Just as I contemplate our ascent, I get a level-up notification rolling across my retina suddenly.

'Fifth level achieved. 3 points awarded. Etranger bonus has increased.'

I seriously feel like I'm the terminator or I'm in some VR game whenever this goes on.

Actually, isn't fifth level a bit stingier than the previous ones? If it’s a milestone, surely it should be more rewarding? But I guess game conventions have failed to apply in the past.

Aria wanders up to me.

"D-Did you get stronger again?" She asks.

"Huh? Yeah... how did you know?" I ask.

She blushes a bit.

"I get this weird tingly feeling. It's like I'm being tickled! It's really weird! I-I figured out it happens each time you get stronger... and it carries on until you do something... hah..."

Well that is weird. Is it like spamming the summoner with a level-up notice? How cruel.

She squirms.

"Do I tickle your fancy right now, then?" I taunt.

"S-shut up Elijah. Hurry up and learn something before I... ugh..." she looks too uncomfortable to get seriously angry. She starts furiously scratching her midriff, showing off her toned belly.

Hurhur... I wonder if this is why she was so short tempered just after I took out the Crawler.

But I'm only an incidental bully, I don't believe in excess cruelty most of the time, so let’s call up the skill tree.

I think I just need to be more useful in general as the next priority. If I'm in a melee... I'm basically kinda fucked still.

Although I am still carrying that staff, and that branch of the skill-tree does reach up rank 6, it's 5 points for the second level, which is why I've given it the slip before. I guess that level is quite a jump from the novice practices?

Perhaps it’s time to start on spells proper? I focus back on the 'Minor Shock' and to my surprise, 'Spark Cannon' is now an option. Did Seria ever cast this?

Stolen story; please report.

However, it's basically ideal. It's the short range burst sounding one, like an electric sawn-off shotgun blast? It's also just two points!

Let’s go for that.

I suddenly see a vision of a scrawny little black haired girl sitting next to beautiful woman with long copper hair. The little girls own hair is still somewhat short, and she seems meek and dressed in a shoddy, baggy tunic. She has an iron neck-chain. But she is endearingly paying close attention to the woman's hands.

I watch as well. There is a sweeping gesture, three fingers twirling, and then an outstretched palm.

The woman smiles warmly.

"Let’s see if you can get it this time, Eri. You'll get two rolls if you do!"

The vision ends.

Oh! Cripes!

The little girl is... 'Eri-chan' is Seria!

It's such a change to see her meek and short haired and in a modest outfit that I didn't get it straight away.

Huhuhu... I feel like I touched some forbidden history here.

Well... it leaves me with one point. Despite looking, nothing for the low cost perks my interest, so I guess we're saving this one. I confirm I don't want to spend it to the Multivultus Scientica.

I look up as Aria lets out a sigh of relief. The itching is really that bad, huh?

Suddenly, Seria then appears next to me from behind, hand on my shoulder like a claw, giving me a start. How does she do that?

She looks incredulous and is glaring under her eyes.

"Your thunder spirit just grew to nearly twice the size in an instant! What the heck did you do?!" She exclaims, moving right into my personal space.

Her flat chest is basically pressed right up against me and her grasp is squeezing my shoulder with surprising power. It's not very erotic with her... anger, though.

"I chose to learn a thunder spell." I state, matter of factly.

Her brows knit further, but she releases me.

"Show me." She orders.

I step back and turn away from her so as to not hit her and Aria, but she moves back in front, just allowing me three feet of space.

"Boy... I will not be hurt by electricity." She glares.

Oh right. I shrug.

I think about that vision, and about electricity, holding it in my mind. I take a deep breath, and suddenly, my right arm sweeps by its own volition. The full gesture completes almost as if that woman from the vision possessed me.

There is explosion of shocks and sparks! I did it!

Seria is bombarded in electricity, but it just runs down along her belly and legs and grounds out, doing nothing. She steps right up to me again, as if inspecting my face.

"A flawless Spark Cannon. As if I myself did it." She says in my ear.

Aria has a ‘<>’ mouth in awe. But Seria grunts and looks more frustrated. Her head tilts.

"Just what ~is~ that power? It is truly enviable... hah..." she sighs, closing her eyes, and then groans whilst tapping the ground with her foot, and her head with her finger.

Yeah... the Multivultus Scientica is pretty creepy at times... but I guess I just skipped a few grades of Thunder Mage School, huh?

Then she opens her eyes again, looks right in my eyes, and grins so hard I feel her face should split. Her hands grab my face. She gets a slight blush too. Its feverish and kinda ‘scary yandere’ rather than adorable. But considering how close...

"I do love mysteries. I love you, boy!"

Uh oh...