Condensed Mana

"I believed that something interesting would happen, however, I did underestimate the potential for it. I will have a hard time explaining this to my mages. They research that periodically using new magic. They will be disappointed that it was finally understood after so many years." 

"If you want, can I explain things as I learn about it? The celestial orb appears more important than what I should have taken." Malik did feel bad. He felt that he had stolen something from others. 

To be fair, he hadn't decided to choose this right that second either. He wanted it, yes, but he had a lot of other things to weigh out. He might have found something that helped awaken more parts of the dragon heart skills. Or he might have gained an item that allowed him to keep pushing away the corruption he might face. 

"You would give back a reward given by the king of the kingdom you live in?" The king looked at Malik with sharp eyes. Enough that he immediately shook his head no. 

"Good. you have a good head on your shoulders. I will require you to take a few things though. A few of those perfect healing potions and perfect mana potions. They are here in case they are needed and only have five years left on their shelf life. They used to have twenty years. So it is time to test the alchemists of the kingdom again." 

"Is that what the competitions I hear about are for? To make better items for the treasury to store away just in case?" Malik had heard of the many competitions held randomly throughout the year. 

There was a well known alchemy competition that was held every ten years to see what new potions were created. Especially with the discovery and new breeding of herbs. This was the very same for the forging and crafting competitions. To see who the next big talent would be in the kingdom. 

"It is a part of the reason. I also enjoy it since it forces brilliant minds to work with even more determination. Someone that has never felt some pressure won't be able to create masterpieces." This made sense. A common phrase that gems came from pressure was making more sense now.  

"Now, let's be on our way. I have a small meal prepared for us. My sons are currently busy but you wouldn't mind if my daughter Cassandra joined us?" free food? Malik just nodded along immediately. He was impressed with the food when he had been her last time. Now he could try something else made by the best of the best chefs? Who would be against that?

There was a little sense that the king had other intentions though. But he could handle those as he walked. There was a clear chance that the king was just trying to make sure he was more attached to the kingdom and palace. But the more that the king rambled on about the geniuses he had supported the more that Malik understood that the king cared for talent. 

"Welcome back father. Malik, It is very nice to see you again." 

"It is an honor to have a chance to dine with you Princess Cassandra. I hope you are well." 

These were just basic greetings, but Malik did not sit until he saw the king take a seat. "My daughter, Malik has taken a chance on some items I awarded him for his roles within the Harvest village. You should have been speaking with the head of guards I assigned to travel back and forth from there. Care to tell him the status of the survivors?"

"Yes father. The surviving farmers have received assistance from farms nearby to rebuild while they heal. Some have chosen to sell their farms to other families. They will have a chance to start anew in the walls for safety."

"Many merchants lost goods and some of those merchants have hired adventurers and guards to join the battle against cultists. A very inspiring choice to make."

"Orphaned children have surprisingly been taken in by the adventurers guild. Something that shocked many of the churches but it created a very interesting change."

"Now, instead of being adopted based on affinity, the adventurers guild is requiring contracts and grantees for how the children will grow. It's forcing the churches to be more careful with their adoption methods related to their tendency to only focus on high affinities for their manas and god."

"Good. The orphanage is a new endeavor for the adventurers guild. It will be better if they hold the churches accountable. The guild works with everyone fairly. They can't be biased without harming themselves." The king's response was exactly the point of all this.

While Malik listened to all this, a plate of food had been dropped off.

'Scarlet griffin breast roasted with purple queen bee honey sauce and wild fiddlehead salad.'

The guide had used the angelic eyes to understand the meal and relay that to Malik. "Scarlet griffin? Aren't they jelly white and brown?" 

"You recognize this? You're very right. The scarlet griffin is a mutated griffin that gains a fire affinity from living near a volcano that it makes its home on." 

The king's surprise was small but Malikw a every focused on the food. He hadn't tasted something so tender. It had a bright flavor with a little spice to balance it out. Or that could have the for mana innately within the meat. Regardless, he knew it helped both his wind and fire resistance as it was consumed in the humanoid slime stomach. 

Small conversation filled the next hour as the royal knights arrived and began to lead Malik back. The king and princess had spoken for some time while Malik joined in a little here and there.

"I hope that you managed to get a better understanding of the future you will face. He is very closely related to the gods and churches now. With your relationship to the church of-"

"Father, I understand why you wish me to get to know him. I plan to do so of my own will. Please give me time to befriend someone else like me." 

The small argument had gone unheard by Malik who was already making his way outside the palace. 

Malik's mind was entirely on how he would sue the celestial orb. It wasn't normally a worry that he would run out of mana. So it would have to be used for meditation and growing his understandings of elemental manas. 

However, he could sense that within the manas also clashed and fused. If he were to focus on that more, there was a very high chance to increase his ability to meld manas together to make stronger forms of magic. Basically, he had a constantly appearing natural phenomenon to copy cat.

Besides this, there was the fact that these manas had been sealed and isolated in natural rune form. Something incredibly hard to do with pure elemental manas. 

A natural rune was more of a rumor and myth for mages and wizards. They wanted to find them since they would be the core of purity for any area dense in mana. Even then, just sensing them would give that magic wielding person a massive boost in strength and understanding. 

So, Malik could grasp that he would be changing his perspective on manas entirely. Not to mention how the spirits would act. He had a few always trailing around him now. Even if they played shy and hid, he could feel them nearby. 

It was a shame he had yet to focus on spirit magic at all. But something just told him that he wasn't ready for it. Even though he wanted to learn it, that there was something more he needed to do so that he could use spirit magic the way he was meant to use it.

That feeling he couldn't shake at all. 

Pushing that from his mind, Malik's focus fell on the fact that he could also learn to naturally condense mana. Using a ball of fire to attack would burn and do damage. However, if he condensed that flame, he knew that he would reach a new level with an explosive fire ball.

The explosive fire ball he had read about would explode on contact causing blunt damage and increased burning damage. That wasn't all though, it would cause flames to land all around the area. 

More destructive and uses a lot more control of fire mana. But if Malik could learn the best way to condense it which happened naturally, then he could use less mana while getting the same condensed result. 

A massive increase to his magical battle power.

A small goal settled in to his mind for him to reach as he returned to the guild where he was promptly bombarded with questions from Clara and Jen. He would be pretty occupied for the time being. Especially since he now planned some additional training before he went out to begin hunting cultists.