"You decided to train yourself and your skill but all you got was a headache. You're still going to have to walk the whole way out of this forest you know?"

"Uhh...Eris at least walk with me and stop hiding in my shadow!"

"It's cozy in here and also I don't have to walk ehe."

"Ehe te nandayo!"

"Go, go Haru ko!"

"Moral support? Well, I guess it is more lively in this world thanks to you."

"..."

Did I say something awkward? I thought what I said was perfectly fine though. Maybe she's weak to praise? Well, whatever. I began walking in the direction Eris told me to go and we made our way through the thick forest. There were no monsters about as I continued walking and walking in the way Eris guided me. 

You have obtained the title, [Forest Wanderer].

[Forest Wanderer] - Title given to one that wanders the forests. Speed within forests is slightly increased.

---

Luna Hethal POV:

"Ahahaha! I see, so you're the one in the ruins."

"...and you. A [Sword Saint]?"

"Indeed. The name's Blare Raous. The [Sword Saint] of Graya. I've come to slay the supposed demon that inhabits the ruins of Ezot."

Ezot is a fallen Human Kingdom from a couple of centuries back. They worshipped the Goddess of Spacetime, Vizsal. 

"Is that so? No matter who comes I won't run."

"Are you that attached to this abandoned place?"

"..."

"Or maybe there's something here that you don't want getting out?"

"..."

"You're no fun...whatever, I'm just going to have to remove you now then."

"Just try it."

Blare fell into a striking position. I unsheathed my pearly blade and waited.

[Physical Enhancement]

"Here I come."

[Quick Step]

The distance between her and I closed instantly. I'm now in the range of her modest broadsword. She brutally swung with [Earth Shattering Blow], however, it passed through my body like fanning mist. 

"Wha--"

In that opening made by surprise after the attack, I thrust my blade forward. Her instincts are top-notch and she immediately turned her body into a receiving position.

[Sword of Illusions: Refraction Blade]

The thrust twisted and split, multiple points tore through the slits in Blare's armor. A feat that is only accomplishable with insanely precise swordsmanship. As blood poured from the nonfatal wounds, and Blare looked back a bit dumbfounded. But, I wasn't going to let this chance get by!

[Sword of Illusions: Flash]
[Quick Step]

I am now a step away from Blare. This is one of my favorite combinations, many call it the [Flash Step]. I get close to the opponent while they're blinded by the produced light. Aiming right for a clean beheading...

[Invincible]

"What?"

My sword feels like it was just smashed against bedrock. Although the sword managed a clean hit, her neck remains attached. We both quickly step back. She pulls out a scroll with magic formations inscribed visibly on it from her [Item Box].

"I didn't want to use this, but you caught me off guard. To think there was someone of your caliber here...tell me your name."

"Luna Hethal."

"Luna Hethal, Guardian of the Ezot Ruins."

"It is so."

"Then, Luna Hethal. The time will come when I have your head. Until then..."

She channeled mana into the scroll and the patterns shined bright blue. It seems that the scroll she has is a [Teleport] scroll. One that's used in times of emergency to escape to a preset location. In an instant, she vanished from sight and Luna sheathed her sword.

"What a troublesome fellow. Even I don't want to stay in this wretched nation...but..."

That sword is here...the sword I will protect no matter what. One of the seven, and the most important blade used by the Blade Demon King, the [Blade of Severance].

---

Haruko POV:

You have obtained the skill, [Fatigue Resistance 1].

[Fatigue Resistance] - More resistant to fatigue.

Your skill has leveled up to [Fatigue Resistance 2].

You have obtained the skill, [Hunger Resistance 1].

[Hunger Resistance] - More resistant to hunger.

You have obtained the skill, [Thirst Resistance 2].

[Thirst Resistance] - More resistant to thirst

Your skill has leveled up to [Thirst Resistance 2].

"What?"

"Hm?"

"Eris...I just got some skills for resisting hunger, thirst, and fatigue. I don't feel any of them at all though."

"Well, you've been walking straight for the past two days and a half after all."

"Why don't I feel that tired then? Is this one of my otherworldly powers!?"

"Oh, I put a spell on you to ignore the effects of exhaustiveness and malnutrition."

"ERIS! WHY!?"

"It makes the journey go quicker right? Humans are so needy. Now go, keep moving those feet!"

"I don't want to die from overwork so I'm going to rest!"

"Is that so? Then..."

Eris came out of my shadow and interlocked her arms in front of her adorably. 

"Why don't you train your unique skill some more?"

"Do you not know the meaning of rest?"

"I don't need to rest, so no?"

"Demons sure have it convenient."

"I'm just special. Demons need the same things humans do but less of it since most of their power comes directly from mana. Demons have more mana in their bodies that need to be supplied compared to humans."

"Huh. Do you have any food or drink in your [Item Box]?"

"Hm, probably not."

"Useless."

"Oi."

She lightly punched my arm and pouted endearingly. I sighed and laid on the stocky forest grass.

"You know I don't actually feel like I need to rest because of your spell..."

"It's simple illusion magic. I tricked your mind into thinking that you don't need certain things."

"That's a pretty scary magic despite it being 'simple.' Well, without it I'd probably be immobile from pain so maybe we should just get going."

"That's what I've been saying!"

"But, I expect some relaxing time to rest up when we get out of the forest."

"You got it!"

"Alright, in that case, let's train. Is your mana okay?"

"All good."

This is our routine. We walk, we train [Overpowering Aura] a bit, we walk some more. It's a crazy routine, trust me I know...

I've become more used to how [Overpowering Aura] flows. It's like a storming wave of power, but by focusing on a single point instead of the whole, the flow can be changed and suppressed but only slightly. I've tried focusing these points on all parts of my body. It only mentally fatigues me and I can walk with a headache fine. This probably isn't great for my mind but I'll suffer through anything that'll give me the power to change.

You have obtained the skill, [Concentration].

[Concentration] - When used, you can focus easier on the task at hand. You also get a better sense of your own body and surroundings.

In the unreal space of Eris's [Item Box], I gather [Overpowering Aura] to my right arm and suppress it everywhere else in my body. I can feel the force overwhelming my will after a little bit. When I get out, I once again feel horrible. However, the reason I keep this up is that I can feel myself improving. By using the skill nonstop and training to control it, I've become capable of somewhat suppressing and directing it. Even now, if I used [Overpowering Aura] while fully in Helvias and I really tried suppressing it, then it probably wouldn't reach the divine realm. As expected of an otherworlder's growth capacity and the [Item Box]'s space.

You have obtained the skill, [Mental Fatigue Resistance 1].

[Mental Fatigue Resistance] - More resistant to mental fatigue.

I got out of the space and continued to walk with Eris. I should really ingest something soon though...I don't think it can wait until outside the forest. I don't feel hungry or thirsty but being shown it on my [Status] is throwing me off.

"Eris do you know about the edible plants here?"

"No, why would I know?"

*sigh*

"If you think you won't make it outside the forest then how about this, [Water Magic]."

Eris shot a line of water onto my face. I opened my mouth guzzled some down. I didn't feel that thirsty, but my throat begged to differ. Somehow a bit more refreshed, I wiped my face clean using my school uniform blazer's sleave (underneath the blazer is just my white dress shirt and tie). The uniform I have on is quite filthy with accumulated dirt and sweat. I'm quite sweaty myself but I guess I never noticed the smell.

You have obtained the skill, [Filth Tolerance 1].

[Filth Tolerance] - You can tolerate a certain amount of filth.

"Not that I wanted the skill..."

"O~filth tolerance is a skill owned often by goblins and the like."

"Is that so...*sadness*." 

"Watch this, [Water Ball]."

"Woah...!?"

I am picked up in a water ball slightly bigger than me. It wrapped around my whole body, submerging me. The currents inside began coursing over my body's surface. The ball then suddenly lost shape and I dropped to my feet. As I thought, magic is amazing and I'm all clean. But, my clothes are all wet now.

"[Fire Magic]."

Eris lit a fire midair in front of me and I squatted in front of it while warming myself and my clothes.

"I think I can go on for a little longer, but while I rest in the meantime, teach me some magic Eris."

"You got it."

---

"You see, magic is mana, or MP when quantified. Every person has different affinities and mana pools."

"Affinities?"

"You could be good at a certain spell and bad at another. You can be particularly good with a certain element and bad with a different element. People usually qualify affinities using the main elemental magics. Earth, wind, fire, water, dark, light, spacetime, lightning, etc. There are many types of subgroups as well like magic for summoning, metals, barriers, enchanting, etc. By the way, I'm good with dark magic and normal with the rest."

"Is opening another portal to an [Item Box] with magic alone just normal for someone with spacetime magic?"

"Well, that's just because I have a lot of mana."

"I see."

"Ahem, so let's get you to feel magic first."

"How do I do that?"

"Close your eyes and try to feel the flow of mana in your body and around you. Helvias naturally has an abundant amount in the atmosphere and as an otherworlder you should have an above-average amount. Use [Concentration], it'll help."

[Concentration]

I closed my eyes and focused my mind. Then, I could sense it. Like caressing my body and streaking around every object, I could feel the mana. The feeling is like what I felt when training [Overpowering Aura] but way more relaxed and not like an overload of explosive waves. 

"I can feel it."

"Good, that means you have decent mana perception. Now, try bending that mana to your will."

I began pushing all the mana into one point. A could feel a tiny ball of pure mana squirming within it.

"Hm, not bad. You have a knack for this. That is pure mana, what your will shapes by itself. What makes magic really special is the ability to add attributes to it by your will. Now, form an image of what you want to happen in your mind. A mental image is one of the most important things with magic. Magic with just imagination isn't very efficient though which is why chants, skills, and catalysts like staffs/books are used."

"If you can't control it then, try chanting. Chanting in normal languages allows you to better your mental image, a sort of comfort for the efficiency of your own magic. It'll also help in all spell casting processes if you imbue mana into those words. I don't think I can explain that very well though. Besides that, you can chant in spirit language if you studied it. Chanting in spirit language borrows the spirit's power and is called spirit magic. But, that kind of magic is all about affinity and your likability to spirits. I'm not that likable for them and it doesn't seem like you can utilize spirit magic to its full potential either."

"I see."

I began formulating my mental image.

"Your mental image isn't strong enough."

"Hm..."

Imagining a ball of pure mana and grant it the fire attribute...a fist-sized fire. Think of combustion...a fuel reacting with oxygen...

"Oh! It worked."

A fist-sized fired exactly how I thought of it is in front of me. 

"That's good. That level of magic is pretty much what the average person uses every day. They call it lifestyle magic."

"Is that so?"

"Now try it by chanting."

"What do I chant?"

"I don't know, anything that helps you?"

"Um...a flame the size of a fist appears in front of me...a flame the size of a fist appears in front of me...a flame the size of a fist--"

"Try to infuse your words with mana too if you can."

Infuse my words? What do you mean? Like, infuse the sound waves coming out of my mouth with mana? Longitudinal sound waves use the air as a medium. The physical laws of this world seem the same as my last one, except for the existence of magic, skills, and the like. How am I to infuse words with something I don't have a good grasp on? Words are just me pushing energy into the air at certain frequencies and the air transferring that energy, so if I just wash that area over with mana...

"A flame the size of a fist appears in front of me."

A flame the size of a fist appeared in front of me.

"Woah! I didn't have to focus that much on that one, I just needed to say some mana-infused words..."

"Yeah, you grew abnormally fast but great job. This is the difference between making magic with pure imagination and chanting. Of course, you can go without a chant to save time but this is for mana efficiency."

You have obtained the skill, [Fire Ball 1].

[Fire Ball] - Create a ball of fire.

You have obtained the skill, [Mana-Infused Chanting].

[Mana-Infused Chanting] - Infuse your words with mana and aid the process of spell casting. 

You have obtained the title, [Wielder of Magic Words].

[Wielder of Magic Words] - Title given to someone who can perfectly imbue their words with mana. It has the effect of increasing mana efficiency in casted spells. 

"These are some of the basics of magic. I can teach you more later but break time is over! C'mon let's get going!"

Eris hopped back into my shadow and I practiced magic until my mana fell to below half. Eris didn't recommend any more than this, maybe it's a counter for getting mana deficiency. While doing this, I set off once again with Eris to exit the forest after the break.