the Awakening of Magic
Bert worked with concentration, crafting talismans on an improvised table. He failed from time to time, but occasionally managed a successful one, and as the attempts went on, his success rate gradually improved. His progress, though slow, was evident.
Meanwhile, Loli, Sig, and Alfred sat next to a pile of thick branches, using stone knives to carve them. Sig had previously marked the desired shapes with a sharp rock, and the others only had to follow the lines. In the end, Sig handled the final details with precision, making sure each part turned out exactly as she had envisioned.
At the same time, Sig worked on the puppet's core. With confident movements, she glued the small spherical core to the wooden frame using thick sap as a natural adhesive. Then, she connected the magical threads, guided by the subtle lines her crafting skill revealed over the object. Finally, she inserted a fragment of mana stone into the center, causing the core to glow intensely.
"You have created: Puppet Core (Low Quality)"
"You have gained 10 points in the Puppeteer profession."
"Awesome, I got it on the first try!" Sig exclaimed with a proud smile. Loli, covered in sawdust up to her nose from all the carving, smiled as well. "Nice work!" she said, continuing to patiently sand the first of the legs. Alfred, for his part, was already working on the fourth leg, carved with flawless precision and completely clean, as if he were in a surgical room.
Sig began taking the finished legs for final touches. She used abrasive stones to smooth them out and give them the right texture to be accepted as valid crafting materials. Only the spider's body was missing—seemingly the easiest part, but in reality the most complex: it had to be filled with magical threads connected to the core and then extended to each leg, the head, and the control center.
With great care, Sig began assembling everything. Loli watched with curiosity while Alfred handed her the needed pieces. Sig didn't say a word; she was completely focused. She knew that if she made a mistake, she'd have to start over from scratch. For about twenty minutes, she worked in silence, fitting each part together with slow, surgical precision.
Finally, she took the central magic thread, extended from the heart of the puppet—the glowing core hidden among the torso branches—and began pulling slowly. One by one, the threads connected to the legs, adjusting their positions and securing them to the body. When she reached the final point, the entire spider lit up for a second... and in that instant, the branch structure vanished, replaced by a fully carved wooden figure: a small mechanical spider, clean, compact, and functional.
"You have created: Puppet – Small Spider (Low Rank)"
"You have gained 50 points in the Puppeteer profession."
"You have created your first puppet with the Puppeteer profession."
"You have acquired the skill: Puppet Control."
"You have acquired the skill: Connected Vision."
"You have acquired the skill: Thread Control."
"You have acquired the skill: Puppet Link."
Sig looked at the messages floating in her vision with growing interest. She felt a faint magical vibration inside her chest… and then a connection. She turned toward the small spider—around thirty centimeters long—just as it began moving in sync with her fingers.
"Wow, this is amazing!" Sig exclaimed, manipulating the spider with precision. A new screen appeared on the side, showing what the spider saw. Below it, a bar showed its durability: 200 / 200.
She could also see the information panel of her creation:
…
"Small Spider"
Low Quality Puppet
Type: Simple Marionette
Class: Artificial Creature
Defense: 2
Damage: 0
Durability: 200 / 200
Skills:
• Climb – Can scale vertical surfaces with ease.
• Thread – Produces basic thread useful for bindings, traps, or simple sutures.
Description:
A small artificial spider created by a novice puppeteer. Its body is fragile and its magic limited. It has no growth or upgrade potential. Ideal for minor tasks, exploration, or distraction.
…
Bert approached, eyeing the puppet with interest.
"All right, I'm done with the talismans. I managed to make thirty in total and leveled up my profession. I even unlocked a new recipe," he said with a faint smile.
…
Push Talisman
Talisman Level: Novice (Level 2)
Type: Trap / Utility
Effect:
When activated, it generates a wave of energy that pushes the nearest enemy back 2 meters. It causes no damage but can unbalance, interrupt abilities, or push the target out of range.
Durability: 1 use
Activation: Instant on stepping or manual activation
Area of Effect: Single target (frontal direction)
Description:
A simple talisman created by beginners. It emits a directional burst of magical energy. Useful for maintaining distance, triggering traps, or moving objects without direct contact.
Notes:
– Can be used to push enemies into other traps.
– Works on unanchored objects (boxes, weapons, etc.).
– Does not affect targets over 100 kg or immune to push effects.
…
"Unfortunately, rabbit blood doesn't work for this type of talisman… so we'll have to settle for basic materials," Bert said seriously.
"Honestly… I'd like to start fighting real enemies already," Sig said confidently, placing her small spider on her shoulder like a living pet.
"I'd like to evolve one more time before that," Bert added. "But first, I want to gather as many mana stones as possible. I hope you're with me to collect materials for the quests—wood, stone, whatever we can find."
"Besides hunting, which gives both items and experience, we can use the mana stones to buy a lot more talismans," he continued, mentally outlining a plan. Though the explosive talismans were useful, something about Lua's board bothered him: why had she filled it with so many cleanup and reconstruction missions? And all of them well-paid.
"But we don't have sharp enough picks or axes to collect wood or stone," Loli said, wiping her face, still covered in sawdust.
"Are you serious? You made five holes with a single spell," Bert said, arms crossed and frowning. "And you even leveled up the spell. But you're forgetting something important."
He stepped closer and added:
"The spellbooks we found… we haven't even properly opened them. And Lua said that when we got one, we should go see her. Maybe they're more useful than they look."
"Right!" Loli exclaimed, digging through her bag until she pulled out two small magic books.
…
📘 Spellbook: Tornado
Runic Name: Cycle of Aerial Rupture
Description:
A grimoire covered in hardened feathers, with spiral engravings that seem to spin with the wind. When opened, a soft breeze flows through its pages. It's said to contain the magical design to summon a swirling force capable of devastating everything in its path.
📗 Spellbook: Wind Wall
Runic Name: Celestial Protection Layer
Description:
A thin book with flexible covers that flutter as if breathing. Inside lies the magical blueprint for erecting an invisible wind barrier, used to block attacks and deflect threats. Only those with a true desire to protect can activate its power.
Loli handed one to Bert while she opened the Wind Wall book. Sig moved closer to read with her. The moment they looked at the pages, their faces filled with confusion. Bert frowned as he opened his own.
"Now I understand why Lua said we should go to her if we wanted to learn magic," commented Bert.
"It's not like before… we don't learn the spell just by touching the book," added Sig with annoyance.
"Come on, let's go find her," said Loli with a determined smile, for once not feeling like her heart would explode just from seeing her.
When they arrived at the house in the center of the village and called through the gap in the wall, Lua slowly opened her eyes. Her crimson gaze glowed in the dark, and her horns emitted a faint reddish light. Loli stepped back immediately, letting Sig and Bert speak.
"What is it?" asked Lua sleepily, rubbing her face as she looked at them.
"Sorry to bother you, but we found magic books… and you said we should come to you if we wanted to learn," explained Sig.
Lua nodded slowly from her bed.
"Wait in the plaza. I'll be right out."
"Sure," said Bert and Sig, bringing Loli along with them.
…
The three of them watched in amazement as several slimes hopped around the village. They weren't doing it randomly: they moved toward piles of trash or rotten wood, settled on them, and after a few seconds, bubbled until they decomposed what they touched. Then they would move to the next pile. After repeating the process several times, some of them split, doubling their pace.
Lua also observed them as she stepped outside.
"How long has it been doing that?" she asked.
"Since it got here," replied Sia calmly. "About four hours. And the more it splits, the faster it cleans. It's like a natural cleaner."
Lua smiled slightly and approached the group.
"What spells did you find?" she asked.
"Tornado and Wind Wall," Bert replied.
"Good. They're simple spells, but first you have to learn magic control."
"Magic control?" they all asked at once.
Lua sat down and explained:
"Unlike skills, spells don't level up. Everything depends on how well you control your mana. The better your mastery, the stronger your spells will be—even the basic ones."
She quickly drew some runes in the air. They glowed, forming a magical circle that spun in place. She pushed it toward the sky.
A small tornado appeared in the distance. As it advanced, it grew larger and larger. At ten meters, it already stood twenty tall, and the wind was whipping everyone's hair. When it reached the sea, it absorbed water and transformed into a massive cyclone.
But then, from the depths, a giant water column emerged, destroyed the tornado, and triggered a torrential downpour.
"Maybe I shouldn't cast spells over the sea," Lua said calmly.
"What was that…?" asked Sig, stunned.
"A sea beast. But let's get back to the lesson."
She looked at Alfred.
"I don't know if you plan to use magic later on, but your race is purely physical. For now, you don't have any mana, so you can't learn spells. But you can use aura, which is also a form of internal magic control. It boosts strength, speed, defense… and it's easier to learn."
Then she looked at the others.
"To use spells, you first need to learn how to move mana inside your bodies."
"Like when you helped me in the forest with the lion?" asked Loli.
"Yes, but that time I transferred my mana into you. Now you have to feel your own core and draw energy from it. We all have one, like demon beasts. Our body is just a vessel; at our core, we are still spirits."
The three closed their eyes. Alfred stood to the side, watching attentively.
"Now feel your insides," said Lua.
"What should we be feeling?" asked Sig.
"Anything. Magic is born from emotion, and each person feels it differently."
A few minutes passed. Loli and Sig opened their eyes at the same time.
"I felt it!" they both said together.
"Perfect," said Lua, smiling softly. Bert managed to do it shortly after.
"Now channel the mana toward your hands. If you lose focus, you'll have to start over."
The three stayed concentrated. Lua watched them patiently. After about 30 minutes, Loli and Sig finally managed to move the mana successfully.
…
🌀 Magic Skill: Magic Control
Type: Fundamental – Level 1
EXP to reach Level 2: 2000 EXP
Description:
Allows the user to manipulate mana flow with precision. It is the foundation for casting spells, forming runes, moving mana inside the body, and channeling it into magical tools or talismans. The higher the level, the greater the precision, range, and speed of use.
Common uses:
– Drawing runes for spells
– Guiding mana through the body's channels
– Activating magical devices (doors, seals, crystals)
– Controlling the intensity or duration of a spell
Unlocked secondary skill:
🔹 Telekinesis (Level 1) – Using mana threads, allows the user to move small objects at short range. Ideal for training, delicate manipulation, or combat support. Requires concentration and constant mana consumption.
Current limitations:
– Cannot move heavy or enchanted objects
– Interrupted if concentration is lost
– Does not affect living beings