Chương 160: Chapter 159 [Going Slow Mo]

Now that Luka has a taunt it feels like we've got a proper MMO tank. Still no healer though. Sounds about right. Wonder if there are paladin types here — nobles probably have something like that for combat. Can't imagine the whole cloth-wearing priest thing working in actual fighting. Leo went back to his casting. Like everyone else, he ran through different variations of his spell.

Some faster casts, where he tried to get as many blasts in a short interval, some longer ones where he let the spell charge up, using more mana for a more powerful effect. The purple lightning still looked wrong — not bad wrong, just different to what he'd gotten used to over the weeks since he'd unlocked his magic. He'd never seen purple lightning outside of a video game. There had to be more to it than whatever the tournament reward had done, but he had no idea what. He went back to the quick bursts.

The wind picked up around him. Warm for wind. He noticed it but ignored it and kept going.

"Weird," Sam said.

"What?" Phil asked.

"Wind's picking up." A pause.

"But look at the trees." Leo glanced toward the tree line without stopping. They were completely still.

"Is that common here?" Sam asked.

"Wind picking up in one spot? The trees should be moving with the wind. I've seen it act like this in places where it gets trapped, like an alcove or something, but that doesn't explain this when we're in the middle of a field." Rika's answer came flat.

"No, it's not normal. I have no idea what's causing it. Never seen anything like it before." Leo turned back to his dummy and kept going. Quick bursts, charged blasts, varying the gap. Then something shifted — not in the spell going out but underneath it, the same pull he'd felt before Lightning Blast clicked. Different direction this time. He stopped mid-cast and pushed the lightning inward instead of out. The chime sounded. He pulled up his tab.

[Enhanced Spark] Type: Lightning Discharge Spell Difficulty: Low Skill Level: Apprentice Range: Touch [EXPAND] Effect Summary: Controlled arc of lightning extending from the hand* Low to moderate damage output* Low mana cost* Elemental signature: Lightning* System Analysis: Mana pathway stable and widening* Elemental attunement confirmed: Lightning* Current Power Level: Developing* Progression method: Repetition through tab, intent refinement* Potential Threads: [Lightning Blast] — Projected discharge, extended range, higher damage* [Lightning Coat] — Applies charge to surface or object* [Lightning Field] — Creates charged area, disrupts movement within it* [Lightning Amp] — Channels lightning through body, enhances speed and reflexes* [Lightning Blast] Type: Lightning Projection Spell Difficulty: Medium Skill Level: Novice Range: 20m [EXPAND] Effect Summary: Concentrated bolt of lightning projected from the hand* Moderate to high damage output* Medium mana cost* Elemental signature: Lightning* System Analysis: Mana pathway stable and widening* Elemental attunement confirmed: Lightning* Current Power Level: Developing* Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road.

Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Progression method: Repetition through use, intent refinement* Potential Threads: [Chain Lightning] — Bolt arcs between multiple targets on contact* [Called Lightning] — Draws a strike down from above, wider area, less precise* [Lightning Javelin] — Concentrated single target bolt, longer range, higher damage* [Lightning Amp — Unlocked] Type: Self Enhancement Spell Difficulty: Medium Skill Level: Novice Range: Self [EXPAND] Effect Summary: Channels lightning through the body, enhancing speed and reflexes* Movement and reaction time increase significantly beyond normal physical limits* Sustained use increases enhancement effect, high mana cost* Elemental signature: Lightning* System Analysis: Mana pathway active, early stage* Elemental attunement confirmed: Lightning* Current Power Level: Foundational* Progression method: First successful cast, intent driven* Potential Threads: [???]* [???]* [???]*"Finally got it," he said.

"You guys watching?" He reached into his inventory and pulled out his wooden training sword.

"Someone try to block my attack. I'll stop before I land it so you don't need to worry. I want you to try and stop me from getting close though." Luka cast Standfast.

"Go on then." Leo thought about his new spell and for the first time, cast Lightning Amp. Immediately, every movement he'd ever made before this felt like it had been running against resistance he hadn't known was there. Even with the UI upgrades, his body prior to using this spell felt sluggish. He realised why. His body was moving faster but it was also reacting to his thoughts far quicker. He moved his arms and legs to get a feel for this new reality and then looked at Luka.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," Luka said. The word came out slow and deep. Leo nodded.

"On the count of three. Shai, if you would please." Shai counted down from three. On the word go, Leo shot out towards Luka. He realised Luka was moving as if in slow motion as he passed his friend. Luka's shield was still being raised, his line of sight still placed firmly on where Leo had been standing a moment before. Leo noticed in real time as Luka's eyes slowly widened. Before he knew it he was behind his friend and the sword stopped at the back of Luka's neck.

The shield finished materialising with Leo already past it. He dropped the amp and stepped back. Rika gasped.

"Holy fuck dude. I didn't see you move," Parmo said.

"I mean I don't think I did but I'm not sure."

"I didn't," Phil said.

"And that's with the UI." Shai's tail had stopped. Torren's eyes had gone wide. Luka lowered his shield.

"My shield is fast." He looked at Leo.

"It wasn't even close. That spell is bullshit man." Leo looked at the training sword. The amp was already fading, the drain sitting heavy in his mana well.

"It was like when you play games and go slow-mo. Sorta like Max Payne or something. It's trippy as hell. Gonna take a bit of getting used to before I feel comfortable using it for longer than a second or two."

"That's fair. Still though. That's one hell of a trump card dude," said Sam.

"Yeah, definitely," agreed Leo. They were still standing there when the UI message came through. [Mike Ellis] Everyone get to the civic. Scouts have reported in. We've got a problem.

"Got a message," Leo said, looking at Shai and the others.

"Mike wants us at the Civic." Shai nodded, followed by Rika and Torren. The group set off towards town at a hurried pace. The group made quick time on their way to the civic, passing more and more people out practicing their magic. People focused on combat magic had been told to take it outside of town, but that left more than a few people trying out non-combat magic in the middle of the streets. There was a man near the hardware shop floating about a foot off the ground with both arms out, wobbling badly.

A woman nearby watched with her arms folded. Further down, someone had set up outside the old post office. A blue wireframe shape hung in the air in front of them — geometric, building-sized. Rocks drifted up from a pile on the ground, floated into place against the frame and fused where they touched, the joins disappearing as they connected. That's going to be massive for any building work that needs doing. Wonder if he gets the full suite of crafting buildings like a forge and alchemy building. Magic tower maybe?

I kind of wish I had something like that, I love crafting games. Someone ran their hand along a cracked wall as they passed, the crack closing slowly behind their fingers. A woman moved bubbles of water through the air, and two kids watched, mesmerised by the shapes she managed to make. The civic was as busy as usual when they got there. Mike was at the main table with papers in front of him, talking quietly to Diane. Several council seats were still empty and there was no sign of Kai or Ronan yet.

Diane had something on the table. Small, blue with jagged edges. Leo recognised it from the festival. He'd seen a barrel of them, someone selling them near the food stalls. He'd walked past without thinking. Diane noticed him looking before he asked.

"You wondering what those are?" Shai's ears came forward.

"Monster cores." Diane nodded.

"Picked a few up at the festival. I had an idea and I've been testing them since we got back." She glanced at Mike.

"I was just about to explain when you all walked in." She picked one up and turned it over.

"These are magic batteries. Self-recharging, significant output depending on the core's power level. Used in enchanting, crafting, all sorts here. But here's the thing." She set it down.

"The reason our cars don't work isn't mechanical. The engines are fine. It's the chemical reactions — combustion doesn't function here for whatever reason. But solar power does. I think these could work as a replacement. If we can build a system around them, an engine block that runs off magic output instead of combustion, we're not just talking about cars." She looked around the table.

"Everything that runs on electricity back home. Manufacturing equipment. Power tools. Machines we lost the day we got here. And if monsters carry cores," she looked at Shai, who nodded, "then the wilds aren't just a threat. They're a resource. The more we clear, the more we have to work with." She paused, then added: "I'm thinking we call it magitech." Leo grinned. Every fantasy setting with magic and technology used the same name. Not very original. Still a good name.

"That's a nice thought, Diane," said Shai.

"But don't you think the idea to harvest cores from the border hasn't come up before? It's dangerous. You need a pretty solid plan on how to obtain enough of them without causing the balance on the border to go wild. It's already happening as you well know."

"I know that. And I know it's not as easy as saying we'll go grab a load when we need them. It is, however, the start of a plan that could catapult us and everyone else on the border way forward in terms of tech and standard of living." She smiled at Shai.

"I'm not stupid enough to think it'll be easy or that we should risk people's lives, but it's something we can discuss that we didn't know was a possibility until now." Before Shai could say anything in response, the door opened. Kai came in first, Ronan behind him. The rest of the council started filling the seats. Mike straightened the papers in front of him.

"Right. As interesting as all of that is, we have other problems that will need sorting first."