Rael and The Art of Creation

"RAH!!!!!" The White Wyvern roared, even though it was close to us. It was trying to assert its dominance, and it was pretty intimidating, but not enough to make me cower. I had just survived a near-death experience in that pit, so a little threat wasn't that scary. Of course, once the fighting started, things might be a little different.

"How do you want to go about this?"

"I don't know. Actually, I think I'll go in, and you support!"

"Probably for the better. Your combat skills are definitely better than mine."

I listened to Selene and prepared my mind. I began stirring up and channeling mana...

"COUGH!"

'Huh?'

I felt a small burst escape from my body, followed by a sudden wave of light-headedness. I glanced down at the ground where I felt something leave my body and land. Blood. It wasn't subtle — I could feel it starting to drip from my eyes, ears, nose, and, of course, my mouth.

"RAEL!" Selene screamed, her voice thick with worry, but I couldn't even register a response. Hell, I could barely even move. My mind was clearly intact, as I was still processing information as usual, but my body had stopped responding!

I stood still, but not listlessly.

The White Wyvern looked at me with disgust — or at least, that's how I imagined it. It waved one of its claws, and the Green Dragons backed off. 'Does it understand that I'm injured and it's trying to level the playing field?' I could only come to that conclusion.

"Ah... ah..." I tried to speak, but I couldn't. All that came out was an inaudible sound that might only be understood by a madman.

"Don't worry, it's okay! Just don't pass out!" Selene was trying to comfort me, but I didn't know how to tell her that I was mentally fine. However, fear was starting to creep up on me — the fear of the unknown.

'Why?' I had no clue, but for some reason, I couldn't channel mana. I could rile it up, but moving it through my body only brought more pain!

"I understand now." I moved my eyes toward Selene, hoping for some sort of clue or explanation.

She wryly smiled. "You've pushed your body too far and caused a mana overload."

I didn't need a definition of "mana overload" to know it was bad. I glanced at Selene apologetically, trying to convey my regret as best as I could.

"It's okay! Normally, it wouldn't be, but the person who made this trial seems to have some sympathy. The White Dragon doesn't seem to want to gang up on us while we're weakened, but it also isn't going to back off. You focus on getting better! With your high affinity for mana, you should be able to figure something out!"

'How can mana be the solution when it's also the problem?' I began thinking, standing completely still and unmoving so as not to cause any more pain.

-----

[Selene's POV]

"It's good to see he can make mistakes! I was starting to think he was some kind of superhuman... well, technically, he is a High-Human, so maybe that's not too far off.

Hehe~," I tried my best to distract myself from the nervous tension of fighting a wyvern alone.

Sure, I was a True Dragon, but I hadn't grown strong enough to fully benefit from my race's natural gifts just yet. This wyvern wasn't ordinary. Its intricate and complex markings were undeniable proof of its strength. The more a beast understands its abilities, the more intricate and refined its birth markings become.

The golden markings alone signified formidable power, but these weren't ordinary lines. They formed massive, sun-like circles that exuded an overbearing aura, each one emanating a quiet, oppressive presence. The lines branching out from them were jagged, crackling like bolts of lightning. Every mark connected one sun-like circle to the next in a sharp, zigzag pattern, creating a web of energy that made the wyvern appear even more fearsome than before.

"[Omni-Boost!]" I cast my basic strengthening spell and instantly felt my body become lighter, ready for battle. This spell boosted my abilities by 1.5 times my base, which wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Besides, I didn't need to win — I just needed to buy time!

'Please be quick, Rael!'

"Hah!" I stomped off the ground, quickly closing the distance between me and the massive wyvern. As I reached one of its legs, I kicked, hoping to knock it off balance, but...

"?"

'It didn't even flinch?!' I backed away in a panic, but of course, it wouldn't let me escape so easily!

"RAHH!!"

Five lightning spears manifested around its body, crackling with deadly energy before shooting toward me mercilessly.

"[Endurance Boost!]"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The impact echoed like a thunderclap, sending waves of pain searing through my body.

I would have dodged if I could, but I didn't want to risk Rael getting hurt any further. We could only move so far from each other, and any sudden shift in distance would make him share my pain.

'This is already getting way too hard…'

When the lightning finally stopped crackling and roaring, I seized the chance to go on the offensive.

"Space, bind and seal! [Lock Down!]"

But I wasn't finished yet.

"Body, transcend your limits! [Double Physical Strengthening!]"

With renewed vigor, I dashed under the wyvern, this time aiming for its gut instead of its legs. I jumped up, muscles surging with newfound strength, and drove my fist straight into its gut!

"RUAH!!"

It couldn't feign toughness this time. My attack struck true!

'I need to ke—URGH?!'

The wind was knocked clean out of me as my body slammed into the ground with brutal force.

BAM!!

The impact echoed like a thunderclap, sending searing waves of pain coursing through my body. I gasped for air, but the ache in my chest made breathing feel like a luxury I could no longer afford

---

[Rael's POV]

'I need to help her!' This sense of urgency was like none I had ever experienced before. I couldn't stand to see her getting played with like that, especially after how much she's helped me understand this world. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that, while the meeting was strange, she's been nothing but helpful in getting me used to this world!

I carefully riled up my mana, and once again, a sharp pain assaulted me.

'How can I fix this?! It fucking hurts every time I try!'

Anger clouded my reasoning, but I didn't care.

'Think! Think!'

I tried moving mana to one section of the body but the pain skyrocketed. 

"UGH!" I let out unintentionally. The pain was just too great. I looked at everything around me: Selene on the ground, the arrogant — but rightfully so — wyvern, and my blood that painted the ground.

'Wait, blood? I wonder if...' I knew that channeling mana through my body would hurt, but I wondered if I could use a physical medium to invoke magic. Wouldn't that just be like the runes I saw on the obelisk? That was the thought process I had, at least!

'I obviously don't know runes, but maybe by using projection, I could at least manipulate the mana in my blood that I released from my body.' I still couldn't bend down or stretch for the blood on the ground, but I had blood on my face. I channeled some mana very slowly, which was extremely painful but far more bearable, and I roughly moved it into the blood staining my face!

'A weapon! A weapon!' I poured my intent into it with all my strength. I couldn't be of use to her, but perhaps a weapon created from my blood — the blood of a High-Human and one created by a divine entity — had some benefits. That's all I could hope for, at least!

Slowly, my blood resonated with my mana and intent. It started flying in front of my eyes, growing bigger and bigger. But since I had stopped bleeding, it began shimmering as if it were searching for something.

Then, all of a sudden...

'It's pulling my blood from the ground!? I-Is it attracting it by pulling from a similar signal — no, wait, it doesn't matter! Just fucking work!'

---

[Selene's POV]

"HAH~ HAH~!" It hurts, but I should be able to make it.

I slowly got up, but I thought for sure I would die. The Wyvern had ample opportunity to finish me, but it is so much stronger, so perhaps it wants to have some fun.

"Haha... pitiful." I felt weak. I knew I wasn't the strongest by any means, but I'd always been better than people my age... I guess this is how they felt when they went against me.

Swoosh~ Swoosh~!

'Eh?' I felt the wind rush past me all of a sudden. Even the Wyvern was confused, and we both turned to the source!

'Rael! He did it!' Excitement welled up in me.

I saw his blood rise from the ground and pull from his face. I don't know exactly what he did, but I can tell what route he opted for, and to do that while enduring the pain of a mana overload just proved his strength!

His blood danced in a double-helix pattern before condensing quickly into a sphere and then slowly shaping out. In less than a minute, his blood had taken the shape of a one-handed sword. A very basic design, but still amazing that he could even do that! However, it lacked the solidity of a sword, but even that didn't last long, as somehow the blood corrected itself!

'A-Amazing!' I felt nothing but awe at the sheer versatility and adaptability of his Unique.

He remained motionless, clearly worsening his condition after doing whatever he just did to create the blood sword in front of him. He slowly moved his eyes to look at me, and I could tell why he opted for a sword.

'He made it for me? I'll have to make sure not to let him down!'

'Since he is willing to go that far... I should match him! Only bad part...'

"[Omni-Boost x5]!" I could only use this spell for a second, as it broke my body's limiters by 5, and any more would kill me. It was my strongest spell currently for my strengthening magic, however, I had to make sure that we passed this trial!

"HAH!" With speed I couldn't really control, I appeared before the Wyvern in an instant. I slashed at its legs, and with my speed and the strength of the blade, I cut through its legs like butter. I didn't give it time to react though!

As it fell due to its legs being cut off, I channeled power into my legs and jumped upwards, sending me flying into its body. I positioned the sword like a spear and pierced through its heart! But that's all I could do.

'... The bad part is that we'll both be unable to move!'