Cries of surprise and joy come from people as they retrieve their Kyhosa and discover that they've become magic items. I hide my disappointment and wear a smile as everyone celebrates the success of the ritual. Spirits are high as everyone goes back to their boats and returns to their homes.

"What's wrong, Aly?" Dad says, noticing me

"Nothing," I say flatly.

"It's not nothing, did the ritual not work for you?"

"It did," I say after a few seconds. "It's just that I didn't get what I needed. I worked really hard the whole month specifically so my Kyhosa could gain an ability to help me purify my cursed skills, but that didn't happen" I let out a sigh and continue. "I am happy with what I got, but I've put too much effort and risk into this for something to go wrong at the very end of it."

Dad steps closer and embraces me in a tight and warm hug.

"You'll get it, Aly. It's natural to feel sad and frustrated at setbacks; just let it out and move on to what you can do. You still have your whole life to work this problem out and purify your cursed skills."

As if getting permission, tears sting my eyes even as I try to hold them back. Until the dam broke and I let my feeling out.

"If anyone can purify cursed skills, it's you," Dad comforts me.

"Thank you, Momara," I say once I've calmed down. I relax for the rest of the day, taking a rare break from training and working.

The next day I fly to Kayafe; perhaps she will know another way to achieve what I need since she is the one to have enhanced [Manipulate Mana].

"The ritual was a success, but I didn't get what I needed," I say, a hint of disappointment in my tone.

"I know," Kayafe says. "You were never going to get what you needed."

"Then why not did you not tell me?" I ask, slightly taken aback. "We worked so much on this. If it was going to be futile, I could have put my effort in making the ritual better instead of trying to master [Manipulate Mana]!"

"Because you needed this lesson, Alysara," Kayafe replies guiltily

"What?!" Anger starts to boil inside of me. Just for something dumb like needed a 'lesson', I had to put all of my efforts into something that wasn't going to work anyway! I could have done so many other things!

"Aly, you have to understand that you can't control magic. You know more than I that magic is the will of chaos; it rebels and can only be shackled by its counterpart. You needed this lesson because you are beginning to tred into this dangerous territory. Safyr knew that, and that's why she suggested this; she suggested it knowing you will fail. Magic is dangerous, Alysara; you can't control it."

I can't help but feel betrayed, she is my friend, and it hurt more because of that.

"There are certain things that cause magic, and that can be controlled," Kayafe continues, "but the actual magic doesn't play by rules. The ritual forces magic to happen but anything resulting from it is uncertain."

"What about inscriptions then?" I counter.

"I don't know," Kayafe replies. "And neither do you. You have barely touched the surface of it, there could be an explanation, or maybe further study can reveal a dangerous nature to it. This is why you need to experience the uncontrolled nature of magic, Aly; you need to know the danger of working with magic."

Deep down, I know Kayafe is right and that she was just looking out for me, and it's not like any more damage could have been done to my evolutions anyway.

"You're right," I say with a sigh. "But I still don't like that you lied to me."

"I'm sorry." Kayafe apologizes. "I just didn't want you to end up like me."

Kayafe is just looking out for me, and I'd be a hypocrite to keep a grudge since I did something similar to Tana.

"I understand, what's done is done, and I forgive you" I can't argue against the new knowledge and power I gained that I would have probably waited on had I known my efforts wouldn't work. The new possibilities that vitality and super-solid mana and especially in crafting that is now open to me, is a welcome boon.

Not to mention my Kyhosa did get vastly stronger, and that will help me level up my Bond. I've gained so much, even if my goal was never going to be achieved in the first place, that I can't deny that this wasn't beneficial.

"So, what can I do to achieve my goal?" I ask. "I need a legendary point to purify my cursed skills, and if I can't do the trial of making the likeness of the gods, then what other options do I have?"

"You can enhance your skill," Kayafe replies. "I know it's risky, but you will get the power you need. From what you say, it shouldn't turn you into a cursed being; if anything, it may help cleanse your skill by using the miasma."

"But what if it does turn me into a cursed being? The risk is too high to make that gamble" I adamantly refuse that idea.

"All legendary trials are that risky, Alysara, but if you really want a different and more obtainable legendary point, you can always ask Safyr for a trial; it may be more dangerous, though. If you still don't like her offer, try making a trial for yourself or try to find as weak a legendary being as you can to slay or make a legendary tier item; there are many options for you, but if I had to say which has the least risk and the one you are most likely to do, it would be making a legendary item so focus your efforts on that."

That is tricky because, as Kayafe gave me firsthand experience, magic won't make a legendary item legendary if I try to make it legendary. I suppose that's why it's so hard to do, but Kayafe is right; it is the most risk-free option I have.

However, there is one thing that I think will grant me a legendary point even if I don't make a legendary item, and that is to make a perfected Mana Arc, something that requires complete mastery and knowledge of mana and maybe even magic to create. This means that I need to study a lot more.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Archmage Holuna Ruluna sits at a desk, wishing she could be out in the field instead of doing this boring paperwork. But nooo, she needs to be ready for when Alysara gives them the information on the [Sense Mana] breakthrough, except Alysara has disappeared!

They would have thought that she simply ran out on a deal, but she also didn't get her payment since she insisted on waiting for it. Something clearly happened; they don't think Alysara is the type to suddenly disappear; rather, something must have happened that required her undivided attention. However, that doesn't mean they can't use this situation to seek recompense for the late delivery of their goods.

Headmaster Vulpun has mentioned once or twice about asking for another breakthrough, but that's not likely to work since the governors will also want a part of the collateral.

After finishing up her desk work, Ruluna quickly gets up and leaves, so Vulpun can't put more work on her. Ruluna goes out into the street, enjoying a break of fresh air. The streets are crowded at this time, with many carriages and wagons being pulled by Forrons and Azelins.

Seeking out a restaurant, Ruluna enters a homely eatery. Being one of the elites in the Order of Flames means she is well paid, but she grew up rather poor, and the few time she did go to a restaurant as a child, it wasn't a luxurious one.

This restaurant fills her with those fond memories of when her family had scraped together enough money to celebrate her's or her brother's birthday. Ruluna makes an order and waits; eventually, the food is brought out, but before she can enjoy it, a world notification rings in her head.

Ting! Alysara, the Runalymo, has reached unparalleled knowledge and mastery in the Manipulate Mana skill!

She got another one?!

Ruluna groans, looking longingly at her food before paying and leaving; Vulpun will want an immediate meeting. Still, at least she's not dead.

"There you are!" Headmaster Vulpun spotting Ruluna enter the entrance hall. "We need to have a meeting about the recent world notification."

"I came as quick as I can," Ruluna says, a little grumpy that her meal got interrupted. "Still, everyone is at the frontlines; what is there even for me to discuss?"

"We have communication stones, Ruluna; the others should be connecting soon," Vulpun says, leading her to a room where there are several stones on the table that softly glow, showing that they are active.

As a mage, Ruluna knows the importance of having a skill like [Manipulate Mana]; it is one of the highest grade caster skills one can get. She isn't a caster since they require a lot of dedicated support skills, and it generally takes a long time to match a non-caster like herself, but she can't deny the versatility of caster.

In her opinion, if one were to pick a caster Class, they should pick a general caster and make use of full versatility, making them a good support in any squad, but most likely, someone gets a specialized caster Class like a fire caster or poison caster Class.

"We should try and trade for information on how to obtain that skill," Kolona, the headmaster of mages, suggests.

"Do we even have anything valuable enough for that trade? Assuming Alysara is even willing to trade," Flame Paladin Julaly asks.

"We know too little about her situation," Headmaster Shalar says. "If we knew what she wanted or needed, we may be able to target that, give her an offer she can't refuse. Unfortunately, we do not have that, and what's even more concerning is that she offered an exchange of favor last time, meaning she desire anything that we can offer."

"I agree with Shalar," Kolona says. "We need to focus more on learning about the Runalymo and Alysara herself."

The meeting shifted focus to how they could best learn about Alysara's wants and needs. Several hours later, the meeting ends, and Ruluna makes her way out of the room, exhausted and famished,

A week later, Ruluna is called for an emergency meeting. Glad to leave her deskwork, she goes up to the meeting room where Governor Orlan and Vulpun is waiting, but not only that, a beautiful girl wearing an elaborate and exotic icy blue dress with blood red designs is sitting across from them, her three tails and royal blue hair immediate identifies her as Alysara.

"I am pleased to see you well," Vulpun says once Ruluna joins them. "We were worried something might have happened to you."

"I a deeply sorry for the delay," Alysara says with an apologetic bow. "But something extremely time-sensitive came up. Please accept this as an apology" Alysara summons an amulet with a blood-red crystal and wrapped with protective metallic-like mana, decorated with small designs, handing it to Vulpun.

Lifedrop Necklace:

(Enchanted)

Made by one of the best, this necklace will vanish when its wearers take lethal damage and fully heal them bodily and vitality, preventing death and giving the wearer a second chance.

Ruluna's jaw drops upon seeing such a powerful item yet still be a simple enchanted tier item.

Noticing their speechless surprise, Alysara chuckles softly.

"Due to my recent improvement, I can now make things like that. The quality of my work will be vastly improved, and the scope of what I can do has been broadened. I am still experimenting with new possibilities, but that will take time. For now, I have the armor you requested"

Alysara takes out a suit of armor and weapons. These ones seem slightly different, however. They are made with a few improvements, but the biggest difference seems to be in the metallic mana that makes up half of it.

Ruluna examines it with her [Sense Mana] only to receive a confusing sight. It's solid yet not solid, but whatever it is, it's so advanced she isn't getting a breakthrough for it. [Analyze] shows that the normal three hundred percent enchantment bonuses have increased to over four hundred! It's equivalent to a Grand-tier magic item!