Vijay Festival

Regard told Asher to stop by the day after tomorrow before letting him go. He used that he had to prepare a surprise for Asher. Asher lamented losing his halberd but had other things to handle, so he did not lament long. He headed back to the shop.

Asher spent the afternoon looking through different grimoires on enchanting. The book was instrumental in understanding how magic functions. According to what Asher understood, if sorcery was a picture, then incantation was a description, and a magic circle was a program.

Every magic circle had rings detailing each step's function from formation to cast. For example, the ice spear spell had 'create ice,' 'reshape and form,' 'sharpen,' 'aim,' and 'launch.' Thus the circle had five rings that detailed how the spell functioned.

It was like a computer program. A larger magic circle with multiple elements would have rings overlapping and running parallel to each other before combining. Asher grabbed a water element grimoire and looked through it for a water arrow spell he could use for his bow.

Asher, unfortunately, did not have any luck. However, he found a water bow spell with two separate circles that worked together. After translating and deciphering, he discovered that one created the bow and the other was the arrow.

"The function seems to be 'create water,' 'reshape and form,' 'Shapen,' 'condense,' 'aim.' This spell does not have a launch ring. So that means it needs the bow to function right." Asher practiced copying the circle until he could do it with minimum difficulty.

"The first step is to draw the mana circuits, then apply the magic circle. For a channeling item, the start of the mana circuits needs to be on the handle." Asher summoned his bow and stylus and painstakingly drew the circuits on the handle.

His vision spell made it easy to see what he was doing. It was as if he was drawing a picture of the bow. He had to push a little mana through the stylus, and the circuits would form where he would draw.

He drew the circle on the arrow rest, and the circle looked perfect. The entire process was long and complex, but now it was finished.

[Congratulation! 'Water arrow' has been added to the longbow.]

[The weapon, longbow, has been updated to 'Aqua bow']

[Scan updated]

Name: Aqua Bow

Type: Weapon (longbow)

Grade: C+

Element: Water

[A bow that a user can accurately shoot at 100 yards. It has been enchanted to use water arrows in place of regular arrows.]

Requirement:10 STR

Status: piercing damage

Skill: Water Arrow

Creates an arrow of water

Cost: 10 MP

Asher was practically jumping for joy. He successfully managed to create a magic item. Sure, it was not impressive compared to some of the other items that Cynthia made, but all the same, it was something he made.

Asher went up to the roof and launched several arrows into the air, which did not seem any different than if he used regular arrows. He was aiming for a wooden pole on the next roof, which he missed several times and hit a few times.

The arrows that would hit would impede themselves into the pole. Then the shape would break down after a few seconds, and the water would fall onto the ground. "This is perfect. The bow is not much better than a regular bow, but now I won't have to worry about running out of arrows."

Asher spent the rest of the day in meditation. Asher was hesitant to try this again. The last time the creature attacked him, he was unsure how or even what it was, but after some deliberation, he decided to do it anyway.

Thankfully, there was nothing in the starless ocean. The light and star shifted under him, and the endless black expanse above him and the floating light moved in and out of view. The feeling of meditating again gave him some peace.

Hours had passed when Asher opened his eyes. His body felt refreshed, and his mind felt clear. He was relieved to see the notification.

[Medatation complete]

[Medatation results]

[+50 illusion essence]

[+40 Taming essence]

[+37 Enchantment essence]

[+34 Enhancement Essence]

[+30 Spaical essence]

[+25 Alchemic essence]

[Due to your skill 'Cultivation,' your mana pool has been increasing by +100]

It has been a while since he heard this notification. His cultivation skill still felt like he was cheating. It was unfair to others working so hard to increase their mana pool, but he could nap, and his mana pool would increase by 20%.

He also gained more essence, which had not happened since he maxed out. "Guess that means I must collect even more for him to advance to the intermediate level."

After checking in with Henry to ensure he was not needed at the manor, Asher decided to rest in the shop again. He passed out on the cot, and the following day, he went to the adventuring guild. He still had six days till his meeting, and Cynthia would return in three.

He completed his core formation but still needed to brew a potion and learn an incantation. Asher was met with the alarming unfamiliar sight of the bodybuild grandma. "Oh, hello, sweetie. Looking for a job."

'Guess the fact seeing her does not affect me means that this is my life now,' Asher thought. "Yeah." Asher noticed several men who looked like they were installing something. "What is going on there?"

"Talon and I have been begging the guild master to get us a magi-screen. They are installing it now." Helen explained.

"Magi-screen?"

"It is a new magic item that was released just last year. It can show displays from all over the world like you there." 'So, a TV,' Asher thought. "Tomorrow, we will watch the final of the Vijay Festival."

The Vijay Festival was a massive celebration that included all the major countries in the world. The first demon king nearly destroyed the world a long time ago. The demon disaster was so bad that the major nations put aside their differences and united to defy him. They formed the Grand Sorcery Commission.

Afterward, the Grand Sorcery Commission remained a worldwide organization like the UN in his old life. They put together the Vijay Festival every five years to encourage more development and commutation between nations ever since the defeat of the first demon king.

The main event is a tournament between champions. It was the chance for a nation to get bragging rights and the comparator to be declared the strongest in the world.

"The finals are tomorrow, and I can watch it here?"

"Yep." Helen smiled like she was proud of herself for making it possible. Asher must ensure he returns tomorrow to see top-notch mages at their best.

Asher looks over the guild missions. He finally finds one that is located in the western mountains. It was hunting a monster called a 'drilled-horned boar.' Asher decided to take the mission, and he could thoroughly test the effectiveness of his Aqua bow.

Asher reached out to take the flyer, but a hand snatched the mission flyer. The hand, unfortunately, belongs to William.

He looked down his nose at Asher. "Ah, you unfortunate peasant. You should not take missions you cannot handle. If you were me, you could efficiently finish this quest in no time, but alas, you are you. Return to your rock and hide while a real adventure handles this. Such a shame you didn't take my invitation to be useful to someone of importance rather than be an irrelevant peasant."

Asher watched as he walked away, laughing at him. 'How come you make me want to turn the Geneva Conventions into a to-do list every time you open your mouth?' Asher ground his teeth. Asher looked over the flyers and found another copy of the mission, and he took it and added it to his license before leaving.