I asked Creston about the details of Mage advancement and 1st rank spells.

- There are not so many spells of the 1st rank. It mostly depends on the element of the Mage and its variations. For example, even I have only two spells of the 1st rank of the wood element. I have never even heard of such sound spells. I don't know about rank 1, but there are definitely a couple of rank 0 sound spells in the Central Continent. And of course, I can't just share such spells. Although I appreciate our friendly relations, but their value is rather big, so you will have to provide something of equal value for the exchange. - Creston replied.

Only after becoming a True Mage did I realize how much Nocturne had robbed me. Not only did I not know the true value of the 1st rank spell, but the rune I gave him didn't just enhance fire element spells. It actually allowed to create an environment in which the transformation of the element was accelerated, which was an invaluable find for any Magician. No wonder he got so excited back then. I will have to demand compensation from this thief, while making sure that in the end he does not rob me again. Meanwhile Creston continued.

- When progressing from an acolyte to a True Magician, a True Soul is formed. You yourself experienced it and already know that the soul is formed on the basis of so called information code of your own body, adopting its affinity with the element and other features. If a True Mage can achieve the required level of mental energy and elemental conversion of at least 80%, then he can attempt to break through to the Elemental Star Mage stage.

During this breakthrough, the code of the body is again transmitted to the soul, renewing it. During breakthrough to 2nd rank the Magician creates in the soul something like a heart or a star of the corresponding element. Of course, this is more likely not yet a star, but only a kind of nebula that has to be turned into a star of the element. The higher the elemental transformation level, the higher the concentration of the nebula and the brighter the elemental star will be in the aftermath. The brighter the star, the more likely it is to advance in the future. Most Mages are unable to form an elemental star and die in the process. This is partly due to the fact that True Mages transformation of the element is not enough, or vice versa, its level is too high, which leads to death.

Even if a Magician could reach the Elemental Star stage, if the transformation of the element was about 80% when moving to this stage, then most likely such a Magician will forever remain at the second rank. Although many dream of such an outcome, but as you already know, only dozens of Mages managed to do this.

After the war of the Mage World, not much information about the progress was left. Even if one of the Mages found it, it rarely became public knowledge. Apparently, the ancients had their own ways to overcome this obstacle, but these methods also did not spread so easily.

I know little about the transition to the stage from the second to the third rank and beyond. Apparently, the promotion is associated with the existence of celestial bodies. If a star at the 3rd rank gains sufficient elemental mass, then when moving to the 4th rank, an explosion occurs, after which the soul completely changes. Mages of this rank can hardly be called human and their lifespan increases dramatically. Their souls are able to continuously absorb the elemental energy of the world around them. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why the Magic World banished them.

In any case, as a True Magician, you need to transform your element. This can only be done using the human body. Your element gradually becomes a part of your body, circulating through the body and gradually transforming it. For example, my element's transform is above 50%. My body and organs are saturated with the wood element.

I found out that during the experiment, you have chosen to get inside Soul Pearl. I don’t know how you are going to progress further, here I am not your assistant. Nevertheless, almost every Mage would still wish to be in your place. - Finished Creston and sighed, obviously meaning himself by each.

After asking some questions, I came to the conclusion that now it will be difficult for me to quickly improve my combat capability. Unless I meet other True Magicians in the hope of finding something useful from them, wait for a suitable auction, or go to the Central Continent. Of course, the last option is a bad idea in the near future, especially considering that now the situation there is quite tense and it will be easy to run into a bunch of endless troubles.

I had a huge supply of blue crystal, I showed it to Creston and he said that this material is called Sky Crystal. Although its rarity and demand cannot be compared with magic crystals, Mages who are fond of creating magical artifacts and formations will certainly give a good price for it. Considering what reserves of this crystal I have, I can certainly make good money on it. Of course, I did not plan to sell too much.

As I myself found out, the main feature of Sky Crystals, in addition to good durability, was the excellent conductivity of the elements. The powder of these crystals was also one of the popular substitutes for complex magic formations. Unfortunately, the properties of conductivity deteriorated greatly after Rock turned the Sky Crystal into sun crystal. I was still able to create sonic blades because the principle of the sonic sword spell was to circulate sonic vibrations on the outside of the blade rather than inside.

I put a hand-sized piece of Sky Crystal on the table and said.

- This is a gift. Whatever the reasons, I'm grateful that you looked after my people and even helped them. I will somehow solve the issue with Steel. I need the recipe for the official badge of the True Mage. Information about the teleportation formations that can be used on Orion. List of auction houses worthy of True Mage attention. It would also be nice to know where Stephanie most often disappeared. Well, I look forward to our further cooperation in the kingdom of Erinz. Of course, if you need help within reasonable limits, I will not refuse.

The wooden table suddenly came to life and sky crystal plunged inside. Whereupon Creston replied.

- Good. I accept a gift. As far as I know, Stephanie most often visited the Reserve in the northern part of Orion. We know nothing more about her adventures. As you can imagine, she was quite independent.

I don’t know how you are going to negotiate with Rudolf and Steel, but I hope that you will limit your activity in our kingdom until you resolve this issue, I don’t need any extra problems. On top of that I am going to inform Steel about your visit, most likely the Harding family has already been informed about this, hope it is not a problem?

After some thought, I answered.

- There is only one teleport in the kingdom of Erinz, and it is connected to only one place, namely the border city of the empire of Taros Versailles, right? Where exactly is the teleport located, are there any traps there?

- It is located in the local Mages Guild. However, this teleportation point is not active by default. First, I send a request, and only if the Harding family gives the go-ahead will this formation be activated. Even Steel had to wait a bit before leaving. This is the territory of the Harding family, and I have no idea what protections are currently there, but I'm pretty sure that if they give the go-ahead, you will be surrounded upon arrival. Are you sure this is a good idea?

If I could show up there all of a sudden I might try, but it seems like a really bad idea. It's easier to go there on my own, given my speed, it will take less than a week.

- Okay, then another question. Is there any way to capture a True Mage like a Steel Mage? Naturally, after he is defeated and neutralized?

Lothar could hardly contain his laughter looking at me like I was an idiot, but Creston was seriously thinking.

- Convict specializes in such things. They have the best prisons for both Knights and Acolytes and even True Mages. The best option I can suggest is shackles from Merconium in the form of a collar. This material is able to gradually absorb the mental energy of any Magician with prolonged contact with the body. Without mental energy, the Magician becomes quite helpless.

This collar can drain the mental energy of an acolyte in hours, but in the case of Steel, it can take days. In addition, radius of Merconium is extremely limited. Even if you manage to put a collar on a True Magician, for him it will be nothing more than a small irritant. You will first have to somehow break the barrier of Steel, then put a collar on him and completely disable him so he would not be able to get rid of it, and so that the collar remains on him for at least a few days. This is much more difficult than killing the enemy. I have one similar collar with Merconium inside, but Merconium is much more expensive than your Sky Crystal.

I dumped a lot more Sky Crystal for the collar, but I decided to test it on myself later.

If I kill Steel, then his contract with Foresight will be broken and this will immediately become known to the one who concluded a contract with him on behalf of the organization, this can create even more problems for me. In the worst case, Rudolph himself will appear. Naturally, this scenario did not suit me. Steel needs to go missing so I have time to figure out how to solve the problem with Rudolf.

- Alright. Inform Steel that I have returned to the city of Tarrister. - My golem stood up and looked at Lothar. - I propose to arrange a friendly sparring.

Lothar laughed.

- Finally. I was getting worried you gonna keep talking for another century.

We went outside and left the area of ​​gardens around Creston's house. There was a spacious earthen clearing planted with low green grass and nothing more.

Nissa and Creston sat on a small hill in the distance and watched the performance. Lothar cracked his knuckles in anticipation being ten meters away from me.

- Attack. - I said spreading my arms out to the sides.

Dark energy began to cover Lothar's entire body, and many small black snakes formed around him, they rushed towards me and, touching the golem, turned into black snake marks on the armor. I looked at one of the marks on my hand, these marks did not cause any physical or elemental damage, since the resistance runes of my construct did not activate, apparently it was some kind of curse. I cleared my throat defiantly.

- Dear Lothar, perhaps I should remind you that I am a golem. It can be said that golems are immune to critical hits, curses, debuffs, paralysis, poison, mind-affecting spells, death magic, and so on. I can only be harmed by direct physical or elemental damage of the appropriate power. I hope you don't specialize exclusively in curses?

Although I was different from a real living golem and I kind of had to have a weakness in the form of a real body, but the rag doll was much stronger than the golem itself, so it can be said that in general all the advantages of golems extended to me. I didn't have any brain or emotions, so in order to affect my mind, opponent would have to somehow attack my soul crystal directly. A magician of the same level as me would hardly be able to cope with such a task. Theoretically, it was possible to damage the rune formations of the construct, but it was no longer possible to do this without causing serious injury to the golem, I took care of that.

Lothar frowned, but continued. Now he summoned two dark crescents three meters in diameter that moved in my direction at great speed. I did not move and extended my hand towards the spell. One crescent moon slammed into my hand, but that only stopped the part that the hand touched, the rest of the spell crashed into my body unhindered. At the same moment, the second crescent, changing its trajectory, hit my legs trying to cut them.

This time, the sun-colored golem was covered with small filaments of black and blue like blood vessels. Runes of resistance reacted to the attack. Although the attack was elemental, but it also had a certain level of kinetic energy, I was pushed back and I could hardly stay on my feet. Looking at my hand and examining the body, I did not notice any damage. Obviously, the attack did not reach fifty units of damage.

- What the heck? - Lothar was surprised.

I used a sonic blast and instantly ran into Lothar, grabbing his neck with my huge hand, stopping my momentum with another blast. But his silhouette blurred and five silver kunai appeared around me instead. Lothar himself appeared in another place. The kunai created an electric field that covered my golem. The next moment, a thunderous explosion sounded. At the same moment, two more dark crescents crashed into my back.

However, the elemental damage was still not enough to harm me. Lightning crashed helplessly against the sun crystal, followed by shadow crescents. I tried to catch Lothar again, but he again used the replacement technique at the last moment.

It was an interesting spell. Through the sonic vibrations, I felt that he did not create a clone in advance, he simply applied his shadow movement technique at the last moment based on his own reaction and ability. Apparently this ability was somehow related to his innate barrier.

- Okay, I got the point. Your impenetrable golem won. - said Lothar.

I stopped trying to catch him.

- Thanks for the sparring. You're a good Mage, Nissa is in safe hands. - I tried to flatter Lothar a little.

- Yeah, you're fine too. I understand where your confidence comes from, and without curse, I really have nothing to oppose you.

Perhaps there was something else he could do, but decided that its not worth is for a spar. Well, at least now Lothar took me seriously. This will make it easier for me to work with him in the future.

Creston defiantly clapped his hands and complimented me. There was no surprise on his face, most likely he assumed something like that.

- I think it's time for me to go. - I turned to Nissa and summoned a couple of artifacts from subspace, a dark blue robe and yellow earrings appeared on the ground and flew up hovering in front of Nissa - these things belonged to Stephanie, it’s obvious that I don’t need them, you can do whatever you want with them.

Thanks Uncle Sam. - Nissa bowed as she accepted the gifts.

I turned around and used a sonic blast to disappear into the sky heading for the city of Tarrister.

.

For a while, all three simply stared thoughtfully at the silhouette disappearing into the sky. Then Creston sighed and spoke.

- In just three years, he reached this level, isn't it amazing?

Lothar snorted.

- All he achieved was putting this tin can on himself. What kind of material is this anyway?

- How do I know? Why didn't you ask him? - Creston raised his eyebrows.

- I thought that you already know - Lothar shrugged his shoulders, then turned to Nissa - you said that he was an evil old man? I didn't see anything evil in him.

- Uncle is evil only with those who annoy him or whom he wants to rob, well, at least it was like that before. And now he can hardly be called an old man. Maybe he have changed? - Nissa commented.