Mana 351/351
Calling up that system notification was as intuitive as pulling up my updates, which is among the things I like about this new System of ours. So, Between stocking up my repository, checking my updates, taking time to travel and scouting out the noisy Goblins. My mana has once again filled up and is ready for action.
If only I could determine an action. There are none of the tiny green creatures making their way towards Garuda Hospital, which I assume to mean they have given up on it for now. Losing more than twenty personnel on that venture probably does that to a small population... Though aren't Goblins supposed to breed and grow fast? Still, it has only been 5 days, there can't be that many of them.
Most fictions always had them kidnapping the local females to -- Damn! I hope that hasn't happened yet. As I hid there on the second floor planning a course of action, a slight movement caught my attention. Slowly closing in from the north, are three other Goblins approaching the first three currently in their camp, which upon arrival, quickly silenced the ruckus into quiet murmurs. 'Inspect'. X3
** DING **
Goblin lv 9
Goblin lv 7
Goblin lv 8
Ohh, they're higher leveled! All six wear modern yet ripped clothes in various ways of wrong, t-shirt as shorts, skirt as a cloak and you get the idea. The level nine also has a handle-less pot on its head. They each sport some manner of weapons, like a kitchen knife or a concrete and rebar mace. They converse in barely audible murmurs that went on for a while, before the three weaker Goblins packed up and made their way towards where the newer party came from, north. So, what comes to mind is if there are only six of them left, or this is a lookout spot of sorts and they're changing shifts.
I don't plan to wait here or skulk around for days just to find the answer to the local Goblin's population. When you see pests, you terminate them before they cause further harm.
Though I do covet the Monster Core of these three, so Will-o'-Woe is out. Which means going into melee or one of my spells, none of which I believe could one-shot them. Wouldn't want them to survive and run for backup, I know there are at least three available down that road.
The three seem better organized, they settle down and whisper at each other instead of shouting and laughing out loud like the last group. The lower leveled one even stood alert, its head surveying the roads every once in a while.
Eventually, almost an hour later, I had the basics of a plan. One which would require me to have the Shape Stone spell and an idea on how to improve Magico Disk into an increasingly versatile spell, something greatly inspired by Henry's SmartMines. Also, I figured I might as well finish what I've started with Magico Disk..
Novice spell learnt Shape Stone
Shape Stone - Early. Novice Rank. 40 mp per cast. Incomplete spell, only available upto Basic mastery. Mold to you wishes the natural building blocks that makes up our worlds, imagination and magic your only limits. Maintain touch with the target stone to shape.
To begin with, I bought the Shape Stone spell off the CredStore for 500 Creds, this time aware of it being another incomplete spell which is probably reason enough why they sell it cheap even though it's a Novice rank spell. Using the new spell, I walked up to the building's entrance and made a small hook using concrete on all four sides of the door to seal it close. It's still possible to break through, but that would create noises, that would in turn alert me.
Then, being a little lazy to recast the spell, I gripped onto the spells controls with my Mana Manipulation and move-seeped its effects through the walls into the floor right by the door and managed to make three circular indents to mark the area for myself while still only touching the door frames. Then finally giving the center of each circle a cast of SmartMines.exe, this creates a landmine that would explode when stepped on. Hopefully anything that got in wouldn't be knowledgeable enough to avoid the circular marks. I also had to slightly confound the Shape Stone spell to work on concrete by giving it a slight dependency to its user as to what may be defined as stone, within reasons that is.
** DING **
Spell mastery rank up, Shape Stone Early > Basic
Spell mastery rank up, Shape Stone Basic > Intermediate
Fascinating! You upgraded an incomplete spell not of your making, the originator has been alerted. You may choose to register a new spell, log it with the system for personal use, or open negotiation with the originator.
Huh, aren't those improvements a little too fast? 'Inspect.' Safety somewhat secured, I decided to check it out.
** DING **
Shape Stone - Intermediate. 40 mp. Novice Rank. Incomplete spell, only available upto Intermediate mastery. Mold to your wishes the natural building blocks that make up our worlds, imagination and magic your only limits. Maintain touch with the target stone to shape. Your willpower can act as an extension of your touch, up to within several meters. The spell may affect a wider variety of 'stony' material.
Hmm, I suppose it's one spell that is supposed to do one thing, so there is not much to change. Which is probably why whoever this originator is, didn't feel the need to provide any further improvements. Also, the description feels very familiar, hmm~. I did a quick check on Mold Earth and figured that the two spells are probably made by the same person. Mold Earth was also less useful than how I imagined it, seeing how our civilization developed into using mostly non-natural materials like concrete, asphalt, and plastic.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
'Log it, please and thank you.'
Spell logged, you're welcomed.
I blink a few times at the notification, but decided, for my sanity, to ignore The System somehow answering me. So, I quickly carry on and summon a pair of disks while also triggering Mana Sense, as well as Meditation. One disk I let loose randomly eastwards out a window, allowing me to focus on the only one left.
I take a moment to sense-observe my last design. The solid frames, spiral fuller, the sloped aerodynamic design. Smiling at the memories, it felt like ages ago that I designed this.
I began by hollowing its middle areas, creating a tiny chakram shape. Next, I gave it inner beams in the shape of a six legged star – which is simply two triangles pointing in opposite directions – to reinforce it. That gave me about 20% of the mana used on the disk to work with, which is, two mana…
After much thought, I compressed those extra two mana into the disk, boosting its durability. This is the part where Henry's concept of a smart spell comes from, but, where his is based upon his ManaScripts, mine exercises intent.
Like when I utilized Mana Sense to help the disk home on a target, this time I infuse the mana with my trait as they exit my palm. This will hopefully be the first of two smart spell features, where any user can choose how to use the spells base cost of ten mana. Between; One, manifesting two disks that function as it has so far, only difference is these too will use the newer design.
Or two, fuse all ten mana into one disk that is more durable and has the second part of the feature; five mana is used to form the disk, losing their metamorphosible aspect. While the other five will passively blanket the disks to await further command, maintaining the aspects of my trait. This will allow their caster to apply creative changes, be it by simply boosting its mass or rotation, to giving it elemental effects like morphing the mana into a coat of poison, and more. The multiverse is the limit, so to speak.
The spell feature to summon more disks still works with both versions, the only difference lies in its mana cost. The second version may also have their own effects each, when multiple disks are conjured. Now, these trait infused mana I shall call… not, Smart Mana, no! Will get back to this later!
Satisfied for now. I aim out the window at a tree about a hundred meters to the east of where I am, tell the mana to freeze its target on impact and let loose.
** DING **
Skill level up, Meditation 4 > 5
Spell mastery rank up, Magico Disk Intermediate >Advance
Please update the store.
'Sell Intermediate and below for 100 Creds, but the Advanced mastery will cost 700 creds.'
Prices have been set
As expected of The System, it can do anything, I chuckle. This way, people may try the spell for cheap before deciding if they want to commit and buy the improved version. I decided to check my sales while still at the merchant's interface, sadly seeing no new purchases.
Now to set up an ambush point. As I walk for the building's exit, an unpleasant thought occurred to me when my eyes lands on the circles marking the three unused smartmines, suddenly noticing that it'll be dangerous to leave the traps there, who knows if they will expire. Wouldn't want anyone to come in later and get their legs blown off, or worse, gotta tell Henry about that flaw. Which also means I gotta trigger these. Hmm, it might be possible to make use of them…
I soon find myself sneaking outside, by the door of my earlier hideout hidden behind a parked truck. Focused on the three Goblins in their camp, it's barely been a few hours since they switched, so there are no notable changes besides a few quiet talks and the occasional fidgeting.
I pull at my mana and summon three of the newer disks. Then nudge the trait-influenced mana to aim for the parts of their brains that affect their emotions, however that might be. To convince them that they really hate me and hunting me is a very yummy idea, also making sure to imprint their mana signature into a disk each.
Retracing my plans and path to retreat indoors for the last time to help calm my nerves, I disengage Sneaking and jump out from behind the truck to give the Goblins a clear view.
"OI YOU UGLY, MOSS INFESTED IDIOTS. YOU REEK OF DUNG!!"
All three turned their heads to look at me almost simultaneously, yet did nothing else but stare at me with confused disdain.
"What idiot human say. Eat moss make good tummy, dung smell why?"
"He very thin, weak, his village kick out."
"Maybe ill brain human, no eat, make sick."
These rotten little pieces of shit! I added the anger I felt to the disks, willing it to infect them with this hatred, then very willingly let the disks loose. I remember to try and influence the disks, guiding them on course towards their left chest where the heart should be, on humans. My mind couldn't handle aiming at three targets simultaneously, so I had to switch focus between them.
All three strike true, though only the last disk I focused on managed to hit the one standing guard where I wanted it to. That one fell down and started twitching, the concrete stained with a visibly growing pool of blood. The other two were hit on the stomach, and the side when they tried and failed to evade the disks, the impact bending their body into a U shape. I assume the disks homes on the center of the imprinted mana signature.
The two Goblins still standing straightened up and slowly turned their head to look at me, eyes red with fury. Letting loose a primal screech, they both charge at me with wild movements.
Darn! On the positive side, I don't need to think of a comeback.
---
Note:
Just to be clear. Buying a spell always nets you the Early mastery. What the later masteries being available does is it allows you to master it to that level with System assistance. For eg. Anyone without mana sense would still be able to use the homing feature when casting the spell, because they are assisted by the system, like temporarily allowing them to sense the target and imprint it into the disk. They might need to understand the feel for it first.
They wouldn't generally even know that they are using Mana Sense, most chalking it to be a feature of the spell. So it's like buying the rights to use the skills and traits associated with the spell. Of course anyone may also use their own skills and traits to upgrade or use the spell in their own way.
Ps. If you want a reminder of the old design on chapter 9:
Disk is 3cm diameter and 1 mm thick.
Starting with thinning the sharp edges towards a slightly thicker center for better aerodynamics, carving fine spiral fullers along both flat sides for better windflow and durability, creating symmetric saw blades, and giving it a dark metallic hue for style