I spent another day gathering honey with Sera and Lucy.
Thankfully, we didn’t encounter any unexpected situations like the first time, since we avoided going anywhere near the Bearowl territories.
The good news was we gathered a large amount of honey and made enough medicine to last for a while. The bad news was I still had no idea how to level up.
I even killed a few bees myself, but that didn’t work. Unlike in all the previous worlds, where I could go full murderhobo to gain Experience Point, this world seemed to play by different rules.
Since that was the case, there was one more thing I needed to test.
In my room, I picked up the Sound Amplifying Crystal, aka the microphone, and dove back into the world of Runes. Once I understood what each Rune did, I started copying them from the original microphone crystal to create a few more.
It was great to be able to keep working non-stop. Every time my body got messed up thanks to [Void Heart] and my constant Mana exhaustion, [Full Body Restoration] kicked in to save the day. Thanks to it, I was as good as new even after pushing myself hard enough to pass out seventeen(?) times.
A cheat was a cheat, and there was no reason to not capitalize on it.
With enough spare Sound Amplifying Crystals at hand, it was time to take the next step and create an MP3 player.
To turn a microphone crystal into an MP3 player, I needed to add a third part to the process — a set of Runes to store sound inside the crystal for an extended period.
I also needed to separate the recording process from the playback process. Since the only way to activate the crystal was by pouring Mana into it, I decided to try merging two crystals — one for storing sound and one for playing it.
But that approach failed miserably.
Every time I attempted to merge the crystals, the Runes inside them turned into a chaotic, jumbled mess. They refused to synchronize, and I couldn’t even get past the first step.
Back to the drawing board.
The next solution I came up with involved the amount of Mana the user poured into the crystal.
Following that train of thought, I began tinkering with the sound-gathering Runes. The Runes for receiving sound remained the same, but I added additional Runes to store the sound in the motes bridge between the receiving side and the amplifying side. With that modification, it was time to test the Mana mechanics.
After several rounds of experimentation, I quickly realized that requiring an exact amount of Mana would completely defeat the purpose of making the device accessible to everyone. Precise Mana control wasn’t a skill most people had. It would demand too much effort.
“No, that’s not it,” I muttered for what felt like the hundredth time.
I needed a process that could handle a flexible amount of Mana.
After half a day of testing, I settled on a baseline condition. The condition was that whenever someone poured Mana into the recording crystal, it would begin recording sound. To play back the sound, they’d need to reduce the amount of Mana they used.
Confident in the update, I brought the recording crystal to Sera for testing.
“Is this the thing you mentioned? The sound thing?” Sera asked, inspecting the crystal with curiosity.
“It’s a Recording Crystal,” I corrected. “And yes, this could solve some of our village’s biggest problems.”
Sera took the crystal and began testing it. At first, everything worked perfectly, just as intended.
But then she tried using the same crystal a second time.
The problem became apparent immediately. Since the amount of Mana she poured into the crystal differed between uses, the previously recorded sound was overwritten and disappeared entirely.
“Thanks, Sera. I need to fix this,” I said, taking the crystal back.
“No problem.” She paused, then tilted her head. “By the way, have you found a way to Level up yet?”
I pointed at the recorder. “This is it. If my hypothesis is correct, then not only can this thing solve our village’s problem, but it could also solve my problem and help me understand what’s going on.”
“Can I help?” Sera asked, her eyes lighting up with determination.
“You’re already helping,” I smiled lightly.
“Okay, then I’ll go gather more honey,” she replied cheerfully before heading off.
By day three, the Recording Crystal finally worked as intended.
This time, I went back to using Mana thresholds. To record sounds, the amount of Mana poured into the crystal had to exceed a specific threshold, which could be set by the user. To replay the recorded sounds, only one-tenth of the Mana used for recording was required.
The gap between these two thresholds provided an acceptable margin of error, ensuring the crystal was user-friendly. Even if someone poured slightly more Mana than necessary, it wouldn’t interfere with the functionality.
To make it even simpler, I added a vertical value bar with markings etched onto the crystal. There was a circle to indicate the recording threshold and a triangle to show the replay threshold. This way, anyone could visually gauge how much Mana they needed to use.
*Ding
[World Walker’s Comprehension Level up: Level 2 –> 3]
Thanks to that, I had a much better understanding of this world’s Runes and laws. Now, it was time to find out whether all the trouble I’d gone through had been worth it.
Sera and I headed to her usual song training spot, where Frozen Grass grew in abundance, shimmering beneath the soft light.
“Ready,” Sera said as she held both the Recording Crystal and the Sound Amplifying Crystal.
I nodded, giving her the signal to begin.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
What happened next was a sight I had seen many times in the memories I inherited, but this was the first time I witnessed it firsthand.
The Frozen Grass swayed to the rhythm of Sera’s voice, moving as if carried by an unseen wind. Mana gathered around the blades of grass, swirling gently at first before intensifying in sync with the melody.
Within moments, the grass began to grow taller at a visible rate.
This miraculous phenomenon wasn’t just magic. It was the work of this world’s Harmony, a gift bestowed upon the Songstresses.
Once Sera finished singing, I pointed out something she had never noticed before. “Your singing makes the grass grow.”
“Eh?” Sera let out a funny sound, blinking at me in confusion. She looked at the ground and gasped. “You’re right!”
Her eyes sparkled like stars as she jumped off the protruding rock and ran her hands across the grass.
“Cool!” she exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. “With this, we don’t have to worry about food for the Strong Hoofed Oxen in the village’s ranches.”
“Want to see something even cooler?” I asked.
“Obviously!” Sera’s enthusiasm was infectious.
“You see that pole-like marking on the crystal’s surface? The one with the circle and the triangle?”
“Yeah, I see it. It glowed blue earlier,” she replied, holding up the crystal to examine it.
“Exactly. Now try pouring just enough Mana so the blue bar only touches the triangle.”
“Got it.” Sera did as instructed, focusing her Mana into the crystal.
The moment the blue bar level hit the triangle, her voice rang out again, resonating through the forest.
“That’s my voice!” Sera exclaimed, staring at the crystal with eyes as wide as saucers.
“Yes, yes it is,” I confirmed with a nod.
Then came the moment of truth. I turned my attention to the Frozen Grass around her, watching closely for the effect I hoped for.
Mana swirled around the grass, just like when Sera sang directly. The effect was weaker, only about one-tenth of the Mana she normally moved with her voice, but it worked.
I smiled, pleased with the result. This was enough. With this, the village could safely accelerate the growth of Frozen Grass. More grass meant more hares, more hares meant more oxen, more oxen meant more bees, and more bees meant more honey.
Of course, there was a downside too. More Bearowls.
For now, the temporary solution was to thin out the Bearowl population before we left for NorthStar. The permanent solution would be to increase the overall strength of the village.
*Ding
[You have created a new way to experience Harmony and share it. Level up: Level 8 –> 10]
[You can now select a Class. You cannot level up until you select a Class]
Sweet. I thought as I stood up, brushing off the snow.
It was just as I suspected, the clue lay hidden within the condition. This world’s laws revolved around Harmony, and the Recording Crystal tied directly into it.
“This is amazing!” Sera exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement as she watched the Frozen Grass sway and grow in response to the crystal. “I don’t have to worry about the village as much now!”
I smiled softly at her. She truly was too good of a child for her own good.
Ever the optimist, Sera hadn’t yet considered the broader implications this might have on the villagers’ lives, but her enthusiasm was a good thing.
“I need to mass-produce these for the village,” I said, calling out to the little girl still running her hands over the spikelets of grass. “Let’s head back for now.”
“Okay,” Sera replied, skipping back to the village.
That night, after pushing myself to the brink and passing out nine(?) more times, I managed to create ten additional Recording Crystals imprinted with Sera’s voice.
Finally, with the work done, I had time to check my class selection menu.
From what I could see, there were seven Classes in total.
===============
[Warrior]
Requirement: Use the corpse of a monster you hunted alone with a melee weapon as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for melee fighters. Grants vastly increased proficiency with all types of melee weapons.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Berserker]: Empowered by an unrelenting drive for combat, you engage in battle with ferocity, bringing destruction to the battlefield.
| [Knight]: Guided by an unwavering duty to protect, you become a steadfast shield, standing firm against all adversaries.
===============
[Rogue]
Requirement: Use an item you stole without the owner's knowledge as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for stealth operators. Grants vastly increased proficiency in hiding your presence and moving undetected.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Assassin]: You embody the silent night, delivering swift and precise death with unmatched efficiency.
| [Shadow Dancer]: A master of shadows, you command and manipulate darkness to confound and overwhelm your enemies.
===============
[Archer]
Requirement: Use the corpse of a monster you hunted alone with a long-ranged weapon as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for ranged combatants and trap users. Greatly enhances proficiency with long-range weapons and traps.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Sniper]: A deadly archer who eliminates foes with a single arrow, embodying precision and lethality from a distance.
| [Hunter]: A master of the hunt, ensuring no prey escapes your arrows, traps, or beasts.
===============
[Mage]
Requirement: Use a Skill related to magic as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for magic users. Greatly enhances proficiency in learning magic and mastering Runes.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Elementalist]: Command the elements at will, bringing either blessings or devastation to the land with your mastery.
| [Formation Maker]: Harness the power of formations, creating intricate designs with applications limited only by your imagination.
===============
[Blacksmith]
Requirement: Use an item you created without assistance as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for craftsmen. Greatly enhances proficiency in handling items, materials, and the art of creation.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Warsmith]: Wield the hammer to forge legendary weapons and armor, becoming the ultimate artisan of war.
| [Crafter]: Master the creation and enhancement of tools, gadgets, accessories, and more—your versatility knows no bounds.
===============
[Alchemist]
Requirement: Use a potion or enhanced item you created without assistance as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for rule breakers. Greatly enhances your proficiency in understanding and manipulating the ever-changing interactions between matter and magic.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Potion Maker]: Craft miracles in liquid form, blending science and magic into potent creations.
| [Transmuter]: Unlock the interchangeability of all things, harnessing this knowledge to reshape the world around you.
===============
[Healer]
Requirement: Use your faith as tribute.
Description: The foundational Class for believers. Greatly enhances your proficiency in healing wounds and cleansing impurities.
Possible Paths for 1st Ascension:
| [Cleric]: Mend the wounded and restore what was lost, embodying compassion and divine care.
| [Purifier]: Stand against corruption in all its forms, wielding the power to cleanse and purify.
===============
I immediately felt a wave of immense disappointment as I reviewed the available Classes. Every single one of them demanded the use of Mana. Except for [Healer], which relied on faith instead.
[Healer] wasn’t a viable option for me. I had no idea what kind of gods or deities this world had, and relying on them had led to disastrous consequences more times than I cared to count. I wasn’t about to repeat those mistakes.
What frustrated me most was the lack of any Class that allowed me to cultivate Qi instead of Mana.
Sure, I could choose a support Class like [Blacksmith] or [Alchemist], but I despised relying on the fated ones to get things done. In my experience, trusting others like that was no different than handing a knife to my enemies and asking them not to stab me.
That wouldn’t do. I’d had enough of leaving my fate in someone else’s hands.
I opened my Inventory and stared at the only item I’d received as a reward from the previous world, the [Demonic Arts Fragment.]
The System didn’t give me this for nothing. There had to be a reason.
I took the fragment out and placed it on my palm.
As I did, a System notification popped up.
I smiled as a new Class I’d never seen before appeared: [Otherworldly Demon.]