Chapter 51: A Familiar Sensation (2)

Elru moved unblocked through the Baron’s mansion. She followed information to the [Archon]’s last known location. Her Glamour blocked her from all but the most sensitive of individuals. As she barged into Charles’ room, he spun around and drew his sword. Years on the battlefield honing his instincts allowed him to detect her general direction, yet before he could even understand the presence before him, a power forced him to kneel.

Her hand gripped his head as her eyes glowed blue, and his too followed. A unique skill of the [Justicar], to reveal the truth.

“The Lord Magus who visited your town. What is his name?”

“Which?” Charles responded mechanically. Different from mind magic, which would require a massive gap in strength to perform anything similar, the [Justicar]’s skill required a far smaller gap. In truth, it only required her to be able to restrain her target.

“The Black haired one,” She said.

“Which?” Charles asked again much to her annoyance.

“Blue Eyes.”

“Rainer.”

Again, irritated, she yelled out, “And his last?”

“I do not know,” Charles answered.

“Did he have a fairy with him?”

“No.”

Her skill could not determine absolute truth in any manner, only the held truth of the individual.

“And where is he now?”

“Heading home.”

“Which is where!”

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“I do not know.”

Elru sighed and collected herself. She had asked numerous townspeople questions, leading her to the Baron. The guest mansion the [Archon] supposedly stayed at; she found empty. And now, her final lead knew nothing. She found all those she questioned largely unhelpful. They knew little of the Lord Magus, and most knew nothing of him being an [Archon].

She found it all strange.

“Is he returning?” She asked in a false hope.

“…Yes,” Charles answered and to her surprise struggled against her skill.

A good man…to try and protect him even under my power. I shall leave you alive.

She smiled and with a burst of mana knocked the Baron unconscious. Her actions may have been far different were this Baron to know of Rainer’s involvement with a captive Fairy.

She left the mansion and went back to her aide, who was currently trying to track the [Archon]’s unique mana. She had already been prepared by Yulia’s own agents, whom she found out from they could only track the use of his magic and not him.

“I found a trace of his magic leaving the city,” Elru’s aide told her. She wore a hood only revealing her similarly blue eyes.

“Show me where. I’ll follow it. After, you shall wait here and contact me if he returns,” Elru said. She had no fear and instead only wished to add the [Archon]’s home to her list of targets. She did not believe Yulia’s story. In fact, she was quite sure Yulia was the one who traded the Fairy to the [Archon] and is now trying to get either one of them killed. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

She cared not. Her goal remained to return the wayward Fairy home, that place, however, did not have to be with Yulia. Even if she needed to forgo the paid [Fruit of the World Tree].

--

Opening his eyes and gazing across the white void Rainer first focused on a task left unfinished. The entire time he spent in [Sleep Learning] [Arcane Awakening] always stayed at its maximum 100%, and now was no different.

He used [Arcane Sight] and looked within himself. He placed a hand on his chest and following his idea tried to draw the life out of him. Were it not for the assistance of his class in learning new skills such an attempt would be folly. Added on was his [Arcane Sight] that allowed not only a true understanding of the energy within him but also the properties of Death Energy.

After his strenuous study and repeated casting of [Deathbolt], Rainer managed to discover something about this element of decay and with the knowledge of his previous draining skills, he gained another.

[Skill Gained: Life Drain lvl 1/10]

[Life Drain: Siphons Life. Stores that Life within one’s self and converts it to a useable resource.]

Rainer knew from the skill that if it weren't his own life he was draining, he wouldn’t be able to return it to his Lifespan. He understood too that Death Energy naturally drew upon life and then used it to fuel itself. That was exactly where he planned on merging his Arcane into. To act as a battery or a barrier, to store and protect that drained life rather than have it automatically fuel the Death Energy. And with that, he can then prevent the mixed energy from wantonly taking the life of everything it touches.

His level 6 [Death Manipulation] and level 7 [Arcane Energy Manipulation] would combine and reveal their prowess.

At least, such was his goal.

He brought out a wisp of Death Energy over his hand. He kept it close and felt the life leave him. He focused on this with [Arcane Sight] and obtained another skill he thought he needed.

[Skill Gained: Life Detection lvl 1/10]

[Life Detection: Detects the power of Life Energy.]

He noted it did not specify where the power of life may be. He focused on the draining life of his. He brought out Arcane Energy from his other hand. Shining particles of violet and white floated. He turned it into a stream of energy and swirled it around the power of decay in his other hand.

He managed and monitored the three different energies. He slowly flowed the Arcane Energy alongside the Life Energy that was leaving him. Death Energy and Arcane became combative toward one another, but he focused on keeping the Arcane as the bridge between the Life Energy. The life naturally flowed and absorbed toward the mass of Death, taking the Arcane with it.

The cloud of black burst outward, seemingly rejecting Rainer’s attempt as the energies split away from one another. He let out a breath of air as he attempted to merge them once more. Repeatedly he refreshed his aging body. He couldn’t help but grin. His confidence always reached an all-time high when the method involved something almost only he could accomplish.

After numerous attempts, he finally managed to contain the expulsion of energy and the Arcane guiding the Life Energy, merged at the same time. It empowered the cloud of death, yet at the same time controlled its natural draining processes. A cloud of the blackest death tinged in the violet of the Arcane.

[Skill Gained: Arcane-Death Manipulation lvl 1/10]

Absolute control, Rainer thought. He swirled a mass of Arcane-Death Energy around him. He inhaled it, covered himself with its presence, and yet it affected him none. He could even cycle his own Life through it and return it to himself. He knew still that he couldn’t simply take the unique Life Energy of another and make it his own, but he believed that his Arcane-Death might contain such a secret to be explored.

Immediately, he sought to form a bolt of Arcane and Death, and soon found two variations.

[Spell Gained: Arcane Bolt of Death lvl 1/10]

A tier 3 spell. It surpassed the ordinary Arcane Bolt by 2 degrees.

[Arcane Bolt of Death: Fires an Arcane Bolt mixed with the power of death, increasing its damage against the living.]

[Spell Gained: Arcane-Deathbolt lvl 1/10]

A tier 4 spell, a rank above its previous rendition.

[Arcane-Deathbolt: Forms a compressed mass of the very essence of Death and Decay itself, empowered and controlled by the mystical forces of the Arcane. The spell travels slowly yet erodes and corrupts powerfully.]

The former while traveling only slightly slower than a regular [Arcane Bolt] took a minor amount of life and dealt far more damage to the living, Rainer noted as he tested the spell. He ventured he could damage the connection between Master and undead servant as well. Rather he knew from [Arcane-Death Manipulation] how easy such a task would be.

It’s affected by my Arcane bonuses now…

He thought to himself in understanding. Beyond just the benefits of empowerment and control, his mixing of Arcane and Death brought towards it his massive class and talent bonus. He still did not wish to compete directly against the [Arch-Lich], but he had more confidence if it was needed.

He sat on the white ground. He didn’t wish to risk taking his time in leveling [Arcane-Death Manipulation], even though he lost experience at the prospect of leveling it normally, and instead swirled it around him as he first took out the copies of the lower tier spells Gunthar had brought from his second trip.

He started first with the element of water. He picked but a single spell, determined to gain a foothold in as many elements as he could as quick as possible.

[Water Ball]

The spell was simply named. It was designed for utility more than anything else. He knew from the higher ranked tomes he read earlier most water spells were for either controlling existing water or for the creation of ice, which while having a separate manipulation skill fell under the same school of magic. That isn’t to say a powerful enough jet of water couldn’t inflict significant damage, simply that for most it was more efficient to focus the magic in other manners.

[Arcane-Death Manipulation has reached level 2]

He leveled as he finished reading. He stopped the Arcane-Death swirling around him, unable to maintain such a thing while focusing on new spells. After understanding the complexities of the second level, it would be one of his most difficult manipulation skills to level further, beyond his [Archon] class bonus.

After altering its runes, he cast the spell simply enough. The more he learned tier 1 spells, the more he found he could learn new ones faster.

[Spell Gained: Water Ball lvl 1/10]

As before he fired the spell repeatedly. Each cast of the spell he’d manipulate more mana into it and attempt to bend the water into different shapes. He’d spin the water, extend it, flatten it, all facilitated by mana. In the end, these movements, combined with his thoughts of moving the water, allowed him to gain what he sought.

[Skill Gained: Water Manipulation lvl 1/10]

[Water Ball has reached level 10]

[Reached the maximum proficiency of a Tier 1 spell: Rewarding 1 skill point.]

He immediately went toward a tier 2 Ice spell, [Ice Shard]. He’d save mixing Arcane into his new elements until he learned all the ones Gunthar had gathered for him.

Compared to a tier 1 spell, more time was needed for modification, but Rainer still managed to cast an [Ice Shard] in a few tries.

[Spell Gained: Ice Shard lvl 1/10]

[Ice Shard: Forms a hardened shard of ice and launches it at one’s intended target]

With the aid of [Water Manipulation] Rainer’s control over the [Ice Shard] started at a far higher level than the [Water Ball]. Yet he soon found that he made no progress toward manipulating the ice. He determined using [Water Manipulation] was a crutch rather than a helping hand.

Relying only on [Mana Manipulation] Rainer altered the shard. He’d attach additional spikes or harden the ice further. Mostly, he only increased its size through the addition of more mana. But, even with this, he lacked any skill. Eventually, the spell reached level 10.

[Ice Shard has reached level 10]

[Reached the maximum proficiency of a Tier 2 spell: Rewarding 2 skill points.]

He knew for certain, from the very tome he read from, that manipulating Ice was a separate skill from water. Of course, the book also listed it less as a skill to be gained but more as a distinction between those talented in water magics and its close cousin ice.

Having no desire to continually repeat an action that wasn’t working he sat back on the ground and opened a tome on the next element he sought to learn, Tera. He made it a point, to ask then what the world, both the one containing Nalmar, and the previous, was called.

[Rock Fist]

He couldn’t, in the slightest, understand why this spell was a fist instead of just a normal rock or a spike. Perhaps a lack of Nalmar’s knowledge or Gunthar’s haste, he had only brought a tier 2 earth spell of random use.

The tome and formula in front of him didn’t make it clearer. The fist shape was supposed to make the spell more intuitive to cast and more forceful in its casting.

He found much of Nalmar’s explanation on magic was, even more, emotion driven than the Goblin’s notes on fire magic. In fact, if one were to simply assume based on the differences in how magic was explained, he thought others would see the goblin’s civilization being far more advanced.

Due to his unwillingness in casting such a ridiculous spell, it had taken him nearly two hundred tries to gain it.

[Spell Gained: Rock Fist lvl 1/10]

[Rock Fist: Forms a fist of rock and propels it forward at the intended target.]

Even more so, as a ranged spell, and not as a spell where one manipulated a fist to fight for them, he saw no reason for the fist shape. Looking at the spell floating in front of him he could only be glad to cast such an embarrassing spell in the privacy of his sleep.

Though, the following title had granted him relief from such feelings.

[Title Gained: Basic Elementalist]

[Experience Gained: 0.01%, 84%]

[Chronomancer has leveled up to lvl 6/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed. 1 Attribute and skill point gained.]

[Elementalist: One who has learned Tier 2 spells of all four basic elements: Water, Fire, Tera, Wind. 5% Experience Bonus.]

He noted that his Tier 2 [Ice Shard] spell had, in fact, counted for Water and was listed in his Water Spellbook.

He focused back on his much distasted [Rock Fist] and cast it repeatedly. Increasing mana to the spell created a harder and faster flying [Rock Fist]. His focus landed entirely on the [Rock Fist] as he sought to as quickly as possible gain the manipulation skill. With the aid of his mana he gradually altered the fist itself, creating spiked knuckles and working toward making the seemingly odd spell a tad more useful. He succeeded, in his endeavors.

[Rock Fist has reached level 10]

[Reached the maximum proficiency of a Tier 2 spell: Rewarding 2 skill points.]

[Skill Gained: Earth Manipulation lvl 1/10]

[Spell Gained: Spiked Rock Fist lvl 1/10]

[Title Gained: Manipulator of the Elements]

[Experience Gained: 0.01%, 233%]

He whistled aloud at the experience gained. With most of it going toward [Archon] that 233% cut a far more impressive figure. He now understood, however, that 0.01% was almost like a bonus, rather than the actual amount that likely was far smaller. Not only was each increase between level 20-25 massive, the difference for the very first level of [Archon] likely surpassed even further. Added on was then the gap between level 3 and 4 and Rainer was not surprised that even such an increase only earned a nod.

[Chronomancer has leveled up to lvl 7/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.]

[Chronomancer has leveled up to lvl 8/25. Standard Attributes have been distributed.]

[Manipulator of the Elements: A rare individual capable of manipulating all the basic elements. 5% Experience Bonus.]

Among the books brought by Gunthar, there remained only a single element, at least available to learn, for Rainer. Darkness.

The spell itself, Rainer noted, seemed to lean more toward illusion rather than the evil connotations of something known as Darkness.

[Absorb Light]

It was a tier 2 spell, once more Gunthar either couldn’t get the necessary tier 1 spell in his rush or it did not exist. The spell made oneself of darkness as the light that hit one absorbed into the thin film of shadow. He thought it was a particularly dangerous spell to include in a public mage library, but given its lack of suppression, even those unattuned to mana could likely feel its use.

Little more than a parlor trick then, for any mage at least. It would be easy to overload with a Light spell as well given its construction.

Even more so, Rainer thought as he edited the magic formulae with his Mana Input and Output runes, the spell itself had a long and difficult chant. However, Rainer had a moment of inspiration as he looked at the spell. There was a rune slightly like one in [Deliverance]. He locked the thought away, sure in that he would not forget it. He was still far from understanding that tier 7 spell and instead wished to learn the spell in front of him.

Just as he was about to begin learning the tier 2 Darkness spell, the situation changed.

--

Rainer jostled awake, earlier than intended, at a far too familiar feeling.

A Spatial Domain…

Yet it was not his. He felt it for just a moment, like a flash of radar, searching for the all too unique signs of life in this undead city. A focused purpose that would allow this spell to spread a wide distance.

And soon, the rumbling of bones resounded in the city.

“Luna wake up,” He said while jostling the sleeping Fairy on his head.

“Rainer…Luna is still so small…it won’t…”

But he ignored her odd pleas and shook her awake.

“We’ve been found,” He spoke simply to the small Fairy in his hands. As per usual, she held her smallest possible size of only several inches.

Her face displayed an odd seriousness as she flew into his coat. She would be prepared to heal him at a moment’s notice.

Rainer rushed down the stairs and was met with worried looks from the group.

“Where do you think they are moving?” Kara asked the group.

“Perhaps, they are heading out of the city once more?”

“No, they are heading toward us,” Rainer answered to their surprise, “I felt magic on me. He sensed us.”

The party stood in silence for a moment before Gunthar spoke, “Then should we try and head back through the tunnel before they reach us?”

“They may encircle us before then, we can break through but,” Rainer paused before continuing, “but this may be our last chance to reach the [Arch-Lich] in any case.”

“I can lead us there; it should be no more than an hour’s walk to the location of the Mana-Well, far less time if we make haste,” Theodore responded. Given that the [Arch-Lich] could not stray from the Mana-Well his location was clear.

“What? Rainer, we still have time on the quest, we can regroup…”

“And then what? They will wear us down…and the [Arch-Lich] likely won’t let us leave. We can fight at our full power now when we can quickly reach him and end it in a single fight, or let him wear us down until we are incapable of even fighting a classless undead. Then he merely need send his 2nd Class undead to crush us. At that point, it will not matter if Gunthar and Theodore can still fight.”

Kara nodded and begun shifting as Theodore and Gunthar headed out of the tower to lead the way. Kara exited the tower, squeezing through the double doors, and Rainer jumped on her back.

Rainer knew he reasoned for attacking the [Arch-Lich] partly because of his desire for the Mana-Well. But he could not control such thoughts. It did not matter if he was aware of them.

Theodore looked back toward Rainer who merely responded with a nod.

Rainer assured himself of his goal as he looked forward. And so, they ran. Not away from the undead, but toward the very center.