❮ ◈ ❯

You have been promoted to Rank II!

- Balance Increased. Current Ceiling: 600 000.

+20 000 Talys.

+2 Free Points.

- A Random Item Box (Gray ~ Blue)

---

Promotion Conditions have been updated:

- Level 20 <✓>

- Attribute Cap Greater Than 60 <✓>

- Complete One Trial <✓>

- Fifty Monsters Above Level 15 Killed: 50/50 <✓>

---

Conditions Have Been Met!

Do you wish to be promoted to Rank III?

Yes/No

❮ ◈ ❯

“Uh…” Rakna blinked as a second prompt was forwarded to him right after he accepted one. “Ah, is that what it is? I’m one of those who ignored the guide and went on to do side quests and now I have to accept rewards left and right?”

“{That does not sound far off from the truth,}” Fray commented.

“Well, might as well,” the therian snickered and started pressing ‘yes’ every time it appeared in front of him. As a result of that, about a minute later, he was Rank V and he couldn’t get farther.

❮ ◈ ❯

You have been promoted to Rank V!

- Balance Increased. Current Ceiling: 900 000.

+5 Free Points.

+50 000 Talys.

- A Random Item Box (Gray ~ Orange)

---

Promotion Conditions have been updated:

- Level 50 <✓>

- Attribute Cap Greater Than 120 <✓>

- A Hundred Monsters Above Level 45 Killed: 100/100 <✓>

- Complete Five Different Dungeons: 2/5 <✗>

- Complete One Ordeal: 0/1 <✗>

- Complete 20 Quests (At least 5th Plateau): 10/20 <✗>

❮ ◈ ❯

“I guess the fun’s over,” Rakna commented and made a quick inventory of what he had gotten from all that. A 400 000 increase to his balance ceiling, 14 free points, 140k Talys, and four random item boxes with limited rarity. “That’s sort of mediocre…”

[The initial Host Ranks are generally superficial when it comes to rewards,] Alexa informed. [If you wish for better prizes, you would need to wait for Rank X. Additionally, the difficulty to raise your rank increases drastically after that. It is known as the first major milestone since you require to be level 100. You will notice that a lot of things change when you reach that level.]

“I see. I’ll take your word for it, Alexa. Thanks.”

[You are welcome.]

Rakna hummed and looked at the sky. “It’s time to go to the shop… not excited for it.”

“{Hahaha! Don’t be scared! Go give a good first impression to your mother-in-law,}” Higure teased.

He cackled and folded his knees. “Right. Let’s go do that,” he joked back and jumped with his wings open. He flapped them and broke through the barrier of sound. He then used his volcanic element to boost his speed even further through combustion. He rocketed himself toward the station like a comet and in the way, he grinned as something came to his mind.

“{I don’t like seeing you smirk like that… it gives me goosebumps. You honestly need to tone that down until I get used to it.}”

“Not my fault. In… well, let’s call it volcanic state; I basically find enjoyment in everything,” Rakna replied as he channeled his mana throughout his body.

“{Okay, yeah. Still, tone it down.}”

“Can’t promise anything,” he shrugged and breathed in. His aura flared like a torch, creating a very noticeable red line behind him amidst the clouds.

“{What are you doing?}” The lioness asked suspiciously.

“Shooting star.”

“{Shooting star…? Wait… Oh no, no, no, you don’t!}”

“Oh yes, I do,” Rakna snorted. “I finished it. You told me that magic formations are the matrixes behind spells, right? Like a combination of both physical laws, magic circles, runes, and mana flow. And that if you add concepts to the lot, you can derive non-direct application of your element to create new spells.”

“{For the love of-! I wish you weren’t that smart!}”

“You know you don’t mean that,” he laughed, and with a thought, a complicated magic formation composed of many circles as well as intricate patterns and equations whirled into existence below him. He observed it for a moment.

This kind of formation was probably what was contained inside Skill or Spell Cards. At least, it was something similar. He could probably extract something like it from his already learned abilities if he tried enough.

“All right. Let’s see… a name. It’s the first time I choose one,” he mumbled. “Cataract seems to have been made with Tamil, right? I guess it is one of the oldest tongues. From Earth at least... So, how about… [Natcattiram Viḻuntatu],” he chanted and the magic formation enveloped him.

It wrapped him in an elongated cocoon then erupted with energy. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a literal shooting star. Since it was too close from the ground at the acceleration, several of the First Plateau’s giant trees were bent by the force of impact and the leaves rustled loudly.

Many animals and monsters looked up to see a light flash by, followed by a big gust of wind after a small delay. The shooting star was maintained for nearly five minutes and when it reached the station, it started tilting downward very dangerously.

A random person who was walking to the station heard something and turned around just when the comet landed a few meters away from him. A massive noise made him yelp and he happened to see an object fly out of the cloud of dust.

When he took a closer look at it, he paled and stepped back. “A-a-a-an arm?!” He screamed and he soon heard a pained grunt.

“I’m drained… thank god, I used Reinforcement in time,” a growly voice sounded. The man could have sworn he saw a large silhouette behind the dust screen but when he blinked, he heard a few bones popping and the person that came out was a regular-sized therian with red hair.

“{What did I tell you?!}” Higure yelled and Rakna covered his ear with a wince. He glanced at his own arm that was lying on the ground in front of the flabbergasted passerby.

“It’s fine…” he said defensively. The severed arm disintegrated into energy particles and the one missing at his left shoulder grew back; shocking the onlooker even more. “See? All... wait no.” He changed his clothes in a flash of light and nodded. “All new.”

The lioness sighed. “{You are… hopeless.}”

“Thank you.”

“{Not a compliment!}”

“Um…” The unknown man finally found the force to speak and Rakna looked at him.

“Oh, did I spook you? My bad; experiment gone wrong, yada yada.”

“I-it’s fine… you look like the guy that was on TV yesterday.”

“Ah,” Rakna made a weird expression. “Yeah… I suppose I do.”

“Are you… related to him?”

He pursed his lips and looked away slightly. “I guess I am? Yes, I’m his older twin brother.”

“Oh, I see!” The man believed him instantly and his expression brightened. “Are you a disciple of Lord Obsidian as well?”

“…yes?”

“So cool! How is it to train under him?! How strong is he?!”

Rakna laughed. “He’s a strict teacher… and he’s damn strong, to say the least.”

“That must be nice,” the man said wistfully.

“Yeah, yeah, sure it is,” the therian replied dismissingly and tried to subtly run away by walking to the station but the man followed him right after.

“You’re different from your brother. He looked very cold on screen but you look approachable.”

Rakna sighed internally. ‘Approachable my ass… okay… hold it in,’ he composed himself. “True. My brother’s kind of an asshole to others. He’s like a block of ice, I tell you.”

“Haha! I can see it!”

“{Why the self-deprecation?}” Higure asked amusingly.

‘It makes it more believable, okay? Siblings aren’t all sunshine about each other usually.’

“{Why are you even committing to the act?}

‘I don’t know! I was given a shovel and now I’m digging a hole for myself! I can’t help it!’

“{That is a peculiar simile,}” Fray remarked. “{But a good one.}”

‘Gee thanks,’ Rakna rolled his eyes. ‘I’ll just flash step away…’

“So, hey, how about we add each other as fri… huh?” The man looked to his right where the therian had been just a few seconds ago. “Where did he go? I didn’t even get his name…”

* * *

Rakna sat down inside the train after weaving through the people getting in and out of it. He made sure to distance himself from the overly familiar man. He groaned as he still felt a bit of muscular pain from his crash and opened the window he saw during his uncontrollable flight.

❮ ◈ ❯

Name: Natcattiram Viḻuntatu

Tier: 6

Description:

Wrap yourself in star energy and let it propel you through skies, seas, and firmaments. It is a very powerful movement technique that can be used to surprise your enemies in a fight.

It is however very hard to control and nearly impossible to steer. Once cast, hope that you don’t hit something by mistake and certainly do not expect to be capable of making responsive turns.

Cost: 50% of MP (Max Correction: 25%) for a single burst that can last up to five minutes.

Movement Speed: Up to 20 km/s in the first few seconds of the burst and then steeply and gradually decreases until a complete stop.

Important Note: The Host is incapable of using the maximum capacity of this spell yet. The maximum speed attainable at the moment is 1 km/s in the first seconds.

---

You have made a magic formation for the first time!

You are rewarded with 500 experience and three free points!

You can now craft the Skill Card ‘Natcattiram Viḻuntatu’ with adequate materials and skill levels in manufacturing and magical theory! You will be gifted one card upfront but further cards will have to be made on your own.

---

You have leveled up!

+0.1 STR, SPD, INT

❮ ◈ ❯

‘Stupid. How is it any useful to have a skill card of this if no one else has my element?’ Rakna thought right away as he found the card in question inside his Item Box.

“{You could sell it. But you would probably receive bad attention.}”

He sighed. ‘Doesn't matter. We have fifteen minutes until we arrive. Let’s continue with our lessons.’

“{…I’m honestly scared of teaching you anything now. You might just tiptoe your way into making some world breaking spell and kill yourself in the process.}”

‘Please, as if I would do something like that.’

“{…}”

‘…okay, fine, I get it. I won’t do anything dangerous… try.’

“{...good enough. Let’s talk about first- and second-degree applications of magic before developing further on magic formations. You already have some understanding of them. They stem from the principle of producing spells with concepts instead of literal applications. For example… fire is destructive in its first-degree application. But with its second degree, also called magic theory, you apply some sort of concept with solid bases behind it. Like, let’s say, healing flames.}”

‘Something like phoenixes?’

“{Yes! That’s a perfect example. A fire spell based on the legends of Phoenixes would make a solid healing spell. Sadly, I don’t think it’s something your element can do. It sounds incompatible.}”

‘But I do need a healing spell. And there is in fact a constellation based on phoenixes. I have no idea if it will work as a healing method though…’

Higure sighed as Rakna’s thoughts already began to stray. It was a thousand times easier to teach his colder self since he would attentively listen. But now… he was just too manic. In some way, he was smarter; his brain was running more actively and coming up with a lot of ideas. But it meant that he also was very prone to distractions.

‘{I don’t know if I prefer this side of him anymore… this is going to be a long day.}’