Chapter 3

With the direction given to me by the captain, I arrive in front of a massive inn and enter the building. This is the biggest and the best inn in Yashuna Village. I walk toward the receptionist and greet her.

"Hello there."

"Welcome to the Bamboo Forest Inn! How can we be a service?"

"I want to rent a room. How much for a night?"

"We only have two types of rooms left. We have the royal suite and the regular one."

"I will take the royal suite. How much for a night?"

"Three thousand Potch per night. You will get access to a private hot spring, three meals a day, and a free homemade wine."

I took the money from my pocket and gave it to her. She nods, takes a key from her drawer, and gives me the change.

"Here is the change and the key to your room. Your room is located on the third floor. Your room key is the same as your private hot spring. The number at the back is the number of your hot spring. Is there anything we can do for you? Something you want to buy, perhaps?"

"Not at the moment, no. That will be all."

I take the key and walk upstairs. I sit on the bed and take a deep breath when I arrive in my room. I tap into the land and feel the mana filling my body and soul. A few seconds later, I can feel my mana increase.

I get two Blue Mana, two White Mana, and one Green Mana from this land. It looks like the rumor that hot springs have healing powers is true. It is a combination of two blue mana and two white mana from all the hot springs in the village.

I relax for a few minutes before leaving my room. It is time for me to explore the village.

There is a rune shop in the city, and it has a rune I have not yet absorbed for mana. I'd like to know what kind of mana I will get from the Earth Rune. I walk to the shop in the western part of the village and see a tall building with a rune symbol on top of the building.

I step into the Rune Shop of Yashuna Village, a modest establishment with shelves lined with various Rune pieces and orbs. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman with warm eyes, greets me gently.

"Welcome, sir! What can I do for you?"

"Can I see your rune catalog?"

"Of course."

She gave me a list, and I read it. I hum a little because I find something that catches my attention.

"Lightning Rune for seven thousand Potch, huh? Also, how come this Fury Rune costs so much?"

"That is because it is a mutated rune, sir. It is a rare rune that all people can use. Even when you have a hard time controlling your mana, you can use the power of the Fury Rune."

"I see."

I think for a few seconds before saying.

"Can I pay you in gems? I don't have enough money in hand at the moment."

"Depends on the gem. What kind of gem do you want to sell?"

I use one white mana to brute force to create a diamond and one green mana to make it bigger. I take it out of my pocket a second later and put it on the table.

"Here. How much is it worth?"

He examines the gem, and I can see him cast a spell. After a few seconds, she nods her head and says.

"I am willing to exchange the gem for the Fury Rune."

"Perfect! It is a deal, then."

He takes the diamond and walks to the back room. A few seconds later, he returned with a box in his hand. He puts it on the table and opens it.

"Here you go, Fury Rune. Is there anything else?"

"I will take the lightning rune as well. Here is the money."

After he returns with another box, I leave the shop and absorb the two runes. The Fury Rune gives me two red mana and two black mana, while the lightning rune gives me one blue mana and two red mana.

I throw away the two boxes and walk toward the healing center. This is where the only mage in the village and someone who I can watch copy their spells to make it mine.

The healing center is a house with an open backyard. I watch from a distance as I watch her cast a spell. I watch as she uses her mana to guide the blue and white mana from the rune that is attached to her body.

The spell creates an effect that heals the injury of the person in front of her. After watching for a few seconds, my power already fills the blank and makes the spell into a whole new one. It is now called [Healing Water] and requires a whole blue mana to cast, but it will be an AOE healing spell that can heal a mid-level injury.

I blink for a second when I see her cast another spell, and this time, it is a spell that clears a debuff. My power adapts to the spell, and I create an entirely new spell. It is called [Cleansing Light], which requires one white mana to cast. It will clear any mid-level strength debuff. Sadly, a high-level debuff is a bit much.

I snap from my thoughts when the healer gestures to me to talk to her. I walk toward her, and she smiles at me.

"Hello, traveler. I am Healer Saria. Do you seek healing, or have you come for Rune treatment?"

"Ah, it is nothing like that. I came here to see what kind of spell you use. I am a mage, and this is the first time I see a Rune Spell being cast."

"Truly? What kind of spell do you use?"

"We use our own mana instead of the mana from the rune."

As a Planeswalker, there are two mana in my body. The first one is my mana, a colorless mana. The second one is colored mana.

"That is harder than using a rune, right? When you use a rune as your catalyst, you do not need to spend a lot of mana to create a new effect, after all."

"It does require a lot more mana to cast. That is why I wonder if I can watch you heal and learn how the mana flows to learn the spell. Not only that, I wonder if you are willing to ask me a few questions regarding the Flowing Rune."

"I don't mind if you're watching. As for your questions, ask away."

I nod and say.

"Thank you. I've heard Flowing Runes have strong healing properties. I'm curious—how do they compare to Water Runes?"

"A good question. Many people think Flowing Runes are just stronger Water Runes, but they are quite different. While Water Runes provide both offense and healing, Flowing Runes specializes in continuous restoration and purification."

She flashes her rune and continues.

"Flowing Runes don't just heal—they remove ailments, regenerate lost energy, and can even purify corrupted magic."

So they are more of a White Mana than Blue Mana, huh? That is interesting.

"Travelers rarely ask about Flowing Runes unless they are healers or scholars. Are you looking to be a healer?"

"Ah, I am more of a scholar than a healer. I want to learn all about magic and maybe learn a few spells along the way."

"More healers is good. Do you want to obtain one?"

"Healing magic is always useful, indeed. I'd be interested if you have any Flowing Runes for sale."

"You're fortunate. Flowing Runes are not as common as Water Runes, but I do have a few available."

She walks over to a wooden shelf and carefully retrieves a Flowing Rune Orb, placing it on a cloth-covered table. The orb shimmers with a soft blue-white light, exuding a calming presence.

"I have two in stock. A full Flowing Rune costs 22,000 Potch. I also have Flowing Rune Pieces—4,500 Potch per piece, and it takes five to form a complete Rune. I don't normally sell them to just anyone, but I can sense you have a respect for magic. If you truly wish to use it, I'm willing to part with one."

"22,000 Potch? The Fury Rune cost me a lot more."

"Of course. Fury Rune is a mutated rune that everyone can use, unlike Flowing Rune. Only someone with a good affinity to water like you can use them."

I give her the money, and she smiles.

"A wise purchase. Flowing Runes are rare outside of major cities, and their healing power is unmatched."

"Thank you. Ah, I have another request, if you don't mind."

"What is it?"

"Do you sell books on healing spells or any other magic?"

"I do have some medical tomes and beginner's guides on healing magic. However, most spellbooks are kept in larger libraries or private collections."

She walks over to a wooden cabinet and unlocks it, retrieving two books bound in blue leather with silver runes etched onto the covers.

"If you're serious about studying magic, these could be helpful. I can sell you either—or both. The first book is 5,000 Potch, and the second one is 7,500 Potch."

The first book is called Principle of Restoration, and the second one is called Mysteries of Elemental Runes.

"I will take both."