Chapter 119: Kayafe’s Hope

The operating range of my Bond spells is about ten meters per level, so about five kilometers. This means that if I fire a laser, it will continue moving until it either hits something or until it has traveled five kilometers, then it will start dissipating. However, the range for my summons is a lot higher now than it was before the evolution. With [Beacon's Core] my range is seventeen kilometers, and with [Fairy Heart] I can increase my fairies’ range further, to twenty-one kilometers with one heart or all the way up to seventy-one kilometers with all six hearts. Three times my perception radius.

[Summoner's Beacon] has its own radius of stability, two hundred forty meters, so now the question is: how does that interact with my other skills? It's a base number, so if it does synergize with the other skills, then it should be around eight hundred meters with [Beacon's Core] and three and a half kilometers with max fairy hearts.

I put a [Summoner's Beacon] onto one of my clones and have it fly away at max speed. Since it's not a fairy, its max range is normally seventeen kilometers. Once past my range, the beacon starts working, keeping the clone stable. I summon a normal [Fairy Soldier] with no hearts and have it fly away. Soon enough, I have my answer; the fairy easily goes past two hundred forty meters, but slowly starts dissipating after eight hundred, making it another hundred meters before it's gone.

Just to make sure of everything, I summon another fairy, with one heart, and sure enough, its range has been increased. Just how far could it go if I didn't have to limit my Class skills’ growth? Kayafe said that dungeon monsters are weak because their skills aren't as trained as normal monsters… but aren't I the same? Bond Classes are a huge gamble at lower levels – or rather, lower tiers. If, instead, I had a Grand-tier Class, I would have to wait for level five hundred to evolve, but that would also mean I could level my skills much higher. If I didn't have [Mana Manipulation], I would have a very hard time making this work, but the trade-off for that is that I can’t get those higher-tier Classes because it corrupts them all.

With the experiments on my summoning range complete, I tackle the next thing on my list. I summon a Fairy with one heart, and observe what it is actually doing. The heart circulates mana throughout the fairy, and, as the mana flows through the heart, it is intensified. The heart itself is a very complex mana structure that seems to induce 'torque' on the mana, increasing its 'spin'; it's not exactly those things, but those are the words that seem applicable.

It is a very complex structure, but it seems familiar somehow… ah! It resembles one of the mana structures within Myrou's Likeness, to circulate mana throughout that construct. It will take me days, or even weeks, to reverse-engineer the heart and fully study how exactly it works, and that is taking into account my racial skills that help me learn.

For now, I shelve that project and move onto the last item on my agenda, consulting others about their Class evolutions.

I send a clone over to Esofy and Chyzus’ combat academy to ask them, and, while I am there, I might as well partake in their training. At the same time, I am flying over to the Temple to talk to Kayafe.

The students are currently practicing their Bond; ever since Esofy got her Bond Class, she has been focusing more on it during her practice. The students are between six and fifteen years of age: after I taught a bunch of children how to use their Bonds, people have been a little less worried about children accidentally hurting each other with them, although that does sometimes happen.

I don't miss the heads turning to follow my movements from some of the older students, their collective gaze making me a little uncomfortable.

"Alysara! Just the person I wanted to see." Esofy says, noting my entry. "I wanted to ask you the best ways to practice your Bond, I was going to go looking for you when we were done, but you’re here now, so…"

I might as well tell her what I know. Her Bond might be a little harder than mine to passively level up, since it's battle essence, not exactly a day-to-day kind of thing like mine is.

"First, can I ask you something real quick?" I ask; her explanation probably isn't going to be as long-winded as mine.

"Sure!" Esofy motions for me to go first.

"What were your Class evolutions like? Did any of your skills upgrade, and if so, how many? What would you consider normal?" I throw all my questions at her at once.

"Hmm…” She blinks a few times, then answers slowly. “Those are difficult questions. For starters, I don't really know what's ‘normal’, because I've never asked. It's just one of those things we haven't thought about; if it happens, it happens. For me, I had four skills upgrade, but that could just be a fluke."

I thank Esofy for her input and answer her question just as my real body initiates contact with Kayafe. We say our usual greeting, and then I ask my questions.

"It is generally thought that altered skills are a sign of choosing an evolution that is a good fit for you, but not everyone agrees," Kayafe says. "For one, the skills often are altered in a way that favors the style of Class you are working towards. If you like that path, then it's a good thing; however, if you are working towards a different path – a different style for your Class– then it may not be as good." Kayafe pauses to collect her next thoughts.

"Sometimes the type of Class you really want requires a lot more work and needs an intermediary evolution to obtain; in that case, having skills altered to better fit it may not be what you want. It can also have the downside of overspecializing your skills, although that is rare. The best case is when it combines skills, like what you want for [Unlimited Minds]; shared breakthroughs merge, and combining skills almost always results in a better, higher-level skill."

I see, the fairy-centric evolution options I had would probably have had more upgraded skills, but also more specialized toward my fairies. Since I didn't want that, and instead wanted more generalized skills that can apply to more types of summons – which half of my skills already do – there was no need to upgrade them. As a result, only the skills to specialize for distance were upgraded… and to be fair, that is something that I probably needed.

I don't want all my skills to be distance-focused, so it's good to know that I didn't screw up my evolution, but I should start really planning out what I want from my next evolution, rather than roll the dice like I did this time. I want it to be a general Class that helps all of my other Classes, and for that I may need to drop a skill or two to help it go in the right direction.

With my question answered, I change the subject.

"I think I found a possible way to get you out of the Mana Arc; it may work, or it may not, but it's worth exploring, and I can use your expertise. I looked at the Mana Arc's magic framework, and it seems to be built around yours; the problem is that it's not perfect, and is interfering with your other skills." I explain. "It seems like it might be possible to push you out, like replacing a skill; the biggest problem would be to find a magic item to replace you."

Kayafe stays silent for several seconds before answering.

"You'll have to find an item that can match my power, which means it has to be a legendary item and have the advanced version of [Mana Manipulation]; just finding such an item will be near impossible," Kayafe pessimistically says.

"Don't be like that! The item doesn't have to be as powerful as you; it's fine if it's a little weaker, it's just a little more mana pressure, and we can adapt to the higher mana density." I try to cheer her up.

"You underestimate just how much mana is being diverted away," Kayafe says. "It's already deadly to anyone who isn't adapted, and even lowering how much is being diverted away by ten percent will put everyone at risk of lethal mana toxicity unless they are living on the edge of the Nexus."

"At the very least we can get you out, and you can help the Mana Arc divert the mana away. That way, you can at least live a life, and you can maybe create a proper Mana Arc; we can both work on it! With the two of us, I am sure we can accomplish it!"

"You..." Kayafe sighs; however, I can hear her smile. "You're right; I am better used to put my skills into making a better, proper Mana Arc, so don't make me wait too long!"

With Kayafe cheered up, at least a little, I make small talk with her… although 'small' might not be the right word considering we are discussing how magic frameworks work.

As I fly back home, I look through my general skills, considering which ones I can focus on leveling up. [Clear Mind] has mostly mind mage stuff, which I can't level up aside from finding a mind mage in the dungeon – and I am not going anywhere near the Mind Eater, which is a shame as the den it is in has a fair number of other mind magic monsters in it.

Fortunately, the last two breakthroughs together have earned me five more levels, as they help me deal with intense emotions and stray thoughts, [Clear Mind] is now at level ninety-five, and my total general skill level is at nine hundred seventy-seven, so I just need twenty-three more levels to get one thousand general skill levels.

I can't really get anything for [Mental Fortitude]: it's all about resisting mind mage fuckery, and not all of that is easy and relatively safe – like resisting alluring or entrancing spells – most is more like fighting off mages with multiple minds and fighting against overwhelming power. I suppose I can do that, the Mind Eater is there, after all, but it's not safe; instead, I need to find a willing mind mage master to train these skills, and we don’t have any of those.

[Sense Soul] can still use some work; I still have two breakthroughs that I can work on. Both deal with observing monsters being spawned, which I can easily do in the dungeon. That's at least ten levels, so now I need to find thirteen more levels, less if I can find and fight against another Mind Slime.

Well, if I can't get thirteen more levels from any of my general skills that aren't capped, then I need to find a way to get more breakthroughs in skills that are capped, which is difficult because they wouldn't be capped if I knew how to get more breakthroughs.

I can try to see if I can work with my [Musician] friend, Chofel, to try and think of another breakthrough. If that fails, I can take another look at [Persistent State], since I am very familiar with those types of breakthroughs...

Hang on! Clear Mind doesn't have a state of focus breakthrough yet! If I can get [Clear Mind] the state of focus breakthrough, that's an easy ten levels! That just leaves three levels, which I might be able to eke out of [Sense Soul], or from a skill that resists mind mages, should I find another one in the dungeon.

I immediately start working on the breakthrough, and soon enough, I get it; I work throughout the next two days to fully max out the breakthrough.

Ting! Clear Mind has met the requirements for a breakthrough and will continue leveling past level 120!

12th Breakthrough: You've entered a state of focus; this will improve all of your Clear Mind breakthroughs.

Ting! Clear Mind has obtained levels 96-105!

With that done, I just need to get a few more breakthroughs in some of my Class skills, and then it's back off to the dungeon for me.

The only question is, which Class skills should I get breakthroughs in? I can get five more, so at least one for each of my main attack skills – [Fairy heart], [Fairy Explosion], and [Summon Arms] – then one for [Beacon's Core] for more mana and mana regen, and the last should go into either [Summoner's State] or [Summoner's Affinity].