The Spellbook in Colin’s hands happened to be open to the page for Silver Light Sharp Words.

Overall, this was Magic that could control the battlefield.

When he thought about it, the party definitely had enough ranged options. Kase’s Longbow wasn’t too affected by the Curse within a range of several dozen meters, and while Orelia wasn’t skilled in melee, she was quite proficient with Divine Arts and even had a powerful finishing move like Guiding Bolt.

However, both of them were at a disadvantage in close-quarters combat.

If it weren’t for Kase being sturdy and battle-hardened, he likely would have lost his life long ago in those high-intensity close-quarters battles.

’Since I’ve also learned Swordsmanship, I should start shouldering some of the responsibility for close-quarters combat.’

And this Magic would undoubtedly be quite useful amid the fleeting opportunities of close-quarters combat.

"I choose Silver Light Sharp Words."

"Alright then. Pay close attention to the formulas," Donkexes said. "This Magic is a bit complex, so I’ll have to explain it in detail."

Following that, the Dwarf walked Colin through the formulas, which made no sense to him.

Donkexes’s explanation was much more detailed than last time, and he even mentioned some basic knowledge that would be common sense to academic Mages.

At least this time, Colin learned that after mastering a Magic, his brain would automatically calculate the formulas from the Spellbook every time he was Casting. This also explained why, when he recorded them in his Spellbook, he would recall the formulas he couldn’t otherwise remember the moment his pen touched the page. It had become something of a conditioned reflex.

After a few dozen minutes of practice, Donkexes stretched, letting out a series of cracks. "I could really use some beer to wet my whistle."

"Is your old back okay?"

"Don’t use the word ’old’ to describe me." Donkexes waved his hand dismissively. "I’m only in my two hundred and nineties."

’A Dwarf’s lifespan is only about three hundred fifty years. Isn’t that considered old?’ Colin grumbled inwardly.

"Alright, let’s see what you’re made of, you talented kid." Donkexes walked to the side, rummaged around, and pulled out two Wooden Swords, tossing one to him.

"Listen up. Cast the Magic as I swing my sword. This one doesn’t need a Spell, just the right hand gesture."

With that, Donkexes raised the Wooden Sword high and swung it down violently.

While gripping the hilt with both hands, Colin gently raised the ring finger of his right hand and focused his mind.

A familiar feeling washed over him.

To be specific, it was just like when he cast Tasha’s Hideous Laughter. He could feel a faint thought flickering in his mind, one he could only grasp by concentrating.

’No, it’s not just about grasping it now,’ Colin thought. ’I have to pull that thought to my side...’

At the same time, a flash of silver light shot from his fingertip.

Colin felt his mind suddenly sharpen, and the world before him seemed to slow down, as if he had just chugged several liters of coffee.

In that brief moment, he could clearly see Donkexes’s pupils lose focus for an instant.

Stepping forward, Colin easily parried the downward strike with his Wooden Sword.

"I really hate this feeling." Donkexes rubbed his forehead and looked at Colin. "How has your Swordsmanship improved so quickly? Did someone outside teach you?"

"Remember that ring I showed you last time?"

There was no reason to hide it, so Colin gave him a rough explanation of what had happened.

"An Elf’s soul? Sword Chant?" Donkexes rested his sword on the ground, leaning on the hilt with both hands. "That sounds insane... I have to say, besides your talent for learning, your luck is first-rate."

"Speaking of which, I still don’t know what Sword Chant is."

Being praised for his good luck for the first time, Colin felt somewhat conflicted.

He had nearly died to obtain this technique, after all.

"It’s a technique developed by the Elves, and it’s said you can’t learn it in under a decade. At least, every Elven Sword Singer an outsider has seen is a true master capable of fighting one against a hundred. What’s more, the Elves guard this technique with extreme secrecy, making it virtually impossible for outsiders to learn their training methods. That skill is almost on par with our own!"

Of course, Colin knew how precious this Swordsmanship was.

The word ’Legendary’ on the Panel alone was enough to show how precious this Skill was, but he never expected it would be enough to earn the respect of the Dwarves.

Donkexes thought for a moment before adding, "But I’ve heard that Sword Singers only fight in Light Armor. You’ll be fine wearing Chain Armor, right?"

"You just saw... It should be fine, right?"

Come to think of it, the Elf in the illusion seemed to be wearing Chain Armor too.

"Maybe the one who passed the art to you was a Sword Singer from a different school. Anyway, I’ve heard of Sword Singer schools like the Lynx, the Leopard, and the Raven. Each one is different, so maybe there really is such a thing as a Heavy Armor Sword Singer... Judging by your Skill Level, you’ve got a lot of training ahead of you."

Colin sighed. "I suppose so."

Too many Skills to practice.

It was a good problem to have, he supposed. After all, plenty of low-level Adventurers would kill for the chance to learn Swordsmanship and had no way to do so.

Donkexes stroked his beard. "Come on, break’s over. Let’s get back to training."

And so, the two of them completed another round of Casting training just like before.

When they finished, Donkexes looked into Colin’s eyes again.

He said, "Cast it again."

"If I cast it again, I’ll probably pass out."

"Your eyes still look sharp. Try it."

Before Colin could refuse, Donkexes swung his sword at him again.

Left with no choice, Colin had to rally his spirit and cast Silver Light Sharp Words once more, steadily parrying the other’s Wooden Sword.

Only after Casting the Magic this time did he feel the dizziness he’d experienced when he first cast Burning Hand multiple times in a row—the feeling of his Spiritual Power being depleted.

"So I can cast Tier One Magic three times now?" Colin looked at his own palm.

From being able to cast Tier One Magic twice to three times, he could clearly feel his Casting Ability growing through continuous practice.

This improvement was certainly not to be underestimated.

One more opportunity to cast Magic meant one more Tier One Magic, which in turn meant another chance to turn the tide of battle or save his life. It also proved that he had taken another step on his path to becoming a Mage.

Donkexes clapped him on the forearm. "You can be proud, kid. You’re improving fast."

"It’s alright, I guess." Colin suppressed the smile at the corners of his lips, speaking humbly.

"You’d be better off just being proud. Acting like this just makes you seem more pretentious."

The two of them practiced some Cantrips for a while. Just then, Orelia and Kase arrived at the training ground. Orelia was being pulled into training by Langgrin, while Kase was practicing with his weapon to stay in form.

"This little girl’s talent is just awful. By Moradin."

Langgrin’s complaints could be heard from a distance. Although Orelia’s expression was a bit timid, she mustered her courage and persevered.

Colin took one look and decided to grab a Wooden Sword and start sparring with Kase.

For the rest of the day, the group spent nearly all their time on the training ground.