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Chapter twenty three: Hidden and found.

Chapter twenty three: Hidden and found.

“Positioned in front of a tablet, our hero swipes with his hand. What is revealed is a complex pattern that doesn’t seem to have any symmetry.”

“This really isn’t what I expected. Almost expected a small hand held computer, really.”

‘I’ve been informed that you should put your hand on one of the evaluation tablets.’

“A mysterious glow envelopes Ji’s hand, so bright it is blinding.

We can only imagine what our hero is experiencing at this moment.”

“It’s talking about fairness. About me being exceedingly talented in many areas.

Hooo! They gave me a passive!”

|Momentum|

“For every foe, there is a friend.”

When running away from enemies you receive one point five movement speed increase for every enemy within a thirty meter radius.

Limited to thirty enemies.

“That seems useful. Right?

Shush. It’s talking to me.”

“Enamored by the information being streamed into his mind.

The occasional swipe of the hand in mind air indicates he is navigating something of a menu.”

“So many options! Almost makes it hard to choose.”

‘So you have something in mind, Ji?’

“Mmm?

Oh. Ye, was pretty set on taking up something related to the elements, they seem so easy to use.”

‘Easy? The elements?’

“It is easy to understand the Fluo’s surprise.

For the average being on this planet, establishing a connection to one of the elemental laws is something only few special races do innately and few especially talented individuals achieve.

And to take a step further and sense more than three elemental laws is something only aged old creatures do, through tenacious willpower, through persistence.”

“Okay then.

Back to what I was saying, I’ve pretty much guaranteed the elemental mage-esque option.

Or that’s what I think it is.

The thing is, they gave me two things to choose! I wasn’t expecting that.”

“If the world is anything, it is fair.

And despite our hero’s lackluster appearance and actions, he has prevailed in the most dangerous of circumstances.

You see, the world is wise. And its wisdom will see the difference in a man catching fish with his hands, a fishing pole or a spear.

It will not reward the man catching fishes in a barrels.”

“What in the world are you mumbling on about? Fishes and barrels? What the hell does that have to do with anything?

This is an important event and you’re talking about fishes!?”

‘Ji?’

“Sorry, the narrator is being difficult.

So ye, I was thinking about getting something called |Weather bearer | or |Flowing streams|.”

|Weather bearer|

“Through the eons, weather has been guided by the elements. Some are gentle while others volatile.”

“The latter is something about mana but all the descriptions is very vague.”

|Flowing streams|

“The world is a pebble in the river of mana, refined by the stream,”

“I still need to learn how to fight properly but my mana pool really feels to small.

“Even oracles cannot predict what ones’ future is. Which is why the world is guided by small moments, small steps on the journey, for eternity.

You take your step, you choose your path.”

“Also! My body feels abnormally strong at the moment.

I’m no Hercules but I can definitely feel my endurance has been increased several times over.

There is something telling me that having more mana will increase it even further.

The thing I lack isn’t here it seems. I can’t find anything about combat tactics or melee combat like martial arts.”

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“What our hero wants is something the world doesn´t value enough consider it worth gifting.

Fighting, in its many forms, be it from a distance or at close range is something far easier to learn, train and teach than any casual speculations into the laws.

Many would find it madness to even be wishing for such things when other treasures are strewn about.”

“Ah. Well. You know.”

‘What do I know?’

“Never mind it doesn’t matter, I was just thinking out loud.”

‘You do that a lot.’

“Do I?

So I was thinking I’d just focus on what I know. Elements and mana.

Then try to find a place to train in different kinds of combat, see what suits me.”

‘Shall I offer my advice?’

“Sure!”

‘I expect you understand jobs, such as mine, are given to us by the world, yes?’

“Right.”

‘My job is something of a luxury and brings upon many opportunities and perks that are very sought after.’

“Okay.”

‘There are however many other less desirable jobs, such as gatherers, maintainers and to get to the point, teachers.’

“Oh! I see what you mean. Do you know anyone that teaches fighting techniques like kung Fu or something?”

‘Kung Fu? No. My great uncle is our families’ chief instructor and would greatly appreciate me referring you to him.

Despite you being an outsider, I am almost certain he will make an exception for you and teach you our family arts.’

“Alright, cool. We’ll go once we’re done here.”

‘Great!’

“I’m somewhat disappointed there is nothing else similar to forced empathy.

Actually now that I mention it. That technique to transfer information felt very, what’s the word?

Odd? Wrong? It didn’t feel right. Actually forced fits it just right.”

“Peculiar.”

“What?”

“It would appear our hero has actually developed further in the field of the mind than expected.

To be able to differentiate between his and the world's guidance to empathy is an anomaly.

Not something you expect from someone newly acquainted with the mental laws, as they aren’t tangible and hard to deal with even if you sense them.”

“Hehe. Well, for someone like me, it’s easy.”

“How painful to watch. His thumb touches his nose and he makes a light flicking motion.”

‘What are you doing?’

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. Just hard to decide. Give me a minute.”

“The room descends into silence as our hero continues to read and re-read the options given to him.

He of course can’t select anything related to the more obscure laws, such as empathy or even apathy, which I can’t really go into without breaking several codes of conduct.”

“Hmm. A lot of these feel similar. Almost all of them are related to mana in one way or the other.

I think I’m definitely getting |Weather bearer|. I think it includes all the elements.

Some of these might have something to with different aspects, I can’t quite understand.”

“As it should be.”

“I’ve been reading something about trees and plants here called |Nature’s child|”

|Nature’s child|

“All roots lead to leaves, all cones to construction.”

“That’s an aspect right? Trees and such?

This thing could really use more information.”

“The aspect of floras growth is one many can relate to but few can excel in.”

“Screw it! I’m going with my guts here.”

|Weather bearer|

|Flowing streams|

“As our hero tabs the air he is engulfed in blurry shield and a formidable pressure exudes from him as he is being granted blessings from the world.”

‘Ji! Are you okay!?’

“The laws descend and imprint our hero with a certain path to follow.

The world can bend multiple laws to its will, even create creatures powerful enough to crush this planet.

Yet it cannot change already existing creatures, at best it will guide them the best it can.

This is why this world disappoints me. For even with guidance, they fall short. So very short.”

“I can’t feel my ears!

No, don’t worry, they are still there.”

‘Ji?’

“That was intense. Wasn’t expecting that, felt like someone took control of my body for a moment.

Can I try something?”

‘Go ahead.’

“In the enormous room a quiet wind starts blowing.”

“Much easier! Okay now I just have to follow that up.”

“The adept can see different areas in the room vibrating.”

“It’s so much clearer now.”

“What our hero is doing is not some sort of insight into the laws but the utilization of what he already knows.

If you look closer, you can see the ebb and flow of mana has changed in the area as well, it is no longer a vortex, an inefficient and crude method of using mana.

Now it moves in a constant stream, it no longer stops but flows continuously, lending him power rather than being dragged down.

One can see the quantity and quality has increase significantly.

The stream may be slow as of this moment but given greater insight and utilization, it will grow wider and faster.”

“Huh. No, still can’t see what you’re talking about.

But I can definitely feel that the mana has changed, it’s almost like a whole different substance now.”

“With a wave of his hand and the consistence mumbling our hero manages to spawn a fierce wind and water.

And if you look closely you’ll see tiny pebbles hidden away in the cyclone.”

“This is amazing! Are you seeing this Tio-oh!?”

‘Amazing, Mr. Ji. To think there was such a way to clean the room, truly inspiring.’

“Right!?

What? Clean?”

“Losing his focus our hero’s rudimentary spell falls apart. The wind dissipates, water evaporates and the pebbles turned to dust.”

“I think I could maintain that for quite some time.”

Would you like to name your new spell?

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhh! Look at that! You seeing this?”

‘See what mister Ji?’

“Creating his first active spell, albeit mediocre. Can be considered an achievement.”

“Okay. Wait, we need to think about this.

Hey Tio-oh. What would you call that cyclone you saw earlier?”

‘Well. I could sense the water elements in it. But aside from that it was pretty hard to sense what was happening.’

“Ye, okay. But I was thinking about a name for it.”

|Ji’s beginner’s cyclone|

“A beginners spell, created from wind, water and soil elemental laws.”

Mana cost is dependent on the size.

Damage is low and inconsistent.

“What? No! dammit, it picked for me!

I could have named it super cyclone or something. Earth, wind and water cluster vortex would have been great as well.

So much potential! Wasted, squandered away!”

“Above our hero was can see his marker has changed.”

|Ji Aleksy. Elementalist. Mana fiend: Level hundred seventy three|

“Two class specializations. A remarkable thing for such a young man, and such a low level.

It can take people years to achieve class specialization without the guidance of the world.

But this is not to say that Ji is any kind of spectacular. Something rare in a population of billions, is still quite the number.”

“Wow! Mana fiend huh? Not really sure what to make of that, but the elementalist makes sense.”

‘Congratulations Ji! The stories of the Originals don’t do you justice! How marvelous!’¨

“Hehe.”

“With flustered cheeks our protagonist plays with the elements with his hands. Creating small cyclones.

In fact, little too many cyclones.”

‘Uhm. Ji.’

“Hm? What?

Ah, sorry. I was testing how many I could use at a time, there doesn’t seem to be a limit.

Can’t really test the size in here though, I mean it’s big but not big, know what I mean?”

‘No, I don’t Mr.Ji.’

“After a long and arduous explanation on how big, big is and how big is also big, in many different ways, we finally see it end.”

‘Alright Ji. I understand.’

“Great!

Now, you said something about an uncle?”

‘Right, my Uncle Tae-oh. He is the most knowledgeable when it comes to our families martial arts.’

“I see, sounds great, where is it?”

‘The Oh clan is stationed here in the city.’

“City?

Ah, I completely forgot we were in a city.”

“The elementalist and mana fiend, Ji Aleksy. Sets out to train his physical combat abilities.

It can be considered difficult to learn the martial arts of the Fluo, mainly due to the strict requirements, such as the flexibility involved.”