More cycles had passed since I abandoned part of my humanity. Sixty-two cycles, to be exact, adding up to a total of one hundred and five since I arrived here. More than three months... and without sun or night, time really feels different than it should.
Anyway, I had made quite some progress regarding human magic. With draconian magic, rather than advancing, I developed a spell that fixed my "lack of magical power." It was simple: I created a rope—or rather, a tentacle—of draconian energy that wrapped around a being while its other end remained connected to me. It allowed me to steal magical energy from the inhabitants of this plane and redistribute it evenly between the two sources I used. Obviously, most of it went to dragon magic.
I noticed there was no difference when charging my calculation-based spells with draconian energy. None. But I couldn't do the opposite. That's why I considered stopping using neutral mana and simply "burning" it, transforming it into draconic energy.
I think it's better to have a single source that works for everything rather than using neutral mana. If they were truly different energies, like ki and magic, I'd consider it. But if both serve the same purpose and one is more efficient… the decision is obvious.
As I said, I progressed in all areas until I reached military magic. Let me tell you something: magic is the most broken thing there is.
Alchemy is basically transforming the world and its components into whatever the alchemist desires, as long as they have the energy and knowledge. Everything is possible.
Runic magic consists of engraving a spell on a physical object in a semi-permanent or permanent way, which is incredibly useful in the long run.
Military magic is pure destruction. Spells designed to finish off any living being except you: bursts of magic spheres like a minigun, traps that activate when passed, and other craziness.
Obviously, with alchemy I improved my base. Not much, since I didn't plan to stay here much longer. I flattened walls and the floor with transmutation. I made a makeshift bed by raising part of the floor and placing the skin of some monster that "offered" itself as fabric. It wasn't much, but enough.
I still had topics left to learn. The book said I could already take the graduation exam to be considered a full-fledged mage. It was a very special spell: Gradual Cognitive Expansion.
This spell did three essential things:
It accelerated thought up to a certain point. Once you got used to that speed, it became your natural mental state.
It divided thought into an amount n raised to the n. With two mental rooms, you could think about 4 things at the same time. With 3, 27. With 4, 256. Most mages only reached n = 4.
It granted perfect memory from the moment the spell was imprinted.
This spell is directly inscribed in the mage's mind. Once accustomed, it needs no more energy to stay active, unless you want higher speed or temporary rooms. Remembering complex spells stops being a problem.
So why didn't I do it? Because it enters the ritual and esoteric realm, touching difficult concepts like the mind and the soul. These are the two longest topics in the book, and I haven't touched them yet. Although I already mastered enough magic for it, I preferred to wait.
Today I decided this place had nothing left to offer me. I no longer needed a refuge. As a last act of affection for these cliffs that welcomed me, I decided to eliminate a plague.
I was in the place where I last saw those cheap T-Rex imitations. Until now, I had avoided them; facing more than one was a sure death. But today… today was different.
I placed some magical traps. Nothing complicated: a spell that created a ten-meter-deep pit. I would activate it when the monsters were surrounded. Today they would die.
I waited hours. Nothing. But I knew this was their lair: food remains, claw marks, and the total absence of other animals were proof enough for me.
Just when I was bored enough to go back to studying magic, the pack arrived. The stench of fresh blood followed each of their members, dragging lifeless prey in their jaws. Blood was spilled with their every step. I smiled. They were volunteering for the meat grinder, like their companion who was now history.
When all were in trap range, a small magic signal activated the spell instantly. The earth split, forming a channel over twenty meters wide. They were trapped with me. You know, these creatures aren't really evil and it's silly to attack them, my rational mind tells me. But I don't know… since I woke up in this world, something changed. The death and suffering of others cause me nothing but a sick pleasure. Watching life escape their bodies, watching blood spilled like trash… But the taste of fresh blood and flesh in my mouth feels like a five-star gourmet meal. Almost the only thing I can feel requires the suffering and death of others. So, am I crazy? I don't know, but I'm alive, and that's the only thing that matters.
I used my Twice Critical and jumped at them. The first realized my presence too late. I struck his face; the crunch of his bones sounded in my mind like fresh crunchy food. I plunged my hands into his bestial flesh and used his body to propel myself to his head, where he took more and more blows. I wanted to hear that sound again, I wanted to hear his screams of agony, see blood spilled in my name, watch him fight to his last breath.
…
I stared into the abyss that were the beast's eyes. The smell of dry and fresh blood mixed with rot. Infinite battles unfolded. Blood was spilled. Bodies were torn apart. Mountains of corpses rose to the sky's infinity. Blood formed seas extending as far as the eye could see, swallowing the weakest in its jaws. I looked into the two bottomless pits that were the beast's eyes. Darkness reigned in my being. I was breathless but wanted to fight, wanted to tear everything apart, spill blood and bodies in the beast's name.
…
The other creatures tried to help him but only managed to hinder him more than possible. A water spell was already formed over his head. It wasn't offensive. It just generated water… in large quantities. The liquid filled every path it could. The beast fought, but with each moment grew clumsier, slower, until it breathed its last breath. I wasn't satisfied with his suffering. I wanted to hear more, to feel flesh against flesh, to hear bones crack under my fists, I longed for every scream from those beings as an offering to myself.
"I WANT TO HEAR THEIR SCREAMS OF AGONY, I LONG TO SEE THEIR FLESH TORN IN MY HANDS, I DESIRE THEM TO BLEED FOR ME!!!"
My screams mixed with magic, sewing themselves together like a parody of divinity. Anger became energy, and for an instant, everything was scarlet red. I saw the blood of millions flow before me. Entire universes in conflict, battles, wars… All of it seemed repugnant and unpleasant. That blood was not spilled in my name.
With my mind clouded by blood, I kept attacking. I ripped flesh from the beasts. I drank their blood like a demonic elixir.
But soon I came out of the trance. Most were dead, but those still alive would have a much worse fate. Red tentacles, like liquid blood shaped into serpents, came out of me and plunged into their bodies. Like supernatural leeches, they drained everything: from their blood to the little magic they had was absorbed by me.
It didn't take long until only I remained, accompanied by the empty shells that were once the dominant monsters of this region.
With primordial rage still blinding my judgment, I ventured into the ancient nest of these creatures. This was not over yet.
And there I saw them. The offspring. Defenseless younglings. Just one command from me, and fire consumed everything. The agony of the infants rocked me like a macabre lullaby, made to put supernatural gods to sleep. There, among the corpses of the little ones and the fire, my mind dissolved into dreams of blood and destruction.