Nine days have gone by since weve made ourselves at ho in our makeshift base. Clerias foot has nearly recovered fully, and she could more or less walk on her own by dragging her injured foot on the ground. Clerias mood has visibly improved ever since she found out that her limbs would recover. I should have properly explained it to her earlier.
When I asked her whether shed prefer setting off again as soon as her foot recovers or waiting until her hand also gets regenerated, she picked the latter option. So it seems were going to be staying at this base for a few more days.
She looked a bit troubled about the fact that shes been doing nothing but resting at the base in the last few days and asked to give her a few pointers on swordsmanship. I went with teaching her so basic one-handed sword combos. I didnt know jack squat about proper swordsmanship after all.
Food procurents also going rather swimmingly. Ive beco more proficient in hunting wild ga and foraging for food items compared to a few days ago, and I usually manage to co back before noon. Cleria then taught her language whenever we had free ti.
Ive also progressed in learning the local language and its beco possible to have simple conversations with her using short phrases. I updated the language database quite often after all.
Today, I also finished food hunting quite early and am now about to go back to the base. The prey I managed to catch was a small-sized Big Boar which looked to be about 30 Kilos. It seed a bit troubleso to butcher it in the middle of the mountains so I drained its blood and carried the whole carcass back.
Cleria seems to have gone out of the base to gather firewood near the riverside. Id rather have her rest up inside the base though.
When she noticed coming back, Cleria cheerfully approached to greet while dragging her foot. The prosthetic was covered with the damaged boot that had been chewed ragged by a Grayhound.
Welco back, Mr. Corinth!
Im back, Cleria.
Man. Having soone to welco you back after a hard days work really feels great! However, its still hard to say whether or not the proper aning of the words were using to speak to each other is being conveyed correctly because there are still insufficient samples. This is because Ive been relying solely on what Nanoms currently translated through deductive analysis.
For example, [Welco back, Mr. Corinth!] might actually an [Thats a lot of at, Mr. Corinth!] or sothing like that. Ive only ever heard her say these words whenever I brought back so prey after all.
Well, based on Clerias attitude, it seems likely that shes been calling with so sort of honorific attached, so the translation Mr. is likely an accurate approximation.
I think shes using it cause Im a bit older than her, but Id prefer it if she called by na instead. I didnt really dig the whole polite address thing. It sounded a bit too distant and stiff.
Cleria, its Alan. Not [Mr. Corinth]. Okay?
Cleria froze up a bit for so reason. She then blushed red and called Alan in a embarrassed tone.
I proceeded to butcher the Big Boar at the rivers edge. Cleria watched intently. She seed to be trying to learn the butchering thods by observing my work.
Or maybe she was just really looking forward to dinner. Clerias appetites been nothing short of monstrous. The nanoms may have been helping her with digesting all that food, but I still think it would be better if shed toned it down a bit to avoid the possibility of an upset tummy.
Alright, butcherings done. Lets have so lunch!
When I went back inside the base to start cooking, I noticed that the bonfires gone out.
Now that I think about it, Clerias always managed to keep lighting a fire on her own. How exactly does she do it? Does she have so sort of tool?
Clerias also noticed that the fires gone out and proceeded to put in so new firewood on top of the makeshift fireplace. While I was looking on curiously, she suddenly closed her eyes and turned her open palm towards the wood pile.
After about ten seconds, she opened her eyes and uttered Fire. A jet of fla was then released 20 centiters away from her open palm!
(Huh!? What the heck happened!?)
[Exact phenonon unknown. However, the energy readings are identical to what was recorded previously.]
Really? But seriously, what was that?
Cleria brought her hand back down after releasing a jet of fla towards the fireplace like a flathrower for about ten seconds. The firewood blazed right up.
Cleria, what was that just now?
Cleria gave a puzzled stare. When she finally understood what I was asking about, she started explaining it to while sporting a sowhat proud expression, but there were a lot of unfamiliar words, so I didnt really get most of what she was trying to say.
Basically, she was proud of how short it took her to release the earlier jet of fla.
I sohow got reminded of the superhero shows I watched in the Holobit when I was a kid, where they would fight evil using all sorts of superpowers. But that was purely fiction.
(Is Cleria an Esper or sothing?)
[That is one possibility. However, basing on her response to your previous query, this type of ability may be fairly common on this planet.]
That really might be the case. Nanoms already detected that unknown energy signature a total three tis. Two of the instances were caused by Cleria, and one was caused by when I suddenly made my sword glow.
When my sword lit up, Cleria didnt really mind it and acted surprised about how effortlessly I cut the log instead. In other words, it seed that glowing swords werent exactly all that uncommon.
If Cleria was truly an Esper, then I suppose Id beco one too cause I made my sword glow and all. Did I sohow develop so sort of superpower when I landed on this planet? I dont really feel any different though.
[One possible hypothesis available. The sensors response is similar to the unknown energy readings first recorded on planet Salza 2 of the Elider Star System.]
Elider Star System? I think Ive heard of it from sowhere? Oh yeah!
I actually learned about it in the Galactic Military Academy. It was famously known as a naturally human-habitable planet that was discovered about forty years ago. Planets which can support human life naturally without the use of terraforming were quite rare after all.
There was an unknown energy form discovered when a researcher was attacked by an indigenous life-form of that planet and got injured. A dog-like creature attacked the said researcher from a distance of more than ten ters sporting unprecedented speed that was literally instantaneous.
After the incident, the creature was successfully captured and studied, but it was later found that its physical structure could not possibly support such absurd acceleration. Subsequent research revealed that the creature sohow enhanced its physical abilities through the use of so form of energy. Thats about all I knew about the incident.
[A new point of research has been opened. However, if the unknown energy signature truly resembles the one recorded on Salza 2, a dedicated experintal sensor developed for use as a research aid due to that previous case is needed to investigate in better detail.]
(Is it possible for us to build such a sensor right now?)
[Although possible, it requires the consumption of five rare tal tablets and a five day manufacturing period.]
(Lets start the production process later.)
[Understood.]
If the people on this planet can truly use such abilities freely, then it would be a bit troubleso. I previously thought wed be able to pull through even if the people chasing after Cleria were to catch up to us sohow as long as I had my trusty rifle, but this new variable complicates things.
These abilities seed potentially dangerous. It shouldnt be limited to releasing flas either. There might possibly be more.
Cleria uttered Fire before using her ability earlier. If she could only create flas, then it wouldnt make sense for her to label it specifically like that. I think she did so in order to distinguish it from her other abilities.
Well, its all theories in the end. If I want to know for sure, Id have to ask Cleria directly. However, I needed to expand my current vocabulary more in order to do that. Looks like I need to work harder to learn the local language.
I suddenly noticed Cleria worriedly staring at . Oops. I spaced out a bit there. Lets have lunch then.
***
Clerias foot has finally been fully restored after fourteen days. Cleria thanked in tears after I handed back her greave which I hadnt thrown away.
The newly regenerated foot wasnt in the best condition and was in need of so rehabilitation, which was facilitated by Nanom.
I joined Cleria for a walk near the rivers edge as a form of rehab activity. Since language learning has progressed enough, we were finally able to have a decent conversation with each other. I finally asked about the thing that was bugging for the past days as we continued our walk.
Hey Cleria, can you do other stuff apart from the thing you used to light up the bonfire last ti?
Oh, you an *****?
Nanom imdiately translated and updated the database. The resulting translation for the word was magic.
Yeah, that. Can you use other magic?
Yes, of course Cleria replied while seemingly surprised at my sudden question.
Can you show ?
Cleria paused a little, but eventually faced the river and raised her hand forward with eyes closed. After about fifteen seconds, she opened her eyes and said Fireball.
Approximately twenty centiters away from her palm, a ball of fla with a size less than thirty centiters appeared and flew towards the river. It was about as fast a stone that was hurled forward. It hit the river water and promptly got extinguished.
Whoah, cool! The speed was unexpectedly slow though, but it sohow felt fresh. It would be scary if one of these flew at you.
I looked at Cleria encouragingly with a gaze filled with anticipation to see other types of magic.
She put her hand forward again, and after thirty seconds uttered out Fla Arrow.
This ti, three flaming arrows appeared at the tip of her palm and flew towards the river. They were noticeably faster than the fireball earlier, and flew at a speed comparable to real arrows, hitting the river and making a loud noise.
Whoah! Thats amazing too! Seems like a higher class of magic compared to Fireball. Seems pretty simple enough.
Are there any more? Cleria didnt disappoint and pointed her palm towards the shore this ti. Is it a spell only useable on land?
After thirty seconds, she opened her eyes and uttered Firewall. A raging wall of flas appeared about five ters ahead of her. The height was less than two ters and the width was about five ters.
Whoah!
Thats impressive! It was probably used to serve as an obstruction to ones opponents during battle. But it seed to pose more of a burden on the caster. Cleria brought her hand back down after a few monts, and the fla wall disappeared.
Thats all the fire magic I can use Cleria stated.
So thats her fire magic huh? As I thought, there are other types as well.
What other types of magic can you use?
She paused once more and held her hand out towards the river. After ten seconds, she opened her eyes and said Water. Water gushed out from Clerias palm, and only stopped when she brought it down.
Wow, aint this like creating matter from nothing? How amazing.
Cleria seed a bit embarrassed after her display of the last spell.
Thats the only water magic I can cast.
So shes good at fire magic but not as proficient in water magic. Shes still impressive enough though.
Is the water drinkable?
Yes, of course you can Cleria made a bewildered expression and answered.
In other words, as long as I had Cleria with , drinking water wont be a problem anymore. Thats seriously great news. Magics really convenient!
(Have you managed to find out anything?)
The sensor I commissioned Nanom to make five days ago was now complete.
[Weve acquired a suitable amount of intriguing data.]
(Can I try using magic too?)
I wanna have a go at it. I an, I did manage to make my sword glow and all. Thats gotta an I had so talent at least.
[It should be possible for you. Weve managed to map the energy flow inside the human body.]
A schematic showing the flow of magical energy inside the body was then displayed on a virtual window in front of .
I see. It kinda resembles the route I imagined when I accidentally activated Final Blade. Last ti, I visualized the bioenergy inside my body and let it travel though my arms and inside the blade of the sword. Its the sa principle here huh.
(How do I release fire though?)
It seed that there was no visible change in the energy inside the body until after they ca out as fire or water.
Did Cleria close her eyes in order to visualize what spell she wanted to use? She thought of an image of water or fire coming out so she could cast the spells? Is that how it is?
Um, can you also use magic Alan?
Cleria still seed embarrassed whenever she called by na for so reason.
Was my na equivalent to a word she found embarrassing to say in her language? I hope not.
But Clerias question ca at the right ti. I was totally itching to have a go.
Instead of answering her, I pointed my palm in front towards the river. I once again imagined my bodys bioenergy being molded inside . I then guided the energy through my outstretched arm and released it through my open palm. I maintained an image of a ball of flas flying straight towards the river al throughout the process.
Now! A fireball flew towards the river waters just like Clerias spell earlier and disappeared when it hit the water.
Hey, I did it! Was it really this easy? This is really fun man! I cant really express the feeling in words, but its totally different from shooting with a weapon. However, it takes too long to launch out. Ten seconds or so, right? I dont think this could be practically used in an actual fight.
(Have you managed to analyze the process?)
[Weve managed to formulate an energy convergence routine. It would be possible to store up pre-loaded shots.]
Great! Youll be responsible for the troubleso parts while I concentrate solely on forming the image.
A [READY] indicator appeared in a corner of a virtual display window. Im really pumped. I cant exactly describe it, but it kinda felt like energy was welling up inside or sothing.
I pointed my palm forward and imagined a fireball. Fire!
A fireball flew out towards the river once more. Great, I did it! Alright!
A [READY x3] indicator then appeared on the virtual window. Good going, Nanom!
I imagined launching fireballs in rapid succession. Fire, fire, fire!
Three fireballs flew out of my palm and hit the river water.
Now Ill just have to work on the power.
Lets try changing the image. The [READY x3] popped up once again.
I imagined the standard issue grenade we were supplied with in the military.
Fire Grenade!
I tried launching three at once, but only one shot was fired. It landed on the river and exploded.
Water was launched up into the air due to the explosion and dropped back down towards and Cleria, making us totally soaked.
Oh, boy. I went and did it now. I got a bit too carried away. Looks like magics really sothing very dangerous. I have to be more careful from now on.
Cleria just stood still, seemingly petrified.
(Why did that last spell only fire out one shot?)
[It seems it was due to the amount of energy required to launch a shot.]
The [READY x3] indicator was gone. So one Fire Grenade needed three fireballs worth of energy huh?
Looks like I have to experint a bit and collect more data. There would be a danger of an unforeseen accident occurring otherwise. Lets research carefully then.
Anyway, the experint was a success. What great results.
Afterwards, Cleria finally snapped out of her trance but walked back to the base with with noticeably heavier steps while displaying a sowhat dejected expression.
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