Chapter 6: Magic and Surprises
(This was uploaded Sunday 2/April/2023 11:22 PM, time zone GMT+3)
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"..." small moment of silence
"Talking"
"He-" Someone was interrupted.
'Thinking or mental conversations'
[Chanting and spells' names]
{System}
Don't shy from commenting on a typo or suggesting a modification to certain things that didn't make sense to you.
I hope you enjoy reading this chapter.
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(Third person PoV)
"That nephew of mine. From whom did he learn such behavior?" Hephaestus sighed. She was ready for him to act his age, since he said he would. However, she was not ready to be rejected so strongly like this.
"I wonder who" Said Welf.
"I do not care anymore" A certain goddess's patience ran thin. "I will go listen in on them"
*Smack* *thud* And there goes Hephaestus, collapsing into dreamland for the foreseeable future.
Aiz, being half a wind spirit, heard the talk going inside, clearly at that. It was so clear to her, as if someone was talking right beside her. The winds carried it to her through whatever crack they could pass through.
"Do not interrupt them" She felt some sort of kinship with the little girl. The girl who just today found her own hero. Aiz, the responsible mom she is, took it upon herself to make her son a hero. At least, he will be a hero for his beloved, if no one else.
How Aiz reached such a conclusion, that her son is going to be the young girl's hero, it will remain a mystery to most in Gekai.
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(A few days later, early morning)
"Might I ask? What brings you here? You are claiming that it is an official business?" Hephaestus was surprised, to say the least.
Her nephew wanted to hide his presence previously. What made him come to her office looking like a dragon animal person so openly?
He walked in with a few characteristics of his dragon form showing, while keeping his human form as the base.
His skin was covered in patches of scales. His eyes are slit vertically like lizard monsters. His hands and feet have grown claws in place of the usual nails. His teeth became sharp fangs, most of them. He also grew a pair of wings and a long, thick tail. His scales had an unnoticeable golden sheen and his claws looked just like pure gold.
"I want to make another request. I've drawn a weapon I want to order. I'll pay for it once it's within my power. I expect the best work from you and uncle working together" He proceeded to hand her a design for the weapon in question. Although he knows nothing of how it was made in principle, he knows how it looked and how to draw it on paper.
'I just want to be sure, but you said that the equipment equipped from the inventory directly adjusts to my shape and size?' Nephelont asked the system before, but he still got skeptical about it.
{Yes, master. They will adjust}
"Those designs, they are going to be a pain to make" Hephaestus groaned into her hand, covering her mouth while in a "deep thinking" pose.
Bell was observing silently this entire time. He would only step in if his son needed protection. He will remain silent until they return home.
"Make it in a normal human size"
"Would they... really be okay then? They will become mere decorations for years to come" The goddess of the forge was genuinely perplexed. She was blinking in confusion. Why would he commission a very intricate weapon to be mere decor? "Is there any use for it like that?"
"The thing is, I just discovered a new thing about myself. Things that I recognize as equipment will adjust to my size, also to my shape in case of armor" He was very smug about what he thought was his discovery. What right does he have to be that smug?
"And what about the three swords you commissioned before this?" She was taking none of his nonsense. He either wants this commission or the one before it. He would not need all those weapons anyway, right?
"I still want them. You still didn't make them, no?"
"No, I... I still did not... make any of them" Her cheeks got a pink hue after she remembered a bitter fact. She totally forgot his commission for the far eastern swords. She forgot a customer's order completely. What a shame on her as the goddess of the forge, to forget an order directly made to her.
"Good" Nephelont was content with that. In fact, he was going to make a modification of the prior order.
'Good?! He believes that is good?!' She was baffled.
"I want you to make a slight alteration to that order. I want you to make all of the items I ordered till now into living equipment, like that black knife you made for my father. Although, my items should only work when it recognizes me, not anyone of a certain god's familia nor requiring Falna. Also, the new weapon should have a high starting bar. My father's knife started with a level 1 adventurer in mind. The weapon I just requested should start as high as possible. It's something I'll use in emergencies, after all"
Bell showed a contented face at his son's expectations of the dungeon. You never know when you will need a powerful weapon or armor. It is good to always carry them with you. It was made far easier for Nephelont because of his abilities.
"What kind of emergencies came to your mind when you first thought about it?" She needed to confirm something for her peace of mind.
"I thought that I may need them to protect Eucleia if an unexpected situation occurred" He said that with a gravitas not suited for his usual behavior. His manner of speaking turned serious and composed for a short moment saying that.
"... Bell? Is this the Nephelont I know?" She did not believe him speaking in a dignified manner.
Bell nodded for an answer. He promised to "not say" anything during this meeting. He did not promise to not gesture, however.
"What was so different that you got weirded out?!" The little boy raised his voice in indignation. He was not okay with her doubting his identity.
"You were not your undignified self for but a moment" Hephaestus deadpanned at him. He had it coming. He acted too dignified for himself.
"WHA' SO WRONG WITH ME ACTIN' WITH SOME DIGNITY?!" Nephelont felt incredulous. What is strange about taking the protection of another person seriously?
He was screaming with his hands balled up and raised high. His legs were flailing. His eyes were closed shut. His expression in disbelief. His voice was not harsh but loud and soft. He looked like a kicked kit, in spite of his draconic features. (Kit: a word for a rabbit's newborn)
'Precious' It was agreed among the families involved to share information about his cute moments. All will know of his adorable person in due time.
"Ahem, I made a promise to Hestia, that I will not make her a living weapon like the Hestia Knife ever again" She trapped herself.
"Dear nephew?! Why did your eyes gain a dangerous glint all of a sudden?!" Hephaestus got flustered. She was caught off guard when his eyes shined with determination. He got one of his ideas again. Hopefully, it is not in line with the mishap a few days ago. 'What disaster is he planning this time?!'
"You said it yourself. You won't make it ever again for "Hestia". I'm not Hestia" His smile widened. It was a peculiar one.
"Pwease? Pwetty pwease?" He gave his best impression of a sweet, sweet child. The wide, hopeful eyes. The expectant face. The incorrect way to pronounce words. It was all there. Hephaestus could not overcome that hurdle. She was weak to that kind of attack.
'What manner of adorable is this?!' She leaned back and shielded her eyes with her arms to protect against the rays of bright cuteness.
"I surrender! I surrender! I will make your order as you like it" The goddess did not face a stronger opponent in her eons of life.
After further discussion, the price was negotiated to its lowest possible limit, with Hephaestus still gaining a sizable profit. The father and son returned home afterwards. They have big plans today.
Hephaestus swore on her ichor to not make any living equipment for anyone after this, not just Hestia or her nephew.
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(Same day, noon)
"Soo, son?"
"Yes, father?"
"For the last time, are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I'll just make sure of a few things about my abilities first"
The father and son duo confirmed their mental preparations one last time before starting some experiment.
Nephelont has said that he will not train before a specific age. His plans were thwarted, however, when a silver haired creep spread the existence of his friend to the masses.
"What prevents her from airing my secrets too? Better make them known myself before it's too late" He reasoned with the others. He may not be as old as he wanted but if he needs to reveal his skill to people, might as well start training.
'System. Is my imagination enough for red lightning spells? Or must I have the know-how of a spell? Also, is there a need for a catalyst?' Nephelont was not sure. He wanted to start training in magic first. So, he wanted to know the necessities and requirements prior to that.
{Master only needs his imagination for spells that master saw before. Knowing the intricacies of a spell reduces its cost and is required for creating spells. If master wanted to make a new spell, a certain threshold of prior knowledge is required. The catalyst could be either a sacred seal or a roar}
'What about casting speed? In a fight, my enemies aren't gonna wait till I complete a cast, are they?' If someone let their enemy cast a spell unhindered, they are one of three. They are either curious and can defend themselves or evading the spell, or they are plain stupid. In the most likely case, they just could not hinder the spell casting.
{Practice is one of three ways. Master could cast a spell faster if master was familiar with a similar spell also. An example would be [Glintstone Pebble] and [Comet]. They are essentially the same spell with different forms. If master was already familiar with the first, the second could get a small boost in casting speed. Lastly, external tools. Talismans and enchanted items work}
'Do I have any other attributes?' If he had any more, he would try getting familiar with them.
{Current attributes:
- Fire
- Ancient Dragon Lightning
- Wind
- Unknown (Locked)}
'Wait a minute! Didn't I've these "Unknown" effects in my divinity skill?!' He finally remembered the things he should have. 'Why didn't you remind me of them? They're important'
{It is outside the scope of my functions to remind master of such things on my own}
'Fine. How do I remove their "Unknown" status then? And how do I remove the lock on them?'
{Master can unveil his attributes and the hidden effects of master's divinity by simply knowing them. Unlocking them, however, requires some conditions being met}
'The conditions?'
{The conditions for the lock on the unknown element will be revealed when you know what element it is}
'How vexing. That can wait for after my training, though' He decided to delay the matter for another time. He will most likely forget it like many other things.
'Say, if I imagined a cloud raining red lightning bolts at my target, what happens?'
{The bolts will ignore all but that target. They will disregard physics and hit the intended target if there was no obstacle blocking them}
'Good' He was satisfied with that.
By the time Nephelont was done talking with the system, Bell was done preparing.
"Let's start?" Nephelont asked his father.
"Let us start" Bell was ready for what is to come, or so he thought.
Nephelont took his dragon form. He then lifted his open maw to the skies above.
"KHAAAAAAAAAAA"
[Ancient Dragon Lightning Rain]
A mighty roar sounded in the adventuring city. As dark clouds gathered, some civilians fled in fear. They thought that a monster had escaped the dungeon. Others, who did not flee immediately, noticed the gathering clouds and the clapping of their astonishingly red lightning. They hid in their houses to seek both a hiding spot and a shelter from incoming rain.
It was the adventurers and the more reckless civilians that either stuck around or went to observe the source of the roar.
*CRACK*
A bolt of lightning hit the man in leather armor. The produced sound was loud enough to rip through the ears of those present.
*CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK**CRACK*
A series of red bolts soon followed. One keen-eyed adventurer counted 14 bolts in total.
They saw the man still standing in place, not attacking the monster. "YOU LOT, WE R GETTIN THIS MONSTER. THE REST GO CHECK THE MAN" A man that looked more experienced barked orders around. He was silently nominated as the temporary leader. The adventurers listened to him and split apart.
"We should surround this beast" Said another adventurer.
"YOU HEARD HIM?" The temporary leader gave them the orders. They encircled the monster.
"Is the bastard sleeping?! He dares?!" One adventurer got angry at the audacity of this filthy pest.
"Stop" As the angry man got closer, they heard a whisper-like, throaty voice coming from behind.
All eyes traced back to the charred man, a young man, on a closer look. His arm was stretched forward while he started getting closer. They were amazed at his determination to slay the prey before him all by himself. But things have limits, and this man will endanger people because he was abscessed with his game.
"Look here, man. You got your chance. Now, we take it from here. Otherwise, someone might get hurt by this monster" He has money in his eyes. This one acted polite but was actually greedy for money. Most of the others were like this. They pretended to help to get money out of it. They only wanted benefit for themselves above others, it seems.
"You are mistaken. This dragon is no beast or monster. This child is my son. This form is a result of his skill" He told them what he could.
"Judgin' by ur voice n build, u r a younglin'. As youn' a' 16. There ain't no way uv a chil' tha' ol'" An old man among the crowd said.
"Hadn't you had enough, sun? Hadn't you had enough of our battle?! And I have a headache now, too. What a headache to wake up to" A voice cut through their conversation.
"Huh?!" The man who got angry was surprised to hear a child's whispers. There was no child with them before, right? Then what issued these whispers?! He turned towards the sound and his blood ran cold.
"Hey man. What's gotten into you?" Said another. He looked the same direction as the petrified man. His face turned even paler. He was a ranged combatant and, unluckily, he was one of the nearest to the monster.
The rest got curious and turned towards the direction the two were looking in. Everyone felt dread. The monster that controlled such strong lightning was waking up.
The disorganized band of adventurers all gathered around the dragon, encircling it. The mages and the archers took a safe distance back to cast spells and fire arrows safely. The melee fighters took a step forward to slay the beast. They may have become more organized, but they were not ready for the shock that came next.
*Thud*
Winds picked up in the area as a woman all knew descended on the field. The sword princess arrived with Desperate in hand.
She began inspecting the surroundings. After she took a good look at her charred husband and encircled son, she took a stance with her sword poised to strike. She was going to murder some people today.
"Mommy, wait! I was the one who hit father with lightning. These people are innocent... to some degree" The draconic monster did, in fact, turn to a young child. The sword princess did not even deny the notion of being his mother or the young man's wife. She proceeded to take the child in her arms. The sheer shock left the adventurers standing in place with their mouths reaching to the ground.
Aiz went to stand before her husband. "A burnt bunny" Bell knew despair more than anyone. She then grabbed him by the collar and dragged him inside the Hearth Manor. "You will be white and fluffy once I am done with you" Aiz's eyes were burning with the flames of determination as she made her way inside.
The adventurers were still, as some would say, shell-shocked. Nobody has any chance anymore.
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(Nephelont's Autobiography, Year Two)
...
...
...
After a certain debacle, I witnessed mommy cleaning my temporarily paralyzed father in the hot springs.
While poor old father was being scrubbed clean, I contemplated on a very annoying detail.
The adventurers were shocked at me calling mommy and her not denying it. It seems that only Eucleia's existence was revealed. Oh, well. That makes it more in my favor if the creepy crawly didn't have her plans go right.
After father recovered from the paralysis, he said that [Ancient Dragon Lightning Rain] didn't damage him all that much. The only thing my spell managed to do was to paralyze him with all that electricity passing through him.
He emphasized that it is strong enough to at least paralyze, or kill, my opponent if they were around the endurance of a level two.
We also knew that I almost went to mind down from that one cast. A lot of lightning means a lot of energy, it seems.
My only means of increasing my mind capacity quickly is draconic magic stones. Only if I was the right age to be in the dungeon.
Although I decided to start training early, I wanted to enjoy my life. There's also the fact that I can rely on my parents to cover for me at my age. Training can come in as a form of play till I become nine. By then, I'll start training my body.
Oh, I almost forgot. One of my parents will always be in the vicinity when I'm outside, to provide protection if needed.
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(Nephelont's Autobiography, Year Three)
It was a boring year.
I was only allowed tender food or ones that melt in the mouth.
Mommy's reasoning was "You may choke on it".
I. CAN. EAT. NORMAL. FOOD.
I've teeth. I've a tongue. I've a throat that can swallow food normally.
Why was I not allowed to eat normal food?
Leaving my food crisis aside, Hestia made a very curious comment about my Arcanum. She couldn't feel it. No matter what she did, she couldn't feel it.
It seems that one of the effects of my divinity is to hide itself well.
My guesses were on point. One of the unknown effects revealed itself.
It was Effect #7. It reads: "Your divinity is of the ***** ***. It is going to hide perfectly in the presence of another higher being. You could hide your divine essence or reveal it by choice, whether a higher being is present or not". It seems I still need to know the third attribute on my own, as it is still hidden.
Onto my plans. Operation revenge is still in the "set up" phase. I took my game a step higher. I started sneaking into Lil'E's room and whispering a roar in her ear. To add to the effect, I also started poking all over her arms and head. That ought to give her some sort of readiness to be scared when I eventually exact my revenge. By the time I'm writing this, she started sweating and squirming in fear when I do that. The preparations are almost done.
Legally? It's questionable.
Morally? It's disgusting.
Personally? I'll keep doing it only till revenge day.
Uncle Welf stormed into the manor one day. He asked what I fed to his innocent daughter's mind. After calming him down and knowing the situation, a few things became clear.
Eucleia said that she dreamt of me as her prince charming in white armor.
EUCLEIA, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
At least, she made it look kinda natural, if only a bit. I blamed it on a possibly drunk Tsubaki, saying "Maybe it was a drunk Tsubaki?". I left it uncertain. It was not a lie. For some reason, uncle's face darkened, and he stormed to wherever Tsubaki was back then.
I'll keep offering things to your departed soul, Tsubaki. Your sacrifice won't go to waste.
I'll delay my magical training till I either increase my mind or figure out a spell that won't deplete my pool. It looks like my lightning spell was a bit too taxy on me, even after boosting my reserves. I may need to cast it a few more times to understand it better. That could also work if I didn't faint right after.
You remember the thing with Eucleia? Who am I kidding? It was only a few lines above. Of course, you remember it.
She came to sleep in my bed without telling anyone.
So, how did that happen? It's quite simple, actually. All she needed to do was to come with uncle Welf and sleep in one of the manor's bedrooms. She then silently sneaked into my bed and hugged me under the covers. It became a mess once aunty Hephaestus got involved.
The situation was resolved after her innocent daughter said that she wanted to stay with her Kounéli.
When did I become hers?!
Anyway, I had a talk with aunty and uncle about reading their daughter a bedtime story every day she stays with me.
What am I to them? A walking story book. I'm gonna do it though.
I judged the year from its beginning. That was a mistake. It was not as boring as I first thought.
...
I've nothing to say about a certain elven princess.
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(Flashback, third person's PoV)
The cast are finally visiting the Twilight Manor.
After arriving in, they were welcomed to Finn's office to discuss some things before Nephelont's debut to the rest of the familia.
"Welcome, my dear nephew" Finn tried to shake hands with Nephelont.
"I don't think so, old man" He had his tongue and vocal cords transformed all along. That is meant to ease their communication as his human form's words are not yet ready to hold a conversation with.
Finn had a disappointed face while the amazon lady had a tick mark.
"Tione, he may have his reasons" Finn tried to play the understanding party and calm the berserker down with a strained smile. He wanted to get on the good graces of this child. His thumb did throb when he laid his eyes on him.
"By the way, where's Loki? Is she still drinking booze at this time of day? On such important days, too?" Nephelont was fond of Loki's antics. She seemed cool to him, a cool perverted goddess. She did whatever she wanted without caring about others' opinions that much. She was a cool, perverted and very drunk goddess.
"Haaah. Even a child, one that has not met her yet, expects excessive drinking from Loki. Why am I not surprised?" Riveria was whispered while facepalming hard at his expectation of Loki. She did appreciate that he did not view Loki in a negative light, judging by his tone.
"Aye. Our carouser's four sheets to the winds" Gareth explained, if anyone could understand, that is.
"Thanks, old salt. We're gonna be the best of hearties, I tell ya'" Nephelont had a grin on his face.
Gareth Landrock smiled devilishly. He has finally met a hearty.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, NOT ANOTHER ONE OF YOOOOOOUUUUUUUU" Riveria's brain overloaded with despair, pulling her hair while crying in horror at what is to come.
"YO HO HO. We ran a rig on 'er. Eh, hearty? HAHAHAHA" They were going to have a lot of fun together.
"Aye. That we did, hearty" Nephelont continued to play that game with Gareth.
*sob**sniff* Riveria was crying in her quite corner. She was out of service for a few moments.
(End of flashback) (AN: Do you want this in an interlude? If you think that it is something you want, don't shy away from requesting it)
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Yup. I totally don't have anything to say about her. Surely, I didn't break her temporarily.
Oh, yesterday was a blissful day. This stupid me remembered that I needed as much mind as I used on [Ancient Dragon Lightning Rain] because of the properties of air.
You see, air needs to become plasma first. The electricity needs to be of high voltage to make the air go into that phase. Electrons can pass through it then, forming lightning and producing thunder.
(AN: Lightning is the one you see. Thunder is the one you hear)
I didn't account for that. I tried to use the same amount of energy to produce one singular bolt of lightning. The results were spectacular. I almost lost my ears to the sound while my eyes were as if a flash bang exploded in front of them.
Father said that this bolt dealt more damage than the fourteen from before combined. He wasn't sure on how better it was, however. I'll need to test it in a real fight later. It also paralyzed him for a longer period. It was a few minutes more, but any improvement makes the difference between life and death in the dungeon.
One more thing, before I forget it. Eucleia never grew up. Although, she may've been living my memory for 20+ years, she didn't go through most of what makes an adult. She may have seen it happen before her very eyes, yes, but that means nothing if she didn't experience the change herself.
You don't become a grown up if you watch a movie with a lot of them in.
Also, she was more like a specter. Since she had no physical body, she didn't interact with anyone. Since that also applies to physical body functions, Eucleia neither have been hit with hormones, which change how someone thinks when they change fast enough, nor did she experience what life is like in person. She did see what life was like for me. That doesn't make her know what it felt like.
Eucleia also didn't experience puberty, since that is the case, she's more like an over-knowledgeable child, rather than an actually grown-up lady. I can't lay a hand on her or even see her as a romantic target. That would be disgusting in all the wrong ways. Rather, I see her as a target of my protection, once, and if, I can do that.
Someone who read my autobiography or knew of our private life through other means may ask "What about her love towards you? Are you going to break her heart for your own convenience?!".
Gather your scattered mind, man. I'll wait for her to go through puberty before actually thinking about her love for me. That's what I want to believe in right now.
Hormones change how one thinks after they hit the person's body for the first time, that's why. She may find someone who she loves after puberty, and by then, if I accepted her current love for me, I would have been too attached to not try something. I confess, I may become an overly obsessive type if the wrong strings were pulled, namely, jealousy.
Anyway, the wait may be cut short if we got unlucky. I still remember the time I thought I was weird in my previous life. I got puberty as early as ten, while others got it many years later than I did. I searched the internet for "Why?". The answer was that, on average, boys could actually get puberty attacks as early as nine. For girls, it starts at the age of eight on average. That's... unsettling.
I pray that ours will be later than ten, preferably after twelve. That may be too early, too. I just hope that if we got into a relationship somehow, someday, it'll be her final decision on the matter.
So, where did I stop last time?
Right, it was something to do with Eucleia and my future relationship.
Anyway, I wondered why people didn't kick up a fuss over my monster-like appearance and abilities. They were just hiding in their houses. When those who saw us told them, the people thought that the adventurers were hallucinating after being hit by lightning.
"Who would believe that the infamous "Breaker of a thousand hearts" would have been married and had a child already? They must have been crazy even before the lightning hit them" Some people argued.
Wow. Just, wow.
I didn't know the residents of this city were this ignorant. They should be more cautious. What if an actual monster got up here? They'll let it run because they think it's a hallucination? Really. And hey, I'm mommy's son no matter how unbelievable the matter is to you lot.
It's not my fault if they thought that I may be a danger that was purposefully hidden. I'll keep on practicing openly. Adventurers are bound to encounter the transformed me in the dungeon someday. I'm doing this in hopes of avoiding an unnecessary fight that could spell someone's doom.
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(Nephelont's PoV, morning)
Today, I'll try my wind attribute. I don't know why I was so focused on the first attribute I used. I was forgetting the rest.
This time, we prepared training dummies. It is not okay to use my father as my target practice. He doesn't want to be scrubbed clean again. And especially since this time, I'll be using wind to make sharp blades. No matter how tough, humans are humans. Their bodies are soft by nature and would be sliced open, full of wounds and in pain after sharp objects pass by their skin.
Mommy was monitoring my practice this time. She may be able to instruct me, I hope so.
'System. Are the other elements the same as ADL? And, can you explain them to me?'
{No, master. Ancient Dragon Lightning is a special element. The ancient dragons to first exist had it by default. It is a part of their very existence, and its control methods are engraved in their instinct. That is why you could manipulate it at will.
The fire element came as a byproduct of their race's nature. All dragons are born with some kind of fire. This element needs much less mind to use and understanding it will not affect the cost in any meaningful way.
Wind came from your mother's bloodline and its connection to Aria, the great spirit of wind. It is special for another reason, however.
The last element is an unknown}
'Woah there. That's a big info dump. Isn't it? Anyway, I'll just casually swing my claws to produce an air blade. Would that be possible?'
{Yes}
"Alright, here we... GO" I said as I swung my claws horizontally. The dummies didn't get damaged, they only swayed a bit.
'Isn't that so mild?'
{You lack mind output} An instant reply.
'... That's... brutal'
I think a little... annnd... Yup, that might work.
I'll infuse the smallest possible spark of lightning to my spell and try again. If my theory is right, the imagination giving form to my lightning will also give that form to the wind accompanying it.
I'll need to find a way to infuse my elements with each other. How would I do that? I'll try imagining a lightning infused air blade.
I swung my claws. Nothing happened. I swung again. Nothing happened.
That's not the way then. I'll try to imagine the tingly feeling of electricity passing on to the blade as it's being generated.
I swung my claws. An electrified arc flew into a straw dummy beside the one I was aiming for. It cut a superficial gash into the straw dull. The lightning in it lit a tiny flame where it landed. it started eating the rest of the structure in the same manner as normal, non-magical fire. Was that actually non-magical fire?
I didn't think that the little spark I added would make such a big difference. And I need to aim better. I don't want to bisect someone.
'System. Why was it so different?'
{The lightning took shape and gave that same shape to the air blade carrying it}
'WAIT A F***ING MINUTE! Why did it not hit the intended target like you said?! The lightning was affecting it, so it should have'
{You aimed at the dummies' general direction. The blade went to hit a single one because it is only one small blade. In case of multiple targets, the spell will decide randomly on its own, or hit all of them if its size is appropriate}
'If there were enough projectiles for all targets?'
{At least one hit each. If the number of projectiles exceeds the number of targets, the extra hits will be divided equally}
'What about AOE spells?'
{Area of effect spells will, depending on their nature, hit all targets in their path, regardless of number}
(AN: Say, for example, a magic missile. That may explode on impact, but it will not hit everything in its path, only around the area it explodes in)
'Good to know. Thanks. Now that I know that, I will alter my attack. The remaining targets number in the twenty. I'll try to make a blade with each claw in my hand'
I swung my claws at the targets, five intact dummies. This time, however, I imagined the spell generating five electrified air blades total. As the lightning gave them shape like before, they all went flying at a slightly different angle, hitting all five targets. They gave the same results as before. The five targets started burning from the affected areas.
'Strength is lacking. The dummies swayed, but not enough. Sharpness is lacking. There're gashes in them, but those are shallower than expected. Speed may be okay. I can close distance with my opponent and unleash it pointblank. That'll nullify the speed problem'
"Strength is fine. Sharpness is also fine for now. You could do better if you really tried, son" Mommy, you don't need to try making me feel better. I know this spell is lacking. So, rubbing my head isn't gonna work for now.
But h...
"Your face. Your disappointment was apparent"
"But, like, how did you know what I didn't even think yet?"
"A mother's intuition" Mommy tilted her head while saying this. I did say that I'll take this as a natural rule of this world, I did do that. But how much can it be before being too much?
"There is no limit" Ok. There's no limit to that, I'll believe in that, too.
Mommy nodded after I thought that.
...
"Feel the winds and become one with them. That ought to help" Mommy suggested something.
"I'll try"
"Un"
I closed my eyes and started to feel the air currents around my body. There was only some breeze passing by the area I'm in. So, what I felt was particularly weak. I better focus.
--------------------------------------------------
(Third person PoV)
As Nephelont closed his eyes and felt the air around his scales, he started to focus on its movements. How it moved. Where to. How fast. He wanted to predict it even.
When currents became a little more visible to him, he nearly abandoned all thought. He needs a clear and calm mind to become attuned to the winds.
He started slow and with a weak bond. But as he continued, he felt more. After some time, after much trial and error, he reached the stage where he felt the winds around his scales, all at once.
Nephelont then became greedy for progress. He was not satisfied at all by such a small amount of attunement. He wanted more. He NEEDED more.
He started stretching his senses, both physical and magical, to the surroundings. Little by little, he started to feel the movements of the winds a mere few hairs away from the surface of his scales.
The boy sat there in silence and concentration, unaware of his surroundings.
--------------------------------------------------
(An unknown amount of time later)
Aiz was standing between him and the Hestia familia members, unsheathing Desperate and donning her armor. They wanted to interfere with her precious son's awakening to his own wind. She cannot let that slide, no matter how close they are.
If a fight was inevitable, she would be willing to repel them using any means.
"Aiz, this has taken long enough. You should wake him up from that meditation he is doing. His body needs immediate care" She took a quick glance at her son. He was giving it his all.
His health was not going to suffer any losses. His concentration should never be broken.
"I know. He can get his healthy body back. This opportunity is something he can never get back anytime soon, if ever" Aiz had a firm resolve. She will stand by him until he is done.
The group grew grim expressions at that. "He really should wake up from this" They thought.
But the boy did not know of the happenings around him. He was deep in his meditation.
After all the time that passed, he finally could feel the movement of the wind around him in a definitive sphere. He could feel and influence the winds around him within a few meders radius.
He opened his heterochromia eyes. His eyes were not focused on the world around him. They were viewing two things, and two things alone, the winds and their targets. Nothing else mattered.
The boy raised his claws and moved with the wind current that passed by. As his claws tore through the air, the six fingers on that arm, including the one he forgot, followed the winds then redirected them. His efforts paid him in full, as six blades of azure wind flew directly towards their targets.
When they reached them, the straw dummies did not stand a chance. They were not sturdy enough for this. The azure blades sliced them with an even and clean cut. The surface of the cuts became as smooth as they could get.
The Hestia familia saw what unfolded there. They were impressed by his performance.
*Thud**rumble*
That was until Nephelont collapsed in exhaustion. His body did not ingest any nutrients for a time and all energy that could be spared was spent by now. He did not get any shut eye either.
--------------------------------------------------
(Nephelont's PoV)
Is it morning already?
...
Ummm, where am I?! I feel a bed under me, but I was training with mommy before this.
Why did I forget what happened after closing my eyes?!
What happened with my training?!
Am I panicking?! Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out.
How much time has passed?
The door opened and aunty Haruhime entered the room. She looked in my direction fondly and gestured to keep silent. She then sneakily went out of the room almost giggling.
Hmm? Mommy was soundly sleeping beside me, hunched over the edge of my bed.
What's this warmth in my chest? Am I becoming even more attached to my mommy?
I guess I'll take that in stride.
"Good"
That brought me chills. Mommy was peeking from behind her arms. Her beautiful golden eyes were the only visible feature, the other ones being hidden by her arms.
"Thanks"
Oh, she can nigh read my mind and thoughts. Now that I think about it, is it because of our spiritual link? The link that I don't fe...
This feels... different. I can feel a connection to mommy. It feels like I may accurately guess her exact location even when my eyes are closed. When did that happen? I mean, I ain't complaining.
"It is. You made your connection to your own wind. If there is wind moving between us, we can know where the other is" Mommy was evidently happy, if her bright smile was anything to go by.
"I want a hug" I was enveloped in a gentle, warm hug.
--------------------------------------------------
(Same day, mid-morning)
We are eating breakfast now that all of us are awake.
"How long was I under the blankets?" I asked in the middle of the meal. I shoved the next spoon of the creamy, liquified salad that mommy prepared for me. It's yummy. That's why I'm not complaining about my food openly, because it actually tastes good. I'll dare say that it almost qualifies as gourmet food if not for it being nearly liquified.
"Omly fwom yeshtewday" A Hestia-looking squirrel answered. Its cheeks puffed with food.
"Lady Hestia, swallow your food first" Aunty Haruhime cleaned the mysterious creature's cheek, as some of the food got stuck on it.
*gulp* "Thanks, Haruhime" Hestia thanked her for cleaning her cheek. She then turned back to me. "Only from yesterday evening. Although, you were stuck in some weird meditation for two days and a half. In total, you were as good as unconscious for three days and nights. What did Aiz make you do?"
I must thank her later. She must have washed me before putting me in bed.
"Prrrrrr" I purred in bliss. Mommy scratched under my chin.
Oh, yeah. I didn't turn back to my human form yet as I fell unconscious in this form. I'll keep this form for now. I want to continue feeling the bliss of mommy scratching my chin.
"It is a practice that my beloved mother taught me long ago, when I was a child. It is our connection to her and proof of our heritage. It also allows us to feel the spiritual link between parent and child. Before performing this, my son could not feel the link" Mommy said, depressed with how grandmother Aria's situation turned to be.
"Now that I think about it, why am I too well for someone who didn't eat or drink in three days and nights?!"
"Dear mother created this method with mortal bodies accounted for. The person using this method of practice can forget about eating, drinking or even sleeping and they will be fine still"
"Oh oh. How were the results of my magic? Did I succeed in launching a spell? Was it better than before?" I'm curious. Did I improve?
"..." Silence and unhappy faces were what welcomed my expectations.
"Why did you suddenly... get all silent... and weary?!" Why?!
Their sighs were tired.
"The spell you launched consisted of six azure wind blades. It produced a clean cut that only a weapon should have. Your magic is too powerful for the amount of practice done. Even Lil' bro felt more natural than you did" Mean.
"HEY?!!!"
"Father, it seems that I took after you when it comes to my unnatural growth"
'System. Why is it that my magic is powerful?'
{It is simply your natural talent for magic. Although what was said about your control being terrible is true, it is also true that your talent is beyond some certain limits. Your vivid imagination is enough to empower your spells beyond the realm of what is believable}
'Can you describe the relation between imagination, control and and the cost of the spells?'
{Imagination sets the shape and how clear the image is reflects on its efficiency. Control has an inverse relationship to the amount of mind the spell will cost with the exact same imagination as without control.
In short, better imagination equals more efficiency over a set cost, while more control means less cost over a set imagination}
"The most annoying part is how almost no mind was used in that last spell. It is simply ridiculous in Lily's opinion" She huffed. I'll never regret doing what I'm doing.
"Huh?! No mind was spent?! Are you kidding me?!"
"No" She said that in a no nonsense manner.
{No, master. She is not. Abilities, including spells, will cost nary a shred of mind if they are purely wind elemental}
'Why?!'
{Master's spiritual nature worked in junction with an ability to reduce the cost as much as possible}
I opened my abilities panel only to be shocked at what I saw. It was not okay at all.
'Why didn't you tell me?'
{I am not obligated to tell master unless asked to. Master should pay more attention towards his own abilities}
- Ariel (variant)
- Dragon Hearted
- Cute Appearance
- Spell Archive:
Wind spells:
[Azure Claw Blades:
This is a spell that was created by a draconic half wind spirit, Nephelont after two and a half days of meditation and deep observation of the winds. It was his goal to harness the power passed down to him from his grandmother, great wind spirit, Aria.
For any number of claws, the winds will obey the caster to form sharp blades of azure winds of the same quantity.
Claws/Claw weapons are a requirement for this spell. The strength of the user's claw swing, the sharpness of the claws, their synergy with the movement of the winds around them and the amount of energy used determines the strength of this spell. This spell also requires the caster to have a positive connection or blood relation to a wind spirit.]
Ancient Dragon Lightning spells:
[Ancient Dragon Lightning Rain:
This spell was created after a young dragon foolishly poured everything he had to perform a spell above his level.
Both of this spell's form and power are not set in stone. The only constant is that the spell will only shoot lightning bolts from the sky upon the designated target/s.
So long as energy is supplied, lightning strikes continue to pour down.]
Spells of conjoined elements:
Wind & Ancient Dragon Lightning:
[Electrified Wind Blade:
This spell was created when Nephelont, a young ancient dragon and descendant of great wind spirit Aria, tried to combine two elements haphazardly.
The spell does not possess any apparent sharpness of its own and upon landing, the target will absorb the contained amount of lightning as heat energy and may be set ablaze in the area where the spell lands.
This spell can change its size and the amount of electricity carried within with added energy.]
- Shard of Broken Divinity (corrupt):
Divine Attributes: Void (primary), the free winds and the ***** ***.
Effect #1: Acquisition of Arcanum (minor, limited).
Effect #2: Suppress Light when an Arcanum coating is active, regardless of the user's will.
Effect #3: An enlargement of total mind reserves (x2).
Effect #4: Unknown.
Effect #5: Reduce the cost of wind attributed abilities to the absolute minimum. If it is a dual attributed one, the cost does not get reduced.
Effect #6: Unknown. (Locked)
Effect #7: Your divinity is of the ***** ***. It is going to perfectly hide itself in the presence of another higher being. You could hide your divine essence or reveal it by choice, whether a higher being is present or not.
Effect #8: Unknown.
- Wind Sphere:
This skill is always activated. It renders you capable of concurrently sensing the movements in the winds around you in a set radius. The radius of the sphere's influence can increase through certain means.
(AN: Think of sensing the winds as they move. If they don't move, he senses nothing)
- Nephelont's Influence:
You can completely disregard the desires of the winds inside the ability Duration: 3 minutes.
Times: Twice per week. (2/2)>
So, the spells are recorded in their own spell archive. Good. Now, I'll not forget the spells I learn.
Okay. Freaking out time.
WHAT ARE THOSE SPELLS?! WHY DO THEY DESCRIBE ME AS SOMEONE FOOLISH AND HAPHAZARDOUS?! WHY DOES THE DESCRIPTIONS SOUND POWERFUL?! WHY DOES THAT ONE SOUND SO UNNECESSARILY GRAND WHEN I SIMPLY SAT ON MY A$$ FOR TWO AND A HALF DAYS STRAIT?!
Breath in, breath out, breath in, breath out.
As it seems, my guess of the effect #5 was not as accurate. Despite that, it was at least enough to make the exact effect show itself. That's neat.
There is another thing. That last skill, it'll help me activate the [Azure Claw Blades] easier and with much more efficiency.
"What made you feel so many emotions all at once?" Uncle Welf sported a mildly curious face.
"I..." What is this feeling that made me shudder?!
I turned my head from left to right in search of that feeling. I was not ready for mommy to be the source.
"Can you tell me?" She went full force and kept on petting my head with an expectant expression on her face.
"Ugh. This... This I can't... resist" I buried my face in mommy's lap to hide my face. I really couldn't resist her attack. It was too powerful.
After taking mommy to a room where we're going to be alone, I told her about my new abilities. The others made it clear that they wanted to know too. Too bad for them, I played the good boy and said "I want it to be my and mommy's secret. Only the two of us".
We returned with me being carried in mommy's arms with my head buried in the crook of her neck. She was rubbing my head affectionately all the time after that. I know that I'm a grown up inside, but I can be pampered by my mommy, right? That's enough reason to keep living freely like this. Let embarrassment be damned. What is embarrassment even?
Mommy's caresses are more important than abandoning them because of some shame.
Mommy's treatment got an upgrade. She started scratching under my chin and occasionally caressing the back of my head, around the occipital bone.
--------------------------------------------------
(Third person PoV)
"Sun, why are you still insisting on blinding me? We shall fight once more" Nephelont's battle with the sun started by getting his eyes used to the sudden light. It also ended there, for he has no means of fighting his mortal enemy, yet.
"You always start your day fighting the sun. It is rather cute of you, Kounéli" Eucleia started giggling at his antics. It was almost ritualistic for him to announce his challenge to the sun every morning.
Nephelont forgot that a certain half goddess had crept into his room last night. He fulfilled his promise and read her a bedtime story. After which, she fell asleep while hugging him as her personal pillow. She slept with her head laying on his chest, thankfully. Otherwise, one of his arms would be too numb by the time they wake up. Ever since she slept in his bed for the first time, her sleep became much cozier. It only became cozy because she slept while hugging him.
Nephelont, hearing her voice coming from beside him, turned his head in her direction. 'My cute angel is here again. I'll protect her from any creep or simp, even at the risk of my life. Her smiles are worth it' He hugged her without prior notice.
He was wrapping his arms around her shoulders while smiling lethargically as he just woke up. It was one heartwarming scene those two had every other morning, if not daily. It was something some certain group of people will never know the taste of.
The door opened at an awkward moment. Welf and Hephaestus came in to see if their daughter was still sleeping with Nephelont or if she woke up and got out of bed. What they saw made Welf drag a gobsmacked Hephaestus out of the room.
A little more time and the children still hugging, Aiz comes out of nowhere and carried both of them, Nephelont still hugging Eucleia regardless, and took them to the dining room.
"Open your eyes" Aiz's gentle voice was the trigger for her son to release his friend from the tight embrace.
"Congratulations on your third birthday" Everyone from Hestia familia was present. Hephaestus and Tsubaki were also present. Loki, Tiona and Tione, Riveria, Lefiya, Bete, and, of course, Gareth the hearty were also present. Finn was not invited because Nephelont would just try to get him out of the room as soon as possible. He has his reasons. Reasons that the biggest "captain" simp, Tione, is okay with.
They did not invite any more people because they knew that Nephelont would not have been comfortable with it.
"Woah. It's finally my third birthday. WHERE'S THE CAKE?!" He got over excited for the cake. He had a heavy case of sweet tooth that carried over from his past life. Eucleia did not say it aloud, but her face said it all. She was awaiting the cake's reveal as well. Both were practically salivating.
"The cake is our present for you" The Hestia familia revealed the cake. It was a simple chocolate cake, just what he wanted. He is not the type to be picky about the decorations of his food. He rather his food does not have any unnatural decorations.
(AN: Think like an over-the-top artistic icing on his cake, where ~25%, or more, of the cakes mass is made of its inedible icing. He does not like that. He sees that as negatively excessive. I encountered some of those, and they disgusted me)
"What about the others?!" He was excited. In his previous life, his father did not hold a birthday celebration for him. He did hold it for his other children, but not Nephelont. This was the first birthday party he is having in both lives. It seems his excitement was like the plague. The others got up to show their gifts as well.
"For me, Welf and Tsubaki, we give you this weapon as our present. The swordspear you wanted to infuse with your scales became a reality. It is our present to you, free of charge" Considering its market price, it was certainly a hefty present.
It was a cross-spear of a very intricate design. Its color of choice was silver with a golden sheen, reminiscent of his scales.
The length of the spear's shaft is 1.524 meders (This time, it is exactly 60 inches) while the blade was about 0.762 meders (This is also an exact value, it is 30 inches) adding to a total of ~2.3 meders (90 inches).
The shaft was separated into four distinct parts. Two in the middle being the same length. The lowest being the smallest at third the size of the middle two. The fourth part, being two thirds of the middle two's length, was the one holding onto the sword-like spearhead.
The head consisted of what looked like a strait sword as the base. The base blade was covered in a thicker blade that was only an inch or two longer. A third of the way down the tip of the outer blade, it split from the core piece. It becomes two times as wide as it was at the crossguard's two ends. The grooves formed by the split were filled with a gravelstone alloy primarily made from Nephelont's scales.
The blade and the shaft were built with metal alloys that can support the shape without the scale alloy filling the grooves. The scales were meant to support the cross-spear, to withstand conducting Nephelont's lightning. The metal alloys themselves were sparkled with some of his scale powder in the process of making them, just in case. Two openings were left between the crossguard and the outer blade, on the two sides of the inner blade. They were left for certain stances with the weapon.
"What will be its name?" Every weapon was made with her heart put into them. They deserved a name each.
"The weapon it was made after remained nameless for an eternity. This one will follow in its footsteps. I'll call it "The Nameless Swordspear" " Hephaestus was not pleased.
"Have some more thought. A more appropriate name will come to your mind" She would pester him if she could.
"For me, I came for booOOF" Loki got elbows from both sides by an angry pair of twins. It was very deserved.
Aiz was poised to stab Loki's face with a fork as a defensive reaction. She sensed some typical Loki incoming. She could not let that Loki ruin her son's birthday party.
"This's a birthday party for the kid. This's exactly why we didn't bring any alcohol, lady Loki" Welf told her.
"I don't mind" Nephelont said.
"Thanks" Loki, not knowing what he still wanted to say, thanked him.
"Seeing Loki suffer without her alcohol is present enough from her"
"Mean" Complained Loki. She never learns, does she?
"We brought you a shirt and a pair of pants, sewn by us" The twins made them with a cream fabric for the shirt and an ivory one for the pants. They were considering that their culture does not suit everyone, so they made this outfit rather than one of theirs. Their traditional-for-amazons clothing would not have suited him either way.
"This was made using my valuable fur, treasure it" Bete tried to be more polite but failed miserably.
"Ohh? Bete? What do we have here? Are you trying to give him the gift you have been preparing for the last year?" Tiona started teasing Bete, poking her fingers at his sides. He said it like a total punk. Despite that, his gift was as heartfelt as the rest. It showed his effort, as he, like many others, learned new life skills to make the gifts they thought of personally. "You should have seen him. The sheer amount of effort he put into making this by himself staggered us, and he ended up being vain while giving it to you. Hahahahaha HAHAHAHAHAHA"
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY RIGHT TO SAY THAT TO HIM" A red faced, angry wolf started circling the hall, running after a hysterically laughing amazon.
The gift given by the wolf was a rabbit hoody, with its ears swept back. It was made with care using his silver fur.
Those paying attention noticed a developing strain in Nephelont's smile. He did not fancy being compared to a rabbit. Like father, like son. "Thanks, Bete" He still thanked him with a big smile. The implication of the gift might be more important than the gift itself sometimes.
"Ignoring the duo's antics, I brought you a bag of tea leaves that go well with many things" Riveria delivered the bag with utmost joy for the occasion. She was giving it to the child she came to see as her adopted grandson.
Lefiya was stuck in a constant glare at Bell. She has given up on Aiz, that is for sure. That does not mean she does not hold any other grudges against the resident rabbit.
"A fresh reinforced glass mug for you, lad. It'll prove useful. Just remember to replace the magic stone once it's emptied, eh?" Gareth gave his little friend a magically customized mug. A mug he wanted himself, only that he gave it to the little guy as a birthday present and will get a new one for himself later.
"I will speak in Finn's place" An open-eyed Loki, a sight that is rarely seen, said in a more formal, atypically serious tone. "Finn has prepared a collection of magic stones from floor 13 down to floor 24. He made sure to bring in some of each rare monster's stones. You could unlock the mystery development ability if you dabble in magic items before becoming level two" Loki was serious.
"Would you give him a chance?" She returned to her full glory, of which there was none. Her tone in that last part signified her personal request. It was not Finn's request for a chance, but Loki's request to give him one.
"If the tiny thing gave Tione a chance at least" Nephelont said it in a cheerful tone. He did not give her a chance to push this further. Loki got the message and let it be. "Still, tell him that I'm thankful for his gift" He was not going to be rude as to not thank a person for a gift meant in goodwill, neither did he think of taking it without thanking him at least, that is also not good behavior.
It would not do to disrespect a person just because of some personal differences. A reason like not giving another person a chance to be their lover, that is a matter of personal taste.
"My turn" Bell has prepared something. "You can have this" It was a stuffed toy. It was in the shape of a... red-eyed white bunny. Huh?!
"D-do not look at me... like this. I just wanted to give you something that you could remember me with. It was Aiz's idea to give this to you" Although Bell did not like being compared to a rabbit, he acknowledges that he, indeed, looks like one.
The stuffed bunny Bell gave to his son was more like an almerage. It was also postured to stand/sit on two legs.
"These are from me" Aiz finally decided to give him her presents, cutting in the middle of Bell's moment. The presents were both in separate bags. The first, the bigger between the two, contained a miracle of a scarf. It has a combination of salamander whole and undine cloth sewn together into it. Its colors were much more vibrant in comparison to the normally muted, bland red and blue colors.
The next bag was a food cart's bag, and knowing Aiz, his mommy, he knew very well what was inside. He took a bite of the treasure within to try the taste.
"Look at that blessed face. It ain't the face of someone who choked on mashed potatoes before" Welf could not hold back his laughter as he saw Nephelont almost choke again at the mention of how he died.
"You should not do that to him. Look at the poor child. He almost choked because of you" Hephaestus lectured him a little for it. She did not take it further since nothing happened.
"Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the jagamarukuns that mommy likes" He was aggressively hugged by a happy Aiz for the remainder of the celebration.
That was a day he may still remember to his last.
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Good day, everyone.
I don't know what came to me, but I just kept inflating this chapter as time went on. I couldn't stop adding to it. It may me a word soup now, but it is what it is. It is a chapter of over 10k words, if we exclude the note at the start and this one.
For the development of their relationship, Nephelont and Eucleia, I'm trying my best to try and make it innocent and pure, as much as I can. If it was not okay, comment on why. This is going to take a while before it turns to be like the more common type of love you see between adults. Maybe when they become 12-13 is an okayesh time for that to start happening?
It will take some time to establish some original characters, as well as to also give Nephelont a reason to do what I plan for him to do. So, I will have to stretch the danmachi portion a "little" more.
It is not clear when it will be, when he goes to the next world. I will take my time to prepare things and not keep everything a mystery. There will be some mystery.
I can tell you this, though. Some of the characters introduced here will accompany him in some, maybe most, worlds. Give your guesses later. Between the OCs, who will stay for good?
Moving on.
This My plan for Changing the, normally, not-in-a-strait-line wind current into strait lines to make the blades is not gentle and will reduce the efficiency.
That's it for the abilities.
And about the rabbit hoody thing. This is an AU. Even if it is not going to happen under any circumstances in the original work, this AU has differences. Giving accessories made out of their fur/hair can signify how close two animal people are.
They can also give such items to someone they care about, regardless of race and gender. That's why Bete gave Nephelont a hoody made of his fur, whatever he could sheer off himself during his transformation under a full moon. Hah, such is the way to be a great tsundere. Still, it is annoying to be compared to a rabbit in such a way.
If there was something missing in your opinion, like plot holes, just comment it. I will reply in one way or another. Either it is a thing I want hidden or something I left out purely because it happened during the time skips, or it is something I completely forgot about. You can also ask me to write an interlude detailing one or more of the things in the autobiography.
By the way, Nephelont is still writing his autobiography. It just will not appear in most future chapters.
Thanks for reading until here.
Best regards,
Draconic_Terror.