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The Paradoxical Dungeon
Chapter 3: Learning Magic

Chapter 3: Learning Magic

I am simply waiting as watch my core. Feeling as the mana flows into me. Filling me with more but never hitting a limit. I have long since finished thinking about what the .... AI? Blue box? Hero system? .... What it told me. And with nothing left to do, I simply stare at my core as mana gathers in it. I feel more mana enter me and notice that there is a box in front of me.

For gathering 100 mana despite having only two rooms you have been given the title

-Mana hoarder The holder of this title likes to collect and store mana rather than spending it. Because of this, they have learned to store more. Effect: 2X mana storage 

    Rarity: Common

For remaining at level one for a extended period of time the you have been given the title

-Late bloomer The holder of this title takes longer to grow then others. But because of this when he dose grow it is much greater.

    Effect: Larger benefits from gaining levels

    Rarity: Uncommon

For gathering many skills and titles despite being level one you have been giving the title

-Prodigy The holder of this title is much stronger than others who are at the same level as him. This makes at easier for the holder of this title to gain skills and levels.

   Effect: Skills and titles are easier to get

    Rarity: Uncommon

For growing extremely fast you have been given the title

-GeniusThe holder of this title grows in strength extremely fast. Because of this he gains levels faster so they keep up with him.Effect: Level grows much quicker

    Rarity: Uncommon

(Adam) "What the hell is this! Why do I keep getting more and more powerful despite not doing anything!? " I yell as I notice another box

It seems to have something to do with you having the Hero candidate and Demon lord candidate titles at the same time. The grow rate and system transformation of the two of them added together seems to be making you grow at an insane rate. As for the two titles Contradicting. it seems to have some thing to do with that Paradoxical existence title. Remember how it said you are not bound by the laws of this universe. This is probably what it meant.

(Adam) "OK. that makes sense. But what do you mean by seems? Aren't you the one that gives me titles and such."

No. That is a something else. I don't have any control over the system. I also can't talk to any of the other heroes or demon lords. I am only a part of your system and do not have any real control over anything. I am more of an assistant than anything.

(Adam) "Well. Thanks for the help. I'll just be working on my dungeon for a bit. If I need anything I'll just tell you." After saying that I wait for a reply but after a few moments I decide to just start working on my dungeon.

(Adam) "The first thing I should do is get a way to defend myself. I would like to use monsters. But since I need to have something to work off. I'll have to do something else for now. Well. I'll check the shop for now. But what do I want to get? Maybe I'll try some magic. OK. let's do that.

Shop -Mana sensing(Novice)-Mana gathering(Novice) -Mana circulation(Novice)-Mana activation(Novice) -Chant removal(Special)-Mana efficiency(Novice) -Magic aptitude(Novice)-Fire aptitude(Novice) -Water aptitude(Novice)-Nature aptitude(Novice) Pg 1/???

Looking at what the shop had to show me I decided to open them all and see how they work.

-Mana Sensing(novice) Lets the user see the mana around you and the mana from creatures that are weaker than you. One of the basic skills of any magic user

15MP

0LP

Y/N

-Mana Gathering(novice) Lets the user gather the mana around you to be used later. One of the basic skills of any magic user

15MP

0LP

Y/N

-Mana Circulation(novice) Lets the user move the mana around inside of you to prpare to activate it. One of the basic skills of any magic user

15MP

0LP

Y/N

-Mana Activation(novice)Lets the user turn your mana into spells. One of the basic skills of any magic user15MP

0LPY/N

-Chant removel(special) Lets you cast magic without the need to chant beforehand. One of the most sought after skills by all magic users

1 000MP

250LP

Y/N

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

-Mana efficencey(novice) Makes spells cost less mana by fixing mistakes in the casting process. A high level ability

10 000MP

5 000LP

Y/N

-Magic aptitude(novice) Gives the user aptitude in magic. Without this skill magic is impossible to use

25MP

0LP

Y/N

-Fire aptitude(novice)Gives the user aptitude in fire magic. Without this skill fire magic is impossible to use50MP

0LPY/N

-Water aptitude(novice)Gives the user aptitude in water magic. Without this skill water magic is impossible to use50MP

0LPY/N

-Earth aptitude(novice)Gives the user aptitude in earth magic. Without this skill earth magic is impossible to use50MP

0LPY/N

After looking over the skills I decide to get Mana Sensing, Mana Gathering, Mana Circulation, Mana Activation, and Magic Aptitude. While focusing on the skills, I suddenly feel my energy leave my body. That's when I see the familiar box.

Skill(s) unlocked

Mana Sensing

Mana Gathering

Mana Circulation

Mana Activation

Magic Aptitude

(Adam) "OK, now that I got all the skills I need I can finally cast spells. I just got to .... What do I do?  I never really used any skills yet. The only ones I have I just kind of thought of it and it happened. I never had to do anything. I know! I'll just use the skills in order." And with that thought, I started to try and sense the Mana around me.

At first, nothing happens. But after a while, I start to understand what I need to do and start to think back to all the times I collected mana. The way that the mana felt, like a mist filled with energy. I focus on that feeling and start to look for it. Like before I don't feel anything at first. But then I start to feel something, I strange haze that seems to be in the air around me.

(Adam) "I did it!" I yell out. Before focusing on the haze around me. After a bit, the feeling suddenly gets much stronger, like being surrounded by the same mist as when I gather mana. This energy has a calming warm feeling to it. I get distracted by it,  before I finally snap out of it.

Next, I start to work on what comes next, but knowing that I absorb mana on my own. I skip right to the next step, circulating my Mana. Not knowing what to do for this step, I start by sensing my own mana and thinking about what to do next.

(Adam) "Next step seems to have to with my own mana. To get it ready to be used for spells. But what do I need to do? Maybe it is just what the name says? I guess I should try  moving my mana in a circle."

With my plan made I start trying to move my internal mana. It is slow at first but it starts to pick up speed as i get used to doing it. But no matter how fast I make it move, nothing seems to happen. So I start to move it in a circle, but this also doesn't seem to do anything useful.

That's when I have an idea and start to rotate it instead of moving it. As soon as I do this it instantly gets much harder. It's like I'm trying to move it through syrup. With much effort, I can finally get it to start rotating. As it starts to move faster and faster it gets harder and harder to keep my focus on it. But with lots of effort, I can keep it accelerating.

As I hit a point where I can't make it go any faster I notice that it starting to shrink. Realizing this is the next step. I help it along. Forcing the mana to get closer together. As I force it together I notice the same feeling of resistance as when I started to rotate it. Ignoring this feeling again I keep compressing my mana. As it is getting closer together I notice that it is starting to feel like a liquid more than a gas and this feeling is only getting stronger.

It's at this point that I realize that I don't know what to do next. My mana has almost completely transformed at this point and I have no idea what to do with it. Pressing aside this fear, I continue what I was doing and start to visualize an arrow made of mana. And as I feel my mana completed transform, I push some of it out of my core while imagining this shape and watch as a blue arrow appears and weakly flies towards a wall. I watch as it disappears as soon as it touches this wall without even leaving a dent.

Looking at this, I let my mana go back to normal and start to rethink what I did.

(Adam) "Why did this not work? Maybe I just need more practice? No, that's not the answer. There has to be something wrong with the way I made the arrow. What could it have been? .... Wait, that must be what it is. I put too little mana in it. That must be why it was so weak."

Realizing this I get ready to fire another mana arrow. With this new plan in mind. I start getting my mana ready again.

Name:??? Race:Dungeon Lv: 0 Rooms:2 Floors:1 MP:15 LP:0 Mp/h:6 Titles +

Reincarnated Human

Dungeon Lord

Hero Candidate

Demon lord Candidate

Paradoxical Existence

Questionable Sanity

Mana Hoarder

Late Bloomer

Prodigy

Genius

Skills +

-Stats

-Shop

-Dungeon Sense(novice)

-Create Room(novice)

-Create Monster(novice)

-Edit Monster(novice)

-Mana Sensing(novice)

-Mana Gathering(novice)

-Mana Circulation(novice)

-Mana Activation(novice)

-Magic Aptitude(novice)

(Author's notes)Sorry, it's late. Real life hit hard. Anyway, I got a program to help with my grammar and will be using it from now on and to edit my other chapters.