Wizard from The Modern

If Richard so desired, leveraging some of his knowledge, it would pose no difficulty for him to masquerade as a priest in this world. However, compared to such a charade, Richard felt that far more pressing matters required his attention—such as investigating the scientific principles behind sorcery and magic, or unraveling the mechanics of his own transference to this realm.

Thus, after tending to Hughes's wounds, Richard wasted no time indulging in idle chatter with Tuku and the others and instead plunged headlong into the plans he had long since laid out.

With that, the rhythm of Richard's life returned to a tranquil yet monotonous state.

Days passed punctuated by either meditation or experimentation, the hours slipping away without notice.

In this interval, Richard made notable progress.

Primarily, he learned to cast another spell recorded in Loren's Human Skin Diary—the Fireball. This was a genuine spell, a far cry from the mere parlor trick dubbed the "Ghosphorus" he had previously mastered.

According to the classifications laid out in the Human Skin Diary, wizards are ranked in tiers. The most formidable among them are hailed as Grand Wizards, followed by the ordinary wizards. Ordinary wizards are split further into three ranks: low, mid, and high. Below the ordinary wizards stand the apprentices, who are similarly categorized into low, mid, and high.

The Grand Wizards, ordinary wizards, and apprentices form a rigorous hierarchy within the world of magic, where each category corresponds with its own specific set of spells. Generally speaking, an apprentice can barely wield the simplest of spells; if one were to dare employ spells of an ordinary wizard or a Grand Wizard, the consequence would be death—a backlash of magic perhaps fatal.

The spell Richard had acquired—the Fireball—was of the apprentice level, albeit the most rudimentary form of sorcery, it nonetheless represented true magic. In stark contrast, the former "Ghosphorus," or "Hand of Ghost Fire," didn't even qualify as an apprentice-tier spell; it was merely an entry-level trick, serving exclusively as a source of illumination without possessing any offensive capability. By comparison, the Fireball could obliterate ten thousand "Ghosphorus" with ease.

Resembling the "Fireball" spells portrayed in numerous tales, the essence of the Explosion Fireball manifests as a blazing orb, the size of a fist. The crucial distinction lies in its mechanics: the Explosion Fireball bears little to no force upon launch, only to unleash its devastating power upon impact with a target. In many ways, it more closely resembles a magical variant of a grenade than a conventional fireball.

Having carefully executed multiple power tests, Richard accurately quantified the energy released during the explosion from the Explosion Fireball, equating roughly to 20 grams of TNT.

Such an energy release rivals that of a weakened grenade, not particularly exaggerated but certainly not to be underestimated. Within a five-meter radius, it could inflict severe damage on an unprotected human body, while the epicenter of the explosion had the potential to greatly injure or even kill an average person.

Even against a seasoned warrior like Tuku, donned in heavy armor, a single Explosion Fireball could inflict substantial harm, with two capable of grievously wounding him, severely diminishing his battle capacity, while three… would surely result in death.

Currently, Richard could launch twelve Explosion Fireballs if he filled his mana core with the refined energy element. This meant he could potentially incapacitate nearly half of the First Guard with such a display.

Yet, casting a spell requires the recitation of incantations, alongside the manipulation of internal energy; failure to perform these tasks correctly would lead to a botched casting. Therefore, during actual combat scenarios, the efficacy of the Explosion Fireball would be significantly hampered.

To address this concern, having learned the Explosion Fireball spell, Richard promptly dedicated himself to researching a method for delaying the release of the Fireball, aiming to synchronize multiple explosions to amplify their destructive force.

What he envisioned was a deployment of several, perhaps even dozens of Explosion Fireballs, unleashed in succession at varied speeds, converging to explode at a single point.

Achieving this would yield an instantaneous surge in destructive power, capable of altering the tide of battle in a heartbeat, far more practical than relying upon a crossbow.

With these thoughts in mind, Richard immersed himself in experimentation and study, ultimately filling over a dozen papyrus scrolls with his findings regarding the endeavor. Yet, the specifics of implementation remained unresolved, demanding a bit more time.

Absorbed in contemplation, Richard rose from the desk in the laboratory, glancing out the window to discover dawn had arrived—he had unknowingly pulled an all-nighter in pursuit of his studies.

With a wry smile, he shook his head and prepared to depart the lab, heading back to his chamber. At that moment, with a creak, the lab door swung open to reveal young maid Lucy, her round eyes wide as she exclaimed, "Master! The Baron seeks you!"

"Hmm? The Baron wishes to see me? I hope it's not about forging more alloy swords again?"

"I… don't know," Lucy replied, shaking her head. "The Baron instructed me to find you and say he wishes to see you. He did not disclose anything else."

"Where is he now?"

"Just outside the main keep."

"Very well. I shall inquire what it concerns." Stifling a yawn, Richard pushed through the door and descended from the side keep. There he found the tall, lanky Baron Leo waiting for him.

"What is it, my dear father—Baron Leo?" Richard inquired as he approached.

Upon hearing his voice, Baron Leo turned, responding in a measured tone, "I have just received word that the caravan carrying the goods you requested has entered Pure territory. They are currently traveling within the domain of Lord Lanster. At their current pace, they should reach the northernmost part of my lands in four to five days."

Richard's eyes gleamed momentarily as he sensed Leo had further details to share, prompting his inquiry, "So…?"

"Given that the northern land is quite distant, I have been remiss in managing it. With the current disarray in our territory, it's uncertain if bandits may be lurking." Baron Leo sighed, his expression earnest, devoid of any deceit. "While the caravan is expected to have its own escort, should they encounter a large enough band of thieves, they would undoubtedly be overwhelmed.

Although the loss of life among the caravan members is regrettable, if the goods you require were pilfered, acquiring replacements would prove challenging, potentially taking months. Furthermore, I've already advanced payment to the caravan. Should they unfortunately run afoul of trouble, my losses would be considerable. It may likely take until winter's end before I can procure enough silver and labor to compensate."

"I understand." Richard comprehended the Baron's implication: the goods were on their way, but not without risk, and since they belonged to him, it fell to him to ensure their safety.

With a firm nod, Richard stated decisively, "I will immediately take the First Guard to Lord Lanster's domain to intercept the caravan and escort them back to the castle."

"That would be ideal. Your presence should resolve any issues that arise," the Baron replied, his posture relaxing. "When do you intend to depart?"

"I said, immediately," Richard affirmed, refusing to indulge further discussion as he turned and called out, "Tuku, gather the men!"

"Understood!" came Tuku's voice from afar, followed by his rallying cry, "Skinny Monkey, Red Eye, Mangy Dog… assemble! Master Richard has tasks to undertake! Move swiftly!"

Immediately, figures rushed out from behind the main keep, swiftly donning armor and bringing forth their steeds…