This method of advancement-the Spellcore- was not the only path to power, as there were secret and rare paths that could only be found or achieved through powerful organizations or empires, ancient creatures of immense power, or through legacies. Of which the last 2 were the most difficult to acquire.

This is where the difference between me and the anomalous objects Audra talked about, became clear. Almost every anomalous object discovered was some sort of a legacy. Containing legacies of powerful creatures and people from a long unknown time. I was an ant in front of their power, though there is no specific mention of what those powers are, they are kept a secret or not mentioned in this book. 

It also mentioned that the different races have their unique path that wouldn't work for the other races, completely that is. The main focus of the Spellcore path is the study and creation of new spells or improving old ones. When one such powerful spell is discovered or created they are kept as powerful cards only allowed to be used by a few select people to defend the faction's interest, whether that be through war or other methods.

This mage path also had numerous sub-paths, such as enchanter mages, smith mages, warrior mages, and healing mages every type of the mage variety existed, so long as any spell related to them existed, which was bonkers, to be honest. 

I closed my eyes shut with my metal eyelids, overwhelmed by the amount of information I have read. 

'This is kinda bad, this magic system is way too good at conflict, thankfully very few people could become accomplished mages or reach a level where they could be considered a threat to a nation.' I sighed looking at my new weak body that couldn't even be compared to my previous body.

It barely had any spells aside from those used by the brain core to maintain it and give me the ability to pilot it.

I looked around the room, it was a huge room that had every piece of equipment that a smith or a crafting person, in general, would need. I looked at Audra hammering away at metal in a corner.

"Hey, Audra." She didn't hear me as she continued hammering.

"HEY!!" I repeated, yet still no answer.

"AUDRA, HELLOO!" finally this time she looked at me as she put the metal in some sort of liquid that didn't look like oil or water.

"Stop shouting, Don't you see I'm busy!" She took out the metal that looked like a shield or something.

"I was wondering, what is your Spellcore, or the spell you used to form it is?" I asked since she didn't look like the enchanter type, yet I saw her writing the spells on my body.

"It's rude to ask something personal like that, your enemies might find a counter to your ability once they truly learn the specific spell you used," she replied.

"Okay, but what is your specialty, like you're a smith or something, but is there a subpath you specialize in?" I walked on my funny short legs, getting to the edge of the table I was reading my book on.

"Well, I haven't specialized in the crafting path, I started doing this as a hobby, and I found myself good at it. So much that I could build or create any item in existence even if it's new or the first time I have seen it. Your body, or more specifically the spells that are inscribed on it, that connect to the brain core thingy you told me about was new to me. I would say three days replicating it was a good record." She replied smugly.

'Wow, how talented is she if her Spellcore wasn't even specialized in the field?' This was the kind of thing I was afraid would happen once I read this magic system, The people whether good or evil would be on another level. 

There was this constant feeling of danger in me ever since I came to this world, and it has recently started to get stronger, just a slight increase but an increase nonetheless. It felt like I could perish any second at any time, giving me existential nightmares whenever I sleep.

'I have to quickly get stronger, I fear I wouldn't stay in this world much longer if I stayed weak and powerless.' affirming my goals, I quickly focused on Audra.

"Hey, How can I get stronger?" I asked just as she was about to start swinging a hammer on another metal.

"AH... I don't know, you're not a human so I can't say if our Spellcore path will work for you. To be honest, I have no idea whatsoever, those stuck-up scholars from the SPELLCRAFT hall are the ones who deal with this sort of thing."

"Can I talk to them safely without them trying to experiment on me?" Just the name scholar and the way Audra talked about them gave me the feeling that it would be a bad idea to interact with them, at least as weak as I am where they could easily force me.

"You wish! They are the most stuck-up people you will ever meet, looking down on others, and thinking of themselves as the true mages. They have this inferiority complex since they aren't useful besides reading books or creating a spell every few decades." Now she was sharpening a dagger.,

"Isn't there a person you could trust or call a friend in them?" 

"..well, there is this annoying girl who bothers me every week or so to make her magic items, and she is trustworthy.. somewhat at least." She had a conflicted expression as she talked about this girl. 

"Is there something wrong with her? more importantly, can she keep a secret?" I asked worriedly, I didn't want to endanger my life.

"Well.. there is nothing wrong with her per se, but she is hard to deal with." It seems she didn't like the trouble the girl would bring or cause to her.

"Then could you ask her to come here tomorrow? I would like to begin as soon as possible." 

"Sigh.. so troublesome, why can't people leave me alone to do my work.. sure now stop interrupting me." She once again went back to hammering at another metal, And I wondered what was she even making. 

'She sure is dedicated..' I would need her dedication and more if I wish to survive and thrive in this dangerous world. I walked back to the book, coming to a page describing what could only be the villains of this world, the Dark Mages. 

They could be summarized as insane, sadistic, or brutal people, who would do anything to gain more power, power to kill anyone they wished to, or in general kill whoever they want to. Most were forced into this hazardous path, where losing a part of yourself was a common occurrence to preserve your life. Most were fugitives or remnants of once prosperous houses or just normal people who were either forced or deliberately chose this path. 

Since Dark mages weren't limited by the amount of mana in their bodies so long as they absorbed the mana of mana crystals, they were more deadly and hard to deal with. Thankfully their messed up body and soul don't allow for a Spellcore or other such things to form, limiting them in a manageable level. Still, as long as they weren't completely insane they could learn energy-intensive or horrendous spells, making them deadly beyond even monsters.

The majority of Dark mages never reach a high level, before they are either killed by another mage or hunted by the church's holy warriors. This was the first time I heard of a church in this world, of course, they would exist in such a strife-ridden world.

But the lucky few dark mages that manage to reach a high level of power managed to create special lineages that every generation in their bloodline inherited, they even like to call themselves as a new race entirely but nobody in the civilized world recognizes them. The vampire lineage was such, along with the Were lineages. These lineages more often than not taken in the form of monsters, reinforcing the idea that they were monsters in human or other race's skin.

The worst part, is they find the Spellcore of mages the most appetizing meal, as it provided an abundant amount of lifeforce energy concentration. This lifeforce energy is usually dispersed thinly in the body, but because of the Spellcore, it concentrates around it. This has the benefit of limiting the minute lifeforce energy leaving your body every second, improving the lifespan from an estimated 100 to almost 300 for mages. Normal or peasant people don't get past more than 90-100 years.