Chương 275: B4—Chapter 54: Affinities

Mahya sat at the dinner table, poking at her food with her fork, with an expression that was a mix of defeat and anger. The air around her felt heavier than usual.

"What's wrong?" I asked, setting my glass down and leaning toward her. She let out a frustrated sigh.

"I can't figure out the engine," she admitted, in a low voice.

"After disassembling this one, I couldn't discover anything new beyond what I told you. I'm sure they run on magnetic fields from the poles—not just because of the world info but also from the engine itself. It all lines up. But…" She paused, gathering her thoughts.

"There are so many intricate parts working in tandem, controlled by what I'm guessing was a very advanced computer or maybe even an AI. Without a functioning model to study or some books on this world's vehicle engineering, I'm completely lost." I took a moment, letting her words settle. She looked genuinely defeated, and that wasn't like her.

"Then drop it for now," I suggested.

"We'll probably come across more vehicles eventually, ones you can tinker with. Or maybe we'll find books that aren't printed on the chemical paper that mana destroys. Either way, you can pick it back up when you have more to work with." Mahya sighed again, but it was less defeated this time, like she released some of the tension in her shoulders.

"Yeah," she said softly, "I think that's the only option. For now, at least. I'm completely stumped."

"You should come clear dungeons with us," Al said, his voice cutting through the lull. He gave her an encouraging nod.

"It will help clear your mind—and improve your mood." For the first time all evening, Mahya smiled, though there was a dangerous gleam in her eyes.

"I will. I need to kill something. A lot of somethings."

"If you two are going dungeon clearing, count me out," I said, holding up a hand.

"I've got something I want to work on at home. But, Al—don't forget we promised Rue a whole dungeon for himself." At the sound of his name, Rue's ears perked up, and his tail thudded against the floor with excitement.

"Yes! Rue get dungeon. Rue need more levels!" he declared, his voice booming in my head as his excitement spilled over. He thumped his tail so hard that the dishes on the table rattled, earning a chuckle from Al and a wide grin from Mahya. The mood lightened, and for the first time that night, Mahya looked like she might actually get some rest after massacring a few unlucky dungeon monsters.

The following morning, I let the wind guide me, whispering directions until I'd located all the dungeons scattered across the airfield—eleven in total. Hovering above each one, I carefully marked their locations on the Map before heading back home. Once I landed and walked into the house, Mahya looked up from sharpening her sword.

"You've got all the dungeons mapped out?" she asked.

"Yep," I confirmed.

"All marked and ready." She tilted her head, considering something.

"Do you want us to save you the ones that don't give gold?" I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

"Only if the rewards are exceptional or if it's something you think I might need. Otherwise, don't bother." They both nodded, accepting the instructions without hesitation. Mahya stored her sword, and Al put on his armor. Rue was anything but calm. His entire body practically buzzed with excitement, his tail wagging so hard it looked like it might take off on its own.

"I hope you'll find a dungeon he can handle solo," I said with a small smile, glancing at Rue.

"Yes! Rue fight! Rue win!" he declared, his excitement radiating through the link like an overcharged battery. His tail thumped the ground again, rattling the wooden floor beneath our feet. Mahya chuckled, reaching to scratch behind Rue's ears.

"Don't worry, big guy. If there's a dungeon out there with your name on it, we'll find it." With that, they headed out on their dungeon-clearing mission, leaving me to work in peace. I went to the spell room, dropped onto the biggest cushion, and closed my eyes. Those Phase 2 channels still bugged me, like an itch I couldn't reach. This time, I tackled the problem differently. Those wizard books were useless.

They felt like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing, and I had no intention of diving back into that mess of convoluted text. I had learned that sometimes it was better to figure things out on my own—thinking outside the box usually got me further, anyway. I directed my attention to the secondary channels. Slowly, I followed them, channel by channel, not trying to understand anything yet.

It was more like taking a walk through an unfamiliar forest, mapping the trails rather than asking where they lead. I lost track of time but eventually stumbled onto something unexpected. These channels had five main clusters, with a few smaller ones scattered around. The largest cluster originated from my Mind orb and spread throughout my entire body. It was also the most "developed," with countless interconnected channels. The second-largest cluster came from my Spirit orb.

It, too, scattered through my body, though its channels were fewer and less complex than the ones from the Mind orb. Then there was the third cluster, and this was where things got interesting. This cluster didn't start from an orb at all. Instead, it seemed to originate from the cluster leading to my Mind orb. It had plenty of nodes connecting to the Spirit orb, but its starting point clearly traced back to the Mind orb channels, not the Spirit orb itself. This cluster was the most developed of all.

The channels were thicker and had two layers overlapping each other. The fourth cluster, smaller but equally odd, also began from the Mind orb cluster, not the orb itself. But this one was different. Its channels scattered aimlessly throughout my body, without ever connecting to a specific point. They just meandered and stopped abruptly, like unfinished roads leading nowhere. Finally, the fifth cluster. This one started and ended at my Body orb, but it had something extra.

It wasn't just self-contained—it also had additional channels that extended from it outward, weaving through my body until they connected to the main channels in my hands, legs, and head. It was like it operated on two levels: a cluster in its own right, and a network feeding into the larger system. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

After some exploration, I saw that the big Mind orb cluster and the Spirit orb cluster both had a couple of channels going from them to my main ones. I also had some other interesting channels. They started at my Mind and Spirit orbs, met in the middle, and then connected to my main ones. When I eventually opened my eyes, I sat there for a moment, letting the discoveries settle in my mind. I still didn't know what it all meant, but now I had a clear map to work with.

That was a start—and sometimes a start was all you needed in this kind of work. I left the spell room to find that everyone had returned home. Their voices carried from the living room, filled with the light-hearted chatter that only came from a job well done. Judging by their grins and the easy way they moved, the day had gone better than I expected.

"How did it go?" I asked, stepping into the room. Al, cleaning his sword with a cloth, looked up first.

"We cleared two dungeons," he said matter-of-factly.

"One of them Rue cleared, so you no longer owe him a solo dungeon. He handled it perfectly." Rue lay on the floor with his head on his paws and thumped his tail against the ground.

"Rue strong. Rue dangerous," he announced, his mental voice laced with satisfaction. I chuckled but turned to Mahya.

"Did everything go well? No injuries?" She rolled her eyes.

"Everything's fine, Dad," she teased with a wink.

"Don't worry. We're all safe and sound."

"Good to hear," I said, letting out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. It was hard not to worry, but seeing them all in good spirits made letting go of that nagging tension easier. Rue's enthusiastic tail thumping and Al's steady, unflappable demeanor said more than words ever could. With everyone settled, it was time to turn my attention to dinner. I was halfway through slicing a carrot when I had a cognition, sharp and sudden like a bolt of lightning.

The knife froze mid-chop, and I stared down at the cutting board, the pieces of the puzzle snapping into place all at once. Of course! The clusters I'd seen earlier weren't just random—they were my affinities. It all made sense now. The biggest cluster, the one that connected to my Mind orb, had to be Wind. The second-largest, tied to my Spirit orb, was Fire. And the most developed cluster of all? That was Lightning. It didn't start from an orb like the others but from the channels linked to my Wind affinity.

From there, it connected directly to my Fire affinity. Of course! It was so obvious now that I wanted to kick myself for not seeing it sooner. The smaller, aimless cluster that didn't connect to anything was Mist. It started from Wind but just… stopped. That had to be because I didn't have a Water affinity yet. Without that connection, the channels were incomplete, left hanging in limbo. And then there were the other channels I hadn't fully understood earlier. Those were my spells.

Nature spells, I realized, tied to my Nature affinity. That explained why there were so many channels originating there. And the channels running between the Mind and Spirit orbs were Bard spells. Since they weren't tied to any specific affinity, their unique pathways made sense. I stepped back from the counter, wiping my hands on my apron, half tempted to march upstairs and give that ridiculous spell-progression book a good smack.

The author made it sound like spells created the channels in the body willy-nilly, that they appeared out of nowhere when you learned a spell. That wasn't wrong exactly—it was just misleading. The spells didn't create the channels; they formed relay points. The channels were a way to bridge the mana reservoirs—the orbs—and the main pathways that allowed me to cast spells. The realization was exhilarating, and I felt a rush of satisfaction that nearly made me forget about the half-prepped dinner in front of me.

I shook my head, laughing quietly at the absurdity. Who knew chopping vegetables could lead to such a breakthrough? Now, a single question lingered in my mind, demanding an answer: How could I connect my Looting spells to the mana pools—the orbs—not through the main channels, but by creating "bridge" channels? If I could manage that, it might strengthen my body and even give the spells a progression aspect. The idea intrigued me, though it also raised another question. Was there such a thing as a Looting Affinity?

The thought made me chuckle as I resumed chopping vegetables. If a Looting Affinity existed, it would probably have my name written all over it. A talent for finding, acquiring, and keeping stuff? Yeah, that sounded about right. I shook my head, the humor of it still lingering. Even if there wasn't a formal Looting Affinity, bridging spells to enhance my physical form wasn't entirely outlandish.

If spells like Nature or Wind could influence my body indirectly, why couldn't I adapt a similar principle to something like Looting? It was a wild idea, but the best breakthroughs always started that way. After dinner, I found Al in his greenhouse, tending to his plants. The air smelled earthy and fresh, with a hint of something floral.

"Al, I need a favor," I said, leaning casually against the doorway. He looked up, his expression unreadable.

"What is it?"

"I'm working on understanding affinities and how they influence the body. Can I take a look at your mana structure?" He gave a small nod.

"Yes, but tomorrow. I need to finish here tonight."

"Great. Thanks," I said, giving him a quick smile before heading back down. The following day, Mahya and Rue decided to head out and clear dungeons on their own, leaving Al and me to work in the spell room. Once we settled, I closed my eyes, took a steady breath, and let my mana flow into his system. Slowly, I flooded his body with mana, carefully examining the intricate pathways and connections that made up his mana structure. His mana system was noticeably different from mine.

For one, he only had two orbs—Mind and Spirit—and the way his affinities connected was unlike what I had seen in my system. My Nature Affinity was tied to my Body orb, but his was split evenly between his Mind and Spirit orbs. Still, it was unmistakably Nature; the energy had a familiar feel, even if the structure was different. His Fire Affinity also stood out. The channels in his were far fewer and much thinner compared to mine.

Where I had dense, robust pathways—three times as many and twice as thick—his were sparse and delicate, like they hadn't fully developed or were built for something entirely different. I wasn't sure yet what to make of these differences, but as a data-gathering exercise, it was fascinating. Every new observation felt like another piece of a larger puzzle waiting to be solved. After half a day of thoroughly examining Al's mana system, I released him and moved on to the next step.

Now that I understood how Affinities worked within the body, it was time to figure out how they interacted with the world outside. For the next week, I spent most of my days sitting on the roof, tuning into the mana in the air around me. I worked to distinguish the different types, letting my senses adjust until I could not only feel them but, sometimes, even see them.

As much as I hated to admit it, the wizards' books occasionally held pearls of wisdom, even if they were buried under mountains of incomprehensible gibberish. Thanks to my Affinities, I could perceive wind, fire, and nature mana. I couldn't see them all the time—switching my vision to mana sight was exhausting and left my eyes feeling like I'd stared into the sun for too long—but I was making progress. Unfortunately, my exploration hit a wall when it came to Looting spells.

I even went out of my way to "study" by finding and looting over twenty flying snakes, hoping to glimpse the mana involved. Nothing. I couldn't see it, and its flavor was equally unidentifiable. There was definitely something there, but no matter how I prodded, it slipped through my understanding. Even though I didn't crack the mystery of my spells, I felt like I'd made real progress.

My understanding of Affinities had grown, and I was confident this knowledge would come in handy when I got around to developing my connection to water and earth mana—if I ever found the time for it. Meanwhile, Mahya, Al, and Rue cleared the last of the dungeons in the airfield. With that done, it was finally time for us to move on. Our collection now had 55 cores, edging closer to Mahya's goal of 100. I couldn't help but hope we'd come across more clusters like this one—easy dungeons grouped together.

Efficient and low risk. This world had a way of grinding you down, with its heavy atmosphere and constant reminders of just how far it had fallen. It wasn't just gloomy; it felt worn out, like the land itself had given up. Anything that made our work smoother—and brought our departure closer—was a relief I wasn't going to take for granted.