Sitting at her desk, Emily pulls out the rec crystal from within her robes and raises it to her eye. Spinning it around, she locates the correct activation rune and els a small burst of mana into it. The moment the rune lights up, she shuts her eyes as a small s appears within her mind.

  The s slowly pys out the entire fight from start to finish, and Emily carefully analyses Mr Campanu’s casting.

  He appears to be using a different form of gesture casting to me. When I create gestures, I form the magic circle with my hands, but I’m certain those odd motions he makes don’t form any runes. Maybe he’s repg the mental image with gestures? I see how that odd finger movement could be fmes gathering into a ball if I stretch my imagination.

  “But that still doesn’t expin the magic circle being missing,” she mutters to herself, standing up and beginning to pace while chewihumb.

  The magic circle has to be formed somewhere, that’s certain, unless he’s using elemental manipution to form his fireballs. But where?

  Out of habit, Emily opens her system and begins flipping through ret additions in her notifications using her sed core to look for anything relevant whilst her primary core tinues her ption.

  ˉˉˉˉˉ

  [Notifications]

  Mute notifications in bat? [Yes]/[No]

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Skill created: Perfect Silent Casting (passive)

  [Perfect Silent Casting (passive)]

  User profitly form a mental image and magic circle simultaneously.

  -Grants +10% casting speed when casting spells without a vocal po.

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Sub-system updated: Progression

  [Progression]

  [Circle/Stage:] Sed

  Requirements:

  -Intelligence 54/75 (Not plete)

  -Create 1/5 unique E rank maes (Not plete)

  -Learn internal casting (Not plete)

  -Create 0/3 sed circle spells (Not plete)

  -Sy 0/1 third circle beast (Not plete)

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Skill granted: Basiesmithing (passive)

  [Basiesmithing (passive)]

  User is experienced i of creating and using runes.

  -Grants +10% rune creation ce

  -Grants an instinctive uanding of bining runes up to the third circle.

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Magiowledge learned: Basic Array Formation

  [Basic Array Formation]

  A fual uanding of eg ruogether to form long-standing arrays.

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Skill created: Basia Manipution (passive)

  [Basia Manipution (passive)]

  User has fine trol over external mana use.

  -Grants +10% effid trol over mana outside the body

  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

  Magiowledge learned: Basic Alchemy

  [Basic Alchemy]

  A fual uanding of bining magid magical materials to produce magically charged by-products.

  _____

  Most of the information is useless to her. However, her cs the progression requirements on the old notification and alerts the primary sciousness of it.

  Wait, learn internal casting? Is that what he’s doing? In that case, the magic circle is f inside him somehow. Is it dispersed through his body? No, it would make more sense for it to be focused on his circles.

  Pausing ieps, Emily drops to the floor in a meditative position with her legs crossed and her eyes shut. Her sed core forms and holds the mental image of her wind barrier while her primary sciousness focuses solely on delving deep within herself and gazing at the circles of power around her heart.

  The outer circle is in a state of stant movement, its mana flowing freely out into her body and then being drawn back soon after. The inner circle oher hand is a serene ke, unmoving and undisturbed by the turbulent flow of its neighbour. Emily wills the inner circle into motion, the mana held within almost instantly f the intended shape, twisting together to bee half of the plicated ws of the wind barrier spell.

  Emily excitedly moves to trol the outer circle, but as she tries to bend it into shape, the uable motion of her mana flow pulls it back to normal. After trying a few times, stopping whenever she feels excessive resistance for fear of a magical backsh, Emily opens her eyes with a sigh of disappoi.

  Damn, I ’t get my sed circle to work with me on this. It feels impossible to form the still-growing circle into shape. Wait, maybe it will only work with spells of a lower circle: after all, the system only made it a requirement once I had multiple circles. Also, Mr Campanu is a third circle mage and only used this casting for sed circle spells, I don’t actually know if he casts third circle spells the same way.

  With the new idea, she closes her eyes and quickly forms her first circle into her favourite testing spell’s magic circle, burning hands. The moment her mental image forms and her circle spins into shape, mana flows smoothly out of her circle, through her arms, and ignites her palms.

  “That’s it!” she cries excitedly, gazing at her hand as a system notification pops up.

  ˉˉˉˉˉ

  Skill created: Internal Casting (passive)

  [Internal Casting (passive)]

  User profitly form their pleted magic circles into matg level spells for speed casting.

  -Grants +10% strength of spells cast internally.

  _____

  First progression requirement, pleted!

  ***

  Two days ter, Emily and Oscar arrive at the Salvia family training room. This time the room is set as a bnk space with nothing but a thick steel pte jutting out of the floor In one of the ers.

  “I took the liberty of setting up the room for the test. I thought it would be safest to have something sturdy to stay behind just in case,” Oscar proudly expins.

  “That’s reasohese things are gonna be pretty nasty if they work like intended,” Emily respoedly.

  They both move to stand behind the metal pte before Emily unclips one of her creations from her waist. Raising it up, she takes o look at the system description.

  ˉˉˉˉˉ

  [Low-Grade Mana Grenade]

  [Rank:] E

  [Stats:] +1 Str

  [Description:] A mixture of magical and physical explosives packed together for handheld destru.

  [Effect:] Explodes dealing massive magical and physical damage to everything within five metres.

  _____

  “I call them mana grenades, for short. To use them, either pull out this small pin on top and release the handle as you throw or i a small burst of mana into this activation rune,” she expins while holding out the small, patterned metal ball in her hands.

  She rotates it to show the handle going down one side, with a small metal pin holding it in pear the top. o the handle’s mounting point on top, is a small rune carved into the metal.

  “The main damage should spread five metres from the point of detonation, but there will still be shrapnel flying out further so gaining cover after throwing is advised,” she tinues excitedly as she tears the pin out of pd lobs the MG fifty metres away.

  Oscar quickly ducks behind the metal sheet, but Emily casually steps behind it without worry.

  “You have five seds after activation to get to safety.”

  He gres at her cheeky grin for a moment before opening his mouth to respond.

  “You cou-“ his words are cut off by a loud bang ringing out through the open hall.

  Looking to the side, Emily sees a few small, red-hments of metal embedded into the floor and walls hem.

  That range is amazing!

  With a maniacal grin, she steps out from behind the cover to ihe damage made by her oy. Oscar follows her, full of curiosity aement.

  The damage increases in severity as they he epitre. At fifty metres, the floor and walls are decorated with a few shards of metal. By twenty metres, the floor is filled with still-glowing shrapnel, vibrating with the heat of mana. At five metres, the crater starts; a scorched depression with the point of explosion at its tre. Oscar whistles, impressed by the damage.

  “Wow, that did as much damage as a fireball!”

  “It table,” Emily says casually, her beaming grin failing to hide her own pride aement at her creation.

  “How much do you want for them?” Oscar asks eagerly, ign her attempt at humility.

  “Not so fast, I have aest to show you first.”

  Emily turns and walks back to the cover, with Oscar in quick pursuit.

  “First we he trol test, stand a few metres away from me and shoot the metal sheet with this once my barrier’s up,” Emily expins while handing Oscar a small, bck, six-shot revolver from a holster on her leg.

  He raises a questioning eyebrow at her but doesn’t say anything else as she walks away to stand behind the cover. The moment she’s out of view, Emily quickly casts a wind barrier, f it to cover the metal sheet as well.

  “Ready,” she calls out, waiting for Oscar to do his part.

  Without hesitation, he raises the gun in his hand and fires a shot at the spinning dome of wind. The bullet flies towards the twisting winds. The moment it touches the barrier, it’s deflected from its intended path and flung into an awkward orbit, hitting the ground harmlessly. Emily drops the barrier a few moments ter, casually stepping out auring for Oscar to join her.

  “The wind barrier is particurly good at defleg projectiles, but slightly weaker against direct magical attacks.”

  “Obviously. Why are you expining the spell I gave you to me?”

  Emily rolls her eyes, taking back her pistol.

  “Wait a sed, I’m getting there.”

  With both of them cealed by the metal cover, Emily casts her barrier again. This time with a few gestures to not reveal too much to Oscar, her vigince being raised siheir discussion about The Crystal Skull.

  The moment the barrier is set up, she unclips anrenade from her waist and is a small burst of mana before throwing it lightly over the barrier. The grenade nds just beyond the barrier and rolls to a stop a dozeres away. Emily holds her breath in anticipation.

  This time the explosion is muted by the winds around them, barely sounding louder than a small pop. However, just as loud as ever they hear the loud screeg of metal oal. Oscar’s eyes widen in surprise as he realises what just happened, and Emily enjoys his look of shock while dropping the barrier and stepping around to check the damage.

  Oher side of the cover from them, they find shrapnel dug deep into the solid steel, having lost its magical glow.

  “How did the grenade break through the wind barrier?”

  “It’s a mix of magid physical objects so they breach barriers specialised in one or the other!” Emily cries out proudly.

  Osods silently, lookiween Emily and the grenade’s aftermath with awe and a hint of fear.

  I wonder how scared he would be if he realised I could make a revolver punch through barriers.

  Keeping her insidious thoughts of her past tests on her own barrier to herself, Emily tio the most important part of her sales pitch: the price!

  “Now, how much do you think they’re worth?” she asks with a teasing grin.

  The moment money is mentioned, Oscar focuses solely on her, his apprehension falling away to reveal a hint of greed.

  “My uanding is that you want to deal in a mix of tribution points and money, correct?”

  Emily gives a small nod, waiting with bated breath.

  “In that case, how do ten points and two silver each sound?”

  Emily silently siders for a moment, not revealing her excitement over the price at all.

  “Add two more points and fifty copper, and you have a deal.”

  Oscar quickly agrees with a smile, reag out to offer a handshake ahe deal. Emily happily obliges while celebrating internally.

  The produ cost is only six points and fifteen copper! Selling ons is great!

  “ I p order for twenty of these by the start of the expedition?” Oscar asks.

  “Sure, I’ll bring them to you when they’re finished. Now, let me do o test for myself before I leave,” Emily says with a sinister grin as she looks at him.

  Her gaze sends a shiver down Oscar’s spine, but he quickly agrees and moves to take cover.

  He only seemed slightly scared earlier and his fear quickly turo greed. Let’s see if we fix that, I’d rather have him too scared of me to try anything in The Gde.

  She unclips the final grenade from her belt and pulls her arm back to throw it. P a strong stream of maa into it, she activates overdrive and pushes in two hundred points of her esoteric resource. The grenade’s uneven edges begin sparking with electricity, f arcs to her fingers and sizzling in a dangerous build-up. Using a rge amount of strength, Emily fires the greo the opposite side of the room and then quickly ducks behind the shield.

  Making eye tact with Oscar, she grins and csps her hands over her ears just as a deafening explosion goes off. Oscar flinches and quickly covers his ears as well, shielding them from the powerful soundwave too te. Shrapnel rips past their barrier, trails of fire and lightning mixing as they impact the walls all around, a few hitting their metal cover with enough force to create small dents visible oher side.

  Everything calms down after a few moments, no sounds left in the room other than Oscar’s pained moans as he csps his ears, and a slight buzz from the dozens of charged metal shards wasting the st of their energy. Emily steps out to observe the age with satisfa. Walking over, she sees a-metre crater filled with metal shards pnted in the slightly molteh.

  A sixty per t increase in damage dealt. That’s pretty good!

  She turns to look at Oscar. Seeing his gaze of apprehension and horror, she smiles happily.

  “Thanks, this has been really helpful. I’ll get yreo you as soon as I !”

  He nods absentmindedly as he walks with her to leave the training room.

  “Are you selling that st grenade you used?” he asks with a ral tone, clearly already expeg the answer.

  “hat’s a personal model,” Emily answers with a sly grin as she steps through the door into the corridor, leaving Oscar staring at her reg ba lingering fear.