Rise of Tyrus

Battling the boar had given Tyrus a deep understanding of his element's properties. With enough mana, he could burn his opponents almost the same way a fire sorcerer would. However, for that to happen, he had to get up close to his prey, unlike the other elements. Because of that glaring fact, he’d have to get more used to close-quarter combat alongside the dagger as well.

Despite his victory over the boar, Tyrus lacked the physical strength necessary to transport the massive carcass back to the simple shack. Stuffing the boar into his ring didn't work, leaving him with one option. So, with a dagger in hand, he shuffled toward one of its hind legs and sliced a part of the hide.

The blade glided across the surface, carving a lengthy line that extended toward the creature’s exposed belly. The thought of continuing the cut all the way to the shoulder fleetingly crossed Tyrus’ mind, but a sense of urgency compelled him to reconsider. Time was of the essence, for he knew other predators would soon catch the scent of the kill, eager to claim it as their own. He decided settling for a smaller portion of meat would be wiser.

Since the corpse kept on shifting from Tyrus’ movements, he had some trouble with cutting, but he finished a few minutes later. He peeled a section of the boar’s skin, revealing a swath of white on its enormous belly and sides. Tyrus wiped a bead of sweat on his forehead and cracked his neck. He hated the entire process with a burning passion, yet still did it anyway for survival. Looking down at his dirtied fingers, some meat and blood got into his nails.

After cutting both its hind legs, Tyrus smiled at his handy work. The large hunks of meat felt heavy in his arms. When he hovered the ring over them, this time the item stored them, causing him to arch an eyebrow.

There must be a weight limit placed on the device. Anything over this limit makes the storage useless.

With his task complete, Tyrus rose from his crouched position and cast a lingering gaze upon the remaining lifeless boar. Frustration knotted his brow, for leaving behind such a substantial amount of food gnawed at his conscience. Tyrus had to pinch his own arm to snap himself back to the present. He left the corpse all alone, leaving it for whatever lucky passerby came across the pile of resources. He broke into a light jog, searching the path back to the shack.

Even after finishing a tough battle against the boar, he still had the energy to spare. Tyrus found it odd his stamina hadn’t depleted even after searching the forest for Wanderer. He didn’t expect to exert so much energy chasing after a beast. Maybe using mana as an Elemental Sorcerer could restore stamina?

After thinking about it some more, an important detail had already slipped his mind. He totally forgot he was a Multi-Specialist. Recalling back to Wanderer’s words, she mentioned Augmentation Sorcerers could strengthen their bodies with mana. If so, then the mana he triggered while chasing after the boar was actively replenishing his stamina reserves. Using magic while on the boar resulted in the same scenario. As long as he’s consciously using mana, then he can replenish stamina.

Following that logic, why stop there? Increasing one’s offensive and defensive capabilities would also apply to strength and speed. He’d be as strong as an ox, yet as nimble as a fox! Just why did it take him that long to gauge the potential of augmentation? His head swelled with thoughts as he snickered to himself all the way toward the shack. Tyrus located the campfire Wanderer used and replaced the items needed.

“Let’s use magic this time.”

Tyrus extended his hand and gently touched the weathered surface of the dried logs. Focusing his will and drawing upon the depths of his magic, he invoked the power of his chosen element.

Like a sinuous serpent, the magical energy snaked its way through the logs, toward the heart of the makeshift fire pit. Tyrus stayed motionless, waiting for the smoke to rise. When nothing appeared, Tyrus poured more mana into the element. But as he devoted more energy to the spell, he was hit with a sudden wave of dizziness and stabbing pain in his chest. He teetered on the edge of canceling the magic altogether and continuing.

But then, a distinct aroma filled the air—an unmistakable scent of burning oak. Tyrus’s eyes widened in awe as he watched the smoke ascend from the pile of logs. His heart swelled with delight as, a few moments later, a tiny spark ignited, swiftly transforming into dancing flames that began to weave and lick at the dry wood. Slowly but surely, Tyrus was learning.

At first, Tyrus thought he’d learn at a snail’s pace, due to the absence of books and a teacher like Wanderer. But ever since he killed the boar, he was itching to continue. His thirst for power- particularly in mastering his element- felt as bottomless as the ocean. Even then, Tyrus knew that over-exerting himself would do him no good. Just like how depleting one’s stamina would cause them to pass out from sheer exhaustion, mana was the same. He just felt it and knew right away what would go down if he ran out of mana while practicing or fighting.

A contented smile graced Tyrus’s face as he retrieved a slab of meat from the ring, eagerly placing it over the crackling flames. The raw meat gradually transformed; the hues shifting and intensifying until they settled into a delectable crisp brown. Its tantalizing smell wafted through the air, enveloping his senses in an intoxicating embrace. It was as if he had quenched his thirst with fresh water amidst the scorching heat of a desert.

As the meat cooked, Tyrus waited for it to cool down to a more manageable temperature. His tastebuds screamed, mingling with the growling hunger that had plagued his stomach in frustration. Finally, the moment arrived, and with a deep sense of satisfaction, Tyrus dug into the succulent meal.

The taste of his hard-earned labor surpassed even the juices themselves. Each bite soothed his rumbling belly, while a comforting warmth spread throughout his body, gradually replenishing his waning energy reserves. In no more than five minutes, he devoured the meal, savoring every mouthful.

Now that his belly was full, he thought it was about time to bathe and wash his clothes. Running around in with a sharp stench punching his nose was not enjoyable. Not only was his sweat practically imbued within his fabric, but there was also blood and dirt, too. After that, he would get a long-awaited slumber.

“Don’t worry, Wanderer. I will not slack off. The next time we meet, I won’t be the same weak little boy you saved.”

Upon delivering his declaration, Tyrus extinguished the campfire.

****

When Tyrus arose from his slumber and tried to stand, his legs began to spasm, and he tumbled down in fits of muffled screams.

This was the first time his muscles had turned on him. When he thought of why it felt as if he dipped his lower half in a fire, he could only sigh. That he had been moving constantly for the past three days slipped his mind. Given that he fought against a fierce boar and used up a lot of mana, it was understandable that his body gave up. He should make a mental note to take better care of his body.

A good ten minutes had passed until he was good to go. After massaging his legs just in case, Tyrus stepped out of the shack. He breathed in the morning air and climbed to the top of his home. What awaited him there were his garments. He donned them and patted them, just for good measure.

“Today's the day I start to train.”

Tyrus had made training and strengthening his magic and body his priority. If he stayed the way he was and slacked off, then earning enough sil to experience the wonders of Valis would be a pipe dream. He also didn’t want to stay weak. Experiencing the same fear when those two men were insistent on kidnapping him had given Tyrus a wake-up call.

The blessing of Sthito shall not be wasted on him.

With a resolute nod, Tyrus directed his attention to the flickering manifestation of his magic. There were countless areas he needed to improve and master. His mind buzzed with a list of goals: expanding and replenishing his mana capacity, enhancing his physical strength and magical power, and the limits of his elemental abilities. He had his work cut out for him, but he didn’t mind. That was the true beauty of magic. Learning and growing so that one can be satisfied with their efforts. Tyrus aimed to replicate the stunning display he had witnessed in the barn.

His major worry was how long the magic would stay active. Tyrus only used it in short bursts, never for an extended period. Curious about his limit, he stared at the brimming power fluctuating in his hand. The harsh sunlight was beating down on his skin as seconds slowly turned into minutes. Simultaneously, he felt his mana reservoir being drained, as if someone had poked a hole inside a water-filled bucket. When he reached the three-minute mark, he waved the magic away, falling backward into coughing fits as he clenched his chest.

“Three minutes is my limit,” Tyrus said through wheezes. “I thought I could go on for longer. I’ll need to find a way to increase the timer…”

Next on his list was replenishing his mana reservoir. Tyrus had found out that simply taking a break allowed a sorcerer to recuperate the amount of mana they used up. When a full day passed, he felt refreshed and good as new- disregarding the pain in his legs, that is. He figured the reason for that is because of Wanderers’ claim about the energy being everywhere all around. It was essential for magic manifestation, so without it, you're no different from an ordinary person. To replenish it, he’d have to take in the ample mana currently swirling all around him. He’d have to figure out the best way to restore it without needing a full day to recuperate.

Tyrus sat cross-legged, stroking his chin as he contemplated. At that moment, he could feel his body slowly absorbing the ambient mana, although it was faint. If he had to describe it, it was like an itch he could never scratch. When he thought some more, an obscure thought crossed his mind: just where was the mana being stored? His lessons with Wanderer were very short, and she wasn't here to instruct him. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he got.

He ran a hand through his jumbled hair and sighed. “Just when I thought this was easy. If the answers won’t come to me, then I’ll have to brute force my way to find them myself. Finding out how it’s stored and ways to absorb it faster are the steps needed to increase my mana reservoir. Once I figure that out, only then will I tackle increasing my magical strength.”

Adamant on solving the puzzle, Tyrus's hand buzzed once more. Not even ten seconds had passed before his body swayed. He stopped just before he could topple over the roof. Once he regained his composure, he smirked.

“So that’s how it is…”

Tyrus thought back to all the times he had experienced pain when his mana reservoir was depleted. Every time would his mind go foggy, and his chest constrict. He thought it was only pure exhaustion, but a single detail had wormed its way inside. When Wanderer sped up his awakening, his heart was the first to experience a change. A rapid beating, the skin heating, and a pain unlike any other; the heart was the source of his mana reservoir, and the power flowed through blood.

Now that he had figured out that mystery, another had already taken its place. If the heart handled mana storage, then what would happen if it were to beat faster or slower? Would that influence his mana reservoir? Spending the power resulted in heart pain and increased beats. If he wanted to figure it out, then only two options came to mind- holding his breath and exercising.

Tyrus closed his eyes and held his breath. He sat there, motionless, for around a minute, until he couldn’t resist the temptation anymore. He exhaled and gulped as much air as possible.

One key detail he discovered was that the rate of absorption was noticeably slower. The mana reservoir could still be replenished even without breathing. A slower heart rate led to a slower rate of absorption- that one fact was true for Tyrus. If he were to do the opposite, then it would make sense a higher heart rate would increase the absorption. Those two details all pointed to a common habit, all thanks to how plentiful mana was.

“Even then, I’ll have to be careful. There must be a balance to these things.” Tyrus solved two mysteries, and he wasn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. The prospect of learning magic practically filled all the ample time he had.

No matter what, he would learn to master his element.