The room we entered was massive, with high vaulted ceilings that disappeared into shadows above. Like every other space in this building, it was adorned with statues of Ganesha, but there was something different here, mirrors. They covered nearly every wall surface, creating an infinite reflection of elephant-headed statues that made my head spin slightly.
I caught my reflection in one of the mirrors. White hair, blue eyes, and skin that looked like I'd spent too much time in the sun. The thought that I looked like a kid version of Gojo who'd gotten a decent tan crossed my mind, though the comparison didn't stir any particular emotion. Just another observation to file away.
[Master, your cortisol levels are slightly elevated. Would you like me to regulate your breathing?]
'Not now, Great Sage. Let's focus on what's important.'
In the center of the room sat a stone slab, its surface smooth and worn from countless ceremonies before mine.
"Well come on then Atreus, get on," Ganesha said, his voice echoing off the mirrored walls.
"Yes, Lord Ganesha." I approached the slab, expecting it to be cold against my skin. Instead, it radiated a gentle warmth, like stones left in the summer sun.
"Take off your shirt."
I complied, removing the tattered white garment. The air in the room wasn't cold, but I could feel goosebumps rising on my skin.
"Lay with your head down."
As I positioned myself on the slab, I could see my reflection fractured across dozens of mirrors. A small, white-haired boy preparing to receive divine blessing. The scene should have felt more momentous, I thought distantly.
"Okay, I'm going to drop a drop of blood. After that, it's going to feel like a cold wind goes through your back, understood?"
I nodded, my cheek pressed against the warm stone.
[Master, an unusual energy signature is being detected. Would you like me to analyze it?]
'Yes, Great Sage. Analyze everything.'
The first drop fell. It felt like ice against my skin, then spread like frost across my back. My mind immediately began categorizing the sensation, cold but not painful, spreading but not invasive, foreign but not hostile.
[Falna energy detected. Analysis in progress. Current reproduction capabilities: none. Continuing detailed scan.]
'Keep going, Great Sage. Any data is useful data.'
"You have a skill," Ganesha's voice cut through my internal dialogue, surprise evident in his tone.
'Great Sage, manipulate the Falna entering my body. Keep it from showing in the status.'
[Command acknowledged. Executing.]
"Huh, wait what happened? I was sure you had a skill." Ganesha's confusion was palpable. "Wait a moment, Atreus."
[Master, additional Falna detected. Input increasing.]
This could be useful. Instead of hiding everything, maybe we could show something strategic.
'Great Sage, display only your Chant Annulment sub-skill.'
[Understood, Master. Modifying status display.]
"Ah, there it is! Weird, I never saw a skill disappear like that before." Ganesha's voice held a mix of confusion and excitement. "Let's see here... Chant Annulment. It eliminates the need for chanting when using magic after a spell is analyzed or successfully cast. The spell is stored in the user's mind and available to be instantly cast just by thinking about its activation."
Playing my role as an innocent child, I asked, "Is that good?"
"Good?" Ganesha's voice boomed with enthusiasm. "It's great! No wonder you came to my familia! A great adventurer is what you're gonna be, it must be fate!" His excitement built with each word. "If this skill is correct, it may just be one that breaks the very laws of magic. I've struck gold, and just when that Loki was boasting about their newest level 2. Ha, who needs the Sword Princess?"
Sword Princess, Ais's nickname when she reached level 2. That was an interesting temporal marker. Eight years until the original story begins? I filed that information away for later analysis.
"We need to try this skill out," Ganesha declared. "Come on little Atreus, it's time for you to learn some magic."
"Wait, what about my status?" I asked, though I could already see it reflected in the mirrors around us, the strange script of the gods marking my back.
"Oh, that's finished too." Ganesha launched into an explanation about levels and stats, describing how they ranged from I (0-99) to S (900-999), mentioning that Level 6 was currently the highest, though rumors suggested Ottar was approaching Level 7.
I sat up, studying my reflection. Through the mirrors, I could see my status - an intricate tattoo of an elephant wielding a shield spread across my back. Within the shield, strange glyphs flickered and twisted.
S̷͖̲̞͙͛̃͆̐̾̈́̾̃͗̿͑̓̓̄̔̊͘̕̕̚͝t̴̨̧̼̮̬̤̯̖̖̏̽̍̄̏̅̎̏͋͛̎͆̐̒̈́́͛͊͘͘͜͜͠͠͠ͅr̴͖͕̐é̴̝̠̗̣̦̜̖͈̖̩͍̪̘̫̘̫̝͗͑̐̏̂̾͌͊̈́̎͛̾̅̽̿̈ņ̵̛̱̦͚̭͎͖͕͉̫̺̲̣͉̮̤̠̃͊̊͆͊͛̄͊͌̑̿̾̃͐͒̀̂͜ģ̴̧̢̨̝͍͔͕̭͓̮̼̠͇̟͇̟̰̗̯̻̗̰͖̃̈́̂͋͛͛̈́̍́̑̀̓͌̐͐̽̀̄͘t̸̡̨̢̺̪̗͉̲̱̭̺̘͕̥̻̣̻͋̎̀͝͠h̸̨̰͕̭̗͇̦͈̼́̐̿̅̓̑̃̓̕͜:̸̮̃͗̑͗̀͊̊͛͆̑̄͊̈́͂̌̐̀̿̅́̕ ̷̞̜͖̿̍̂̈͗͆͋̆̉̈͑̌͘͘ͅỈ̸̡͎͓̣̦̙́ ̶̛̜̗̦̻̣̀́̌̾̈̐̀̊͛̋͂̿̎͑́̀̃̈͘̚̕͠͠(̵̧̨̨̨̥̠̬̩̫̯̯͈̞͉̻̝̩̏̅̅͜͜0̷̢̢̛͔͈͖̮͕̩̙̬̞̮̘̽͒͛́̊̓̍̈́̃̒͑͊̽͒̈́̓͘͝͝)̴̱̱̱̳̮̝̱̹͔̙̼̤̫̝̙̲̮̞͉̳͚̃́̋̂̒̽̓̎̇̐̊̑̎̆̄̕̕͘͝
̴̯͌̀̊̊́̉͑̏͐̋̆̃̏̔̔̐͆̓̋̔̕͝͝E̷̮͚̦̖̺̣̹͖̤͙̹̪̜͕̳͂͜n̵̺̄̓̔̈́̀̂̎̔̒̓ḑ̸̬͓͕͚̐͗̓̉͊̑͊̓̊̆̄͊͝ù̸̡̡̝̗̭̮͚͙̹͉̮̲̝̼̖̫̺̙̇̂́̏̌̃͒̌́̆͋̄̍͆͜͜͝͝r̵̳̜͓͕̮̺͈̜̬̪̱͚͓̟̟͌̌͊͒̆̾́͒̔̽̑͘a̴̦͖͕͉͉͈̙̓͛̍̍́͠n̶̢̛̬̗̪͖̖̠̤̪̦͗̐͊̋̂̓̃̀̓̀͋̈́̎̃̈́͝c̶̨̡̢̛͈̹͉̬̼̮̝̫͈̻̭͈͚̜͇͊͒̾̄̈́͂̓̈́̓̍͗̌̈́̋̈́́̄̚͜͠ͅȩ̶̬̰͍͈̙̗̙̮̥͙͔̦̗̮̤͉̬̥̐̅̍̈́̆̍̔͑̀̍̏:̷̛̫̞̹͓̣̝̫͇̻̼͍̘̼̘͓͎̠̥̏̅ ̶̭̤̻̝̖̠̈̔̀̕͝I̶̭̯̘̭̼̮̜̰̣̅́̀͛̉̂̉̂́̕͠͝͝ ̸̖̝̫̳̭͍̫̲͚̭̒̿̍͂͗̒̀͒͌̆͗̑͗̓̊̉͘͜ͅ(̴̡̼̭̠̽͐̑̈̊̐̿̌̓̉̈́͊̚͘ͅ0̸̡̱̣̥͍̯̘͕̯̗̞͇̝̤̏̒͐͊͐̑̑̽͊̅̐͌̔̀̐̀̌̑̚͠)̷̗͍̃͊̂̃̾̿̐
̷̛̛̛̥̈̽̈́̋́̈́̉́̽͋͘D̷̛̛̛̛͚̙͕͕̝̳̱̞̅̅͋͂͂̉͑͌͑̅̓̀̿̿͘͝͝͝e̸̙̫̞͕̞̣̘͙̾͒̈́̋͆͌̐͝ẍ̸̧̛̠͕̫̟̭͓̜̺̬́̾̀̑͌̔̉t̵̮͈̯̩̰͖̥̣̄̉͆̃̈́̅̽̈́̇̈̋̈͌͠͠ͅę̶̧̛̤̱̦̻̻͖̬̾̅̀͛͗̈̒̀̈́̊̓͐̅̌ȑ̴̢̡̧̧̤͚̱̮̱̖̠͇̯̙̞̥̞͎͚̓̀̆͐͌̆̃̎͋́̓̆̈́̐̾͆̉̊͑̽͜͠͝i̷͙͚̗͗̒͗̓̎̔͘͝t̷̜̻̅̒͒͆͗̚y̶̨̛̻̝̤͙͚͖̦̻̪͖͕̝̟̭͇͇̮̼̞͍͂̿̎̋̔̈̈̓̓͂͑̊̕̚:̷̢̡̢̱̞̼̞͇̹̦̹̗̹̟̰̲̙̗͗̀͋̃̃̆͒͊̌̀͗̑̓̐̊͒̓͑͜͝ͅͅ ̶̛̛̗̼̼͗̇͌͂̊̈̌̐̅̀́̒̒̀͆̿́̆̍̈́Į̵̢̨̨̛̞̹̗̞̳͎̰̰̝͓͎͓̠̰͇̔͂̈́̌̂͒̾͂̈́͌́̈́́̇̇͛͛͑͜͜͠ ̸̢̧̢̘͕͎̥̠͈̥͉̟͎̈̈́̇͛̒̿̾̓̈́̌͛̂̚͘̚̚͠͝(̸̢̛̺̪͕̼͎̲̥̯̱͈̮̠̣̬̗̻̦̲̙̫̺̙̿̄̉̏͗̋͒͌͂̆̚0̴̻̫̥̥͙͊̈̈́̒̀̀̔)̸͙͚̙̪̬͎͎̥̝͍͓̭̄̿̋̒͒̀̄̈̉̋̾͌͝
̶̖̼̌̃̈́̃̌̀͘A̸̡̨̧͉̹̳͕͖̪̫͎̺̫̱͍̟̫̼̍̊̉͑g̵̨̘̹͍̣͔̼̦͗̏͝į̸̫̰̩̜̘̬̱͓̾̀̈́̒̊͒̈́̓̉̈́͊͋͗́̊̕͘͝ľ̷͖͖̱̳̭͈̦̔̍͐̈́̈́̔̀́̉̏į̶̡̨̢̛̛̮͓̤͇̤̫͚̟̦̼̘̣͕̫̜̯̝̀̏̈́̅͛̏̐̍͗́̈́̈́͗͌͜ͅţ̶̰͓̰̙̘̯̖̮̞̥͓͈̙̭̓͒̊̈́͂̾̈́̊́̆͘͝͠͠y̶̢̛̙̹̪̦͉̥͗̈͋͐͛̀̐͌̇̇̎̔̑͒́̂̔͛͝:̸̢̢̨̧̨̼̯̺͍̺̭̬͍̣͍̠͇͚̟̯̓͌̑̀̀̒̿͂͛̀̕͜͝ ̷̼̮̠͕̤̰͇̜͉͙̲̗͖̱͓̝̽̈́̋͐I̷̧̡̧̼͕̠̯͔̠͓̪̼̲̻̮̗̳̍̈͜ ̷̧̛̛̦̥̻̂̈́́́͛̓̑̇̈́͒̊̏͛͘̕̚̚̚͠͠͝(̷̢̡̡̧̰̗̹̠̖͓͙̦̼̳̠̱̿̍̓̑̎̈́͂̾̆̍͜͠0̶̨̨̨̡̺̫̻̰͈͇͕͎͖̻͔̦̫̪͉̘̳̱̈̽́̈̍̏̾̎͂̓̌͋̑̈͊̈́̑̔́͑̕͘͠ͅͅ)̸̧̢̛̘̱̯̯̟̼͕͚͍̫̝̜̯̟͓͚̞̯̥̝̲̗̂̓́͗̽͗̑̑̏̏̀͐́̄͋̈́͠͝
̴̡̢̧̮͙͇̠͈͈͎̖͍̣̬̓̌̑̔̀̆̇̀̃̊̔͊̊͒͆͒̌̒̈́̍̕̚͝ͅM̷̢̳̖̪̣̼̠̻̞̞̣̬̜̰̑̓̆a̷̟̹̣̻͎̫͓̯͔̱̠̺͒͗́̃̋̃̑̋̓̈́͘g̸̮̟̪̠̒̓̓̅̈́͋̔͗̆̈̈́̈̀i̷̢̟̯̭̣͕̬̼̜̬̻͈̭̳̭͒̊̚c̵̦͛͂̑̌͜:̴̧̳͈͖͕͖̟͚̪͖͔̣̗͇͕͖͎͚̖̳̰̏̀͆͋ ̶̧̡̤͇̠̲̩̱͖͇̪̘͉͙̖̹͎́̌̅͒̓͠ͅĮ̶̜̘̣̮͇͖̞͖͚̪͖͙̘͚͂̐̎̃̃̑̓̽̕ͅ (0)
'Great Sage, analyze the language of Falna.'
Š̶̡̛̛͓̤͔͈̑̓͑̈̊͆t̶̙̘͎͈̉r̷͕̯͋͒̾̂̈́̐e̴̫̫̦͉̭̅ǹ̷̡̛̮̦͇̠͇͍̮̤͌̉̄̑̈̂̏ģ̸͓̼͉̚t̷̡̨̪̲̮̹͖͓̭͕͔͐̽͛͆́̈́̆̔̂̿h̸͔̩͚̯͙̺̳̀̉̂̐̓́̽̅̚͘͝:̸̨͉̥̰̤̲̭̜̯̀͜ ̷͙̹̜͌͂̋͆́I̶̧͎̰̞̔̈́̈̃͒ͅͅ ̸̜̪̠̞̓̽̓̈́͌͒̔̎(̷̏̀͜0̸̢͉̟͆͗̂̊̾́̓̕)̷̛͔̜̉̔͗́̉̿̈́̕ ̶̢̛̙̙̯͔̱̻̜̜̯͚̐͌͋̑̋͆͋̊ ̷͕̝́̆̔̌͂̽̚͝
E̴̩̝͚̎n̶̛̟͓͛̏̃̃̀̿̈́̑͘d̶̮̩͓̼̯̋͋̉̏̃͝͝ư̵̪̝̗͔̝̦͎̽̇̒̒̂̈́͌̑͌ŗ̴͔̪̠̉à̵̛̞̲̱̹̺̱̞̮̰̌̓̿̄͂̈́̕͠͝n̶̙̮̮͇̪̝͚̈͊̈́̑͘̕͝c̴̥̩̈́̅̀̍̋͊͛̕e̴͔̳͇͖̭̥̭̱̼̓:̵̡̢̲͉͎͖̦̬̭̥͗̓͐͆͝ ̴̢̯̜̜̟̭̤̺̤͎̣̒̏͋̓̂̀̀͒͝͝Ḯ̶͔̮̋͒̎́̒͋̐̾̉̚ ̷̼̣͊͊̊̑͠(̵̢͓͇͚̮̭͖̝̰̼̅͒̅̀͋̅̋̽̈ͅ0̶̨͓̙͔̝̩̫̳̫͍̐̅̉͘)̷̥͇͔̙̌̐̒̔́̑͛͌͐̚͜͠ ̶̡͙̻̲̈́́̄͆̚ ̴̧̱̝̂̎̅̐̋͛͘͜͠
D̸̛͔̩̳̻͕̞̮͇̳̲̈́͐̈́͜e̴̺̫̱͙͌͐͜x̸̜͕̖̱͕͐̈́t̶͈͍̻͓̼̎̃̈́̃̋e̶͖̩͕̣͉̼̗̺̞̟͇̾͑̍͛͐̃̕͠ŗ̵̗͍͔̲̤̉̐͠͠ȉ̸̢̙̮̣̻͂̋͗̉̚͝t̸͚̟̬͔̝̘̾̔͆̔͊̔ŷ̵̳̻̺͍̖̙͌̿:̷̧͓̝̟̖̰̮̓̏̈́͂͋̿ͅ ̷̢̝͉̭̼͉̹̼̿̿̈́̉͘ͅỊ̵̺̺̳͈͎͍͂̂̂͛̀͗͌̕ ̷̨̡̢͉͉̥̺͍͑͑͆̄̂͆̚(̴̙̯̠̺͓͉̑̈́̌̈̃̋̄̍͜͝0̷̨̡̨̛̭̦̝̞̑̍͗̍̀͌)̵̼͋̈́̿ ̴̛͇̙͍͇̦̯̟͐̈̈́̽͝͝ ̶̞̖͓̋̽̆̒̀̀͒͊͝
Ä̵̧͚̣̤̣̹̩̪̭̺́̇̌͘ͅg̴̨̫̻̪͇͎͒͛̀͆̓͒̐̑͜͝i̷̥͈̝͙̹͔͙͛̅͌̈͂̌̀l̵̢̡̧̙̜̭͓̗͖̐͆͛ĭ̶̡̧̨͈̰̻͔͇̠̔̍t̶̝̤̤̲̼̞͎̙̓̉͐̑͠͠ȳ̶̰̙͇̗͔̀̍͝:̴̗͎̘͙̻͑͐͊̔͋͐ ̶̥̺̣̜̟̱̀̿̑̈́̓͆̀͠I̴̡̙̭͖̲̼͊̓̿͜ ̵̢̢̧̝̗̺͊͋́(̷̢̨̛̫͋̍̓̋͌͜0̴̰̬͕͗̓̎͊̈́̽̊̊̊͘͝)̷̡̱͕͈͓̞̼̐̆ ̷͓̘̤̤̟̣̺͐̓̐͌̇͛̀̑̈́
̸̢̬͚̦̩̣̈́͆̆̔́̽̕̕͜ͅM̴̧̧̩̦̜̙̦̙̭̱̈́̌͒́̈́͐̒͂͊a̵̠̫̮̎̓́̎̈̈̕͜͝ͅg̴̼̮̰͐̄͗̉i̷̧̨̤͉͚͒̈͐̏̊̉͐͛͗̚c̶̤̭͋̈́͒̏͗̍͗̎̅̃:̵̻̥̼̜͔͓̈́̃̿ ̴̧̱̙̗̺͖̈́I̶͉̩̰̻̹̾̾̒̓͂̎̾̚ ̶̜̮̣̻͌̆̍̎(̷̡̛̤̫̲͖̋̍̈́̌͒͘̚0̵̛͚̮͈͓̞̖͙̺̅̇́͋̆͐̓̚ͅ)̷̡̬̘̰̮̗͒͐̊̈͋͘͝
Slowly it became much more visible, I could make it out.
Strength: I (0)
Endurance: I (0)
Dexterity: I (0)
Agility: I (0)
Magic: I (0)
[Analysis complete. Language patterns recorded and decoded.]
"Here is your Status Sheet," Ganesha said, handing me a paper I didn't really need.
"Thank you, Lord Ganesha."
'Were you able to fully analyze the Falna?'
[Affirmative.]
'Can we use it?'
[Attempting Falna conversion...]
[Error]
[Error]
[Error]
[Maximum energy output initiated...]
[Error]
[Insufficient energy detected]
[Option: Sacrifice one Great Sage sub-skill to enable Falna manipulation]
'No.'
[Falna conversion attempt: failed]
The limitations were frustrating, but not unexpected. Growth would have to come the traditional way, it seemed.
"Atreus? Atreus, you okay?"
I lifted my head, and the world shifted. Suddenly, I could see it, Ganesha's power, his Falna, even in its locked state. It was vast, overwhelming, flooding the room with divine energy that my mind could barely comprehend.
'Great Sage, what's happening?'
[The influx of Falna has fully activated all analytical capabilities. You are experiencing Analytical Appraisal. Note: Current power levels only allow for basic assessment of divine energy.]
'What's our current appraisal range?'
[Based on established level parameters:
- Level 1-2: 100% accuracy
- Level 3: 60% accuracy
- Level 4: 20% accuracy
- Level 5: 3% accuracy
- Level 6+: Negligible accuracy]
"Atreus?"
"Yes, I'm sorry, Lord Ganesha."
"You've been out of it for a few minutes. You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Lord Ganesha." The words came automatically, my mind still processing the new information and capabilities.
"Well, that's good," he said, his enormous energy signature fluctuating with his movements. "Let's get to the magic then. With your skill we should start with a long chant magic, what do you want to learn."