{Congratulations! For your efforts in training and testing the limits of Mana Sense you have gained 4 levels in Mana Sense

Congratulations! By training Mana Manipulation you have gained 2 levels in Mana Manipulation

Congratulations! By experimenting with Magic Spheres you gain 1 level in Magic Theory

Congratulations! By copying the magic cast around you you gain access to: Lightning, water, wind, Earth, dark, and light magics

Congratulations! For testing the limits of your Portal, Gravity, Force, Lightning, Water, Wind, Earth, Fire, Dark, and Light magics you gain 5 levels all of them

Congratulations! For learning a 10 types of magic you gain the Mage of Many Talents title}

Mage of Many Talents: Each time you cast a spell your next spell is empowered by 5% so long as it's of a different type. This bonus stacks so long as a spell is cast within 5 seconds of another spell. This bonus is reset if you wait longer than 5 seconds or cast a spell of the same type you had cast within 5 spells before.

Turns out my force magic is not limited to just creating force fields. It can generate force in almost limitless applications. I can create chairs of force and even adjust how hard it is. I can choose to let a specific thing pass like air but not any scent I might give off. This would have the side effect of strengthening any smells as the odors would build up within an area.

What force magic can't do is block light and is thus always invisible. Normal force-fields are tuned to block any light over a certain energy level, preventing lasers. I tested my magic force-fields with light magic and found that magic force-fields are completely unable to block light, a major weakness.

This led to a certain incident...

The laser has just melted through everything in a straight line. Leaving the force-field untouched.

"Hmmm, what would happen if I use a tachyon laser? Too bad I don't have tachyon magic except for gravity magic"

"What was that?!" Nymphaya, who was lazily watching me exclaimed at the six foot diameter of melted and smoking vegetation.

"A gamma-ray laser. What about it?" I asked.

"That was light magic right?! That was as powerful as the calamity of halos'!" Nymphaya said. Settling back against the rock she was using as a back rest.

"Calamity of halos'?" I tilted my head in confusion. "What do halos' have to do with anything?"

"It's an eight winged angel, the progenitor of light magic. Although it is a lesser calamity at rank five" Nymphaya sighed. "Listen don't point your magic at anyone when experimenting. Ok?" Nymphaya pointed to a snarling three tailed fox. "You almost fried poor Luka!"

"AH! I'm so sorry Luka!" I rush over to the red fox and gave it an apologetic hug. Luka stopped growling and licked my cheek in forgiveness.

After that I was careful to not hurt anyone. Then I pit a laser against a shield of dark magic. The shield stood for a few seconds before the laser broke through. After a few experiments I found that the shield was more spread out and therefore couldn't completely block the more concentrated laser.

I tried to mix the magic but after numerous failures I had to ask Nymphaya to help me.

"Ara~ you sure are improving fast! The system doesn't auto-mix spells. You can gain the dual spell skill but you have to manually design the spell circle. Only then will the system recognize it. This is something that sets adept mages apart from master mages." Nymphaya explained.

"You can generally know the skill of a mage by their spell creation. Novices rely on the system or spell orbs. Adept mages can create their own spells whereas masters can blend spells into one, it's harder than you think." Nymphaya further elaborated

After hearing that I set my mind to develop a darkness force-field.

Since the categorical rune has to be at the top, the beginning of the sphere, where does the second one go? Do they both go side by side and both not at the exact center? Or does one go at the top and be the primary element of the sphere?

Hmm... why does it even have to be at the top? What's important is that mana enters the categorical rune first.

I cast a sideways magic sphere, with the categorical rune facing me and use mana sense to see where the mana is going. Mana trickles out of my core and up through my arms. The mana faces almost no resistance and I can see, or rather sense my manapaths become energized by the mana. No, it's not just the paths, my cells themselves are holding mana but how? I'll need to improve my mana sensing capabilities to examine further.

Wisps of mana left my skin through the swirls of my mana paths like embers flying off a fire. It became much harder to sense the mana and the wisps became too diffused in the air to sense further than two inches. I increased my mana flow doubling my mana flow, but it only extended my mana sense by one more inch. Doubling again only increases my range by half again.

Doubling again and again once my mana reached ten times normal flow the mana filled the roots attached to my core. By twenty times normal flow the mana pushed against the thin roots causing a painful shocking sensation through my chest while my arms felt a tingling sensation as the branching mana paths were filled to the brim.

My mana sphere is glowing normally but now the focus of my experiment was turned toward my mana paths. By thirty times normal flow mana had pushed out into the surrounding area around the roots like a pipe rupturing. Pain assaulted me as my mana paths seemed to break The mana then flowed alongside the mana paths with great resistance. The resistance didn't hurt but the mana was slow to move and had lost thirty-five percent of its energy by the time it left my skin.

In too much pain I stopped the experiment and released the simple light spell. The spell worked as intended. One experiment failed and one succeeded.

Still, if mana loses energy as it faces resistance does air have resistance? How much is lost by traveling through the air? Pushing out mana at my maximum pressure limit as ten times the normal flow I examined the mana in the air. It's hard to say, mana diffuses too much to get an accurate read on the losses if any. Yet another experiment to shelve for when my mana sense gets higher

I sit down cross legged and enter my imaginary room for magic sphere creation. Closing myself off from the world I began to reconstruct the magic sphere. Not limiting myself to the normal convention of spell creation which is normally ordered so that the runes flow from one to the next, which doesn't quite work with spheres; I arrange the runes so that the inner mana paths would favorably flow from one rune to the next.

I put my 'force' rune closest to me to minimize distance in the case mana energy is lost through the air. It then connected to the 'null' rune to create a null force zone with a curved ellipsis that at the other end connected to the 'darkness' rune. The idea being that the 'null' rune will receive mana from both the 'darkness' rune and the 'force' rune.

After the altered beginning runes it mostly flowed normally, but in a more natural way to minimize the amount of connections needed. Runes were carefully and meticulously placed in the perfect spot where the rune needed to communicate with the necessary runes.

When I activated the spell it exploded in a dark smoke that enveloped the entire clearing. Onyx yelped with surprise at the sudden darkness and Nymphaya laughed at Onyx's reaction. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy.

Now that I think about it how can there be a null zone if it's filled with darkness? The null zone rejected the darkness causing it to spread the darkness everywhere. Thinking about it further, wasn't the darkness also preceded by the 'force' rune? Where's the 'force' for the darkness?

Now that I mention it I can't move! It was like a quick hardening foam that we are now stuck in! I quickly dismiss the magical effect by stopping my mana from feeding the spell.

Nymphaya and Onyx both gasped for air as they couldn't breathe.

"Lilly!" Nymphaya growled with a menacing look.

"S-Sorry..." I said quietly, trying to appear small.

"No more experimenting in this clearing! Your magic is too strong and you don't know how to limit your power!" Nymphaya chastised me.

"Y-Yes..."

"You could have killed us all! Even poor Luka again! Look he's terrified of you!"

Indeed, Luka was whimpering at the opposite end of the clearing.

I made sure to give Luka another apologetic hug.

With the training over for the day I went over what made the spell fail. Seems like I need to add the darkness rune sometime after the null rune, maybe even add a few more runes to help it blend into the spell.

It's been three days since we arrived at in the clearing. Nymphaya's been nice to me and loves to head pat me for some reason. Sometimes she mutters something about me being 'adorable'. Other times she says I'm scary although it's only after our lessons. Why is remembering things scary? She also says that my spell power is out of this world.

"No wonder that ancient one couldn't get through your barrier. Just how high Is your intelligence stat?!" Nymphaya said.

"I'd like to know that too," Onyx said.

We are sitting around a conjured flame that I cast. It's a simple candle flame but the heat and light it gave off matches that of a bonfire. I had to cast a force-field to prevent the grass under it from burning.

"Unfortunately without an scouter orb we can't know" Onyx commented.

"Maybe we can build a working magic sphere for it?" I asked?

"We don't know the categorical rune though, so we can't" Nymphaya said.

"Don't get overconfident R-Lilly. You may be very smart and talented but don't let that get to your head" Onyx warned.

"Exactly. You may be a very strong mage but remember that you're not invincible. Right now you're built like a glass cannon. Able to power through anything but if you get hit or use too much mana you can easily die."

"Don't worry!" I say with a smile "Even if my arm get cut off again it'll just regrow in a month!" I say to reassure them.

"Are you sure she's human?" Nymphaya asked Onyx with a quizzical look.

"I'm Meta-Human!" I corrected her.

"The humans from her world altered their entire race into a new race of sorts" Onyx explained

"Hou~? That's really interesting" Nymphaya said.

"But even if you can heal, Lilly, There are many dangers out there and you can't always rely on magic," Onyx said.

"That's right." Nymphaya agreed "There are anti-magic artifacts and anti-magic abilities and magic types that can counter you very easily"

"And most important cities are equipped with city wide anti-magic capabilities. In the case of revolt, riots, or sieges" Onyx added.

"What if I learn how to defend myself without magic?" I asked.

"It's always a good thing to know how to defend yourself without magic, especially since it'll boost your stats. Most mages are trained in either archery or swordsmanship for the dual skill levels they are made of." Onyx explained.

"Dual skill levels?"

"A lot of skills are made of multiple simpler skills. Swordsmanship is composed of [striking] a strength based skill and [finesse] an agility based skill. By training in swordsmanship you gain both strength and agility"

"Keep in mind that no matter how strong or skilled you are there's always a weakness." Nymphaya said. "Take that spider wandering around out there. It's not immune to sleep effects. So it can't get to us who are protected by the dream shades."

"Not to mention almost nothing is immune to instant death. Seals could also be used to defeat stronger opponents and almost all types of magic can cast a seal. Even that spider was threatened when I tried to seal it and it was super weary about my instant death combo" Onyx clenched his fist and gave a stern look when talking about the giant spider.

"Yes, even the ancient ones can be defeated, though that's easier said than done." Nymphaya said. "With seals, even low ranking mages can cast a seal that'll take out some of the most powerful monsters out there. The strength of the seal only dictates how long one is sealed for. Hours, days, months, even years. They can carefully and meticulously prepare for when you reawaken. Or they can continue to renew the seal, year after year." Nymphaya added.

"There are several remote villages that dealt with strong monsters that way. A rank monsters that'll destroy their village is sealed away and they make a ceremony out of it's renewal." Onyx said.

"In short, no matter how invincible you or anything else are, there's always a weakness. Remember that Lilly. It's a great tool to know if you find yourself being overwhelmed or overpowered; but it can also be used against you" Nymphaya said.

_______________________

Onyx POV

She's too reckless. I thought I taught her safety and to value her own life, didn't I? Or was that someone else?

Ruby was being scolded with her mother in the garden. I sat on the porch with a smile. Ruby was climbing trees again and had fallen out of one. She wasn't hurt too badly and will only suffer a few bruises.

The wind picked up the fallen leaves that obscured the scene. Once I had clear vision again ruby was nowhere to be seen, instead it was Lilly being scolded by Nymphaya.

They're good children but she's too reckless. Gripping pain struck at my heart causing me to clench my teeth to bear it. Following the grief is a blinding hatred although for whom I don't remember.

Othard the eight tailed fox came up and licked my face, guess he's just trying to cheer me up. I pat him on the head.

I haven't been idle for the past few days, my recent battles have shown me some of my weaknesses. I have my Dance of the Moonflower sword skills, they served me well against the hero but against multiple targets and beings like that spider it doesn't work.

I have my new vitalism magic but I don't know much about it. Then I have my blood skills. Blood veil being my go to. I've used to so much in the few years, it pretty much does all the work for me. I should practice with the other skills so I don't just default to my blood veil.

I listened to Nymphaya when she was lecturing Lilly but I've no mind for spell circle manipulation and I'd just be slowing Lilly down, I can't just choose when and what to forget.

I had to practice my vitalist magic on bugs which doesn't make it easy as insects don't have a lot of life force. But for testing what I can do with it is simple enough. I think I've done all I can with bugs. I'll need to explore out of this clearing and find some sources of more life force, perhaps the cave that we entered from? Also Ru-Lilly needs to test her magic. We'll do that tomorrow. I also need to practice my blood skills but need a source of blood that's not mine.

For now I meditate. I need a new set of sword skills, perhaps one that compliments my bloodskills or vitalist magic.

I thought back on when I was first taught the Dance of the Moonflower. What matters most is not the movement, a skill is not a predetermined set of strikes that'll fail if broken. A skill captures the essence of something. The Dance of the Moonflower Implants a 'seed' and with each successive strike you nurture that seed into blooming and eventually see it to death.

My new sword skills need to capture the essence of my blood skills in order to combine the two. Blood sustains life and it flows to where it is needed.

I stood up and drew Ruby, the gem was barely glowing but is getting brighter as if waking from its slumber. I focused my mind on my heartbeat, listening to the rhythmic thumping. I started moving, the lessons my sword instructor ringing in my ears.

"Do not move like a warrior, a warrior moves to defend and kill. The Moonflower does not, it winds around the tree. You must dance!"

"Dance? You'd be cut down in seconds if you start dancing in a battle!"

"Of course you don't dance when in a fight but in order to understand the Moonflower you must move like a Moonflower! You need to observe its growth, observe when it blooms and when it wilts and dies. There are eight dances that you not only must master but you need to embody the essence of the flower"

My eccentric sword master loved dancing and admittedly he was the best in our village. I admit That the dance lessons didn't help me as much as the study and observations of the vines but the nostalgia had me moving my body.

I moved my foot in tune with my heartbeat feeling the blood in my veins. Moving to the music of my drumming heart. As my heart beats faster and faster the more my temp increases. Each breath that filled my lungs made my blood burn. I breathe in and out with the movements of my pounding feet. I was getting close but I was still missing something.

I stopped my movements and sheathed Ruby again, pondering the missing element.

"What kind of dance is that?" Nymphaya said, walking up to me.

"Still trying to figure that out" I replied, sitting down on a rock. "I am trying to develop a new sword art, one that matches my blood skills." I explained after noticing Nymphaya's questioning stare.

"Hou~ you too are looking to get stronger..." Nymphaya seemed to contemplate something "... Then let me help you." Nymphaya conjured a sword of ice. "Although not my expertise, there was a time when I wanted to become a master swordswoman." Nymphaya had a hint of grief in her voice.

"The far east has a bad habit of trying to force things to their will instead letting things flow in the way you want them to. At least that was the case back when I was there thousands of years ago." Nymphaya said. "The Cultivators force mana in a straight path, engraving a straight line for their mana paths, something they call meridians. But mana always wants to follow the path of least resistance and likes cycles flowing in circular patterns. Chi is very similar. However, I've notice that those who wander in this forest has adopted the eastern way of controlling chi"

Nymphaya thrust with her sword and a piercing blast shot through a tree killing the squirrel behind it. Leaving a perfectly round hole in the tree

"Instead of forcing it to do something like empower you or attack at a range let it fill your body, move in tune with it. Unlike mana it doesn't need to flow like a river. Instead think of it like a wave, it needs to keep moving, let it bounce around your body building in intensity until you want to let it out. But remember that it's important to let out your chi so that it all flow parallel, otherwise it'll spread out and lose intensity the farther it travels."

I nod and focused, closing my eyes. Normally I'd just push my chi in my arms or legs and immediately release it. As my chi filled my sword arm the chi bounced off my skin and began to flow backward. I had to resist the urge to release the chi as was my habit. The chi flowed back to my chest , spreading throughout the rest of my body.

"Do you understand now?" Nymphaya asked.

Yes, in order for Nymphaya to be able to use that attack just now she'd have to have kept all the chi bouncing around in her body at all times. I who always kept my body empty until I needed it will have to fill my body, a process that'll take hours.

There was an inherent advantage to this, you'll always be ready for battle. You can use the chi on demand to defend from attacks or to immediately unleash an attack.

"You are still leaking chi, you're going to need a LOT of practice" Nymphaya commented.

I opened my eyes to see a faint glow radiating from my skin, it's almost like the ability the hero used, except that his glow was more intense and he summoned it out of nowhere, almost, he did need that moment of concentration. Perhaps he knows a way to summon his chi at an incredible rate? I should focus on one thing at a time. I can figure that ability out later, first I need to practice the basics of properly harnessing chi.

I remained sitting until long after dark, trying to prevent my chi from leaking. Not her expertise? I thought. Who but a master can do this?! She doesn't leak a single drop of chi and has her body filled at all times.

There's more to it but the past is the past, we all have our demons and it's up to ourselves to conquer them.

_________________________

Stem POV

I wished I had a flight module this journey would have not taken so long. I pat my chest where both my and (Iris) Stem's black box rests. I should have taken her Nanites as well, I've lost 20% just covering the damage in my torso and without nanite replicators I can't turn raw material into more nanites.

I walked through a charred landscape before coming upon a strange phenomenon, a circular area completely unharmed. There was a campfire in the area and a corpse. The corpse was slumped over a makeshift bag of some kind. Examining further I found crystals in the bag. Perhaps it had monetary value in this world?

Inspecting the corpse I found no lethal wound on him. It was as if he had just died. I took the bag and continued walking down the road.

[MCB 1: 12% repaired]

My systems alerted me to it's slow progress of the repairs on my primary MCB. The process was slow because the nanites had to be very careful and accurate with MCBs. Normally I'd have just gotten a new one and the old one would just be recycled.

I came upon another strange phenomenon. The charred landscape abruptly ended. That shouldn't happen naturally. Perhaps it's this strange 'magic' that I seem capable of doing right now?

Looking around I see signs of lightning strikes, and not just one, but perhaps thousands of strikes. There were signs flooding too, this world holds many strange phenomena, Just what my world wanted during the great stagnation.

Crossing the line from charred ruin to lush grassland and forest I make my way toward wherever this road leads.

It didn't take too long running at my speeds to reach a walled city. The city seems to have suffered a natural disaster. Estimates show tornado and small tsunami damage. Strange, there's no ocean or even a lake nearby, why would there be a tsunami?

Hundreds of men are hard at work building scaffolding and repairing damage. A few craters and even a hole was in the city wall. Something had gone through the wall.

As I approached the gate a man in primitive armor held a palm up in a signal to stop.

"Jhtal!" the man said. I assume it means 'stop' I am going to need to build a vocabulary to understand these people so I log the actions and words.

I stop and carefully watch the man's expression.

"Mono'gatch, watsanay ea'tali funae thalk" The man nodded to the bag I was holding, expecting something.

Perhaps he wants to see what's in it? Well, only one way to find out.

I hold open the bag for him to look in. He does so only to give a shout of surprise.

"Thalmur! Beor'al tuu!"

Another man, perhaps named Thalmur? Rush over and looked in the bag showing the same surprise.

The second man reached in and pulled out a circular flake of crystal. It was strange and very intricate. It shouldn't be a natural occurrence did someone perhaps make it?

"Sal Thyra! Magjeo Sycyl!" The first man said.

"Ojek Thugar?" The second asked.

"Ooja, Ojek. Ieal kunao dofur" The first nodded.

"Var!" the first man ordered, waving me to follow. As we passed the gate I noticed several posters hung on the wall for the guards to check. There's a dozen with the picture of people and even one with what looked like a horned rabbit, but what took me by surprise was the picture of Lilly! It was a sketch but there's no mistaking her bionic arm and dual colored ruby and sapphire hair.

I grabbed the poster.

"Where did you get this! Do you know where she is?!" I interrogated the men who lowered into a stance with their spears ready.

"Where is she!?" I asked, pointing to the poster.

Damn! They really don't understand me! I'll need to learn their language before I can get any information from them.