Life Hunter 197 ''Cryptic Arts''

It had just been thirty minutes since Jin had ordered new facilities to be built but there was already something habitable. Some large trucks just came and left some strange materials before leaving. The workers put them together to form the frame of the walls and the roof. Then after that, they placed some unknown silk-like material to make the true walls.

There were no floors, doors, rooms or windows but the whole thing was already heated and isolated. Even though the ground was still uneven, the whole structure was still st.u.r.dy. Now, it was the floors which were being defined while the walls and the roof were being optimized with an additional layer of what seemed to be simple wood.

"Technology is a fascinating thing, isn't it? At this rate, they'll finish in a few hours" Chulainn commented. Arister shrugged and just observed the kids sitting down in the yard.

Every teacher chosen by Arima decided to gather every student outside and teach them the very basics before making them watch Arima's simplest lectures. At the moment, they were learning what were the magic circuits and the mana pool. They were going to start serious teaching after that.

"That guy seems to be enjoying himself" Chulainn said as he looked at Rex talking with some students. Hieran had already created a large cave with Earth magic and was sleeping there since he wasn't needed for today.

"Well, I don't think it will be really a problem to teach those children" Arister remarked while watching Arima's former students giving the lectures "That one is particularly strong" He pointed at Gaodu and Chulainn agreed.

"Yeah, I heard he had Dionysus's inheritance. He can go far with that"

"You're right…" Arister glanced at the giant tree on the horizon "I kinda feel bad for him though. Out of all of this" He muttered and Rex bent his neck to approach them.

"Don't even make me say it. I don't know what kind of teacher she can be. But in all honesty, being her pupil would be the last thing I would wish for" The dinosaur said and Chulainn laughed.

"Well, for a human, it may not be that bad, you know?" He retorted and Rex tilted his huge head. Chulainn grinned "In this world, Dryads are quite famous. For many reasons"

*******************************************

Evergreen had already grown a mother tree and brought Jin inside. It was the same kind of place she had used to welcome Arima before. The floor, roof, and walls were made of wood and the whole room was illuminated by green lights.

Evergreen sighed and sat down on a fancy wooden chair. She wasn't saying anything so Jin groaned before opening his mouth "So… where do we start?"

"Nowhere" Evergreen indifferently answered "For now, your job is to stand up straight without trembling" She said and tapped gently on a white orb which was floating around her. When she did that, a door formed right next to Jin.

He frowned and sought confirmation before opening it. When he pa.s.sed through the door, he ended up in the middle of an endless meadow and the room he had just walked out from was revealed to be a small hut. He looked up and covered his face because of the bright sun.

It was exactly like the dimension Seria, the dryad which asked Arima for help before, lived in "This place is the natural place created each time a mother tree is nurtured" Evergreen explained. She was out of the small hut but was still sitting on her chair, right in front of the door "Anyway, just do what I asked now"

"What? Stand up? Did you take a clear look at me?" Jin was perplexed.

Evergreen shot him a glare and made him quiet down "It may be tough for you since your body has already reached its oldest state but as long as you circulate your mana little bit, it's easy. Even with a body like yours"

"When someone uses mana for the first time, his magic circuits will stabilize and undergo some drastic changes. For you, when you will drive your mana for the first time, your life force level will raise depending on how trained your body is, how strong your mentality is, and things like that. From what I can see, maybe you'll reach the fourth or fifth level directly"

Jin inhaled and opened his arms wide "Fine, then how do I do it? How do I channel my mana?"

"Find it by yourself" Evergreen replied and Jin's expression twitched.

"How am I supposed to use an energy which I've never been in contact with? I don't even know how it is supposed to work"

"I heard our common friend, Arimane, managed to cast a magic the moment he entered the other world" Evergreen told and Jin clicked his tongue.

"Don't compare me to that freak" He retorted and Evergreen snickered.

"Just do it. If you manage to do it by yourself, it'll be a great experience" She declared and Jin looked back at her. She was smiling honestly and although she was kind of rude, she was quietly watching him. It seemed that she was going to observe his progress attentively.

"(Well, maybe she's serious with her job…)" Jin thought and sighed. He closed his eyes and immediately started trying to find the mana in his body. Something which he didn't even know existed until this morning.

******************************************

The next day, Jin broadcasted a press conference from the newly established academy and revealed to the world the existence of magic and the Téra which will arrive soon.

Actually, most people easily accepted it. Even some younger ones were simply excited to see the fiction come true. The adults and elders were incredulous but had to believe it when they saw some children playing with magic in the streets.

Usually, people would either panic or maybe even become slightly nasty and try to attack people or even say that magic shouldn't be practiced. But no one even sent a complaint to Aurorae. They were told that children would get taught how to use magic and that adults would also be welcome.

But no one complained. They had been under the rule of Aurorae for an entire generation now. They were used to be given orders but they also knew that Aurorae never acted unfairly for the citizens.

Furthermore, there was a rumor saying that Arimane Blade had reappeared recently. And to be exact, some images of Arima in his dragon form were leaked to the public. But it was, of course, intentional. Arima instructed the organization to leak those images on purpose.

Even if people may think that it is fake, it was enough to make them doubt and fear him. In the first place, on this planet, he was known, not as the Kind Demon but simply as a Demon. There wasn't anyone who didn't fear him for the actions he perpetrated a century ago.

All of that happened in one morning and the rumors were going wild while Arima had gone back inside his soul realm again. When Layla went to him to ask the same question as before, he responded by laughing "Try harder" Then said.

"…That's not an answer" She muttered annoyingly before following him inside his soul realm "By the way, what about your arm?" She asked after the whole group had sat down on a blue stone in the middle of the vines and flowers.

"It's a fake one" Arima raised his left arm. It didn't seem to be any different from his right arm but Arima snorted "This is just a copy. You could break it with just one hit. All of this because you went a little too far" He glared at Layla and she chuckled wryly "Maybe I can heal it quickly if I use Eion energy, or just turn into the 'Kind Demon' with Night… But for now, it's not necessary anyway" Arima sighed.

"So, why are we here?" Night inquired.

"I'm creating a new category" Arima answered and Night's eyes widened "To be exact, I'm optimizing some magic"

"What's the name of the category then?" Karma asked.

"Cryptic"

"Cryptic?"

"Yeah, the Cryptic Arts" Arima affirmed and started to draw a magic circle on the ground.

"What are they for?"

"They are optimized magic. Not really made for something. For example, the fifth one is 'Aeterna'. It's a magic which I and Karma are used to. But I'm trying to optimize it. The fourth one concerns Superore. The third is for me and Night. The second is for me and Karma again. And the first is with me and Layla" He declared.

"Basically, they're magic which I already used before but to which I am adding a complete theory. There's also the particularity that each art requires someone or something to conjure" Arima summarized and continued to draw the magic circle. It was quite small but it was already extremely complex.

Night hummed and observed the circle "Is that for 'Aeterna' then?"

"Yeah"

To create a magic that can be used by others without limitations is a lot longer than simply casting it. When you make a magic, you always have to draw a magic circle like the one Arima was drawing. You inscribe the chant on it then define the theories with the runes.

After that, you have to draw the forms which will allow the mana to flow effectively for the specific magic you want to create. Afterward, you have to memorize that circle before integrating it with your magic circuits to form a new 'path' for it.

It's also by memorizing those kinds of circles that Lanya, Arister, and Arima's students learned the Arts before. Then, of course, once you have the circle perfectly memorized and integrated, you have to learn how the mana flows when you read the chant. The best way to do that is through a demonstration, instructions, or trial and error.

"How long will it take?"

"Mm" Arima mused "Maybe around two weeks to make all the Arts. You all have to help by the way. Well, you and Layla only need to be here for one Art. Karma will work with me for two of them and I can work alone with Superore obviously"

"And now that you say that; Karma come here" Arima called and Karma immediately came to sit down in front of him "With this, 'Aeterna' will be usable with any weapon but I want to create a layer just for you and me. So, we'll have to work together for that" Arima uttered and Karma nodded dazedly while following Arima's instructions.

Night crossed his arms and watched silently. Layla rested her chin on her hands and also watched as Karma was being taught how to draw the circle.

After ten minutes, Night grunted and stood up "I can't wait like that" He sighed "Where is he?"

Arima snickered and pointed behind him with his thumb "Go in that direction for twenty thousand miles. You'll find a huge tomb. Just blow it up to wake him up"

Night smirked and cracked his knuckles "Sounds fun" He flapped his wings and flew away.

"You should go too" Arima said toward Layla "We don't share our memories since the Life Judgment. At best he has a good impression of you. But he'll not be as nice as me. It's a good way to train"

Layla squinted her eyes as she looked where Night left "How strong is he?"

Arima laughed at her question "How strong? Don't be mistaken. It's not because I am stronger than him that he is quietly staying here. Malum is strong. If I had to fight against him in equal conditions, I would definitely lose. Considering the fact that he absorbed more timelines than me and also has better control over death magic, it's normal"

"Wow" Layla was genuinely surprised. And it was the same for Karma "I have to change my opinion on him a little bit now" She stated and stood up "Well, I'll go then" Her silver wings appeared then she flew away too.

Arima looked at her until she left his sight "(Well, I hope he won't be too hard on them)" He thought; totally rejecting the possibility that Night and Layla could have the advantage on Malum "Anyway, let's do this nicely Karma. We'll go with the Second Art directly after we finish this one" He said and Karma breathed in and nodded. She was actually growing tired already but she didn't dare to complain.

*****************************************

Not far from Neptune, a strange wormhole opened and a silhouette came out of it. It was the subordinate who had reported his discoveries to Harion. His entire body seemed to be made of shadows and only his glowing eyes could be seen.

He looked around and his eyes flashed when they fell on Earth "An array? A Time array is encompa.s.sing the entire planet… is that The Traveler's work?" He was confused "No, he's not versed in Time magic. Then is it that Life Hunter? But how can he keep it active?"

He asked himself these questions until he reached the Earth. He stopped there and tried to see what was behind the giant clock. He clicked his tongue "I don't have a choice. I'll just go in. I can't let that Life Hunter become a Plane Guardian" He mumbled and instantly transformed into a black shadow which went through the array.