Creatine and mythril

(Lex POV)

'Seriously what is all this stuff? Clementines theory of mana rotation, the magus' method of mana incarnations, is this supposed to be the basic stuff?'

Things I'd never heard in my memories or in the time I've been studying were written in the "beginners" book for mages is this what Arlan does all the time? It's probably even more complicated probably...

Mana or rather magic as a whole operated on the classic circles of magic up till the momth but for the spells you have to illustrate certain runes through your mana nodes and blah blah way too much things to learn in two days. It's just like.me studying last minute for exams.

Aura as a concept is far simpler and I could probably achieve to a degree of excellence it. It simply requires time, a degree of talent in observation and patience, as well as discipline to work on it though apparently it becomes far more complicated upto become a state level knight.

Finally creatine a new source of energy that doesn't appear in fiction. However despite its vague descriptions seems to fit my skills to a near T. It resembles alchemy in some aspects where it morphs one material to another but with added enchants to it.

It's supposedly a very intuitive form of energy which is why I say it suits my skills set, because this whole protagonist system works on intuition and instinct. The descriptions are superbly vague almost as if it's a philosophy text book and not a book that describes the use of a mystical source of energy.

In a way creatine is the middle ground of mana an aura because it's able to store it and there's record of tools being made that are able to siphon it from anything it comes into contact to. The question is... how do I start. According to my memories and the text it says that people tend to find out when they either use it on accident or when they can't access the other two powers after a period of time.

'... let's just ask the system.'

"Hey system."

[[... hello host]]

"Say would you be so kind to-"

[[ No ]]

"Why not!?"

[[Host should figure it out himself, host should understand the role of the protagonist is a journey of discovery]]

"Come on~ have we not been companions for... umm... a little over a week now?"

[[System does not qualify as hosts companion]]

"Sure you do~ a companion provides support to their friends and stays with them in their journey don't you think it's accurate."

[[System applauds host for knowing what a companion is but unfortunately it is not possible]]

"Why is that?"

[[It is just the way it is]]

I paused and chose to think about it, while I watched Angeline chase a butterfly that can't see her, when she touched it for a moment it stop fluttering and almost fell towards the ground.

"... then what if I make you my companion like how I have the option like with Angeline?"

[[... it's a possibility]]

"Sweet! So how do I do that?"

[[Host has to figure it out on his own]]

"Tsk, fine then be stuck up."

I sighed that was pretty much what I expected but I wonder what kind of ability I'd get when I figured out that mystery. For now I just asked for the biographies and some historical texts to the librarian about famous creatine users which to my surprise... wasn't many.

In the Cheshire kingdom there were three well known creatine users and their biographies state the types of accidents that occurred when they found out about their abilities. They weren't anything special but one interesting text I found was of a talented dwarf from the Empire of Eden that was able to access it simply because they wished to transfigure a strong metal into a dagger.

This seemed the closest to what I need, so I guess I'll just follow their example. Time to visit a forge for some metal.

***

In this castle that might as well just be its own town there was indeed an area for a team of blacksmiths that made weapons for knights of nobility and royalty that lived here. It was a large warehouse of stone a few places that ventilated hot air from the inside. I couldn't even guess how hot it would be inside.

When I proved my identity to a guard outside and gave a decent reason to be here which was to simply observe. They were a bit reluctant but they were convinced enough when I paid them a few bucks to be on their good side in case I'd come here again.

When I pushed open the heavy door a blast of hot air blew in my face, but it wasn't that which caught me off guard. A heavy pressure weighed on my mind that felt like I dived a bit too deep underwater. The sounds of hammers clanking and burbling hot lava performed an orchestra in the room. Over 30 or so people stood hammering away non stop. Auras of different colours covered their tools of choice.

The refined feeling of years worth of practice, subdued any chance of looking down on this environment. Every slap on the metal created ripples of energy before the next one.

Shaking my head an wiping my forehead I looked at Angeline who was unperturbed and even looked excitedly at the work being done here.

I activated [Character observation] on each person, all of them were focused except for one. A skinny yet serious looking old man sat on the other end of the building. I walked with heavy steps and swayed side to side as if I was being pushed around by waves of an ocean. I walked as if I was going through a sand storm.

"Excuse me!"

I spoke at a high volume because of the sounds of work taking place in the background.

The old man looked at me with a raised an eyebrow he was hardly sweating while I was sweating buckets.

"What do you want young man?"

I rolled up my sleevr because of the heat and spoke,

"I'd like to purchase some refined metal, steel maybe?"

He looked at me like a weirdo, rightfully so too I mean who just comes out of nowhere to buy metal?

"What do you need it for?"

"That's private I hope you don't mind?"

I didn't want to bother coming up with an excuse, I was thinking of maybe trying out smithing because it turns out to be an OP skill in some novels. Besides wouldn't it be really cool to make a weapon for myself, but it'd be better to just transfigure it.

He looked a bit disgruntled but nodded,

"I can give you some but we don't have steel we produce weapons for nobility's knights boy, the bare minimum we have is mythril it'd cost ya pretty penny."

Mythril? Like the one that's usually super rare in fantasy? Isn't that supposed to be super rare???

"...Sure how much is it!?"

"Around 40 Yerin for the cube of mythril."

'...I don't know the market price I should have done some research but I don't want to delay. I should become more acquainted with the more expensive objects of this World'

"*Sigh* Ok luckily that's around how much I'm carrying."

"Oh you're pretty wealthy huh?"

'I did hit the jackpot that I did.'

I remained silent at his remark and so he shrugged and went to grab a piece.

When he came back and made the exchange with him, it had a dark green colour and was very dense this single piece by itself was at least 10kgs and was around the size of a Rubik's cube.

"Thanks mister Franklin."

I walked away as soon as it was done I didn't want to stay in that furnace for much longer. But shit I just realised I spoke his name even though he didn't tell me, I hope he doesn't care that much.

***

Back near the place that was more or less always empty and now my favourite place, I took the metal out from my inventory, and worked on it for an hour. It was the most boring experience ever, it's weird to try and do something that you pretty much have no ideas on. I even turned on [Tune out] that was now at level 6, it was much easier to use. It was more irritating than depressing to use now.

When I was just about to finish up, something exciting happened. I was imagining an image of large bracelet, something simple. I used the ideas mentioned in the book to change the excess metal into little marble shaped balls.

From the centre of the cube it swirled and twisted slowly drooping off like slime, my excitement was through the roof!

Slowly little ball shaped pieces fell onto the bench and the metal morphed into the bracelet shape I wanted. Soon I felt exhausted and limped back into the bench.

I was really sweating profusely today huh? I immediately placed all the marbles in my inventory.

[Creatine control lv. 6 has been earned!]

[[Congratulations host you figured it out in your own!]]

"...Thanks I guess."

But level 6 huh? That's the same level as [Tune out] already it seems I'm very talented in this aspect.

[Creatine control lv. 6]

You are able to handle the energy 'creatine' as you wish on any world. You can now transfigure the shapes of 'aura' conductive materials and seperate excess material as you wish. You can inscribe limited effects on materials not aura conductive. You may view the different inscriptions in the [Skills] tab. (Condition for level up: Increase speed of transformations) (Consequences: No consequences of skill earned through hosts own efforts.)

***

Awesome! I don't even need to learn the inscriptions or discover it myself that's amazingly convenient. (A/N your welcome)

[[Host should be warned constant use of creatine will effect personality of the host. Creatine users will be influenced by the will of creation.]]

Will of creation what's that, it kind of sounds cool. But there just had to be a consequence even though it's not mentioned in the skill.

"Thanks system."

[[It is the systems role to assist the host]]

"Thanks but then why didn't you just tell me this easy solution before?"

[[...]]

"Tch, this is becoming a bit annoying now."

It's not a big deal but the system is really inconsistent."

Nothing I can do about it though... let's visit the library I'm really tired. Amber should be there... as always.

"Hey Angeline! Let's go meet Amber!"

Angeline at some point started enjoying Amber's presence even though she couldn't talk to her and I couldn't tell her about Angeline. She had fun listening to the discussions we'd have while letting her imagination run wild.

***

"It seems we have guests today miss Esteria..."

I casually avoided two men who were absolutely fuming on their way out of the library. Amber was sitting there relaxed as she mostly was. Today she wore a familiar stylish blue dress as when we met on the first day.

'I thought noble ladies in stories never wore the same dress twice haha.'

"Oh, Lex don't mind them they were just two boys that worked up the courage to try and court me."

I chuckled, she told stories of this sort of thing frequently she's the second daughter of the count Esteria family and beauty's such as herself would get a lot of invitations to parties and asked to court often. It was funny to hear this as a real thing.

"You seemed to handle them well."

"I'm experienced."

"Hehe, yeah I can tell."

She looked up from the novel she was reading at that time,

"You look tired, something happen?"

"Haha, your as observant as always. You're right I just worked out a little during my break."

"I see how come?

"You know about me saving my father with Arlan?"

"Yes."

"I thought I should train a little because I want ed to be able to defend myself and my dad."

"Good decision, your like a protagonist that made up his mind on something, do you want to learn aura ?"

I smirked and showed her a book I picked up from level 2,

"Hmm? A book on using creatine?"

I nod and take a seat silently,

"...Wait you can use creatine?"

"That's right."

She looked at me a bit astonished I mean it is a very rare occurrence. After thinking a little she looked at me with pity.

"That means you can't use aura then."

I still need to work out if I want to present myself as a special case that can use both but I'll stick with only creatine for now.

"... it's okay I could make a protective artifact."

"Hmm that's true it'd be better since you don't have to stay near him either."

I nod,

"So when did you discover you could use this?"

"Oh... um actually I've been able to use it for around 2 years now."

"2 years? How did it happen? What can you do? Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Haha hold your horses miss I'll answer one at a time."

We became casual enough friends to talk like this now.

"Hold your horses? What does that mean?"

'Is that phrase not here... no I guess it isn't.'

"It means to reign in your emotions it's a little phrase used my commoners."

"I see, I'm surprised I haven't read any commoners stories that used it."

A little cold sweat dripped down my back she sure is observant. I ignored her statement and showed the mythril bracelet I made.

"I can do this on mythril and make inscriptions and effects in weaker materials like steel."

She accidentally let go of the page she was on in the novel and it flipped automatically,

"Dammit no..."

She whispered feeling irritated at her mistake until she found the right page.

"*Cough* you can transfigure mythril?! Even inscriptions!? Wow that's make you nearly at the state level, how come you don't show your ability"

Oops I made another mistakes.

'*sigh* being careful with my words is really difficult.'

After that quick thought I sighed out loud.