Overlord: Welcoming the Birth of the King
Chapter 79: Mastering "Angel Summoning", First Independent Magic Advancement

Night fell at the inn.

In the cleaned second-floor room.

The small hellhound lay on the ground, its slightly bulging belly evidence of having just consumed another goblin corpse.

Tang Zheng stood by the window, gazing through it at the alley outside and the street diagonally across.

There was no movement from the "Eight Fingers" side, perhaps because he had just arrived in "E-Rantel" today.

After all, more than a month had already passed.

"I hope you'll come to me on your own," Tang Zheng murmured before turning to look at the wooden table in the room.

It was piled high with white paper.

A total of fourteen hundred sheets, all made using the second-tier magic "Papermaking Technique".

These weren't freshly produced - seven hundred sheets were created when he upgraded "Papermaking Technique" to second-tier in the Great Tob Forest.

The other seven hundred were made at the previous mage guild.

Knowing these papers were alchemical materials that could be made into magic scrolls, Tang Zheng naturally abandoned any thought of selling them and brought them all back.

Before experimenting with scroll-making techniques.

Tang Zheng took out the second-tier "Angel Summoning" magic scroll.

This level of magic scroll would be virtually impossible to obtain through normal channels without Master Belorui's help.

This scroll didn't cost Tang Zheng any money.

After he refused and took out the alchemical potion, hearing his request, Master Belorui simply gave him the scroll.

According to Master Belorui, it could be considered an exchange between them.

Tang Zheng had a relatively favorable impression of Master Belorui - at least the man was genuinely generous.

Unfortunately.

Tang Zheng never believed in free lunches - there was clearly some impending trouble involving the master, and no minor matter at that.

He had no intention of getting involved, as it would only waste his time.

Crushing the scroll in his hand.

As white light emerged, the scroll in his hand dissipated into motes of light.

Whoosh!

Mana fluctuations.

A roughly two-meter-tall angel clad entirely in gleaming silver armor, even its head covered by a helmet-like casing, appeared suspended in midair before Tang Zheng.

The creature had a pair of bright yellow wings and gripped a silver lance, its tip also glowing with a sacred yellow radiance.

Second-tier - Guardian Angel!

"Rather than an angel, it looks more like a construct."

Tang Zheng observed the floating guardian angel's appearance with an inexplicable sense of dissonance.

In most works he knew, angels were always portrayed as living creatures, but the angels summoned in "YGGDRASIL" gave off a Gundam-like impression.

When watching the anime, he'd felt the urge to comment on this.

But now, actually seeing the summoned angel, apart from the lingering sense of oddness, this distinctly different, somewhat technological-looking angel...

Made Tang Zheng's eyes light up slightly. Regardless of anything else, this appearance alone gave an impression of being not to be trifled with.

"Awooo!"

The small hellhound, seeing the sudden appearance of this creature in the room, immediately scrambled up from the floor and quickly positioned itself before Tang Zheng, adopting a guarded stance.

"No need to be nervous." Tang Zheng reached out to pat the little hellhound's head reassuringly.

Buzz—

'Discovered magic "Second-tier·Angel Summoning", requires Faith-based casting level 8-14, profession conditions unmet...'

'"Genius" profession activated, converted to "Priest", learning conditions met. Consume 1 skill point to learn?'

Tang Zheng immediately thought: "Yes."

[Skill Points: 42→41]

As the magic was mastered, Tang Zheng quickly looked at the spell's details on his panel.

...

Skill: Angel Summoning (Second-tier)

Cost: 10MP

Description: Summons one guardian angel of level (8-14)

...

Tang Zheng's eyes held a glimmer of anticipation as he looked behind the skill.

Among the many tiered magics.

Summoning spells like Angel Summoning and Demon Summoning had clear progression paths from "first-tier to tenth-tier".

Thus, Tang Zheng was somewhat hopeful about whether there would be an "↑" symbol after "Angel Summoning".

"Nothing there."

After checking several times and confirming the absence of the "↑" symbol, Tang Zheng's expression darkened slightly.

Tiered magic was clearly different from the life magics created by this world's humans.

"Angel Summoning!"

Tang Zheng chanted softly.

Whoosh!

Numerous motes of light coalesced, and with a flash of white light, a new guardian angel appeared in the room.

The two guardian angels hovered silently in midair, their bright yellow wings increasing the room's illumination noticeably.

Compared to the angel summoned via scroll.

Tang Zheng could clearly feel that the guardian angel he summoned himself had stronger presence.

Moreover, he could also discern this guardian angel's level.

Guardian Angel (LV14)!

"A max-level second-tier angel." Tang Zheng wasn't particularly surprised.

Under normal circumstances.

Creatures summoned through summoning magic would be one or two levels lower than the caster, and only one could be summoned at a time - attempting to summon a second would cause the first to automatically dissipate.

Unless specialized in summoning.

His current level naturally far exceeded the upper limit of "Second-tier·Angel Summoning".

At this moment.

Tang Zheng looked somewhat disappointed.

If he couldn't use skill points to upgrade "Angel Summoning", then this magic's utility to him wasn't particularly high.

This world's highest-level "Angel Summoning" was the Slane Theocracy's "Seventh-tier·Angel Summoning" stored in magic-sealing crystals, reaching only (43-49) level standards.

While perhaps considered catastrophic existences by this world's nations, to the Sorcerer King they were merely trivialities to be casually dealt with.

"Awoo." The little hellhound seemed to sense Tang Zheng's mood, gently rubbing against his leg.

Tang Zheng paused, looking down at the hellhound. "I never thought I'd be comforted by you."

His train of thought interrupted.

Coming back to himself, Tang Zheng realized he'd been somewhat fixated.

Or rather.

Faced with future pressures, he'd become overly reliant on skill points.

Other tiered magics were one thing.

For "Angel Summoning" with its clear tier progression, having mastered "Second-tier·Angel Summoning", mastering higher tiers shouldn't be problematic.

His caster level fully met the requirements.

A contemplative look appeared in Tang Zheng's eyes as he considered for the first time whether he could master magic through his own abilities.

But how to improve faith-based magic?

This world's humans differed from players - warriors needed to train their bodies and techniques to improve, and spellcasters naturally followed the same principle.

If arcane chanters needed to enhance their mana intensity, then faith-based chanters needed...

Faith?

But the problem was!

Most faith-based magic chanters in this world worshipped the Six Great Gods, who weren't true deities but merely players.

Moreover, they were already dead players - how could they possibly provide power feedback?

Take Shalltear from the Great Tomb for example - as a vampire, she should worship the God Ancestor Cain!

In reality, "God Ancestor Cain" was merely a boss once slain by the Sorcerer King's guild.

Not only did Shalltear not worship him, she considered it shameful, yet could still use faith-based magic.

Various thoughts flashed through Tang Zheng's mind before he suddenly closed his eyes, adopting a meditative posture.

Time passed minute by minute.

The night outside grew increasingly deeper.

Suddenly!

A powerful mana fluctuation erupted from Tang Zheng's body.

"Third-tier·Angel Summoning!" Tang Zheng opened his eyes as white magical light radiated from him.

Bang—

The guardian angels hovering in midair instantly dissolved into countless motes of light, which then rapidly coalesced again.

Same gleaming silver armor covering its entire body!

But with more elegant yet powerful lines, its originally bright yellow magical wings now reduced and covered by extensive armor plating, the angel appeared in the room.

This angel's chest and eye-red markings had grown larger and more prominent!

Most notably, a bright yellow halo now floated above this angel's head.

Its weapon had transformed into a flame-imbued lightsaber, its entire body exuding a poised, dangerous aura.

Third-tier·Flame Archangel (LV20)!