(Arc: Vainum) Magic

My missing arm would indubitably prove to be a hindrance when fighting in the future. It would be my Achilles' tendon. By good fortune, Ian Keller gave me the solution on a silver platter, energy solidification. After browsing through the contents of the book, the gist of it was that mages could generate solid objects constructed out of energy. Most of the time, the spell was used to create shields that would not last very long as a lot of energy was required to maintain them; therefore, energy solidification was classified at a mere D-rank.

That setback didn't apply to me, using my novel energy circulation system, I could maintain any object I wanted for any period of time. My intention was to create an arm using the spell and on top of that, I would solidify most of my skin and flesh to reduce the risk of injury.

Another thought that occupied my mind was that I had technically achieved the zenith stage of energy circulation, but why did I feel like there was something beyond that.

Was this the end of cultivation or merely the beginning?

Hours were spent reading the book in order to assimilate every minor detail. My mind toiled in overdrive to detect any flaws and to come up with the congruous improvements; my plan was progressing smoothly and the time to put my theory to the test was nearing.

A deep tranquillizing breath filled my lungs and I pictured the outline of an arm. The energy began to materialize and a pitch black limb took shape. The appendage was anything but human, claws and intricate scales were added; the latter was not helpful in any aspect...they just looked awesome.

This was not an ideal solution in the slightest; if I faced someone stronger than me, my energy would run out and I would lose the arm mid fight...it would spell my doom.

Fire blast was a relatively easy skill to learn due to my mastery of energy solidification. Mages could transform energy into five elements: fire, water, wind, earth and darkness. Most fighters preferentially chose only a couple of elements to use as mastering all of them was a hassle. Fire blast's effect was quite self explanatory, it simply dispatched a gush of flames.

The spell in itself was not fierce enough to merit being part of my arsenal; however once my brain digested the information found in the grimoire, I had a lightbulb moment. If the attack was not good enough to be used on its own, how about I combined it with my swordsmanship. Instead of having two separate fighting methods, my fighting style would be more coherent and harmonious. A satisfied look along with a wide grin popped up on my face.

With both hands gripping the hilt of the sword, I initially attempted to combine a run-of-the-mill slash with the spell. In a smooth, undisturbed downward motion, my blade cut through the air and according to my hypothesis, the flame should simultaneously shoot forward. Reality was often quite disappointing and full of surprises; instead of a blast, it exploded in my face. The force of the attack launched me backwards and I crashed against the white wall. Despite the strength of the spell, the room was seemingly unperturbed akin to an ant biting an elephant.

The first experiment was a complete failure; the only good it did was burning my hair to a crisp. As time raced by and the experiments piled up, the desired combination was in sight; I was almost there!

My eyes were shut and my mind was fully dialed in on the task at hand. My sword was by my side, with an arc-like motion, the blade leisurely rose up and with a rapid maneuver, came back down. The air whirled and swooshed and seemingly out of thin air, a fire blast was projected along the trajectory of the sword. The flames roared and appeared to be sentient as they forged ahead in a herculean way before crashing against the wall.

My arms were raised in triumph as I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. The last spell that I needed to master was energy barrier. The spell created a shield just like energy solidification, but achieved indistinguishable results while using significantly less energy and hence was the option fighters leaned towards.

Adding the spell to my repertoire just to act as a shield was not what I had envisioned, but I was certain that I would have a use for it later down the line. The book was, for whatever reason, far more in-depth than the others so it took me what seemed like centuries to learn the technique. The barriers that I was capable of generating varied in length, width and thickness leaving me with an amalgamation of applications. By fusing several barriers together, I could also fully enclose an object; a purpose that would unquestionably come in handy in the future.

The sudden memory of jack making fun of me emerged. He used to say that I would need a barrier to hunt rabbits as I was no match for them. A chuckle was uttered before I cleared my mind to train.

Groans reverberated throughout the room. At the center of the space, displaying an expressionless face, I relentlessly swung my weapon and fought against an invisible opponent. The continuity in my swordsmanship was a bit iffy in the past, but a couple of minor adjustments oiled the wheels. Despite effectuating my year-long plan in an awe-inspiring two months, the remaining time was not spent lazing around.

'Lower eighth stage swordsmanship and Lower third stage magic, not too shabby. The time has come for me to get rid of that annoying golem.'

Despite me not being in the tenth stage, the prowess that I could display was on par if not superior to that of the tenth level.

A pitch black portal opened in the corner of the room; consecutive sharp noises originating from inside could be discerned. An unanticipated roar echoed throughout the space. The being that stepped out was nothing short of fantastical. The monster was made entirely out of cream-colored stones; its face was unremarkable as it merely consisted of two black specks acting as eyes and a mouth.

'Looks like that stone bastard will be troublesome.'