[Blink] isn't a movement-type spell. It's an auxiliary spell that bends the space around you to allow faster movement. Using the same bending of space, I could reverse it to slow me down. It would strain my body, but I was durable enough to take it.
Using less mana, I could experiment to see the ratio needed to stop myself. The first thing I did was to ride out [Blink] fully. Using less mana, I could fully experience it this time before stopping. Seeing no problems with the spell, I could start working on stopping.
My first step was to test out the inverse of [Blink] to see if it would work. Densifying the space around me made it much harder to move. Knowing it worked, I started the experiments on fusing the two sides of [Blink].
I could calculate the exact math to get an approximate first, but I was never that type of guy. While my brain was a computer, I still needed to guide it. To make it automatic, I would need to create algorithms and intelligence that I couldn't be bothered with.
My nanomachines were only automatic because they connected to my soul and subconscious. Math was a task of the consciousness, meaning they couldn't do it.
I'd go on to regret this decision after I had to suffer through the hundreds of tests to perfect my spell. It was only very late in the evening that I started the flight back to Greyhound. I'd come here at noon.
[Blink] was now up and working, but I didn't know how much use it'd be in practice. I'd practiced a lot, so I only needed a chant, but it still took five seconds. That was barely of any use in my everyday life.
I was somewhat satisfied, so I packed it up and went home before night. [Blink] would be more useful after practicing it. I was also getting close to the Blue Core and tenth circle magic. All my chanted spells were pseudo-tenth-circle magics already, and the teleportation circle was tenth-circle magic.
It was the beginning of Spring, and I'd turn 18 in the fall. By then, I would be very close to the tenth rank. My body was also getting close to advancing. Only a few months of diligent training stood between me and that sweet rank-nine body.
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Once I arrived back at Greyhound, I took up my seclusion. I was getting very close to breaking through the teleportation magic. Getting it set up would be a massive boon to the entirety of the village.
The town was still running efficiently, and the townspeople were busy with the planting season. This was a huge milestone in the beginning of our civilization. I hoped to get this city on par with the Duchy where I grew up.
Everyone was busy, including me, so it was a quiet week of intense work. Nothing crazy happened, and I finally managed to replicate a small-scale version of the magic. It took another week after I went out to train [Blink].
But cracking an advanced magic like this in two weeks was not bad. Considering my achievements thus far, I was on par with some of the greatest geniuses in the world, or so I liked to think.
I wasn't sure how I compared to the Eight Great Heroes of Legend, but they were all middle-aged or above 50. Elves and the daemons lived to 200, and dwarves had a lifespan of 250.
To show off my achievement, I went to Garth. On this particular day, he was overseeing the construction of a tavern. It was a good place to hang out, increasing the town's morale.
I beckoned to Garth when he saw me.
"What now? Some of us have jobs, you know?" Garth said. I couldn't figure out if he were annoyed or joking.
"Well, I have just discovered something that could be very useful." I led him to our backyard, where I'd set up two circles.
"Aren't those same circles you where researching?" Garth asked.
"Yes, and today I have succeeded!"
"Wait. Actually??"
"Yep, watch this." I placed a nearby log on the left circle.
Making sure it was stable, I started pouring in magic.
"You ready to be amazed?" I asked Garth.
"Let's wait and see." Garth replied coolly.
With the circle being complete, I released the magic. Unlike in the dungeon, I was much stronger now and only needed a second to activate the circle. A purple-pink glow covered the object, and it appeared on the right circle the next second.
"That is pretty cool." Garth admitted.
"Now watch this." I sent the log back to the left circle and stood on it. "It can do people as well." I smirked.
"You sure? Have you tested this before?" Garth looked a bit worried.
"It'll be fine." I waved my hand and started the process once again. Without any fanfare, I activated the circle again.
A feeling of nausea washed over me, strong enough to make even my iron stomach churn. As the bright light of the spell continued, I looked up.
There was a crack in the light, and as I squinted to see through, the crack grew bigger and bigger. My eyes adjusted wildly as I tried to make sense of the information I was receiving. It was almost pitch black, but here and there, you could spot a few lights.
I continued to look, and more lights appeared. After a while, it became clear that they were stars, twinkling in and out of existence. More lights continued to appear, and I noticed the crack growing bigger.
The lights also became brighter, a cacophony of different colors bombarding my eyes with more and more light. Eventually, it became so bright I had to shut my eyes. I opened my eyes again to a world of gray and the sight of a middle-aged blonde man.
"Hey, you. Finally Awake."
Before I could respond, my vision darkened, and the sound of Garth's voice reached my ears.
"Alex, you good man?"
I looked up, and the world came back into view.
"Alex?" Garth walked in front of me.
"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Just had to get used it." I shook off the chills, tingling up my spine.
"So it works, huh?" Garth asked.
"Yep, sure does. If I set one up at Umpedes or just down south, it'll be much easier to get to and from there." I replied, pushing away my worries.
"How big can it go?"
"As big as you want, any solid or liquid touching the circle and anything contained within the objects get transported. It will just need more mana depending on how much is being transported."
"Awesome. This will be a great help. Thank you, Alex." As I looked at Garth, I saw a deep look on his face. He was contemplating how best to use this new magic.
"No problem. I think I'll also head down to Umpedes alone in a few days. I need to check on Oshan."
"Well, be careful. We'll miss you here. And tell me before you leave." Garth was used to my absences.
"Perhaps you'll miss me, but half the village doesn't even know my name." I replied.
"Come on, you were the one that saved them all, you're a folk hero."
"I doubt it."