By the time Ren Isana finished washing up and headed downstairs, everyone was already waiting for him. Seeing him arrive, Sora quickly called out, "Class Rep, hurry up and get your status updated! Let's see where your Excelia bar is at!"
She was practically buzzing with excitement. Having Ren go first was an unspoken agreement they had all reached long ago. He *had* to be the first one to update his status; if anyone else tried to cut in line, the rest of the class wouldn't stand for it.
Looking at the crowd, Ren didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You guys could have just started without me, you know," he said helplessly. "There's no need to wait. What, were you too scared to even sit at the dining table until I got here?"
He really didn't know what to say to them anymore. *I guess I really have become their leader,* he grumbled inwardly. Without further ado, Ren walked over and let Hestia update his status board first.
Hestia was already prepared. Seeing Ren approach, she didn't hesitate to start updating his status. Under her deft hands, Ren's attributes materialized on his back.
Level: Lv.4 (89%) Talent: ? Developmental Abilities: ? Martial Arts: [Omni-Weapon Mastery] Magic: [Lightness Technique], [Perception Magic], [Healing Magic], [Protection Barrier], [Weapon Storage], [Lightning Strike], [Piercing Magic Bullet], [Flight Magic], [Piercing Magic Cannon], [Spatial Teleportation], [Spatial Lockdown], [Spatial Barrier], [Ariel・Wind Spirit Dash], [Life Perception], [Calming Magic], [Purification Magic], [Mass Heal], [Wynn Fimbulvetr], [Liv Illusion], [Veil Breath].
"It's already at 89%! It won't be long before you break through, Ren!" Hestia looked at his status with a flash of pleasant surprise in her eyes. There was no need to look too closely at the rest; not much else had changed.
She already knew about the new magic he had learned. The main thing to check was his Excelia progress, and he was incredibly close to leveling up!
Hearing this, Ren wasn't particularly surprised. It was well within his expectations. He was indeed on the verge of a breakthrough, just a tiny bit of Excelia away.
After pulling his shirt back on, Ren said, "Alright, everyone else can start now. Let's see if any of you acquire new magic upon leveling up."
This was what Ren was most curious about. Would his classmates have a chance to awaken new magic upon leveling up, just like the native inhabitants of this world? That was the real point of interest.
The crowd immediately perked up at his words. How could they not look forward to it? For many of them, acquiring a new spell would be like hitting the jackpot.
At Ren's prompting, everyone began taking turns updating their statuses. Asuna and a few others went in the first batch. It wasn't long before Ren felt the distinct surges of aura radiating from their successful breakthroughs.
He even heard gasps of surprise coming from the room. *Did they actually get new magic after leveling up?* Ren thought, unable to stop his own anticipation from building.
Asuna quickly ran out of the room and said, "Ren, I got a spell! But this magic seems a bit... different!"
Saying so, she handed the stamped parchment to Ren. It was written entirely in the language of this world, which everyone could read. Of course, even if it had been written in divine script, Ren would have been able to read it just fine.
Level 4 (8%) Excelia. Under martial arts, aside from [Rapier Mastery], there was a new addition: [Storm Thrust]. Finally, in the magic section, alongside the standard spells everyone had, there was a brand-new one: [Wind of Recovery].
"You gained both a martial art and a spell? [Wind of Recovery]? A support-type magic?" Ren skimmed through Asuna's status sheet, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
"Yeah, support magic... and it's wind-attribute. When this magic appeared, a lot of magical knowledge flooded into my mind. And it doesn't feel like the magic of this world; it feels more like the magic from our world?" Asuna's expression was a bit strange.
It was perhaps more accurate to call it a *series* of spells. Because aside from granting a speed buff to allies, [Wind of Recovery] also possessed healing properties.
Furthermore, she could alter the spell's effects by adjusting its Magic Circle. However, figuring out *how* to adjust it required her to develop it herself. Right now, she only had a speed buff and a healing spell, which actually left her feeling quite dissatisfied.
After all, she didn't want to be a healer! If possible, she wanted to fight on the front lines, head-on. Why did she end up with a support spell?
Dissatisfied. She was extremely dissatisfied. Asuna felt rather gloomy. Plus, the fact that she had to develop the magic herself—wasn't that just making things unnecessarily difficult?
Asuna gloomily explained the mechanics of the magic to Ren. After listening to her explanation, Ren understood perfectly. He couldn't help but say, "This is more like it gave you a magic seed. How you develop it is entirely up to you. Honestly, I think it's pretty great."
Having heard Asuna's breakdown, Ren genuinely felt this magic was excellent. It was essentially giving Asuna an entire magical system. He just wondered if others could learn it too.
"It might be great... but it's not what I wanted. I wanted a magic that could synergize with my Talent," Asuna said wistfully.
"I get it, you don't want to be a healer. But if you develop this magic properly, it'll be incredibly strong. This magic allows you to control the wind element, right?" Ren stroked his chin, his mind racing as he thought of someone who used a sword, controlled the wind element, and could also heal... *Got it. Acting Grand Master Jean!*
The image of that particular figure quickly surfaced in Ren's mind. If it was Asuna, she should be able to achieve something similar, right? Thinking this, Ren looked at her.
Asuna didn't deny it; she truly didn't want to be relegated to a healer role. The two exchanged a glance, and then Asuna said, "I'll teach this magic to you. See if you can learn it? And then give me some advice..."
She wasn't good at developing magic, but standing right in front of her was someone who excelled at it. With that in mind, Asuna felt a strong urge to pass the spell onto Ren.
"You clearly just want me to develop the magic for you!" Ren instantly saw through her intentions and couldn't help but roll his eyes. How could he not understand what she meant? She just wanted to use him as a spell-development workhorse!
Seeing that Ren had exposed her plan, Asuna giggled sheepishly, pressing her palms together in a pleading gesture. "Please! I'm really bad at developing magic... and I don't even know what direction to take it."
After saying that, Asuna looked at Ren with such a pitiful, puppy-dog expression that he found it impossible to refuse. When she looked at him like that, what else could he do?
Ren sighed. "Let's give it a try. I'll see if I can learn it. But if I can't, then helping you develop it is off the table, and you'll have to rely on yourself."
Hearing Ren's agreement, Asuna's face lit up with joy. She nodded eagerly and said, "I'll teach you right now. It goes like this..."
Asuna began explaining the principles of the magic to Ren. After listening to her, Ren grasped the general concept. Once Asuna finished her instruction, Ren activated his observational ability, [Jianjigu], and said, "This magic essentially grants you both the wind attribute and the healing attribute."
Having successfully learned the spell, Ren understood the gist of it. This was likely a manifestation of Asuna's own affinities—wind and healing—which birthed this specific magic.
If others wanted to learn this magic, they could, provided they possessed both of those attributes. Otherwise, it would be impossible to learn.
Hearing Ren's words, Asuna paused, looking at him in surprise. "Did you already learn it?"
For Ren to speak with such certainty, it meant he had already mastered it. Otherwise, how would he know all these details? He must have learned it to understand it so thoroughly.
"Yeah, I've learned it. It seems I can learn the magic you guys awaken, and others probably can too. But there's a prerequisite: they must possess both the healing and wind attributes." Ren didn't deny it, directly stating his findings.
Asuna nodded in understanding. So that was the nature of her magic. *Wind attribute, huh...* Thinking of this, Asuna couldn't help but ask, "Does that mean I can learn Aria's [Ariel・Wind Spirit Dash] from you?"
If she had the wind attribute, then Aria's [Ariel・Wind Spirit Dash] would suit her far better than her own magic. The thought made her eager to learn the spell from Ren.
"You can. In fact, you could even fuse Aria's magic with your own to make it even stronger. But you shouldn't abandon your own magic; it's actually quite excellent." Ren nodded. The current Asuna was indeed capable of learning [Ariel・Wind Spirit Dash].
These words filled Asuna with pleasant surprise. If that was the case, she would have to study hard. She made up her mind right then and there: if she couldn't master it, she absolutely wouldn't step foot in the Dungeon.
Moreover, there were quite a few things she needed to learn after breaking through, right? For example, Ren's [Rokushiki], as well as [Flight Magic] and [Piercing Magic Cannon]. She could learn all of those now.
"I already have some ideas on how to develop your magic. Come on, I'll show you a demonstration." Ren looked at Asuna, said his piece, and walked outside.
Hearing this, Asuna slowly snapped back to reality. She stared at Ren in astonishment. *He already has ideas? This fast?* In that moment, Asuna finally understood how Lefiya and the others felt.
But she didn't dwell on it. If Ren had ideas, that was for the best. She was incredibly curious to see what kind of magic he could come up with.
Following Ren outside, she watched as he drew his Tang Dao. "Watch closely. First, we do this. Since it's wind magic, its suction power is fantastic."
As he spoke, a Magic Circle lit up where Ren gripped the hilt of his sword. The Magic Circle immediately began to spin, generating a terrifying suction force. The surrounding wind rapidly converged toward Ren.
"This can be used for crowd control, pulling the monsters in front of you closer. And because all that wind is gathered in one spot, you can directly blast it out like this!" As Ren's voice fell, he violently thrust his sword forward.
In the next instant, a teal-colored storm erupted from Ren's hand and blasted outward. Seeing this, Asuna's eyes lit up. *This is perfect!* The explosive power was already quite terrifying.
"There's also another way to use it. Like this—continuously blasting the wind outward, paired with your Talent..." As his voice faded, Asuna heard a series of explosive bangs.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!* Sounding like firecrackers, Ren rapidly executed several fierce thrusts. Every explosive boom represented a single attack.
At this moment, Asuna could already imagine just how devastating this move would be when combined with her Talent. Even if she faced a horde of monsters, she could probably blast them all to pieces, right?
She could feel it—every explosive blast from Ren's technique carried a massive shockwave. If that hit a person, it would probably feel like getting run over by a dump truck.
Sure enough, asking Ren for help was the right choice. The thought made Asuna tremble with excitement. But Ren's demonstration wasn't over yet.
"This move is called [Wind Pressure Sword]. And there's one more. I call this technique [Recovery Domain]!" Saying this, Ren immediately raised his sword in front of him. The next moment, a teal Magic Circle appeared beneath his feet.
Immediately after, Asuna felt an incredibly gentle breeze. She then watched as the Magic Circle beneath Ren's feet expanded in a flash. In the blink of an eye, the 1.5-meter Magic Circle ballooned to 15 meters—a tenfold expansion in an instant!
Standing within this Magic Circle, Asuna felt an overwhelming sense of comfort wash over her entire body. *Is this the power of my magic?* Asuna was completely stunned.
It wasn't just Asuna; everyone inside the house felt this incredibly soothing wind. Natsuki Minamiya and Yor Forger were currently upstairs.
Looking through the window, they saw Ren and Asuna below. Natsuki Minamiya said with a hint of surprise, "Is that the girl's magic? It looks quite impressive."
It could attack, and it could heal. Natsuki Minamiya rated this magic very highly. However, the way Ren cast it couldn't simply be called magic anymore; it was a complete fusion of magic and martial arts.
Just like the people of this world. But that was fine. After all, wasn't this the path everyone in the class had hoped to take from the very beginning?
Combining martial arts and magic. And now, it seemed they were finally seeing results.
"Do you feel it? Inside this domain, your speed will continuously increase, making you faster and faster. On top of that, it provides a steady stream of healing. Imagine being in a team fight with this magic active—you'd be healing while you fight." After finishing his demonstration, Ren looked at Asuna with a smile.
Hearing Ren's words, Asuna nodded excitedly. It was true! In a team fight, this magic would act as a mobile healing fountain for everyone. Even if the recovery rate was a bit slow, the cumulative advantage over time would be absolutely terrifying.
"Teach me!" Without a second of hesitation, Asuna immediately asked for instruction. She was beyond satisfied with the magic Ren had helped develop. Perhaps this truly was the most suitable magic for her.
"No problem. It shouldn't be too hard for you to learn." Ren nodded, agreeing without hesitation. He immediately began explaining how to execute [Wind Pressure Sword].
By the time Ren finished explaining the mechanics to Asuna, Megumi Kato and Yukino had also walked outside. Feeling the omnipresent gentle breeze, both girls were filled with wonder. *So this is Asuna's magic.*
"Did you two awaken any magic?" Seeing them approach, Ren paused his lesson and asked. Had they been lucky enough to awaken magic as well?
As Ren wondered this, both girls nodded. Yukino Yukinoshita spoke up, "I awakened an ice-type magic called [Descent of Winter]. It allows me to cast a series of ice and snow spells, but I have to develop them myself."
Following her words, Megumi Kato added, "Mine is [Shadow Stealth]. It allows me to dive into shadows and darkness. It doesn't really require much development."
Yukino's magic required self-development, while Megumi's did not. She could use it right out of the box, as it was simply diving into darkness.
However, this magic suited her perfectly. After all, she had wanted to walk the path of an assassin from the very beginning. With this magic, she would be like a tiger with wings.
"Aside from that... I can finally control my Talent," Megumi shared another piece of good news. Upon breaking through, she had gained the ability to control her notoriously weak presence.
Hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy, and they immediately offered their congratulations. After all, Megumi had always been troubled by her Talent.
Being able to control it now was definitely a good thing. The corners of Megumi's mouth curled up slightly, showing she was in a great mood. Right now, she wasn't actively lowering her presence; she was simply letting it remain normal.
From now on, she probably wouldn't have to worry about being ignored while walking down the street. That was something truly worth celebrating, wasn't it?
After the three of them congratulated Megumi, Yukino turned her gaze to Ren. "Did you learn Asuna's magic? Can her magic be learned and taught to others?"
Yukino was quite curious. She had seen Ren teaching Asuna how to use the magic just now. She wondered if all the magic they acquired upon leveling up could be passed on.
"Yes. As long as you have both the wind and healing attributes, you should be able to learn it." Ren nodded, directly explaining the situation, as that was how Asuna's magic worked.
Hearing this, Yukino nodded thoughtfully. "Then see if you can learn my magic. Once you've learned it, give me some advice. I want to combine my magic with my Talent."
Her current line of thought was similar to Asuna's earlier—she wanted to fuse this magic with her Talent. However, upon hearing her words, Ren slowly formed a mental question mark. "Wait, what? Sis, you want to combine your Talent with your magic? Combine what, exactly? Just use your Talent to control it directly! You can mold it however you want. Doesn't your Talent let you shape it into whatever form you desire?"