Chapter 36: Final Preparations

“Is it the family secret thing?” Rainer asked while sitting across from Kara in their private room at a local high-end restaurant.

“No, that hardly applies now,” Kara responded and then lowered her voice to a whisper,”I have no idea how to teach it. I just learned it from watching my mother using it to make her Blade weightless with Aura.”

Rainer paused for a moment. Hadn’t she taught him her [Weightless Blade Mastery] moderately well? Though, if he thinks back it had taken him hours to learn it, when often, it takes him far less time to learn the first level of a skill. With some exception, even Aura skills had been quite quick. She, Rainer realized, is what one could call a natural.

Rainer wished to learn the Aura technique for lightening her blades because he was interested in how it allowed the weight of the blade to affect the attack but not the wielder. He thought it’d be possible to use it to transfer inertia and stop himself from breaking his legs when casting [Gravity Domain] on himself in an aerial attack.

“Why are you whispering?” Rainer asked, now joining her in lowering his voice.

“Ah...well...Gunthar quite enjoys his explanations and lectures on Aura; it would crush him if he knew I never really understood anything and just learned from watching him doing the technique.”

Though their whispers were heard as a loud squeal came out behind them. Gunthar had entered the room to bring food in place of the waitress.

“Wait, Gunthar, it was a lie, I just really didn’t want to teach Rainer!” Kara said while her voice slightly increased in pitch.

But Gunthar seemed to ignore everything and just took Rainer’s hand in his.

“Do me, but one favor, Sorcerer.”

“Yeah, Gunthar, Anything.”

“Find me the most willing and yet ordinary student you can when you create your Academy.”

“There will be no one more average than your personal disciple,” Rainer answered.

“Good. It is all I ask,” Gunthar said quite joyously, ”Enjoy your meal. I can likely assist in teaching you Little Wolf’s skill as well, even if I cannot use it.”

He headed back outside the room seemingly unaffected.

“Well, at least you don’t have to pretend anymore.”

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

“I expect you to fully answer questions during our next session, Little Wolf!” Gunthar called out.

“Or not.”

Kara and Rainer shared a laugh.

“It is a shame we aren’t better students; I cannot even imagine how strong Gunthar was as a level 25 paladin. Even if I am able to learn his techniques merely from watching, his skill level in Aura is beyond anything I have ever seen. For him to make a skill based on your [Arcane Blade] so quickly is proof enough.”

“Well, your confession just got a future kid with no hope for being stronger the best teacher he could ask for.”

--

Just as Kara and Rainer were finishing their meal, they found themselves beset by a visitor.

Gunthar called out to Rainer while opening the door, ”Lord Magus, a visitor claiming to carry an important message.”

Gunthar seemed relaxed, but his Aura was tensed, and his hand prepared to strike.

Rainer used his Aura on his eyes and, to the surprise of the visitor, saw what was truly there. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Rainer had as well received an Aura related skill beyond just simple enhancement.

[Skill Gained: Arcane Sight lvl 1/10]

Even as an Aura skill, Rainer soon realized from the burst of information he achieved when learning a skill that it could be fueled now with Arcane Power.

“Gunthar, grab him!”

Before the Fae could even react Gunthar slammed him into the ground and had his knee into his back.

Some of the guests in the restaurant reacted, but quickly looked away as Gunthar slammed the door.

“Wait, I apologize for Fira’s actions, I am merely here to speak.”

Rainer used [Appraisal] and noticing this, the Fae immediately lowered his guard against it, though not before surprise was clearly visible on his face as he secretly Appraised in return.

[Fairy, Male, Fae Enchanter lvl 18]

Different from a more talented Fira or Liandra, Rainer’s strange arcane filled mana hid Luna from him. He could only assume Rainer kept the Experiment locked up somewhere. For being in so close proximity of this Arcanist he knew this was the Mana that interfered with their tracking spells.

“Put him against the wall,” Rainer said as Gunthar slammed him into the wooden wall and kept his eyesight away.

“Luna,” Rainer whispered into his coat,”Do you recognize him?”

Luna looked for a length of time and after tilting her head a few times responded, “Luna hasn’t seen him before.”

His Fae form had been self-revealed. Though his wings were still hidden, he had long yellow hair and orange crystal eyes. Different from Fira the crystal didn’t cover the white part of his eyes.

Seeing no wavering in her expression, Rainer saw no issue in at least hearing out what this man had to say, though, whether he’d leave this room was another question.

“Speak,” Rainer said while opening his [Spatial Domain]. Illusionist or not he also wanted to prepare for any allies this Fae undoubtedly had, coming here so confidently after the so-called Fira was killed.

“We wish to trade for the Fairy in your possession. In my pocket is Fairy Dust worth a Lifespan increase by 3, or 30 years of your human life. Far more than you can squeeze out of your Fairy before you die a natural death.”

Rainer did his best to keep himself under control hearing how much they thought of Luna as merely a thing to be traded. But different from the earlier Fae, his anger was far less.

“I want 3 times that. I’m not so stupid to believe the Fairy in my possession is a common one.”

The Fae ground his teeth at this ridiculous request. While they had called for reinforcements, it isn’t as if they wouldn’t prefer to end this peacefully. Someone who could kill Fira wasn’t worth entangling with. It also wasn’t the best idea given the level 15 [Blade Dancer] and level 18 [Death Knight]. Those without magic often were powerless against Fae, but with someone here who could see through glamour and likely illusions, fighting them wasn’t the best option, so this Fae thought.

The Fae could not see the Demon part Kara was hiding.

“A Fruit of the World Tree instead. Something I’d imagine you’d desire dearly at level 25, A-arcanist.” The Fae stuttered a bit on the last word. Even with all their knowledge through [Appraisal] he had never seen nor heard of the class by the name [Arcanist].

Beyond the dust a Fairy produced the first 50 years of their life, any more would require hundreds of years or a sacrifice of Lifespan. Fae had a minuscule birthrate, and Fairy Dust was already rare. Were the Experiment not so valuable to them, 3 doses would already be too much.

Just like 3 doses of Dust, Fruit, that was even more valuable and was not so easy to give, but if their 2nd class reinforcements determined it wasn't worth the fight, it would be traded.

Rainer hadn’t heard of a Fruit of the World Tree, but he instantly assumed this was the advancement method of the Fae that was mentioned by Luna.

“I accept, Gunthar, let him go.” Is what Rainer said, but of course, his thoughts were different.

“Good, then in five days time I shall have the Fruit brought.”

And you’ll be dead in four, the Fae thought to himself. He’d send another of his group to tell them of the situation. Regardless of this man’s strength, he didn’t believe he could fight against several 2nd class Fae. He hoped they would choose, in the end, to kill this man. Were he, however, to see how Luna had been changed, such confidence would be hard to find.

Just as the Fae was about to leave Rainer called.

“Where do you think you’re going? You expect me just to wait around for 5 days with no assurances? Leave the dust.”

“Of course.” The Fae responded doing his best to keep a smile on his face and left a small bag in Gunthar’s outstretched palm. Seeing this mage's ability to see through his glamour, the Fae understood he had no choice, but to comply, his original plan of escape would be useless.

Rainer used [Arcane Sight] immediately, but saw nothing strange other than the glowing dust itself from within the bag.

“You can leave.” He said while the Fae looked into his eyes strangely mesmerized by whatever technique was being used. He snapped out of it and quickly departed.

“Gunthar,” Rainer said while waving him over.

He gently opened the bag and had Luna check it’s validity and seeing no issue, Rainer leaned back in his chair and understood his timetable for advancing had just moved up. If the Fae could find them here, Rainer believed there was nowhere they could run, at least safely. He needed to advance and had little time left.

3 Days… he thought to himself while understanding that he shouldn’t trust exactly what the Fae said. He had no doubt with something like a Fruit of the World Tree they could offer to trade that 2nd Class Fae may very well be the ones to arrive after the supposed 5 days, if not the Queen herself.

For now, he put the Fairy Dust into his Spatial Ring. He'd ask Gunthar's and Kara's opinion on whether it'd be useful for her to have mana when they had time to explore their options. And when he was sure he wouldn't need it for himself.

“Let’s head back.”

--

“Luna, I need you to keep me asleep as long as you can. Though wake me up if I sleep longer than 24 hours from now.” Rainer spoke to Luna as he laid in his bed, with the day still young.

If he could stay in for more than the usual hours, he would also need time to rest that off, given he'd be aware in [Sleep Learning] for longer than ever before. He had no idea what effect this could have on him, but he needed to accomplish one thing that he thought would grant him full assurance in his passing of the quest.

“Rainer is that safe?” Kara asked over to his side. She was nervous once more at his advancement given his now forced rush.

“Luna you can tell if I’m hurt right? Then bring me out of it if something feels off to you. And thanks in advance, for the other issues you’ll have to deal with.” He said a bit embarrassingly.

Luna just nodded before she began casting the sleeping spell. Her face lacked her usual smile, and her eyes were filled with intensity. She was not naive to the reason Rainer was in such a rush.

Kara left the room to go work off some of her stress with her blades.

Hearing the soothing chant of the sleeping spell, now aided with Luna’s level 21 attributes, Rainer entered the white void of [Sleep Learning]. In the worst case, he could force himself awake.

Just as his eyes closed and sleep took him they flew open to a new scene.

Rainer stood with his hands extended. He used [Arcane Rage] in every [Sleep Learning] session since he first gained the skill. Yet ever since it had reached level 7 he knew it stagnated, If he could surpass that he felt it would grant him certainty in his trial.

He brought [Arcane Rage] to 21%, the highest he could bring before the damage became distracting.

Rainer felt inwards as he grasped this chaotic energy with [Arcane Energy Manipulation]. He at the same time stared at his own arm with [Arcane Sight] activated.

The energy flowed like blood through his body, invigorating it. And with this very thought, he understood the problem. If the flow of blood was this chaotic or was blocked, is that not the equivalent of death?

Instead of trying to slow it or bring down its natural chaos Rainer went a different way.

He accelerated it.

He used his Arcane power to let the energy flow faster and faster throughout his body. The pain became nearly unbearable, but the pressure on him pushed him through.

And then something marvelous happened.

The energy stopped rebounding off of him and instead propelled itself forward. The supplied Arcane Power burned itself as it redirected the formerly chaotic power into a mighty river, flowing toward a single direction.

In this place, there was no worry of lacking energy.

Rainer fell into a state of relaxation, where time flowed outside of his knowledge, as the pain faded and instead the flowing Arcane Energy invigorated him. Almost subconsciously he added more and more Arcane Power upping the percentage. Not even a full one at a time the percentage climbed, and with it his skill level.

His Arcane Power burned and burned and yet it did not run out.

90%

No pain awoke him from his state.

[Arcane Rage has reached level 8]

95%

[Arcane Rage has reached level 9]

The energy blazed through each time circling into his mana pool filled with Arcane Power before unstoppably moving on. To reach such a process and flow how much Arcane Power would one need? Rainer had truly found something that no matter how much time another Arcanist had they simply couldn’t replicate it within their first class. It required true knowledge from another or countless years of experimentation.

Every cycle brought him closer to his goal. His Intelligence and Affinity had long since surpassed 100 in this state bringing him an inexplicable clarity.

96%

97%

98%

99%

The increase became nearly imperceptible, but it did not stop. Rainer was partially aware in this moment. That if he simply added another point of Arcane Power to [Arcane Rage] in an attempt to gain 8%, he’d lose this state and perhaps his virtual body would die. He felt that if he failed now, it could take who knows how long to find this state once more.

Time moved on, and the increase reached its peak.

100%

[Arcane Rage has reached level 10]

[Arcane Rage has reached its maximum level. First time a skill of this difficulty has reached level 10, 60 skill points have been rewarded.]

[Arcane Rage has unlocked Arcane Awakening lvl 1/10]

[Arcane Energy Manipulation has reached level 7]

Rainer fully regained himself as he felt the torrent of Arcane Energy surge through him. There was no longer the crippling pain and instead [Arcane Awakening] consumed more Arcane power to move and cycle through him at such speed. The previously vein like lines straightened out and became angled, forming a strange pattern across his body.

It wasn’t anywhere near permanently sustainable, but no longer would he fall to a crippled state after its use. What was 100% in this world? It was as if he too was like Kara, born with the ability to have two Primary classes without the fallback of split experience.

And then his eyes opened to reality.