Raphaello and Lancer headed towards Bugree's store, eager for another visit to the eccentric store owner. When they reached the door, they could see Bugree moving back and forth inside the store, examining parchment and muttering to himself. He was immersed in his magical world.
As soon as the young people entered the store, Bugree looked up and, with a manic smile on his face, greeted them.
- Ah, my young friends! Welcome back to my humble store of magical wonders! How can I serve you today?
Bugree looked at Raphaello and Lancer with an expectation that almost made his eyes sparkle with excitement. His body was tilted slightly forward, as if he were preparing for a theatrical performance, and his long, slender fingers waved in the air as if they were tracing invisible magical symbols.
He had a maniacal grin on his face, revealing misaligned teeth that contributed to his eccentricity. His hands, which always seemed restless, were now stretched out towards the young people, as if he was about to conjure something extraordinary.
Raphaello approached the scroll of the "comprehensio" spell, his eyes dropped to the floor as he held his chin, as if he had been silently deliberating his options.
- Why do you call basic level one, two and three spells Bugree skills?
- It's not a personal matter, young man. It's simply because these spells are considered simple enough that anyone with a gray core can learn them. Nobles prefer to classify them as skills, just to avoid categorizing those who learn basic spells as wizards.
"I see. These spells should be easy to learn, as I imagined. So, nobles invented this division just so they wouldn't be compared to commoners."
But Raphaello was biting his lower lip, a nervous gesture that revealed his indecision. He didn't know why Bugree pushed basic level one spells on him, it bothered him inconstantly, so he decided to make a decision.
- Bugree I would like to make a deal with you.
He stared into Bugree's eyes with his violet eyes, he needed to give an impression of trust for Bugree to accept his proposal. It was notable that Raphaello knew how to make a good impression in a negotiation.
- What do you suggest boy?
- I would like to acquire the basic level one spell, "comprehensio". Furthermore, I am interested in taking another magic scroll from this store. However, the other spell I want costs five silver coins, "ignis frigoris". If I acquired this magic, I wouldn't have enough money to take the "comprehensio magic".
- I understand, you want to take these two parchments, but you only have money to take one. So what do you propose? I look forward to hearing from you.
That negotiation could have been disadvantageous for Bugree, but Raphaello's interest in basic level one spells caught his attention. This was because finding a customer interested in basic magic was rare. Most of the commoners in that village didn't value the store's basic spells.
Although Bugree had a deep love for magic, he could not hide his disdain for basic magic. Raphaello thought about using this to his advantage in his negotiation strategy.
- If you let me take these two spells, I promise you that I will buy a large portion of basic level one and two spells the next time I buy scrolls.
Bugree rested his chin between his fingers, deep in thought, pacing back and forth. He was conflicted, not knowing if he could trust a simple commoner, but Raphaello's piercing gaze conveyed the determination of someone whose word was worth its weight in gold.
After a few moments of walking back and forth, Bugree made up his mind.
- That's a man's word, boy, so I hope you do what you're saying. I will allow you to take both parchments, but you will owe me four silver coins instead of two.
A nervous laugh escaped Raphaello, barely able to contain his happiness. He knew that this was just the first step of his plan, and there was still much more negotiation ahead.
- I'm happy to do business with you Bugree, you won't regret it. But before you can give me the scrolls, could you tell me how to use mana? I have no idea how I'm going to cast each spell on this scroll.
- As for that, you don't need to worry. We have a cultivation methods manual in this scroll. Just follow the steps.
In the scroll provided to Raphaello, there was information on how to use mana and how to cultivate your inner energy. There were also methods that involved using some items even though a part of the scroll was erased.
- Thanks Bugree. Now, I need to accelerate my plans. I won't forget what you did for me today.
- I'm grateful to have you as a client, young Raphaello.
- Come on Lancer, we need to test something as quickly as possible.
Raphaello and Lancer walk back to the shipyard towards the end of the night. Lancer can barely stand, he was exhausted after so many days of work carrying bags and he had reached his limit.
Raphaello was much more willing than Lancer, but he was conflicted with himself. He didn't have a clear goal, just the desire to become stronger by learning spells. However, he feared that the desire for power would lead him to a dark destiny.
He decided to set a clear goal: to venture out and explore this new world in which he had been reincarnated. With this goal in mind in the future he could understand how this world works and establish other goals for his life.
Raphaello took the opportunity to open the mana control manual while he was awake in the shipyard. He was determined to understand the logic behind this energy.
The manual explained the term Qi, which was the basis of everything, is the vital energy that circulates through the body and the user needed to cultivate their Qi to become more powerful.
Raphaello opened the manual and read the first line. His mind was confused. Qi? What was that? He had never heard of it before. Bugree hadn't explained much about this, which made Raphaello even more curious. He needed to know more.
Raphaello continued to read the manual, and his mind began to clear. Qi and mana were indeed similar, but there was a fundamental difference. The name "mana" was most commonly used by wizards, as they needed a form of energy to cast magic, while "Qi" was the life energy that circulated through the body. Qi determined a person's power level, that is, the same mana core levels that Bugree had mentioned before. Raphaello then thought that there was some kind of prejudice against non-magicians, as magicians used specific terms only for them.
After understanding the fundamental part about Qi and mana, Raphaello skipped to the second part, which was how to increase Qi through cultivation.
A cultivator can learn to catalyze their Qi through deep concentration, meditation or controlled breathing, practicing martial arts, and consuming food and drink. This allows him to tune in to his internal energy.
There are three stages of cultivation. The first is similar to the use of a drop of water, used to build a solid foundation for your cultivation. The second stage is comparable to a river, employed to increase power and range. The third stage is like an ocean, used to reach a divine level.
"Unfortunately, parts three and four of Bugree's manual were missing, which indicated that it was ancient and that Raphaello still had a lot to learn about Qi and mana. However, Raphaello had what he needed to get started, so he began to cultivate your Qi immediately."
In a moment of serene silence within that shipyard, Raphaello emptied his mind and concentrated deeply, controlling his breathing meticulously. A warm sensation began to manifest itself, a warm energy pulsing in his abdomen. With each controlled breath, this feeling of warmth seemed to grow in intensity, enveloping him like a comforting aura, connecting him to the flow of the world around him. It was as if he was tuning in to the vital energy that permeated everything around him, a deep connection to the fabric of the universe that surrounded him.
However, the energy in his chest was still scarce, something he imagined as a simple drop of water. This indicated that he was still in the early stages of his journey as a cultivator, just beginning to crawl towards his full potential.
After an hour of dedication to cultivating his Qi, Raphaello felt exhausted, having completed his first cultivation in his life. He found the experience delightful, but extremely exhausting. As he looked to his side, he spotted the two scrolls: "Comprehensio" and "Ignis Frigoris". At this moment, he was determined to learn both spells.
Magic: Comprehensio
Creator: unknown.
Description: "Comprehensio" is a level one spell, and its workings are shrouded in mystery. What is known is that, by reading the scroll, the user acquires a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of various aspects of knowledge.
Magic: Ignis frigoris
Creator: Octavian Temporalis.
Note: Octavian, known as the weather wizard.
Description:"Ignis frigoris" is a basic level three spell, classified as basic. It grants the user the ability to increase or decrease the temperature of a specific space while being cast.