Magical User Aozaki Aoko Case Files Chapter 011

Time advanced to September 1989, half a year after Orange embarked on her search journey to Europe.

Aoko’s growth in the magic of the Magic Net was remarkable. In two years, she elevated her mage level to 8, gaining two 4th-level spell slots, and her Intelligence increased by two points, reaching 20.

However, Aoko was skeptical whether her growth system was entirely consistent with the “player’s profession handbook” released in her “previous life.” This was because, before reaching level 8, she had already gained the “Spell Mastery” feat through daily meditation and study. This allowed her to prepare certain spells without a spellbook, through quick meditation, corresponding to her Intelligence modifier (( 20- 10) 2= 5) in terms of prepared spell quantity. This significantly accelerated her morning spell preparation routine.

When she reached level 8, she didn’t gain an additional two points of Intelligence through choice. It now seemed that even if she didn’t actively choose Intelligence, her Intelligence would increase with her growth. Furthermore, feats acquired through personal effort and talent would supersede the bonus feats awarded upon reaching corresponding levels. Thus, professional levels were merely a baseline mechanism for Aoko; as long as she was intelligent enough and possessed sufficient physical potential, she could acquire certain professional abilities ahead of schedule.

In game rules, these restrictions were set to balance character abilities, but it now seemed that this wasn’t the case in the real world. Just as when Aoko chose Alertness as her first bonus feat, her innate Intelligence attribute still grew by two points.

According to Aoko’s current understanding, what was called a “profession” was actually humanity’s comprehension and application of the universe’s rules. But at this moment, Aoko was not in the Realm’s Cosmos, so the source of her profession could only be obtained through the “Magic Net fragment” within her body, as this universe had no concept of “professions” whatsoever.

Regarding spell learning, Aoko mastered three 4th-level spells: Dimensional Anchor, Ice Storm, and Dimension Door, along with several lower-level spells such as Misdirection, Protection from Energy, Greater Mage Armor, and Dimensional Lock. These spells were all very useful but had to be used in appropriate situations to achieve maximum effect, which greatly tested a mage’s experience and wisdom.

Due to Aoko’s high science and engineering academic background in her “previous life,” she was particularly adept at mathematics. This advantage allowed her to progress remarkably quickly in learning the “Number Magic” of the local world’s magi. Even Yuuza, with her reserved and aloof personality, praised Aoko several times for her talent in Number Magic.

The reason Aoko sought to learn Number Magic from Yuuza was that this type of magic was designed to enhance the efficiency of magical operations. She already possessed superhuman efficiency in magical energy manipulation, so Aoko wanted to capitalize on this strength, specialize this ability, and push it to its limits.

Through Number Magic, Aoko had elevated her signature skill, Magic Bullet Projection, to a level that would make even a Lord of the Clock Tower exclaim, “What a beast!” This perfectly showcased her destructive nature.

Number Magic also served as an auxiliary magic for mages to construct spell formulas and magical territories. Improving this skill was beneficial without any drawbacks; even Yuuza, her current magical mentor, couldn’t find fault with it.

Aside from Aoko’s personal development, last year, Aoko also spent a considerable sum of money to purchase a young New Caledonian Crow from abroad and transformed it into her familiar. These intelligent birds were already among the smartest of birds, and New Caledonian Crows were particularly renowned for their intelligence among crows.

After being transformed into a familiar, this small New Caledonian Crow gained a special supernatural ability: a language designated by Aoko. Considering the breadth of language usage, Aoko set this language to English.

Based on Aoko’s own Intelligence and level attributes, this New Caledonian Crow familiar now possessed 10 Intelligence, which meant it fully met the passing standard of an average human. Aoko often chatted with it when she was bored, and the bond between the person and the crow was quite good.

Aoko gave this intelligent little crow a name: “Dazhuang.” She hoped this adorable little bird would grow strong every day.

Dazhuang was very intelligent and obedient, deeply grateful to Aoko for transforming it from an ordinary crow into a highly intelligent mage’s familiar, and it cherished its current status very much.

It meticulously completed the tasks Aoko assigned to it, as Dazhuang subconsciously worried that if the tasks weren’t done well, Miss Aoko might replace it with another familiar, and then it would have to return to the muddled life of an ordinary animal.

“No, not that!” Dazhuang thought. “At least not until my crow life ends!”

In reality, Dazhuang’s worries were completely unnecessary, because in Aoko’s eyes, Dazhuang the New Caledonian Crow was absolutely the best familiar choice. Not only was its innate intelligence a bit higher than other crows, but Dazhuang’s language ability after becoming a familiar was also more convenient than other familiars.

Moreover, Aoko really liked Dazhuang’s feather color; upon closer inspection, it was a smooth, “colorful black,” which had a very high-class feel.

Aoko even spent a lot of money to buy Dazhuang various imported nuts and health supplements specifically for pet crows. For the young Dazhuang, these nutritious foods allowed it to grow better, faster, and healthier than its peers.

Yuuza also had her mother’s keepsake, the PLOY robin Robin, as a companion for after-meal chats. Of course, it could also speak, but it was, after all, an artificially created familiar. The robin’s linguistic logic followed its magician’s settings. Outsiders might not notice, but as its owner, Yuuza understood that the robin’s “personality” was actually restricted, and it paled in comparison to Dazhuang.

Furthermore, Dazhuang was a mage’s familiar that could share Aoko’s spell abilities to a certain extent, something the robin could never match.

Kyonji Yuuza was a lonely girl. Seeing the interaction between Aoko and Dazhuang, she said nothing on the surface, but deep down, she was very envious.

Aoko had more than once found Yuuza secretly leaving snacks for Dazhuang in obvious places. Aoko wouldn’t expose her, only telling Dazhuang that any snacks Yuuza left for it were free to eat.

Of course, Yuuza wasn’t entirely without complaints about Dazhuang. However, this dissatisfaction wasn’t directed at Dazhuang, but at Aoko. Kyonji Yuuza was a girl who paid great attention to taste and style in life. When she first learned that Aoko had given her important familiar such a strange name as “Dazhuang,” she nearly had a quarrel with Aoko. However, Aoko kept deflecting and changing the subject, making Yuuza feel like she was punching cotton, and thus the issue of Dazhuang’s name was dropped, and she gave up on agonizing over it.

Perhaps Aoko would give Dazhuang a new name in the future, but for now, she was too lazy to think of one. Dazhuang was fine; a humble name was easy to live with.