Chapter 39: The First Spell

Chchchchch.

The ground where Muno stood slowly turned gray.

Thud.

As soon as he stomped his foot, a long, gray, metal stem-like object shot up from it.

"Such control already at 1-Class...?"

Rasmia's surprised voice merely flowed past his ears.

Focusing his mind, Muno grabbed the lower end of the metal chunk that had shot up before his eyes and strengthened his will further.

'Change!'

What he imagined was the best sword he knew.

Chchchch.

The end of the blunt metal stem he held transformed into a sturdy handle of about 30 cm, and the upper part began to take the shape of a magnificent crossguard.

Simultaneously, above that.

Jjeojeojeojeong.

A sharp blade, nearly 1m 50cm long, was formed in an instant.

The moment its shape solidified, the mana flowing from Muno's hand dyed the sword a deep black.

Woooooong.

A huge two-handed sword with a black sheen was created in an instant.

"Hooah..."

Muno took a deep breath as he looked at the large sword he had created.

Its shape was a direct imitation of Slayer, his father's artifact and beloved sword, but being dyed black from the hilt to the blade gave it a unique charm different from the original.

And the blade, forged by his will, felt sharper than any other blade he knew, even if it couldn't match Slayer.

He could tell just by feeling it that, as a result of a certain amount of mana flowing into it, its strength had also become much harder than a typical steel sword.

Above all, the mana consumption was less than he had expected.

This is my 'sword'.

A sword created with my own will and power.

"I like it."

The moment he smiled and muttered to himself, a voice filled with a strong sense of futility was heard from the side.

"You took root as soon as the seed was planted, and even completed a spell?

How..."

Rasmia had a blank expression.

The moment he saw her, his head naturally bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you.

Thanks to you, I have learned a great deal."

"Ah... right.

I don't know what I did either, but..."

"I think I had mana from the beginning.

I just didn't realize it myself."

I tried to string together a plausible explanation.

"What?

I-I've heard of such cases. Ha, really, this..."

Fortunately, it seemed such cases did exist.

"This is ridiculous.

An innate mana holder with a special attribute. Ha. Really..."

Rasmia, who was still muttering to herself with a blank expression, soon chuckled and came over to pat his shoulder.

"In that case, I can report it to the Tower right away."

"...Is it that important?"

"You too, as you walk the path of a Spirit Master, will one day reach a point where your growth stalls.

And the best way to deal with that is to train at the Tower of Spirits.

It's good to meet a high-ranking Spirit Master and receive teachings, but the reality is that it's hard to even see an ordinary Spirit Master here in the North."

"Ah..."

Muno understood those words at once.

The joy of breaking through one's own limits and being reborn as a better being, that ecstatic bliss , he had felt it when he evolved and grew through Corporeal Arts.

"Anyway, that's your first spell.

A sword from the start, should I say it's knightly?"

"Pardon?"

"A Spirit Master creates their own spells.

Usually, they branch out from the first spell to the next stage.

So you're supposed to listen to the precautions when creating that most important first spell, but you just went and made a spell before I could even say anything."

"Ah. Well, I, I'm sorry."

At that context-less apology, Rasmia burst into laughter.

"Well, there's nothing to be sorry about.

For a typical Spirit Master, a sword of that lowest-grade artifact level as a first spell would be the worst, but for you, it's a perfect fit."

"Ah..."

Although the modifier "lowest-grade" felt cheap, just being evaluated as artifact-level made him feel acknowledged.

It meant that it was on a level that couldn't be reached by a sword made through general smithing.

A smile naturally formed again from the sense of fulfillment he felt from the sword he held tightly in his hand.

Thud.

Paaaaaaang!

The sword, swung vertically with a light step, split the air so smoothly.

"Fortunately, since it's a fixed-type first spell, there's almost no mana consumption, but still, carry a spare sword with you.

You'll need to be at least 3-Class to have enough mana to maintain your first spell.

At that point, your recovery rate will be greater than your consumption.

Do you understand what I mean?"

"...Yes."

"And when you use a spell..."

Rasmia began a long explanation, as if to pour out all the basics of Spirit Arts she could teach him.

But Muno, who was listening to her, couldn't help but feel a slight sense of disconnect.

'It feels like it can be maintained continuously even now?'

His first spell, 'Blade', felt strangely familiar despite being manifested for the first time.

It was just like the bracers and chains he always wore.

In other words, the mana that flowed into the 'Blade' wasn't being consumed to maintain its form, but rather felt like it was just another part of his body.

That was probably.

'Because of the synergistic effect with my superpower.'

The seed of Spirit Arts being fixed as metal in the first place was probably because of that superpower.

Or else.

- I am the demon of chains, '&%@#'. The one who binds and oppresses.

It was because of the demon he had devoured.

'Well, either way, it's good for me.'

Honestly, if he only used the hard-line Drasen Greatswordmanship, his sword would wear out quickly.

In fact, the sturdy greatsword he had brought from Drasen had already been chipped a lot after just two battles.

Considering that one of his opponents was a group of bandits who barely required any effort, weapon consumption was bound to be a pretty big problem.

Drasen Greatswordmanship was, naturally, a swordsmanship that used a greatsword, and it had developed in a way that used a weapon particularly close to a large two-handed sword to deal with monsters.

'But I can't carry around multiple two-handed swords.'

But with this one spell called 'Blade', that burden disappeared, and he had an artifact-grade weapon.

Considering that this was just at 1-Class, the first step into Spirit Arts.

"As you create spells one by one, the level of a Spirit Master deepens, and by reaching another attribute, it becomes possible to reach the next level.

In your case, it would be digging deeper into the metal attribute..."

As Rasmia said, as he developed in the future, it could be reborn as a much better 'Blade'.

"Thank you very much."

"...The training process deepens... Hmm, hmm.

Have I talked too much?

I didn't even let you fully enjoy communicating with the spirit.

I guess I was in a hurry.

You don't only have the path of Spirit Arts."

"Not at all. It was a great help."

"Right. Of course it should be.

Then for now, will you help me with the report?

Show your spell in front of the communication sphere once."

"...Pardon?"

"I told you.

Nurturing another Spirit Master becomes a Spirit Master's achievement.

Thanks to you, I will be able to enter the Tower again."

"But if I may be so bold, why is increasing the number of Spirit Masters an achievement?

I would think it's normal to hide such a secret art..."

"I heard it used to be like that in the past, but not anymore.

Now that the balance of the world is being disrupted because of the mage Empire, it is the Tower's order and our duty as Spirit Masters to create even one more Spirit Master to restore that balance."

"Pardon?"

"You too will naturally come to feel it as you communicate with the elements, the spirits that make up the world.

Why we hate magicians.

Well, that's that.

Now, let's go."

Rasmia, whose eyes had flashed eerily for a moment, then forcibly dragged him along.

In the end, Muno had to demonstrate the 'Blade' spell once again in front of Connell's communication sphere, in front of a white-bearded old man he had never seen before.

And that very afternoon.

"Your Excellency!

I-I'm quitting everything and going back to the Tower!"

[What!?]

Rasmia reported to Enoch Trian as if declaring she was going to the Tower of Spirits.

The Count, who was about to lose the only Spirit Master in his territory, desperately held her back, and in the end, her decision was postponed on the condition that she would stay until this situation was resolved.

And Muno, who had confirmed that there were no more beings with demonic energy in Connell, headed back to Trian with Klarm and Rasmia.

Of course, Tinel, the investigation team leader, and the other knights remained in Connell.

- I heard that Connell's knights also colluded when those bastards caused trouble in Drasen.

- Even if they're not magic knights, there might be guys who secretly joined hands.

I need to check further.

- I also need to manage the territory where the lord has died.

That was why the party returning to Trian consisted of only the three of them.

A 4-Star knight and a 4-Class Spirit Master, along with Muno, who was known (?) to see through demonic energy, were a force that could never be ignored by the standards of this era.

Enough to prepare for an attack from the evil cult, the demon cult.

However.

During the four days heading to Trian, they were not attacked even once.

"I wish a robber would show up..."

Muno, who was itching to use 'Blade', was getting glares from the party.

Of course, he wasn't just saying that out of a childish desire to test his newly acquired power.

'Those bastards, I need to deal with them as soon as possible.'

As he gained more power, he felt that a life of freedom was getting closer.

But without uprooting the ill-fated connection that had continued since his birth in this life, it felt like he couldn't step out into the world with a clear mind.

* * *

"That's why I told you.

They'll only come out if I wander around outside alone, I tell you?"

Muno's voice echoed loudly in the peaceful campsite, a clearing where the sun was setting.

He pleaded his frustrating feelings to the fullest, but Klarm, who was looking at him, just shook his head with a bitter smile.

Furthermore.

"I understand that you've gotten cocky after learning Spirit Arts, but remember the last battle.

You would have died without me."

There was no way to refute the devastating factual assault that hit a vital spot.

"...So, I'm saying you should follow me at a reasonable distance.

If you can't, then Lady Rasmia..."

Just as Muno, who wanted to persuade Klarm somehow, was about to offer another plan, a cold killing intent assailed the back of his head.

"Do. You. Want. To. Die!? What?"

It wasn't just killing intent.

He, who was now also a Spirit Master, could feel the blade of wind approaching his neck all too well.

'...You told me to be comfortable. Jeez.'

Gulp.

But he couldn't spit out his inner thoughts as they were.

He had watched firsthand as Rasmia, who had been held back from returning to the Tower immediately, became more and more irritable each day.

Now was the time to grovel.

"...Even if 'sister' watches over me from a distance, it would be fine.

No matter how delicious a bait I am, do you think a fish would bite with this kind of setup?

Those guys must have already suffered considerable losses."

"Oh my, dear. You don't have to go as far as calling me sister..."

Don't suddenly laugh while you're angry.

'It's scary. Really...'

Somehow, it seemed that the common trait of this brother and sister was that their characters became more different from their first impressions over time.

Klarm, too, glared at his sister who was pretending to dislike it while enjoying it, with a reluctant expression, and then sighed again as he looked at Muno.

"I understand your intentions, but His Excellency won't allow it.

To be more precise, it's Ryan who is opposing it through His Excellency.

Your. Fa. Ther."

"Ugh..."

Should I have just gone for it without thinking?

I never expected my parents' love to become an obstacle.

'He accepted the bait operation in Drasen.'

And yet, when such big fish were caught in a row, it seemed that his father's paternal love had surged.

It was frustrating, but there was another reason why Tinel didn't allow his bait operation.

Something had been revealed in the meantime that made it unnecessary to use such a strategy.

And in a rather surprising way.

"But is it really true that the spy in Trian is the Grand Prince?"

"His Excellency said that the only person he told our real route to was the Grand Prince..."

"That's really strange."

"Yes. That's the problem."

The next lord of Trian, the person who would become the ruler of the northern part of the Iron Kingdom, would not join hands with a magician unless he was crazy.

'He didn't seem that stupid.'

His first impression was the worst, but he seemed cunning, not like someone who couldn't tell right from wrong.

"That's why His Excellency is waiting for you.

For you, who has uncovered the methods of those bastards that even a priest or a Spirit Master couldn't see through, to arrive in Trian."

"I didn't feel any demonic energy from the Grand Prince."

"That's why he's asking you to check again.

If there's a real spy, find him.

That's the priority."

I should have checked all the people around the Count before leaving Trian in the first place.

Underestimating my own ability at the time made things troublesome.

'It would be a relief if I can go back now and find the spy, but.'

Would it be that easy?

"...What His Excellency probably wants is for me to prove the Grand Prince's innocence, right?"

"That's right."

If the Grand Prince's charges aren't cleared, the confusion in Trian will continue.

But if the Grand Prince is really innocent, then there will be no more clues to chase after those guys.

Then at that time...

'I'll really have to carry out the bait operation, even if I have to do it alone.'

Unlike Klarm's worries, I didn't think it was a reckless thing to do.

'I'm different now from then.'

Muno lightly tapped the 'Blade' on his back, which had been maintained for over a week since its creation.

- Hmm? How is that still being maintained?

His first spell, which Rasmia still found strange.

Woooong.

At the faint vibration of the blade, a smile naturally formed on his lips.

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