Chapter 5

【Mage Hand (Level 3): 0th-level Transmutation, move objects with your mind.

Causes a movement effect equivalent to [Caster's Base Strength Value x (100 + Spell Level x 10)]% of the strength value, but cannot cause any damage;

Casting Time: None,

Casting Range: 0-10 yards,

Magic Consumption: 13,

Requirements: None.】!!!

That's right, the transparent large hand that pulled the corpse's arm to ignite was the [Mage Hand], a 0th-level spell that can be learned with just 5 base intelligence, and one of the only four spells that Alpha has.

The effect of [Mage Hand] is to amplify the caster's strength value and remotely move objects.

In "Dungeons & Dragons," a player's strength not only determines the damage of physical attacks and some skill effects, but also the effect of moving objects. The higher the strength value, the heavier the object that can be moved and the more noticeable the effect.

Most mages have single-digit strength values, usually just 1 or 2 points higher than the minimum attribute value of 5. Therefore, even with [Mage Hand], they can't move very heavy objects, let alone the arm of a corpse that can ignite.

But Alpha is different. He has 14 points of strength, which is comparable to many rangers.

With the 130% strength amplification from Level 3 [Mage Hand], the movement effect when using [Mage Hand] is almost equivalent to a full 20-point strength value.

...

To put it simply, Alpha's [Mage Hand] is as strong as a 20-point strength warrior, capable of easily pulling the arm of the corpse that can ignite.

...

In fact, no mage in the entire "Dungeons & Dragons" has a [Mage Hand] effect that can match Alpha's.

Of course, due to his low intelligence, Alpha can't learn other spells, and his low magic points mean he can only cast [Mage Hand] twice in a battle.

However, using [Mage Hand] to create advantages in battle, like this, is something Alpha is already very familiar with.

Using [Mage Hand] to dodge the fierce attack, Alpha wasn't intimidated by the corpse's combat skills. Instead, he smiled arrogantly, took a step back, and increased the distance between himself and the corpse. He then beckoned to the surrounding imps and zombie devils, speaking in broken Infernal:

"You... all... come on!"

"Come on! Take down this guy with the bad tongue!"

The corpse spoke in fluent Infernal, mocking Alpha's pronunciation.

Alpha rolled his eyes and said, "Crappy Infernal teacher," then his longsword suddenly pierced the forehead of a small imp. The dying imp let out a low roar, finally able to go off duty. Alpha frowned in dissatisfaction:

"I had you all come on to increase the difficulty, are you so eager to go back to Hell?"

"Roar!!! If you had to play a dirty rat in another plane every day, wouldn't you miss your bone bed and brain snacks?"

The corpse roared and threw a punch. Alpha moved two steps to the left and casually slashed a devil zombie that was slowly and pretentiously trying to sneak attack him. Shrugging, he replied:

"If I only had a bone bed and brain snacks, I'd rather be a rat.

—This time, I'm going for your neck!"

While chatting with the corpse, Alpha flipped his right hand and fired a hand crossbow.

The corpse, long accustomed to Alpha's sudden "traps," quickly guarded his chest. Usually, if this cunning guy said, "I'm going for your neck," the next moment he would shoot at another vital spot with the hand crossbow.

But this time, the corpse overthought it.

Alpha's longsword accurately struck the corpse's neck, where the carotid artery used to be, now just a dried-up vessel. His left hand's hand crossbow, however, shot another small imp posing on the outskirts of the battle—these guys seemed to lack the sincerity to fight Alpha, just eager to go off duty.

"Cheater!"

The only one who wanted to fight Alpha—the corpse who had been tricked—roared and attacked with a ghostly claw glowing with icy blue frost energy. At the same time, two fireballs from two directions also arrived.

Alpha weighed his options, dodged the corpse's attack, and took the two fireballs.

These fireballs were not the powerful 3rd-level spell [Fireball] cast by mages, but the instinctive attack of the weak, low-level infernal creatures, imps. Two balls of sulfur-smelling flames could easily kill a novice mage.

The two fireballs almost hit Alpha, causing 48 and 44 points of damage respectively.

A total of 92 points, which would be the maximum hit points of most 9th-level mages, a sure kill.

But for Alpha, with a constitution of 20 and 218 hit points, it wasn't much, not even half his health. Alpha took the hit to test his hit points.

It looked pretty good.

Alpha shrugged and muttered, "So that's the damage," while his hands were busy, firing two more bolts to send the two small, ridiculous-robed imps back to Hell. He then leaped over two devil zombies, landed on a rock, and smiled:

"Should I take action, or wait for the bosses to come together?"

At the mention of "bosses," the corpse shook his head, as if "bosses" were a painful existence:

"Let them be, those guys kill like sawing meat.

—Damn, did you max out [Jumping Proficiency] and [Balance Proficiency]? You freak, a full-dexterity mage."

Alpha smiled, indicating agreement.

Dexterity not only affects ranged attacks but also determines attack and movement speed, and increases physical defense. For most mages, it's not useless, but its utility is limited. Most mages have around 10 points, while a full 20 points of dexterity is only for "waste" mages like Alpha.

As for the two proficiencies the corpse mentioned, they are even more ridiculous for mages...

Proficiencies are another system in "Dungeons & Dragons" that enhances players beyond spell skills, mainly reinforcing various basic abilities. For example, [Jumping Proficiency] and [Balance Proficiency] enhance jumping ability and body control, respectively.

These are proficiencies that mages usually abandon, as they should focus on proficiencies related to casting abilities.

However, not only [Jumping Proficiency] and [Balance Proficiency], but also [Dodge Proficiency], [Agility Proficiency], and others that are useful for close combat, are maxed out. Combined with full dexterity, Alpha's melee abilities, at least in dodging and speed, are quite impressive.

Only a human mage like Alpha has so many proficiency points to waste. Humans have the highest initial and level-up proficiency points in "Dungeons & Dragons."

—Initial 18 points, 6 points per level.

And the mage class has the second-highest proficiency points among all classes, with 5 points per level, just behind the 6 points of bards (hardware modifications are needed, but intelligence doesn't affect it).

Alpha completely abandoned several proficiencies that would help mages, such as [Concentration Proficiency] to improve casting resistance, [Spell Mastery Proficiency] to free up spell slots, and [Specialization Proficiency]. Therefore, Alpha's proficiency points are so abundant that he can "waste" them.

"Of course, I maxed them out—do these conditions trigger a hidden class?"

Alpha nodded and asked. The corpse, with his hands behind his back, said solemnly:

"Please, don't always ask me these things. You know I'm a disciplined NPC, I won't reveal any secrets of this world to you..."

"...'The Supreme Law does not allow revealing secrets to adventurers,' I've memorized it. Just tell me if maxing out these proficiencies has any future."

Alpha frowned and interjected. The corpse shook his rotten finger:

"None of my business. The Supreme Law grants you adventurers boundless power, as long as you are willing—I won't comment on a mage not taking [Spell Mastery Proficiency]—little ones, come on, it's time to go off duty."

The corpse waved to his subordinates, and it was time to queue up for death...

A few imps and devil zombies obediently lined up in front of Alpha.

Alpha rolled his eyes, raised his hand crossbow, and shot each of these extras one by one, sending the devil projections back to Hell with joyful moans, until only the corpse was left.

"By the way, your prophet Deckard Cain has been captured and is imprisoned in Tristram. If you rescue him, you might get a significant reward."

"Can I get a hidden class?"

Alpha asked with a smile.

Hearing Alpha ask about the hidden class again, the corpse resumed his serious tone:

"I'm a disciplined NPC..."

"Is this discipline?"

Alpha interrupted the pretentious corpse, whose face of rotten flesh twitched, making a smile uglier than a cry:

"This is a normal quest prompt. The higher-ups need someone to take away that troublesome guy:

The righteous gods, upon hearing that Griswold captured Deckard Cain, declared that if Deckard Cain dies, the latest power-sharing agreement will be nullified, and all our permanent material plane projection points will be canceled. Clearly, Lord Asmodeus doesn't want trouble right now, so he issued a quest to make adventurers fight for it.

—I think it won't be long before adventurers receive similar quest prompts."

"For your NPC role-playing skills, I have nothing to say...

'Quest prompt' is not something you should say."

Alpha said angrily, about to send the already battered corpse back to Hell, when the corpse suddenly charged, emitting a dark glow.

—The corpse's ultimate move, [Ghostly Strike]!!!

"Sorry, you should know, I have quite high intelligence."

The corpse smiled, uglier than a cry...

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