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A hundred units of mana in Nokia's hands could only produce the effect of a single unit; the efficiency was simply too low. Consequently, his mana would be completely depleted after healing just a few minor scratches.
However, in George's hands, those same hundred units could be perfectly utilized to achieve a full hundred-unit effect, reaching a pinnacle that Nokia could never have attained in his entire life. Furthermore, with just a few glances at such simple healing magic, George could slightly modify its underlying logic to drastically enhance its effectiveness.
In the eyes of others, the body George currently occupied possessed meager magic power. In reality, George could use that "low" mana to restore a person on the brink of death to perfect health. Even lost limbs or fatal injuries to the heart and brain could be easily cured.
Thus, with this level of healing magic, passing the exam to join the Magic Knights would be no trouble at all. Once he reached the Royal Capital and studied the grimoires of other mages, his mastery would allow him to easily copy their techniques, ensuring his grimoire would no longer be limited to healing magic.
In fact, even without copying offensive spells, healing wasn't his only option. While he couldn't use magic from other worlds for fear of being detected by this world's Creator, "Authorities" involving fundamental universal laws were fair game.
Even if he exercised the Authorities corresponding to the Pathways of the Mystery World, the local Creator wouldn't be able to tell the difference; they would simply perceive it as a unique type of magic. To infiltrate this world and possess his current body, he had already utilized the three Authorities of Theft, Fate, and Death.
However, this minor clone was just one of millions, and its soul essence was extremely faint. Naturally, it could not exert the same world-shaking power as a primary avatar. A primary avatar using "Blind Stupidity" could turn this world's Creator into an idiot, but the minor clone's version lacked such potency.
Still, it was more than enough to deal with average mages. Moreover, using these Authorities didn't consume mana at all, as they were an application of fundamental laws rather than standard magic.
"Oh, what a small world. Just in time, too—I'm getting hungry."
Having healed his wounds, George continued along the forest path and soon encountered the three large wild boars that had gored Nokia to death. Upon seeing George, the boars immediately launched a ferocious charge.
In the wild, boars are often considered more dangerous than bears or tigers. With their massive tusks and charging momentum, they were lethal to ordinary humans.
"Blind Stupidity!"
George smiled slightly. The three boars, mid-charge, suddenly skidded to a halt. The ferocity on their faces vanished, replaced by a look of utter vacancy.
"I'll keep one as a mount; the other two will be food."
He pointed at the strongest boar, using psychological "Hypnosis" to make it lie down submissively by his side. Then, he turned to the other two and utilized the "Fertility" aspect of the Mother Authority.
The bellies of the two boars swelled instantly, and two suckling piglets burst forth. Since adult wild boar meat is often tough and gamey, he planned to have roast suckling pig instead.
He "Envisioned" a burning campfire and a spit, placing the piglets over the flames. Before long, the roast was ready. In the past, he usually relied on Transfiguration to create gourmet food and fine wine instantly; it had been a long time since he had cooked something by hand. Surprisingly, it tasted quite good. Perhaps because this was a magical world, even wild animals were nourished by mana, making their meat superior in quality.
After filling his stomach, George mounted the large wild boar and began a leisurely journey toward the Royal Capital. With a month left before the Magic Knights Entrance Exam, there was plenty of time. He intended to treat the trip as a sightseeing tour.
He noticed that the time flow established by this world's Creator differed from the Chaos—one day in the Chaos was roughly equivalent to a year here. Since the minor clone's primary role was to act as a beacon for the primary avatars to find this world later, there was no rush. Whether he eventually devoured this world or simply copied its template, that was a task for the primary avatars. For now, he was just a scout.
After traveling through forests, mountains, and deserts for over half a month, he finally reached the grasslands and caught sight of the Royal Capital.
"No wonder high-tier mages are rarely born among commoners; the disparity in mana environment is quite significant," George murmured to himself as he looked at the magnificent capital built atop a mountain.
He observed that the closer he got to the Royal Capital, the higher the concentration of ambient mana. This meant that those living near the capital were naturally more likely to be born with superior talent than those in the forsaken borderlands. It was a cycle where the "rich" in mana grew richer, and the "poor" grew poorer.
According to the laws of the Clover Kingdom, commoners were generally forbidden from leaving their designated living areas without special permission. This was likely a tactic by the nobility to maintain control. If commoners moved closer to the capital, the probability of powerful mages appearing among them would increase, and eventually, they would no longer be content with their low status.
George, however, wasn't interested in social reform. He had no desire to lead a peasant uprising. Experience taught him that when commoners overthrew nobles, they simply became the new nobles and continued the cycle of exploitation. In his eyes, there were only friends and enemies. If you were a friend—be you noble, commoner, angel, or demon—you were a friend. If you were an enemy, your status didn't matter; you were just a corpse.
Riding his boar into the city, George sold the beast along with some gold and gemstones he had "found" along the road, amassing a tidy sum. By slightly nudging the Authority of Fate to grant himself some luck, finding treasure on the ground became a natural occurrence.
The Royal Capital was divided into the Outer and Inner Cities. Commoners lived in the Outer City, while royalty, nobility, and the Magic Knight squads occupied the Inner City. Even among commoners, there were tiers; the residents of the capital were far more magically adept than those from border villages. The pedestrians and vendors on the street all possessed a decent level of magic. Consequently, most commoners who passed the entrance exam were residents of the capital. For a commoner from a border village, it was nearly impossible.
With one week remaining before the exam, George checked into an inn and began exploring the streets. The style of this world was very similar to the Fairy Tail world, but the atmosphere regarding magic usage was even denser. After a quick tour, he soon located a bookstore.
Reading was always the best way to gather intelligence.
(End of Chapter)