Changes

Changes...

The tension from the morning snack incident faded as Selia readied the worktable for the remaining game.

"The birds you've got are called blinkers, because they're jumpy as hell and take off like lightning. Bagging them usually requires a mix of luck and skill from a distance. Whatever magic you unleashed, it delivered a clean kill. Besides the broken neck, both feathers and body are untouched."

Jet accepted the praise with a modest nod.

"Just a bit of finesse with air magic, nothing extraordinary."

Selia's curiosity remained unsatiated, but she opted not to press.

"Scalding's a breeze, done in a jiffy. Drop the birds in the cauldron for about 45 seconds. While at it, gently stir the water to rid them of grime and external pests. It'll also help loosen most feathers. Don't scald too long or the meat might boil. And there's a risk of bursting organs, trashing the meat."

Taking charge of the scalding, Jet controlled the cauldron's water with a wave of his hand, stirring and adjusting the water's flow as per Selia's instructions.

"Darn it, kid. You're really making me second-guess my apathy towards magic and learning it."

"You don't know magic?" Jet was taken aback.

"No, and until today, I wore that ignorance as a badge of honor. I've always regarded chore magic as a mere parlor trick. Why waste my time learning to do things with it when my hands get faster and better results?," Selia shrugged. "Now, let's get these blinkers out of the water—time to get serious."

Apart from plucking instead of skinning, gutting poultry closely resembled his prior squirrel endeavor. In addition to his existing tasks, Jet also removed the crop, neck, and oil gland.

Upon finishing, Jet's gaze reveled in the results. He observed that, barring the blinker's slightly more porous skin compared to a chicken's, it was just one roast away from what he'd find back on Earth.

"How should I cook it?"

"Still hungry after those two squirrels?"

"Yes, very." The prior meal served as an appetizer; he remained far from satisfied. "Please, let's use the outdoor campfire. I need to practice without a fireplace."

Selia smacked her forehead. "Right, right. I almost forgot about your family baggage."

After coaching him on selecting a suitable campfire spot, she demonstrated the creation of improvised kebabs using wooden sticks. The final lesson encompassed the ideal kebab height to prevent overcooking and how to tell when it was ready to eat.

Once he'd memorized everything, Jet infused his eyes with fire magic, activating the Fire Vision spell. This spell upgraded his vision to thermal goggle-level.

Next, he interwove fire and wind magic, maintaining a stable heat sans hot or cold spots, while using air currents to uniformly cook the meat.

Such meticulous control necessitated him to move his hands and feet, scrutinize the meal from various angles, and regulate mana flow.

His movements resembled a blend of martial arts katas.

Selia was about to jest about him performing a victory dance for a single blinker when the delicious aroma reached her nostrils.

The blinker rapidly roasted, its skin transforming into a crispy crust that released masterfully spread fat.

The scent was so tantalizing that her stomach grumbled, despite consuming breakfast less than two hours prior.

Jet raised the skewer with spirit magic, then lowered the temperature to avoid scalding while he ate. He voraciously devoured the meat, tearing it apart with his bare hands.

First, the drumsticks, then the breast, and lastly, the wings.

Lacking salt and tenderness due to skipping meat maturation, the roasted blinker was the best meal Jet had ever savored.

"I can't believe it—I no longer feel hunger." Jet's happiness brought him to his knees, his eyes glistening, almost shedding tears.

The moment, however, was short-lived.

"I need more! I can't allow hunger to cripple me again." Jet eyed the sun; he had a couple more hours before noon. He had time for more hunting.

"Selia, I need a favor. A place to stash my own game, the portion I refuse to share."

"Just call me Selia; hunters don't sweat honorifics. We're pragmatic folk."

She waved her hand, dismissing formal titles.

"As for your request, I don't do favors—only deals. How about this: starting tomorrow, you'll show up every day and clean my house. Maybe cook something from time to time with that silly dance of yours.

In return, I'll safeguard your personal meat, and when you cook for me, we'll split the meal equally. Deal?" Selia extended her hand.

It was a bit of a rip-off, but Jet's options were slim.

"Deal. I've got one rule, though—I don't do laundry."

In the following days, laughter and joy filled Jet's house more than usual. While questions arose over him bringing game home, explanations flowed easily.

The food helped everyone relax and shed the stress of the past. Even Jet and Orpal smoothed out their relationship, limiting glares and insults to a minimum.

More importantly, Jet could finally resume practicing martial arts. His routine consisted of hunting in the morning, magical training in the afternoon, and martial arts at night.

Thanks to the Invigoration breathing technique, Jet could now stay up for almost a week before requiring rest.

Sneaking out as his Life Vision spell confirmed everyone's slumber, he crafted mud dummies with earth magic for martial practice and body conditioning. Footwork took priority.

Whether it was due to being just four years old or the lack of prior activity owing to constant hunger, his body proved embarrassingly clumsy and uncoordinated.

When anything was thrown at him—even a chestnut from a meter away—he either missed or let it drop to the floor.

Despite his spells being quick, especially spirit magic, they weren't instantaneous. He couldn't afford to be defenseless when someone closed in.

Magic was powerful but not all-encompassing. What good was toppling mountains if he could be taken down by a random thug?

Even back on Earth, Jet believed separating mind and body was foolish. Exercise relieved stress and cleared his mind, just as studying helped him excel in work or martial arts.

True power emerged when mind and body united, each enhancing the other's capabilities. Brute strength without finesse was mere violence, and intellect without application was nothing more than ethereal ideas.

Roughly a week into Jet's training, an unexpected event unfolded.

He stood alone at night, refining his footwork through circles around the dummies, when an alarming sensation gripped him.

Agony erupted from his mana core, rapidly disseminating through his entire being. Concurrently, an overwhelming nausea struck, unlike any he'd felt before.

"What's occurring?" His internal scream echoed. "This can't be a bottleneck—I just conquered one yesterday, and no bottleneck has ever felt like this."

Gasping for breath, he could no longer remain on his feet, writhing in pain.

"I won't die! Not again, not after enduring so much. I refuse to be some off-world slave or an old man waiting for death. I've had my fill! I reject death!"

He summoned all his willpower to transmute every iota of mana into light magic, combating the torment ravaging him. But it was in vain.

The pain intensified, overwhelming his efforts.

Upon surrendering, the fiery sensation rose to his mouth.

Black, viscous substance—akin to tar but reeking of decay that had festered under summer heat—poured forth. Each lump, nut-sized, evoked sensations as if he'd expelled two elephants marching side by side.

The stench proved so unbearable that, despite his incapacitation, he conjured dark magic to obliterate the lumps, leaving no trace behind.

Minutes passed as Jet spat, drank, and even chewed grass to rid himself of the disgusting taste lingering in his mouth.

Once equilibrium returned, he was too depleted to train. The Invigoration technique revitalized his body, restoring it to peak form.

As he began the breathing exercise, an unexpected revelation awaited. Jet could now perceive his mana core with unprecedented clarity. 𝞰𝗈𝗏𝖾𝑳𝑛𝑒xt.𝒸𝑜𝗆

During Invigoration, the world's energy flowed in, and he sensed and manipulated mana coursing through his blood vessels and organs. He could even visualize residual magic in his hair.

With closed eyes, Jet experienced an internal view akin to a cutting-edge 3D full-body scan.

Dizziness lingered, but he attempted the footwork anew. His movements remained imperfect, but he no longer felt as if he had two left feet.

"Considering minutes ago I struggled not to stumble on my own toes, this improvement is remarkable. I wonder..."

Jet extended his right hand, channeling spirit magic into the dummies' heads.

"Previously, I could only manage slight pressure across multiple targets. And now..."

His fist clenched, swifter and mightier than ever.

The dummies' heads burst like balloons.