In a forest behind the duchess's mansion, the wind whipped through the trees, scattering small birds and animals. Suddenly, Mathrilda and Axis appeared in the clearing, the abruptness of their arrival sending ripples through the surrounding environment.
After giving Axis a moment to catch his breath, Mathrilda asked, "Ready to learn your first real spell?"
Axis nodded, his face lighting up with a genuine smile. "I'm ready."
Mathrilda's expression turned serious. "Since you've shown exceptional control over mana, I think you're ready to learn something a bit more advanced than I originally planned. We'll start with a basic 1st circle spell, but I'll add a variation that requires a higher degree of control. This will test your ability to manipulate mana more precisely."
She gestured for Axis to stand beside her. "We'll begin with Mana Bolt. It's a simple spell, but the variation I'll teach you involves maintaining control over the bolt after it's formed. You'll be able to adjust its direction mid-flight or even split it into multiple bolts."
Mathrilda raised her hand, and a small orb of mana appeared, swirling in the center of her palm. "Watch closely."
With a fluid motion, she launched the bolt forward. Instead of flying straight, the bolt swerved in mid-air under her control, splitting into three smaller bolts that each struck different targets in the distance.
"Now, it's your turn. Start by forming a single Mana Bolt, and we'll go from there," she instructed.
Axis took a deep breath and concentrated, extending his hand. Slowly, a small orb of light formed in his palm, flickering slightly before stabilizing. He could feel the energy pulsing through him, a mixture of excitement and focus filling his mind.
"Good," Mathrilda encouraged. "Now release it, but keep your focus on the mana. Try to adjust its direction before it dissipates."
Axis nodded, and with intense focus, he released the Mana Bolt. It crackled with power as it flew forward, a faint hum reverberating through the air. Concentrating hard, Axis willed it to change direction. The bolt wavered slightly but obeyed, veering off course before dissipating with a faint sizzle.
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"Not bad for your first try," Mathrilda remarked, a mixture of approval and curiosity in her tone. "You're on the right track. Let's keep practicing until you've got the hang of it."
They continued training for the next hour, and with each attempt, Axis's control sharpened. Gradually, he honed his precision until he could adjust the Mana Bolt's trajectory with an impressive fluidity. Eventually, after intense concentration, he managed to split the bolt into two smaller ones, though it took considerable effort.
Gathering mana once more, Axis imagined a thunderstorm, lightning raging through the sky. The mana surrounding him began to behave strangely, the air swirling as small sparks flickered to life.
The bolt in his hand grew, becoming the size of his fist. With a determined breath, he released it, and the bolt roared like a regal lightning strike, tearing through the air with lethal precision.
It charred everything in its path, and midway through its flight, it split into multiple streams, striking several trees. Some exploded, others ignited into flames, and a few were reduced to ash, the sheer force of the attack leaving the surroundings eerily silent.
Clap... clap... clap... Mathrilda's slow applause echoed through the stillness of the forest. She stared at the scene with wide eyes, her mind reeling. "Not even a day, and he's already mastered the spell... It took me a month to achieve that level of control." Taking a deep breath, a mix of pride and disbelief settled over her. "Perhaps he has an affinity for thunder-type spells... or perhaps... he's just that talented," she mused, trying to make sense of the boy's extraordinary potential.
Suddenly, a familiar chime echoed in Axis's mind.
{Ding!}
{Congratulations, Host, for learning your first spell.}
{A random-grade gift pack has been rewarded.}
{Random-grade gift packs has been moved to inventory.}
{Ding!}
{Host has been rewarded with 100 EXP.}
{Spell: Mana Bolt has been added to Status.}
{Spell: Lightning Bolt has been added to Status.}
'System, I think you made a mistake,' Axis thought, confused.
...
'System, I think you registered the spell twice...'
{Scanning...}
{No error detected. The system did not make a mistake.}
"???"
"Axis?" Mathrilda's voice interrupted his internal dialogue with the system. "You surprised me there." She sounded both impressed and puzzled. "I didn't think you would learn Lightning Bolt on your own."
"Lightning Bolt?" Axis echoed in confusion.
Mathrilda nodded. "It's a two star spell, an advanced version of the Mana Bolt spell. It requires a much higher level of mana control. Most people struggle to cast it properly, but you cast it without even instructions though rough around edges it was indeed lightning bolt "
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