CHAPTER 16
2 MONTHS LATER
Grey spent two months practicing all the books he had been given, although he took care not to spend that time in his room so his mum wouldn't get suspicious.
He would frequently head into the forest to train, and in these weeks, Grey was finally able to cast a functional fireball spell.
Even his wind magic had grown significantly stronger from repeated use.
Furthermore, he had decided to absorb the Earth crystal core he obtained from that level 3 beast, granting him the foundational Earth energy he had been lacking.
But unfortunately, his control remained limited; he was only able to manipulate the Earth he was touching with his palm, as his affinity for earth magic was still quite low.
He was also able to use his Appraisal skill properly now, getting the hang of the ability as he finally learned how to view his own status.
When he peered within, he was shocked beyond belief at the information displayed before him.
Intrigued, he decided to click on the elements tab to view his specific affinities.
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These were the details of Grey's status when he utilized the Eye of Appraisal to look into his soul.
The primary reason for his shock was the color grade he saw attached to each element.
Seeing himself possessing such high color affinities left him stunned; it meant he was truly a rare, once-in-a-generation talent.
Looking closer at the display, he noticed numerical values beside each of his elements, which represented how many points he had invested in a specific attribute.
The higher the number of points, the stronger the corresponding ability.
This meant his most potent magic was currently wind, as he had accumulated twenty points in it.
Although he had fewer points in his other attributes, his color grades provided a high enough advantage to compensate, meaning he still possessed tremendous potential for future growth.
Currently, he was deep in the forest practicing his Earth magic, focused on increasing his points in that particular category.
He held a small lump of Earth in his hand, repeatedly using his mana to mold it into different shapes.
First, he fashioned a rugged dagger, then a sharp, small spear.
After that, he took a page out of the level 3 beast's book of skills.
He coated the earth spear in a thin layer of fire while swinging it through the air, testing its weight.
Smoothly, he switched to wind magic; suddenly he was floating several inches off the ground.
He then transitioned back to fire magic, shooting a concentrated fireball at a nearby tree.
The impact caused the tree branches to ignite and burn with a crackling heat.
While still hovering slightly, he shaped the Earth in his hand into a heavy spear and threw it with all his might toward a thick trunk.
With his hands outstretched, he shot a burst of fire toward the projectile, causing it to erupt in dancing flames.
In a split second, the spear lunged deep into the tree, scorching the wood as it embedded itself firmly.
Gracefully, he landed on the forest floor, using his wind magic to ensure he touched down softly.
He wiped away the small beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead during the exertion.
"Phew! That was a job well done," he said.
He approached the tree, pulled out the Earth spear, and then molded the material into a long, thin stick which he placed across his back while examining the damage to the tree.
"I'm finally able to switch between elements seamlessly, which will definitely allow me to fight better.
I'm a much more capable combatant than before, but I won't allow myself to become overconfident; I know I still have a long way to go." He said this as he finished his examination.
He made his way toward a quiet, cleared spot that formed a natural circle, with the surrounding trees serving as a leafy cover for the clearing.
Walking forward a bit, Grey stood in front of an incomplete cave of some sorts.
For the past two months after gaining his Earth abilities, he had frequented these woods.
He knew nobody ever came this far out, so he always ventured deep into the heart of the forest just in case a stray traveler happened to pass by.
Then he slowly constructed a cave for himself, a sanctuary where he knew he could meditate in peace and also practice his magic without any form of disturbance.
It remained incomplete because there were still some sections missing.
Just a few meters behind the cavern was the volcano where Grey had previously battled with the level 3 beast.
Once in a while, he would head there to practice his pyromancy while attempting to control the churning lava he saw within the crater.
In just two weeks, Grey had made significant progress in the mystic arts, as he was a very quick learner who always easily remembered whatever he observed immediately.
Furthermore, he had plenty of time on his hands since he wasn't burdened with other responsibilities, which allowed him to focus on his training even more.
Some would likely say that he had become quite the training nerd.
But there was still one specific aspect he couldn't quite grasp properly, and that was the complex rune and portal magic he had been studying.
That was actually the primary reason he built his cave—he wanted a place to practice these difficult concepts in absolute silence.
Heading into the cave, the interior didn't look anything like the exterior.
From the outside, the entrance appeared quite small, and upon entering, it seemed even narrower; however, Grey then inputted a tiny bit of mana into a particular spot in the ground.
A wall in front of him shifted, allowing him to head further inside before the barrier closed shut.
After experimenting more with Earth magic, Grey had discovered that although he possessed low points, he was still incredibly resourceful.
Through the combination of Earth magic and some runic knowledge he had gleaned from the books, he created this security wall; without his specific mana signature, the stones wouldn't budge.
After the wall moved, Grey stepped into a chamber where a mini mountain of white chalk, drinks, and food sat waiting.
Off to the side, several incomplete runes were drawn haphazardly on the floor.
With a weary sigh, he headed toward the unfinished symbols and sat in front of them with a piece of chalk in his hand, looking at the patterns strangely.
Then, picking up the runic book, he glanced over the diagrams, recited several incantations to himself, memorized the sequence, and began drawing.
'I was able to perform illusionist runes, even the small transportation circles. But what I am unable to master is this darn portal rune. A portal to another planet or something,' he thought as he concentrated intensely on the floor.
After several minutes of drawing and canceling his work, Grey decided to relax and meditate.
While meditating, something finally clicked in his mind.
He stood up abruptly and went back toward the magic circle.
He began drawing more intensely than before.
Once he was finished, Grey had a massive smile on his face; he had finally grasped the elusive concept of the portal rune, and now, it was finally perfectly completed.
"Finally! Now all I need is to input my mana into the circle and I will be transported to another planet," Grey muttered in sheer excitement.
"Time for some exploration." He smiled as he channeled his pure mana into the circle.
In a second, the entire room lit up a brilliant, blinding white.