From Player To Npc

Chapter 47: A favor for a friend

Shingi was amazed, but it wasn't unexpected/ He knew that this wasn't normal mana and probably had to do with something special. But I didn't expect it to have to do with someone like that.

"What is this mana? What does it have for you? And how did you lose it?" [Shingi]

At that point, he felt something he has forgotten as he didn't have the chance to do for quite some time. That was to take part on a Quest and learn new stories. Even when he learned about his mother didn't feel something like that; it didn't have to do with him. Although it was an interesting story and he was curious about it, taking part in a Quest was very different.

"*sigh* You are always getting to the point, huh? Well, I can't say much, but the only thing I can say is it may be a clue left from my father." [Aella]

As he heard that, Shingi stared at her with a look with clear doubt in his eyes.

"I know, I know, in the past, I may have followed some wrong clues but believe me, this time, it is the real thing." [Aella]

"You always say that."[Shingi]

Shingi had taken a few Quests from Aella based on her father's rumors and clues, but nothing seemed to have successfully led to somewhere. He did get some rewards out of them, but he had to spend too much time on them.

"So then if you can't' tell me about this strange mana, then tell me why are you here? You said you are here because I found it, but what does that have to do with you?" [Shingi]

"Well, you forget that I have my eyes on you always? Or do you think I believed that you died all those years ago? I knew that you would somehow return, so I was waiting. One day, Nalrin smelt you, and we got to start watching you, and I guess I was lucky as it was when you were training here. It took me some time to get my mother to agree to let me get here but in the promise that 'i don't cause any problems.' I mean, what does that mean?" [Allea]

This moment was one of the rare ones that Shingi rolled his eyes as he knew that Aella and trouble weren't too far apart if one wasn't careful.

"As for how I lost it and what it has to do with me, I can tell you that it was a gift and can't tell you exactly how it was lost." [Aella]

Even if she was a Goddess and had lived thousands of years, it didn't mean that she was a great liar, and in reality, Shingi could read her quite easily. He could tell that she is embarrassed to tell him how she lost it.

"Ok, then what kind of help you want from me. You found it, so why not take it and leave?" [Shingi]

It wasn't like he wasn't happy to help, but he wanted to waste time for nothing as he was quite busy either way.

"Well, even if it is there, I can't get it. Whoever put it there have made a seal that I can't pass. But you should be able to find a way to pass it. Right?!?"

================================

QUEST: THE MYSTERY OF AELLA #7421882

Description: Aella, the Goddess of Storm, has been looking for clues for her father. Now her 7421882nd clue is a mysterious Mana, and it was tasked to you to help her break the Seal that keeps it from taking it.

Reward: ????

================================

'The number has increased quite a bit since last time.' [Shingi]

He had taken the same Quest with different numbers of clues each time; each time, the reward was unknown, but it wasn't always a good one. It depended on where the clue led.

"Hmm ... I can try, but this isn't something that I will be able to do in one day most likely. But let me check this Seal you talk about." [Shingi]

When he noticed the unique mana, he didn't notice anything like a Seal but most likely cause he didn't try to manipulate it.

At least it wasn't a Seal that was completely hiding its presence but could tell it was at some point, so not everyone could notice it.

He focused and used his MANA SENSE, and fortunately, he was still under the effects of his Blessing's influence, so his MANA SENSE was more potent than usual.

He focused on that strange mana, and he felt this other energy surrounding it and rebelling the mana he was using for his MANA SENSE. He tried to focus to see if there were any openings, but it seemed like it was completely surrounding it.

The energy didn't seem to be mana, though, and Shingi, for a second, didn't know what it was until he had an idea.

He closed his eyes and focused on VISUALIZATION, which now that it was at Master Rank, he could visualize almost anything in a matter of seconds and even interact with them, which helped with his craft. He could visualize the different parts, put them together, and see if they needed any adjustments without actually crafting them.

He didn't create anything quite complicated this time, just something that looked like an egg. But it was and s big enough to fill his whole hand and some more.

This was the shape of the energy, and he focused his MANA SENSE on his VISUALIZATION creation, and he noticed that he was getting a similar feeling with the Seal of the unique mana.

They weren't entirely the same, but the two energies had more similarities than any mana.

'A seal created out of VISUALIZATION energy? How can something like that, which isn't supposed to interact with anything but its user, is a Seal that interacts and, more specifically, blocks mana?' [Shingi]

He had done some tests, but he still didn't know what the VISUALIZATION was using to power itself.

"This is a fascinating one. You have no idea about it or why it feels like what energy is used for VISUALIZATION?" [Shingi]

Aella seemed to be confused about what Shingi just told her.

"Energy of VISUALIZATION? Do you say this strange Seal has to do with SOUL ENERGY? Then it may be harder than I thought." [Aella]

"SOUL ENERGY? I have heard of few people saying that this was what it was using, but none seemed certain. So what is it?" [Shingi]

Aella seemed to be embarrassed like she said something she shouldn't.

"*sigh* well, I can't tell you much cause it isn't something you mortals should know. But what I can tell you is that it isn't something just anyone can use to create something like that, and everyone who can are very, very dangerous people even for mother and me." [Aella]

Shingi didn't expect to learn something like that, and he wasn't planning to ask for anything more. Something that was a danger for Gods wasn't something to treat light and could handle even if he was his past Player self.

"Well then, do you think you can find a way now that you know this type of info to break this Seal?" [Shingi]

Aella seemed to be reluctant to answer, but her trust in Shingi's character seemed to be enough.

"Well, there aren't many people who can help and aren't one of the 'bad' guys. There are only four, but one has retired, one is sealed to a Realm to keep a great evil with himself, and the other two want to keep themselves hidden." [Aella]

"Who are these people?" [Shingi]

Aella petted her little dragon sleeping on her laps all this time, which seemed to calm her a little.

"Have you heard of the Protectors?" [Aella]

Shingi had spent a lot of time on the mechanics of the game, but also and its History as some Quests may need that kind of knowledge.

He knew the Protectors as Champions of Magic. Each one was an expert in a different type of magic and their source of power.

He knew about the identity of the three of them.

The first one he had heard about seemed to use his magic as a usual Mage, but he was the one behind the creation of many Spells and the teacher of many create Arcane practitioners, among them the one with the highest INT recorded ever. His name seemed to be Angin but hasn't appeared for quite a few decades.

The second Protector he had heard about was using magic to create things like magic items or even constructs to help her fight for her. This was the only female Protector as far as he knew and was called Beliss. She was rumored that she be one Grandmaster craftsman and one even thought of her to maybe a Divine one and or the kingdoms wanted to have something created from her, but she didn't seem interested in them. Now and then, she appeared and helped sometimes or caused destruction; it seemed random of what intention she would have.

The third one he knew about was an interesting one, History wise. His magic seemed to be empowered by his own blood, but it wasn't like he was using Blood Magic. It was rumored that his Mana Tree had all the Elements on it. None had succeeded, Player or NPC, to have a Mana Tree or more than three Elements, so this was thought of as a mere rumor by most. But this wasn't what one mostly knew him for but for his full title. He was Dormon, the Father of Dragons.

Aella told him that Angin was the one that retired. Beliss and Dormon were the other two in the Mortal Realm, at least most of the time, but they kept their distance from the public.

"Well, I can try to see if I can find any clues for them, but I doubt even Nalrin would be able to find them." [Aella]

Nalrin, of course, was the dog he followed here, and it was her dog as the mana he detected was Aella's.

"But this will take some time to check. In the meantime, try to keep your eyes on it or find who was the one behind it. Will leave Egroeg to keep a lookout in case anything happens." [Aella]

She poked a few times her little dragon to wake it up.

It woke and even yawned a little as it looked around and then turned towards Aella.

It seemed like she was able to talk with him telepathically as they were staring at each other.

After almost an hour of just staying like that, it seemed like Aella had finally explained everything to her little pet. It used its short wings, which didn't seem to be strong enough to allow it to fly, at least not for long. He used them and flew up a little and used its claws to start digging them into the tree and start climbing it.

It was soon out of the visual range of Shingi, but he could still tell its location if he focused on that task.

They said their goodbyes, and Shingi hurried to make his way back home one more using his STEALTH and CAMOUFLAGE combo but this time without the Blessing's active effect as it was over some time ago.

But even without them, he had an easy time making his way back in the town and in his room, where Annoue, fortunately, was still asleep.

He lay next to her as usual but didn't 'trap' his hand.

So, he went back to focus on his development of his Mana Tree and Mana Seeds for the rest of the night but not before checking his status, which he was always doing before he started developing his Mana Tree to keep track of his progress.

================================

STATUS

NAME: Shingi Maki

CLASS: None

PROFESSION: Scholar Master

RACE: Blessed Human

HP: 80/80

SP: 40/40

MP: 38/38

STR: 12

AGI: 14

END: 16

INT: 16

CHA: 3

Mana Pool: Earth and Light Element

Skills: VISUALIZATION (Master Rank), MANA MANIPULATION (Master Rank), MANA SENSE (Base Rank), PERCEPTION (Master Rank), STEALTH (Base Rank), IMPROVISED THROW WEAPON (Master Rank), SMITHING (Master Rank), ACCELERATION (Master Rank), MARTIAL ART (Base Rank), GLASSBLOWING (Base Rank)

Spells: MANA HAND (Low Grade), FILTH EATER (Ungraded), MINOR ILLUSION (Ungraded), LIGHT (Ungraded), ROCK THROW (Low Grade), CAMOUFLAGE (Low Grade), INVISIBILITY(Base Grade), DOME OF SILENCE (Base Grade)

Blessings: Blessing of Beliss, Blessing of Dlog

================================

As he finished reading his Status window, he noticed that something had changed. His unknown Blessing wasn't unknown anymore, and actually, the one behind it was one he talked about just a few moments ago.

The female Protector, Beliss.