Intermission: Want to Practice Magic [Orb Arc]
Satou's here. Mistakes of youth, anyone has done it. Use that experience to leap and fly toward the future. Although there are also lessons that are too painful in the world.
◇
"■■■ Breeze"
Storm rages in the narrow alley, sweeping the fainted subordinates of the phantom thief to the berm along with garbage.
Kukukukuku, I couldn't suppress the overflowing delight welling up from my body.
I carefully put the [Chant Orb: Used] that had lost its transparency to my Storage.
I want to immediately use thi~s, or tha~t spells I've finished developing, but it'll be a great disaster for sure if I do it in the royal capital, so I restrain myself.
In order to chant without reserve, I went back to the auction hall with Unit Arrangement to settle my business.
"Kuro-sama, welcome back. How is the--no, I couldn't help asking."
It seems the Manager guessed the result from my look.
Ignoring the people in the auction hall behind the Manager who are being surprised, "Teleport magic?", I return the stolen Orbs to the man in charge of delivering them.
"T-this is the Orbs!"
"I got them from the phantom thief. I've taken the orbs that I've won in the bid.
I tell the bidders and the staff members who are thanking me, "It's unnecessary", over my shoulders, and then teleport to Echigoya Firm together with the Manager.
I forgot about Female Executive A, but well, there's the carriage anyway, she probably will go back alone.
"Kuro-sama, we're going to celebrate tonight."
"The preparation has already been completed."
Tifaliza continued for the manager who spoke with a lively voice.
"I'll be going out for some business. Begin the party ahead of me, if it looks like I'm returning late."
After telling that, I moved to the desert to the west of Selbira city with Unit Arrangement.
Oops, before absorbing myself in the experiment, I have to contact Arisa and Liza.
"■■■ ■ ■■ ■ Short Message"
Unlike the [Telephone] that I usually use, this is a space magic that can send one-way short sentences.
The magic can only send up to 128 characters, so it can't convey intonation of words. It's similar to phone mail.
Even though I only sent, 『Succeeded bidding the Chant Orb. I'll be late returning home since I'm going to experiment with magic, so go ahead and eat dinner first.』, for some reason Arisa replied, [You're too frolic (lol)].
I wonder if I used to many emoticons?
I don't understand--.
Well fine. Now it's free time until sunset!
◇
I picked the vast desert to the west of the labyrinth city as the experiment site.
There wasn't any direct damage to the surrounding countries during my fight with the Dog-head, so using advanced magic here should be fine.
--No, the people of the Royal Capital were panicking since they could saw the Meteor Shower from afar.
I choose the most suitable magic in the magic book.
Using, the forbidden spell of space magic [Another World], I create a copy of the desert in the sub-space.
The size seems to depend on the magic power used, so I make it 10 kilometer wide for the experiment. If I use holy swords as battery replacement, it seems possible to create the whole desert for the maximum size.
I won't have to worry about damage in a sub-space, and there won't be any witness.
When I entered through the Gate, I reflexively thought that the magic had failed since the inside wasn't any different at all to the desert just now.
Even the sun is in the sky.
According to AR, that sun seems to be a picture.
Confirming on the map, it's read as [Satou's Sub-space: Desert]. Looks like it's not an [Area without Map].
Confirming on 3D reading, the sub-space's shape is spherical.
Now then, now that I've secured the place, let's begin the experiment.
Whirling sands would be a hindrance, so attack type magic would be for the last.
First, let's go with Creation type magic--.
".....■■■■ Create Golem"
The ground of the desert is rising, forming a doll (human).
Before long, a Golem that looks similar to Mia's Sand Giant complete with the decoration is finished.
The Golem's height depend on its level if you don't specify it. It's possible to create a high-level small Golem, but the less mass it has, the weaker the Golem becomes.
According to AR reading, the Golem's level is 50. According to magic books, the created Golem will be 70%-80% of the user's level, but it seems there are other conditions besides that.
--Too bad.
Many things would be easier if I really could create level 249 Golems....
"Perhaps the maximum level is limited by its material?"
It's a game-like way of thinking, but it sounds normal in this game-like world.
I tried sand, wood, stone, bronze, and iron in turns, but their maximum levels weren't much different. Unexpectedly, only iron had low maximum level.
When I checked the wreckages of Iron Golem inside my storage, turned out that it was a stone Golem with iron plates plastered on it.
Checking the magic books I have in hands, it seems that the level changes depending on how well the material can channel magic power.
When I tried using magic metal and material from Jewel Golem that Nana gave me, I found out that it could go up to level 99.
Looks like Golems created from magic stop operating in two hours after their magic power supplies are cut, but you can make them permanent if you use magic cores as the power source when using [Create Golem].
When the magic core method is used, the Golem's level is dictated by the level of the monster the magic core comes from and the magic core's grade.
It might be usable for power-leveling, I'll do some experiment with it later.
Nevertheless, magic is convenient.
I can make Golems in an instant from now on.
The Golems in the underground vault of Echigoya Firm were created by diligently making their magic circuits, and it took even me three days to make one. It took me 10 days to make the Orichalcum Golem....
It seems the Golems created by magic can only move sloppily and can only perform simple orders though.
While healing my gloomy heart with those words, I began the next experiment.
◇
When I release the sealed Spirit Light, colorful spirits gather to me from the surrounding.
There are fewer spirits than usual, perhaps because it's inside the sub-space. Around 20% of the usual number.
"....■■ Beast King Creation (Create Behemoth)"
--ＰＵＷＡＯＯＯＯＷＷＮＮＮ！！
I tried calling Behemoth using the spirit magic Mia taught me.
Its level is 52, slightly stronger than the Behemoth that Mia and Aze-san summoned.
As a test, I made Behemoth lightly battle against the Golem army I had just made earlier.
The lightning that Behemoth preemptively shot rushed down the Golem army with a roaring sound while spreading ozone smell.
However, it only damaged the surface of the stone and sand Golems, they didn't get any serious damage.
The Golem army is approaching Behemoth while raising cloud of dust.
Behemoth raised a war cry, and then stretched its elephant-like nose, attacking the Golems like a whip.
The sand Golems were torn in two with a hit, but they regenerated in the next moment, returning to their original forms. They're quite tough.
And then when the distance was enough for close combat, an uncouth exchange of blows like a confrontation between kaijus began.
Behemoth's hoofs, tusks, and long nose tore, stabbed, and struck, and the Golems regenerated every time.
The Golems struck the large indomitable building-like body with their machine-gun-like fists, but since Behemoth's body was only semi-materialized, their attacks never reached it.
I continued to chant many magic, registering them into my Magic Column while this seemingly endless battle continued on.
At first, it looked like it was a close battle, but ultimately it was a complete victory of the Behemoth.
Having diverse way to attack, and an AI that fights by utilizing attacks that are effective, the artificial spirit is stronger.
However, the advantage of the Golem is that you can create an army beforehand as long as you have a lot of magic cores.
Use Golems if it's against a lot of weak enemies, and the artificial spirit if it's against a few powerful army, that should be the correct way.
Next, I tested Soul magic.
I'm not good against zombies and grotesque things though, so I only took out bones and shells from the leftover of dismantling jobs from my Storage and used [Create Undead].
With this magic, it seems that the level of the undead depends on the original level of the remains, the stronger the monster of the remains the stronger the undead becomes.
Just like the Golems, they become permanent servants if you use magic cores.
The stench is unbearable if it's anything besides the ethereal body type and bone type undeads though, so I probably won't have any use of them.
Rather, [Summon Skeleton] and [Summon Litch] magic that don't need corpses to use seem more convenient.
>[Summoning Magic] Skill Acquired.
For some reason, I got [Summoning Magic] skill even though I used soul magic.
I don't understand, but well it's good.
For the occasion, I wanted to summoning magic that humans use, but the ones in the magic books I have only have the inferior version of the spirit magic ones, so for now, I only registered the useful-looking, [Summon Messenger Pigeon] and [Summon Spy Rat] into the Magic Column.
I can freely move these servants with Unit Arrangement.
I peeked at [Unit Creation] with some expectation, but it was grayed out and unusable like usual.
Really, I wonder what's the release condition of [Unit Creation]?
◇
I got tired of watching servants war, so I decided to try using peaceful magic this time.
".....■■■ Create House"
After finishing chanting a long spell, sands rise up from the ground, creating orcher structure in a flash.
Magic is nonsensical like always.
When it's finished forming, the sand harden into stone-like wall, and there are even some parts that have changed into marble-like things.
At first I thought the windows were transparent, but then they changed from fully transparent to semi-transparent frosted glass-like.
I understand after entering the house that I can look outside through the glass window from inside.
The appearance is simple, so I'll need to take extra steps for the decoration and outer appearance.
"However, you can't call this a house eh--."
I murmured alone while looking up at the completed fort.
I deem it good as it's convenient.
This gets me interested, so, after confirming that the advanced magic earlier has been registered in the Magic Column, I try chanting [Create Village].
After I've finished chanting the spell that's as long as a novel's chapter, the ground is rising at a grander scale than the [Create House] earlier.
The area is about as big as a city.
I can't see the magic process well since a lot of sand is dancing in the air, due to using the magic in a desert.
I thought of using wind pressure magic to scatter away the sand, but it looked like it'd blow away the building that were under construction of [Create Village], so I endure it.
Eventually, a lot of houses divided by Igo board-like grid's alleys appeared beyond the cloud of dust.
"This scale isn't a village, it's a city...."
However, unlike [Create House] which upgrades a house into a fort, in [Create Village]'s case, the [Number of House] increases instead.
The countless houses that are lined up all look similar, boorish-looking one-story house of hollowed cuboid shape.
"Let alone a castle overnight, it's a city overnight huh."
While talking to myself, I take a stroll in the city.
Of course, I continue to register low grade battle-type magic and life magic into Magic Column while taking the stroll.
It seems I can't suppress this efficiency maniac habit when I'm not with everyone.
After taking the stroll, I understand that this [Create Village] magic has a fault.
There is no infrastructure that's necessary for a city, perhaps because it's based on village.
There would be many problems as it doesn't have gutter to drain rain water and sewage.
On the other hand, I was surprised to see that water could be drawn from the well even though this desert was made.
The water vein should be considerably deep as I understand, so it seems the magic has interfered into the underground too.
I'll remodel this with [Create House] later.
Right.... Naming it [Create Kingdom] sounds fun.
◇
When I had finished registering non-battle type magic into Magic Column, I proceeded to the real advanced magic experiment, but--.
『....■<>』
With dazzling flash, and speed that exceeded the speed of sound, the white glittering flame evaporated the desert's sand.
The flame reached the other end of the sub-space, and went back to me along the wall.
--CRACK.
The sub-space was broken together with the sound of cracking glass.
The flame trampled the dimension fissure, wrenching open the gate that connects the sub-space, spouting out to the desert of the original world.
"This is bad--"
I hurriedly canceled the magic, and erased the white flame with [Neutral Magic].
Even though it was one of the strongest advanced magic, I didn't expect that it would burn even the sub-space wall.
Let's test it in a safer place.
I teleport to the tree house in Boruenan Forest.
"Hello, Aze-san."
"Satou!"
While having my cheeks loosened from seeing Aze-san who broke a smile when she saw me, I greet Lua-san and the cooking researcher Nea-san.
Including them, there are a lot of elves preparing for banquet in the living room.
It's a [Congratulatory for the Chant] party mentioned by Aze-san when I visited yesterday isn't it.
"Can you use chanting now?"
"Yes, fortunately--■■■ Breeze"
Minding not to obstruct the preparation, I went to the balcony and used a magic.
Of course, I paid attention so that the wind wouldn't turn up the one-piece dress that Aze-san wore.
However, I paid too much attention in that point--.
"Uwaa~"
"I'm blown away~"
"Halp~"
The pixies who flew to the balcony were blown away.
I quickly rescue the pixies with [Magic Hand].
"--Sorry sorry"
"There's no sincerity in that y'know?"
"That's right, my hair is a mess now."
"Geez"
Boo boo, the pixies were complaining, but they completely changed when I presented them with a newly developed sweet.
"Alright!"
"As expected of Satou."
"It smells sweet."
"Looks tasty."
They're truly energetic.
"Long candies right?"
"It's hard to eat them. Cut it~"
I cut the kintaro-ame, and then the pixies grabbed the cut and flew away somewhere while dancing around.
They probably want to show it off to the other people.
"It's mysterious isn't it? Why do the same face always appear no matter where you cut it?"
Seeing the cross-section of the kintaro-ame, Aze-san tilts her head seriously.
She's cute like always.
--By no means do I think that she's at the same level as the pixies.
A great person of the past said that cute is justice after all.
◇
After getting congratulated by Aze-san and the others for acquiring the chant skill, I talk about my real objective.
"Aze-san, I want to go to the void sky through the observatory of the World Tree, is it alright if I use it?"
"Yes, it's fine. Satou doesn't have to ask every time, you can use the observatory whenever you want."
The World Tree's observatory should be an important secret area, but Aze-san readily gave her permission.
Her supervisor, Lua-san beside her nods too, it doesn't seem to be a problem.
"Then, I'll go out for a bit."
I wave my hand to Aze-san and the others and then move to the observatory with Unit Arrangement.
I apologize to the engineer Gia-san who was surprised at my sudden appearance, and then jump out to the void sky--the space, through the pressurized observatory dome.
I've used the newly developed [Astro Suit] magic this time, so it's comfortable even in the void sky.
It's a low grade magic, but since it's a composite magic that needs several elemental magic skills, only Aze-san and I can use it for now.
Now then, leaving that aside, let's start registering advanced grade and higher attack type magic to the Magic Column.
The world should be fine, but the world tree might be damaged, so I'm going away a bit more.
It seems there's little resistance with Flash Drive in the void sky, I've reached the satellite orbit in a flash.
Flying a long distance with Flash Drive consume a lot of fuel, so making an exclusive high-speed movement magic for use in the void sky might be a good idea.
Aze-san taught me during our stroll in the void sky that there is this Ether Stream which is the bare form of the Dragon Vein flowing from the direction of the sun, and it's possible to restore your MP as much as you want if you can ride on that stream.
This time my objective is to test fire attack magic and confirm their power, so I've picked some place away from the Ether Stream.
I'm on to the noon side, but flashy light might be seen by the people below, so I create a jet black wall with shadow magic's [Shadow Wall] between the planet and me.
--Big.
A several kilometer long wall appeared.
I use advanced grade attack magic behind the shadow wall.
Chanting several spells from every elements, I register them into the Magic Column.
I don't really understand their power since there's no target for them to attack on. Perhaps I should make a magic that can create targets for test firing, like [Remote Decoy] or something.
When the registration had been going well for about 30 minutes, a World Phone call from Aze-san in the ground came up.
『Satou, how is it going there?』
"It's going well here. Did you see the flash of light from the ground?"
『--Light? Wait a minute.... I asked Lua about it, she said that it could only be seen if she strained her eyes.』
It should be fine if it's just that much.
Unexpectedly, the shadow wall seems to be invisible from the ground. I thought something this big would have been seen, but considering the background, the void sky, is black, it probably doesn't stand out.
『And also, actually--』
『Mou, how irritating. Satou, been awhile. Can I have your time for a bit?』
Interrupting Aze-san who seemed hesitant, the one who intruded in the World Phone is the high elf-san of Biroanan clan.
Besides her red hair, her face looks completely the same with Aze-san.
『Actually, an exploration scarecrow found a crowd of [Evil Jelly] in the deep area, we dispatched a phoenix to exterminate them, but it was exterminated instead you see. It'd have been a different story if they were near the World Tree, but the phoenix that could exert its full power shouldn't have lost to [Evil Jelly]....』
The high elf-san's voice had a tone like she couldn't accept it.
『So, I have a request for Satou. Could you defeat them for a bit? The reward is, right.... You can sleep together or get a kiss on cheek from me--』
『--Wa-wait!』
『It's a joke, Aze. You don't have to be that flustered.』
Aze-san is embarrassed with her frantic state.
Having drawn out such Aze-san is quite enough for the reward.
I'll vaporize those jellyfish, bring tens of thousands of them.
High elf-san continues the call before it's cut.
『Here's the real reward. I'll teach you the special Phoenix and Ifrit spells of Biroanan clan. They're far stronger than the standard Boruenan type.』
『Mwu.... Boruenan's Behemoth is more amazing mon.』
Aze-san who opposed like a child is cute.
While getting healed by the two's conversation, I head toward Biroanan's World Tree on the other side of the planet by going around it through the orbit.
A large amount of jelly fish are reflected on the radar as red dots on the verge of the map.
The range of the void sky map extends until the orbit of the moon but not the moon itself. Even though it's smaller than the earth's moon's orbit, the distance is still 30.000 kilometer long, so the extent of the map is an order magnitude higher than the ground's map.
It'll be troubling if there are a lot of them outside the map's range, so I head there with Flash Drive.
It's a bit too far, so I evaporated all the jellyfish on the map using advanced light magic [Photon Laser].
The flow of the log is too fast, I mask off the jellyfish defeat on the log.
>[Unidentified Object] defeated!
--Huh?
Apparently, there was another specimen mixed among the jellyfish.
I try to search the map by excluding the jellyfish.
An [Unidentified Object] is moving like it's chasing the jellyfish mass.
Its speed is equaling my Flash Drive.
I activate [Clairvoyance] from the Magic Column, that [Unidentified Object] comes into my view.
When it was suspending, it looked like a white spherical object with some strange protrusions, when it was chasing the jellyfish it was moving like a comet leaving a trail behind, and when it was predating, its pointed ends split into the shape of four feelers, attacking the jellyfish.
--It's totally like a kaiju.
Since we're in void sky, void sky kaiju? Or maybe we should call it a space kaiju?
I don't think that that thought is a flag, but that [Unidentified Object] found me, and came closer.
Fast. It was only a blink of an eye until it got here.
--Big.
It's at least bigger than the jellyfish.
I splendidly evade the feelers its extending to try to predate me.
Thinking that it might be able to talk, I tried to send some signal light with life magic's [Light] following after a masterpiece story, but it was no good.
I cut the feelers that persistently tried to predate me with Flexible Sword.
Holy swords don't have enough reach.
It was softer than I thought, but the cut part turned into a sphere and then reunified with the main body.
I wonder if it's a kind of slime?
Looking at the AR information, there's no new information besides its name changing to [Space Kaiju].
I don't mind it if it predates the jellyfish, but it'll be troubling if it pushes itself into our daily life.
It seems to be a primitive life form impossible to talk with anyway, let's exterminate it along with the jellyfish.
I use [Photon Laser] to annihilate the space kaiju and the jellyfish.
There's a bit of distance, so the Space Kaiju quickly moved erratically to avoid the laser.
--Nn?
Just now, the diffused light from the laser illuminated something.
When I concentrated the laser there, I could see a dark grey lump in the profound dark depth.
Looking at it relatively, its diameter seems to be around three kilometers.
Its mobility is low compared to the white ball Space Kaiju, but my laser can't hit it.
Looks like the surface of the dark grey Space Kaiju is distorted tight.
....I made light of the distance of the space.
Just when I thought that the dark grey Space Kaiju had become big before my eyes, it attacked at a speed I couldn't evade.
In a hurry, I evade it with short distance Unit Arrangement.
Fortunately, the Space Kaiju didn't seem to be interested in entering the planet's atmosphere as it corrected its orbit, but it'll be bad if that gigantic mass falls to the ground if I fight it leisurely.
I'll go with the strongest forbidden spell here.
I can't use the Meteor Shower since I can't make use of the planet's gravity.
Among the spells I have, there is one spell that exceeds the Meteor Shower.
It's an unfinished spell, but its immensity of the range and effect emulated in my mind is the strongest.
Theoretically, I'm also currently developing an Annihilation type magic, but it hasn't taken form yet. Moreover, Annihilation magic feels too SF, its fantasy-ness is insufficient, I don't really want to use it.
We have magic and all.
I think it's important to be particular about the fantasy.
While thinking such a stupid thing, I evade the mysterious jagged light shot by the dark grey Space Kaiju.
Now then, let's prepare the forbidden spell chant.
This place is far away from the planet, but this distance is still close.
In order to prevent damages on the planet, I use the remodeled version of the space magic [City Guard], [Planet Guard].
After consuming magic power from two casted holy swords, the planet is wrapped in a huge defensive membrane on the low satellite orbit.
A light veil that looks like something I saw in an anime of the past spread as if wrapping the planet, creating a colorless and transparent dimensional gap wall.
Alright, the ground should be fine with this.
While chanting the unfinished forbidden spell that hasn't been named yet, I lead the dark grey Space Kaiju far away from the planet with Flash Drive.
Apparently, the dark grey Space Kaiju is a rare POP-up monster that only appears as one.
The white ball Space Kaiju's number has increased since then, but the dark grey Space Kaiju hasn't.
When I've come to halfway through the satellite orbit, I invoke the magic with the planet on my back.
The activation range is 12 kilometer forward, truly space scale.
Flash of light is born together with the invocation.
While protecting my eyes from light so intense the Light-intensity Adjustment skill couldn't catch up, I grasp the situation around me with the Radar and Map.
The Flame of Genesis overflowed in the void sky, getting the dark grey Space Kaiju and the nearby jellyfish and white ball Space Kaiju indiscriminately eliminated.
It's useless no matter where you go. There is no escape from the vastly expanding flame.
The distorted defense of the dark grey Space Kaiju got thoroughly burned, and then it disappeared from the map in zero point several seconds.
--The convergence isn't too good.
The flame should have been extending in front of the invoked point in a cone-shaped form, but it spread in every direction instead.
Moving in accordance to Crisis Perception, I escape to the other side of the dimensional gap with Unit Movement.
I observe the flame from the other side of the dimensional gap that cuts everything but the visible ray.
Concerning the mystery as to how visible ray can permeate even though it's a dimensional, I'm thinking of analyzing it since it looks usable for many things.
Looking at its speed that's far slower than when it's spreading forward, the flame coming here seems to be only the waves from the after-effect.
The flame that touches the dimensional gap spreads on its surface.
With a snap, the location where the flame hit the dimensional gap cracked.
It'll take a long time from the time of invocation to its completion if I create another dimensional gap, so I directly put magic power into the dimensional gap to restore it.
Although, the Flame of Genesis's burst is limited to one millisecond long, so the flame quickly lost its momentum.
--Good grief, I'm relieved now.
『Satou! What was the flame earlier!』
『Hey, Satou, are you alright?』
"Yes, I've cleared up the things here--"
I lightly replied the World Phone calls from both Biroanan and Boruenan sides to ease their anxiety, and then ask the two a little request.
"I'm sorry but could I borrow the figure of you two?"
『Eh? Yes, it's fine but?』
『What do you want to use it for Satou.』
"The flame was a bit too flashy, so I wanted to borrow your mystical appearances to tell the people of the ground 『Don't worry』."
『Ehehehe, mystical~』
Damn, you cute thing.
『Ah, that's easy.』
『Un, I'm fine too.』
They both agreed when I was in agony, so I go around to statesman and patriarchs of the area where the flame could be seen, telling them 『Evil was destroyed through the works of gods』.
Of course, I showed the towns that were in panic the 3D vision of the high elves, calming them down.
It was good that my map range had increased, but because of that Arisa and the others' predicament reached me regrettably late.
From now on, I have to think more carefully when I'm doing magic experiments.