Zaptivating New Abilities

"WOO HOO!!!"

Did I almost just die? Yes. Am I slowly dragging my body out from underneath a monster corpse? Yes. Do I have lightning magic? YES BABBBY!!!

THIS is the type of shit I was expecting when I was reborn, and I'm glad it finally showed up. After Six months of Hellish survival, I finally get magic.

"I CALL DOWN THE POWER OF THE NINE HEAVENLY DRAGONS DEMONIC DARKNESS FLAME LIGHTNIIIIIING!" I shout, summoning my majestic power.... only to be met with absolutely nothing.

"Whelp, back to work, I guess."

I first head over to the stream and wash myself off, then I treat my wound with boiled animal leather bandages.

Once I'm done cleaning up, I walk back over to the Bokoblin corpse, which is already emitting a putrid smell. I was considering eating it, but I quickly dismissed that thought.

It's worth noting that a red bokoblin is the weakest type. This one was probably an outcast from its tribe.

I excruciatingly take out the teeth, claws, and, most importantly, the blade on top of the bokoblin's head. I then use the guts and innards of the monster as fertilizer for my garden.

Directing my attention to the horn, I spend the rest of the night crafting a new sword with a much sharper blade than a piece of flint, all while failing to recast magic.

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The next morning, I awake feeling rested but not secure, as the encounter with the bokoblin left me feeling unsafe in my little abode.

I quickly climb up to the top of the tree and, thankfully, see no enemies in the area.

Directing my attention inwards, I feel something different about myself. Some sort of energy inside myself. I have read enough fantasy to know that this is 'mana.'

Thinking back to the feeling yesterday in my fight, I try again, spending the next hour pushing, pulling, and trying to make my mana into lightning.

Eventually, it works. My mana turns into electricity and is released in the form of a static shock, making my long red hair poof up in all directions, then I am completely drained.

I go through my normal upkeep, tending the garden and hunting. I've even learned to mimic certain bird calls with my reed flute.

I now have a new daily routine, which is even more brutal than before. In the mornings, patrol for bokoblins. In the afternoons, hunt, and practice lightning magic.

I tried conjuring fire, water, and wind but the only element that seems to work is my purple lightning.

Lighting is an eccentric element, I have quickly realized in my training. You can't compress it into arrows or knives to shoot at your enemies like I expected, more like guide it towards the direction you desire.

My mana pool also seems to grow every time I empty it, and it grows much faster if the comprehension of my abilities progresses.

My training in magic is focused mostly on combat, but once I get out of the desert, I have much less crude plans. I essentially have a renewable source of infinite energy. There are so many possibilities!

The attack I have been training for the last few weeks is something right out of a certain dark emperor's playbook: I direct my pure mana to my fingertips, change it to lightning element mana, then push out, guiding the attack to lock onto a certain object.

The result is a short-range burst of electricity, enough to kill birds and stun or paralyze large creatures. I named this move 'Lightning Grasp,' though right now, it is more of a 'Static Tickle.'

Another day, another patrol; maybe I should stop doing these; hopefully, the monster attack was a one-time thing. Just before I'm about to turn back, I spot a figure on the horizon approaching the Oasis.

Maybe it's someone to rescue me? I duck behind a stand dune, whipping out my bow and knocking an arrow, just in case.

I quickly realize that it's another bokoblin - red, thankfully. As the bokoblin approaches my location, I make out some more details: The monster is taller and seems to be female, it has less muscle, but it does seem faster than the first monster I've faced. Somehow, it's even more ugly.

As soon as it gets in range, I stand up and start firing arrows down upon the monster. I have the high ground on top of the dune, and while I'm still trembling with nervousness, I land many more arrows.

A year of living in the wilds has strengthened my body tremendously. My calloused hands easily knock and fire much more powerful arrows than the first time I fought a bokoblin.

Still, the enemy arrives before me, refusing to die of blood loss to the many arrows covering its body. I am forced to draw my monster-blade sword.

Once the female bokoblin is in range, I pump all of my mana into a 'Lightening grasp' arcs of voltage jump from my fingers into my assailant, stunning it for a couple of seconds. I take this opportunity to execute a clumsy slash to the monster's torso, to which it screams in pain.

Then I am on the defensive, dodging swipes from claws and horn, before finding opportunities to make small cuts. In the end, the fight proves to be a battle of attrition, with the Bokoblin eventually bleeding out from the dozens of wounds I inflicted.

I continue my daily routine, and more bokoblins show up. At first, a new one would come every few weeks, but it has gotten to the point where there are more every two days. They seem to be growing stronger as well. Yesterday, a duo both wielding clubs and shields came, and I could barely defeat them.

I am growing stronger as well, with my lightning grasp range growing to ten feet and its power increasing exponentially.

I have gained a massive amount of battle experience from fighting bokoblins daily, but I am starting to feel the limits of my still-growing body against more powerful enemies.

I have decided that I need to begin preparations for my departure, which I have decided to be two weeks from now, on the day of what estimate to be my seventh birthday.