บท 27: Improvements!
Leonard listened intently as Alfonso spoke, his teacher's tone calm but deliberate.
"But remember," Alfonso began, gesturing towards the diagram of the iron earthworm on the table, "this is not a spell. It's merely an innate characteristic of the creature. The iron earthworm can burrow through soil, but only soil that lacks magical properties. The moment it encounters earth infused with magic, its movement slows drastically. And if faced with something like the Earth Solidification Spell, which compresses the ground into a nearly unbreakable form, it's as good as trapped. Like an insect fossilized in amber."
Alfonso's eyes narrowed slightly. "This creation has its uses against ordinary people, but it's no match for seasoned professionals. Against them, it's little more than a distraction."
Leonard nodded, his expression serious, but Alfonso continued, his voice adopting a faint trace of pride. "Alchemy, especially at your apprentice stage, has its limitations. It's difficult to produce creations truly capable of combat. But as you delve deeper into your studies, you'll come to understand that mutation science far surpasses alchemy in versatility and potential. The puppets made by alchemy are dull, rigid constructs following the simplest of commands. Complex tasks, nuanced goals; these are beyond their comprehension. Mutation science, however…" Alfonso paused, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Mutation science thrives on adaptability."
"I understand, teacher," Leonard said, his voice firm. "I'll dedicate myself to mastering mutation science."
Alfonso gave a curt nod, satisfaction evident in his eyes. "Good. Study diligently."
Without another word, Alfonso raised his right hand, his skeletal fingers moving with an almost unnatural precision. A portal shimmered into existence before him, a perfect circle of pulsating light. Alfonso stepped through, his figure vanishing as the portal closed with a faint hum.
Leonard exhaled once the room returned to silence. He carefully placed the diary back on the shelf, his mind churning with thoughts. Was Alfonso jealous that he had shown interest in knowledge from other systems? Or perhaps the teacher simply wanted to reinforce the value of their own craft.
He shook his head, clearing the doubts. Regardless, Leonard's resolve remained unshaken. He would master both mutation science and alchemy. But for now, mutation science would take priority. With Alfonso as his guide, he had access to a wealth of knowledge and someone to help him navigate its complexities.
"Alchemy is for the wealthy," Leonard murmured to himself, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Mutation science is for the resourceful."
Alchemy's very name, with its golden connotations, spoke to its costliness. Without materials, there was no alchemy, and Leonard's current resources were far from abundant. Mutation science, on the other hand, offered a path of ingenuity, requiring less material wealth and more creativity.
Leonard settled into a cross-legged position on the ground, closing his eyes to begin his nightly meditation. This was a ritual he never missed. During the day, traveling in carriages made it difficult to meditate, so his nights were devoted to this discipline, with a small portion reserved for practicing the sleeping spell.
As he steadied his breathing, his eyes flickered open briefly, and his focus shifted inward. 'Properties.'
He silently activated the upgrade, and a surge of energy coursed through him.
---
'Leonard'
'Level:' Level 3 (0/100)
'Physical Fitness:' 1.62
'Mental Strength:' 3.6
'Mastery:'
— Earth Ring Meditation (10%)
'Life Occupation:'
— Level 1 Mutation Science (10%) (0/10)
— Level 1 Blood Science (1%) (0/10)
'General Experience:' 0
---
The numbers on his status board flickered as strength bloomed in his body. Every muscle, every bone felt renewed, as if an untapped reservoir of power had been unlocked. For a fleeting moment, Leonard entertained the illusion that he could crush a boulder with his bare hands or fell a cow with a single punch.
He chuckled softly at the absurdity. Rationally, he knew the increase was far more modest, a mere 22.7% improvement in his physical fitness, from 1.32 to 1.62. Yet the cumulative impact of such growth far exceeded the raw numbers. Strength, reflexes, and stamina; all had received a meaningful boost.
But physical strength was only a byproduct of his advancement. The real prize lay in the sharpened clarity of his mind. As he resumed his meditation, he felt his mental processes quicken, his thoughts flowing like a clear stream rather than the sluggish trickle of before. His meditation, too, became smoother, more efficient. He could almost see the eleventh Earth Ring beginning to form in his mind's eye.
Two hours later, his progress faltered. The ring began to collapse, its structure unstable, and Leonard opened his eyes, exhaling in frustration. But he wasn't discouraged. He had made far more progress today than he expected. At this rate, he could condense the eleventh Earth Ring in just another day or two, far sooner than his original estimate of three or four.
"Progress," he muttered, the word carrying a sense of quiet satisfaction.
However, as Leonard sat there, a realization crept over him. Each successive Earth Ring was becoming harder to form, the challenge growing exponentially with each step. The path forward would be steep, but Leonard welcomed it. The difficulty was proof of his growth, and he relished the feeling of climbing higher, one deliberate step at a time.
The difficulty of condensing Earth Rings became glaringly apparent to Leonard. With every ten rings, the effort required seemed to double, making progress feel like an uphill battle against an ever-steeper slope. Based on his previous abilities, Leonard estimated it would take at least two years to condense all the Earth Rings, and that was under optimal conditions.
But things were different now.
His recent improvements in level had also brought subtle changes to his qualifications, a steady enhancement that made meditation more efficient with each advancement. Though the gains were small, they added up, compounding over time.
Leonard wasn't entirely certain what affected meditation efficiency, he referred to it loosely as "aptitude." It was clear, however, that the increased upper limit of his mental strength directly benefited from meditation, whether tied to aptitude or not. Either way, it was a net positive.
---
For the next two days, Leonard settled into a disciplined routine: reading, meditating, and refining his understanding of the Sleeping Spell. Each day, he devoted three focused hours to constructing its intricate framework, painstakingly building one node at a time. The spell required 47 nodes in total, and though it was tedious work, the progress was tangible.
The days passed slowly but steadily, marked by the rhythm of his quiet study.
Meanwhile, their carriage driver, Kenny, gradually eased out of his initial panic. On the first day, he'd been visibly tense, fearful that Leonard or his companion might silence him to protect their secrets. But as time went on, and neither wizard showed any inclination toward harm, Kenny's nerves began to settle. His respect for the pair grew, and he drove the carriage with renewed diligence, determined to deliver his "distinguished passengers" safely to their destination.
---
On the third day, they arrived at Maple Leaf Town, a remote settlement nestled in the mountains. Their journey took them to a rundown hut perched on a secluded slope. There, an imposing entourage awaited: twelve knights clad in gleaming iron armor, forming a protective circle around an elderly man dressed in a brown linen robe. The old man's hair was streaked with gray, his black beard flecked with silver. He carried himself with a quiet authority, his sharp eyes betraying a mind steeped in wisdom and power.
The old man approached the decrepit hut and extended his hands, revealing a crystal ball. Holding it aloft, he muttered a string of incantations, his voice low and rhythmic. The crystal ball floated free from his palm, rising into the air. As his chanting intensified, the ball began to glow faintly, and an image shimmered into view on its surface.
The scene within the crystal ball mirrored the hut before them, but from a bird's-eye view, as if the orb had become the eyes of an unseen watcher. The perspective shifted, moving from static to dynamic, the timeline accelerating unnaturally, like a reel of film on fast-forward.
The old man's voice deepened as the spell reached its crescendo. His hair turned from gray to stark white, frost forming along the strands. Wrinkles at the corners of his eyes etched deeper into his face, new lines carving themselves into his features with unnatural speed.
The image within the crystal ball cycled through days and nights in rapid succession until, abruptly, it froze. Three shadowy figures appeared in the hut's yard. Their faces, however, were obscured by a thick, unnatural mist, rendering them indistinct.
"Three people," said a knight standing beside the old man. His voice was sharp, and his silver armor gleamed in the sunlight. A bright red cloak flowed behind him as he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "These must be the ones who killed Matthew."
The old man nodded, his lips moving faster as he attempted to clarify the image.
"Magnify it. I want to see their faces," the knight commanded.
The old man's chanting grew louder, the crystal ball glowing brighter as it expanded the image. Suddenly, with a deafening 'bang', the crystal ball exploded in midair, shards scattering in all directions.
The old man let out a bloodcurdling scream, stumbling backward as the shards pierced his face. Blood ran freely, streaking his weathered skin, and in moments his hair turned fully white. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless, his once-commanding presence extinguished in an instant.
For a long moment, the group stood in stunned silence, the air heavy with the weight of the old man's sudden death. The knight in red gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly his knuckles whitened, his composure cracking ever so slightly.
Finally, he spoke, his voice low but resolute. "Stop the investigation. This matter ends here."
The group exchanged uncertain glances but obeyed without question. One by one, they turned away from the scene, leaving the ruined crystal ball and the old man's body as silent witnesses to a mystery that would remain unresolved.
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