Cloaking Infinity
"So, you've finally made progress, huh?"
I looked at my master, barely maintaining mode.
It took two months, but training last night, I had finally made a breakthrough.
[Skill Achieved!]
[Mode - Skill]
Whilst using Mode: Fire
Increases mana output by 100%
This number increases to 150% when using fire imbued magic
Increases body strength by 50%
Increases reflex speed by 50%
Moderate fire resistance
Level 1 - 0%
Even at level one, it provided a humongous increase to my power.
"Agh!"
I couldn't hold onto it for long.
Although the mode granted me moderate fire resistance, it still felt as if I was getting cooked inside out.
The pain was intense, and even though I could maintain the mana required for the mode, my pain tolerance was too low, and my body was not strong enough.
"Wash."
A cold shower of water fell upon me as I lay on the floor.
"Thanks, master."
He rubbed his chin before nodding his head.
"...You can already maintain it for one minute, huh? I'm not one who gives praise out easily, but... this is quite impressive."
I couldn't help but smile.
My master was stingy when it came to praise.
"Alright, it's about time you grow on your own, now."
As I got up, I asked my master what he meant.
"Grow up on my own?"
"Yeah, as you are now, you'd be treated decently anywhere, and regardless, exclusively staying under me would only slow your growth."
I understood what he meant.
"So... when will I go?"
"Tomorrow."
It felt a bit sudden, but I was okay with it.
I had a deep respect for my master, but it wasn't like I was super attached to the guy.
I naturally had a desire to go out on my own and see what the world had to offer.
Back home, I had mostly stayed cooped up in the estate.
For the past half year, I had followed my master.
"Okay, but isn't there one last thing?"
The cloaking spell.
"Yeah, it's ready, matter of fact, we can apply it now."
I felt as if things were moving quickly, but compared to how slowly things had been moving before that, it was alright.
My master got up, making his way to his laboratory.
I followed, looking around with interest.
It was the first time I had entered this place.
Every material I laid my eyes upon seemed to be of high quality, proved by my analysis showing A and S ranks.
"I know it's cool, regardless, take off your shirt and lay down on that table."
There was a operating table in a corner of the room.
Looking at it made me nervous.
"H-hey, you're not gonna cut me open, or something, right?"
I wouldn't like that, and Blue certainly wouldn't like that.
"Nah, it's like a tattoo, except more painful."
'Phew.'
I took off my shirt and laid chest down.
What kind of person wouldn't be scared of surgery?
I had never received a tattoo in my old life, but I wasn't too afraid about it.
My pain tolerance, improved from training mode and my circulation technique, was far higher than the average person's.
I'd probably be able to handle it.
I turned my head to see my master walking towards me whilst holding a sharp needle made from darkness.
It was eerily similar to the blade I had seen him use to slay a wyvern.
I'd probably be able to handle it.
Right?
"Sanguine Supression."
It was so much worse than I had expected.
God damn it, did this lunatic not have any anaesthesia?
He had used that spell five times so far, whenever I was about to pass out.
Even Blue, who lived inside me heart, was in complete panic.
I was in too much pain to even feel bad for him.
With every movement he made with the needle across my back, it felt like my skin was being torn apart.
Literally, I thought I might die.
He had even placed a binding spell on me to prevent me from moving.
'Fuck! Surgery would've been better!'
I screamed mentally, unable to even swear as the binds prevented me from speaking.
After what felt like an eternity, a final sanguine supression was uttered, and I felt relief.
[Trait Gained]
[Pure Veil False Circuitry - SS]
An incredible work of art created by the Lich King for his student. These false circuits are able to fool mages even archmages, making the wielder, Furio, appear to have far less mana then he does in actuality.
Effect: Veil true mana capacity provided by Circuitry of Infinity - EX
The magic shackles were unbound, and I managed to look up and see the status window.
'SS?'
I guess... it was worth it.
No pain, no gain, right?
Even as the pain faded, my mind was still in a state of haywire.
"Hm... I did a good job, didn't I?"
As I groaned in pain, my master congratulated himself on the quality of his work.
After several minutes, I got up.
Seeing a mirror in the corner of the room, I managed to take a loot at my back.
There was an ominous purple and black sigil.
"Well, at least it looks cool."
I didn't really understand what the shape was supposed to represent, but it wasn't ugly by any means.
It definitely felt like a work of art, albeit a work of art that caused me great pain.
I looked towards my master, who had simply been observing me the whole time.
"How does it work? Do I have to do anything?"
It was a trait, so I expected it to work passively, but I was still unsure.
"No, the way it works is pretty simple. Those fake circuits can store a huge amount of mana, way more than someone at your level should be able to, but not so much that people would think too much."
I understood immediately.
"So, they'd just think that I was blessed with immense mana capacity, but not infinite, right?"
"Precisely. Based on how much mana passes through your actual circuits, the mana inside the fake ones will slowly reduce, though if the fake circuits actually do run out, it will start drawing from your actual pool of endless mana to fil itself up again, which to an outsider may seem like unrealistically absurd mana regeneration"
It sounded like a problem, but truthfully, someone thinking my mana regeneration was strange was not nearly as bad as someone thinking I had infinite mana.
"Alright, I can manage with that."
"And also, even people at or slightly above my level would be fooled, so if you meet someone like that... don't worry too much."
It really was quite an excellent thing.
Even an archmage would be fooled by the movement of mana shown by the fake circuits.
"But... what if someone sees the tattoo... thing."
"Ah, don't worry about that, only you and I can see it."
It was not an effect listed under the trait, which confused me.
But to be frank, on this matter, I trusted my master more than the screen.
I supposed all of this was fitting for an SS rank trait.
"So, master, if we're to split... what do you think I should do?"
"Well, my young disciple, I've got a quest for you."
He moved to one of the lab's walls, which had a huge map of the continent.
He pointed to a specific city surrounded by many dreadful environments.
The free city of adventurers, Babel.
"In two years, I want you to become an A rank adventurer."
LOG 25 - THE FREE CITY OF ADVENTURERS, BABEL
A city surrounded by wild lands. It is known as the free city of adventurers due to it not falling under the baner of any nation, simply existing by itself, being almost entirely inhabited by adventurers and their families. It is surrounded by countless monsters, ranging from wolves and goblins to sea monsters and wyverns.
