"Orion..."
"Uh..."
"Wake up! We're having our magic lesson today."
My eyes widened and got up quickly after hearing those words.
"OH! RIGHT!"
Finally! This lesson will help me to strengthen myself and claim my revenge on those slimes.
"You're suddenly full of energy, but you need to eat first."
I sat on the rock and ate my bowl of soup. Unlike yesterday, today's soup had more ingredients in it.
"Thank you."
She smiled at me then she started to hum.
Looking at the sparkling pond while eating my bowl of soup made me feel like I was on a picnic. Added by the adorable spirit flying around made it more enjoyable.
"It's delicious!"
It was tastier than before. I can taste the richness of the vegetables and the meat's softness. I'm eating the same soup, right?
"Hehehe... Thank you. I can't make my pond the best in the world if I can't cook for my visitors. Well, it all thanks to the tree spirits for teaching me. I've been perfecting this soup every day and am confident about it," she exclaimed, smugly.
"That's awesome!" Wait, why am I being affected by her liveliness? "You're not going to eat?"
"No need."
"Spirits can't eat?"
"We can, but absorbing the mana released by our environment is enough for us to live."
"Mana?"
"We'll... talk about that later."
I know I'm eager to learn, but when I'm surrounded by this stunning scenery and a cheerful spirit with her soup, I can't help but take my time and enjoy the moment. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment after all.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
"Before we start, take off your clothes."
"Eh?! Why?"
"I was thinking, maybe soaking your body in the pond would help you learn faster."
"O-oh... But-"
"I'll see you at the pond."
"Sigh..."
I went behind a big rock and took off my clothes. Oh no! I forgot I wasn't wearing any underwear. Going in the pond butt naked was embarrassing but maybe being an 8-year-old boy will let it off. But still...
I peered around the big rock to look for a way that can cover me while going there. But my plans were disrupted when the Water Spirit began dancing on top of the pond.
She glides around the pond with a lovely smile, flipping and spinning like a figure skater. Every action she takes creates numerous sprinklings of shimmering blue dust. The dust was not blown by the wind but drifted two meters above like an audience cheering for her. I'm not sure how, but I can see her tiny figure clearly.
She continued to glide to the center and swirls herself upwards, joining the sparkling lights. The lights glow softly and then dove downward as she clapped her hands, allowing themselves to be absorbed by the pond. The water glowed into soft green light then faded as her toes touched its surface.
The pond becomes clearer, reflecting the clear sky like a large mirror, and the air gives a sense of relief. Somehow, I can sense a tingling sensation in my heart as I let myself be charmed.
"Wow..."
"Did you like it?"
"Yes!" I have no words to describe this spectacle. Everything was magical.
She made a cute giggle, which drew my attention to her.
"Heehee... Thank you. Come, the water is warm. You'll get cold if you just stay there."
"Huh? Ah!"
I was so immersed in the event that my body moved on its own, revealing my adorable buddy in the open field. I immediately covered myself and rushed to the pond.
My mind calmed as I soaked my body, reaching all the way to my mouth to hide from shame.
"Okay, then! Now that we're here. I'll teach you how to use water magic. I know the water feels good, but we are not here to take a bath. Remember?"
"Uhm... What did you do?"
"Spirit Rejuvenation. I purified the pond from the impurities coming from the stream."
"How come that the pond was still shallow?"
I couldn't see any other way or stream where the water could escape. Despite catching all of the water, the pond remained shallow.
"Good question! After purification, I disperse the excess water to nearby trees and plants, as their nutrients. The trees grew bigger and sturdier, and they could bear tastier and healthier fruits, while the plants grew more vibrant. Those are some effects, but there are more."
"Amazing!"
That explains why this place looks mysteriously beautiful. The grass where I slept was soft and comfortable. No need for a mattress.
"I've been doing this for over a hundred years, so I'm confident in my skills."
That surprised me. I have no idea she was older than she looks.
"Let's start the lesson."
Oops... I almost forgot my goal. Focus!
I straightened up and clenched my fist. I'm here to learn magic so I can destroy those slimes!
"Unfortunately, you can only make one Water Ball with your current mana. That's not enough for you to learn. "
"Aw..." Oh right, I think I have only six mana. So disappointing... How can I access my status again?
"Don't worry! I will share my mana with you."
"Really?"
"Yes~"
"Oh! But how?"
"Trough Spirit Blessing," she answered while showing her sweet smile.
She lifted her hands and aimed her palms at me. The blue light around her glowed softly as she closed her eyes.
A golden circle formed, centering me. Then four lines grew from it and began to branch out, creating numerous complex patterns. The figure widened, forming a huge brilliant golden magic circle. The water within it begins to shake, forming water droplets, and flows upwards as though everything was moving slowly.
Suddenly, I felt a warm sensation on the back of my right hand. As I looked at it, I saw a bright golden magic circle that matched the one around me. It flashed changing into a flower that resembles the Pond Spirit's four wings. It was like a tattoo.
The massive golden magic circle began to span slowly at first, then rapidly every second, emitting a blinding light until it vanished.
*Fwoom*
Suddenly a surge of heat rushed through my body, filling me with excitement. I examined every side of my hands to know about the indescribable feeling.
[Acquired: Mana Link]
The AR projected itself on the back of my hand.
"Are you alright?"
After she expressed her concern, the display disappeared.
"Yes."
"I bestowed you my Spirit Blessing. How was it?"
"I don't know... but I... feel good. I have this feeling that I can do something great."
"That's because I combined our mana. With that, you can practice magic longer."
So that was the feeling of having more mana. Spirit Blessing was better than I expected.
"Thank you!"
"No worries~ Let's begin!"
I was still standing in the pond, soaking half of my body as I listened intently.
"Magic has four basic elements: earth, water, fire, and wind But, I can only teach you about water magic. Remember, spells was created by mana, which was produced by our environments."
A small golden magic circle formed on her palm, followed by a droplet of water that quickly grew to the size of my fist.
"This is the "Water Ball" spell."
"Oh..."
"Focus your eyes on me. You will be able to perceive mana with the help of my blessing."
I inhaled deeply and fixed my gaze on her.
After a while, a pale blue light shone beside her dimming aura, but it quickly disappeared. It was like a firefly. Three blue lights shone once more around her before disappearing. Each time they emerged, their number grew. However, after revealing fifty of them, they never showed again.
[Acquired: Mana Perception]
"They're cute, right? They are called mana. I'll teach you something that I used to do when I was younger. Think of them as spirits like me who loves swimming. They go to your hand playing while swimming as they form a circle. I know it sounds silly, but it works."
When I opened my hand, I imagined a group of Pond Spirits swimming on my palm. Aw... They're so cute! Ah! Focus!
Taking a deep breath regained my concentration. I can do this!
The back of my right hand started to warm up. When I looked at it, the image glowed faintly. Then eight floating blue lights appeared.
I raised my other hand and they float towards the center of my palm. As they float in a circle, a small golden magic circle slowly formed itself and followed by a water droplet. It gradually grew in size, but then began to shake and popped like a bubble.
"We have more mana so give it another shot."
She smiled and winked at me.
Countless pops can be heard as time passes. My hands trembled and sweat dripped down my face as I failed but I didn't give up until...
[Acquired: Water Magic: Water Ball]
"YEEEEEEEEES!"