NGJ Chapter 58: Spell x Synthesis

I was dropped back into the forests behind the Mansion. And right now I felt weird. And I discovered why.

...The last few times I had gone into dungeons I had come out of it half dead with my Cursed Energy reserves depleted 10 times over. So getting out of an instant dungeon while still having the ability to walk felt weird.

Chuckling to myself I shook the weirdness off. What a life I live to think that not being grievously injured feels weird. Anyway.

Looking at the sky I noted how much time I had left. I had a decent amount of time before the others finished their training and I was going to make use of it.

I am planning to surprise them after their training not because they managed to pick one generous sorcerer but because I want to get closer to them. And by that closer to their rewards.

But I had time so I returned to my room before making another Chameleon Curtain to hide my presence and brought out the spell Book. A large red and gold book with a hexagon in the middle with 3 golden lines intersecting in the middle of red and blue.

Opening the book I felt weird magic from it before my system prompted me.

[Synthesize {Magic Book} with your {Spells} section?]

Hmm, does that mean if I synthesize with this book it will change the spell system I use? That does sound better than what I am currently using. Because every spell I get is a separate skill, I have to train it until becomes actually usable.

It does become cumbersome at times. Besides, if I know something about systems its that if it gives you the prompt to synthesize things you accept.

...Wait my system has a synthesis option?

[Synthesizing...]

It felt like quite weird. Like my insides were getting rearranged but painlessly. The individual pathways that my spells had got all fused together into a more cohesive internal system. 

I still felt that I could call upon any spell I wanted at any time but not it felt more organized and balanced. Plus the cost of nearly all spells was reduced slightly thanks to them being all parts of their own schools of magic.

[ SPELL BOOK ]

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---{ Basic Necromancy Lv.68/100 }---

[ Basic - Bloody Carthus ]

Allows you to exchange your HP to CE at a 3 to 1 ratio.

[ Basic - Death Bolt ]

Release a bolt of necrotic energy that directly harms the enemy's life. 

[ Basic - Life Drain ]

Through contact, you can drain a target's health and add it to your own at a rate of 50HP per second.

[Basic - Ghost Flame ]

Create a small floating ghost flame that gives off light.

[Basic - Bone Spear ]

Conjure and launch a spear of bone at your enemies. 

[Basic - Detect Life]

Detect all life around you within 500 meters.

[Basic - Speak with the Dead]

You grant the semblance of life and intelligence to a corpse of your choice within range, allowing it to answer the questions you pose. The corpse must still have a mouth and can't be undead. The spell fails if the corpse was the target of this spell within the last 10 days.

[Basic - Soul Trap]

Capture the soul of a living creature and bind it within a specially crafted container, preserving their soul for later use

[Basic - Corpse Sight]

You can tap into the vision of an undead under your control.

____________________________________________

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---{ Basic Fire Magic Lv.84/100 }---

[ Basic - Burning Sea ]

Creates a Ball of Brimstone flames that are empowered by water by up to 300%.

[Basic - Demon Scythe ]

Creates a spinning blade of dark flames that slowly speeds up.

_____________________________

_____________________________

---{Basic Water Magic Lv.32/100}---

[Basic - Icicle Lance]

Create up to 5 icicle lances and launch them at your target. 

_____________________________

_____________________________

---{Basic Air Magic Lv.12/100}---

[Basic - Wind Slash ]

Create a sharp slash of wind and launch it toward the target. 

_____________________________

I nodded in satisfaction after seeing all of my spells before I found a sour taste in my mouth.

Right now, I was a necromancer whose Fire Magic was stronger than his Necromancy. That needed to change. Of course, this spell book comes first.

Opening the spell tome I found yet another prompt.

[Learn the spells: Magic Arrow, Haste, Stone Skin, Shield and Protection from Fire?](I literally created a map with Straker as my primary hero and built a magic guild for these spells)

Ohhhh~ yessssss~

The pleasure I felt from seeing those skills was comparable to sexual gratification.

Especially the  "fuck you, Riser."  spell in the shape of Protection from Fire. Even if it  is  quite expensive to cast and maintain.

[Basic - Protection from Fire] Fire

Reduces the effects of Fire Spells on target by 30%

[Basic - Stone Skin] Earth

Hardens the skin of the target to increase their defensive abilities.

[Basic - Shield] Earth

Creates a defensive shield on the target.

[Basic - Haste] Air

Hastens the speed of the speed of the target.

[Basic - Magic Arrow] Neutral

Creates an arrow of pure magic that holds no properties.

With that, I finally got the Earth Magic skill. Honestly, I wanted something more like slow but I can't complain at all. I got a whole package out of that. Stone skin which covers my natural lack of defence, Shield which is my first barrier spell, Haste which increases speed and speed is always key. Protection from Fire which is massive, and lastly Magic Arrow which exists.

Not to mention all of this can be applied to my army too. 

Also, my grimoire had collected a good chunk of souls too as I had it out the whole time at Necropolis. While undead gave worse quality souls other than Straker the quantity was worth it.

So I chose a few spells for me.

[Basic - Burden Shift]

Cooldown: 10 Minutes

Shift a portion of the damage you received to an undead under your command within 10 meters.

This spell although has a long cooldown could not be underestimated, I can turn a killing blow to a normal one just by shifting it to one of my undead. A worthy investment.

[Basic - Despair Aura]

Creates an aura emanating from you that weakens living creatures in range while making undead stronger.

A no-brainer, a spell that makes both my enemies weaker while making my allies stronger? Who wouldn't take it? That's probably why it's so expensive. I only have enough souls for one more spell.

[Basic - Curse of Weakens]

Cooldown: 1 Hour

Places a curse of weakness on selected target in range, lowering their strength for 6 hours maximum.

No, I did not get this spell because I am a curse user without any curses. And even if I did you would have no way to prove it. But anyways, I think I don't need to explain why making an enemy weaker is a good thing right?

Plus, if I can find a way to work out how to use reversal on spells I can cast it on myself to increase my strength. But now that I was done expanding my spell repertoire. I spent some time exploring the capabilities of my new spells before I noticed it was time to get to my work.

Moving to the large kitchen of the Mansion I took all of the ingredients out of my inventory. I was quite the hoarder you see, so I keep a fuckton of ingredients in my inventory so they can never spoil and I can reach them anytime. Also, it would be quite bad to starve in a dungeon if that scenario comes to be.

...Knowing my luck that may as well be a certainty.

As I was cooking I heard the Rias peerage invade my kitchen as they heard me cooking up a storm as I was boosted by Haste that I was practicing.

Turning around I faced them while leaning back on the counter. Koneko looked dazed as she sniffed the air, Kiba looked not very tired but a bit sweaty. Rias looked like she was completely fine. And Akeno-

She looked kinda bad. 

Her eyes were nearly bloodshot as she stared at me, but she still held a victorious smug smirk. I see my thieves did not make her job easy, did they? Still, I am impressed, she actually managed to kill them all. Looks like she was getting that reward after all.

"Ah you are all here, good, you guys can go ahead and take a bath, I will prepare the food in the meantime." 

"A-Akira you really did not need to-" I cut Rias off.

"Yes, but I wanted to. I am responsible for your training this week. This includes meals. Consider yourself privileged. Now take your bath or no food." She was about to say something but the threat of not getting to eat this delicious meal I was cooking right now along with her hunger shut them up.

Watching them go to the bathhouses I finished up my meal in the meantime.

I had created a great feast. Steaks, Beef, salads, crepes, pancakes the whole shebang. It wasn't like this place lacked ingredients. After I set everything up the Gremory Peerage arrived at the dining hall at the perfect moment.

As their eyes were laid upon the glorious feast I had so graciously set up for them I could see some of their mouths leaking drool from how hungry they were, especially Koneko, I could see that the only thing holding her back at this moment was common decency.

"Well, what do you think?" I said holding my arms out as I basically preened under their amazement. 

"Wow, Akira-kun this is certainly a feast." Kiba said with a friendly smile, Honestly I do not actually mind the guy a lot. He is pretty friendly, but not completely bland like a slice of 1 dollar bread.

"...Food...!" Very wacky and amazing dialogue brought to yours truly by Koneko herself. At least I can hear the emotion in her voice this time.

"You really outdid yourself Akira, I am impressed. Thank you for the food." Rias said after recovering from the shock. Rose dusted her cheeks as she enjoyed the feeling of getting to eat food made by Akira like a girl with a crush.

"Ara~ ara~ I look forward to eating you Akira-kun." Akeno said while licking her lips. And I had to do a double take.

"You forgot to say your food." I had to point out but Akeno ignored my generous correction.

"Well anyway. Let's eat." Hearing my words everyone finally settled at the dinner table. Saying Itadakimasu before started to gorge down except me. I am not a weeb.

Even Rias and Akeno who are usually elegant were eating with fervor. And then there was Koneko who was eating at speeds that should be illegal without making a mess somehow. How Kiba ate did not matter.

Although I must say. For some reason, I actually quite enjoyed eating together. Though I cannot really point out why.

Anyway, after finishing my meal faster than the others I headed to my room but not before stopping by Akeno and whispering.

"Come to my room at night for your reward~" I quite enjoyed the bright red ears she had. Girls like her usually have high attack but low defence, and I love flustering people.

A/N From the future: Yes, I know I messed up Akira's necromancy skill in this chapter it gets fixed later.

A/N: What did you think about this chapter? I love reading your comments even if I do not respond sometimes. If you have any suggestions for me I am open to any and all suggestions.

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