Badge in Azure Chapter 235

Chapter 235: Transformed Ice Bomb Magic Array (Part 2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Doing the calculations in a magic formula was not a very difficult task. Even if a mage was only grade-1, they would still be able to rely on alchemical equipment to calculate extremely complicated formulae. For a mage like Saleen who possessed powerful mental power, he could simply do the calculations in his head.
If Saleen had possessed dozens of students, he could have simply delegated this job to his students and asked them to calculate the different parts of the magic formula before piecing everything together.
Saleen now knew that it was so imperative for a mage to have a large number of followers. However, right now, he could only rely on himself to calculate the tens of thousands of formulas before restoring them into the lines and patterns of the magic array. As Saleen calculated through the night, he went in and out of the necklace repeatedly and meditated many times, causing his body to become extremely exhausted.
Lex noticed that Saleen was looking pale, so she gave him the last bit of magic liquid she had. The magic liquid was not able to restore his magic chords nor his mental power, but it could help regulate his physical body.
“How are things going?” Lex asked Saleen in concern.
“It’s very tedious. I’ve just finished calculating the portion for the core, and there are still six regions yet to be calculated.” Saleen then took a sip of the magic liquid with an unusual reverence.
Lex said, “Drink it all, I will make more later on. Now that we will not need to fight, it will be fine to fully deplete our magic chords.”
Saleen pondered for a moment before drinking all of the magic liquid in the bottle. Lex had been able to produce thirty bottles of magic liquid within this one month on the island. Even if battles erupted at sea, they already had an adequate amount of magic liquid. Thirty bottles of magic liquid were equivalent to all of the treatments carried out by two high-grade holy masters within a day.
In reality, Saleen’s Ice Bomb spell was split into three phases. Firstly, a level-5 ice bomb would be formed via condensation, then the surface of the ice bomb would be vaporized and broken down in order to allow the water elements to be converted into extremely unstable wind elements. Before the wind elements came into contact with the target, they would have already been converted into fire elements. This whole process was very swift. It was still easy for the mage to control this process, but if it was driven by a magic array, the magic array could potentially explode if the spell was cast just a little bit later.
The effect from a chain of mutual bombardments between the magic elements would cause the ship to be blasted into smithereens. If the explosion occurred within the turtle shell, the shell would remain fine, but the people inside would definitely be killed. Hence, Saleen needed to make the magic array controllable. The person controlling the magic array might only be a grade-1 mage, and Saleen could not pin his hopes on a grade-1 mage controlling a level-5 ice bomb.
This would mean that huge changes needed to be made to the transformed Ice Bomb spell. Saleen had spent more than a year creating this spell, and he had even received guidance from Joey in order to understand the laws of the elemental conversion process. Completing the changes in six days’ time was an extremely arduous task for Saleen even though he was doing the calculations inside of the necklace.
As the days passed, Saleen did not get much rest at all. At night, he would be calculating in desperation, and during the day, he would do research on the various changes this spell could undergo. Nailisi had already finished cleaning the turtle shell. She was simply waiting for the results of the research conducted by Saleen and Lex.
On the sixth day, Saleen withdrew all of his mental power from the Myers Goddess’ necklace after staying up the whole night. He then requested for a magic brush from Lex and laid a blank scroll on the alchemy platform before swiftly drawing a magic array.
This was the first magic array that Saleen had transformed. He drew with the brush at lightning speed and did not dare to waste any time at all. At this point in time, Daniel descended from the magic tower, and as he had not appeared for six days, the color of his skin was that of an unhealthy white. His facial muscles were also drooping. For the past six days, Daniel had not eaten a single mouthful of rice at all. He had simply been fully engrossed in magic.
Lex gestured for Daniel to remain silent and to wait outside of the magic tower for now. Lex stayed beside Saleen. She noticed that Saleen had used the finest part of the magic brush to draw a magic pattern which was as intricate as a strand of hair, and she became agitated as she observed Saleen.
As pieces of scrolls were completed, Lex knew that most of Saleen’s designs would be successful. This was a complex magic array. There was a main core alchemy drawing accompanied by six auxiliary alchemy drawings. Even though more space would be required, the space inside of the turtle shell was already massive to begin with.
The alchemy drawing had an obvious flaw. The core portion would need a grade-5 mage at minimum to control it, while the remaining six auxiliary magic arrays also required a legitimate mage to monitor them. All seven of these alchemy drawings were just to cast a single level-5 spell. If this magic array had not needed to be installed inside of the stealth ship, then it would simply be useless.
Saleen spent two hours drawing all of the lines and magic patterns. After he had completed the drawing of the magic array, he tossed the brush aside and laid on the floor, not wanting to move at all.
For six consecutive days, Saleen had spent all of his time on the magic array. This was the first time he had ever put in so much effort since he had started learning magic.
“Saleen, when this thing is pieced together, it looks like…” Lex said hesitantly. She acknowledged Saleen’s effort, but this was a complex magic array which could not be controlled singlehandedly. The alchemical machine which Lex had designed was also like that. It was separated into six parts so that the alchemical boat could move about freely.
Saleen’s magic array required seven mages to control it, while Lex’s magic array required six. This meant that even if the boat was constructed, at least thirteen mages would be needed in order for it to be functional. Otherwise, the boat would simply be an empty shell floating at sea. It would not even be able to dive or travel forward.
Since the mages would grow tired, at least three groups of mages would be needed to tend to Lex’s alchemical machine, while two groups were needed to control Saleen’s offensive magic array. In this case, the boat would then require at least thirty-two mages. And if thirty-two mages were to be deployed on such a boat, then it would actually be easier to just employ a normal armored warship.
Even on an armored warship, the alchemical machines were operated by magic disciples. The alchemical boat which Lex and Saleen had transformed was expecting a little too much from its crew.
Because of their limited time, Lex had not thought of the defensive magic array yet, not to mention that the defensive magic array would still need to be compatible with the natural magic array on the turtle. Once everything was completely transformed, this boat would require at least fifty mages in order to be used as a warship.
Saleen looked at his more than twenty scrolls in satisfaction, and said to Lex, “Don’t worry. If I am controlling this magic array, I can do it myself.”
“I know that, but in the future…”
“Let’s produce the boat for now. As for future matters, we will of course manage them in the future. Come, let’s try an experiment with this magic array to see whether or not it can really be used.”
Lex was helpless. After all, the fact that Saleen had been able to produce such a magic array within a mere six days had already exceeded her expectations. Thus, future issues would have to be left for the future.
“Where’s Daniel? I thought I saw him just now. Daniel!” Saleen hollered.
Daniel was chewing on some bread outside the door. He nearly choked when Saleen started shouting for him.
“Coming, coming!”
“Give me a hand. Help me test a new item.” Saleen threw the scroll with the completed magic array over to Daniel and asked Lex to take out some materials, wanting to conduct a test on the spot.
The magic array needed to be refined onto special equipment before it could be installed on the turtle shell. It was not so troublesome right now, as Lex could take out some simple materials and carry out the test. After all, this was the first time Saleen had developed something, and if there was really an error, they could not possibly think of a solution only after setting sail.
“Test?” Daniel felt dizzy as he looked at the complicated magic array drawing and magical patterns. “Saleen, it’s not dangerous, is it?”
“Of course it’s dangerous. At least half of all mages who die are killed while performing experiments. Don’t you know that?” Saleen did not have even the slightest intention of encouraging Daniel whatsoever, causing Daniel’s honest face to be filled with anguish.
“Why do you have that expression? I’m doing it too. Do you think I want to kill myself?”
“Aye… Saleen, I didn’t mean that.”
“Then quickly come and help me.” Saleen moved deftly and was already sorting the materials which Lex had taken out.
Lex began building the core of the magic array using a piece of wood, and even Saleen could not identify what material it was. It had a diameter of almost two meters, and must have been at least one thousand years old already.
The wood was chopped into seven parts, and six faces had to be drawn on each part. One magic nucleus would be mosaicked into each of the faces. The depletion by such a magic array would be tremendous. Luckily, only mid-grade magic nuclei were used, or else Lex would go bankrupt.
Eventually, Lex would need to refine seven three-dimensional magic alchemy materials together, and this could not be done empty-handed. At the podium outside of the magic tower, the three of them built a three-dimensional shelf which was about three meters tall and had a radius of twenty meters. This shelf was used to store the seven magic arrays, and after that, alchemy materials would be used to connect these seven magic arrays together.
In the distance, Sika was atop the turtle shell as she gazed at Saleen working, and a tinge of tenderness welled up in her heart. Nailisi’s words had affected her. One would only realize that Saleen was a good man after spending a long period of time with him. It was a mistake for Sika to have regarded Saleen as a good person from the beginning, because the Saleen at that time had been a mage who was only concerned with making use of others.
It seemed like Lex was a little interested in Saleen. Sika noticed that Lex had given Saleen a bottle of magic liquid which he had accepted and drank from. That bottle seemed to have been Lex’s personal one.
The more Sika looked at Saleen, the more uncomfortable she felt. Sika knew that she would not be of much help, so she decided to flip her body over so that her back was facing Saleen.
At this point in time, Nailisi came behind Sika once more. This time around, Sika did not draw her boomerang. She simply sighed and said, “Nailisi, don’t come and bother me anymore.”
“Sika, you should have more initiative,” Nailisi said in a seductive tone as she looked at the completed alchemical machine in the distance.
“How do I have more initiative? I don’t know magic at all. I won’t be able to help Saleen.”
“I have an idea, if you really want to help Saleen.”
“You?”
“Actually, you don’t have to know magic. You just need to be able to control some magic machines. If you are willing to help me, the two of us can control the boat once it is fully constructed. Then, Lex will have to beg you for help.”
“Oh? I only possess sufficient mental power. I won’t be able to manipulate the elements!” Sika turned around to face Nailisi.
Nailisi laughed, then whispered, “Sister Sika, demons like me have some very special powers. As long as you sign a contract with me, I will bless you with the power to control magic arrays.”
“Contract?”
“Yes, just a small contract. What are you worried about? I am Master’s contract creature, so he is able to void any contracts which are signed with me. Are you afraid that I will harm you? Even if I plan to do so, Master will never harm you.”
Nailisi used her green eyes to gaze at Sika, and Sika was tempted. Sika, with her mental power, was already able to feel elemental vibrations, but she simply could not manipulate magic arrays. Perhaps…