A month flew by in the blink of an eye in this routine of being constantly with Alexia and training my Magical Power.
The rumors swirling around us became a blur, too numerous to keep track of. I recall snippets, like whispers of Alexia possibly being with child, or talk of us seizing the throne solely through the strength of our love...
These nobles are seriously nuts, aren't they?
I never laid a finger on her with any of those intentions, but to those clueless fools, all men are just walking sex machines.
If I were the King of Midgar, heads would probably be rolling by now.
They're just so damn irritating.
---
In this month, I finally had the chance to acquire what I was seeking.
I'm currently holed up in a mansion near the Academy, where those slimes are roaming around. With the cash I've got, I could easily afford this place, so I snagged it using a fake name. Had to go incognito to keep things hush-hush and use this spot for my research.
Plus, it's a handy hideout if things ever go south and I need to make a quick getaway.
Only Alexia and Shadow Garden are in on this little secret. The latter's spies have been tailing me like a ghost wherever I tread.
I chose to let them be, since I wanted to make an alliance with them.
You never know what may happen in this world, especially considering I am not an omniscient being.
Anyway, here I am, staring at a bunch of slimes in front of me, each one harvested with utmost care.
To be more precise, its corpses.
Even with the [Perfect Mana Pathways], I still had to put in some time in research to figure things out. It took me a solid two weeks to grasp how to control the slime jelly properly.
Cid made it seem like a cakewalk, but trust me, it was no walk in the park.
Let's start with this: slimes don't have the same Mana Pathways as humans. So, even though I had all the book smarts, wrapping my head around the nitty-gritty of how magic flows through a slime's body took some time.
To be more precise, I had to work with a precise count of 32 alive subjects to nail down how magic spreads through them right down to the last detail.
But, unlike your average Joe, once I cracked the code on how to handle it just right, it's like I soaked up that knowledge and made it a part of my [Mana Control] skill. That puts me in a sweet spot, giving me a leg up over the Seven Shadows who sometimes struggle with keeping their slime bodysuits in check.
Anyway, it won't be too long before I whip up something similar.
No, my goal is to craft something even better than that. I don't just want to mimic Cid Kagenou. If I'm gearing up to face three absolute monsters boasting [Extreme] Combat Prowess, I need more than just a copy.
Even the thought of such power makes my back break out in a nervous sweat.
It's crystal clear—I'm way smaller than an ant when it comes to their league.
Just hold on, you fuckers. I swear, once I'm strong enough, I'll wipe the floor with all of you.
Back to my research.
Right now, I've got the hang of making simple stuff that doesn't need crazy manipulation—like a ball, a line, a rectangle...
Soon enough, I'll master it to the point where I can make the Special Technique I have in mind. That's when I'll be one step closer to nailing my quests and reach the Combat Prowess I will need.
[Quests Progression]
[Dark Knight I - 68%]
[Marriage: The First Step - 33%]
[Cult of Diablos: Hiding - 0%]
I half-expected one of the Seven Shadows to come knocking after they caught wind of me snagging slimes left and right in their territory. But nope, they just left me be.
Wouldn't you be worried if someone you have no knowledge of is casually collecting what is probably the biggest secret behind the power of your organization?
That's why I got myself ready, just in case things got ugly. Even though facing off against a named Shadow right now would be like signing my own death warrant, I can at least hold my ground and throw in some excuse related to their boss to try and talk my way out of it. But, of course, it depends on who shows up.
If it's someone like Delta, convincing them would be a solid 0%, so I can't say I wasn't on edge...
What's going on in their heads, I wonder?
Eh, not my problem. If they don't give a damn about me, I won't lose sleep over them either.
Sure, there was a bit of worry since the deadline for my [Cult of Diablos: Hiding] quest was creeping up, but I didn't let it ruffle my feathers.
The Cult of Diablos is gearing up to make their move, so I better haul back to the Academy.
Sure, this spot's close enough that I could sprint back in an hour and keep up the charade that we're still holed up at the Academy. But I can't keep relying on that.
Especially since I'm banned from leaving on my own. I've gotta lug Alexia along since she can't keep pace with the speed I hit now with Body Strengthening.
She wasn't exactly thrilled about letting me go solo, and truth be told, I didn't want to leave her alone in the Academy either.
With the Cult sniffing around, she's at risk, and if I were stuck in this giant mansion by myself, all I'd do is fret over her well being instead of getting any research done.
Sure, I have to put up with her constant teasing and her never-ending requests to spar, but it's not that bad. I'm actually kinda enjoying the company.
---
Author's Note:
Soon, I will change the name of the skills [Body Control] and [Absolute Awareness] to the names voted in the Polls on my Patreon!
I thank you all for the support in helping me decide which name was better. If you still want to participate in it, it's still open!
What do you think so far about the novel? As always, I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts about it!
I keep asking because your feedback will be crucial in the future. I have plans to create an original after this novel will be done, coupled with maybe some other short fanfic.
I expect Trials Of The Multiverse to take around 2-3 years to reach the end, so I expect to write around 1000-1500 chapters to end the Trials.
About the world after the Trials, it's another story. We'll talk about that when we reach that point lmao.
Anyway, 1500+. That's many chapters. I don't know if I'll be able to do that much, I am honest. I am but a humble author with a dream, but all your positive reactions and comments really charge me with energy, although it's not the reason I write. I wish to thank you all <3!
Let's see where this journey takes us, humble soldiers, and remember.
In Furina we thrust?
Seriously, I should stop putting random memes expecting people to know them...