Magic.
It's a fundamental source of nature and arguably one of the most important. While other abilities concentrate on honing one specific nature, magic has the ability to simulate all of them and reach perfection. However, one major drawback is that it's very hard to master. Very, very hard. That's the reason most people of the Greek pantheon focus on honing just, say pyrokinesis, instead of simulating both pyrokinesis and cryokinesis, and reaching perfection in both. It takes years and years to perfect magic. My mom took 3000 years to learn it to an extent that few could ever dream of and nobody could ever possibly ever reach. That includes me.
Magic works on the principle of mana, an energy that it is present in non mortal bodies. When I say non-mortal, I mean not completely human and incapable of seeing through the Mist. However in demigod bodies or priest type bodies, or bodies with any sign of immortal presence, they contain mana.
As a fixed rule, in any mana possessing body, stamina and mana are always in a ratio of 2:1. Always. I thought it was only limited to me, but turns out it's not. Although there have been cases where this rule has been broken, the chances of finding someone like that is as crazy as finding out you're not even human.
However mana is a really unpredictable and uncontrollable force. Other abilities are possible because bodies who use that specific ability have bodies made for it. For example, a child of Zeus has atmokinesis, electrokinesis and aerokinesis. So their body will be coded to be able to use atmokinesis, electrokinesis and aerokinesis. However, usually a demigod has better affinity with one of their godly parent's. For example, as far as I remember, Thalia had an affinity with lighting and electricity, and Jason had an affinity with wind and air, even though they were full blooded siblings.
On the other hand, magic users have no coding. So they have to practice mana control on a level that almost no one can master.For rhe same reasons, 'coded' bodies find it harder to do things they're not coded for. The further their attempt is from their ' coding ' the harder they find it to do.
For example, it's almost impossible for me to gain electrokinesis, while it's impossible for a child of Zeus to get umbrakinesis.
To make it clearer, I'll compare their bodies to electronics. A body which inherits demigod abilities has received specific tools from birth. On the other hand, magic users have no tools and have to use their own body and nothing else to complete the job. In a way, it's a curse, in another, it's a blessing. But if you practice long enough, the curse part disappears completely. You might have to go through hell to do it, but you'll get there in the end.
To make it easier, you have Sigils. Sigils are marks of magic that are unique to every user. Each Sigil is made for a specific purpose, like a tool. In order to use it, all you have to do is flow your mana into the Sigil once it's made. In other words, Sigils are basically the equivalents of demigod codes. While demigod bodies are coded from birth and rarely updated, Sigils are miniature disposable coded tools the same kind, which can be updated at will, although updating them is significantly hard.
Yes that's what I talked about with my mom in the evening. I learn more everyday,but they're just minor things. Of course, I train to unlock my Sigils everyday, but my mom thinks I'll have to master my demigod abilities to much higher extent before I'm capable, because the Sigils directly reflect the bloodline of the user. My mana manipulation is okay, and my reserves are nice for someone my age. I do have to increase my reserves though. For that I need stat points. I'm leaving the 100 there for just in case. And for that...
I need to level up, I thought as I look up at the ceiling of my bed, staring at the key. I think it over for a while. Mom slept and hour ago, and she's a very heavy sleeper. I used to wonder whether Pennsylvania always had earthquakes this frequent. Now I realise it's my mom.
I'm still scared though. You don't mess with someone that has 'over 9000' insight. They can probably detect me in her sleep, and that's without her motherly instincts. I mean, I don't even have a skill-
Wait. Hey system?
[ Yes please, bitch?]
Is there a battle skill that I can afford right now?
[ I mean, yes technically...]
Then gimme shit.
[ Bad shit or good shit?]
...
[You know what? Buy Sprint.]
Description?
[Sprint:Increases the user's speed by 30% for 10 seconds.
MP- 3 mps]
Cost-20,000
Not bad. Looks suspiciously like Sung Chinwoo's first skill, but good overall.
Plus, after the system explained the concept of 'mana application' to me, I can say it'll be pretty good overall.
So, its like a mathematical equation, that we can take as 30%=10 seconds=3mps. If I increase 3mps to 6mps, I'll get 60%, but the time will remain at 10 seconds, because in order to shift both the speed and the time the skill is active for, I'll have to increase the mana cost by the amount I want the time to increase by X the amount of speed I want to increase.
Suppose, I want my speed at 60% and the skill at 30 seconds. Here the speed doubles, so for the speed alone, my mana output has increased to 6mps. Now, as I want my speed to triple, so I'll now triple 6mps, which is 6mps X3, equalling 18mps. It's complicated, but you'll probably get it after I fight.
Now, there's also another sub-skill in this category, called Force Stop. You see, Force Stop occurs when I block the flow of my mana while my skill is active. In this case, no matter the timing of the skill, the skill stops, because it needs mana to maintain itself. Therefore, even if I apply 18mps, I can stop it after 3 seconds. It's completely useless, and I have no idea why it put it there. Like bro, are you hoping I'll scam myself? Dream on.
After listening to its 20 minute long explanation,(and I guarantee you, the only reason I asked questions was because he was a terrible teacher) I finally purchased the skill and got ready to run.
"Just let me check my stats one last time,will you?" I asked it. Suprisingly, the system didn't blab, and displayed the screen.
『 STATUS PAGE
PLAYER NAME: KRIARES WEBB
LEVEL: 11
CLASS: UNDEFINED
TITLES: MR MC SASS
-INCREASES CHARM BY 20%.
MAMA'S BOY
-INCREASES FAVOURABILITY WITH MEDEA BY 15%
COUNTERSTEREOTYPICAL MAIN CHARACTER
- INCRAESES EXP GAIN BY 45%, WHEN NOT FOLLOWING RULES
GOODY TWO SHOES
- INCREASES EXP GAIN BY 1% WHEN FOLLOWING RULES
HP: 40000/40000
MP: 20000/20000
STATS
PHYSIQUE: 200
DEXTERITY:200
INSIGHT: 200
VITALITY:200
INTELLIGENCE:200
ASSIGNABLE STAT POINTS:100
SKILLS
ACTIVE:
NIMROD PERCEPTION(Lvl 1)
SPRINT (Lvl 1)
PASSIVE:
Swordsmanship (Lvl 1)
Daggermanship (Lvl 1) (Is that even a real word?)
Scythesmanship(Lvl 1) 』
"Okay then, let's do this shit!" I shouted, growling.
[Yarr!] The system responded.
"Er, yeah, YARRR!"
[YARRRRR!]
"YAAA-"
'Wait, I don't have a weapon." I suddenly turned around and faced the screen, glaring at it. "Were you seriously gonna send me to my first death battle without even giving me a fucking weapon?"
[Maybe, otherwise you wouldn't suffer now, would you? On the other hand,]it said hastily, looking at my murderous look, [ We here at The System have the finest assortment of weapons that you could find in the entire multiverse- I beg your pardon, all the multiverses. In short, that translates to-]
"Are you gonna show the screen or not?"
The system pouted. [As you wish, sire, but I do warn you, you should be more lenient in the near future. It does give you a lot of credibility, if nothing else.]
[STORE
HONOURED KNIGHT SWORD-35,000
LIZARD'S GLAIVE-43,000
OCTABULLET CROSSBOW-22,000
MOONBOW-40,000
Current Balance-300,000]
"Don't you have scythes or something?" I asked him. It would be better if I had something actually relating to my own affinity as a child of The Grand Vizier- I mean, the God of the Dead.
[Certainly, honoured customer,] the System replied, still in that crisp buisnessman suit voice.
[Grave Keeper's Scythe-35,000
WHITE WOLF SICKLES-25,000
SILVER LINING-50,000
AN ODE TO THE END-80,000]
Ok,pretty nice. I thought about it for a while, and I was about to pick the Silver Lining. An Ode to The End was much more powerful, but I didn't see the use of spending a third of my money on something only a couple of levels more.
Only a couple of levels more.
Now that I think about it, I laugh at my stupidity then. But, I must be forgiven. I had neither the decades of experience that I have now, nor the brilliant mind that I nurtured. I was, the first time I entered, no matter my mental age, a child. And even my mental age wasn't that much useful here, in this world filled with supernatural creatures.
"Buy the Silver Lining,"I said, practically jumping up and down, excited for my new toy.
[SILVER LINING-50,000
CONFIRM PURCHASE?]
"Confirm." There was a ding sound, and out of nowhere, a pure black scythe appeared.
It was seriously beautiful. It had a metre long pole which on one side, turned into a diamond with sharp edges. On the other, it curved into a wickedly sharp blade, and a point so keen I could probably pierce through iron with it. However, for all its darkness, the edge of both diamond and scythe were lined with silver. It was bright, and as the moonlight through the window reflected off of it, it looked like a divine weapon, ready for execution in my hands.
Bah, too imaginitive. It was a simple monster killing machine that I was gonna use to its full potential.
[You ready, man?]
I could sense his fear. Despite all its reassurances that I was simply a cheap source of entertainment for it, I knew he was actually afraid of me dying in this mission, and if he could, he'd help me further.
But I couldn't reply on him doing everything for me. if I didn't fight by myself, I would forever rely completely on others doing stuff for me. I was going to become the strongest, and this clearly wasn't the way.
I looked at the lock in the front of me. As I thought before, this might be my last night in this world. But I was headstrong, and I was gonna face those monsters, I was gonna lock in, and I was gonna win.
I smirked. " Ikozu,aibo,"(Let's go,partner.)
The system wasn't convinced, but he matched my tone and responded, " Mukagawa de ao, teme."(Then I'll see you on the other side,asshole.)
AN-
Sorry.
I know I cannot be forgiven, but please, at least try. I swear on Steel Ball Run, I'll upload next chapter tomorrow.
Turns out after all, all I needed was a push. That push came from the rating which I just got.
4.98 stars! (squealing in excitement)
More importantly, thank you to Theimmortalperv and all the others whose names I don't know, for sticking with me.
The League of Larpers salutes you.
Kudos.