Seed Of Speed

Days passed, melding into weeks, while Diego spent his time learning magic or sparring with his brothers, either Tovao or Peyni since the others were too weak and Bako still seemed ready to kill him the few times he had passed him on the streets. By now, Diego had learned all of the foundation spells, as Katalina referred to them since they were barely considered spells to her, and a number of basic ones. Firesand had explained that he was simply preparing him for entering the Konto Sect where he would begin to learn how to form his own spells. Katalina, of course, could teach him a massive library filled with spell scrolls worth of magic, but she refused to for the simple reason that it would expose him to more danger. It was not until he had created his own magic before she would be willing to help him advance in that field, but despite that, he had an excellent magic foundation, or so Firesand would say.

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[Mimic] - Max Level

- Allows caster to achieve a basic understand and ability to cast of any magic he witnesses as long as the caster's own understanding is sufficient

[Flash Point] - Level 2 - 145/200

- Allows caster to focus Light Mana into a single point and release a bright burst of light

- 10 mana

[Water Ball] - Level 1 - 78/100

- Allows caster to summon Water Mana from the air and condense it into a liquid

- 15 mana, 5 mana per minute

[Fire Ball] - Level 2 - 102/200

- Allows caster to summon Fire Mana from the air and condense it into a sphere

- 15 mana

[Sand Shift] - Level 1 - 59/100

- Allows caster to channel Earth Mana in the air and make minor adjustments to the ground

- 20 mana

[Lightning Spark] - Level 2 - 157/200

- Allows caster to channel Thunder Mana in the air and create sparks of electricity

- 12 mana

[Gentle Breeze] - Level 2 - 3/200

- Allows caster to channel Wind Mana in the air and create small gusts of wind

- 15 mana

[Shadow Manipulate] - Level 1 - 26/100

- Allows caster to channel Shadow Mana in the air and change existing shadows

[Wind Cloak] - Level 1 - 35/150

- Allows caster to channel Wind Mana in the air and cover their body, decreasing weight and increasing speed

- 25 mana per minute

[Flame's Roar] - Level 1 - 47/150

- Allows caster to channel Fire Mana in the air and release a stream of fire from the mouth

- 45 mana

[Thunder Strike] - Level 1 - 58/150

- Allows caster to channel Thunder Mana in the air and release it with an attack

- 50 mana

[River Stream] - Level 1 - 17/150

- Allows caster to channel Water Mana in the air and summon a stream of water

- 60 mana

[Quaking Stomp] - Level 1 - 11/150

- Allows caster to channel Earth Mana in the air and shake the ground with a stomp

- 70 mana

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Unlike his skills, the spells he learned could only be increased through practice and his own understanding of magic. The dantian was where Solar Energy was stored in the body, and it grew by slowly gathering Solar Energy. The 'third-eye', per Katalina, was where mana was stored, and it grew each time it was used.

His spells worked in a similar fashion, but they were also affected by his affinity. Although Firesand said they would test his affinities when he entered the sect, and he even received a mission to do it, he could easily see that thunder, light, and fire were his strongest with help from the System. Firesand had him spend his practice time equally between the spells, so that they would develop evenly, but reality does not always follow the plan.

During his training with Firesand, Rainshower would sometimes join, giving him a chance to cast spells against someone else who was closer in skill to him… or so was the theory. Their first magical duel had been simple with Diego casting his magic at her and then she would counter the spell with the opposite element, but after he managed to slip a [Shifting Sand] spell passed her defenses and caused her to fall, she had turned to attacking. Diego's hair had been completely singed off at the end of that duel and all of the others ended with him being incased in solid ice, paralyzed with electricity, or sunken deep within the sand like quicksand. Although he wanted to complain about the harsh treatment, Katalina made sure to point out the fact that being hit with the spells would help improve his understanding of each of the elements… while she laughed at his baldness.

Tovao and Peyni also laughed when Diego returned that day for their sparring session. After a week of daily fights, the three brothers had developed a bond far closer than anyone would have guessed which grew more with each day. He only received Experience and Mastery points for the first five duels before Katalina informed him that he would not gain anymore from fighting with them without either of them having a major breakthrough. Diego did not mind since he could still increase his skills and his own personal understanding of the spear.

When Diego was not practicing his magic or training his spear techniques, he spent the majority of his time meditating and in his mental where Katalina would explaining things about natural treasures he might find, danger zones he could possibly encounter, and other information about the magical world he had found himself in. He had been a bit of a manga junkie in his previous life which had given him a weak foundation, but the information Katalina could give him was far more informative and complete than the stories that had been seeped in 'other world' knowledge.

With Diego returning to his nightly, deep meditation, Firesand's and Moonwater's headache of regulating the cultivation formation had returned as well. The shamans managed for five days before Firesand brought it up to him while he was practicing magic with Rainshower. Firesand had been gob-smacked when he learned that Diego could control his level of meditation, but of course, it was Katalina and the System that did the real work for him. Once Firesand understood Diego could easily slip into a deep meditation, he persuaded him to do his cultivation in the middle of the day when the Solar Energy was at its strongest so that the formation could instantly refill the energy Diego absorbed.

And so, that was how his days were spent after Diego won the Days of Ascension. Practice, cultivate, sparring, sleep, then repeat. Katalina was once again impressed by his dedication, although she never said it aloud. The month of the strict schedule had started to from his own unique aura, albeit weaker than Barru's, but there was an air of sharpness that made those weaker than him feel a sense of danger radiating from him when he forgot to retract his aura.