After testing the "Communication Magic Box" and discovering that it could be combined with tracking magic, Yuuki considered it a pleasant surprise.
His attention now turned to the remaining two magical tools. So far, three of the five artifacts had exceeded his expectations. Naturally, the last two drew his keen interest.
One of them was a sphere about the size of a volleyball, entirely transparent, with soft, rainbow-colored light shimmering within.
Yuuki gently poked it with a finger. It wasn't hard—rather, it was elastic, with a pleasantly soft, rounded feel.
Gurgle~
As he infused mana into the sphere, it immediately turned silver, glowing faintly.
At the same time, Yuuki formed a connection with the spherical artifact. With a thought, it hovered before him, moving up, down, and even sideways in response to his will.
"It changes according to the user's mana type."
He considered this and converted his mana to fire.
Whoosh!
The silver sphere instantly transformed into a floating fireball.
Yuuki shifted his mana again.
The sphere became a water orb, glowing with green light entwined with vines, or a ball of rock, or one of ice—the artifact adapted to any elemental magic he wielded. Truly extraordinary!
Testing its offensive potential, Yuuki realized that not only was the power of magic attacks enhanced, but the mana consumption dropped by roughly one-third.
This artifact was clearly a formidable combat support tool. Even reducing mana consumption by a third alone would greatly increase a mage's combat potential. For Yuuki, who could wield multiple magic types, the effect was even more significant.
Additionally, the sphere could assist with flight.
Whoosh!
Yuuki rose into the air within his extra-dimensional space, the sphere floating beside him like a magical grimoire. The levitation force enveloped him, allowing him to perform complex aerial maneuvers with ease.
After some experimentation, Yuuki landed, wearing a pleased expression. He had originally planned to replicate several flight spells or study lighter elemental magic like wind to learn flight control. With this artifact, he saved himself all that effort.
"It can adapt to any mana type… I'll call it the Elemental Sphere," he said with a small smile.
Next, he examined the last artifact: an hourglass. Compared to the others, it seemed ordinary.
Naturally, he first associated an hourglass with time.
Could it be related to time magic? His heart raced with anticipation.
Unfortunately, reality did not match his hope. The hourglass had nothing to do with time; its true function was linked to barriers.
By consuming the user's mana, it could create an independent barrier, forming a sealed space around its user.
While practical, it fell short of the allure that a time-related ability would have offered. Yuuki felt slightly disappointed.
But considering it further, this made sense. The most valuable treasures in the Magic Palace were the Wind Spirit Scroll and the Demon-Dweller Sword. If the hourglass had granted time-related magic, its value would likely surpass even those two items.
After all, wind magic and the Demon-Dweller Sword had historical precedent. Time magic, on the other hand, had only ever been wielded by Wizard King Julius—specifically, by the time demon residing within him.
Yuuki shook his head, surveying the five ancient artifacts before him: the Communication Magic Box, the Elemental Sphere, the Mana Container, the Guardian Golden Sword, and the Barrier Hourglass.
Each was priceless. These were not ordinary black-market items—they were all magical artifacts capable of enhancing a mage's abilities. For Yuuki, the real reward from the Magic Palace wasn't the gold or jewels, but these five tools.
Whoosh!
A spatial portal appeared in the kitchen, and Yuuki stepped out with a faint smile.
What a fruitful haul.
He turned his attention to the tofu that had been pressing for some time. Lifting the heavy lid from the mold, a rich aroma immediately filled the air.
"This is the scent I was looking for," Yuuki said, sniffing carefully. He gazed at the smooth, perfectly formed white tofu with satisfaction.
The mold was designed to drain excess water, allowing control over the tofu's texture. Longer pressing made firmer tofu; shorter pressing yielded softer tofu.
This batch had exceeded his expectations—better appearance and richer flavor. Yuuki suspected it was due to the ingredients, as almost everything in this world absorbed mana to some extent.
He then transferred the tofu to a brine solution.
"By tomorrow morning, it should be ready to eat," he said, satisfied.
The brine not only preserved the tofu but also removed any unpleasant odor, enhancing its flavor.
Stretching lazily, Yuuki left the kitchen and returned to his room for a well-earned rest.
So much had happened today, particularly the intense battle against Mars. Although the "Phoenix Feather Garment" fully healed his wounds, the exertion and fatigue remained.
The next morning, at a tavern table, Rebecca and several younger siblings gazed curiously at three plates in front of them.
Each plate held pure white, small cube-shaped pieces they had never seen before.
Marveling at the unfamiliar delicacy, their eyes shone with wonder, unsure whether it was edible—but it looked beautiful.
(End of chapter)
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