Checking Spell

"It's a success! Yayyy!" Jessica's cheerful voice rang in Ranav's mind as he finished cleaning the last leaf of the small Azadira tree in front of him. The tree, barely reaching his waist in height, wasn't particularly special. Azadira trees grew abundantly across Dhela, known for their resilience and evergreen leaves that remained vibrant even in the harshest winters. Their medicinal properties made them a common remedy for skin ailments, but that wasn't why Ranav had chosen this tree for his practice.

During winter, most Azadira leaves developed blotches of ashen gray and sickly yellow due to infections. These damaged leaves withered and fell after the cold season, making way for new leaves to grow. It was this naturally occurring cycle of decay and renewal that made Azadira the perfect subject for Ranav's dark magic experiments.

Nearly a month had passed since Ranav's sixth birthday, and his dedication to mastering dark magic had grown exponentially. He practiced relentlessly, channeling his mana into various targets around his home. Tier-0 spells consumed minimal mana, with his powerful dantian and constantly replenished by Regenesis, he rarely experienced exhaustion. Whenever his body or mana reserves did run low, Regenesis acted as a cheat, restoring him almost instantly.

The only times Ranav wasn't practicing magic were when he was eating or sleeping. His progress had been steady, and after several successful attempts over the past few days, he felt ready to test his skills on the Azadira tree.

"I'm ready to learn advanced healing spells now," Ranav declared proudly. "We should visit Master for guidance."

Jessica's voice took on a teasing tone. "Slow down, champ. It's already afternoon. Look at the sun over your head! Besides, don't get too cocky. You took hours to cure this simple tree… a tree, let me remind you, that won't feel pain or complain if you make a mistake. What would happen if this was a human? A healer doesn't have the luxury of time during an emergency. Patients can't wait, and neither can their ailments. You need to be faster and more efficient."

Ranav grumbled, "Why are you such a buzzkill? Can't I enjoy a moment of happiness?"

"Sorry to dampen your mood," Jessica replied gently, "but a healer's job is serious. Don't be disheartened, though. I'll teach you a new technique that will improve your performance. Now, move on to the next plant."

Ranav obeyed, following Jessica's instructions.

"Pick a dark-spotted leaf," Jessica began. "Good. Now, perform Regenesis on this leaf, use it like you were performing on yourself. Send a tiny amount of mana to every corner of the leaf and observe it closely through your mana sense…. Do you have a clear picture of the leaf in your mind?"

Ranav nodded, focused on the task.

"Excellent. Now locate all the impurities in the leaf simultaneously. Send dark tendrils to target and destroy them at once."

Ranav followed her guidance and watched as the leaf's blotches faded away. His eyes widened with realization. "It's a checking spell modified from Regenesis. Jessica, you're a genius!"

Jessica's triumphant voice resounded in his mind. "Of course I am! I'm the best!"

Ranav rolled his eyes. "Alright, don't gloat too much. What other properties does this spell have?"

Jessica explained, "The checking spell we learned from books is limited in scope, but I noticed similarities between its process and Regenesis. Both involve sending the user's mana into a target and retrieving information through mana sense. Most mages overlook the role of mana sense in the process, but we've honed it to an art."

"With this modified spell, you can scan a patient's entire body in one go. No matter the cause of their suffering, you'll be able to locate the problem instantly. Once you identify the issue, healing becomes a matter of technique and time. However, remember to use only a small amount of mana during the scan… too much foreign mana can cause mana poisoning."

Ranav's expression turned thoughtful. "I should practice dark magic on living beings before applying it to humans. Starting tomorrow, let's explore the woods and find some wild animals to practice on."

Jessica agreed but warned, "Don't share this spell with anyone… not even your sisters… unless they become full-fledged healers. We've already shared Lifebreath with them, and that's enough for now."

Ranav nodded. "I agree. They're not ready for the burdens of these secrets. Camilla is mature and has endured hardships, but Vivita is too naïve to face the world's cruelty. The fewer burdens they carry, the better."

As the afternoon waned, Jessica urged Ranav to head home.

"Let's return. Your mom will worry if you're late again."

"Alright," Ranav said, "but I want to stop by the construction site on the way."

The construction of their new house had been progressing rapidly. Ganesh and his team had already laid the foundation and were working on the ground floor. The speed of their work impressed Ranav every time he visited.

Jessica remarked, "They've done a fantastic job. Within a few days, they've made more progress than I anticipated. We're fortunate to have found such a skilled team."

Ranav smiled. "All thanks to the old chief. Though I'm still disappointed with the building materials. Even with the finest quality available, this world's stagnation in scientific progress is glaring. It's a pity they abandoned science after discovering magic."

Jessica agreed but added, "Still, you have to admire Ganesh's ingenuity. Using an earth mage to prepare the soil foundation and expand the pond was a brilliant move. Compared to your memories of construction, the process here is much faster."

Ranav chuckled. "True. I was amazed by the line of carriages delivering all the materials in one go. It was quite the spectacle."

At the site, Ranav quietly observed the workers. The pond's stairs, made of concrete and stone, were exactly as he had envisioned. Satisfied with their progress, he headed home.

That evening, Ranav sat with his sisters in his room, teaching them the basics of magic and the awakening process again. Despite his thorough lessons during the winter, they occasionally forgot steps or concepts since they didn't have Jessica's guidance or access to his library. Ranav's patience never wavered as he reviewed the material with them.

"Next month, we'll go to the county for your awakening ceremony," he said. "This is a critical moment for both of you. Please memorize all the processes thoroughly. As it's your first element, there's no room for mistakes. This is a golden opportunity for our family to rise in social rank. Be prepared… mentally and physically."

After answering their questions and clearing up their doubts, Ranav decided to use Regenesis on them. Starting with Vivita, he scanned her body and found several traces of impurities, as well as scars and blemishes on her skin. He used healing spells where necessary, leaving her feeling rejuvenated.

"Lil' bro, I feel amazing! What did you do?" Vivita asked, her face glowing with excitement.

Ranav smiled. "I just healed a few injuries you've been ignoring."

"Thanks, bro!" she beamed.

He repeated the process for Camilla, who also felt the invigorating effects of his spell.

"If only I could master dark magic for human healing," Ranav thought wistfully. "I could heal them completely."