08 - Limits of Magic, Prelude to the Storm

The day was clear, but something in the air felt heavy. The Doldia village, always busy and welcoming, seemed different to Rygar. As he walked along the trails that cut through the huts, he felt the gazes. Many were still warm looks of recognition and admiration, but there were also cautious, even distrustful, glances.

Since the incident during the patrol, when his instincts overtook him and he attacked one of his allies, the respect he had earned began to crumble. Although the attack hadn't caused serious harm, the act itself was enough to plant doubts in the tribe's mind.

He wasn't blaming them, though. He had always managed to stay in control, but lately, he wasn't as sure. He was more afraid of losing his rationality than they were.

While his thoughts tormented him, he spotted Gyes in the distance, standing near one of the watchtowers. The chief of the warriors stared at him with a serious expression. When their gazes met, Gyes gestured for him to come over.

Rygar approached without saying anything. Gyes led him to a more secluded spot, where no one would overhear them. The silence between the two was heavy, and Gyes finally broke it, his voice firm:

"Rygar, can we talk?" Gyes asked, bluntly.

The young man nodded, feeling the weight of the words even before hearing them.

Gyes looked at him with a mix of respect and concern.

"I heard from Garu about your incident. This is not something to be taken lightly..."

"I know." Rygar's voice was a whisper. "It felt like I couldn't think, like my body was moving on its own."

Gyes sighed, crossing his arms.

"That's what worries me. You know, you remind me of someone. Do you know that?"

Rygar looked up, surprised.

"Who?"

"My sister, Ghislaine."

The name made Rygar frown. He had heard stories about Ghislaine Dedoldia, but rarely did anyone speak of her directly.

"What does she have to do with me?"

"Ghislaine was like you. Too strong, too wild. Since she was little, she was faster, more agile, and fiercer than any of us." Gyes paused, looking at the horizon as if reliving old memories. "She barely learned to speak the Beast-God language. She usually solved things with her fists. Always fighting, always challenging everyone around her. Then, when a wandering swordsman passed through here, she left with him."

"And you think I'm like her?" Rygar asked, defensively.

"Not completely. You're different. You're intelligent, rational. You have the ability to learn and think beyond your instincts. But those same instincts... are even stronger than hers, and your strength also far exceeds hers."

Rygar felt a weight in his chest. Gyes's words weren't said with anger but with genuine concern.

"What does that mean?" Rygar asked, with a mix of challenge and hesitation in his voice.

"It means that, as much as I see your potential, I have to be honest." Gyes clenched his fists, his eyes showing reluctance. "Ghislaine could be controlled, he wasn't as strong as you, your potential becomes something dangerous instead of something good."

"What I mean is, no matter how many contributions you make to the tribe, if one day I believe that you are a threat to us, I will have to ask you to leave."

The words hit Rygar like a blow.

"I don't want that. I don't wish for that." Gyes hesitated, his voice heavy with regret. "But as the next leader, I need to protect our tribe above all else."

Rygar didn't answer. He remained silent as Gyes walked away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

---

Rygar found an isolated spot near a stream, far from the village. He needed to think.

"Am I just a beast?" He was reincarnated, and although he had realized his instincts early on, he always thought his rationality and adult maturity would prevail. But was that really the case?

"Is my place really here?"

These questions burned in his mind. He thought of his previous life, of who he was as a human. There, he had control. He had logic and reason. Here, however, it seemed like his instincts were always lurking, ready to take over.

"Am I a human reincarnated trying to live as a Doldia? Or am I a Doldia fighting against what I really am?"

These reflections led him to think of his mother.

---

When Rygar got home, his mother immediately noticed something was wrong. She stopped what she was doing and walked over to him.

"Rygar, what happened?"

He hesitated but eventually told her everything: the looks from the tribe, the conversation with Gyes, and his own fears.

"Mom... what if I really am a danger? What if... I end up like a beast?"

His mother cupped his face with both hands, forcing him to look directly at her.

"Rygar, you are my son. No matter what happens, you will always be my son."

"But... what if I can't control it?"

"Then we'll work on it together." She smiled, a warm smile that seemed to chase away all the shadows. "You're not alone, Rygar. You'll never be."

Those words brought him some comfort. He knew he wouldn't resolve this problem so easily, but as Selene said, he had people who would help him. For the first time, it sparked curiosity in him—why did he come to this world? Was it for a purpose? Was it by chance? He didn't know, and honestly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

---

Later, Rygar joined his subordinates. He started calling them that because they asked him to, and they were increasingly acting like an organized group. As Rygar instilled discipline and knowledge during their training, they realized that they weren't living in easy times, and they adapted to this reality.

His group was already 50 members strong, with 5 main leaders commanding 9 others.

As for his magic apprentices, Kilian, Lisena, and Taes, the training was becoming more serious, and results were starting to show. Kilian, the most promising, could already cast magic without chanting, something that impressed Rygar.

Lisena was also close to reaching that level, while Taes was still struggling with the basics.

"Good job, Kilian." Rygar said, trying not to show favoritism. "But remember, it's not just about power. Control is equally important."

"Okay, now can you teach me fire magic!?"

"Sure, I said I'd teach you once you mastered the chantless magic, but remember, fire is different from water, earth, and wind. You could hurt yourself if you get it wrong."

As he trained the children, an idea began to form in his mind. The ideas about mana and magic he had theorized seemed to be correct. Mana reserves, for example, seemed to grow in childhood, contrary to what magicians believed. And from Kilian's example, and soon Lisena's as well, chantless magic followed the same pattern. Even if only the most talented might learn it, it would still be a drastic change to the magical and combat systems in this world.

"If this knowledge was wrong, what else could be?"

He decided that he needed to experiment more, think outside the box. Perhaps the limitations of magic were more psychological than real. And if that was truly the case, he was confident in his creativity to create all kinds of magic.

While he was reflecting on this, two little girls appeared, both around three years old. The one with cat ears, with her arrogant posture and nose in the air, approached with confidence.

"Are you Rygar?" she asked, arms crossed.

"Yes. And who are you...?"

"I'm Linia. And this here is Pursena." She pointed to the other child, who had drooping dog ears and was absentmindedly chewing a piece of meat.

Rygar chuckled to himself.

"Well, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm Linia Dedoldia, daughter of the future tribe chief, and I'm generously allowing you to teach us magic!" Linia said arrogantly, though her arms crossed pose only made her look cute.

Pursena nodded her head, looking interested.

I decided to give them a lesson now so they wouldn't get caught off guard by life in the future.

---

At dusk, a secret meeting was called by the tribe's elders, including Gustav, Gyes, and some of the main warriors. To his surprise, Rygar was invited to attend. In the cabin where they gathered, there was a rudimentary map of the region sketched on a table, with stones marking critical areas.

Gustav, the tribe leader, began:

"We've received alarming information from the elves of the neighboring forests. Like us, they've been dealing with constant infiltrations by trafficker groups. These attacks are not random. They're testing us, looking for weaknesses."

Rygar felt a chill down his spine hearing this. His mind immediately went to Verdia, his mentor, who was protecting their homeland.

"And what about ours?" he asked.

"Until now, we've been able to maintain control." Gustav replied in a deep voice. "But we know it's just a matter of time before they try something bigger. That's why we'll anticipate the attack."

He pointed to the map, where a set of stones marked the tribe's borders.

"We'll make it look like we're gathering warriors to attack the trafficker bases just before the seasonal rains begin. However, that will only be a distraction."

Gyes completed the plan with a tense smile:

"Actually, we'll keep our best warriors hidden in the village. When the enemies come, thinking we're vulnerable, we'll wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

There was a moment of silence as everyone processed the plan. It was risky, but it made sense.

Rygar narrowed his eyes.

"Zenn..."

Fendrel, the leader of the adventurer group where Zenn had infiltrated, nodded gravely.

"We know he's passing on information, so we'll use that to our advantage. He'll send false reports about our movements to lure the enemies into the trap."

It was an intelligent plan, but Rygar knew that its success depended on everyone's execution.

---

After the meeting, Rygar threw himself even deeper into his training. He began to learn the sword styles more seriously, thinking that relying only on his instincts could become even more dangerous. Dividing his time between the Sword God Style with Fendrel and the Northern God Style with Garu, he began to perceive the limits and advantages of each technique.

While training with Fendrel, Rygar noticed something intriguing: in moments of high tension or concentration, he would unconsciously activate his Battle Aura, as if it were a natural reflex.

However, trying to use it consciously was a completely different experience. The sensation was like trying to hold an uncontrollable flow of energy—something he couldn't direct or maintain for long. Even with all Fendrel's explanations and demonstrations, the process seemed almost like a puzzle. He didn't understand how his mentor could summon and control the aura with such precision, as if it were an extension of his own will. "I'm still far off," Rygar thought, clenching his fists, determined to overcome this challenge.

"What would be possible if I combined the speed of the Sword God with the unpredictability of the Northern God?"

The idea of creating his own style wasn't new, but now it seemed more tangible. He realized that magic was heavily constrained by stigmas, and sword styles might be the same. After all, he knew that in his previous world, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of different martial arts. He knew he would have to learn everything he could before embarking on this path.

---

Additionally, in his practice with magic, he experimented by combining earth and fire magic. The idea of creating lava had seemed absurd at first, but he managed some small successes.

"Magic is more flexible than we think. Maybe it's possible to completely rewrite what we know about it."

These experiments filled him with determination. He was starting to see his strength not just as a weapon, but as a tool for change.

With the young apprentices, Rygar became even firmer. He knew that to protect them, he had to instill discipline and responsibility in them.

He had called Erina, the archer from the group, to teach the basics of archery to the children who were interested. Considering the difficult times ahead, she was happy to help.

"No matter how talented you are, without discipline, talent is nothing." He would often repeat.

Kilian, who had already mastered silent magic, received special attention.

"This is just the beginning. Don't slack off in your sword training. Physical combat is just as, if not more important than magic. Losing control of magic can be more dangerous than failing to cast it."

Lisena, who was close to reaching this level, was showing signs of frustration.

"Don't compare yourself to others. Everyone has their own pace," Rygar advised, though he knew his words sounded empty to a child.

Taes, on the other hand, was the most challenging. Though he worked hard, he clearly struggled with the fundamentals.

"I can't do it!" he exclaimed during a training session.

Rygar approached him.

"Don't say that. I can see with my own eyes that your mana is getting more familiar with the process." At this point, he was almost sure that the younger the student, the easier it was to teach them magic.

In addition to the three, Linia and Pursena, his new students, began to approach more. Linia, though only three years old, exhibited a striking arrogance.

"I'm Linia Dedoldia, heir to the chief! I don't need lessons!"

Rygar laughed.

"Heir or not, everyone starts somewhere. And with that attitude, it looks like you didn't learn your lesson last time..." He said, as balls of mud began to form in his hands while he walked toward her.

"Aaaaahhhhh-"

Pursena, with her piece of meat always in hand, was quieter but watched everything with interest.

"I train after I eat," she stated before taking another bite.

The two were different challenges, but Rygar knew he needed to integrate them into the group. They would be important in the future, of that he was certain.

As the days passed, the tension in the village increased. The warriors were restless, and the news from the elves kept everyone on high alert. Rygar, for his part, did his best to prepare. Between training, magic experiments, and reflections on who he was, he knew the confrontation was approaching.

And when the time came, he would be ready.

Current Status:

Fire Magic: Advanced

Earth Magic: Advanced

Water Magic: Intermediate

Wind Magic: Intermediate

Healing Magic: Intermediate

Detoxification Magic: Beginner

Howling Magic: Minor Mastery

Merged Spells: Lava Ball, Mud Field (Mud Trap)

Northern God Style: Intermediate

Sword God Style: Intermediate

Combat with Natural Weapons (Claws, Instincts, etc.): Advanced

Intellectual Skills: Reading and Writing in Beast-God Language and Human Language

Mathematics (University Level)

Practical Skills: Excellent Hunter, Good Teacher, Horrible Cook