5 Magic Abilities

(Haku POV)

This new life isn't all bad.

I had gone for an early morning run in the neighborhood, never expecting to be reunited with trouble—I mean, the friend I had just met yesterday.

Tatsuya walked beside me with his usual straight and expressionless face as we made our way to my house, which was about a 10-minute walk from the lake.

We both felt stiff and awkward and the way people looked at us only added to the discomfort.

Whispers about my appearance and figure being beautiful, and men envying Tatsuya's luck, filled the air.

Some people even commented on how cute we looked running together in the morning.

I facepalmed internally.

Well, I couldn't blame him entirely; my trap body was a contributing factor.

Tatsuya gave me a blank look before speaking. "I'm surprised. Are you used to all this?" His head tilted slightly due to our height difference—I'm 169 cm tall, while he's around 180 cm.

I snorted and smiled slightly. "Well, yeah..." I gave him a vague response.

We didn't talk much on the way, as we had already arrived at my house. But just as I was about to open the gate, I sensed a sudden drop in temperature and felt someone approaching at high speed.

Curiosity piqued, I turned my gaze in that direction, inadvertently expanding my view through the information dimension to see the person in greater detail.

Realizing this, a small smile formed on my lips. 'Ah, so this is an elemental sight ability. It's like seeing a different world,' I thought to myself.

It makes me even more curious about the abilities I can develop with magic in the future.

I'm starting to develop a liking for magic, even though I'm not fond of things that might bring me trouble down the line.

Magicians, now seen as nothing less than weapons, are a race that disgusts me. Their fate can only be described as pitiful.

I looked at Tatsuya and said, "I'll go to the kitchen and start cooking. You catch up with her and try to calm her down first." Without waiting for his reply, I walked away.

Entering the house through another door, I unlocked the cafe door and headed toward the kitchen area.

For a moment, I pondered what kind of breakfast I should prepare.

"Alright! I'll make Eggs Benedict!" I declared with excitement, a flicker of imaginary fire in my eyes.

(Tatsuya POV)

When Haku left me at the gate, I initially felt confused. But it didn't take long for my eyes to widen as I sensed a wave of psions I could never forget.

It was Miyuki.

I turned around and saw a figure blur by, moving swiftly. Miyuki was using her roller skates, effortlessly gliding along without seemingly touching the ground, utilizing her magic seamlessly. As expected, she didn't appear tired.

"Onii-sama!" she called out to me, gradually slowing down until she stood before me. But her smile seemed forced. "I thought you were going for a morning run, but it seems you went to breakfast with Haku," Miyuki said, her smile lovely but cold.

I smiled back. "I didn't expect that either, but his house is only about four blocks away from ours. I bumped into him while I was running, and he awkwardly invited both of us to breakfast."

She smiled awkwardly, narrowing her eyes. "I see. Maybe I should also start running regularly with you, Onii-sama, just in case."

I didn't fully understand, but it wasn't a bad idea. I gently touched her cheek with my palm and said, "I don't mind." Hoping to bring a cheerier atmosphere.

Then, Miyuki's usual self returned, and I tried to forget about her momentary shyness.

Afterward, Miyuki and I entered Haku's yard, where I saw his house resembling a two-story cafe.

He must be quite serious about his career as a chef.

I opened the door, and a delightful aroma greeted us, unlike anything I had ever smelled in even the most renowned restaurants, including the head chef's dishes at Yotsuba's main house.

"Excuse me..." I said, stepping in, the sound of the bell ringing.

Soon, footsteps could be heard from a corner of the room.

Two doors opened automatically, and Haku, still dressed in the same clothes but now wearing an apron, emerged while holding a tray.

"Please come in. Ah, Miyuki has arrived too," he said, his eyes warm and his whole demeanor exuding a friendly aura as he walked toward the table for three.

"Come on, you two. What are you waiting for?"

Although he hadn't taken his seat yet, his hand gestured for us to sit at the chairs he indicated. I smiled and made my way to the table, followed by Miyuki.

I carefully plated three servings of Eggs Benedict and poured three cups of coffee, placing them on the table in front of each of us.

"Please enjoy. This is Eggs Benedict," I said with a touch of pride, my smile widening as I observed their surprised expressions and heard the satisfied sounds of them swallowing.

Tatsuya's reaction was minimal, with just a slight parting of his lips and widened eyes, but his gaze seemed lost in thought. Miyuki, on the other hand, was the picture of adorable delight. Her blue eyes sparkled like a girl who had received a wonderful gift, and there was a small trace of drool at the corner of her mouth as if she hadn't eaten for days.

"You've done an amazing job, Haku! It's like a sparkling gem," Miyuki exclaimed, quickly wiping away her drool with a handkerchief. It seemed she didn't give much thought, to happening in front of me.

"Oh... thank you. Please enjoy," I replied, my smile growing.

"Thanks for the food," Tatsuya chimed in.

I picked up my fork and began eating my breakfast, confirming that it was indeed delicious. Satisfied, I turned my attention back to them.

"Mmm, it's delicious!" Miyuki exclaimed, holding her cheeks and swaying her body from side to side in a cheerful motion.

Tatsuya smiled and looked at me. "It's delicious, Haku. I think your cooking surpasses any famous chef I've ever tasted." Ah, so he must come from a wealthy family.

Grinning, I responded, "Really? Then I'll take that as a compliment," as I spooned another bite of Eggs Benedict into my mouth.

"The soft-boiled eggs melt on your tongue, the bacon is crispy, the muffin is perfectly sweet, and the hollandaise sauce adds a delightful tanginess. But I'm curious about the gold powder beneath the eggs," Miyuki explained, her words hinting at her intrigue with the dish.

My lips and eyes curled into a smile. "That gold powder is Karasumi; I sprinkled it on top of the muffins. It adds a deep flavor that complements the chicken egg yolk. Although this dish originated from the USNA, with a little modification like this, I thought it would make it more interesting. What do you think?"

Miyuki gasped, a mix of shock and awe on her face. "I see... I didn't expect you to incorporate such Japanese ingredients, Haku-san. You have quite the experience."

"Is this cafe open already? It doesn't seem to be in operation right now," Tatsuya inquired after finishing his breakfast, his eyes surveying the cafe as if he were an observer.

"Ahaha, not yet. Perhaps I'll work part-time at another restaurant first," I replied honestly, though, in truth, I had just moved in here.

"Well, let us know when the cafe is open," Tatsuya said with a nod, before I reminded them to try the coffee. Their initial shock and subsequent comments about its taste repeated the pattern we had at the start of the meal.

We spent the next thirty minutes discussing school and the classes we might have at First High, and then they bid their farewells as they had plans for the day.

After escorting them home, I went upstairs and took a shower. Despite sweating during the morning run, I didn't have any unpleasant odor. This wasn't just my assessment; it was a fact. However, I felt even more refreshed after the shower. Perhaps it was because of the exercise beforehand?

Dressed in my bathrobe, I emerged from the bathroom. "That was good," I said with satisfaction, before changing into a plain T-shirt and shorts and settling down on the sofa.

Gazing at the floating blue screen, resembling a hologram, I delved into the options available to help me navigate this unstable world and survive.

Strength was my priority, followed by knowledge.

As my finger swiped rapidly down the screen, I perused the contents of the system shop.

[You've purchased PhD-level knowledge in physics.]

[You've purchased PhD-level knowledge in chemistry.]

[You've purchased PhD-level knowledge in mathematics.]

[You've purchased PhD-level knowledge in business and management.]

[You've purchased PhD-level knowledge in engineering.]

[You've purchased Engineering Magic knowledge.]

[60,000 Karma Points have been used.]

As I received those notifications, the knowledge I had purchased from the system shop flowed into my mind. I now possessed expertise in five subjects at the Ph.D. level. With the engineering magic knowledge, I could even program my own CAD. Thanks to my photographic memory, I absorbed all the information without error. Now, it was a matter of how I would apply this knowledge and what experiences awaited me in the future.

Thankfully, my body was already accustomed to receiving such information, so the process was relatively painless, with only slight dizziness afterward.

I was also surprised by the points I had spent on the six items from the system shop. When I purchased cooking skills, it only required one point, but now I had spent a thousand points on each.

"But in the grand scheme of things, this is a worthwhile long-term investment."

Considering the peaceful life I hoped to lead, these costs were nothing.

Now...

To utilize this newfound knowledge and skill, I require the necessary tools. However, all I have at the moment is a simple watch-type terminal. It's frustrating! I wish I had a proper laboratory; my hands are already tingling with the desire to create an A.I. program!

But before that, I need magic. Magic that is unique to me and can only be used by me.

During the process of creating magic, the magic sequence is processed in the subconscious, which modern magic studies refer to as the "Magic Calculation Area." The expanded activation sequence is then read by the magic processing area in the subconscious, where variables such as coordinates, output, and duration are entered. The completed magic ritual is generated based on this information, alongside the activation sequence.

In essence, the magic calculation area converts the imagined reality into data and generates the magic sequence for the desired spell.

B.S. Magicians, or "born specialized magicians," are those whose magic calculation area is dominated by a specific type of magic. Unlike normal magicians, who can freely use various types of magic, B.S. magicians can only utilize a few or even just one type of magic. However, in exchange for this limitation, they can effortlessly perform high-level spells that are considered nearly impossible for normal magicians.

After carefully considering various factors, I want magic that isn't too flashy, such as causing neutrons to leave their cores and releasing a massive amount of energy. In other words, I don't want to turn myself into an atomic bomb. That would be too chaotic and disruptive for my liking.

Fortunately, with the help of the system, I've found a magic that suits me perfectly.

[System Shop]

[Power Shop]

[Sukunahikona]

[Price: 300,000,000 Karma Points]

[Category: Modern Magic]

[Level: Superpower]

[Rank: Strategic-Class]

[Ability]

[Subatomic particles can change the scale, mass, strength, and density of organic and inorganic subjects.]

[Power of Subatomic Particles: The user has control over subatomic particles in their own body and desired objects.]

[This ability will be optimized when combined with Daikokuten, a special dimension without time flow that exists in the Quantum Realm. In Daikokuten, the user can place various shrunk objects, including living beings.]

[No side effects: The user can use other magic like any other magician, even though Sukunahikona's magic dominates their magic calculation area.]

[Warning!]

[Once this ability is applied, the user cannot acquire other superpower abilities.]

[The user must practice, tune CAD, and become familiar with the magic.]

[...]

[Press to buy.]

After reading the ability description, I believe this is the most suitable ability for me.

An evil grin spreads across my face.

"Heh!"

"MUHAHAHAHA! I can already see the greatness of this power! But, of course, I'll keep it low-key."

As I laugh maniacally, I contemplate the countless possibilities and potential applications of Sukunahikona's magic that await me in the future.

The world is a daunting place, filled with numerous powerful magicians, especially those possessing strategic-class magic.

I'm uncertain about the challenges that lie ahead, but with this power, I can confront them head-on, even if I have to face them alone.

Setting that aside, before acquiring this magic ability, I also purchased two basement floors from the system. The first basement floor will serve as a private lab for prototyping and CAD tuning computers, while the second basement floor will function as a training room with an 8-meter floor-to-ceiling height.

These two basement floors are magically situated beneath the main floor of my house.

[One lab floor has been purchased.]

[One magic practice room floor has been purchased.]

[300 Karma Points have been used.]

"Alright, I can do this."

[Sukunahikona]

[Daikokuten]

[Press to purchase.]

I press the hologram button to finalize the purchase.

[Are you sure?]

[Yes]

[No]

It appears to be a reconsideration mechanism, perhaps my first and last chance to change my mind.

"Yes!"

I firmly declare.

[400,000,000 Karma Points have been used.]

[Warning!]

[The system will integrate Sukunahikona and Daikokuten into your Magic Calculation Area!]

[Prepare for the impending pain...]

"Ah..."

In an instant, it feels as though my entire body is being torn apart, and I sense something unfamiliar entering my mind.

Gritting my teeth in agony, my expression shifts from pain to a blank stare.

With that excruciating pain, my consciousness fades away.