New Power
So I get that we gotta be wary of that ghost-like triangle hat's high Offensive Magic level, but what are Support Magic and Spirit Magic?
<<Support Magic mainly consists of magic that temporarily buff your Status, while Spirit Magic allows one to summon Spirits that govern over elements, temporarily employing and making them work for you. It also lets one seek help from nearby Spirits to perform a variety of phenomena.>>
Sorry uh, can you start from explaining what those Spirits are? Are they like some sort spiritual beings of the great mother nature?
<<Spirits are not categorized as either humans nor magic beasts, they are akin to a being halfway between organic and inorganic. They are able to wield elements as they please, some powerful higher order Spirits are even revered by humans.>>
I'm still not sure I understand... Well guess it doesn't matter for now.
In short, this Spirit Magician can use magic that deploy Spirits huh.
Seeing as it's got 'Spirit' on its name, is this thing one too?
<<They have no common ground besides its Spirit Magic Skill.>>
Ah, really. Well, it looks more like a ghost than a spirit after all. No, I'm not talking about my mind ghost.
Now then, it would be best if we went with another ambush, but this thing should make for a good practice considering we've never fought this type before.
"That thing specializes in magic. It's got Level 6 Offensive Magic and also Level 2 Support Magic."
"Its Offensive Magic, is higher level than mine..."
...Huh? Is she feeling competitive?
"Err, going with an ambush is probably safer for us, but since we've never fought this type before and all, you up for a frontal assault? It'll be a good practice."
"Un. Let's do it. I wanna compare which one of us is better with magic."
Don't tell me, Alma actually has a competitive spirit.
She must have always felt inferior during her days as Apprentice Paladin, and suppressed that side of her thinking she'd lose anyway, but now that she's got her confidence, her real nature comes out. A good thing I believe.
Same with me, when people told me I don't have Skills or my Stats are garbage, I would... wait, I kept acting rash. Guess everything gotta be in moderation.
"Then first, I'll get in melee range to test the water, you can start shooting magic when the coast is clear. But if it looks dangerous, we're retreating to the portal at once."
"Got it. Don't be reckless now."
"Of course."
Time to get close.
I slowly made my way so the Spirit Magician would notice me.
Hello there, how do you do?
『!』
Oh, it noticed me.
I could tell it went into battle mode. Holding its staff aloft, ready to shoot spells anytime.
As I kept pressing forward, it emitted bloodlust and hostility before casting a spell.
<<Support SKill Lv2: 'Speedup' Temporarily buffs target's Agility.>>
First it buffed itself huh. Taking all the precautions to gain an advantage, this thing's pretty adept at fighting.
Then it proceeded to fly in a hard to predict trajectory, seemingly to avoid its movement being read.
Is this thing flying without a Skill? Maybe by controlling mana like me.
<<Spirit Magicians possess an organ that allows them to fly. Hence, it falls under a different classification from Skill or Mana Control.>>
An organ to fly huh. Well, I guess it's like those bird magic beasts, Bladewings and co. They didn't have Flight related Skill either.
<<The Skill 'Flight' does not exist. 'Sky Walk' ability from Ultimate Martial Arts Skill allows one to walk in the sky, however it does not enable its user to fly freely in all directions like by way of Mana Control.>>
Didn't know Skills like that exist.
Once I've leveled high enough, maybe I should pretend to have that Sky Walk Skill so I could fly around in public.
Whoops, the enemy shot out another spell while my thought was going astray.
A fireball in my direction.
Dodging that from this distance is easy peasy tho'. There we go.
!? Eh, it's homing in on me!?
Oh crap, can't dodge. Wrap my arms with mana and defend!
Beshi BOOM!
『!?』
"...Huh?"
...Beshi? What's up with that sensation.
I didn't have time to solidify my mana so I blocked it with a soft cushion-like mana wrapped around my hand, which then resulted in the fireball getting flicked away.
It hit and broke the wall into charred remains. My HP would have gone down a lot if that hit me.
The triangle hat was looking at me in confusion. Heck, I dunno what just happened either.
Could it be, the spell didn't combust due to lack of impact because it hit the soft mana cushion?
Hit me up with another of that please. Oh, here it comes.
I wrapped my hand with soft mana again and tried flicking the fireball.
Peshi BOOM!
One more.
Beshi DOM!
Another one!
Pashi DON!
Umu umu. Yep, looks like mana cushion stops those fireballs from exploding.
Got me a new way to defend against magic from an impromptu action.
Whoa, it's shooting a flaming javelin at me now, must think fireballs won't work huh. Don't think I could flick that away.
No wait, what if I deploy an even softer and thicker mana?
DOO! Bunyon
It worked, I caught the flaming javelin intact.
And uh, bunyon, it feels so weird to the touch. Like a sorta slime.
So I've got this spell in my hand, what then. Return to sender I guess, pooy.
BUUN ZUDOON!
『?!?!』
Tch, the thing dodged.
It was panicking after seeing its spells getting repelled one after another yet it managed to narrowly dodge that last attack.
I heard Alma sounding perplexed behind me too, 'Eeh...', guessing her mental state is similar to the triangle hat's.
『...!』
Oh, what is it now.
Triangle hat shot some sorta magic at the ground which then began to undulate.
Soon after, several spots on the ground turned into unstable sand pits. Is this the fabled Spirit Magic?
<<Spirit Magic Lv2 'Little Gnome'. Summons earth elemental spirits to manipulate terrain over a small area.>>
Small area, yet it's expansive enough to cover the entirety of this room.
Higher order Spirits must be overwhelming.
Wait then, are these mana reactions I'm detecting loitering around underground, Spirits?
Seems they used the mana spewed out by that triangle hat to change the terrain.
Let's see if I can grab them by cramming my hand into one of the sand pits.
Zubossuka
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
Oh my, it slipped right off. Guess it's not possible?
Hm?
<Guy just shoved his hand in.>
<He trying to catch us or something? Nope no way, we're like lumps of mana after all.>
<Can't touch us physically. What a dumdum.>
<Dum, dum. Humans are dum-dum~.>
...Hohou. They have free will huh.
I heard voices ridiculing me from under the ground.
Thanks for the hint. So magical means can touch you huh?
I enveloped my hand in Mana Armor and thrust it into the ground to catch the Spirits there.
ZUBO GASHI!
FISH!
I succeeded grabbing one of the Spirits.
Hm? The thing is invisible but I can tell mana reaction in my hand. This is a Spirit huh.
I was sure it would look like a bearded old man wearing a triangle hat since it's called gnome and all, but I can't tell the outline.
<Owawawawa!? What!? What's this!?>
<He got us!? What're you doing!? No, what's this human doing!?>
<What're you doing! Get away from him quick!>
<Can't! His hand's wrapped in mana! What's up with this guy!?>
They fell into panic. How does it feel getting caught by a dumdum?
<Let me go! What're you trying to pull off!>
"Ah, a small test run? Or something like that."
<Why the question mark!? This guy's scary!>
"Ah, well seeing as we can talk and all, mind turning the ground back to normal? It's hard to walk on."
<What do you mean 'seeing as'! Nuh uh, no way, we got some mana already!>
Hearing that reply, I picked up a pebble on the ground and crushed it with my Mana Armored hand.
"Please, will you grant my request?"
<<<<SIR, YESSIRE!>>>>
Persuasion success, the ground gradually turned back to normal.
Man, I'm just glad they're a reasonable bunch.
<<Your action is generally regarded as a threat, not a persuasion.>>
Ah, a quip from Menu-san.
Feels like Menu-san's starting to have its own will and not just reply to me in a business-like manner lately.
『...???』
Oh my, triangle hat is looking dumbfounded at the Spirits turning their back on it.
Well, doesn't seem like there's anything interesting left, guess it's time to defeat it together with Alma.
"Alma, the coast looks clear, you're up now."
"U-un... I just don't know what's what... Oh well..."
Alma who went past confusion phase straight to resignation phase entered the stage timidly.
『!!!』
Looks like it judged the odd wasn't on its side against two of us, it flew off toward another room at high speed.
"Ah, it's running away!"
"...I won't let you!"
Alma shot a powered up Stone Bullet at the triangle hat.
It twisted its body as a last ditch effort and managed to dodge the spell, but the Stone Bullet suddenly changed trajectory and homed in on the triangle hat.
Eh, what was that!? Did she come up with it after watching the fireball earlier? That's way too quick!
The spell pierced through Spirit Magician's head, crashing it down.
It disappeared into a haze, leaving only its staff behind.
"T-that was amazing. Can't believe you managed to change the spell's path."
"I've been training on the technique since quite a while ago. That was the first time I put it into practice though."
That was her first? Isn't this girl just incredible? Am I even needed?
<These folks are way scary. I wanna go home, let me go home...>
I could hear an exhausted voice from my right hand. Oh right, forgot I had a Spirit grabbed there.
Come to think of it, from what I've seen, you offer your mana to Spirits in order to wield Spirit Magic, wonder if I can do that too?
<<It is likely possible as long as there are Spirits nearby. However, it cannot be done without Spirit Summon Skill. Obtaining the Skill requires entering a contract with a Spirit.>>
Hmm, welp, I can't learn Skills.
How do you enter a contract anyway?
<<The condition is met when both Spirits and the Contractee agree to it. However, the Contractee must be capable of casting the corresponding Spirit's element as Offensive Magic first.>>
Oho, I see.
So say, if I suggest the little one in my hand to enter a contract with Alma, she's gonna obtain the Skill?
<<Affirmative.>>
"...Hey, Spirit-kun, I have a favor to ask you, can you please enter a contract?"
<Absolutely not! You're too scary! Lemme go home! Please!>
"No, not me, it's with that girl over there, Alma."
"Eh?"
Alma looked surprised at us suddenly referencing her.
<Eh? I mean, well, she's much better than you, sure...>
"For your information, I'm not gonna let you go till you agree."
<What the heck, how's this a favor! Where's my choice! I get it, I get it already, dammit!>
It gave its approval, sounding a bit desperate. What a kindhearted Spirit-san.
<<...>>
Oh, another maintenance run, Menu? Well whatever.
"Alma, you probably can't see it, but there's a spirit in my hand. So apparently you can learn Spirit Magic if you enter a contract with this spirit, what do you think?"
"E-eh...!? ...U-un, please, by all means..."
"Contract established, yep."
A dim light enveloped Alma and the Spirit.
Checking her Skill shows Spirit Magic Lv1. Looks like it went well.
<Oy, missy. We're gonna lend you a hand now that we're contracted. But make it reasonable, don't be like this guy here. Like, for realsies.>
"U-un..."
Alma replied with a twitching face... I guess I went a bit overboard from getting made fun of.
Think that's enough for today. We've acquired quite a bit of items, exp and Skills too.
Wonder if we'll eventually measure up to Demon King's underlings if we keep this up.
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