Mushoku tensei: A New Path

Fire-Ball Practice: The Chantless Mishap

The snow-covered garden was my sanctuary, a place where I could experiment without the ever-watchful eyes of the adults. Today's challenge was mastering Fire-Ball without a chant. With Zenith and Paul out and Lilia busy indoors, the stage was set.

Stretching my fingers, I recalled the chant:

"Let the great protection of fire be on the place thou seekest. I call the bold heat of a torch here and now. Fireball!"

With the chant, the fireball had formed perfectly, its radiant heat melting the snow beneath me before I launched it skyward. It exploded in a burst of light, and I felt a rush of pride.

"Alright, Rudy," I muttered. "Time for the real test."

I closed my eyes and focused on the flow of mana. Skipping the chant, I channeled the energy directly into my palms, visualizing the fireball forming. When I opened my eyes, the glowing sphere hovered there, stable and beautiful.

"Success!" I declared.

But I made a rookie mistake. In my excitement, I delayed launching the spell. The fireball began to destabilize, and before I could react, it burst too close to me. Flames licked at my right hand, leaving a sharp, burning pain.

"Damn it!" I hissed, clutching my hand. Acting quickly, I summoned mana and cast Elementary Healing Magic without a chant. Warmth spread through my palm as the redness faded, the pain subsiding.

I sighed in relief, flexing my fingers. "Close call," I muttered. "Don't play chicken with fireballs, Rudy."

Just as I was relaxing, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Lilia had stepped out of the house, scanning the garden with sharp eyes.

Panic set in. If she noticed the melted snow, I was doomed. Thankfully, the surrounding snow looked untouched, and I quickly sat down, trying to look as innocent as possible.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lilia's Scolding

"Rudeus Greyrat!" Lilia's voice cut through the air like a blade.

I winced as she marched toward me, her expression a mix of irritation and concern.

"What are you doing outside in the snow without my permission?"

"Um… enjoying the weather?" I offered weakly.

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you know how dangerous this is? You could've caught a cold—or worse, hurt yourself!"

"I'm fine, really," I said, trying to deflect.

She didn't buy it. Before I could say anything else, she scooped me up in her arms and carried me inside.

"You're going to give me gray hairs before my time," she muttered.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Water-Ball Practice: The Splashy Beginning

A few months later, I turned my attention to water magic. By now, I was just over two years old and ready to test casting Water-Ball from my feet.

With a bucket and chair set up in my practice room, I began channeling mana downward.

Attempt one: a pitiful dribble of water that barely reached the bucket.

Attempt two: too much mana. Water sprayed everywhere, drenching the floor and me.

"Fantastic," I muttered, wringing out my sleeves. "I'm a magical sprinkler now."

After a few more tries, I finally succeeded. A stable water ball hovered above my right foot, shimmering with potential. It fell neatly into the bucket with a satisfying splash.

"Success!" I cheered.

The excitement was short-lived. My legs throbbed from the strain, and painful cramps forced me to stop. As I lay sprawled on the floor, I muttered, "Great. You're a toddler with the stamina of a ninety-year-old."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Gap in Time: Speculating About Disturb Magic

Months passed, and I focused on refining my mana control. By the time I turned two and a half, I could release mana from both my hands and legs, draining my reserves faster. But casting spells wasn't enough. I needed something new.

That's when I started thinking about Disturb Magic.

I didn't know much about it, but based on my limited knowledge, I had a theory.

"What if it's about disrupting the flow of mana?" I muttered, pacing my practice room. "Like… breaking the spell before it forms?"

It made sense in my head. If magic relied on shaping mana, then scattering that energy could prevent the spell from taking shape.

"Or," I said, scratching my head, "maybe I just slap it with my own mana?"

I chuckled at the thought but decided to try anyway.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Frustration of Disturb Magic

Casting Water-Ball with one hand was easy. Disrupting it with the other? Absolute chaos.

Attempt one: nothing happened.

Attempt two: too much force. The water ball exploded, drenching me and the room.

"You're supposed to break, not mock me!" I groaned.

Attempt after attempt, I tried different approaches. I pushed more mana, less mana, targeted different parts of the spell. Nothing worked.

"Okay, maybe the problem is me," I muttered, slumping back in frustration. "Or maybe this spell doesn't exist."

Despite my failures, I wasn't giving up. If Disturb Magic was real, I'd figure it out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul's Alert Phase

One evening, I decided to practice releasing mana from both my hands and legs simultaneously. I thought I was being subtle. Spoiler: I wasn't.

Paul burst into the room, sword drawn, his face serious.

"Rudy, stay behind me!" he barked, scanning the room.

"Uh, Dad?" I squeaked.

"The mana disturbance…" he muttered, his grip tightening. "It's either a strong monster or someone using Touki."

Touki? Oh no.

Paul moved like a predator, checking every corner of the room and even outside. When he found nothing, he relaxed and smiled at me.

"Stay safe, Rudy," he said, ruffling my hair. "I'll check the jungle tomorrow, just in case."

As he left, I slumped against the wall, my heart pounding. "Note to self: don't practice near Paul."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zenith and Lilia's Alarms

The next day, with Paul in the jungle, I decided to practice again.

Zenith appeared first, her calm demeanor hiding her sharp vigilance. Her hands twitched slightly, ready to cast Fire-Ball if needed.

"Rudy," she said, her voice steady, "is everything alright?"

"Y-yeah!" I stammered, trying to look innocent.

She scanned the room before nodding and leaving.

Later, with Zenith and Paul out, I tried again. This time, Lilia burst in, knife in hand, her sharp gaze scanning the room.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Uh… nothing?"

Her eyes lingered on me before she sighed, tucking the knife back into her belt.

"You're going to drive me insane, Rudeus," she muttered.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Marine's Reflection

Sitting alone after another close call, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Paul thinks it's assassins, Zenith's ready to nuke the house, and Lilia's ready to stab someone," I said to myself. "If they find out it's just me, I'm toast."

From now on, I decided to only release mana from my legs while touching the ground.

"Adapt, overcome, and don't get caught," I muttered, smirking. "Just another day in the life of a Marine-turned-magical toddler."