Complement, Compete, Clash

"Really?"

Ritzy's displeasure regarding Mognog's decision to stop him from learning Little Specter and breaking through to the Apprentice rank faded like snow in spring at Mognog's words. But he still feigned nonchalance.

"That's good, I guess."

Ritzy crossed his arms and looked at Mognog out of the corner of his half-closed eyes with expectation. He couldn't wait to begin getting fucking strong.

However…

"It's just that I need to work out a combination of this Little Specter Mana Method and a suitable method from the Mognog Empire."

"Seriously?"

"You were planning to go up against that necromancer god of yours, right? To find out the reason why your necromancy is different. I doubt you'll actually need to do that. But if that really happens, you'll need to be as strong as inhumanely possible, which means starting strong."

As he said, Mognog didn't think Ritzy would actually fight a god since gods tended to be untouchable existences, even for the strongest beings in the mortal world. He just said what he needed to say to convince Ritzy to let him tinker out a combination of their unexpectedly compatible methods.

In the depths of his mind, Mognog half realized that he did this almost mostly because he was curious about what Ritzy could achieve with a perfect combination of training methods. It would have been even better if Mognog was better at mana in general. But he had been the brute-force type when he was alive, and that stayed true in death, even if he had lost his body.

Fortunately, he didn't have to be a mage to work with mana training methods. He could do it on experience. He wasn't a great warrior of the Mognog Empire for nothing.

"Hmm."

Mognog hummed, deep in thought, as he began thinking about what Mognog method to combine with Little Specter.

"At least let me help, Moggy."

Mognog opened one of his eyes, which had been closed as he thought deeply. No, they hadn't. He didn't have eyes.

"How?"

"Bounce ideas and share thoughts, you know? Say what's on your mind."

"Alright. I am wondering what mana training method from the Mognog Empire to combine with Little Specter. I think most of my methods should be relatively compatible. But I, and I guess you do too, want the best possible combination."

"That's true. It would be a shame to lose out on something like that. What do you say we talk while we walk? Well, I'll walk, and you talk."

Ritzy realized they wouldn't finish anytime soon since Mognog hadn't even started combining mana methods. And who knows how long it would take to do that.

"Ah, that's probably true. Sorry, Kiddo. Looks like you will have to delay your breakthrough a little."

"No worries, Moggy. Your success will make up for it, right?"

"R-right."

Mognog couldn't help but feel pressured by Ritzy's words. So, after a short answer, he just watched as Ritzy stuffed the Deathbeds underground again before speaking once he had collected himself.

"The Little Specter Mana Method already has attributes that fit a necromancer, so I was thinking that we use a method with a neutral or complimentary attribute to supplement it. Little Specter is the base, and we add one of my methods on top of it. What do you think about that?"

Mognog wasn't sure what Ritzy was going to contribute with, considering he was a complete newbie in terms of mana. But Mognog had to agree that voicing his thoughts made them clearer, and it was easier to start coming to a decision.

"First of all, start with the differences in the methods and Little Specter's attributes. Catch me up to speed."

Ritzy's request for clarification solidified Mognog's guess that Ritzy wouldn't be able to contribute much. But he still obliged, even if only to clarify it for himself.

"Little Specter and I'm assuming most Killgara methods, focus on developing the practitioner's connection with mana and the size of their vessel. Practitioners of Killgara methods focus on increasing their understanding and capacity of mana, as well as their unique connection with mana."

Mognog could tell that Little Specter followed a predetermined schema in its method. The major difference from other methods was in the details and how it expected the practitioner to manipulate their mana.

"On the other hand, the Mognog Empire methods focus on quality. The vessel and specialty are of lesser importance since quality can mostly make up for lacking quantity. Of course, the best methods develop both quantity and quality, but they do so by focusing on quality if that makes sense?"

"Yeah, I think I get it."

"Good. A slightly far-fetched example would be that the Killgara methods are like building an armory while the Mognog Empire's methods are more like honing and reinforcing a single weapon to the point of being unbreakable."

"I see. Combined, the two methods create a method that will make an armory of indestructible weapons."

"Y-yeah."

Mognog was slightly surprised that Ritzy understood it at once.

"Exactly like that. Slightly different in practice, but that's the idea I had."

"In that case, I think a neutral Mognog method will lead to a more well-rounded and stable armory that has slightly less offensive power. Maybe. While a method with complimentary attributes will allow the base, Little Specter, to flourish and surpass its past potential at the risk of the different attributes not being perfect compliments and competing instead of cooperating. Maybe."

Mognog pondered on Ritzy's words for a while. They made sense. He couldn't be completely sure without actually trying it out, but they only had one test subject, which was Ritzy, so that was out of the question. They could only go on theory and guesswork.

Ritzy also sank into deep silence as he thought about what might happen if they combined different kinds of methods with Little Specter.

"What is Little Specter's attributes, by the way?"

Ritzy realized Mognog forgot to tell him that part.

"Right. Mainly death, which is understandable considering it's a method for necromancers. But as far as I can tell, and I don't even think it was intentional, there's a smidge of spectral light mixed in."

"Light?"

Ritzy hadn't expected Mognog to mention light. While necromancy and darkness weren't necessarily attributes bound together by the world the same way water and ice were, for example, there was a reason why the Dark One was called that. Darkness and death complemented extremely well.

"Yeah. I was a little surprised at first. But it's a specific sub-attribute of light that's closely connected to death. Think of as these eyes of mine."

Ritzy nodded in realization.

Many undead had glowing eyes or glowed themselves, such as ghosts or specters. When Ritzy thought back to it, the soul that had fled during his first series of summoning, the one that left behind Maya, had glowed slightly.

"I feel like it's going to be difficult to find a method that matches perfectly to those two attributes."

Mognog nodded. No, he didn't.

"Yeah. I could try and make a method, but I don't know what would match with death and light."

"Let's take it one at a time. What matches with death?"

"On the surface, anything that can kill. But almost everything can kill, and the true nature of the attribute is more important. Darkness is a given. Soul magic could work—No, never mind, it won't. That kind of magic handles the souls of the living, so it will end up clashing sooner or later."

"Poison?"

"Hmm. Probably too independent. It would end up competing or trying to take over. You want to be a pure necromancer, not a death-and-poison mage, right?"

"No. Only necromancy. What about something like rot or corrosion?"

Mognog thought for a couple of moments before shaking his head. No, he didn't.

"Rot might work, but I have a feeling it would counteract your magic and break down your summons. That's what rot does mostly, after all. It breaks down what is already dead and defenseless. Though, if we can find a way to protect your summons from their own attribute, it could work.

"Corrosion and erosion as a concept is too far removed from death to act as a proper compliment."

"I guess we're better off thinking about neutral methods then?"

Mognog didn't respond at once as he was busy thinking about other attributes.

"What if…?"

Mognog started saying something, and Ritzy waited for him to finish, but he never did.

"'What if' what?"

"Mmno, never mind. I wouldn't even know how to make a method for an attribute I'm not familiar with."

Mognog spoke as if thinking aloud, not just letting Ritzy share in his thoughts.

"Moggy, what are you talking about?"

Exasperated, Ritzy could only ask for clarification again. He could tell why Mognog was a warrior and not an intellectual.

"The yin attribute. It wasn't common back in the Mognog Empire, and I don't know how it works, but it's basically a combined attribute of cold and darkness somehow. I'm pretty sure it also has something to do with death. So, it might work. But I don't know how to incorporate it. Besides, the darkness might clash with the light from Little Specter."

"I see."

Ritzy didn't really see. He was just as lost as Mognog was. But his brain clicked with realization.

"That's it!"