After choosing his desired weapon arts, the next section that Mwana looked through was the specialty of this library:
Magic Skills
As a Magic Pupil who was only a thin line away from the Magic Student rank, Mwana had already learned several Rank 0 and Rank 1 spells that corresponded to his primary element and secondary elemental affinities. He had learned spells of the fire, lightning, and wind elements.
The Rank 0 spells that corresponded to the wind, fire, and lightning elements were:
Wind – [Air Walk Spell] & [Wind Flow Spell]
Fire – [Fire Control Spell] & [Fire Palm spell]
Lightning – [Static Burst Channeling] & [Electric Current Flow]
Each Rank 0 Spell model was composed of a magic control skill and an elemental flow spell.
The Air Walk Spell was the predecessor of the Linear Wind Spell which Mwana used to boost his speed. With Air Walk one could walk very fast and with Linear Wind one could run very fast.
As for the rank 0 fire spells, the fire palm would turn the palms red hot similar to Barbarian Bull Queen's steel smelting palm. Naturally, the effect of this spell was not as good as shooting out a palm of flames. However, this was understandable since it was just a tier 0 magic skill that could be learned and performed by apprentices and novices.
The fire control spell granted the user pyrokinetic capabilities; but given its low rank, there were limitations on the range of the spell as well as the type, size, and intensity of the flames that could be controlled. Expectedly, users of the fire control spell had to rely on already existing flames since they could not produce their own flames due to the limitations of the rank 0 fire palm spell.
Mwana had also learned the lightning-type tier 0 spells, static burst channeling and electric current flow which in combination with the thunder section of the Sun and Moon Arts, greatly inspired two of Mwana's signature techniques – the Rushing Thunder Charge and the Delayed Thunder Spark.
For Rank 1 spells, the standard elemental spells for fire, wind, and lightning were:
[Fireball]
[Wind Blade]
[Thunderbolt]
After his fight against Majimaji, Mwana had made sure to train in these three abilities as much as possible. The Fireball spell and Wind Blade showed the fastest progress. Surprisingly, despite being so good at lightning techniques, mastery of the Thunderbolt spell still evaded Mwana's grasp.
After all, wind and fire were things near to human beings. One could listen, observe, and even feel them. As for bolts of thunder, they were heavenly phenomenon far away from the hands of mortals.
In fact in the study of magic, the easiest elements to master were always those closest to humans like earth and water.
"Things would go much faster if I could bathe in the lightning pool."
The pool Mwana was referring to was located in the Thunder Bull Martial School. In fact, most of the martial schools in the village had an elemental pool that held a great concentration of whatever elemental power the school specialized in.
For instance, the Blazing Tiger School had a volcanic fire pit while the Green Cheetah School which focused on the Wind Style had a storm valley. These 'pools' of elemental power naturally made it much easier for the students in these schools to master their respective elemental abilities.
In addition to the three elements, Mwana also had the intention to learn wood style spells after a trace of wood power was born in his bloodline. This wood power naturally manifested due to the influence of the Green Dragon.
"What is that Green Dragon? It clearly isn't a regular Martial Arts imprint."
Even to this day Mwana was still baffled about the true origins of the Green Dragon Mantra. Initially, he had imagined that the technique that appeared to him through dreams was related to the Jua clan's bloodline but now he was sure that he was a unique case. After all he had never heard of anyone else in the village that had such dreams from a young age.
"Maybe I have a Green Dragon God watching over me!" For a time, Mwana could not help but fantasize.
For the wood spells, the most basic skills that Mwana had to learn were:
Rank 0 – [Friend of the Green] & [Vine-master]
Rank 1 – [Tree Vine Spell]
"If I can master wood spells to the zenith maybe I won't have to wait for a wood type spellcaster to heal my mother. I can do it myself." This was the main thing that motivated Mwana to pick a fourth element despite how unadvisable it was. After all humans don't have infinite time.
However, rank 4 wood type healers were extremely rare. Even magic masters like Epesi and Volk or the members of the Sunshine Wizard Hall did not have a true healer among them.
"Next is tier 2 spells."
It is important to note that a magic pupil like Mwana could not use tier 2 spells. However, magic was just like any other field of learning. For one to graduate into the next level not only must they be knowledgeable but they must also pass an exam.
The test that one faced before officially receiving the title of a magic student was to perform a tier 2 spell. Once you could even perform a single tier 2 spell, you advanced to the second rank of magic.
Tier 2 Elemental Spells
[Law of Flame]: Explosions, Wildfire, Burning Heaven, Hellfire, Natural Kiln (+others)
[Rushing Wind Tornado Scythe]
[Thunder Punishment Edity]
Based on the 3 elements that were part of Mwana's focus, Mwana chose 2 spell law books and one tier 2 elemental spell. Law of Flame and Thunder Punishment Edity were books that explained numerous magical skills. For this reason, they came in the form of extremely thick books.
"Even a year straight would not be enough to finish reading all this."
As for the wind element, Mwana chose not to bite of more than he could chew so he chose to forego a wind element law spell book. Instead he chose the [Rushing Wind Tornado Scythe] spell which incorporated elements of the [Wind Blade] spell.
"Primary spells are one thing, but the true power of a rank 2 magician comes from tier 2 combination magic. According to teacher Urembo, magic pupils can only perform primary magic while magic students can perform secondary magic melding 2 elements together."
Mwana spoke to himself as he browsed another section of tier 2 spells:
Derivative Secondary Magic [Tier 2 Spells]
In total, there were 7 main Tier 2 Elemental Spells ignoring the Wood Element. However, the true power of a rank 2 magician came not just from single element spells but through secondary magic involving the fusion of 2 elements. Out of the many secondary magic spells available in the library, Mwana focused on the ones that fit his expertise:
- Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic)
- Eagle Diving Flame (wind + fire)
- Berserker Blood Flame (blood + fire)
- Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic)
- Wind and Lightning Soul Blade (wind + lightning)
Although Mwana wanted to study much more tier 2 spells, he knew it was pointless to pick too many especially since he had not even become a magic student yet. Once he actually became a magic student, he could master as many tier 2 spells as he liked.
When Mwana chose the tier 2 spells, he mainly focused on his strengths and the spells that would enhance these strengths. For instance, his strong sensory abilities due to his strengthened soul and Dragon Mirror Eye would make it easier for him to learn a spell like the Pursuit Fire Snake Spell (fire + sensory magic).
Further, his sword mastery made spells like the Fire Wheel Sword Spell Technique (fire + sword magic) and Wind and Lightning Soul Sword (wind + lightning) were perfect for his fighting style.
And if Mwana mastered the Eagle Diving Flame (wind + fire), he would truly master the power of flight that every rookie magician dreamed of.
As for the Berserker Blood Flame (blood + fire), although it sounded extremely terrible, this spell actually had some blood nourishing effect. However, the essence of blood type spells could not be divorced from the water element which was not part of Mwana's expertise. At most, Mwana just hoped to glimpse some inspiration from this spell. If he worked to master it, it would take a much much longer time.
"This is enough. I don't know how long it will take me to get through all this."
Even though Mwana had this thought, he was still reluctant to put the books on magic down.
The other spells he chose to memorize were:
Tier 2 Poison Magic
[Dragon King of Poison]
Defense Magic: Derivative Magic [within the same element]
- [Fire Dome] - Fire Style Defensive technique: modified Fireball.
- [Wind Barrier] - Wind Cloak: casts an air film around the user making them almost untouchable.
- [Thunder Canopy] - Thunder-Lightning Armor: Levels of the Armor include Blue Lightning, Red Lightning, and Purple Lightning.
It was only after looking through all these spells that Mwana chose to move on to the next section.
"This is the main course meal!!!!!"
With his eyes glittering, Mwana finally started picking what he truly wanted; the main reason why he came to the library – Speed Techniques! His bread and butter. His true love in the path of martial arts!
Speed is King!
Speed, Footwork, & Movement Arts
Mwana looked through almost everything on speed that fit his level in the library.
In the end, Mwana settled on 3 techniques:
- [Optical Aberration]
Description: a light style befuddling technique that enhances one's movement directly through a speed boosts and indirectly through misdirection.
- [Thunder Bird Dive]
Description: a soaring and diving technique that imitates the flight of the thunder bird. The user's speed reaches the highest point when diving from a high distance like an eagle rushing from the sky towards its prey.
- [Great Ape moving through the Heavens]
Description: Like a monkey in its natural habitat, this is a leaping technique that boosts speed and agility over long distances.
From Mwana's choices, it was evident that he was not just chasing plain speed but also versatility.
For pure speed arts, Mwana had already inherited the Thunder & Lightning Steps of the Thunder Bull Martial School. This was basically a gift (bribe) from Jua Umeme to entice him to join her school once he graduated from the Academy.
The main reason Mwana picked these particular techniques was because he had a particularly grand dream: to create his own movement technique!
With the Reflection eye Mwana could copy all these techniques and later rely on his insight to either combine or strip down the techniques so that his own unique style of speed would emerge.
"No more 100 Steps in an Instant, No More Withered Wood Dance, No More Linear Wind Spell, No More Rushing Thunder Steps, No More Thunder & Lightning Steps, No More Optical Aberration, No More Thunder Bird Dive, No More Great Ape moving through the Heavens... I will call this technique..." at least these were the words that Mwana wanted to say one day.
Unfortunately for him, it would still take him a long time to create his own fusion movement technique even with the help of the Dragon Mirror Eye.
But once it was created, it would become an Ultimate Speed Technique!
Even if he could not create it now, Mwana had already decided on a name, "I will call it [Liquid Mirror] – a technique that specializes in moving, concealing, attacking, and reflecting everything under the sun like a liquid mirror."
Mwana's Book of Knowledge
Bonus Notes 13: Jua Village Martial Schools
The main martial schools in Jua village are:
- Thunder Bull School: it mainly focuses on the Thunder Style.
- Blazing Tiger School: this school focuses on the Fire Style. Majority of its - people are of foreign descent from the Eastern continent. The school is mainly known for their [Flame Swallowing Mantra] which can allow people to swallow flames.
- White Rhino School: Metal Style.
- Green Cheetah School: Wind Style.
- Jungle Lion: Wood Style. This is a school that admits a multitude of ethnicities in the village including intelligent Spirit Beasts and Beast Men. The twin lion guardsmen who act as the security at the gate of White Rock Academy, Radi Muruthi and Mwaki Muruthi, are both alumni of this martial school.
- Eastern Elephant School: This is another school that admits a lot of foreigners from the East. Most of the school's martial arts forms emphasize strengthening the body and using the elbows, knees, and even the head as weapons. This is all classified under Earth Style. The school's main meditative martial art is the [Sunless Martial Form] - this is a martial art developed for foreigners who arrive at the village when it is too late for them to practice the [Sun and Moon arts].
Apart from these 6 major schools, there are also other minor schools like the Maroon Whale School which focuses on the Water Style, the Spear Master School which focuses on Spearmanship, and the Shark Blade School which focuses on Swordsmanship.