Via focused all her concentration on the delicate task before her. She had reached the final moment of transforming the white rose plant into a magic plant.
A sense of danger radiated from the magic forming within the white rose, but it was too late to turn back now. Stopping was not an option. Even if she tried to recall and start over, the transformation would follow the same path—her understanding of blood and metal elements had shaped this outcome.
As the transformation neared completion, she could feel the energies at work. Blood, metal, and wood magic energies had formed inside her mysterious space, but unlike in the white rose, they remained separate, refusing to merge.
"I can merge them," she thought, her heart pounding with both excitement and hesitation.
Yet, sensing the volatile energy within the white rose, doubt crept in.
"Is this the right path for me?"
The magic inside the rose felt unstable, carrying an unpredictable risk. Should she attempt the same fusion within herself? Or was she treading dangerous ground?
She needed guidance.
"I should ask the totem for advice."
The totem was ancient, far older than her, and possessed wisdom beyond her comprehension. With its superior knowledge and higher realm of strength, it could offer insights into what was best for her future.
Making her decision, she halted her transformation process and let the white rose complete its evolution.
At that moment, the white rose finished absorbing the transformation energy, drawing in spiritual energy at an alarming rate.
With her eyes closed, Via could feel the changes—the plant grew taller, its stem thickened, and new leaves unfurled, carried by the spring breeze to gently land upon her body.
She remained still, letting the magic settle, knowing this was only the beginning.
A moment later, she sensed the White Rose plant cease its frantic absorption of spiritual energy. But just as she exhaled in relief, she felt something new—a surge of magic energy from the transformed plant flowing into her body.
Deep within her mysterious space, the magic energy of the white rose plant intertwined with the three distinct magic energies already present—blood, metal, and wood. It sought to merge them, as it had done within itself.
But she resisted.
"No… not yet."
She focused her will, isolating the incoming magic energy into a separate cluster, keeping the original three untouched. Now, within her mysterious space, four clouds of magic energy floated, swirling yet distinct.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
The once pure white rose had undergone a stunning transformation—its petals had turned a deep blood-red, its green leaves pulsed with vitality, and its once-delicate stems and branches had darkened to an ominous black, now covered in crimson thorns.
It was no longer a White Rose.
It had become a Blood Rose.
Yet, instead of standing, she remained seated on the ground, her breath steady, her eyes closing once more.
She turned her focus inward, entering her sea of consciousness.
At the center, her spiritual thought cluster pulsed with energy, and orbiting around it were two phantom seeds—manifestations of the spells she had learned from the Blood Magic Tree and Iron Vine: Blood-Sucking Roots, and Iron Vine Whip.
Now, she formed another seed, pouring into it all her understanding—from the moment she first touched the White Rose to its transformation into the Blood Rose.
The phantom seed began to solidify, absorbing every insight she had gained.
But just as it reached its final stage…
It shattered.
The fragments of the failed spell dissolved back into her spirit reabsorbed into the depths of her consciousness.
Her understanding was not yet complete.
She needed more experience, more attempts, and more transformed Blood Roses before she could successfully forge a new spell seed.
With that realization, she opened her eyes once more, determination burning behind them.
The path to mastering Blood Rose Magic had only just begun.
As Via stood up, a voice called out to her.
"The transformation of the White Rose is complete. Did your realm advance?"
She turned to see Vak, sitting casually on a boulder.
Frowning, she asked, "What are you doing here instead of practicing?"
Vak sighed. "No training today. The tribe's food supply is dwindling."
Via's gaze lifted toward the sky, her expression darkening as she spotted a white dot circling outside the valley—the Ice Wyvern.
"We need to find a way to deal with it," she muttered.
Vak shook his head. "We don't have the strength. The elder asked Lord Lycan about it two days ago. He said he'll fight the Wyvern in a week."
Via approached another White Rose plant, running her fingers along its petals.
"Then will the food last for five days?"
Vak exhaled. "It'll last three. Stopping our training bought us two extra days, but that's it."
A brief silence passed before Vak asked again, "So… did your realm advance?"
Via glanced back at him. "Even if it did, it wouldn't help against the Wyvern. To stand a chance, I'd need to advance by an entire realm."
She had only just reached the Intermediate Great Shaman Realm, yet with the threat looming over the tribe, she had barely paid attention to her breakthrough.
"To truly fight the Wyvern, I'd need to reach at least the Intermediate Bronze Shaman Realm… that's an entire realm above my current strength."
Vak watched as she settled in front of another White Rose plant.
"You're not going to rest?"
Via shook her head. "No. I need to fully understand the White Rose's transformation into a Blood Rose."
Vak glanced at the newly transformed plant, its blood-red roses, blackened stems, and crimson thorns exuding an eerie presence.
"A fitting name."
Via nodded. "Yes."
Without another word, Via focused, beginning the transformation anew.
When she opened her eyes again, she found the White Rose had once more transformed into a Blood Rose. Closing them again, she entered a meditative state, diving into her sea of consciousness.
This time, as she formed a spell seed, she succeeded. The seed solidified and blossomed into a Blood Rose Plant within her spiritual space. Satisfied, she willed it to return to its seed form before standing up.
Night had already fallen.
"Let's see how the spell works."
She activated the new spell, feeling 10% of her magic energy drain in an instant. Extending her right palm toward a nearby tree, she watched as rust-colored magic energy surged from her hand and shot forward.
A heartbeat later, blood-red vines covered in sharp thorns erupted, crashing against the tree.
Via frowned. "Looks like I need to refine the spell."
Her mind drifted to her previous improvements. The Bloodsucking Root spell remained unchanged, but she had already enhanced the Iron Vine Whip spell. Originally, the spell had summoned a single, long vine whip in her hand. But after her adjustments, the spell now conjured three intertwined iron vines, each seven meters long, forming a much stronger whip.
"The Blood Rose spell can also take the form of a whip… but I already have a whip-based spell. A cage would be better."
She sat on the boulder where Vak had rested hours ago, closing her eyes once more.
Diving back into her sea of consciousness, she located the new spell seed and willed it into rune form. Then, she began modifying its structure, carefully tweaking the runes to reshape the spell.
Half an hour later, she opened her eyes and immediately cast the revised spell.
This time, instead of vines crashing into the tree, they wove themselves into a net of blood-red thorns, wrapping tightly around the trunk.
Via concentrated, maintaining the flow of magic energy. As she observed, she calculated:
"At this rate, the spell consumes 1% of my magic energy per minute if I maintain it."
Via exhaled in satisfaction.
"Let's visit the Spirit Tower and exchange some new spells. After that, I can finally rest."
The Spirit Tower stood to the east of the tribe, while she was currently in the south. Without hesitation, she began walking toward it.
She had yet to claim her free spell or trade any of her own spells for new ones. On her last visit, she had submitted the original version of Iron Vine Whip. In return, the Spirit of the Tower had taught her how to modify spell runes—a lesson that had proven invaluable.
After a few minutes, she reached the tower and stepped inside. The air was cool and quiet, humming with latent magical energy.
At the center of the hall stood a large black crystal book, its pages eternally open atop an ornate pedestal. Via approached and placed her palm on its surface.
A voice echoed in her mind.
Spirit: "Via, what can I do for you? Are you here to exchange spells? You may choose either three first-rank spells or one second-rank spell."
Via's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, the exchange rate for a second-rank spell is three first-rank spells. What about a third-rank spell?"
Spirit: "Five second-rank spells." A brief pause. "Why do you ask? With your current magic reserves, you cannot sustain a third-rank spell."
Via hesitated. "Nothing, just curious."
The real reason, however, was different. Third-rank spells could summon Fey—and she had made a friend of a fairy named Ystra, sent to aid her by the totem.
Spirit: "Would you like to exchange some spells?"
Via nodded. "Yes. But first, take this."
She transmitted the spell structure of her Thorn Cage Spell into the black crystal book.
After a brief silence, the Spirit responded.
Spirit: "I have analyzed the spell. It is a second-rank spell."
Via gave a satisfied nod. "Then show me the available first and second-rank wood attribute spells."
A moment later, glowing runes appeared on the black crystal pages, listing various spells. She scanned them carefully before making her decision.
"I want the Goodberry Spell and the Wither and Bloom Spell."
The moment she spoke, knowledge flooded her mind—diagrams, incantations, and intricate spell structures. A sharp ache bloomed in her skull as her already exhausted spirit strained under the sudden influx of information.
She rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of the day crash down on her. Transforming the White Rose, tweaking the Thorn Cage spell, and going without rest since dawn had drained her. Now, this massive spell transfer was pushing her beyond her limits.
Spirit: "You still have two first-rank spells left to claim."
Via exhaled deeply, barely holding back a yawn. "I'll choose them later. Thank you."
Turning away from the pedestal, she left the tower and started walking back toward the tribe.
At this point, she didn't care about food or anything else—only sleep. As a Great Shaman, her magic energy could stave off hunger for a while, so she decided she would eat after waking up tomorrow.
For now, all she wanted was a good night's rest.