Weaving

(Katsuo POV)

Sitting on the ground with two books sprawled in front of me, I examined the left one, The Tome of Offering. It's a large, ancient book bound in cracked, dark leather that seems to absorb the light around it. The cover is adorned with unsettling, twisting runes that glow faintly with a sinister, otherworldly light. The pages inside are made of aged parchment, brittle and yellowed with time, filled with cryptic symbols and forbidden incantations.

The right one, on the other hand, is what I bought recently, costing me a whopping 300,000 points. The Tome of Mental Aegis is an ancient and powerful grimoire dedicated to the art of mind protection. This tome contains extensive knowledge, techniques, and spells designed to safeguard the mind from psychic attacks, mind control, and other mental intrusions. It is bound in dark, sturdy leather, with intricate silver filigree and arcane symbols embossed on the cover. The pages are made from a resilient, enchanted parchment that never ages or decays. The tome emits a faint, calming glow when opened, creating an atmosphere conducive to deep focus and concentration. Each page is adorned with intricate illustrations and arcane symbols that enhance the reader's understanding and ability to visualize the spells and techniques. The ink used for the text and diagrams is enchanted to shimmer slightly, making it easier to read even in low light.

The former would help me stop Ralakesh from possessing Greust. A solid plan, no? Well, first I'd have to dabble in forbidden arts, cultist ramblings, and possibly endure an entity's mental attacks. Hence the latter's use.

Thankfully, I'm already at Grandmaster Core - I, so with that, I'll first practice Mana Weaving. Apparently, this was the most basic requirement. Mana Weaving was using "Mana" as basically tentacles to weave and form archaic runes. I sighed, realizing I had apparently skipped so many basic fundamentals, which was great and all, but still.

I cast a basic Pyrobolt and Summoned Sword, observing both of their appearances. They looked… well, pretty much like a regular fireball and a floating sword. Nothing too fancy.

"Alright, time to weave some mana," I muttered, flexing my fingers as if I was about to play the world's weirdest piano. I focused on extending my mana like tentacles, attempting to form the simplest rune I could find in the Tome of Mental Aegis.

Instead of a graceful weave, my mana flopped around like a beached fish. "Oh, fantastic," I grumbled. "I'm a Grandmaster, and my control makes me look like I'm having a seizure."

I took a deep breath and tried again. This time, the mana formed something resembling a squiggly line. Progress, I guess.

Several hours later, I had managed to weave a basic rune. It wasn't pretty, but it held together. "Ha! Take that, fundamentals!" I shouted, pumping my fist in the air. My trio looked at me, their expressions somewhere between pride and embarrassment.

Feeling a bit more confident, I decided to move on to a more complex rune from the Tome of Offering. This one required weaving multiple strands of mana simultaneously. "Okay, tentacles, don't fail me now," I said, focusing intently.

The mana strands wobbled and intertwined, looking more like a knot of spaghetti than an arcane symbol. I sighed, feeling a headache forming. "This is why I skipped the basics," I muttered.

Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, I managed to create a half-decent rune. It glowed faintly, and I felt a surge of dark energy. "Alright, that's enough of that for now," I said, quickly dispelling the rune before it could do anything more sinister.

I turned to the Tome of Mental Aegis, flipping to a page on mental shields. "Let's see if I can weave something a bit more friendly," I said, starting to form the runes described. This time, the mana flowed a bit more smoothly, the calming glow of the Tome aiding my focus.

An hour later, I had a shimmering mental shield rune floating in front of me. "Not bad," I said, admiring my handiwork. "Now let's see if it works."

I closed my eyes and tried to mentally poke at the shield. To my relief, it held firm. "Alright, progress!" I exclaimed, feeling a bit more optimistic.

My trio watched with a mix of curiosity and amusement as I continued my training. "You guys are probably wondering why I'm talking to myself," I said, chuckling. "Well, it's either that or go mad from weaving spaghetti runes all day."

After a long day of practice, I felt a sense of accomplishment, even if it came with a side of frustration. "Alright, enough for today," I said, closing the tomes.

.

.

.

.

(Katsuo's Journal)

Day 1: The Great Mana Spill

So, today I decided to start my journey into the mystical world of Mana Weaving. The books said it would be enlightening. I should have known they meant that quite literally. First attempt: creating a simple mana thread. What did I get? A glowing spaghetti monster that slithered off and tried to eat Jade. Lesson learned: mana threads are not for the faint of heart or those with a fear of glowing pasta.

Day 2: Rune Doodles

Determined not to let yesterday's disaster discourage me, I moved on to drawing basic runes. My first rune looked like a drunken cat's paw print, and I accidentally set my parchment on fire. The good news? I discovered that the smell of burnt paper is actually quite invigorating. The bad news? My trio, are now avoiding me like the plague.

Day 3: Mental Shield... Sort Of

Today's goal was to create a basic mental shield. The result? Well, I managed to create a barrier, but it only blocks thoughts about cheese. Very specific, and not entirely useless—unless, of course, I get attacked by a psychic cheesemonger. I guess we call this progress?

Day 5: The Tangle of Mana Threads

Tried weaving multiple mana threads together today. It's supposed to form a stronger base for more complex runes. Instead, I ended up with a knot so tight it might have developed its own gravitational pull. I now have a glowing ball of mana yarn sitting in the corner of our igloo. Maybe I can start a new trend in arcane décor?

Day 7: Midweek Crisis

We're halfway through the second week, and I'm questioning my life choices. I tried creating a more complex rune, one meant to boost concentration. Instead, I got a rune that causes hiccups. Now I'm hiccuping mana sparks, which is as uncomfortable as it sounds. On the plus side, I think I've accidentally invented a new party trick.

Day 8: The Mana Meltdown

Today was supposed to be the day I finally master a functional mental shield. Spoiler alert: I didn't. Instead, I created a shield that makes everything look like it's underwater. While this isn't entirely practical, it does make our igloo look like an aquarium. Dem is less than amused and still refuses to come near me.

Day 10: Eureka Moment

Finally, some success! I managed to weave a proper mana thread and use it to create a basic defensive rune. No fires, no spaghetti monsters—just a nice, stable rune that glows a soft blue. I celebrated by trying to make another rune, which promptly exploded, but hey, progress is progress.

Day 11: Shielding the Brain

I gave the mental shield another go, and this time, I've created one that actually blocks psychic intrusions. Unfortunately, it also blocks my ability to do simple math. Now I have to rely on my fingers to count and Jade is giving me judgmental looks. The sacrifices we make for arcane prowess...

Day 13: Advanced Rune Woes

Decided to tackle an advanced rune today. The books warned it would be tricky, but they didn't mention the part where it starts buzzing angrily if you get it wrong. My rune is now hovering over my head, emitting a low hum that's starting to give me a headache. I think it's mocking me.

Day 14: The Grand Finale

Last day of my two-week trial, and I'm proud to say I've made significant progress. I successfully created a complex mental shield that actually works without side effects. To celebrate, I tried to create a final advanced rune, which promptly exploded into a shower of sparks.

But hey, that's the life of a Mana Weaving Janitor, right? Two weeks of chaos, hilarity, and the occasional success.