I take a deep breath and focus on the atmospheric mana drifting around in the atmosphere. I will my mind to focus on the dark spots clinging to the other colors, isolating and absorbing.
The darkness attribute mana gravitate around me. They seep into my skin and into my circuits, traveling in them and converging in my core.
"…Oh, nice. You've already figured it out. Good job." The witch's voice boomed beside me, echoing right by my ear. This girl…
Just as I opened my eyes and was all set to smack her, I find nothing but empty air facing me. Dammit, I was too late. Does she not know to leave people alone? She seemed to be pretty good at it back above, why couldn't she do that now?
"You seem to have already figured out the importance of absorbing and purifying mana. As you have surmised, there is more to meditation than just recovering mana really quickly. It can also be used to increase your mana reservoir by constantly absorbing and purifying in large quantities and regular intervals. The more you practice and meditate, the better results you'll yield." She explained.
I continue my mediation and ignore her. Though the intention of that seems to be lost on her.
"Still, you really are a strange creature. Though you have the fighting style and basic abilities of a reinforcer, you have the mindset and mental acumen of a conjurer. A weird combination, but not unheard of. It makes your alignment a mystery at first meeting…though I doubt that would be the case when seeing the way you fight and use magic. From what I have surmised, you prefer to make the best out of things you're familiar with, mastering and perfecting them, though you haven't reached the point where you're satisfied with any one of them. This causes both a furious drive to improve and a constant feeling of self-loathing, most likely stemming from low self-estee—" I cover her mouth and give her a furious glare.
Who does she think she is? Psycho-analyzing people like that is just plain creepy. Though I couldn't say the words, the witch understood my meaning.
I let go of her and go back to my training, trying to clear my head of all these stupid emotions.
◇◆◇◆◇
I stare at my knight's back, gripping my robe tightly. Without another word, as usual, he continued on with his self-imposed solitude.
I move to a corner of the room, one with dozens of books piled up haphazardly on a wooden table. I take the seat on the chair next to it.
What's wrong with him now? I always knew he was very impulsive and instinctual in the way he lived his life, but this is just too much. My mind was cluttered and messy, completely discombobulated.
Why did he do that?. The question repeated itself inside of my head over and over, trying to point me to the answer, one I rejected and avoided at all costs.
It's all his fault.
◇◆◇◆◇
Just a little bit more.
I focus on the mana inside of me, watching and observing the tiniest and most minute reaction it makes.
—Breathe in, breathe out…focus.
Pushing heat and mana into my outstretched arm, I will the mana inside my core out of my body. The darkness attribute mana inside of me traveled in a rush, converging in my left hand and projecting itself outside of my body, via my outstretched hand. My mana circuits flare to life as well, the stress of performing an unfamiliar spell was too much for me to handle currently, weakening the spell's efficiency.
That's fine, what I'm trying to achieve shouldn't be that difficult. Just a little bit more…if I could just grasp that feeling, then I'd be satisfied. Luckily, the abundance of darkness mana in the atmosphere means that I could just try again if I ran out of mana.
But enough of that. I focus on the ball of purified mana hovering just a couple of inches out of the palm of my hand. The simple task was incredibly taxing. If I lose focus for even a second, the projected mana becomes unstable, dissipating in the air immediately soon after.
That's why I have to try even harder, be even better. I close my eyes and concentrate, ignoring anything that doesn't matter and deleting all that I didn't need.
After what seemed like an eternity, the world disappears. Only me and the projected mana were here…just the way I like it.
I will the mana the change shape. From a sphere, to a cube, then a pyramid, a flat surface, concave, convex, then onto more complex shapes. A dodecahedron, tetrahedron, icosahedron, then I will it's size to change as well.
This is the more difficult part. While manipulating a small quantity of mana was taxing enough, this simple, extra step was enough to make me reach my breaking point…normally. For some odd, unexplainable reason, I felt better than normal. My senses were heightened, my body felt more vigorous, and my mind felt more capable. The mana inside of me felt more in tune with me than it ever had been. Despite the excruciating hours of practice I had been doing this, I only felt more and more and alive, like the mana was aiding me for some reason.
I will the mana back into a flat surface, then expand it to a size just big enough to cover my hand, then my head, and finally expand it enough to cover my entire body. My stomach churns and I felt the mana inside my core tank. Such a simple application of 「Conjuration」 was enough to leave me breathless. Still, my body felt alive. Just using and manipulating my mana was extremely satisfying, to the point where I ignored the piercing pain and annoying badgering outside.
"—!———!!____"
Shut up. I shape the mana even more, changing it's shape and it's properties. I will my own element in it as well, making it invisible amidst the abyss. I could still somewhat feel it though, so I didn't worry much.
I will the mana to envelope me, then beyond. The mana became harder and harder to keep stable as it drew farther from me, but I kept it, willing it to stay there.
Then the world disappeared, and I found myself unconscious.
…
"—!"
…..
"——!!"
....
"———!!!"
…...
*slap*
"WAKE UP YOU DAMN IDIOT!!!! WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE!?!"
…huh? What's going on? Why are you shaking me? What's with that face? Are you still angry? Why are you screaming? Why does my face feel hot? No, actually, why does everywhere feel hot?
"LOOK!" She jabbed her thumb behind her, to the pentagram at the center of the room. What the…
The ominous summoning circle was glowing blood-red, an eerie, somewhat horrifying aura leaking out of it, along with a terrifying foreboding. A cold chill went up my spine.
「Skill 'Instinct' is urgently warning you」
"YOU MORON!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SUMMON!?!"