Man, I’m awesome, this [Class] is awesome, and the powers it gives me are AWESOME.

I went from someone that couldn’t even form a [Light], to a prodigy that made absurd things, based only on the prompts of beginner [Spells].

Stop tooting your own horn, you just made [Rejuvenation] from [Refresh].

"And that’s supposed to make me think less of it? I got a [Spell] that, at minimum, heals a 'decent' amount of [HP], [MP], and [SP], from one that was supposed to make one feel 'refreshed', by making the target recover just a bit of [Fatigue]; how is that not awesome!?"

Rejuvenation:

(Spell; targeted)

Restores a target to optimal conditions, by heightening regeneration, recovery, and recuperation.

Efficiency and potency are proportional to the amount of [MP] used during casting.

The funniest part about this was how Undine kept looking at me and kept on pointing out, over and over again, how my 'mastery' over [Spell-Weaving] was comparable to an [Arch-Mage] (which was a very rare [Sub-Class], but could be also obtained as a [Job]), and not to what someone that had never tried magic before should have.

All I did was try and will the [Matrix] into simulating the beneficial effects of sleeping into a few seconds of magic-fuckery, while keeping in mind all the 'self-repairing protocols' that happened at night, and it just worked! And boy, did it work!

This [Spell] gave back almost the same amount of [Mana] it took to [Cast], but greatly surpassed in recovery the amount of [Fatigue] it produced, while also healing minor injuries. This was almost good enough to be 'broken', but since people can get literally resurrected from death (excluding total annihilation of the body, or having been dead for more than a day-cycle), I settled on 'awesome'.

In the midst of all this, the 'lantern' had been deemed a nuisance by my instructor, so I tried telling him to go away, and a quick mental command de-summoned it. And I could feel it when it appeared in my 'inner world', whenever that may be, and I could almost sense how it found the new environment relaxing.

"Well," Said Undine, after recollecting herself, "you splendidly made the second beginner [Spell], in your unorthodox way, so you should be ready for the beginners [Skill]."

"Right, better be sure that my awesome powers work in both" I can’t stop being cheeky.

"Stop being cheeky and get to work."

"Right away, ma’am" I give a mock salute.

She rolls her eyes, but a smile has been sitting on her face the entire time, "Your next task is to get a provisioning [Skill], it can be either for hunting, for foraging, or for dowsing, but it still needs to make it easier for you to provide for yourself."

We started with a [Light Spell], then a 'healing' one, and now we have 'the ability to provide for yourself'… I guess they want for us to have a modicum of self-sufficiency: which is always nice to have.

"Why a singular [Skill] and two [Spells]?"

"We teach magic-focused [Classes] two [Spells] and one [Skills], meanwhile melee [Classes] get the opposite treatment. It’s made so you don’t grow in the habit of [Weaving] the less compatible option with your [Class], but still learn how to do both."

"Ok, that’s all, thanks!" But it wasn’t all.

"What’s the difference between a [Spell] and a [Skill], again?"

A Skill can work without Mana, a Spell cannot.

A Skill has more mundane effects, a Spell more "magical".

"And that's it?"

Why is it so hard for you to comprehend?

"It’s just another one of those things that feels too easy to be true.

Now let me concentrate on what I want."

I already had an idea of what to do: this time I would use [Create] to copy the concept of my [Trait], [Untraceable], and then “reverse” its functionality with [Modify].

How would that work, you might ask? Well, we’re going to find out together, because I have no freaking clue.

I’m just experimenting on a hunch.

I summon my [Status] and focus on my [Untraceable Trait].

Besides pocking fun at me with its description, it makes a person very hard to detect, and follow.

I try to [Spell-Weave] with that notion in mind: One [Matrix]-ring forms, but quickly dissipates. It’s not defined enough, yet.

I 'touch' the [Trait] on the screen, while imagining 'touching' its essence.

Something stirs within me, but it calms down on its own: It feels like I may be on the right track.

I try the 'touching trick' again, but this time I imagine what I’m touching with my right index to be duplicated on my left one.

This kind of works, but it’s obvious (at least to me) that my copy is inferior and incomplete.

But it still possesses the majority of what I wanted it to have:

Location Place Ownership Visibility Traces Path Seek Hide

These are the concepts that readily come to mind when observing what I obtained.

What did I obtain? I’m not sure… It looks like a [Matrix], but it 'feels' wrong.

So, I will it to assume the proper structure, this time entrusting the [System] in fixing it, and for a moment it looks it might grind itself to dust, but it rights itself in time, and I get a prompt:

Would you like to create the [Hide Presence] Skill?

That wasn’t my goal, but learning it wouldn’t hurt, so I gave a mental confirmation.

You have successfully created a new [Skill]:

Hide Presence:

(Skill; stealth)

Gives instinctual knowledge on how to move furtively, and delete the traces of one own passage, whilst highlighting how to improve on it.

Increases effectiveness when utilized with Mana.

I was already [Untraceable] before, so this was mostly useless to me; fortunately, I just needed a 'template', and this would do just fine.

I re-summon the [Matrix] and really try [Modify] it this time.

I briefly think about how the description of [Create] and [Modify] implied that they worked solely on physical matter, but just shrug it off as something explained by me being both [Aberrant] and [Anomalous].

During the replication of the [Trait], I was already thinking about the [Skill] I wanted, and that’s maybe why what I got was almost the exact opposite of what I would like to get as the end result of this.

At first, I try to do it manually, by flipping the rings, but that instantly shatters them. I summon the [Matrix] again and try to make it spin the opposite way, and it works, but only for a moment, and it ultimately leads it to lose stability and collapse.

This is not working; maybe I should go back at just 'willing' the final result?

But I feel like the notion of how [Matrixes] really work would be invaluable, and extremely beneficial going forward.

And I’m also considering how here, and now, IS relatively safe (contrary to what I told Undine before, I have trust in the [Temple], and her; what I’m worried about is what’ll happen after I get out), so it’s the best place to experiment, and practice.

My persecution of extravagance allowed the other laggards to catch up, meaning that we were all trying to learn to hunt and forage now.

But I didn’t care about them, what I wanted to do was get a [Skill] that would help me track, and find, what I wanted and/or needed.

I resummon the [Matrix] and just look at it for a while.

It doesn’t really have a color, being made of translucent rings, it only gains some when in use, by absorbing the necessary [Mana], and adopting its respective colors.

No, wait! I was wrong, there is color, just the tiniest amount of that weirdly iridescent purple, that I’ve grown so familiar with now, in some kind of geometric pattern inscribed on the inside of the rings.

Most angles wouldn’t let you catch it, you have to be almost on top of it, and it also needs to be sufficiently big to see. Pair it with the fact that most people can’t seem to see the [Matrix] directly, and you get something out of the general knowledge (corroborated by Undine telling me to “stop speaking about [Matrixes] as if I could see them).

I momently gaze about the room, looking for the purple wisps that I had managed to fade into the background, and I find them: They were just purple, not this weird changing one.

[Aether].

The [System] worked directly with [Aether], the [Matrix] worked indirectly with the [System], mortal entities could learn to work with [Aether]… Was this how? Was figuring out that every [Spell], or [Skill], used [Aether], in one way or another, the key to blasphemy?

Aether isn’t within your reach just yet.

I step back from that line of thought, startled by [Luck], and diverge out of that tangent.

That is for the best, yes.

"Even though she said 'just yet'…"

I, once again, look back at the rings, and focus on those “carved inscriptions”: they remind me of something, but I can’t quite place it…

They look similar to the patterns on your eyes.

My eyes? MY EYES!

Of course, the iridescent purple, plus the geometric pattern, made the entire thing look like a kaleidoscopic mandala, similar to my eyes, yet far more complex.

If this wasn’t further proof that I could see the [Matrixes] thanks to my weird eyes, I don’t know what would be.

"Wow, I’m so used to going on tangents that not even [Traits] designed to avoid so are able to stop me."

I find that rather impressive, actually.

But not in a good way.

"You and me both, [Buddy]."

So, I have a [Skill] to avoid detection, and avoid tracking, while I want one to detect presences, and highlight tracks: what part do I need to [Modify] manually to make it work?

It’s definitely the patterns, altering the rings themselves didn’t work, only changing the spin rotation partially did, probably because that affected the patterns in a way similar to what I wanted.

I decide to 'mirror' the pattern, and overwrite it on top of the old one, since making things 'opposites' seems to be the way to go.

"Didn’t this world have some kind of fixation on 'opposites'?"

I decide on a random starting point on one of the rings, from where the 'mirroring' would start, but it quickly becomes apparent how [Matrixes] have some kind of 'self-repair' mechanism (probably to avoid tampering from outside sources), because it reverts to normal slightly faster than I can change it.

I try to alter it faster, but it adapts to my speed and counters me again; I try and do it from multiple points, on multiple rings, but the results are the same.

"Ooh, you think yourself though because the [System] made you? I’ll show you though!"

I concentrate as hard as I can, and I can distinctly feel 'something', from within me, helping me in doing so: My [Traits] finally decided to 'step on the gas'.

I have no clue for how long I was just staring at the [Matrix], I only know that, at one point, I just knew, for certain, that I had somehow imprinted in my mind the way the pattern evolved: so I made it specular all at once.

The mother of all migraines hit me like a sledgehammer, making me feel like I had multiple lava-hot rods sticking through my forehead, into my brain; but it was done.

You have successfully modified [Hide Presence] into [Reveal Presence].

[Reveal Presence]:

(Skill; scouting)

Highlights living organisms, the traces of their passing, and allows to see through stealth techniques.

Increased effectiveness when utilized with Mana.

"Heck yeah" I manage to groan out, while holding both my hands over my eyes, trying to smother the pain.

Possible Evolution for previous Skill detected.

Ok, I had no control during the [Class-Change], but now I can alert you of possible Evolutions, without having changes made to you without your consent.

"Thank you for the concern, but [Evolutions] are only beneficial, right? Should I be more worried about it?"

No, I just miscalculated just how much being modified by the System bothered you.

Evolutions are always beneficial, so if it really doesn’t bother you, I’ll just let it happen.

"I know that I was a real firecracker until recently, but I think I’m acclimating myself to my new situation.

I’m no way near to being ok, but I guess I’m fine enough to function, now."

Ok, since I can feel that you believe your own words, I will trust in your judgment too.

Having the equivalent of a nagging wife in my brain had its perks.

I heard that!

You have successfully Evolved [Reveal Presence] into [Unavoidable Detection], thanks to having both [Demiurgic Sight] and [Hyper-Focus].

[Unavoidable Detection]:

(Skill; scouting)

Highlights desired targets, creates a visible trail of their passage, and pierces through every type of obfuscation technique, regardless of potency.

Increased effectiveness and accuracy when utilized with Mana.

"Awesome" I felt that my migraine was retreating, but I still decide to cast [Rejuvenation] on myself, and I feel immediately better.

"You almost worried me there, for a moment" exclaims Undine from next to me, her approach only preceded by a sigh, "You should always take into consideration your limits, in both [Mana] and [Fatigue]. You almost hurt yourself during that last bit of [Spell-Weaving]." Her tone was reproachful.

"Sorry, but I think I finally figured out how some of my [Abilities] work. Also, it was nothing that a [Rejuvenate] couldn’t fix" she worries too much, if you ask me.

"[Healing Spells] are not a replacement for proper rest, if you exaggerate you’ll put a strain on your [Core], and that could have serious repercussions, including death!" She was almost shouting now, showing me that maybe she was worrying just enough.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you, nor hurt myself: the exhaustion hit me all at once, and the [Fatigue] and [Mana consumption] sneaked up on me" I was properly contrite now, it was kind of dumb of me.

"It’s fine, every [Priest] here would have been able to save you from anything, bar death… excluding me: I can resurrect willing entities after death, as long as I’m within the compound of the [Temple]; that’s why I’m not that angry, just disappointed in what you did."

"Ouch."

"Again, I’m sorry, I know that was mighty stupid of me, but I know what I did wrong, so it will not happen again. I promise". I try to reassure her.

"Huff… Did it at least work?"

"Yes, I got a [scouting Skill] that will work for hunting and foraging."

What followed was a quick round of 'treasure hunt', featuring me having to find small objects that Undine had hidden around the room.

I don’t know when she found the time to do that, but a quick activation of my [Skill], gently boosted with [Mana], foils her efforts: since it just gives me a glowing blue path to every item she had recently touched (and I found weird that I knew instinctively what it was).

"Good, at least there’s that" she pouts a bit, before continuing "now, all that’s left to do is to go to sleep".

"What?" I ask, caught by surprise.

"The next building in line is the dormitory, where you will get to rest" she pauses and raises her usual eyebrow at me "you didn’t think that we would release you upon the [Nexus] in the middle of the night, slightly exhausted, just as we were done here, did you?"

"Is this a trick question?"

"Well, I didn’t think you would kick us out immediately, but I thought that we could leave once we were done here" I say, thinking about the 'freedom' I was promised.

"While technically you could leave right now, I ask of you that you remain the night, and get a good night of sleep between you, and the [Transference]" she looks at me with her best impression of 'puppy-eyes', complete with quivering lip, "you will concede me this favor, right?"

"Sure, I’m not so hard-headed to refuse to admit to feeling dead on my feet" contrary to what my [Traits] might say.

"Splendid" Her usual cheer is back in full bloom, "and since you finally finished, we can all finally go, and put an end to this day."

I catch what she meant by that, and notice many [Humans] were looking tiredly my way, and almost as many with more antagonistic expressions, having long since finished their [Spell], and [Skill], [-Weaving].

It was obvious that my extravagance had cost everybody some precious time, with me being the last to complete the 'beginner’s course'.

"I bet I just made even more friends."

So it would seem.

We start walking towards the dormitories, with subdued chatting interrupting the silence now and then, with me feeling more isolated and scorned than usual.

I try to distract myself by observing the state of [Status].

HP

98%

MP

15%

SP

63%

"Man, if it looks this bad after a [Rejuvenation], I don’t even want to know what it looked like before (I even lost some [HP])."

I use it once more, for good measure, and check the [Status] again.

HP

99%

MP

13%

SP

49%

"That’s not right, it should have helped me much more." I try and use it one more time.

HP

100%

MP

9%

SP

42%

Looks like it has diminishing returns and increased costs when used in repetition.

Also: "Ow, my head!

I guess that’s what you get when there are no cooldowns."

We all looked like we were in a trance when we got to the massive structure that would house us.

And it was massive for a reason, it had single rooms readied for everybody, including the [Priests] that would have been around: all in all it was… a lot of rooms.

But my attention was elsewhere… or I guess nowhere, because exhaustion, combined with the headache, was hitting me hard by that point (I guess this is what [Core-Stress] feels like).

Undine seems to notice my tiredness and simply leads me to my assigned room, and leaves me with a 'rest well', closing the door behind her.

I notice a new set of clothes on a chair, but the bed looks too inviting to postpone an inspection.

I decide to drop face-first onto the pillow, still laying on top of the covers, and-