Rise of Tyrus

Following the completion of a meditation session, Tyrus restored a portion of his mana. He could have stayed longer, but the moonlight was fading, and he didn't want to worry the explorers with his absence. If he lingered away for too long, he wouldn't be surprised if they came looking for him, especially Fiona. Among the group, she appeared to be the most likely to be upset. Thanks to her hospitality, Tyrus had the opportunity to go to Valis. She was also more than willing to impart her knowledge to a Fledgling Sorcerer like him.

After one more test, he'd return. For what the test was, it focused on the one specialty he had put off using in favor of elements: augmentation.

His fascination with elements had caused him to overlook his other specialization. The former had captured his interest, making the latter appear weak in comparison. Augmentation was just like Beast Transformation–it was a matter of increasing strength and speed. Well, that's what Tyrus assumed from Wanderer's description. To avoid missing any crucial details like last time, he tested it out.

Before anything else, he had to learn the fundamentals. A key concept was that Augmentation Sorcerers fueled their bodies with mana to boost their offense and defense. For defense, the meaning was obvious, but the other intrigued Tyrus. The concept of offense meant attacking, so he could amplify the impact of his punches and kicks. After some reflection, an Elemental Sorcerer employs mana to create spells that are meant to attack their enemies. Did that mean he can strengthen a spell's power with augmentation?

Thanks to his meditations, Tyrus knew exactly what to do. Closing his eyes, he relaxed his body and tapped into his mana reservoir. An image of his mana circulating through his body like a river came to his mind. He could feel the pulsing of life in every part of his body, from his heart to his fingertips and toes. Serene and beautiful as a pearl, a white light flowed calmly.

Tyrus directed the energy outward. He imagined himself as unbreakable as a fortress, with skin and bones like the walls that protected those important. As he felt a pinching sensation in his heart, Tyrus worried he had overexerted himself and drained his mana reservoir. Thankfully, he was wrong about his assumption. That pinch only served as a sign that it was actively being used. Soon, he felt his body swell with power. Once he retreated into the real world, he instantly felt a change.

A soft, lustrous glow emanated from his skin, like the glow of moonlight. Tyrus walked up to a tree and pulled his arm back. Making a fist, he lurched forward and struck the bark. He winced at the sound of splintering as he pulled his arm, leaving an impression the size of his fist. Tyrus chuckled as he switched off the augmentation.

It was unbelievable he had put off augmentation for that long. Laughing off his stupidity was the only thing he could do. Strengthening his body with mana would have made catching the boar easier. By directing mana into his fist, he could deliver a powerful enough punch to create a hole. The best thing was that it didn't use up as much mana as spells. Spells demanded a burst of mana, while augmentation needed a trickle, comparatively.

He could easily punch a tree, but needed a substantial mana reservoir. Excessive usage would inevitably exhaust him. Tyrus considered mana to be like stamina, and draining it could have negative consequences.

Through his meditation sessions, he was able to enhance his connection with his primary element and mana. Who knows what could happen if he kept going? He'd have to increase the length of time so that he could strengthen the bond. And also for his mana reservoir to expand to cast more spells. The larger the reservoir, the longer the mana lasts. This would mean using augmentation for extended periods.

The more he trained and experimented, the more excited he became. His head was filled with so much info, he thought his brain would turn to mush. He accomplished learning a new element, augmentation, and Dual Shot spell in just one night. The question of whether spells can be made more powerful through augmentation, even minimally, is a mystery.

"Let's try it out," Tyrus whispered. There was enough mana in his reservoir to cast a Dual Shot spell, which meant he wasn't at risk of overexerting himself. So with that, he activated his augmentation with a mere thought and muttered the incantation. Almost immediately, two orbs of lightning formed above his palm. This time, there was an obvious difference.

They were slightly bigger than the previous batch. In addition to that, he sensed his mana decreasing much quicker than he expected. Only one second had passed before his heart and brain throbbed. Tyrus' nostrils flared as he threw the orbs right under the blackened patch of grass. Tendrils of blue light exploded, momentarily illuminating the area. The flash vanished as quickly as it materialized. Tyrus fell to one knee, gasping for breath and clutching his pounding heart. He slowly tilted his head, examining his work.

In comparison to the previous patch, the affected area was bigger. Some blades of grass even caught fire. Tyrus ignored the pain and stomped on the embers. Once it was extinguished, he sighed and sat down to control his breathing.

His suspicions were confirmed; the abilities of an Augmentation Sorcerer and an Elemental Sorcerer can be used in combination. Even though it's supposed to be good news, it can be quite demanding on the body. One's mana can hit rock bottom and cause extreme physical stress if careless. It wasn't a big deal to Tyrus as long as he was cautious. Armed with a basic understanding of augmentation, he had the freedom to explore various possibilities.

When the pain went away and he got some mana, Tyrus stood up and inspected the forest. To ensure he wouldn't get lost, he marked the trees on his journey. He found one after a quick search and started jogging. With each passing minute, Tyrus grew happier, satisfied with the progress he made. He would have to tell Fiona about his findings and ask for her input.

The moment he thought about Fiona, he encountered a problem. She had no idea he was a Multi-Specialist. As far as he knew, he was just an Elemental Sorcerer. Was it wise to tell her he was also an Augmentation Sorcerer?

He slowed his pace. A key detail he overlooked before just came to his mind. When Wanderer was talking with him about specializations, she mentioned those who receive the blessing and carry Beastfolk blood are more likely to awaken as an Augmentation Sorcerer. If he revealed he was a Multi-Specialist, would she and the others make the connection he might be a Beastfolk?

No, that's dumb, Tyrus thought. There must be other Multi-Specialists that are only human. No way would they instantly think he's a Beastfolk. It was already a stretch. They also had no evidence or suspicions of his lineage, anyway. There was no need to worry about his identity being exposed.

Tyrus laughed off the possibility and noticed he was nearing the camp. Up ahead, he spotted three figures sitting near a campfire. When Tyrus approached them, they all turned their heads.

"Told you he wasn't hunting," Reo said with a yawn.

"It was obvious enough," Grant said. "We all knew he was waiting for a chance to be alone and train."

Fiona got up and stretched her limbs before approaching Tyrus. "Are those splinters all over your body? Just what were you doing?"

Tyrus looked down, perplexed, and saw wood shavings covering him. Some of it even touched the ends of his hair. They disappeared after a quick rub and shake.

"I have to tell you guys something," he said as he sat down at the fire. "After training, I just realized I haven't told you this yet. I'm… also an Augmentation Sorcerer."

The only sound was the faint rustle of leaves in the distance. From time to time, the crackling of the fire would break the eerie quietness. Tyrus glanced up, and the orange and red hues on their faces caught his attention. They all stared at him with unreadable expressions. A feeling of panic welled up inside him as he realized he had made a grave mistake. Was he supposed to keep it a secret, after all? Were Multi-Specialists rarer than he assumed? Tyrus swallowed down the lump forming in his throat and mentally prepared himself to escape if things went badly.

The silence was broken when Fiona spoke first. "Oh wow… He's actually serious about this."

"I find it hard to believe, but this is Tyrus we're talking about," Reo said. "So far, he hasn't said a single lie."

Grant grinned broadly as he released a hearty chuckle. "It appears that our newest member is more exceptional than we believed. It's surprising to know that he was an Augmentation Sorcerer like Reo and I. We got ourselves a Multi-Specialist."

"What made you realize you were an Augmentation Sorcerer? And how did you know its official title?" Reo asked.

The last question surprised Tyrus momentarily, but he bounced back quickly. "I punched a tree with my bare hands and was strong enough to leave a mark. For how I know what an Augmentation Sorcerer is, I heard people speak about it when I traveled from place to place."

"Sounds like it. People tend to blabber about sorcerers. According to some senior students and teachers in the academy, ordinary people perceive us sorcerers as a more advanced form of life. I mean–controlling elements and having the power to move boulders? I don't blame them."

Fiona frowned at Reo. "What are you blabbering about? That's just a bunch of nonsense. Don't boost the egos of people in the academy. They're big enough already."

He gave Fiona a shrug, then went back to playing with his daggers. She sighed and faced Tyrus. "Thank you for telling us. The fact that you went out of your way to tell us means you trust us to some degree. Also, congratulations! Only one in a hundred sorcerers are Multi-Specialists. Man… you possess the lightning element and you are a Multi-Specialist. Aren't you just lucky?"

Tyrus had to mentally smack himself from cracking a smile. "Speaking of element… I just used fire for the first time." To make sure they believed him, he stuck out his finger and imagined a flame on the tip. The element obeyed, and it flickered. Fiona's eyes shone as she leaned forward.

"You learn way too fast. Are you sure you just awakened? A certain amount of mana connection is required to use an element that is not your primary affinity."

"If it's just establishing a connection, then I see nothing wrong. Thanks to meditation and Bea–er… thanks to living outdoors, I feel like I've been around mana all my life. Learning to use it has been somewhat easy. What's not easy is the burden I have to experience when I use spells and mana."

Fiona's expression turned serious. "You'll have to be careful in preserving your mana. Too much usage and you'll experience mana deprivation. If you don't know what that is, it's a phenomenon when the use of mana has reached critical levels, and the mana heart is or will reach its limit. You'll experience a rapid heart rate, sweating, and a splitting headache. It's like being poisoned. The risk factor of the symptoms increases the stronger the sorcerer."

"…Oh. I may or may not have experienced it a couple of times."

When Tyrus looked away in embarrassment, he heard the flutter of a cloak and witnessed a shadow looming over him. Taking a knee, Fiona grabbed both of his shoulders. "Tyrus, I will only say this once. Never put yourself in that position ever again, you hear me? It's not a joke in the slightest. Promise me you won't purposely undergo mana deprivation."

Looking at her sad yet stern expression, Tyrus immediately nodded his head. "Okay, I understand. I'll do my best to keep my mana levels at a stable level."

Fiona stepped back and let go of him. She reached over and tapped her storage ring. Her ring was slender and boasted a golden hue, a departure from the silver design of his own ring. However, the most striking difference was the red color of the gem embedded within Fiona's ring. What came out of the ring was a stick of bread, cheese, and a mug. With a snap of her hands, she summoned a stream of water above the mug and filled it to the tip. Tyrus couldn't believe what he was seeing; his mouth hung open in disbelief.

"Now that you've finished your training and decided to join us, have something to eat. Nothing tastes better than a meal after a good workout!"

Fiona handed him the meal and mug, and Tyrus took it as he thanked her. "You used the water element without an incantation? How come whenever you use fire spells, you chant, but this time all you needed to do was snap your fingers?"

"Higher forms of spells require a firmer control of mana, thus incantations are used to stabilize the flow. Simple uses of the elements require little concentration and control. Incantations are a safety measure for sorcerers to avoid harming themselves or others. Not needing incantations for stronger spells only comes with confidence and mastery in your element."

Tyrus took a large bite of bread and cheese and continued chewing. Fiona received the mug after he had eaten and drunk. "I tried to shoot lightning out of my hands when I first started out. Are you saying I need a lot of control and concentration for that to happen without incantations?"

Fiona squinted at Tyrus with skepticism emanating from her eyes. "Tyrus… Are you thinking about mastering lightning with no incantations? If so, it will take you a long time for that to happen. Your knowledge of sorcery is minimal as a Fledgling Sorcerer, and it's even more challenging to master your primary affinity for an element outside the main four."

"That shouldn't be a problem for Tyrus," Grant said. The sudden intrusion caused Tyrus to jump and turn around. He had forgotten that both he and Reo were still present. Grant was polishing his armaments once more while Reo moved further away and lay on his side.

"With continuous and diligent training, he could make incredible progress within two years."

"Two years?" Tyrus asked. "Why two?"

Fiona cleared her throat and interjected. "My point is to keep your expectations low to avoid disappointment. Keep training, and you will become strong."

Standing up, she dusted the hem of her robe. "It's about time I get some shut-eye. Despite my dislike for sleeping outdoors, I have no alternative. We have a lengthy walk ahead. Grant, you take night watch. Wake me or Reo in a few hours to switch."

She found a suitable place to rest promptly and covered herself with her robe. Grant resumed his polishing duties nearby.

Initially, Tyrus entertained the thought of engaging in some further training, eager to push his limits. However, Fiona's cautionary words echoed in his mind. Not wanting to disappoint her, Tyrus pushed aside the idea of additional training and instead gravitated toward the comforting warmth of the nearby fire, dozing off to the popping flames.