Blacksmith vs. the System

Once I had confirmed the viability of the method, I didn't immediately start a new set of calculations. Instead, I worked to find a better way to engage my skill, trying to treat the runes as a physical object that needed to be repaired rather than pure mana.

To that aim, I had conjured many different objects, until I could manipulate the gap between the runes directly. Even without any new calculation, it managed to maintain stability for almost three seconds.

Interestingly, the improvements weren't linear. Some spells had been improved greatly, while for the others, the improvement was merely marginal. Too bad I knew too little about the subject to have a hypothesis about the true meaning of such a thing.

Instead, I focused on one topic; the stability of spells with an overpowered central decay rune. If I could figure it out, that alone would change everything.

It wasn't a simple problem. Decay magic was always temperamental. Where fire consumed and air scattered, decay unraveled, attacking the other runes by its very nature. That made the spell unnecessarily volatile. But, the combination of my class and the dungeon meant that it was not a weapon I could neglect.

Once I cast enough spells and recorded the results, I scribbled every theorem I could find that even remotely resembled the same pattern, drawing from many subjects from ecological diversity patterns to organic chemistry.

Then, I threw all of those formulas to Spencer, so that they could compare the results with the spells, and see if any of them were predicting the underlying mechanics to a meaningful degree; and cast even more variants while waiting for the results.

I achieved little result while I awaited the result. When the results arrived, I found out that the equations that used fluid dynamics, particularly the Navier-Stokes equation. Not a perfect match by any means, but far better than anything else.

"Interesting," I said with great interest. It wasn't the first time I was trying to apply the Navier-Stokes equation to magic. I tried to understand mana using it, but that ended up in failure. Mana shifted between states too rapidly and without any apparent reason; which meant one of the key variables, viscosity, couldn't be used.

It looked like it was different for decay, especially during casting. "Too bad it's difficult to apply it practically. It only applies to a subset of problems —" I started, then paused, slapping myself. "Idiot," I spoke to myself, and started to draw a new spell.

A huge spiral of interconnected runes, channeling the decay like a wild ride at a water park, with needless curves and controls. I tried my best to test every section, checking its stability before I sent the formula for the team to optimize.

The ultimate objective was simple. I was trying to create an excessively complicated spell with no practical value. The reason for it was simple. Skills didn't care about the practical usefulness of the product, just focusing on the feedback.

But, the result was worth it, I decided as I looked at the long chain of runes, upward of five hundred runes, a creation that was like trying to juggle a dozen blades at once. Just the last attempt took three minutes, while I used shaper to continuously reinforce the connections between the different sections.

It was the whole reason I was able to make that attempt. The spells usually resisted being treated as modular puzzles, usually causing trouble in unexpected directions, but now that I could use my forging abilities to temporarily fix those spots, bigger spells became a possibility.

Ultimately, it stitched together to channel the burst of decay, landing on the surface, and ending in a whimper.

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But, the ineffective result was not something I paid attention to. Not when it came with an incredible reward.

[Shaper of Quintessence (Legendary) 299 -> 302]

"Incredible," I said, emboldened by the success. Particularly since, it finally gave me a chance to push my skill higher in rapid succession. It was especially valuable since I was about to hit level hundred, which represented my last opportunity to upgrade my class for a while — forever if what I had learned about dungeon connection and ascension being mutually exclusive was correct.

So, I was dedicated to pushing the Shaper to the limit, turning it into a race until the next attack. So, when Rosie returned from her meeting, knocking on the door, I wanted to delay it. Every second counted. "Is it really urgent," I asked Rosie.

She entered, carrying an intense expression I had never seen on her before. "Depends…" she said. "Does a complete book on how to enhance ascension, along with a full hundred set of material count?"

My eyes widened. "You're joking?"

She shook her head. "No. And, as far as I could tell, it's all genuine."

"What, did he steal them?"

She shook her head, still dazed. "No, that's the shocking part. It's sent by the explicit order of the city lord. He was even being defended by four ascended warriors to ensure a safe delivery, though they returned."

"Any explanation?"

"No, just a request to meet once the current crisis is dealt with."

I frowned. "A request. Not an order?"

"Yes. They have been very explicit about it."

A sigh escaped my mouth, thinking about the reason for the sudden change, and then I stopped. "It doesn't really matter, does it?" I said. "Either it's a needlessly elaborate trap, or they are giving us a chance to even the playing field."

"They probably want us to clean up the dungeon breaks."

I shrugged. "It's not like we haven't been already doing it."

"True, nothing really changes," she replied. "So, do you want me to bring them here, or do you want to analyze them in a different location."

I was tempted to bring them there and start working, but I paused. "No. My current experiment is too critical to disturb right now," I said. "Summon Maria. She knows more about ascension than me in any case."

Rosie looked at me, shocked. "Really, you're skipping a chance to work on ascension. After making me go all that trouble to get even a scrap of information."

I chuckled. "Believe me, I want to. It's just that my current experiment might be just as critical."

"As critical as ascension?" she asked, surprised. Then, she waved her hand in dismissal. "Honestly, I don't care. You know it better," she said. "Will you be responding to the emergencies, or should I ask Maria to handle them as well."

"That would be preferable," I replied. The moment she left, I cast another spell, slightly modified from the previous version based on the latest set of calculations, adding ten more runes to the structure.

[Shaper of Quintessence 381 -> 383]

Just seventeen more points until I received my next Perk. One that could be as game-changing as an upgraded skill.

However, even as I was occupied by the spells, I couldn't help but think about the sudden change in Asterion, and why they would do such a thing. While I could see the idea of creating problems for Drakka by empowering us to be attractive to them, it didn't fully register.

Especially since it came in the form of an open gift with no conditions. It was so different than the way they operated, one that couldn't be explained just by their untenable situation.

It represented another change, and not necessarily for the better.

"Just as I said to Rosie. It's a problem for the future…" I said. The temptation to potentially upgrade my skill once again before reaching the limit was too much. I built another spell … then another … and another.

Until, the notification I expected finally burst into my view.

[Shaper of Quintessence 399 -> 401]

[Perk Options — Spell Forge / Expert Creative Forging / Expert Mana Manipulation]

Choosing Spell Forge was the obvious option. I didn't even need to think about it. The moment I selected it, I cast another spell. Not a long chain, merely a simple decay bolt. Eight runes popped into existence just as usual … but this time, I could vaguely feel the way the runes interacted with each other.

It was a vague, blurry feeling, something that the others might dismiss as a useless gimmick.

Just like back when I had first attained Analyze, which was supposed to be a useless perk compared to Cold Blow…

But, back then, it took more than a year for me to collect the necessary resources to utilize it properly. This time, I had everything in place.

"Since I can forge spells, can I also repair them?" I asked myself, and cast a spell, letting it stabilize before I pulled my control … only to intervene before it let out.

It worked. I could feel the distinct feeling between Shaper and Reformation…

"Perfect," I said, feeling excited enough to bounce on my feet. It meant a lot of my old tricks were viable once more.