Commission

I woke up to sunlight over a white bed, in a room about the same size as the one I stayed in with the nurse. Just a day had passed since I finished shopping.

There was a small, rectangular-shaped window, which I'll open as soon as I get up.

Next to the window, there was a wooden table, and a wooden chair. On the other side of the room, there's a closet to put your belongings in. 

That is the room I am planning on staying in for a while. While not very luxurious, it will do the job. A big downgrade from my room in my last world, but I have no complaints. 

The other day I was just finished with doing my tasks, buying important stuff for me to be stronger. 

I got up from my bed to get ready, and get my new blade. Today, I will take my first commission. 

I don't want to be quick with my actions as it hasn't even been one month since my arrival here, but I can't waste a single second. 

I wore my clothes, and the cape the nurse had given me before I left. Now that I think about it, this cape's probably helped me blend in a bit more, and made me look less like someone from another world and more like an Aelorian. 

Maybe capes are pretty common to wear here, then.

Anna warned me about commissions, yet I can't help but feel excited. I finally get the chance to get stronger, and not only that but try and harness the mana in this world. I can still feel the mana lingering amidst the air. I really do hope I own a core.

After I finished getting ready, and gathering my thoughts, I moved towards the door and left my small room. I waved to the innkeeper before leaving the building and started heading to the Guild.

****

Finally arriving at the Guild, I entered to see the usual crowded place, with many different people. Some I'd seen before when I came to get my license, and some which faces I don't recognize. 

There were many tables around me, and it always had at least more than two people, which looked like they were in the form of groups, or parties. 

After a meaningful look around the place, I reached up to the receptionist to ask about a commission. 

"Good morning." I greeted the receptionist who gave me my license. 

"I'd like to take on a commission, fit for my level, of course." I requested. 

The receptionist nodded and gave me a piece of wood. On the piece of wood there was a mark engraved in the center, and there was a smaller one at the bottom. 

I was told that channeling mana into the one in the center would indicate I finished the task. The smaller one was if I needed help. 

The commission I received was to clear out monsters near the town. These monsters are slimes, but they're not your average slimes.

These slimes are corrupted and larger than usual, making them harder to defeat. Even then, it was one befitting my rank. 

I bowed down slightly to the receptionist and left the Guild.

These monsters have apparently been on the southern side of the town, close to where I first got summoned here. 

I kept walking until I reached the last building in the open town, revealing to me the grassy fields and the mountains I first caught a glimpse of when coming here. There were no trees, just large, green lands. 

But, anybody would notice the slimes rauming around, jumping without a care in the world.

Apparently I was asked to exterminate them in the case of them making their way to our town here, which was an open one. There were no type of barriers nor walls encasing them, making them somewhat vulnerable. 

Come to think of it, I never even learned the name of this town. I have to ask when I get back. 

Before heading towards the slimes, I stretched out my right arm. I wanted to finally try using the mana close to me.

What I was visualizing was a normal fireball. I held my palm high, then tried visualizing a perfect image of a fireball. 

It started feeling like the mana in the air was pulling me. Or I was pulling it. I can't tell the difference, but I can feel the mana closer to me. 

At that moment, A blaze erupted from my arm. Far larger than what I'd expected.

The fireball in particular was as big as a carriage, it was something I hadn't expected. I wanted to pull one the size of possibly my own palm, but it's probably because of me using too much mana. 

The heat rippled through the air and I nearly lost control of it. My arm flinched merely at the weight of the spell I'd just created, in hopes of making it disappear, but to no avail. 

With no other choice, I pointed it towards the slime in front of me, which was a bit smaller in comparison, then pushed it with my utmost strength. 

The fireball flew straight towards the slime, slow but devastating. It struck the slime, blowing its body in half. Slime scattered on the grass with a sickening hiss.

I'm just getting started.

More slimes turned toward me, drawn by the light and noise. I gripped my blade tightly. I felt my mana was drained—but not empty. 

With the sword in my right arm, my left arm open, it was time to fight. 

I ran towards the first slime on my right then sliced some of its jelly-like body off. It wasn't hard to cut, but it still needs focus and concentration. 

Another slime crept behind me, its body stretching out into long, whip-like arms as it attacked.

I stepped backwards, to make distance between me and the slime.

The slime sent a barrage of attacks with his many new arms, I ran towards it again, cutting off the extended jelly-like arms that were trying to hit me as I was closing the distance. 

Finally, coming closer to the slime, I sliced the large slime. A quarter of its body was cut clean while the other was still intact. I wasn't done yet. 

I turned around to cut the other part, but as soon as I turned my head another extended arm came right towards me, hitting me clean in the face.

I cursed under my breath as I thought to myself, my senses and intuitions are still too weak to see that coming.

It hurt. I could definitely feel pain even from slime. He'd been building up for it this whole time, but I still had much more to use. My nose started bleeding and my head ached in pain. 

Thanks to the slime hitting me in the face and pushing me backwards due to the sheer force of the punch, I mustered enough strength to raise my left arm and send another fireball towards him.

Visualizing the same spell I'd used earlier, I raised my left arm and made the slime stand right in front of my palm. 

I concentrated as I visualized, before the slime sent another wave of attacks, I made the same blazing fireball, this time with more precision and control.

I felt the mana once again, as I pushed the fireball towards the slime and his extended arms which were almost reaching me.

The fireball came into direct contact with the slime monster, evaporating his entire slimy body and his wave of attacks.

Looking down at the small pieces left of the slime, I muttered to myself, "I'm getting the hang of this."

Maybe even a hopeless guy like me can get strong, if I work hard and push myself everyday.

About 4 more slimes came charging towards me. I thought I needed to kill them all at once. I could use the same fire spell once more, but it won't be enough. I need to visualize a stronger spell, but more mana-efficient. 

A fire bullet? No. That won't do anything. These corrupted slimes are a bit harder to deal with, I just needed to immobilize them for some time to erase the mana corruption in them. 

The reason why they got corrupted was still unknown, but it had happened about a week ago,---according to the receptionist— which was when I came to this world.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, a barrage of punches came directly towards me. With no other choice, I gripped my blade and started running towards the slimes once again. 

I kept cutting the extended arms as they flew towards me while running, to close the distance and immobilize the slimes.

Coming up to the first one I jumped, to avoid the arms coming from the other slimes then proceeded to cut the slime from above. 

I jumped on the upper part of the slime with my blade drawn downwards, directly towards the slime. 

I then moved quickly in a circle to cut the slime off even more, and to enable an escape route, so I don't get stuck in his body. 

With one down, and three left to go, my stamina was running even lower. I have to use a spell.

I dodged another barrage, sweat falling on my eyes. I was running out of time. Then it hit me. One move. One spell. I could end this in a single blow.

"Anna said it like this, right...?" I muttered under my breath, further tightening my grip on my blade.

I gathered the last of the mana I could feel surrounding me. It was like thin threads in the air, all drawn toward my blade as I raised it.

"Activate: Seven Layers – First Form." 

I didn't know what the words meant, or where I even heard them. But something inside me, instinct or memory, replied.

Strength started flowing in my body and my blade started shining with a dark purplish color, black oozing from it. 

I took a step forward and dashed through all the slimes, and before I'd realized it, all three slimes were cut cleanly in half. 

My breath was ragged, my body full of sweat, I was at the point of collapsing on my knees due to using too much mana, almost draining me completely. 

For the first time, it felt like I hadn't just cut the monsters. I cut my own emotions. 

It seemed like these slimes were the last. I sat down on the ground from exhaustion then pulled the piece of wood I'd gotten from the Guild and channeled mana into the symbol in the center, indicating that I'd finished my commission. 

The piece of wood brightly lit for a moment, then other words started appearing on it. If I had to guess, it's telling me to go back and talk to the Guild for my reward. 

I laid down and stared at the sky, to get a moment of peace and rest for some time.