The ranking battles ended with me still in first place. My reputation? A dodgy magic item user.
Those who believe in the supremacy of pure magic see my fighting style as unorthodox, even wrong. But those who think that strength is all that matters? They're all for it. Opinions are divided.
If I were to reveal *Death*, I'd probably be hailed as the strongest mage, but that would be a hassle. So, I'm keeping it locked away for now.
Speaking of which, Professor Samantha recently asked me to demonstrate *Fluid Grasp*. Time to spin some fabricated explanations.
"Alright, please begin," she instructed.
"*Fluid Grasp*," I said, letting the magic flow.
"Interesting. My *Mana Sensor* tells me you're just circulating mana internally."
"Look closer. It's being released throughout my entire body."
She squinted. "Ah, I see. It enhances your sensitivity. It's a subtle detection magic."
"I use it to sense airflow and dodge attacks."
"I see... but it must take some serious training to master. How did you train for this?"
"Simple. I'd walk through swinging pendulums in pitch darkness, avoiding getting hit."
"That sounds challenging but reasonable. And how did you develop *Destroy Field*?"
Thank you, manga knowledge. It's the best source of fake training methods.
"*Destroy Field* is a modified disruption spell. It's basically a long-range jammer. I just coined a term that felt more fitting."
"How do you manage long-range jamming?"
"Jamming disrupts the mana in an opponent's body. The tricky part isn't the long range—it's controlling the disruption."
"Usually, distance makes it harder because you need a physical medium. With no medium, spells lose power as they travel."
"*Mana Transfer* works without a medium."
"That's strange... something's got to be at play here."
"Maybe it's because I imparted magical properties to the air."
"You mean like wind magic? But regular jamming just uses mana... Can you try that? Jamming air?"
Professor Samantha cast a spell, sending a blast of mana-infused air towards me.
"You've got it."
"Really? If you can infuse mana into the air, that could open up applications for healing and other spells! This could be a breakthrough... I might get promoted to professor!"
"Congratulations."
"But keeping the air charged over long distances might be tough. Plus, it seems like it loses power the farther it goes."
"That's where creative solutions come in."
While she pondered new possibilities, I thought about why circulating mana prevents it from dispersing. Maybe it's like generating a magnetic field? Who knows? As long as it works, I won't complain.
I wonder if rotating mana increases spell potency. If Professor Samantha asks for another idea, I'll throw that one at her.
---
Time for a hunt. Today's target: griffon materials.
If it comes within 100 meters, it'll enter *Death's* range. But I doubt it'll be that easy.
"There it is, boss, that little speck in the sky—griffon."
"They're usually cautious, and we'll need to lure it in," Phantom said.
As if sensing something, the griffon launched a flurry of feathers from a distance. Each feather was infused with mana.
"Feather magic, huh?"
Instead of closing in, it shrieked, "Kreeeee!"
I felt my body lock up for a moment. Paralysis.
"Boss, I can't move!"
"I'm fine. Circulating mana acts as a shield against paralysis spells—it blends with their mana and breaks it down. No spell can reach my core."
"We don't have much time!"
"If it charges, *Death* will take care of it."
But it didn't come closer. Smart.
If it doesn't come within range, I can't kill it.
Finally, Phantom regained movement, brandishing a knife.
"A knife against a griffon?"
"This is no ordinary knife, boss. Press the switch, and the blade shoots out."
"A proper assassin's weapon."
"Got it from a black-market dealer."
Shooting knives, huh? What if I use mana like a spring—compress the flow, coil it into a spiral, then release it with a rotational burst...
I tried it. My mana spiraled forward, spreading a deadly concentration of energy. It hit the griffon, which plummeted from the sky.
A solid technique. I'll need a name for it.
How about... *Long-Range Death*? Nah, too simple. Maybe *Cannon Death*? Better, but not quite.
Got it—*Infinity Death*. Perfect. It reaches far, and the speed is solid. Better than a metal spring—probably because there's no air resistance.
As I pondered, Phantom collected the griffon's carcass. He returned holding a few of its feathers.
"What are you planning to do with those feathers?"
"I figured they'd make a nice gift for you to give, boss. Maybe a feather quill for Karina?"
"Good thinking. She'd appreciate that."
Now that I'd gotten the technique down, I wondered if rotating movements could produce a mana tornado. Let's give it a try.
I spun the mana into a death-infused vortex. It even started absorbing mana from the surroundings, growing larger with each rotation.
Anyone with a *Mana Sensor* would be in for a shock.
This attack shall be named *Death Tornado*. Slow-moving but devastating in wide-range assaults. I'll keep it in my back pocket, switching between that and *Infinity Death* depending on the situation.
---
With all these new abilities, I should classify them.
Spells I can use openly:
- *Destroy Field*
- *Fluid Grasp*
- *Mana Transfer*
- *Appraise*
And those I should keep hidden:
- *Death*
- *Mana Absorb*
- *Mana Parry*
- *Infinity Death*
- *Death Tornado*
Yeah, that should do for now.