21st Century Necromancer

Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Promotion Ceremony

Although Chen Yu had obtained the "Multiverse Universal Necromancy Spell Compendium" many years ago, due to a lack of resources, even though he had become a Necromancer, according to the ratings given in the book, he was still just a Mage Apprentice.

Years of study had only transformed him from a novice apprentice on the verge of becoming a Certified Necromancer.

True magic study isn't as some fantasy novels describe, where meditation and a so-called "aptitude" are all that's needed; rather, it is the accumulation of knowledge that is more critical.

A mage is a user of magic, which is wild and mysterious, diverse and practical. Its power drives those who wish to grasp its secrets to continually research and explore.

Casting spells might seem straightforward, uttering strange phrases with occasional hand gestures or special materials needed, but behind this facade lies years of apprenticeship and countless hours of specialized knowledge.

Take necromancy, for example. Some people may think that necromancy is just about playing with corpses, and as long as there's a sufficient supply, a Necromancer's research needs are met. However, to a Necromancer, ordinary corpses, besides being used to create Skeletons and Zombies, have little practical value.

Research on ordinary corpses allows a Necromancer to become familiar with human anatomy, but it doesn't significantly aid their mastery of necromancy spells. What truly advances a Necromancer is an in-depth study of the human body and cutting-edge medical knowledge. Self-taught dissection provides knowledge that at best is on par with that of the Middle Ages; in comparison to today's world, where medical research has delved into the micro-level, it's superficial as a primitive's.

Knowledge is not only a prerequisite for becoming a mage but also a relentless pursuit for mages. Only with ample knowledge can a mage ascend to higher levels of magic power. There may be mages in this world who don't seek power, but none who don't aspire to knowledge.

Even something as simple as the Fireball Technique from fantasy novels requires extensive knowledge to cast, such as building a spell model, calculating the spell trajectory, and enhancing the fireball's potency... These problems cannot be solved by brute-forcing with magic power. Even college students, if not from the relevant field, might not fully grasp the knowledge involved.

However, after many years of studying medicine and the knowledge gathered from the "Multiverse Universal Necromancy Spell Compendium," Chen Yu's accumulation had become sufficient. All that was lacking for him to become a real Necromancer was a Promotion Ceremony.

The Promotion Ceremony documented in the "Multiverse Universal Necromancy Spell Compendium" is the Necromancer's initiation ritual. Through the ritual's transformation, the truly Transcendent path opens up before the Mage Apprentice, causing a fundamental change in their life essence.

If a Mage Apprentice is defined as an ordinary person who has mastered magic, then an Official Mage is essentially distinct from ordinary people in their very nature. The elevation of life essence and the enhancement of physical fitness not only allow mages to better adapt to magic but also endow them with extraordinary wisdom, enabling them to travel further on the path of exploring the unknown.

For Chen Yu, whether in terms of magic power accumulation or knowledge, he had reached the threshold to be promoted to an Official Mage; all that he lacked was preparation for the ritual.

Originally, Chen Yu had planned to first summon the Undead Warhorse, acquiring his first Necromantic Summon before proceeding with the Promotion Ceremony. After all, it would be somewhat embarrassing for a Necromancer to not even have a Skeleton at hand, let alone a presentable Summoned Creature.

But now, since becoming a Certified Necromancer promised the hope of saving his friend, Chen Yu naturally wouldn't neglect Inomata Naoki and stuck to his original plan.

"After becoming a Certified Necromancer, can I really find a way to improve the Necromantic Potion?" Chen Yu asked the Spellbook in his hands. Although the book's intelligence wasn't great, as long as it was knowledge recorded in the "Multiverse Universal Necromancy Spell Compendium," it could provide answers to Chen Yu's questions.

"After becoming a Certified Necromancer, Potion specialization knowledge can be used to improve the Necromantic Potion. Improvement directions include enhancing the potion's effects, refining the activation method, delaying the potion's onset, and altering the targeted range of the potion's efficacy," the words displayed on the open Spellbook, and the explanation simultaneously resounded in Chen Yu's ears.

Although he usually detested the book's almost unchanging voice, at this moment, Chen Yu wished it could say more. He also had some doubts he wanted to ask, so he continued, "Then why couldn't I see this knowledge before? Didn't I even see the transformation ritual to become a Lich? Shouldn't the knowledge for improving potions be easier than that?"

In response to Chen Yu's question, the pages of the Spellbook didn't flip as usual, but the text still changed: "Spell specialization knowledge requires promotion before it can be deciphered. The Lich transformation ritual previously displayed was merely an introduction to the ritual, not the specific Spell Ritual. Unlocking related ritual knowledge still requires promotion to the corresponding professional level."

Realizing this, Chen Yu understood that what he had seen before were merely introductions. Most of the contents mentioned were beyond his reach or ability, so he browsed through them without much concern. In addition, the study of accessible knowledge already occupied most of his time, so he hadn't realized that this content was merely introductory.

"Alright, then can I at least look at the Promotion Ceremony content?" Chen Yu didn't delve deeper; instead, he simply shook his head, turning his attention to the Necromancer's Promotion Ceremony. For him, everything else was trivial at this point; the truly important matter was the steps to become a Certified Necromancer.

As Chen Yu posed his question, the pages of the Spellbook kept turning, quickly displaying the contents of the Promotion Ceremony. This time, Chen Yu also took out a notebook and began to transcribe the ceremony's details, word for word...