Murai was happy about his new ability and level-ups. It happened on a good point, in a good manner, and typical fashion. Accomplishments or learning followed these voices and bursts of Boosts. Murai was still getting used to them, but he wasn't minding them when they were showing some nice premises.
Noticing his happy expression, Lisa stored the Shards away before returning closer than ever to his face. She had noticed these messages at an even better capacity than Murai. It was also her first time hearing it within their bond, so she took it seriously.
She knew everything necessary about his abilities, powers, key points, and whatever they could mean later. Those were Boost's weight, possible fusions within some areas, what it meant to his evolution, and the battles he was part of. Including things about Devil Fox and Rain, she knew them because of the memory fragments that he shared with her. It didn't have everything meaningful, but it was enough for her.
“See that?” Murai uttered just as Lisa wanted to say something.
“Hmph,” she flickered her fluttering wavy hair, gazing away from him. “So what? You dived into the Celestial Pool of unknown dangers and got something out of it. So nice of you to feel proud over something stupid. What are you so surprised about?”
“Nothing. Just proud that growth follows some actions.”
“I can tell you more about it, though these mana-imbued places aren't simple. Maybe you should be careful, take Battleworld's words about the Celestial Pools as a warning. Being too long in this place could harm you later, even if it gives you something in return.”
Seeing her serious and uncomfortable face, Murai had a strange warmth in his stomach. He felt satisfied and he wasn't sure when it exceeded his expectations.
With his new improvements behind him, Murai tested it with the simple Conjuring of a couple of strands of mana. It swirled above him, glowing all so slightly, and assembling rough shapes close to a blade. Some of their aspects looked passable and easier than before. It was still far from being good, yet he looked at it from the previous assembling in mind.
A single Level of his Shaping seemed to correlate to his own learning, but the official Level up did leave its mark. It made it more flowy, so one way or another, this world was able to give magic an advantage. This simple level and action gave him many answers and also a lot of questions.
He remembered Novihaim right away, recalling his high aptitude in magic, many mages, techniques, and how it affected the world or the culture. A single swipe of his Aurch Blade swept the enemies and solved many problems. It was a simpler time for sure. Until he made his move against the Gods of that world, which was stupid, but something he liked and had to do no matter what.
Swimming to the wall, Murai slashed at the rock, controlling a single Mana Blade with his mind. It took a couple of slashes until it dissipated to specks of mana, becoming no longer usable. That was enough to see small slashes on the wall, looking dull and thin as if made of a spoon.
It was still not up to his standards, so he moved to something else. Using his Beak's Fury, he began to smash the wall until beak-sized holes cracked it in many parts. This felt significantly better! Almost like a charm and without a proper ground below his feet.
Strong! This got stronger! he cheered, swimming in circles as if he accomplished something extraordinary. Stopping after a while, he looked at the wall in accomplishment. This physical-based ability is stronger than my magic. What to think of it? Does the world gift things in different properties and weights? Is my body of a beast better than my magic? That isn't a question. I know the answers. It is correct.
He smashed the wall some more to see the possible ways of using his Fury. There were fewer points in doing this like mad-duck. Being on the water was at least half as effective.
Wait! Rocks... Wall? Can I smash the wall that makes this place a prison? Murai suddenly thought, causing Lisa to chuckle and almost laugh.
“How thick is this wall?” he asked her, turning on the spot to see her floating above him. “You can fly so explain this to me if it's even possible.”
Lisa heard him, but she was observing the cracks and strikes on the wall with some hidden surprises. There was a meter-long slash around this wall that provided some interesting context. They were brutish in style and weak, but they had some power behind it. A day-old mage should've never managed this.
“Well,” she jerked from her reverie. “I can try and see.” Lisa flew upwards to the only place that led to the surface. There was no point in seeking something, however. The thickness of the wall was the mountain or earth itself, as most caves were just part of the earth.
The only possibility was flying up, making steep stairs or ladders in the wall, so his sudden idea came to a complete stop.
Another possibility was a tunnel, but that would take a tremendous amount of time and effort, and who knew where would he end up? It was out of the question.
He had no food here, and he was feeling his stomach and stamina running low after these hours of diving and being in this Pool. Could he seize some stamina out of these Mana Shards? He wasn't really looking at them as points of remedy. They were only good for cycling his core, so he tried it, letting Lisa carry one ahead.
Finger-sized Shard of Grade D was a worthy resource for a beginner mage. It had a good quantity and quality of mana within it. The more was usually better, so Murai looked at it from a good old perspective. Halting all movement, he focused when Lisa handled the Shard before his face, curious and expecting to learn something new about him.
He took a breath, yet unexpectedly, his Replenishment was nigh like a swift gluttonous beast, or something inside of him moved first, taking this for a snack? In any way, the Shard dimmed in less than ten seconds onto his breathing, causing the thin layered fog to travel to Murai's nostrils on top of his beak.
Then, Mana Shard cracked and fell from Lisa's hands, becoming dust.
“So, that's it,” Lisa said, shrugging her arms. “What are you even planning with those Shards next? Stashing it away like a squirrel seems to be a waste.”
Hmmm... I was trying something but forgot this body is not my temple. Shards are Shards. Nothing much but an experiment gone well and good, Murai flapped his beak around in annoyance. “Whatever. I need to get out, or I will starve to the End. It doesn't feel good, so what are my chances?”
“Maybe I can fetch you some food, but this body of mine is weak,” Lisa said, understanding that the current circumstances were dire. “I can't lift anything heavy as well. Also, Anatiades are known as gluttons. You aren't too different, I presume?” She was irritated at something. Murai could see that on her face, though not in his Soul Read. She was still an enigma in that vision, probably because of her soul form or something else.
She realized the problem in this cave. It was Murai's fault. His blunder. She couldn't change what had happened, and if he had waited for her, this entire situation would have been different. She could've explored this place without a single issue, giving him a simple answer not to go here, even though it was a Celestial Pool.
“Yeah. Food is food. I am myself, regardless of primordial desires like wishing for food, a good companion to a soul, and seeking purpose over the living. But, you forgot something. There is an option that is fine to consider.” Murai said, angling his head up and confidently nodding.
“Which? There is nothing to eat. No fish would run rampant in such a pond. You will starve in a couple of days. Watching it won't be nice. Anatidaes are—”
“—I know. I know. Demonic duck,” Murai said, splashing water as he swam away. Lisa followed him from behind. “I get implications to this body, so how about something simple, for once?” Murai looked down at the Celestial Pool. “I will reach the bottom of this cave and reach the end of it. There is a current that makes this place not entirely flooded, that's the best plan.”
Lisa thought carefully of his choices, believing that diving into this thing should be dangerous, let alone some long-term explorations. He was a Child, after all. How long would he last?
However, she couldn't disagree with him. That was the best act he could take at the moment. Without wasting time, Murai dived into the water with the intent to use his new ability. A couple of seconds into the dive, Murai used it by a simple command of his heart.
He figured it relatively easily how to take these gifts for something practical. Mana Detection worked the same. It wasn't a passive ability, but one that needed an activation. It had some mana costs, as well as mental pressure that allowed his eyes and mind to perceive the motion of mana as if he had special goggles on his head.
Now, he was curious about his newest tool.
“Diving Sphere!”
A thud-like sound came from his heart, followed by a glow that spread from his feathers, and bubbles. He guessed this glow went from his Beast Core that was doing something, but he didn't feel anything magical or foreboding. Perhaps he was dull, numb to his core, or this Divine Sphere was special. But he did feel something move. Something that was not human. A glowing barrier connected the bubbles, forcing and pushing the water away all around him.
“A sphere? Fitting name and straight to the point,” He commented and began to observe this whole process. It took some time, yet everything about it was pretty much automatic. He put his intent toward the Divine Sphere creation, and it moved.
He used his Mana Detection next, observing himself as these bubbles and glow created a much bigger sphere. It went from within him, coming from something else. Was it his Bloodline, that was following the creation of this sphere along the air trapped in his feathers? It enveloped him completely, enabling him to breathe once again.
All it took was four seconds, and after it was done, a new message emerged, giving him the answers he needed.
[First-time use of Diving Sphere: A special case of a rare and precious ability of Anatidae species. It dates tens of thousands of years and follows a couple of large tribes in the Depths, but pretty much any Anatidae, as long as it's crucial in unlocking, has it] Will of the Battleworld said.
[Rundown and explanations over Diving Sphere are granted]
[Answer: Simple. Your feathers are fluffy, your tiny legs are useless, and so are your lungs, which are less than good for holding your breath for a long time. Anatidaes are absolutely horrific in this regard, more so than many other beasts. It isn't their curse, however. Just a physical incapability that they can't get rid of unless some things... make it passable. Considering your good luck, it might... change] It sounded worrisome for some reason, speaking voices in its passage with bits of hesitation.
[Anatidae species made due decisions and came up with a perfect technique to solve these problems, whether a diving or water problem arises, challenges or battles happen, or other issues come their way]
[A Diving Sphere creates up to a meter-wide sphere around your body, allowing you to breathe for four to seven minutes. The real value depends on the harshest of your breathing and environmental risks]
[Mana Shaping and familiarity with the Mana Flow are required to move and create this thing, but that is no issue for your Shaping and experience, or after this ability goes over its initial release. It is a Class C ability for a reason, even when you are a Child and got it early]
[Alas, there is a due limitation. Your swimming in the Diving Sphere is reduced to 40% of your normal swimming speed. Note: this value will get higher the more your level of this ability gets. Or it might get lower because of environmental risks, your fatigue, or Improper use of Shaping]
[The breaths can increase as well, so train and get better]
[Simple as that]
An interesting rundown, Murai thought. It should talk like this every time about new, or old abilities. What is Beak's Fury anyway? Mana, Bloodline, and my muscles put in use?
He glanced at the seen-through barrier around him; his body rested at the bottom of this sphere because of gravity and air. He was floating in the water as if he was a bubble in the air.
Why doesn't this rundown voice happen whenever I use a new ability? I would love some explanations. Soul Manifestation, Soul Lock, Mana Detection, and others are all here. Strike of the Will too. Like... what do my Will and soul even have in all of it?! Regardless of that, I've discovered quite a few topics. It seems Anatidae are highly intelligent and capable little beasts. Regardless of non-Bblessed species as well, since there has never been a Blessed in their members. That is interesting on its own. I wonder If I will meet one in the future.
Standing within the Diving Sphere was harder than it seemed, so he just lay there for now. It forced oxygen from his body and feathers to form this sphere, giving him a tool perfect for his escape plan.
“This is a great ability, considering your lacking manners and inability to do anything better with swimming or diving,” Lisa's voice spoke right around his head, jerking Murai's beak aside.
“What? You are finally leaned to go exploring after floating around and being lazy?” Murai turned his head to face Lisa, who appeared inside his sphere at some point. He didn't know when; she never went down in all of their attempts.
“Yes. I don't think Celestial Pools are good to me as a soul form. I don't want to go swimming in this water. That's all.” She made an excuse, floated in her smaller body than usual, and sat on Murai's back. He didn't like it, but not like they had a lot of space in this sphere.
“What do you think you are doing?” he glared at her menacingly.
“I will ride you to the bottom of this place,” she nonchalantly said, pointing down as if she were the captain of her own ship.
Get off, or I will make you learn to swim, you lazy ass. Murai didn't speak. He glared at her, hoping his sight would work better than his words, but he still had his thoughts that Lisa heard.
“I CAN swim!” she shouted in unwillingness, clearly flustered, obvious that she couldn't. “It isn't anything harder for my body made of mana at all.”
Well, it wasn't clear to Murai what or who she was. Wanting from a soul form to dive into Celestial Pool was obviously farfetched.
Floating in the air like the wind was her forte, so what about this mana-infused water? Celestial Pool was full of mana, making it rather difficult for her to move and live in peace. Her choice was not to try her chances, even though it was not very clever. After all, getting familiar with her body was a marathon that she had to figure out in the same principles as Murai. She had her growth and abilities to consider, though she had yet to tell him about it. Getting better in this pool was possible, if not guaranteed.
Fine. Stay there, but in return, you won't be complaining about this journey at all, nor talk shit. Do we understand? Murai asked in his mind, giving her no choice but to nod in agreement.
With this behind, Murai used his Shaping to move this Sphere like mana that came out of his core. It was similar to moving Mana Blades, but this thing was much more feasible for some reason. Moving at 40% of his swimming speed wasn't slow. It added more comfort to seeing things below. The temperature wasn't hot either, yet breathing was hard to point out. Murai counted seconds at the back of his mind just in case.
Murai began his descent to the glowing paradise that Lisa saw for the first time in this manner.
“What is this?! Why are there so many of the Mana Crystals here?” she said, looking at the surroundings from Murai's back. “You haven't mentioned these.”
“You didn't ask, but this much shocks you? Are Celestial Pools something crazy in this world or what?” Murai quacked out loud this time, figuring that having a conversation with his mind and her speaking out loud was awkward. So was his quacking, so he decided on lesser evil.
“They are... rare,” Lisa replied. “This one seems very remote to grow like this. This section of the cave must be old, secluded from men for ages. More is hiding down. Perhaps it could change to a better Celestial Pool.”
“You said there would be some more things, right?”
“Yes. You didn't even tell me there are so many of them!” She flew to the edge of the Sphere, pointing her finger to some Mana Crystal the size of a person. “That Grade is... B. Medium Size. That one is more of an A grade if I consider the size and its internal glow. There is even a deeper section down below.” She spoke on her own, her face glued in wonders and ideas.
Murai didn't even bother responding to her. He passed these Crystals and went deeper. Murai wasn't interested in mining or trying his luck. He wasn't willing to waste his breath, so he pointed his sphere like a large glob of mana into a new cave below. He couldn't see what was inside, and he was curious to find out.
A new corner of the cave came to their view soon enough, revealing a wider opening, dimmer walls, and fever-growing material around. There were some, but condensed into smaller Crystals. Due to pressure or this cave in particular, they no longer looked like crystalized glass, salt, or ores, but like smooth thinner spikes.
“High-Grade Mana Spikes?!” Lisa shouted, her fingers pointing downwards, almost penetrating the sphere.
“Mana Spikes? Never heard of them,” Murai commended, turning his face to hers.
“You haven't yet. Or you did but never in this name. These are better than Mana Crystals in their usage and quality. They are also rarer because they grow in Celestial Pools alone. Its quality and age also matter. They are on par with Mana Essences, or glasses of dense Mana Tonic. These Spikes have liquid within them after all, poising as something different than mana itself. They are like grass before some Shards.” Lisa quickly explained, counting at least a few dozen Spikes at the entrance alone.
Should I fetch some? Murai thought, glancing at them without any greed. Without much thought, he deduced they looked like water-based Gemrals from Novihaim. It was probably a decent treasure, as they were decent in that world as well. The longer such treasures formed, the more precious and useful they generally were. Circumstances to create some of them could be tricky or very unique. Crystals could be anywhere with mana. Perhaps they were ores of this cave before it got flooded and changed into Celestial Pool.
“Leave them be!” Lisa pointed at Murai, hearing his thought process in a split second. “They are fragile. You can easily destroy them in such conditions underwater, let alone with your not-so-good manners and beak.”
Uh. Whatever. I wouldn't bother with them anyway. Sized like children, they must weigh dozens of ducks, if not hundreds. Not like I have no use for them, so... Never mind, Murai thought and minded his dive further.
There were more Spikes and even some nicer-looking Crystals. Some had different colors than azure-looking ore, and the surrounding temperature became different. Morgalis Volcano might be why these Crystals and some Spikes were no longer pure, but chained with flaming elements inside of them, or could they be straight-up Laws?
Murai was far from sensing these sorts of things, and he wouldn't trust his eyes for something like this. Not here. Right now.
“What are those?” Murai asked Lisa, hoping to hear whenever she would give him sufficient feedback when he didn't trust himself. These Crystals were half a meter long, similar to Spikes which had smooth flaming sides, sharp tips, and flowing energy inside of them.
“I think this Celestial Pool is changing the Crystal to Spikes. Probably. Is this how it's done in nature? I've never seen it personally, but something like this makes sense,” she guessed. “If we are guessing, of course. I am no expert in Laws in this appearance, but some of them must contain Flame Laws for sure. The heat coming from them is also peculiar.” Lisa poked her arm from the sphere.
Murai panicked, fearing it would pop, but it didn't even flinch. Lisa had no physicality in her hand, yet when she let it out, her hand slowly sizzled away. She didn't grimace in pain or even blink.
“Eh, it makes sense,” Murai said. “The richness of the mana is also getting stronger and pressure is rising along the temperatures. I feel it with my Spehre. It moves slower too. I suppose it's the volcano's fault. Can you feel it?”
“A little bit, but not so much. You have much better Detection than me or even physical senses. I am nothing much but weak soul form.” She excuses herself, overlooking the fact he heard him mention a volcano that wasn't overly common in this world. There were hundreds of them, sure, but a mere mention of some details like that lake would give her some idea.
Unfortunately, Murai didn't think of it as important.
Detection? I can't feel a dozen meters around me, Murai hesitated. Detection grows too, I suppose.
“Well, sorry for not being familiar with my abilities and feelings about this body,” Lisa argued.
“The same could be said about me. See? Let's forget these arguments for now. We are going downhill in different ways than physically,” Murai quacked and shook his head in disappointment.
Lisa heard him right and suddenly understood how harsh she was to him in terms of confidence and expectations. This realization didn't change anything in her mind, or heart. She had no plans for any apologies.
Instead, she viewed the content of the cave as Murai, if not more curious. In her previous life, she hadn't made many pokes into underwater ponds, seas, or oceans. Those places were much different than this parade inside a magical paradise, though she knew many other places much better than this on top of her head.
Speaking of them would get the nowhere, so she kept her mouth shut.