Chpt 3

Phew… finally got rid of her huh…

Vagus made his way along the tattered path, occasionally having to push past the overgrown tall grass and bushes that took root along the obsolete trail. Well in reality they were quite ordinarily sized. It's just the boy's pint-sized build that made this forest seem more like a jungle.

Boreas Forest was originally a place where resources flourished. With its abundance of vegetation and plentiful of animals, it used to be a very popular hunting ground for commoners and nobles alike. Some even going as far as travelling from faraway cities to have a slice of the pie.

In recent years however, Boreas Forest had become a fearsome territory that of which even a full party of seasoned mercenaries would hesitate to cross. At some point in time, the forest became rampant with magical beasts that have been reported to be non-native to the area.

Speculation has it that they were drawn in by the ample amounts mana that started radiating from the big lake in the middle of the forest. Others say that the beasts were planted by spies from the neighboring Kingdom of Laios, as a way of sabotaging Brentwood City which acted as a major trading post for magical supplies within the Kingdom of Rosencratz.

Of all the rumors, the most terrifying of all is perhaps that the rampant magical beasts were signs of a Demon Lord's revival.

According to the Holy Scriptures, roughly every 1000 years or so a new Demon Lord is born, he will gather and proliferate the scattered demon race and wage war upon every other race that dared to defy his conquer.

Along with the Demon Lord's return of course, would be the birth of the heroes. It is also written within the Scriptures that 4 exceptional individuals will rise up to overcome the impending doom.

A warrior, a mage, a priest and an archer, each marked by Gods from above.

In the past, the 4 heroes have all come from different kingdoms and races. But they put their differences aside and together formed the hero's party which prevented the end of the world as we know it.

Though much is just supposition, there is definite proof of a warrior in the Kingdom of Laios that have manifested the Hero's Mark. It is both a good and bad news, as it practically confirms that the revival of a Demon Lord is near.

Of course, none of this concerns the unsuspecting Vagus as he paddled his way deeper into the forest.

Phew, maybe I should take a break here… walking in this heat really drains the stamina out of you…

The boy found a boulder with a smooth surface, except the surface was too smooth to be the work of nature. It's almost as if someone cleaved the boulder horizontally in two, and threw away the top half leaving only the base.

The size though was as perfect as a makeshift bed could be. Although the softness is left to be desired.

I should've brought a water pouch… maybe I'll head back early today…

Vagus thought to himself as he wiped the sweat off his brows, freeing a few strands of his bangs that were stuck to his pearly white skin.

But mannn… it really is getting hotter recently, even though it's almost fall… I wonder if the beasts are still here…

Magical Beasts may come in the shape of animals, but really over 80% of their body is comprised of pure mana essence. This has caused them to be extra sensitive of the mana in their surroundings, as it is their main source of nourishment.

The only reason Vagus was able to progress this far undisturbed was because of his expertise over the control of mana. Despite his lack of elemental affinities, Vagus Murphius spent most of his days training deep inside the woods of Boreas, perfecting the arts of mana manipulation.

Mana is akin to the fuel of a magic spell. The more mana you pour in, the higher the output of the spell. However, you would also need a tool be able to utilize the fuel. That's where your innate elemental affinity comes in.

Through the help of an incantation, one can convert their mana into the element they desire, transforming it internally before releasing, manifesting it into a magical spell. The more attuned you are to an element, the more ways you are able to shift your mana into said element, and the more spells you would have in your arsenal.

Without a tool to process, mana could only be exerted into a layer of barrier that encompasses your entire body. Although a very useful technique in defending against spells, it is very rudimentary and considered a basic magic spell that is able to be used by all.

The sensing of mana, the gathering of mana, and then finally the manifestation of mana outside the body. Vagus spent 3 years polishing these skills all the while trying to awaken his affinity.

In the end, he was unable to produce any mana outside of its purest form.

However, through his experimentations he was able to shape his mana into more than just a barrier. He was also able to imbue objects with mana, as well as identifying the surrounding mana and concealing his own mana.

The rusting sound of leaves hitting against another could be heard as a gust of wind blew over, knocking off a few of the leaves from its branches.

Vagus made a pistol shape with his hand as he aimed at the falling leaves, pew pew pew. The leaves ruptured as soon as the mana bullets made contact, breaking off into dust from the pure concentrated mana.

Ahhhh I wanna go blast stuff into the lake again! But it's so hot and my head hurts.

The boy sat up from his resting place, massaging his sore neck. He couldn't stop thinking about the dreams he was having, as well as this foreign feeling of dread in his heart.

Vagus never belonged to this world to begin with. Well to be precise, his soul was never part of this world.