Chapter 12: Chapter 7: Revelations

"Damian did you lie to me when I asked about your magic and talents before? You had said you never used magic before that point."

"I was telling the truth. I've had the ability to use magic I just never got around to it." I said to Alex. We were both seated at her desk back inside her tent.

"So you expect to believe that you learned Mana Enhancement during our exchange? May I remind you it takes even the most talented magicians months to learn Mana Enhancement."

"No Alexandra it's more than that... His core formed while he was fighting." 

'Pyra on a scale from fucked to super fucked, how fucked am I?'

(Very fucked.)

"Elise you know as well as I do that is imp-" 

"I-I know what I saw! I watched it form in seconds, seconds I tell you! And it's even larger than mine!" Elise cut Alex off, and as she was going to open her mouth again Elise continued. "He even has a perfect affinity for fire! A perfect fire affinity! There is no way he is a human!"

"Indeed. If he does have a perfect affinity for fire it would be likely he is a part of the demon race..."

Alex turned away from Elise, who was standing off to the side behind her using Alex's body to shield herself from me, and looked at me as if to confirm Elise's words.

I sighed and stood up, turning away from the two girls. I knew I would have to reveal some of my secrets now, the question was how much do I show.

After a moment of silence, in which Pyra informed me Alex had reached for her sword, I spoke. "What Elise is saying is true, well for the most part. My core didn't form during that fight, I had kept it hidden, and I am just a human, but other than that she is telling the truth. My question is, how could you tell? To my knowledge mages can't see each other's cores."

"That is classified information. We can't just hand that out to anyone..." Alex let her words hang in the air. The meaning behind it was obvious. If I were someone who couldn't be classified as just anyone she would answer my question.

"Then how about a deal. I will answer any one question you have, with absolute honesty, and you will tell me how she could see my core."

If Elise happened to have a special skill, beyond her absurd talent, it would mean I most definitely needed to have her.

After a moment of silence where Alex looked towards Elise, who nodded her head, she asked a simple question. "How?"

How indeed. I couldn't just say, "Oh you know, I had help from a system, that was designed by a Goddess of Fire, meant to give me strength beyond what any mortal could hope to achieve." So I made up a quick lie.

"I had an idea. I thought, what if I could use my Mana to make myself stronger? And so when I infused my body with Mana it worked. I feel things wouldn't have gone so smoothly if not for my perfect affinity for fire, but it all worked out in the end."

Alex squinted her eyes at me. It seemed she was trying to determine whether I was telling the truth or not. "Is Mana Enhancement the only spell you know?" She asked.

I didn't know where she was going with this but I nodded my head anyways.

"Then prove to me you can do as you say. Create a new spell while we bear witness. Only after doing so will I give you the information you wish for.

"Alexa that's..." Elise said trailing off. She could see my core, and she watched me do it before.

"I could but there's two problems. The first of which is my Mana, I just so happened to use most of it during our fight. The second being the fact that my magic is fire and we are in an entirely too flammable tent."

Alex raised her hand, and that black blob appeared again over her desk, and when it receded a small glass vial filled with a blue liquid appeared.

"Drink that to recover your Mana, as for the tent..." Alex stood up, and her armor materialized around her in almost an instant. She had a helmet in her hands that she put in her head. "You will send your attack at me. Don't worry I can take it." Her voice came out muffled and distorted. If I hadn't seen her before I wouldn't have believed a woman was underneath that suit of armor.

Alex's armor made her taller, and wider, and gave her a similar build to Masum. Except she was only at my head height and not a whole head and a half taller than me.

I picked up the blue vial and used observe on it.

[Small Mana Potion]

Increases MP by 100

It wasn't a lot but it was enough.

I drank the entire vial which made my face scrunch up. It had a very bitter taste that left much to be desired.

Turning towards Alexa, who had walked a bit away from her desk, I raised my palm up facing the roof. Luckily the tent was extraordinarily big so there was plenty of room to maneuver.

'Pyra I'm going to need a crash course on using magic.' I had learned a bit from my Mana Enhancement skill, however that was classified as internal magic, which operated differently than external magic, otherwise known as spells.

(Right. I want you to focus on the pressure in your chest...) Ever since I came to this world there had been a constant pain in my chest. It was from mine and Pyra's compatibility taking a huge hit, but Pyra told me to ignore that and instead look further within.

I knew this part thanks to the information I received from the Mana Enhancement spell.

After only a moment of concentration I found it. My Mana core.

(Feel the energy. How it moves, how it interacts with itself, memorize it's heat, memorize it's characteristics. You need to find this energy in the atmosphere around you.)

The energy inside my chest was... Comfortable. It radiated a gentle warmth as it flickered about almost like it was dancing.

Spreading my senses around myself I suddenly got a notification that caused my concentration to break.

[Confirming creation of Skill: Mana Sense (C)]

'Confirm.' I almost spoke it out loud but prevented myself just as I opened my mouth.

[Creation of Skill: Mana Sense (C) confirmed]

[Skill: Mana Sense (C) has been unlocked]

-Mana Sense (C)

Every mage starts here. This is the most basic, yet most important, skill a mage must have. The user of this skill can sense Mana around them. Due to special circumstances this skill has become more potent.

Allows the user to see and feel all Mana around them in a small radius

Radius: 10 feet in all directions

I once again felt a flood of information fill my brain. The information on how to use this skill.

Using Mana Sense made it incredibly easy to find the energy I was looking for, which just so happened to be fire Mana.

(Good, now guide the Mana. Control it. Shape it to your will.)

Typically controlling Mana was considered an incredibly hard thing to do, however thanks to my perfect affinity it was like breathing to me, despite never having done so before.

I opened my eyes, and when I did so, I saw a wide spectrum of colors all around me. This was all the different partickes of Mana, but all I needed were the red ones that danced around the others. After directing the Mana I needed into my hand, a small ball of flame appeared in the palm of my hand. I played around with it a bit, making it bigger and smaller, brighter and darker, and even changing it's shape to that of a needle.

The finished product was an incredibly thin needle of flame, whose sole job was to pierce Alex's armor.

[Confirming creation of Skill: Flame Needle (F)]

As expected a notification appeared in my mind, to which I accepted.

[Creation of Skill: Flame Needle (F) confirmed]

[Skill: Flame Needle (F) has been unlocked]

-Flame Needle (F)

This spell was created by a novice mage who was put against impossible odds. The sole purpose of this spell is to defy all odds and pierce any obstacle that dare block it's path.

You are reading story To Live Again (For a Harem) at novel35.com

Casts a thin needle of flame in the desired direction

Damage: Magic x2

Special Effect: Deals double damage when targeting an armored enemy

Mana Usage: 20

I was off put by the 'F' in parentheses by it, but more so I was thrilled I had created my first real spell.

Raising my hand towards Alex I released the spell... Just for it to dissipate into the air.

Alex, who had readied herself, relaxed at having seen my spectacular fail.

'Uh Pyra what happened?'

(You need to say the spell's name...)

"Oh right." I quickly resummoned the spell before saying, "Flame Needle."

This time my spell launched forward at an incredible speed, colliding with Alex almost instantly. 

Sparks flew in every direction as my spell fought against her armor, which was holding up surprisingly well.

Eventually my spell burned out, and Alex was standing there with her arms in a cross. A small charred mark had stained her armor on her forearm.

I lowered my hand, as did Alex, and we just started at each other for a moment. It had only been five minutes since Alex asked me to create a new spell which had shocked both girls.

Alex examined the damage I had caused to her armor before making it disappear. She massaged her arm a bit before speaking. 

"Alright I believe you. I don't know how you do it, but it is clear that you can. Elise will fill you in on her ability." Alexa walked past me back to her desk, lightly brushing her shoulder on mine.

I turned to Elise, who I had forgotten was here, and saw she looked even more afraid of me.

"Ahem, I believe you have some explaining to do Miss Elise."

Elise nodded then hesitantly spoke. "...I have the ability to see the current progress of all mages... I saw it. You only just learned Mana Sense. H-how did you learn Mana Enhancement before Mana Sense?"

"Wait, Elise, that can't be right, it's not possible to learn Mana Enhancement without any form of Mana Sense." Alex cut in before I could address the bombshell Elise had dropped.

She could gauge the strength of others, and see their skills! That was even more powerful than my current observe.

"Alexa he's... A monster. That level of control without even understanding the basics isn't possible for a human, even with a perfect affinity..." 

"Which is exactly why you must be mistaken."

"Has my ability ever been wrong? Alexa I know it's hard to believe, even I am having a hard time doing so, but I am telling the truth." By this point Elise had completely hidden herself behind Alex and refused to look into my eyes.

'This complicates things. I need to win her back over.'

I didn't like the idea of manipulating Elise, but I had no choice.

"Elise?" I waited for Elise to look at me, even if it was only in my general direction, "I'm sorry. I know how hard you worked to save my life, and I know you went even further to ensure that even the scars went away, so I'm sorry. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me, but I can't stand to see you on edge simply because I am near you. Since I am fully healed, and have gained a bit of strength, I will leave the camp and find my way to the closest town. That way you will never have to worry about me again."

'Charm'

[Success!]

And with that I stood from my seat, and started walking towards the curtain that lead to the outside world.

"W-wait!"

Just as my hand touched the curtain I felt a small tug on the back of my shirt.

"I-I'm sorry. I kn-know you are a good guy and wouldn't h-hurt me... But it's the first time I-"

I turned around and brought Elise into a hug, which brought a surprised yelp from the poor girl.

"What did I say before? You saved my life. You have no reason to apologize to me. In fact I'm sorry you had to suffer for an entire week because of my own stupid decision."

I smiled slightly at Alex, who simply shook her head, before releasing my grip around Elsie, who's face had become beet red.

"O-o-o-only m-m-married couples c-can hug..." Elise struggled to get out.

This gave me an idea.

"Hmm? But I wouldn't mind marrying someone as beautiful as you."

'Charm'

[Failed! Cool down still in effect. Time remaining: 11:58:47]

'Huh? A cool down? The skill never mentioned a cool down.'

'Pyra what's up with my Charm? Why does it suddenly have a cool down?.'

(Uh about that... When I was designing that skill I may have forgotten to include the cool down in the description...)

'Well fix it when you can, and make sure nothing like that happens again okay?'

Elise suddenly released a shrill scream, as a metaphorical cloud of steam rose from her head, and she ran out of the tent pushing me in the process.

"Well that's not what I wanted to happen." I turned to Alex, who's left brow was twitching slightly. She then sighed for the umpteenth time before motioning for me to take a seat.

I did as she silently told me to and asked "Does the Commander still need me?"

"Yes... I still have some questions for you." She said covering her facepalming a bit.

"I do believe the deal was one question for one question... Alright fine I'll answer your questions as long as they don't pertain to anything too personal."

As if weighing her words Alex clasped her hands together and rested her head on them.

"How can you act so carefree despite what happened?"

'... Huh?' Out of all the questions I was expecting to be asked, that wasn't one of them.

"Care to explain what you mean?"

"Death is typically seen as traumatic and you, who experienced the most horrifying part of it, acts as if nothing had happened to begin with. Not only that but you also raised your fists to fight again, against an opponent you knew you had no chance of beating at that. Explain how you can be so brave."

I... Didn't know.

"Ah I guess I just haven't thought about it too much... I can't really say for sure." I told Alex, to which she nodded as if she expected that answer.

"As for my next question..." Alex seemed to hesitate, before shaking her head, " How would you feel about joining The Militia?"

You can find story with these keywords: To Live Again (For a Harem), Read To Live Again (For a Harem), To Live Again (For a Harem) novel, To Live Again (For a Harem) book, To Live Again (For a Harem) story, To Live Again (For a Harem) full, To Live Again (For a Harem) Latest Chapter