Magic Maker - How to make magic in another world - - Chapter 42

Magic Maker – How to make magic in another world –

Chapter 42   A familiar enemy

Dust swirls around.

With my entire body on edge, I desperately scan my surroundings.

The biggest weakness of magic lies in the time it takes to activate.

No matter how much I shorten the time to manipulate magic power, the duration until I can use magic again remains the same.

At least five seconds.

I have only two options to buy that time: either escape or focus on defense.

I lower my posture, leaping backward while shaping magical power.

Composite magic has high power and offers many advantages compared to simple magic that emanates from a single point.

However, non-composite magic also has its merits.

In this case, I can release magic simultaneously from my right and left hands or with a time difference.

At the moment of shaping magic power, the magical energy level is 90.

Without taking any action, the magical power will be lost.

Composite magical power lasts only ten seconds without any action, and even when using magic, it lasts a maximum of ten seconds.

I believe this is because, upon releasing magical power, it comes into contact with the atmosphere, reacts, and becomes atmospheric magic.

So, without using magic like Flare or Bolt, maintaining the state of magical power, the magical energy is lost unchanged, just as if magic were used.

Setting aside idle talk.

When shaping magical power in both hands, each hand carries 45 units of magical power.

I charge Flare in my right hand, activating it immediately, while maintaining the magical power in my left hand.

Then, after a brief interval, I can also cast Bolt by overlapping both palms.

Since it’s not composite magical power, the power is inferior, and when casting Bolt, ideally, both hands should be overlapped, causing all the gathered magical power in the palms to turn into a single Bolt and allowing only one activation.

However, by preceding with the activation of Flare, it’s possible to cast Bolt with the remaining magical power.

Though the power is low, the advantage of being able to choose between two options within five seconds is significant.

In magic, the time for reactivation is more critical than anything else.

If there’s any way to buy a little more time, it’s essential to utilize it.

The problem lies in the low power, making it unable to deal a fatal blow to the opponent.

As in the recent fight with goblins, the basic use becomes something like ‘blinding.’

However, the tricky part is that this strategy has a strong element of surprise. If the opponent is aware of this method, there’s a high probability of it being countered or guarded against.

Furthermore, both Flare and Bolt require several preparatory movements for activation.

The point of shaping magical power is visually undetectable if the opponent lacks magical power.

However, inevitably, certain movements like raising or extending hands are required.

This is not essential.

The necessity to extend hands, to have hands, is not inherent.

This has been proven; it can be done with the head, shoulders, or legs, for example.

However, it was known even in the early stages that concentrating on parts other than hands is difficult.

When using something, there is a strong image of using hands, and it is influenced by the dominant hand. The right hand was relatively simple, but it was challenging from the left hand.

Because delicate concentration is required, initiating magic from body parts other than hands is difficult.

The same applies to commands by will.

Magic can be cast without extending hands or showing palms, but the power decreases.

Ideally, in the future, I want to cast magic without preparatory movements or specific gestures, but for now, it’s impossible.

With this explanation, you should understand that I am currently in the midst of battle, about to cast regular magic to defeat the opposing ‘enemy.’

I unleashed Flare from my right hand towards “Dad.”

However, my father, who knows my tactics well, naturally dodges the Flare reflexively.

I grasp the remaining magical power in my left hand with both hands, transforming it into Bolt through the discharge emitted from the lightning.

I send the electric current towards Dad, but this, too, is evaded.

I earned two more seconds.

Even with this, I can still say I did well.

Dad approaches with a karate stance, slipping into my guard.

At this moment, my true feelings must have shown on my face.

Gotcha!

There’s no magical power left in both my hands.

However, this doesn’t mean I’ve lost all the released magical power at once.

Certainly, shaping magical power with body parts other than hands is difficult, inefficient, and significantly reduces the magical power amount.

But it’s not impossible.

I concentrate on the magical power stored in both legs.

Leaning to the left, I unleash the “Blow” I had gathered at my feet.

Simultaneously, I kick off the ground.

A faint magic with a magical power of about 20.

However, it undeniably has a secondary force in play.

Utilizing my leg strength and the slight wind generated, my body moves faster than usual.

Dad understands my tactics, and my physical abilities are also well known.

Therefore, there should be a belief that I can’t do more.

I take advantage of this and use the “Jump” I’ve been secretly developing.

By enveloping Blow around my body and consciously manipulating the wind, I assist my movement.

“Huh!?”

Father let out a surprised voice, but it was only for a moment.

He quickly shifted his gaze to where I had dodged and immediately readied himself.

Yes, my recent action was just an evasion.

There was no means of counterattack.

I merely postponed the opportunity for defeat.

However, I bought some time.

Through evasion, the distance between Father and me widened to three meters.

It was more maneuverability than expected, but it worked.

I turned my back to Father and ran at full speed.

It’s embarrassing, but running away while looking at Father is less effective in increasing the distance than running this way.

This is only effective in practice and can only be used if the opponent is Father.

It works because the opponent doesn’t have a long-range weapon, won’t slash my back, and is in a state where he’ll hold back.

Just as Father knows about me, I know about Father.

If Father says he’ll hold back, he definitely will.

And that won’t change even if unexpected things happen.

If I run at full speed, he should follow at a ‘speed that’s just enough.’

Naturally, I succeed in buying an additional four seconds.

“Not letting you get away!”

Father’s voice is heard right behind me.

He’s likely already swinging his wooden sword.

There’s not even a second’s delay, but I’m already molding magic.

To be precise, I had already been molding it.

As I turn around, I simultaneously crouch.

A dangerous object is approaching from above.

There’s no way to avoid it by lowering my posture.

It’s over.

Those would likely be the words that crossed Father’s mind.

But…

“Guh!?”

Something that fell from above Father suddenly bursts.

A mass of water.

Aqua.

I molded magic, gathered and solidified moisture within a radius of about thirty meters.

And then, instead of creating the water at my own position, I created it “above Father’s head.”

The water mass suddenly born in the air falls naturally due to gravity.

I merely created it; I didn’t give it any force.

By anticipating Father’s movement, calculating the timing, I had prepared it above his head.

Even if just for an instant, I deprived Father of his line of sight. This is significant.

Confident in the opportunity, I use the around 30 magic I had gathered in my right hand to “place my hand on the ground.”

In an instant.

“Nuoo!”

Father’s feet got caught by the ground, and he lost his balance.

The earth beneath his feet slightly rose, clearly different from the surrounding soil, holding air within it.

Solidified soil and raised soil—the difference is evident without explanation.

I permeated atmospheric magic into the ground.

Atmospheric magic is essentially air itself.

If you can alter the mass of that, it logically follows that you can also expand it.

By sending air into the ground and softening it, I created a pitfall.

I named it ‘Fall.’

However, with a magic amount of only 30, I could bring about only a slight change.

At best, it would bury the legs up to the knees.

But at this moment, that was enough.

Father lost his sight and balance.

In that state, I might win if I had some kind of weapon.

However, that is not the victory condition for this match.

I quickly moved to Father’s side.

He extended his right hand towards the front for a moment, wiping his face with his left hand a little late.

But I wasn’t there.

Reaching from the side, I touched Father’s back.

“…Yes, I win.”

“Kuh! I never expected you to use such a method.”

The victory condition for the match was touching Father’s back, and the defeat condition was getting hit anywhere on the body with a wooden sword.

In a normal match, such a complicated victory condition wouldn’t exist. Typically, winning would be as simple as scoring one point.

However, I handle magic, and Father handles a sword. It’s dangerous if my magic touches Father.

For me, the only means of avoiding Father’s attacks is to defend using the lightning defense. Of course, simple evasion is possible, but no matter how agile, it won’t last long.

With a sword, there are various techniques like parrying, redirecting, or blocking, but for me, it’s impossible. Naturally, if a sword hits me, it would be a fatal blow.

Considering this, I practice how to avoid attacks, use magic to defeat the opponent without taking hits, and at the same time, when Father loses sight of me and enters a blind spot, he becomes vulnerable to my magic.

Even during the magic’s cooldown, if there is enough agility to take the opponent’s back, I, as a mage, would have maneuvered more skillfully. That’s why I set such victory conditions.

“Haa, finally won…”

Father sighed as he wiped his face and climbed out of the pitfall.

“That’s enough. Your agility has improved significantly compared to the beginning. Your use of magic is not just about overwhelming power but also about utilizing it, creating weaknesses and openings in the opponent while being able to use it effectively. It’s quite impressive. Above all, constantly thinking of new magic and putting it into practical use is commendable.”

“…Father, I think you’re praising your son too much.”

Children crave praise more than anything. However, when it becomes a regular occurrence, it can lead to excessive confidence and arrogance. While there’s no need for baseless self-deprecation, excessive praise may not be ideal.

“Even if the son says it himself, it lacks persuasiveness.”

“…Y-yeah, you’re right.”

“But that improvement in the Blow magic, or whatever that improved magic was. I was genuinely surprised.”

“Hehe, right? But it’s challenging to adjust, and sometimes I can’t move in the direction I intended. There’s still research to be done. I want to fly in the sky in the future, though.”

“Fly? Like a bird? Hm… That’s an expansive dream.”

Father’s eyes were clearly sparkling. And that’s only natural. After all, he’s a man. That’s what you call the romance of a man.

“I’ll carry you and fly, Dad.”

“I’ll look forward to that time. The sky… hmm, sounds good. The sky…”

“Excuse me, you two. I hate to interrupt your lively conversation, but I also want to spar with my father.”

Marie looked exasperated, casting a disapproving glance at us.

“Oh, sorry, sis.”

“We got carried away. Let’s get started then.”

With a sigh, Marie drew her wooden sword and faced off against Dad.