** DING **

Novice spell learnt Pocket Suspense

Novice spell learnt Novice Repository

With that I'm down 1750 Creds but gained two new spells and generously take back my words about being rich, the amount of Creds I have is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the prices of what can be considered high tiered items. Gonna need to start saving for them from now and make a habit of making or discovering whatever items or spells I need during these early levels. Not to say there are no good things below a billion Creds but they're probably only good for specific situations, or beginners, which we all are on this planet, I guess.

I also saw hints of something called a VR, or virtual realm and a VCS which stands for Virtual Computing System which, from the descriptions, is probably something like a PC that works with their VR. The cheapest one isn't all that expensive, but maybe some other time.

Spending 25 Creds unlocks two more map functions. One costing me 20 Creds, gives the map a compass direction and places a triangle to denote my live location, it also automatically records important locations in the map. While the other one allows me to place pins on the map and even attach notes to them.

I tried to look around for more things that might come useful, but the impossible amount of things in there and a lack of filters we can just toggle on or off makes this a monumental task. I'm starting to feel it becoming more the cause of stress than the relief, and take it as the cue to stop window shopping.

Now what to do about improving Magico Disk? I went into Meditation and triggered Mana Sense out of habit. So, a bigger size would increase its damage, but also increase its cost. Whereas the three methods to aim the disk feels sufficient for now, so what's missing? What can I do to make it special? To distinguish it as mine…

Metamorphosible Mana comes to mind, it's shown itself as unique so far, giving me mana control way above the norm, allowing me to get creative with how I use them. For a while, I just lay there on the bed brainstorming possibilities.

Making it explode on impact would contradict its piercing nature. Maybe have it administer poison instead? Maintaining control after the first impact would also be darn good. I vaguely remember plenty opportunities to hit more Goblins were missed because the controls are lost the moment it hits. And of course, last but not least, something to render it harmless when used on me.

After an hour or two, I have several ideas I like, but have yet to come to a final decision. Further thoughts to be continued tomorrow because I'm starting to feel sleepy, maybe from the recovery. One last thing before bed, 'inspect'.

** DING **

Novice Repository - Early. Novice rank. 90% mana to construct. You can't look fashionable carrying a massive bag of supplies on your back. Spend 90% of your mana to construct a one cubic meter personal spatial storage, bonus size also provided according to 10% cm of mana spent on a random side. Cost of withdrawals or deposits are drawn from ambient mana. The spell may be recast for another 90% of your mana to reconstruct a new space anytime, collapsing the old space and losing anything inside, it will change its size to accommodate the recent mana spent.

I'm at full mana now, so no time like the present. Using the spell felt kinda like making the usual sphere of mana above my hand, the difference being where and how much. I can sense the mana pooling nearby, yet also infinitely far. Like it's in a place somewhere between nothing and right here within my hands reach. After ninety percent of my mana enters this space, I can feel the spell manipulating the mass of mana into a cube… but, I don't think that's quite good enough.

So, I did the thing everyone does when we can and want things to go our way, we take charge. My Mana Manipulation aided by the effects of my trait actively took hold of the process. I allow the mass of mana to resume forming a one meter cube, and allow them to form the walls as it should be, albeit made into a swarm of the tiny triangular lattices previously used on my armor, these ones whole plates, no hole in the middle, just slightly thinner. The lattices are then used to make the actual walls, retaining their swarm ability to shift, move and fuse among themselves.

This would hopefully allow the repository to create isolated cubes for the more sensitive items. Imagine rogue-like inventory with their grids. But, unlike the game version where an item takes multiple box slots the bigger they are in 2D, mine store them in 3D cubes. A majority of the mana forms into excess trilattic swarms along the outer walls readily available to modify the repository as needed.

The construction is complete, ignoring a ding from The System, I notice several changes to accommodate the custom features. First, the one meter cube seems to be the main storage, anything coming in would generally first appear in there, which can then be freely moved around or relocated into its own box when necessary. I can also manually control the forming of these separate boxes, which once made, will stay there until unraveled. Any item that has been given its own box may appear there, bypassing the main cube. Gravity does not exist there, but time flows as usual.

Finally, as an experiment. I expand the cube as far as possible, expecting the whole thing to fail and dissolve. But instead, I feel it refuses to expand any further past a certain point. Then, playing around with how the lattice forms and knowing they're all one centimeter down the middle, I measure the cube to be an approximate size of four meters. With my 351 mana, that is about triple the size of the description. I fix my nonexistent glasses and grin. 'Show me the ding then.' I ping The System.

** DING **

Congratulations you have created a Mod for Novice Repository, would you like to name and register it to The System?

'Mods? What does that do?' I ask internally.

** DING **

Registered spell Mods may be sold in the CredStore. Spell Mods require ownership of the original spell prior to being available for purchase, an alert will be sent to the original's creator.

Did The System just answer my question? And what madness is this! Spell Mods? Are spells like video game! I spent a few moments deciding, as well as checking the store for spell mods of the spells I own and only found a few for conjure dagger, but nothing I find worth the expense. I tried to stop selling Magico Disk and it was an easy enough process, the same goes for resetting it for sale. Hmm~, 'register please!'

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

** DING **

Please name your Mod…

'Trilattic Swarm.' Might as well be consistent.

Would you like to make Novice Repository: Trilattic Swarm available on the CredStore?

'Yes!'

Please set price…

Hmm, '100 Creds per cast to construct the Trilattic Swarm.'

… Acceptable. Do you wish to submit an entry for The Archive?

Did that work? My eyes glint in the color of a cheapass salesperson who managed to overcharge a billionaire. Now they would need to pay every time they increased their maximum mana capacity and wishes to enlarge their spatial storage. Now how do I interest people to buy?

'Yes please,' hmm~. 'Don't you ever wish your repository is triple its current size. Don't you ever wish your repository has compartments on the inside. Don't you? Well look no further, with walls made out of our Trilattic Swarm you get triple the size and customizable compartments for nowhere near triple the cost! Get them now and get more space, an unclaimed treasure waits for no one.'

… Approval

Entry logged

That might do it. At such a low price it should be affordable for the poor, while the rich can just pay multiple times when they want another cast. Anyways, that's done with. I experimented a little by storing and taking out random stuff around me, but got bored and decided to call it a day.

** DING **

What? My groggy brain was slow to wake up due to staying up a little longer than I should've. Still lazing around, I remember coming up with the idea of making random loot boxes to scam the multiverse, then spent a few hours last night brainstorming ideas. What a jerk.

Internally laughing at my own crispy joke, I was interrupted when a faint chuckle joined in. My eyes opened with a snap! Ignoring a blue box hovering before my eyes to take a look around, the ward seems empty, using Mana Sense gives me the exact same answer. Was I even thinking and laughing out loud? Trying not to acknowledge the slight shiver on my shoulders, I focus on the… announcement?

Congratulations. You have done well to survive so far. Your galaxy's acclimatization to the multiverse is coming to an end in 2 days : 17 hour : 16 minutes : 42 seconds. All celestial objects will begin to emit mana at 100% capacity. Please expect to experience further changes, among which being.

All existing territory cores are each appointed their own complimentary upgrade into a safe zone of equal rank, and all CredStore functions will cease to function outside such zones. Monster may now spawn anywhere in mana rich environments, excluding safe zones. Special environments may breed infant Dungeons while existing Dungeons will begin granting access and actively pursue their development.

Wooow… Loud noises started coming in from outside the room before the door into the ward got wrenched open, in comes Henry. "Hey, you look much better."

"Yeah. Could be better, but nothing a cup of coffee can't fix. So, Why are you so restless this early?" I inquire, knowing the answer.

"We're suddenly pressed for time. Less than three days left to connect the two territories, so we need to start making our way towards the boarding house while claiming the buildings and lands along the way." He explained.

"I see, who and how?" Just a little curious.

Ohh~, knowledge pack to the rescue! Unclaimed buildings or land may be claimed by clearing out all hostiles in the area. That's not always the case, but The System generally knows the purpose of our actions. So, wanting to claim the area, then clearing out the competitions tends to work. Though there are other ways too, maybe through trade or system rewards, to name a few.

"Herman, some of the security guards and I plan to head out and slowly clear out each area as we move towards the housing. We'll first be claiming this side of the road, and plan to take the other side on the way back." He laid out the plan. It seems fine, though I'm no strategist. "Okay! You need anything from me?" He didn't seem to, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

It turns out he doesn't think they need help with claiming the territory. But is having trouble finalizing his first original spell. He calls it SmartMines.exe. as expected, once a coder, always a coder. The spell will switch functions depending on its placement. It comes out as a volleyball sized sphere of light and sticks onto a surface on collision.

Placing it on the floor would trigger the landmine routine, pretty much pressure plates and explosion. The walls would instead trigger a motion type trap, something moving straight ahead, wind arrow to the knee, or torso, or arms. Placing it above would make a similar motion detection trap, only with electrocuting nets dropping down. And casting it on an object smaller than the spell's sphere, like a pebble, would turn it into a grenade, making it explode on impact.

All that in one spell, for only 35 mana per cast. Most of the mana is directed to making the trigger effects, while his scripts are so cost-efficient the whole thing probably only needed around five mana, it's also a Novice rank spell. The guy's nuts! In a good way. He had me help make the mana do all those effects on trigger, and the spell was complete, he probably had all the ManaScripts ready before planning to ask for assistance when I ended up offering.

The System gave me 30% ownership of the spell, which I gave up. Hoping to help the territory grow. Everyone needs a safe place to rest at once in a while. After those few hours of spellcraft, their party was set to go, everyone gathered on the parking lot exit where I sent them my armor spell through the CredStore and got Henry's SmartMines.exe in exchange. Farewells, be carefuls and goodlucks were thrown around before we parted ways.

** DING **

Novice spell learnt SmartMines.exe

Henry and Herman went off with their team to claim territories. Jennifer, Linda and everyone else on standby in the hospital, while I'm off on my own adventure to the areas beyond, maybe find the Goblins along the way. Of course, with Sneaking and Mana Sense activated I paid a visit to the minimarket across the street to stock up on some bottled water and well packaged high calorie foods.

The first floor is clear of hostile creatures so I stopped using Sneaking. Several shelves are empty, which might be due to the people from Garuda Hospital. Though there are still plenty of things I can use. As I move around the area absentmindedly filling my repository with several bottled water, canned coffee, energy bars, instant foods and various well-preserved items, I multitask and check my gains for the morning. 'Updates.'

** DING **

Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 9 > 10

Skill level up, Visualization 6 > 7

Congratulations. You and Henry Soejima have created a new Novice rank spell. As one of its creators, the spell will grow with you as your understanding of it grows.

You are involved in the creation and thus own 30% of this spell.

Ownership forfeit...

Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 10 > 11

Suddenly, my mana sense detected a whiff of mana from the second floor. The mana felt foreign, whereas the feel of the humans in Garuda Hospital has a somewhat familiar nuance. Wonder what I'll find here.

Time for a little adventure.