Chương 77: The Sword, the Shield, and the Man Who Finally Knocked

Three days after returning from the farm, Sieghart sat in the middle of his basement room with his eyes closed and his right hand held before him. Arcane mana gathered around his palm before extending outward. A translucent handle appeared first, its internal structure formed from a single continuous framework rather than several unstable layers. The guard followed without interruption.

Mana flowed through both sides, reinforcing the connection between the handle and the blade before any unnecessary details were added. Sieghart had stopped trying to make the weapon look impressive. There were no decorative markings, elaborate edges, or dramatic colors that served no practical purpose. A simple sword was already difficult enough. The blade extended slowly from the guard. Ten percent became twenty, then forty, while Sieghart adjusted the pressure inside every section.

He had reached sixty percent several times during the previous three days. Unfortunately, the incomplete weapon had collapsed whenever he attempted to extend its internal framework any farther. Increasing the mana supply did not solve the problem. More power only made the unstable sections dissolve faster, like overfilling a cracked container. The answer lay in precision. Sieghart controlled his breathing and sensed the path followed by Mana Transfusion.

The framework extended another few centimeters, carrying stability from the handle toward the unfinished point. Seventy percent. The weapon trembled. Several pale cracks appeared near the middle of the blade, but Sieghart redistributed mana from the denser sections before they could spread. Eighty percent. Pressure built behind his eyes. His Mentality had increased tremendously during the previous year, yet maintaining a weapon made from raw mana remained more demanding than controlling ordinary elemental spells.

An Ice Sword would already have been complete. An Earth Sword would have required only compressed soil, while a blade of fire could have been produced through techniques he understood years ago. Sieghart ignored those alternatives. Those weapons would be products of Black Magic. He wanted to create something from mana itself, without relying upon the properties of an existing element. Ninety percent. The unfinished point flickered repeatedly.

Sieghart stabilized the center first, then allowed the outer edges to extend around it instead of forming everything simultaneously. The separate edges joined. A sharp point appeared at the end of the blade. The weapon became complete. Sieghart opened his eyes. A translucent sword rested inside his hand, glowing with pale-blue light while faint currents of mana moved beneath its surface. It possessed no elemental nature.

The blade did not burn, freeze, cut with pressurized water, or produce any other effect connected to his Black Magic. It was simply a sword created from hardened mana. Several notifications appeared before him. Summoning Magic has been unlocked. The Construct Branch has been unlocked. You have created the spell Mana Sword. Mana Sword has reached Level 1. Magic increased by 1 point. Sieghart read the messages twice before looking at the completed weapon again.

Apparently, the system considered the creation of temporary mana objects a form of Summoning Magic. He had expected summoning to involve calling creatures or objects from another location. Creating something entirely from his own mana seemed more like construction than emission. However, the system had already placed Rune Magic beneath Arcane Magic and Protection beneath White Magic. Arguing with its classifications would accomplish even less than arguing with Ronan. Sieghart rotated his wrist.

The Mana Sword moved like an ordinary weapon, although it possessed almost none of the weight associated with metal. He swung it through the air several times. The blade remained stable, but its lack of weight made controlling the momentum feel strange. An ordinary sword carried force through its mass. The Mana Sword depended almost entirely upon the durability and sharpness of the construct. Sieghart approached the sand sword resting beside his table and swung downward.

The Mana Sword cut halfway through the compressed earth before stopping. Cracks spread across the translucent blade. Sieghart immediately reinforced the internal framework, preventing the weapon from collapsing. The result was unimpressive compared with Wind Blade or Water Cannon, but those spells could only attack once before requiring another cast. Mana Sword remained inside his hand. As long as the construct survived, he could continue swinging without recreating it. Sieghart focused on the skill description.

Mana Sword — Level 1 Creates a temporary sword from condensed mana. Durability, sharpness, stability, and duration increase according to spell level and the caster's control. Each level increases Magic by 1 point. The spell possessed several obvious weaknesses. Its durability remained poor, its cutting power was limited, and maintaining it required continuous concentration. Those weaknesses also revealed possible leveling conditions.

Improving the sword's sharpness, duration, or ability to survive impacts should eventually increase the spell level. At least that progression seemed more straightforward than discovering how to level Flame or Water Creation. The system apparently preferred measurable improvements over casting the same basic spell thousands of times. Sieghart repaired the cracked blade and continued practicing until the construct remained stable for several minutes.

He tested different shapes, but anything beyond minor adjustments weakened the internal framework. A curved sword required redistributing mana along the entire edge. A longer blade increased pressure near the guard, while making it wider consumed more concentration without offering an immediate benefit. For now, the simplest design remained the most effective. Sieghart finally dismissed the spell and watched the sword dissolve into pale particles. He leaned against the table with a satisfied expression.

Ronan's help had been useful. The admission remained annoying, but refusing to acknowledge reality would not make Sieghart stronger. One afternoon of instruction had provided the foundation necessary to unlock an entirely new type of magic. Perhaps asking for another lesson would not be unbearable. He immediately rejected that thought after imagining Ronan's expression. The tracker would probably remind him of the favor for several years and demand praise every time they met.

Sieghart could solve the next step alone.

"A shield should work." Mana Sword had taught him how to create a solid framework extending in one direction. A shield required a broader structure capable of distributing force across its entire surface. More importantly, it would provide him with his first true defensive construct. Protection reduced damage after an attack reached his body. The spell had saved his life a few times in unexpected ways, but relying upon it meant allowing every sword, claw, or fireball to come dangerously close.

A Mana Shield could stop attacks before they touched him. Even if the construct broke, Protection would remain underneath as a second defensive layer. Sieghart began experimenting immediately. His first attempt resembled an oversized plate with a handle. The center formed properly, but the outer edges dissolved because the mana framework spread too thinly. The second attempt remained stable until Sieghart tried to make the entire surface solid.

Pressure accumulated near the center, and the construct shattered outward in harmless particles. He spent the following week correcting those problems. Instead of treating the shield as a flat slab, Sieghart created a curved framework of intersecting mana lines. Each connection distributed force toward the reinforced center and outer rim. The design resembled an invisible web covered by a thin layer of hardened mana.

It required less material than a completely solid construct while providing better structural support. Seven days after unlocking Mana Sword, Sieghart raised his left arm and completed the first stable version. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. A circular shield appeared beside him. It was slightly wider than his torso, translucent, and attached to his forearm through two bands of condensed mana. The system responded immediately.

You have created the spell Mana Shield. Mana Shield has reached Level 1. Mentality increased by 1 point. Sieghart studied the notification with interest. Mana Sword increased Magic, while Mana Shield improved Mentality. The difference probably reflected the purpose of each construct. The sword required power and sharpness, whereas the shield depended upon sustained control and efficient distribution of incoming force. He focused on the spell description.

Mana Shield — Level 1 Creates a temporary shield from condensed mana. Durability, coverage, stability, and duration increase according to spell level and the caster's control. Each level increases Mentality by 1 point. Sieghart dismissed the message and prepared an Earth Bullet above his free hand. Testing a defensive spell without attacking it would provide little useful information. He fired the projectile toward the center of his shield. The impact produced a sharp crack.

The Earth Bullet shattered, while several fractures spread across the translucent surface. Sieghart reinforced the damaged sections with additional mana. The cracks slowly disappeared, restoring the shield without requiring him to summon another one.

"That is convenient." Infinite Mana allowed him to repair the construct continuously. As long as an attack did not destroy the entire framework in a single strike, Sieghart could restore the damaged areas. He tested the shield repeatedly over the following days. Water Cannon created sustained pressure across a wide area, Wind Blade concentrated force along a narrow line, and Fireball combined heat with an explosive impact.

Mana Shield survived the weaker versions of each spell, although blocking Fireball required constant repairs. The explosion also pushed the shield backward, proving that stopping damage did not eliminate physical force. Sieghart would need a method of anchoring the construct or directing impacts away from his body. Otherwise, a sufficiently powerful attack could send him flying even if the shield remained intact.

Still, he now possessed two spells beneath the Construct Branch and a much clearer understanding of Summoning Magic. The next time Mira visited the basement, she found Sieghart standing behind his Mana Shield while an Earth Bullet repeatedly struck its surface. She waited beside the door until he finished the exercise. Unlike Ronan, Mira understood that interrupting someone controlling several spells could produce inconvenient accidents. Sieghart dismissed both constructs and turned toward her.

Mira carried breakfast beneath one arm and several reports beneath the other. Her black hair had been tied back carelessly, and the shadows beneath her pale-violet eyes suggested that Lunar Arc's paperwork had launched another offensive. Mira placed the food on his table before examining the fading particles left by Mana Shield.

"You learned Summoning Magic."

"I guess so."

"That was fast."

"It took almost three weeks." Mira stared at him.

"For most people, that qualifies as fast." Sieghart decided not to argue over standards. Instead, he remembered the conclusion he had reached after returning from the farm. If learning from experienced people accelerated his progress, then Mira represented the best person to ask for access to more specialized knowledge.

"I need some books."

"You always need books."

"Books about spells similar to Protection." Mira raised one eyebrow.

"Similar in what way?"

"Spells that affect the caster's body but improve different aspects." Sieghart kept his explanation deliberately broad. He wanted to use mana to increase his physical Strength, speed, and reactions, but openly listing those goals might reveal more about his intended training than necessary. Protection already proved that White Magic could reinforce his body. If he learned to direct that reinforcement toward his muscles, he might compensate for his low physical parameters. Mira studied him silently.

Her gaze remained on his face long enough for Sieghart to realize that his vague wording had not deceived her at all. She understood exactly what he wanted and was deciding how much to explain.

"You want body-enhancement magic."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." Sieghart waited.

"It can be done," Mira admitted.

"However, learning those spells won't be easy, and they probably won't work the way you imagine."

"How do they work?"

"Protection creates a stable layer beneath your skin and distributes force across your body. Strengthening your muscles or increasing your speed requires something much more precise." Mira pointed toward his right arm.

"To increase the power of one movement, mana must reinforce the correct muscles, tendons, joints, and bones at exactly the right moments. Sending too much into one area can tear something else apart." Sieghart glanced at his arm. He had imagined simply spreading mana through his muscles and increasing their performance. Apparently, using magical reinforcement without understanding his body could allow his enhanced muscles to break the bones supporting them.

"What about speed?"

"Worse. Moving faster requires improved reactions, balance, coordination, and durability. Strengthening only your legs might launch you forward, but it won't help your mind process the movement or your body survive the sudden stop." Sieghart nodded slowly. The limitations made sense, although they also made the magic more useful once mastered. Enhancing every necessary part of his body simultaneously would demand considerable Mentality. Fortunately, that was one parameter he had improved consistently.

"I'm ready for that." Mira continued studying him. Then she sighed. Sieghart suspected that Ronan had included unnecessary details in his report solely to make him appear reckless. She gathered the papers she had placed beside his breakfast and turned toward the door.

"I'll prepare some things."

"Books?"

"Some things."

"That answer is suspiciously vague."

"You'll find out." Mira left before Sieghart could demand a clearer explanation. He spent the remainder of the day practicing Mana Sword while imagining what kind of obscure training material she intended to send. He expected books about anatomy, mana circulation, or physical reinforcement. There might also be enchanted tools capable of measuring the strain placed upon his body. Sieghart did not expect someone to knock on his door the following morning.

The sound was so unusual that he stopped halfway through forming Mana Sword. Ronan had entered without warning so many times that hearing him request permission felt like evidence of an approaching disaster. Sieghart dismissed the incomplete construct and opened the door. Ronan stood in the corridor wearing light training clothes instead of his leather armor. His curved knives were absent, replaced by two wooden practice blades hanging from his belt. Sieghart stared at him.

"You knocked."

"Mira threatened to decrease my pay if I didn't." Ronan entered and looked around the room. His attention stopped on the completed Mana Sword resting above Sieghart's table.

"So you figured it out."

"Three days after the farm." Sieghart crossed his arms.

"Why are you here?"

"Mira said you wanted to learn body-enhancement magic."

"I asked for books."

"She decided a teacher would be faster." Sieghart's suspicion increased. Ronan possessed excellent control over his knives and mana threads, but nothing about him suggested that he specialized in strengthening spells.

"How can you help me?" Ronan tilted his head.

"I'm relatively good at self-combat magic." Sieghart looked at the wooden blades hanging from his belt, then remembered how the tracker had moved during their fight in the forest. Ronan had crossed the battlefield fast enough to confuse the corrupted prowlers. He had changed direction without losing balance, avoided attacks at close range, and repeatedly cut precise locations while surrounded. Sieghart had assumed that speed resulted from physical training or an unusual utility Aura.

However, Ronan had already mentioned that he possessed no combat Aura. The tracker smiled when understanding appeared on Sieghart's face.

"Did you forget how I dealt with those monsters without a combat Aura?" Sieghart narrowed his eyes.

"You were using magic on your body."

"Now he understands."

"What kind?"

"The kind that hurts when you learn it incorrectly." Ronan removed one wooden blade from his belt and tossed it toward Sieghart. The child caught it automatically before examining the blunt weapon.

"We're going outside," Ronan said.

"You need space, sunlight, and something beneath your feet that won't complain when you fall." Sieghart could not deny that particular observation. His physical exhaustion had exposed a weakness that magical parameters alone would never correct. He placed the wooden blade beside his Mana Sword and prepared to follow Ronan. Learning from the tracker had already doubled his progress once. Perhaps enduring another lesson would be worth the irritation. Ronan turned toward the stairs.

"Eat first. I don't want you passing out and making me carry you."

"I wouldn't pass out." Ronan laughed and continued upstairs. Sieghart watched him leave before looking at the two weapons resting beside each other. One was made from raw mana, while the other was nothing more than carved wood. For some reason, the wooden one felt considerably more threatening. His first lesson in self-combat magic was apparently about to begin. Judging from Ronan's expression, falling would be the easy part.