narrowed. He aimed his Arrow at the foremost wolf and let it fly with a WHOOSH, a perfect hit!

The Feathered Arrow pierced straight through its eye socket, burying itself halfway. Blood GUSHED out as the wolf’s body stumbled two more steps on inertia before collapsing to the ground.

At the same time, Gray and Marcus sprang into action.

"Hah!"

With a furious roar, Marcus took two steps forward, drawing the wolves’ attention.

His towering frame gave him an advantage, making it difficult for the wolves to reach his neck.

Furthermore, Marcus wielded his Round Shield in an impenetrable defense. Any wolf that tried to pounce on him was met with a brutal smash.

A beast’s bones couldn’t possibly withstand such a powerful impact and would often fracture on contact. Marcus’s Battle Saber would then follow up to finish the job, killing them in one strike. His imposing figure moving through the wolf pack made him look like a god of war.

Gray, meanwhile, covered Marcus’s flank. His Sword Skills were incisive and more than enough to deal with the wolves; a single swift slash could slice a wolf in two at the waist.

Shrill howls echoed endlessly, startling the forest birds into a panicked flight. Thick, foul-smelling blood splattered across the grass, mingled with shredded internal organs.

With Marcus and Gray holding back the wolves’ assault at the front, complemented by Valles’s supporting Arrows, the party’s line was completely stable.

Their fighting style also began to shift from hacking attacks to precise Thrusts—after all, a wolf’s pelt was its most valuable part, and every bit of money they could make was worth it.

Marcus, Gray, and Valles were fighting with relish. Compared to them, Zelir seemed particularly out of place.

He gripped his dagger, eager to charge forward, but in the end, he had to pessimistically accept that there was simply no place for him to intervene.

"Sigh..."

Zelir sighed, his heart heavy with melancholy.

’Can’t be helped. This is just how it is for us Mages in the early stages.’