Mana core formation goes like this. One has to draw in mana from the outside and absorb it into the body. And then gather and compress it around your chest. Condense and compress the mana until it solidifies into a mana core. The core will then generate its own mana. Mana produced by the core is known as 'refined mana' while mana from the outside is called 'raw' mana.

It is called raw mana because the mana in the surroundings are a combination of all 9 elements. This is where a person's elemental affinity comes in.

A person's affinity not only determines what kind of spells they can use it is also a factor that decides on how fast a person can refine and accumulate mana.

Take for example a person who has two elemental affinities, earth and wind. When they draw in mana they will only be able to refine and accumulate in their mana core earth and wind type mana. The rest of the unrefined mana simply goes back outside again as raw mana.

That person can refine and accumulate mana twice as fast as a person with only a single affinity but is slower compared to people who has more elemental affinities than that person.

Of course there are two more factors which decides the refining and accumulation speed of a person. The environment and the talent of a person.

For talent, if a person is skilled in manipulating mana they can draw in more mana at a faster pace than an average mage.

The environment on the other hand... does not always have the same quantitative ratio of elements. For example in hot places like the desert, fire type mana is bountiful here while water type mana is very scarce.

Usually it would take a non-magician a whole day ( remember one day is 48 hours) to solidify their own mana core, two if they take breaks in doing so.

The reason it only took me an hour or so to form my very own mana core is because of "All-Magic Awakening". Since I have all nine elemental affinities, I am able torefine and accumulate all of the raw mana in the surroundings with no excess. Another thing is because I have exceptional talent in sensing and manipulating mana making me able to draw in huge amounts of mana in a extremely fast pace. Also thanks to me receiving important information about mages I can use certain methods to make accumulation and condensation of mana much better than usual.

Mages have power ranks they adhere and work hard to raise. There are ten ranks each divided by three stages; initial stage, middle stage, and late stage. From first to last are; apprentice magus, magus, senior magus, elite magus, elder magus, grand magus, arch magus, magus saint, magus king and magus emperor.

Warriors have similar rankings but the knowledge I got from "All-Magic Awakening" only made me learn stuff that is essential for a mage.

Although it is nice and nifty that I got a wonderful cheat and all but... I still don't have clothes and I'm really uncomfortable being naked in the open even if its inside a building.

Come to think of it, one of Frelinia's instructions were to activate the ring, or storage ring and everything I might need will be inside.

Right, a storage ring. In this world there are magic items and they are very rare and expensive. To use magic items one has to infuse refined mana into that item so that it will do its intended purpose.

This is also why I was impatient to reach apprentice rank. Only if I have a mana core will I be able to use refined mana.

I looked at the ring in my hand and put it in my left thumb because it is really big and my other fingers won't be able to hold it. Then I infused my refined mana into it.

"Whoa!!"

The ring surprisingly melted then began to form creepy looking tentacles that attached themselves to my thumb...

"Kyaaaah~" Screaming like a girl I watched as those tentacles began forming two lines of runes that circles my thumb. The first line has gold-colored runes while the other is black. The same colors as the storage ring. Then it gradually faded.

O-okay....*deep breath* C-calm down Krey. The creepy scary thingy is gone now. Wheeew.

I'm really bad with horrific stuff. As long as I see something creepy I'll immediately run away. Jumpscares are even worse for me.

Anyway it looks like this storage ring is has a unique feature of being hidden while not in use and when I will it to appear, it takes the form of those runes earlier.

Pretty convenient~. And a perfect tool for theft, Ufufufu~

Now then the next instructions are; take care of the creature that hatches and raise it well. Then get stronger and build up a reputation and foothold in Salratia.

They can be done at a later time.

First let's look at my booty~

Willing the ring to appear I "looked" at the items inside and I found...

"Clothes~!"

A set of clothing. A white cotton shirt and brown cotton pants as well as leather sandals and underwear!

"Hic *sob*... wuuwu *tears falling*. F-finally... something to wear..."

I've never been so glad to see clothing in my life until nowI was really worried that I'd be naked for a long time until I find something eligible to wear. I mean seriously, being seen naked even if you look like a child is still embarassing. Also I would have no protection against the forces of nature, namely temperature and dust, if I didn't find these clothes.

Taking the clothes out of the storage ring, I immediately wore them and they fit very well and are pretty comfortable.

Frelinia must have considered my current size of a five year old when she summoned me her and placed the clothes in the ring. What a thoughtful girl~

Now let's look at the rest of the things in the ring. There seems to be what looks like a... glaive-ish weapon here. Again its probably a magic item. I can tell from its peculiar appearance. The blade is shaped to be able to slice and pierce at the same time. It's color is dark blue with the component connecting the blade too the long black metal handle fashioned into the form of a golden snake with a red gem at the mouth. I took it out, bound it with my blood and infused my refined mana into it. When I infused my refined mana the handle amazingly got shorter until it was just the right length for someone of my stature. By the way, I am four ft tall while the current length of the glaive is about 1.5 meters, formerly 2.3 meters long. I gave it a few swings and got use to it after a few minutes of swinging.

I put it back in the ring and took out the last item... a necklace.

"...?"

It looks pretty plain to me though... a thick string which hung a bronze coin with a picture of a mountain carved into it.

I tried infusing mana into it but all I got was some sort of aura that was coming out of the coin. I don't know what it does but its better not too brood over it too much.

Now then I better place the egg into the storage ring to ease my worries a bit.

Okay then. This temple ruin although a bit dreary, has housed me for quite some time so I will stay here for awhile.

Time to raise my mage ranks and make some spells!