NOVEL WEB Chapter 16
Chapter 16: The Imp Beast Wishes to Stand Above the Sky
Ripples of dark ink spread outward in concentric circles.
In an instant, the entire Mana Summoning Card was dyed a thick dark gold!
When the dark gold on the Mana Summoning Card became even and smooth, Dark immediately picked up a Magic Pen and began sketching the number seven Runic Array on the front of the card, based on the knowledge he had learned from his studies.
This was a simple method for creating an emotion series Mana Summoning Card, capable of producing various emotional Mana Summoning Cards such as “sadness,” “happiness,” and “anger.”
Using such Mana Summoning Cards allows one to experience the corresponding emotions.
Among them, the “happiness card” is most popular among the upper class.
Nobles, after a day’s hard work, can sit down and absorb a “happiness card,” letting their troubles vanish, and face the next day—full of new challenges—with a more positive outlook.
In Mana Duels, skilled Magi often use emotion series Mana Summoning Cards to raise their own or their opponent’s Mana Golem’s emotions.
This can boost the Mana Golem’s combat power or cause the opponent’s Mana Golem to show weaknesses.
Since the method for creating emotion series Mana Summoning Cards is very simple, it is set as the first month’s learning goal for freshmen.
Dark is the fastest and most stable at sketching the Runic Arrays in the class, even earning the nickname “Eagle Hand” for a while.
The Magic Pen is a hollow pen that imitates the structure of blood vessels.
Mercury flowing through the blood vessels inside the Magic Pen guides the Mana to the tip, allowing the Magus to more easily gather and refine Mana, drawing finer lines.
Even though mature Magi can do this without a Magic Pen, using one indeed reduces the dispersion of concentration, thus improving efficiency.
Of course, beginners like Dark cannot do without a Magic Pen in the short term.
The sketching of the Runic Array must be fast, steady, and accurate.
Dark completed the sketch of the number seven Runic Array in just seven seconds, finishing with a circular closure and connecting the circuit.
The moment the Runic Array was complete, a strong white light burst forth!
But that white light quickly transformed into the dark gold of the Mana Summoning Card itself!
Dark nervously watched the Mana Summoning Card.
The final stage of the Runic Array’s creation is like putting all the ingredients in a pot and cooking them; no one knows what it looks like until you lift the lid.
Freshmen complete this final step during the House Sorting Ceremony.
However, the Sorting Card has been adjusted to automatically start the Runic Array upon injection of Mana.
And the Mana Summoning Card before Dark was the first one he made himself!
Its success not only held significant meaning but also signified that Dark had finally found a way to convert the Seven Deadly Sins into power.
Magic is essentially mind-driven.
Whether it’s knowledge, emotions, thoughts, or creativity, magic considers these as sources of power.
There’s no reason why the Seven Deadly Sins can’t be converted into power!
…
Seconds later, the Runic Array seeped into the card, penetrating to the back, fusing and refining the materials with the Mana Summoning Card!
When the clear number seven Runic Array circuit appeared on the back of the Mana Summoning Card, it marked the completion of its creation!
Next came the acceptance phase.
Even though standard Mana Summoning Cards are made according to a predetermined procedure, they may still produce different effects due to various factors.
Moreover, the Mana Summoning Card before Dark was self-made.
He needed to conduct a small experiment.
And the subject of the experiment, naturally, could not be himself.
Dark’s gaze shifted, then looked at the Imp Beast mimicking an owl on the perch on the ceiling.
Then he revealed a kind smile.
…
Although Familiars are only quasi-living beings, they have an intelligence level of 2.5, emotions, and autonomous consciousness.
Thus, they would be affected by emotion series Mana Summoning Cards.
Dark waved to the Imp Beast.
The Imp Beast tilted its head and opened its wings to fly down.
Dark took the “Pride” Mana Summoning Card to another desk and pulled out a bird chain from the desk drawer, opening the clasp and attaching it to the Imp Beast’s left leg.
The room’s windows were closed, and the curtains were tightly drawn.
—Creating a perfect secret room.
After the Imp Beast had the leg ring on, it couldn’t help but show a “pouty” expression (,,??.??,,).
Dark observed for a while and noted the time in his notebook.
“3:29 PM, let’s wait another minute.”
At exactly 3:30 PM.
“My turn, Mana Summoning!”
Dark pinched the “Pride” Mana Summoning Card with his index and middle fingers and activated the “Summoning Spell”!
In an instant…
The Mana Summoning Card activated!
A dark golden orb with a long tail emerged from the card, emitting black light, and wobbled into the Imp Beast’s head.
At that moment, both Dark and the Imp Beast squinted their eyes.
Time seemed to freeze; the room was so quiet that the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.
The Imp Beast opened its eyes first, and a dark golden light shone from the gaps in its eyes.
It smiled, its eyes sharp, its chin slightly raised, and said, “I, the Imp Beast, wish to stand above the sky!”
?（??ˊ?ˋ）?;
…
Dark was initially stunned, then overjoyed!
Regardless of whether the Imp Beast had become arrogant due to the “Pride” Mana Summoning Card, it was no longer important.
What mattered now was that it could speak!
As everyone knows, Digimon can speak.
But the mechanism behind Familiars’ creation is different from that of Digimon.
At least, this Imp Beast originally could not speak, and its intelligence level was slightly lower than that of a typical beast.
Now, having absorbed the energy of “Pride,” it spoke fluently!
“Does this mean its form of life has changed, becoming more akin to a Digimon?”
Professor Shylph once said that the creation of Familiars is closely related to the Magus’s Mana, knowledge, and personality.
Perhaps, the Familiar summoned by him is not the same type of being as the Imp Beast in this world.
The greatest Magus, Merlin, once said that differences in cognition determine differences in magic!
Also…
Dark looked at the “Pride” Mana Summoning Card in his hand.
Fine cracks already appeared on the card!
Emotion series Mana Summoning Cards can be reused.
It seems this Mana Summoning Card has transcended the realm of “emotion” and is single-use.
Dark thought of a word—”Magification!”
In this world, so-called “demons” are beasts that have lost their sanity due to “magification!”
The current state of the Imp Beast should be closer to “magification” of “pride.”
He thought for a moment and recorded this Mana Summoning Card as “Pride I.”
Then he wrote down the corresponding effect in his notebook.
Next, he planned to further observe this “pride-magified” Imp Beast to see how long it would take to return to its original state.