SSS Rank Sword Mage: Awakening Starts with Weakest Mana Affinity

The next morning, I was focused on the plan.

It was simple: First, secure water that had no purification properties, which I managed to do and bring to the pond. Second, over the course of the next few months, secure the perfect vessel for Morad. Simple, yet not easy.

I noticed Astraya was a bit quieter than usual today. I wondered why. I was sure she was fine, though, and besides, she was training with Mother. Maybe there was something she wasn't grasping. I would have loved to watch her train with Mother, as I could gain knowledge. I still hadn't fully grasped how to use my own mana types, but I presumed it had to do with how I imagined mana to be. Meditation should help fix that.

I returned to the cave, the huge jar of warm water balanced carefully against my chest. This amount should be enough. Mother, ever the detective, suspected I was up to no good but still allowed me to take it. That protective barrier was one reason she was so permissive, as she couldn't go check on what I was up to. I would definitely tell her, but not yet; this felt like a personal decision.

When I stepped into the cavern, the grinding scrape of stone against stone hit me first. Morad's laughter echoed like ripples across the pond. Was he really enjoying this task?

I gave a loud cough, signaling my return. He sounded a bit surprised I was back.

"You came back? The place was so boring without you."

Wow, he missed me that much? We literally just met yesterday.

"Well, you didn't sound bored; I heard you excited, huh?" I teased him.

"No, no, you know I can't rest in this form! I was awake all night, and my mana is low now," he pouted.

"Ohhh," I murmured, then he suddenly remembered something.

"Astraga! Look!" he called out.

My eyes widened. The boulder he'd been spinning was no longer smooth. A shallow pit had formed beneath it, with dust and grit scattered across the cave floor like spilled flour. For someone who could only spin a rock for at least a minute every two hours, Morad had made more progress than I dared to hope.

"Wow, that looks perfect," I thought. He did an amazing job. But I wasn't going to give him that praise, as I knew he'd only start bragging.

"You've been busy," I said, grinning as I set the jar down.

"Told you I could help!" Morad bubbled proudly. "Teamwork, remember?"

"Fine, fine, you did good, Morad. Yep, teamwork," I said. I couldn't hold the urge back; he really put his all into it, and I felt bad for not praising him more.

I crouched near the fresh hole, running my fingers through the stone dust. Rough. Uneven. But progress nonetheless. For the first time, I felt like our crazy little plan might actually work.

I set the jar of warm water down carefully at the hole edge.

"Step one," I murmured, repeating Father's notes to steady myself. "Identify the pair."

The two fishes we had identified circled lazily near the surface, their scales catching faint light that filtered into the cave. I scooped them both with Father's old net, their bodies wriggling against the mesh, water droplets spraying against my face.

"nice astraga you're a natural at this," Morad teased, sensing me struggle.

"looks like someone doesn't want a vessle any more huuuh,.", I said also jokingly

To keep the water from escaping, I pressed clay into the bottom of the pit. Getting the clay was surprisingly easy, as it was close to our home. I used it to smooth the hole's surface until all the cracks were sealed. This made me feel like some professional, but I was quickly reminded of my situation as the clay clung to my clothes. Mother was definitely going to kill me, but I was four, so that was my excuse.

I kept patching until the surface gleamed, damp beneath my fingertips. Only when the lining felt firm and unbroken did I pour in the warm water from the jar, creating a super mini pond. I guessed that small size would force the mating. Without that clay bed, the trench would have drunk all the water, leaving nothing for us to use.

"Step two—separation," I whispered, focusing on the fish. "Give them their own space, away from the rest."

The male darted around, flicking his tail with restless energy. The female lingered near the bottom, cautious, her fins trembling as though testing the new water and space. I wondered how long it would take for them to get down to business.

"Have they started making babies, Astraga?" Morad asked so innocently, as if he didn't know the process required to mate.

"Patience, Morad," I replied. "We should allow it to come naturally and wait. We just can't tell if they'll even mate."

He sighed and replied, "Okay, Astraga. Sigh... I will wait."

"Good. Now, food," I said. I scattered a small pouch of ground feed Father had left behind. The fish nibbled, stirring the water with little flicks of motion.

Morad's voice came through, full of curiosity. "So… they just eat, swim, and then—bam—babies?"

"Not exactly," I said, flipping back to the notes. "Father said the pond must feel natural. Warm. Safe. The conditions push them into spawning."

"Spawning? Using big words again, Astraga…" Morad hummed. "Then I'll keep the cave super warm."

As he spoke, a light blue aura rose like gas from the pond. Morad regulated the temperature of the small area, raising the heat in the cave creating a warm atmosphere.

"Wow, you can also do that!" I exclaimed. The light blue aura was like a perfectly conditioned breeze, brushing gently against my skin. The pond surface began to swirl in a slow, calming rhythm. At this rate, the fish would definitely seal the deal. I stared at the male koi. "It's all left to you, buddy. Let's see what you can do."

I watched the koi settle, circling each other cautiously. It wasn't much yet, but it was a beginning. My heart pounded with both nerves and hope.

The fish glided in their new home as though it were the perfect sanctuary. For the first time, the plan felt real.

I straightened the pages, reading aloud: "After the pond is prepared, bring together the chosen fish."

Morad replied with a cheerful "Check!"

"The males will chase and press the females until she scatters her eggs. The eggs are sticky, clinging to plants and stones, where the males release their milt to bind life into them."

Morad's bubbles rattled like laughter. "So romantic!"

I smirked and read on.

"The eggs hatch in days, the young surviving only if the water stays warm and the pond remains fed with small life. Yet," my finger halted over a line I hadn't noticed before, "Father warns that not all fry should be kept. Many will be weak, dull, or sickly. To raise them all is to waste food and strength."

That's a bit harsh. Was I really going to go down that path? Using one of these fish as a vessel was one thing, but what Father said weighed heavily on me.

As if Morad could sense my shift, he asked, "What's the matter, Astraga?" Knowing the kind of person Morad was, I had no choice but to simply say, "Nothing..."

I shut the book gently. The reality of the situation was clear, but all I could do was wait and worry about that part later.

"Well, it's time for you to rest, Morad," I said, watching the faint ripples fade as he dispersed his essence into the cave. He had used the boulder all night; his mana must indeed be low, just like he said.

"You too," he replied, his voice softer now. "Don't just sit there reading all day. You've got to relax. You helped me a lot, Astraga. You're really a nice person. I wish I could repay you somehow."

But I already felt repaid; he was helping me by letting me experience and see firsthand how a dragon seed manifests. This knowledge was priceless.

Then, out of nowhere, he added, "Astraga, I did notice you struggled to cast mana. Want my help?"