So. Magic. Amazing thing, it is.

I made it back to the manor without issue, not even bothering to head back inside. I’m very intent on exploring this new toy of mine and I’m not willing to let anything distract me - again.

Having played with my mana some while down in the cave with Jacob’s shredded corpse, making the hut landmark, and the single flying earth fist I sent soaring - I’m excited to push myself a little harder, especially now that I’m in a semi-safe environment to play with said mana.

I pull up my stats, as a reminder of what I’m dealing with.

Name:

Gram D. Randal

Age:

29

Job:

Soldier

Level:

1 (37)

Exp

---

To next lvl:

16,419

Race:

Human

Stat points:

185

HP:

1820

MP:

1950

SP:

1840

HP Regen/min

172

MP Regen/min

178.5

SP Regen/min

176

Strength:

81

Agility:

96

Intelligence:

94

Endurance:

84

Dexterity:

102

Wisdom:

81

Charisma:

65

Luck:

2

It’s still strange that my experience has stopped. Same thing could be said for stats gains and skill gains. I should have acquired a skill for dicking with my mana in that cave or making a hut.

Maybe the system admin was taking a long piss break?

Anywho, most games I’ve played have the intelligence stat as the main damage modifier for damage output when using spells of one sort or another. That’s not to say that there are not spells that require other stats as their modifier, but that’s typically the main go to stat.

Still not having a good baseline for where my stats compare to the majority, I’m just going to work with what I got and not care too much for the time being.

Looking over my meager spell list, the four spells I have all have a base mana requirement of ten units. I don’t know yet if I can charge them with more or if I can even change something fundamental about the spell itself - I haven’t even used any of them, yet. Creating the hut proved that I now can manipulate at least earth outside of the single spell I have, but experimentation is required for the rest.

Not to mention determining limits. Very important, since this isn’t some half-baked anime or comic where I miraculously pull a major win out of my ass or spend a few episodes fighting and powering up.

Ember, Gust, Stone Fist, and Water Spout. Let’s start with the easiest one of the lot - Gust.

Making sure to move to the back of the manor and facing away from any buildings in the vicinity, I take a deep breath and prepare myself for adding another elemental branch of magic to play with.

What? This is a big deal. After all, it’s not everyday just anyone can start spamming spells. At least, that’s the case back home.

Having the ‘Intro to magic’ skill at my disposal, understanding the lore behind the spell is easier. Using words of power and gestures, you are essentially causing an area in front of you to be overly pressurized with air. Once it reaches the spell frame limit, the release is triggered. This is typically done pointed away from the caster, but accidents can happen with improper chanting and/or gestures.

Intoning the strange words and making the silly gestures, what looks like a ball of swirling wind appears and then shoots off.

What's that? A swirling ball of wind? How could that possibly be seen, right?

Well, the mana imbues the air element itself while it's being shaped. That imbuement causes a color to be seen, thus making the swirling ball of high pressured air to be visible. Magic, bitches!

Ahem. Moving on, that spell only caused the equivalent of a really strong gust of wind to impact wherever the little ball makes contact. A really strong gust being like a weak start of a category one hurricane. Nothing amazing, but it could throw off someones balance off if hit at the right moment.

I cast the spell a few dozen times to be sure I have it comfortably down. As comfortable as one can be with the funny gestures and talking in tongues.

Ember is like a thimble sized fireball, Water spout is just like it sounds - basically shooting a stream of water, like a water gun. Stone fist is the most useful of the lot, again being just as it sounds. Stone gathers in front of the caster and then launches at about the speed as the Gust spell towards wherever you’re facing.

All in all, nothing spectacular. Having taken the time to cast each spell at least a few dozen times, I attempt to fiddle with the casting. Gestures are eliminated and I manage to cast the spells without too much issue, though I feel a strain and I break out into a sweat after the third cast or so.

Again with that possible hidden willpower stat? Can’t be arsed to care right now.

Now that I’m not having to do the macarena with every cast, I work on adding more mana to each cast. Took a bit of effort to get to that point, but when I did the results were a little more satisfying.

Doubling the mana output for each spell allows for doubling the capability of said spell. Each spell is launched faster, with more impact and power.

Seems pretty academic, right? But all I’m doing is supercharging an existing frame or design. This system appears flawed and very time consuming compared to the pure mana manipulation I was doing down in the cave.

Taking a moment and checking the time, I note only a few hours have passed since I started experimenting. Feeling that I have a bit more time before needing to go hunting for materials, I think more on what each spell does.

Gust is a condensed and super charged ‘ball’ of air that is launched. Ember super heats the molecules in the air and consumes oxygen to stay lit at a central point. Water spout condenses the water molecules in the air, with an outlet formed once pressure is met. Stone fist is a rocky fist launched forward.

I’m still working on how its launched though. I may need some equipment to determine that one, though magnetism comes to mind.

Adding more mana only increases the size and velocity. More mana doesn’t necessarily increase the overall damage.

So, I focus on the element aspect itself. The wind ball is condensed more, the mini-fireball becomes more excited, the water gun’s pressure is increased, and I compact the rock fist even more.

It works, very well. A tree that was a good distance away can attest to the veracity of that claim. What’s left of it anyway.

Basic manipulation done, I now move on to the meat of the subject. Namely, pure elemental manipulation.

As stated before, each element has its own flavor or characterization. Wind blows, fire burns, blah blah blah.

Taking a small chunk from the now decimated tree target, I make sure there is nothing else flammable nearby and set the small chunk on the ground about a meter in front of me. I focus and start to excite the air around the wood piece, as if I’m casting the ember spell. After a minute or two, the chunk of wood finally bursts into flames.

I take a deep breath and attempt to make the existing fire bend to my will. I have it sway back and forth, towards and away from me in order to determine if I’m actually manipulating it.

Nodding and feeling confident with the results, I take a portion of the flame and have it swirl up and away from the burning chunk on the ground.

After a minute or two of straining, I take a break and wipe my head. No result.

Hand to chin, I pace around the block and think. The fire is already existing, merrily burning away at the organic piece I set alight. What’s the parallel between this existing flame and ember?

Ah, the core of what fire is. The fire tetrahedron: heat, fuel, oxidizer, and chain reaction. Heat and oxygen are already present, but I forgot that I needed to add the fuel and chain react it.

Magic is the core and fuel. I forgot to add mana to the manipulation as I didn’t use a single mana point in all the flame swaying I had done before.

Concentrating, I channel mana and will the fire to swirl. Result: I’m blown on my ass by channeling too much mana into the small fire and essentially exploding it in my face.

Patting myself down, I go grab another piece of wood and set it on fire too. This time, I manage to get a small swirl dislodged from the main burning piece on the ground and have it flutter around like a butterfly.

Somehow or another, my mental imagery influenced the shape of the little ball of fire, becoming a wondrous butterfly of fire that is now wisping about.

Smiling softly, I go about extinguishing the flames and start accumulating a water puddle with a low powered water spout spell.

Next thing you know, I have the small courtyard fluttering with dozens of various elemental butterflies. Each of the independent of the other but still within my control as I guide them about. To and fro they wander, dancing to some unknown beat.

A tear flows down my face, my heart aches over Claire and my unborn child.

Steeling myself, I snuff all mana and manipulation to the elementals fluttering about. The small clearing is bereft of company again.

Nodding to myself and happy with my results, I make sure to grab a bite to eat and check out my map. There are three areas shown for the materials I need to finally be able to play with the enchantment skill, courtesy of Tepindo. The three materials are dropped by monsters, or so the details I received say.

The Wind essence is obtained by killing mobs near the peaks of a near mountainous area, meaning that most in that area will have the essence I need as opposed to hunting a single type.

Mana crystals are dropped by mobs in an area highly saturated in mana, typically by a leyline or similar font of mana concentration.

The Purified water is the odd one. It only has a single mob listed - Undines.

Of the three materials, the Wind essence and the purified water are both capable of being changed out with other types of essence. The essence determines the types of attributes that can be added to the enchantment process. The only material absolutely required is the Mana crystal, as it will hold the enchantment together and keep the mana charge active.

While there are other materials that can be used, like blood, the quality of the enchantment will be greatly diminished. Now, blood can be treated and alchemically refined to work as well as or better than the mana crystals, but that would take time and ability I do not have.

These three materials I’m hunting will work more than well enough for master level enchantments and I’m not having to overcomplicate things to obtain higher grade materials.

Only need to go on a massive killing spree.

I wonder… I try to pull up the market like I would at a hub.

Viola. The shops I visited yesterday are available and several more that I didn’t go visit with my little guides. On top of that, they have an Adventurer’s guild and a job posting as well.

I browse through the ads that are listed, looking to see if there are any rewards for the areas I’m heading to. If I’m going to be culling an area, I may as well see if I can get paid for it on top of getting my materials.

Keeping in mind the Contract I have with Tepindo, I only look for and accept listings for proof of death. While I could get away with trading in the materials and parts for the rewards, I’d feel better if I honor my word to the store owner rather than attempt to make a few extra credits for myself.

Nodding to myself, I decide it’s time to play with my newly purchased Vehicle of Doom and Destruction in order to get to those places faster. This world is unknown to me, so I have no idea how far each location actually is compared to my present location. Using my new ride to to hasten my travels is expected and I can relax while traveling.

Well, to a point. While heavily armored and fast, there are no weapons on my vehicles.

But first, a quick and dirty use of my spiffy Dragon boots that the creepy princess gave to me as reward for ‘rescuing’ her. I still don’t know why she gave them to me, her excuse rang hollow when she uttered it.

Meh. Dragon boots of flying. ‘Nuff said.

I grin, excited to fly through the air. I glance up and around for a moment to be sure I’m not going to impact anything on my ascent and I dump a hundred units of mana into my boots.

In hindsight, I realize I should have added mana gradually to control my ascent into the skies.

The moment the mana hit the boots, in such a concentration, I’m airborne. Shooting up so fast, the pressure squeezes the air from my lungs. The wind causes my eyes to shut tight and I’m sure I black out for a moment.

Why? Because I’m falling back to terra firma and I don’t even remember reaching my top height.

Panicking for a moment, I almost shunt more mana into my boots. Thankfully, I pause for a moment and control the mana into smaller amounts so I’m not dashing up and down like a demented yoyo.

Getting control of my impromptu rocket man impersonation, I realize I’m going to need some kind of eye protection if I want to travel at any decent speed. The air resistance and wind in my eyes will greatly slow my travels otherwise. Unless I want to fly blind…

Nope. Not happening.

I use the boots to travel to the village again, gaining control and understanding as I travel. The flight ability is generated on the soles of the boots, meaning I’ll have to angle myself and constantly correct my altitude as I travel.

The scenery passes by. The trip that takes about ten to fifteen minutes at a sedate walk takes about three minutes as the crow flies.

I make sure to land a decent distance from the gate and enter the village proper like any good law abiding citizen. Heh.

Infiltration just got a lot easier.

Why? Because people rarely look up. Add to that the cover of darkness and low visibility, I can be hundreds of feet above my target location and drop down with nary a sound.

Exfiltration, too, is easier. So long as I have access to open sky, I can pull off another rocket man and be out of sight in a second or so.

But these are conditional, though it is pretty broad. I can make an exit to leave through as well with my Water spout spell, increasing the pressure output to cut through most materials and …

Right, eye protection. One of the shops I didn’t go to has what I need, according to the’ shopping app’. One quick purchase later and I’m back on the road.

Now that I can keep my eyes open and see during flight, I decide to pull out my VoDaD to take a closer look at what I actually purchased.

Fifteen meters long or about fifty feet, three and a half meters high or eleven and half feet and three meters wide or almost ten feet, this thing is a monster. No wheels, it uses hover technology and can hover a maximum of twenty meters or about sixty five feet above flat surface. Single person driving seat with additional seating available for twelve other people. That barely takes a third of the overall length of this beast.

Three entry points, armored up with ten centimeters or about four inches thick armor plating to take quite the beating and keep on ticking. No weapons or weapons systems were available, which was odd. I didn’t buy this to make waste to small cities though, so no big deal.

Midway through the monstrosity, there is a small living quarter with a bed, bathroom, and a small kitchen. Then the back end can be used to transport more personnel or like it is used now, additional transport in the way of a two seater hover bike. The rear compartment can hold four of those hover bikes without issue, six to eight if they’re all crammed in there and someone’s willing to dig them out.

Like I said - a beast. Quiet too, as I start it up and get ready to see what kind of performance specifications it has. Hopefully it has a decent travel speed, otherwise I wasted a LOT of spare change for this tin can.

If it goes fast enough, I guess I can run over and kill anything in my way. It IS large and heavy…

Now then, first target - Wind essence.