ISMUND
A few days ago…I guess it’s a good time to open those notifications. Hopefully gains?
> [Simplified Status.]
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> Name: Ismund Theodore (Mr. Toothpick, Hidden)
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> Age:20
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> Sex: Male
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> Race: Human
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> Path:Winter’s Blade (C: Upgradable)
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> Tier Body:D+ (385/500) -> (400/500)
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> Mind:D (250/500)
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> Soul:D (290/500) -> (295/500)
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> Achievements
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> -Frozen
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> -Trained
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> -Martial-artist
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> -Born of the Cold
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> -Woodsman
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> Noteworthy traits and Skills
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> Upgradable:[Swordsmanship: D+]
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> Nonupgradable:[Human Compass], [Iron Fists], [Ice bleached!][Ice affiliation], [Time Numb]
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> Titles
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> - System Favor
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> - North Blood
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> - Mr. Toothpick
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> Contracts
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> - System Safety Protocol]
Looking at the upgrades, the soul one especially, I allow myself a bright smile.
The soul stat is one of the most difficult to upgrade, mind being second.
Looking around trying to find something to occupy my time, my attention lands on the bushes lining the hall.
Dragging myself up, I make my way towards them. Remove the base of the plant from the ground, place it in the tent, find another, and repeat.
After doing this for a while I find myself sitting with a large pile of shrubbery.
More toothpicks are always welcome.
Using my spare knife I carve some perfect-looking toothpicks out of the bushes tirelessly for hours on end.
You know, I used to find this part a bit boring, but the further I’m looking into I think this could be kind of therapeutic. I almost give into a small grin until a new notification interrupts me causing me great annoyance.
> [I didn’t think you could do it, but here we are! You somehow managed to make even the process of making the toothpicks something useful! Because of this you’ve been given an extra little treat from enjoying the boring.]
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> [Mr.Toothpick -> Mr. Toothpicks]
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> This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
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> [Would you like a description of it’s new effects?]
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Letting out a sigh, I concede.
> [Wow, look at you destroying toothpicks like nobodies business! Gain stress relief when chewing or creating toothpicks, as well as charisma. You can make toothpicks with ease and add any flavour you want to them. While creating toothpicks you have a chance of a toothpick cloning itself upon separation with the wood.]
“Hmm, okay. I guess that’s… something.”Carrying on with making more and more toothpicks, I notice the cloning bit happening every once and a while.
I wonder where the extra wood comes from.
Deciding to not linger on the thought, I fill up my free time with toothpicks, occasionally pausing to grab another bush or make the pile of toothpicks that’s accumulating disappear into my box.
Thwub,
Thwub,
Thwub.
Again I hear some ‘knocking’ on the tent and pause my carving.“What is it?”
Guessing that she’s probably ‘deaf’ again, I peer out of the tent exasperatedly, careful not to re-open any wounds.
Looking up unenthused, I find Drifa writing in the snow already.
Oh boy. Let’s hope she didn’t break something again. Manoeuvring myself over so that I can see it, it reads. “I’m stuck.”
Wiping what she wrote away, I draw back, “With?”
“How the PM get-”
Holding up a finger I stop her before she can scribble anything more.
“PM?”Letting out a sigh she writes back, “Pure Magic.” Nodding, I motion for her to carry on.“How does the PM get its energy? Or I guess how it converts CP (Corrupt Magic) to PM?”I don’t know a whole lot about how it works. Hey System, can you give me a summary?
> [Affirmative. User Drifa is currently able to hear Corrupt and Pure Magic. She currently has the theory that the louder the sound is the more powerful the energy behind it is. It has been confirmed that listening to Corrupt Magic without intent causes a link. This link is what lead to her ruptured eardrum. She has noticed a point where the two energies converge is confused.]
Mulling it over in my head, I try to think of something.
I guess she has the magic to do with water. It’s just frozen. Maybe the water cycle? She’ll figure it out, it isn’t necessarily my problem right now.
“You can’t always get people to figure out your issues for you, especially since this is your field of ‘expertise’, but I’ll give it a bit of help. The System gave me a summary of the situation. Maybe try approaching it like the water cycle?”
Heaving myself to my feet, I re-enter my tent, figuring that’s my contribution for the day.
* * *
DRIFA While Ismund walks away without a second glance I try to think over what he’s given me.
Also, why hasn’t the System given me a summary?
> [Is user Drifa want requesting one?]
Yes, of course!
> [Affirmative. Summary data base has been implemented.]
After skimming the summary I move on.
I hope that’s helpful. Should be.
Sitting down comfortably, I reorganize my thoughts again.
So I guess try to connect it to the water cycle? I mean what happens there? Water on the ground or in a lake or something has the sun heat it and evaporate the water, it turns into a cloud and then rains. I’m not so sure how accurate Ismund is on this one, I May as well go back to basics.
The aspects I have are frost, purity, healing, and wind. Well, actually on second thought, that might connect to what Ismund was saying.
Leaning forward I try sketching the idea into an image in front of me.
I guess the Corrupt Magic could be dirty water. And when the sun beats down it gets purified into good clean water. Purity is an aspect of mine I suppose. The water doesn’t get dirty when it evaporates… I’m not getting anywhere. Well I mean the water itself in the filth isn’t bad it's the dirt and rotten stuff, right? So maybe the water is the energy, and the filth is how it sounds horrible? Maybe the sun also represents pure energy?
“Hmm…”
Hearing in my head what sounds like trumpets of celebration I see a golden fancy-looking notification.
> {Drifa’s Magic Theory has been created!}
My what, what now?
> [User Drifa has advanced in Pure Magic from understanding. Since she is the founder of this magic, magic theory on pure magic will be titled “Drifa’s Magic Theory” until further notice. This will be under ‘Achievements’, and user Drifa can access it any time by looking at her summary page.]
Squinting my eyes in befuddlement, I open up the achievement.
> [Yahoo! You’ve created you’re own theory in magic theory that others will probably learn in the future if you’ve failed to eliminate all of the invaders. Due to your new understanding it’s theorized that you can now manipulate the energy.]
Reinvigorated from the confirmation of my line of thought, I decide against retiring for the eveni-…, well whatever time it is.
Reaching out with my will I attempt to drag a snippet of the pure energy surrounding me.
> [Warning, taking energy from protective field will weaken it.]
I chuckle nervously to myself.
Better be careful, can’t have myself getting hurt. I think the contract said something about being especially weak to it or something.
Figuring it’ll be easier to manipulate the energy from other books I had read with magic in it, I hold my hand out. Reaching out with my will, I capture the smallest piece of energy outside of the field possible along with a small amount from inside of the protective field.
> [Warning, shield weakened.]
Grimacing at the message I forage on.
Using the pure energy, I wrap it around the corrupt energy.
Nothings happening. Wait, no. It’s just taking a while.
Drudging on at a painfully slow pace the chaotic speck slowly mellows into a dull thrum and eventually goes completely silent. Unexpectedly, as it disappears from where I was formerly able to hear it, it turns itself into a bright something that looks like a tiny spark, above my palm.
What do I do now?
After losing my attention for a fraction of a second, that spark dissipates and is eaten up by the pure energy around me.
> [Field fully restored.]
You know thinking back on it, the System’s energy had a different feel to it than that spark did. The spark seemed much more malleable, the system's energy just felt like pushing rocks around. It’s clunkier.
Adjusting my position I focus on the difference in the System’s energy surrounding me compared to that speck.
My magic is based on advancing understanding partially, the other bit is soul tier… does the understanding connect to snow aspects? Wait, Aspects.
The thought sends a seed of an idea in my mind, ready to sprout into a revelation.
There’s intent and purpose with this right? Not just energy? I’m confined to snow’s aspects. Corrupt energy is probably the same way. Like how different containers can give water different shapes. So the spark is like rain until I give it a container.
Smiling in success, I try to use what I’ve figured out into some tangible progress.