Chapter 26 - High-Speed Travel Attained

I managed to recreate the feat of floating again, this time prepared enough to keep my focus. It took a bit of experimenting before I managed to actually do anything other than There were a few tumbles and impacts, but nothing too outrageous considering I was learning to fly with magic.

Taking a break because I was beginning to feel a tension headache coming if I didn't, too used to them because of university, I drank some water and ate some jerky. I rolled my neck around and stretched out the kinks as I tried to figure out a problem I've noticed while practicing flying.

was hard. Of course it was, considering I'm basically manipulating multiple vectors to pull off something humanity has always dreamed of.

But while I could fly, the problem was sustaining that level of focus long-term. It wasn't like a which was creating a payload and only needing a bit of thought once I threw it (unless I wanted to guide the trajectory).

So I was wondering if I was missing something because I doubt should be such a pain to use. To achieve, yes, but to use?

The problem I was having was the constant need to focus—just imagining losing control when I was going as fast as a motorcycle made me cringe—so I wondered if I could create some kind of shortcut or a self-sustaining way of flight.

"Come on, Nori, you got a problem so break it down into components to see the bigger picture."

I was doing advanced internal manipulation to while I was affecting multiple vectors outside with external manipulation (of which it didn't seem to affect my MP since I wasn't really using it as fuel). I wasn't using physical movements as anything other than a guide for mental calculations when it came to motion vectors because I already tried that once and crashed headlong into a tree from the effort.

I snapped my fingers as I bit the spout of the waterskin, having just finished patting my hands clean.

The internal manipulation just needed to be automatic to a point—I'd be able to deal with the flight aspect more easily if I didn't also have to maintain my internal state. It just needed to be closed circuit since I wasn't actively changing anything. Rather, I was just keeping myself in this state so I could hover.

"Closed circuit" reminded me of shapes and circles, which made me wonder if that was why most magic circles were circles for a reason.

Five minutes later, I managed to create a cantrip.

I wonder if this was what a spell was.

[Yes. A spell or any type of incantation is a complete mnemonic where mana is manipulated automatically and finished in such a way.]

Interesting. Maybe if I used a triangle or other shapes with corners, I can "complete" more complicated equations. I just needed minimum attention to maintain my floating state now, so stacking of multiple "shapes" is probably how to do something complicated without having your brain fry.

It's also a convenient way to workaround the MP limit I have right now.

[…]

'Okay, let's get this show started, Thirty-Seven! West is…'

[Seven o'clock direction.]

Right, facing the correct direction, with a probably deranged little grin on my face, I kicked off and flew ahead. This will definitely shorten the trip; I've had enough of roughing it in the woods, thank you very much.

About an hour later, I found a rough dirt road while flying.

Soon after, I saw another human for the first time since arriving in Gaellia.