Chapter 4: Testing current ability (2)

My apartment located at quite populated area and it might be difficult to find an open space to test my abilities.

"Here should be good," 

Fortunately, there's a rooftop with a lot of free space where I can use for some vigorous movement. And right now, not many people presently staying in the apartment since its still school holiday period. 

Most that stay is usually busy with work in late morning like now, making it perfect for me. 

"Let's start," Retrieving a sword from the ring on my index finger, I close my eyes while remembering what I know of this weapon in both my life.

Amara true to what I know, is a planet full of brutality. Despite the harsh reality of this world, hope still remains. Amara is rather forgiving toward its inhabitant since everyone can get stronger as long as you're willing to put up work.

And that's why everyone stressed the importance of knowing how to use weapons. Even for sixteen years old me, I could assertively say that I knew all the basics of most, if not all kinds of weapons in humanity.

'Though whether I can use it is another story,' readying my stance, I start brandishing the sword in the most basic manner. 

"Huhp…!"

Straight down slash from the top and straight up from the bottom. 

"Hah!… Hm!"

Diagonally down to the left, diagonally down to the right, diagonally up from the left, diagonally up from the right,

 And finally left and right strikes horizontally following with stabbing in the end. 

Looking at the sword with a confused expression, I feel like my movement are slightly off. Like some inconsistency between my mind and body makes it uncomfortable to move.

'Let's repeat some more…' 

Swish! Swish!

Swoosh!

With each movement, I could feel the sword gradually became more comfortable in my hand. My movement change slightly from somewhat awkward movement to much more natural. The speed and power behind my swing also increase a bit. Feeling the improvement, I continue again. 

Over and over. Till that inconsistency completely gone.

"Huuh…" letting out turbid air, I let out a satisfied smile.

'Movement become much smoother…Let's try with other weapon too'

Spear, hammer, eastern sword and many more…

….

…

"hah…hah..ha" I plopped down on the hard floor while roughly breathing for air. My hair was wet from all the sweat which make me a bit uncomfortable.

I swept them back while thinking maybe I should trim a bit.

"Not bad, but…" 'I don't think I have exceptional talent in any of them.'

I could use them, swinging, stabbing, hitting; nothing bad but nothing special too. It's like nothing suits me exceptionally well. Extremely lacklustre.

"Well, nothing set in stone yet." though I test them all, but whether to say I have talent or not need more than just one training session. I should take input from some pro in this area too. Let's postpone this until I got into the academy.

"Let's try some magic next,"

To be honest, I'm quite eager for this. Who not be eager of the idea of themselves firing magic bombardment towards monsters. There's no way such a thing will happen on Earth.

 'Who knows, maybe I destine to walk the path of a magician.'

…

…

And after a few minutes, I drop down on my knees.

They say the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. I just realize how cruel reality is. Why?

Well, nothing much. I tried firing some fire magic and guess what. A big ass fireball shoot out from my hand!… or so I wish. My hand just become slightly hotter which can make very comfortable heater in winter. Ah…what a useful power…

"No! What the heck! Do you want me to comfort monsters till they fell asleep or what!?"

When I try to use elemental spells, I found out that arcane in my body refuse to comply as intent. Even when I push for a bigger amount, the result is just as what we can see. A heater…

"Sigh… at least not every magic unusable. [Enhance]" bringing out my sword, I chant a non-elemental spell on my arms.

With the same stance as before, I slash at empty air again, but thing turned differently from before. My slash visibly became more powerful, leaving an impressive sound and wind pressure. I bet with this much power, I can easily slash through a body even with chain-mail on.

To use magic in this world, you need to change the arcane inside your body into an arcana of required type before releasing it as a spell. Fire spell needs fire arcana, water needs water, so on and so forth. The only exception is some small percentage of non-elemental spells which can use arcane directly like strengthening magic.

And my problem now is that my body refuses to comply with the changing process which effectively made me only capable of using those small percentage of non-elemental spells.

"Why does this happen? If I remember correctly, Vincent does not have this problem." 'Did I do something wrong?' 

That shouldn't be the case. I remember in my memory Vincent used to shooting elemental spells a few times during practical class in school and I just follow how it done previously.

Then… 'Does something happen to this body when I transmigrated here'

That might be possible…hm…thinking of such possibility my brows furrow into a frown.

"Sigh… Let's forget it." I can't rush thing. My situation is already full of mysteries. Adding more will just give me a headache.

Everything will come to light eventually.

Now that I know what I need to know, I can decide in what way I should improve in the future.

From this experiment, I got some useful information. First, I am trash in elemental spells. Non-elemental otherwise are quite good. Power and fuel efficiency ratio are quite user-friendly.

Weapon handling is also not bad, but I need some more practice to decide which one is more suitable for me. Physique also need more training.

I'm about at the level of an experienced practitioner, not yet a veteran, but at least I'm sure I can fight.

Future sure is not looking too bright. My setback at not being able to change arcane to arcana is the biggest problem now. If I'm just trying to live here in this world, then sure I can survive even with this. But what I'm trying to do is to compete with all those main casts, with each having the potential of a monster. 

'But I can't just be depressed here' if this is enough to break my spirit, then my promise to become the strongest will just become a big fat joke.

"Heh. I just need to find my way, then." Contrary to the bleak future, I became much more excited on this journey for strength.

This world is based on RPG. There will be a lot of things that can make me stronger even with these limits. Wait, think bigger…if I'm can only use this ability than I just need push whatever I can to the limit. Having too many abilities sometime not good too since you can't manage them all. Besides, this is not the same game where you can pre-determinedly set what abilities you want to use. Having too many will only cause decision-making difficult during battle.

Hard work and opportunity. These two will be the key from now on.

If it's the same as in the game, what you use is not much important but the proficiency plays a major role. Whether it's magic, skill or technique, the most important thing is how to use them. Even if you give a knife to a baby, the only one that's going to get killed is that said baby.

Right now I don't have any skill, but I can gain some useful one that can complement my ability later. The same with technique. 

If I'm not strong enough, then I just need to put work harder.

If I can't get the opportunity, then just make one yourself.

 "I already tested out physical and magical aspect. Skill, I don't have yet, then why do I feel like I forgot something?" 

Ticking a mental note inside my head, while pondering of what I possibly forgotten my ring caught my eyes. Specially the engraving on it.

"Right! Oh, silly me. How can I forgot about this?"

Jiik

Channelling some arcane to the tip of my finger, I drew a pattern onto the hard floor. Normally, my finger wouldn't make any change to the floor, but arcane on my finger make it possible for the pattern to be visible to eyes. Arcane in general is transparent but when concentrate it's glowing slightly akin to fluorescent ink in the dark. A pattern engraved with the floor as canvas and arcane from my finger as the pen is a symbol that is quite similar to ancient letters used on enchantment, but at the same time different. The pattern means 'wind'.

Hwaruk!

From the pattern drawn, a soft breeze was produced.

"It worked,"

Rune magic. The ancient language of gods in this world. Different from the one used in enchantment that more like a programming code to perform desire result, this one literally the letter of power. These things are not exist anymore in this world. How I know then? Because this is the mechanic of the last boss of the three greatest dungeon.

Once upon a time, there's a player that totally obsessed with the lore of this world that he wants to memorize the attack pattern of every boss monster and he keeps repeating any fight that he's not fully understand. And that player is me.

'To be honest… I don't expect it to work.' What I did was just replicating some pattern that pop-up on that monster body. I half expect it to just fail to the effect come instantly.

But it actually makes sense since actually no requirement needed to use this power except arcane and knowledge. Not many people use them now since the knowledge were lost and normal magic is more convenience.

Rune might seem simple, but they have rules too. Writing them might work, but they will only work for short period with only enough power to burn small tree. To strengthen them, a simple process where runes are written down inside an array and connections formed between them are needed. These connections instruct the array on how to complete the magic. Those things need to be experimented on more in the future but just knowing there's another way to improve on give a big boon for me.

In conclusion, the ideal path for me right now is to become something like a Rune warrior. Combat specialty with proficiency in rune. I don't have elemental affinity, which means healing and long ranged are impossible for me. And since rune needs a medium to channel, close combat is more likely the best choice for me.

There's a character that specializes in this area too. If I can get some advice from her, it will be invaluable. Better yet, if I can become her disciple, there's nothing better than that, but…

Her appearance is still a long way to go from now. Besides, personality might become a problem too. Remembering a woman with an extremely eccentric personality that undoubtedly makes communication difficult in the future, I feel a headache coming from miles away. Of course she's my waifu too.

"For now, [Enhance]" 'let's try keeping this on till I run out,' leaving the rooftop, I went back to my room. 

After a quick shower, I open my laptop and filled out an application for The Academy.

'Basic information and specialty… reason to apply.' after a few minutes, my application is completed with a message; admission test will be conducted a week before class start. Please come to the address in time and anyone that passed can directly enter the dormitory.

'Admission test, huh… another interesting thing.' The game start directly with the player already became a student, so this is admission thing is not mention…which means I need somehow pass it by myself. 

While I'm looking at my laptop in amused, suddenly my phone ringtone wake me up signifying someone calling.