2 Death touch

"A.I. Chip, scan me."

[Bip... Analyzing the host...

Strength: 1.2 Physique: 1.4 Speed: 1.2 Spirit Force: 4 Severe injuries all over the body, vital organs failing. Host must find a way to heal soon.]

Zatiel remained calm, his mind racing with thoughts on how to escape this dire situation.

"Spirit force? That's new, but it's to be expected. Humans and demons are different lifeforms, and the laws and natural energies of the Abyss and this world are not the same."

Fortunately, before awakening his previous memories, Zatiel had been a diligent scholar, absorbing as much knowledge as possible within the Magic Tower.

Spirit Force was an inferior form of energy derived from the soul of every living being. There were several ways to increase it, with the most common being meditation techniques that absorbed natural energies into the body, thus augmenting one's spirit.

"My spirit force has reached the level of a Rank 2 apprentice Magus, granting me the ability to use Rank 0 magic."

Magi were supernatural beings with incredible powers. They could fly, summon meteorites or blizzards with a mere gesture, and even manipulate life and alter fate. They were mighty entities capable of reshaping the world to their will.

An apprentice Magus was a transitional stage for humans aspiring to become Rank 1 Magi. Although all humans had the potential to become apprentices, the speed at which their spirit force grew depended on their innate talent. A Rank 1 apprentice possessed a stronger spirit force than an ordinary person, enabling them to manipulate and store the energies of the world within their bodies.

Once the spirit force reached 4, an individual became a Rank 2 apprentice Magus and could begin learning Rank 0 spells. While they were stronger than regular people and possessed mysterious spells, a large group of mortal soldiers, disregarding their own lives, could still overwhelm them.

Rank 3 apprentice Magi, on the other hand, possessed immense spirit force and a deeper understanding of spells and their combat applications. They could cast spells instantly under certain conditions. While not invincible against mortals, they had a higher chance of escaping with their lives.

"A.I. Chip, provide me with a list of healing options utilizing my current abilities."

A list of options appeared before Zatiel, but unfortunately, most of them were of no use in his current predicament. The first level of memories mainly contained general information about his previous life and the rituals needed for his plans. However, he finally found something that could help him in this dire situation.

[Death Touch: Rank 0 spell that employs negative energy to absorb life force. Requires physical contact with the target and immobilizes the caster during casting, rendering it unsuitable for battle. Spirit Force consumption: 1]

This was the only spell Zatiel had managed to acquire after a year in the Magic Tower. Learning a spell involved comprehending the corresponding spell rune, inscribing it in one's consciousness using their spirit, and then activating it with their spirit force.

During the process of inscribing the rune, any mistakes could result in a backlash that would harm one's spirit, necessitating a week of recovery before attempting again. Fortunately, the A.I. Chip acted as an intermediary, guiding Zatiel's spirit force to inscribe the rune. Despite Death Touch being one of the most basic spells, it took nearly an hour for Zatiel to learn it with the assistance of the A.I. Chip.

Closing his eyes and focusing, Zatiel began inscribing the rune.

"Success!"

Zatiel couldn't help but smile, as failure would have likely meant his demise.

Directing his magical force toward the rune, he channeled the negative energy, causing a dark glow to envelop his hand.

"Death Touch."

The first target of his spell was the massive tree beside him. Upon contact, the bark withered and his injuries started to heal.

With his wounds no longer a pressing concern, Zatiel's thoughts turned to the A.I. Chip and his memories.

"Why did the A.I. Chip activate at this moment, and why did the memory upload occur now?"

Zatiel understood that the world was not a fairy tale where a timely rescue always saved the protagonist from certain death. Nevertheless, he now possessed the A.I. Chip, which could provide him with answers.

[The host's near-death state caused a burst of potential within the body, increasing the spirit force by 0.2 and meeting the spirit threshold required for the safe activation of the A.I. Chip.]

"The A.I. Chip is connected to my True Soul. Its initial activation triggers a burst of memories that severely damages my spirit if it is too low. The division of my memories into levels was done for safety reasons. The first level alone nearly destroyed my consciousness."

Zatiel surveyed his surroundings, recalling the information he had researched before his mission. He found himself in the Grey Swamp, a treacherous area near a human kingdom under the jurisdiction of the Zanabi Magic Tower. The swamp was known for its abundant special herbs and magical creatures. It also served as a haven for numerous bandit groups.

"The bandit groups should be my first target. They are perfect candidates for the ritual."

Zatiel's eyes gleamed with a cold determination as he envisioned the fate that awaited his enemies.