Bab 22: Mageroot Development Technique

2 days passed by in a flash. Daneel spent most of the day with his parents, enjoying their presence and the comfort of home.

He still practiced CT-1. The white figure was getting faster, but with no new variations in movements or techniques, it was becoming easy to dodge all of its hits.

He had found a secluded forest near the slums where he made sure no one was watching before practicing.

Only, there was no ether to absorb so his level progression was 0. He missed the feeling of exhausting his cells and then absorbing ether, rejuvenating them with vitality.

It was finally the 3rd day and Daneel woke up with enthusiasm.

Soon, the system finally spoke.

[Development complete. Mageroot Devlopment Technique-MDT-1 developed.

MDT-1: After analyzing all the data collected by the system and PAM-2, certain conclusions have been reached which enabled the development of this technique. The mageroot is nothing but the pineal gland, located in the skull between the two eyes on the forehead. On earth, it was known as the "Third Eye" due to its supposed ability to see through all things, paranormal and supernatural.

Just like on Earth, every person here is born with a pineal gland. Due to the development of the body, a 'calcification' occurs on the pineal gland, burying it. Some people are born with large pineal glands which lets them slow down the calcification unconsciously. This enables them to pass the test which is held by academies and become known as someone who 'possesses a mageroot'. In reality, a mageroot is present in all humans. The only thing in question is if it can be used to attain magic powers.

With the help of PAM-2, a technique has been identified which uses energy extracted from Ether to first decalcify the pineal gland and then increase its size, thus increasing host's mage potential.

Thus, host is advised to gather Ether and absorb it.

*DING*

New mission: Decalcify the pineal gland and attain enrollment in the NML.

Mission EXP Award: 100 EXP

Would you like to accept the mission?]

"Yes", said Daneel, feeling puzzled as to how he would go about obtaining Ether to absorb.

Buying it was out of the question. The Ether to gold conversion ratio was presently at 1:10, with 1 standard block of Ether-1, which was the most common form costing 10 Golden Lans. Around 2 blocks was required for someone with high-grade potential to go from Human-1 to Human-2 level. Of course, this meant it required 4 blocks for someone with mid grade and a staggering 8 blocks for someone with low-grade potential. Thus, the amount of money paid to the training hall for the time in the Energized Training Chamber was quite cheap.

Just as Daneel was racking his head wondering what to do, the system came to his rescue.

[System Suggestion: After analysis of data with Phenomena Analysis Module-2, a suggestion has been generated. Would you like to receive it?]

"Yes", he said, puzzled. Suggestions? This was new.

[System suggests host to consider finishing the mission, "Find the thieves' hideout". This is because traces of high-quality Ether had been detected on the thieves at the time that they interacted with host. This was not detected before due to the absence of the module.]

The thieves were in contact with high-quality ether? This was practically a god send opportunity!

Only, there was the possibility that there might be more thieves. Remembering his earlier fight, a faint sweat appeared on Daneel's face as it really had been a close shave.

Daneel did not want to take chances. If he went to the hideout, he wanted to be in the strongest condition possible.

Thus, he decided that it was time to analyze the technique he had received. Over the past two days, he had set it aside because he wanted to first make sure that he had completely mastered the Combat Techniques-1 made by the system. Being able to completely dodge the white figure was a sign that he had, indeed, mastered the basics.

Daneel took out the transparent fist shaped coin and held it in his hand.

[Interface detected. Would you like the system to download the information stored?]

"Yes", he said, feeling the coin becoming a little warm in his hand.

After about 5 minutes, the system spoke again.

["Fists of Justice"-first 2 stages analysis complete. The further stages have been recorded, but analysis is not possible due to insufficient level of the system.

Irrelevant material discarded.

Secret Move: Hidden Kill can be added to Combat Techniques-1. Would you like to recompile CT-1 to add the move?]

Hidden Kill! Daneel wondered if this was the move Elanev had used on the officer back at the library.

"What is the move?", asked Daneel, curious.

[Hidden Kill: Using the techniques of instantaneous force reversal, bubbles of pressure can be formed on an opponent's body. These bubbles can be set to explode a set amount of time later by controlling the force used at impact. The key lies in an instantaneous shift of momentum when a fist or kick is impacting an opponent's body, without the opponent not being able to tell the difference between a normal hit and a Hidden Kill hit. If done incorrectly, the shift will result in damage to the user's body.]

Indeed, it was the same technique. Finally, he would be able to replicate that cool walking away scene that was stuck in his mind since the fight at the library.