After walking for about thirty minutes, the procession of cat-people finally stopped at the base of the mountain. The group then split into two halves, those who played music stayed at the bottom of the mountain while the chanters, the platform, and those who carried the platform moved forwards as they made a trek towards the top of the mountain.
“Nos transcendere!”
“Nos transcendere!”
Suddenly, as the second group ascended the mountain, the rhythmic playing of trumpets and drums stopped and was replaced by a slow, steady beat of drums.
*dum* *dum* *dum*
The beats of the drum reverberated all about, causing those who stood nearby to feel as if the earth were shaking each time a beat was hit. Additionally, no one made a single sound aside from the drums beating causing the environment to give a solemn feeling to it.
Soon, the group that climbed the mountain reached a small plateau on which stood a large stone table. After placing the moving platform upon the table, the carriers of the platform stood off to the sides with their heads bowed and their arms behind their backs.
“Damus vobis, sacrificium.”
While speaking these words, the priestess stepped forth from the midst of the crowd of chanters as she raised her hands into the air before the stone table.
“In commutationem, dona nobis pacem. Nolite nocere nobis.”
“Montem, nolite nocere nobis! Dona nobis pacem!”
Dark clouds began to gather in the sky as small sparks of lightning shot out of the collecting mass of darkness.
“Ostende nobis fulgoribus, quae portentis. Accipe sacrificium.”
“Colligunt nubibus. Ostende nobis fulgoribus, quae portentis!”
The forming mass of dark clouds grew more and more as the sparks of lightning that shot out of it grew more powerful with each passing second.
“Fulgur, percutiens!”
“Fulgur, percutiens!”
*BOOOM*
A blinding bolt of light shot down from the culminating clouds above and beamed its way down towards the earth onto the stone table on which the young cat-person dressed in white sat. The moment the lightning touched him, the boy’s body was engulfed in the dazzling light as all the flowers surrounding the boy resonated with the flowing electricity displaying an almost holy kind of scene to all those whose eyes hadn’t been dulled to the initial exposure of light.
Soon, the light died out and the boy dressed in white was no more.
* * *
*ding* *ding* *ding* *ding* *ding*
From witnessing the casting of magic from afar, the skill [Mana Perception] has been granted to you.
From witnessing the manipulation of air through magic from afar, the skill
[Lesser Air Magic] has been granted to you.
From witnessing the manipulation of water through magic from afar, the skill
[Lesser Water Magic] has been granted to you.
From witnessing the manipulation of lightning through magic from afar, the skill [Lesser Lightning Magic] has been granted to you.
From observing a higher form of magic, the skills [Lesser Air Magic], [Lesser Water Magic], and [Lesser Lightning Magic] can be fused together to make a potentially stronger skill. Would you like to fuse them?
YES NO
*thump*
The five panels which suddenly blocked Jean’s vision as he attempted to walk closer to the stopped group of cat-people caused him to trip on a root and fall over on his face.
‘Ouch…’
After picking himself up out of the low brush, Jean used [Identify] on all of the newly acquired skills while he dusted off the minor scratches he had gained from falling over.
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Mana Perception (Passive):
- Allows for the perception of mana even when not in a meditative state.
- [Synergy]: It is now possible to use [Identify] on spells.
Lesser Air Magic (Active)
- Allows for the creation, manipulation, and removal of air through incantations or inscriptions.
- Consumes one point of mana for every cubic decimeter of air created, manipulated, or removed.
Lesser Water Magic (Active)
- Allows for the creation, manipulation, and removal of water through incantations or inscriptions.
- Consumes one point of mana for every cubic decimeter of water created, manipulated, or removed.
Lesser Lightning Magic (Active)
- Allows for the creation, manipulation, and removal of lightning through incantations or inscriptions.
- Consumes one point of mana for every hundred watts of electricity created, manipulated, or removed.
‘Where did all of these skills come from?’
Within the few seconds before all of the panels popped out at him, Jean couldn’t quite remember observing any form of magic.
‘Unless… that weird thunderstorm?’
As he had slowly approached the group of silent musicians earlier, he had noticed that they had all stopped playing once a dark cloud appeared in the sky and watched as the cloud grew larger and larger until a blinding lightning bolt came down from the sky and struck the mountain before them.
As the chanters the carriers of the platform marched down the mountain, the musicians began to get back into their positions and waited. Soon, both groups stopped moving as a lady adorned in jewels, gold, and a fine robe of red, purple, and blue stepped out in front of the group of musicians.
“My fellow tribesmen, the sacrifice was accepted by Mount Feros! We may now go and celebrate a year of peace that was granted to us by the mighty mountain!”
The air was immediately filled with the roar of cheers and shouts as all the cat-people raised their hands into the air and rejoiced in loud, cheerful voices.
*dum* *dum-dum* *dum-dum* *dum-dum* *dum*
*BARAANG* *BARAANG*
The musicians raised their instruments and began playing once again with full vigor as they began their march back in the direction they came. However, despite all the joyful music and cheering, Jean noticed something extremely strange about the entire procession.
‘Did they just kill their fellow clansmen with magic through the assumption that the mountain was accepting their sacrifice?’
As far as he was informed, Jean was fairly certain that mountains weren’t conscious beings that could think for themselves. Assuming that this fact was true in the current world he was in, Jean had just observed the cat-people smite one of their own kind with magic while they thought the mountain was the one who brought down the lightning from the sky to ‘accept’ their sacrifice.
‘What a pitiful end for whoever ended up being a sacrifice.’
To die at the hands of your friends and family for no reason whatsoever would be one of the most frustrating things that could ever happen to anyone. Jean began to wonder if he should still continue to make allies with the cat-people with strange customs and practices.
‘Why doubt myself now? Following them so far has gotten me four new skills.’
Looking over at the four new skills added to his [Skills] tab, Jean remembered the panel that had said something rather interesting on it.
From observing a higher form of magic, the skills [Lesser Air Magic], [Lesser Water Magic], and [Lesser Lightning Magic] can be fused together to make a potentially stronger skill. Would you like to fuse them?
YES NO
Jean had no hesitations to press the [Yes] button. If the new skill resembled anything like the supernatural phenomenon he had seen before, it was most definitely worth learning.
*ding*
Skills [Lesser Air Magic], [Lesser Water Magic], and [Lesser Lightning Magic] fused together to create [Lesser Storm Magic].
*ding*
From fusing your first skill, the skill [Combine] has been granted to you.
Lesser Storm Magic (Active):
- Allows for the creation, manipulation, and removal of clouds, large gales, and storms through incantations or inscriptions.
- Increases abilities of air, water, and lightning magic by a small amount.
Combine (Active)
- Allows for the combination of certain skills or objects.
- [Synergy]: When the affinities of the items being combined align, increases the effects and abilities of the final item.
Although Jean didn’t know what [Lesser Storm Magic] was capable of yet, its effects were already a step up from its more basic forms. Additionally, Jean received the skill [Combine] as a bonus which made him all the more happier.
Now, with an arsenal full of new skills, Jean decided that he would track after the cat-people who had long proceeded on with their march.
Of course, he would do all of this after he increased his base mana to a hundred.
* * *
Name Jean Kwon Age 31 Titles Earl of Plants (Rare) Condition Health: 100/100
Stamina: 90/90
Mana: 100/100 Status Effects Beginner’s Protection Buff Attributes Strength: 8
Constitution: 9
Agility: 9
Dexterity: 10
Perception: 10
Willpower: 11
Intelligence: 11
Wisdom: 12 Skills Alchemy (Expert) 73.22%
Botany (Master) 56.18%
- Dendrology (Master) 23.09%
- Herbalism (Master) 100.00%
- Mycology (Master) 43.98%
- Pomology (Master) 57.67%
Combine (Beginner) 0.00%
Identify (Beginner) 48.00%
Lesser Storm Magic (Beginner) 0.00%
- Lesser Air Magic (Beginner) 0.00%
- Lesser Lightning Magic (Beginner) 0.00%
- Lesser Water Magic (Beginner) 0.00%
Library (Beginner) 3.59%
Mana Perception (Beginner) 2.53%
Meditation (Beginner) 48.92%
Music Appreciation (Beginner) 23.42%
Plant Manipulation (Beginner) 2.50%
Stealth (Beginner) 1.00%
Synergy (Beginner) 26.00% Traits Calm Mind (Uncommon)
Green Thumb (Common)
Beginner’s Protection Buff
- Grants protection for a period of time (21h:49m:42s remaining).
- Reduces effects of negative status effects by an enormous amount.
- Lowers the requirements for learning new skills by an enormous amount.