Magic Inheritance Scroll & Serie’s Return

[Item Name: Magic Inheritance Scroll]

[Contained Magic: Steal Magic (Kazuma Locked Technique)]

[Skill Effect: Randomly steals an item from the target.]

(Note: Due to the locked attribute, the actual spell effect is significantly altered.)

[Actual Spell Effect: When targeting the opposite sex, the magic will specifically steal their under·wear; when targeting the same sex, it has a high probability of stealing a high-value item.]

Gut repeatedly read over the scroll's description, struggling to keep a straight face.

Putting aside moral and ethical concerns, Gut seriously doubted if he'd still be able to cast Goddess Magic after mastering this "divine art."

He had a strong feeling that the Goddess herself might disapprove of him learning this.

"Whatever, let's level up!"

Despite its absurd nature, there was no denying that Steal Magic (Kazuma Locked Technique) was a highly practical divine skill.

Whether used on men or women.

Either you cause a strong control effect or likely steal something valuable—it was a win-win situation.

He just… really should wear a mask when casting it.

[Ding!]

[Item successfully used!]

[Congratulations, Host has learned: Steal Magic (Kazuma Locked Technique)]

"Huh?"

After a long wait, Gut let out a confused sound.

"That's it? No flashy scene where knowledge gets force-fed into my brain like in those web novels?"

He patted his head—no sudden influx of memories. No magic tomes or devices appeared out of thin air either.

So where was this so-called inherited magic?

Suddenly, an intuition surfaced in Gut's mind, helping him grasp the workings of the Magic Inheritance Scroll.

Normally, inheritance magic worked just like he imagined: the system would inject spell knowledge directly into the mind.

But Steal Magic (Kazuma Locked Technique) was different due to its locked suffix.

To fully cast the spell as described, the knowledge of Steal Magic alone wasn't enough—what it truly required was the Fate of Kazuma.

Only by fusing both elements could the spell's unique effects manifest.

But fate isn't something that can be imposed on someone else, and so this inheritance's final form manifested as a Magic Construct.

Closing his eyes and focusing, Gut found it—a tiny sphere in his mind, shrouded in mystical runes.

It condensed the full spell structure of Steal Magic, simulated Kazuma's Fate using the Power of Laws, and wrapped it all in indestructible Primordial Runes—thus forming a standard Magic Construct.

The moment Gut formed the intent to cast the spell, the construct would automatically draw in mana, convert it, and release the spell.

This way, he could perform magic tied to someone else's fate without altering his own.

...

"What a pain," Gut silently complained, now understanding the spell's mechanics.

Still, at least he now knew how to cast this "divine art."

Unable to resist, Gut reached down and pulled out his hefty... Spell Book.

A few brief incantations later, he let out a sigh of relief—though casting Goddess Magic now felt slightly obstructed, it still worked.

As long as he could still use Goddess Magic, Gut pressed his palms together and silently thanked the Goddess for her mercy.

Deep down, Gut was never truly devout. He even doubted whether the Goddess existed at all.

That skepticism affected his spellcasting—he always felt resistance when using divine magic. His System Interface even listed a passive called Atheist.

[Atheist (White)]

[You respect all beliefs and cultures, but you do not worship any of them.]

[Effect: You experience resistance when casting faith-based spells (e.g., Goddess Magic). Likewise, others will experience resistance when casting faith-based spells on you.]

Confirming that he could still cast Goddess Magic, Gut carefully returned his Spell Book to its place and chuckled wryly.

If the Goddess of Creation truly existed, and she still allowed a heretical Atheist like him to wield her power—

Then maybe she really was the loving, tolerant deity described in the Spell Book.

...

As Gut settled into life in Äußerst, peaceful days flowed by like a quiet stream.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

During this time, Gut's physical strength and mana capacity improved significantly, and he quietly continued doing good deeds without seeking recognition.

Unfortunately, aside from that lucky draw last time, he never pulled another Magic Inheritance Scroll from the Do a Good Deed reward pool.

Not even gold coins—just a Strahl gold coin, whose gold content was inferior to the previous Larsy coin.

Still, it was more than enough for daily expenses.

The rest of the rewards were mostly silver or copper coins, a bottle of cola, a cigarette, or even a pack of sanitary pads—Gut had seen it all.

Just everyday items. Eventually, Gut gave up hoping for grand prizes and came to accept the rewards as small bonuses for doing good.

Meanwhile, the real reason he came to Äußerst had finally begun to show signs of progress.

In the town tavern, sharp-eared patrons had started gossiping about the Continental Magic Association.

And tales of the legendary archmage Serie became a hot topic over drinks and meals.

Gut didn't believe for a second that all this attention was coincidence.

The official announcement about the Continental Magic Association was clearly just around the corner.

Sure enough, things unfolded exactly as Gut had predicted.

Less than a week after rumors started circulating, the mythical archmage from the Age of Legends—Serie herself—made a public appearance to confirm them.

The Continental Magic Association was real.

Founded by Serie, the legendary archmage herself, the association promised a privilege to every mage who met her standards:

She would bestow upon them the one spell they most desired.

As an elf mage who had lived since before humans even knew magic, Serie was a living spellbook containing nearly every spell in human history.

In this world, aside from the potentially mythical Goddess, no being was closer to omniscience than Serie.

So, no one doubted she could keep her promise.

After all, if there existed a spell that even Serie didn't know, it had to be either a curse, Goddess Magic, or—

A violation of the very laws of magic, thus impossible.

At her appearance, Serie didn't just confirm the association's founding; she also announced the date and location of the first Mage Examination to be held by the association:

Half a month later, in the city of Äußerst.

The examination would last for one month.

After that, Serie would head to the Holy Capital of Strahl, where she would establish the headquarters of the Continental Magic Association, followed by another examination for the southern nations' mages.