"What the fuck is this?!"
He spent the morning testing things. He opened the books, half-expecting them to be props or pranks, but the words inside were real-detailed instructions about channeling mana and diagrams of monsters he had never seen.
By noon, he had searched through every corner of the room, checked the clock, even pinched himself more than once. None of it broke the illusion.
Finally, he slumped into the chair and muttered, "This isn't a dream, is it?"
Still unconvinced, Casphian decided to step outside.
The house was exactly the same-the peeling wallpaper, the creaky step-all of it matched the old home he had once shared with his parents.
As he pushed open the door and walked into the street, his breath caught in his throat.
The neighborhood looked the same - the same rows of houses, the same corner store, even the same elderly woman sweeping her yard.
But above it all floated a glimmering sky, forming protective barriers that pulsed faintly with light.
Casphian blinked. "Everyone's... the same? No, not the same. They're the same people, but... different."
...
He spent the rest of the day wandering. The city matched his memories exactly, but here, everything carried a strange twist.
Taxis still rolled down the streets, but their engines powered with mana crystals instead of gasoline. Billboards advertised the latest phones, yet the fine print boasted "powered by magic engineering".
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky's protective barrier glowed faintly above the city, Casphian finally turned back. His legs ached, and his head spun from the flood of impossible sights and thoughts.
He stepped into his house, closed the door behind him, and leaned against it with a long sigh.
"This world... it really is a copy of mine. A parallel world-just with magic stitched into everything."
...
[ 7:30 PM ]
He took a shower to calm his mind, and returned to his room soon after.
"Hey hologram?" He slumped into the bed and murmured.
[ Magic System ]
[ Status Window -
Name: Casphian Arcana
Title: None
HP: 100
MP: ∞(EX)
Magic Talent: EX
Magic Affinity: $?#@#$#(EX) - Sealed
[Stat]
Strength: 3
Stamina: 8
Agility: 4
Perception: 7 ]
[ Universal Roulette - 1x daily lucky draw available ]
[ Quest - Locked (04:11:03s) ]
"It really appeared." Casphian exhaled in excitement.
He had almost forgotten about the strange hologram called the Magic System while trying to confirm if this truly was another world.
"Another glitch in the information..." This was the second time it had happened-the first being when someone, or something, wished him good luck.
"It'll reveal itself in time," Casphian muttered, brushing it off as a simple error before proceeding to test the system's functions.
Over the course of two hours, he experimented with it. He tried speaking to it, asking questions, even muttering random words-but the system never answered nor responded to any of them.
Still, he discovered a few things. He could summon the interface out of thin air with just a thought, no need to speak aloud. The glowing panel would flicker into existence whenever he willed it.
After a while, he decided to try one of its functions.
'Roulette,' he called out in his mind.
[ Universal Roulette - 1x daily lucky draw available ]
[ Use now? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
'Yes, I'll use it now.'
[ Congratulations! The host has received: Fire Affinity (E-) ]
"Oh!" Casphian perked up.
Now that he had an affinity for fire, he realized that he might be able to utilize some fire type spells.
"I will study the history of magic before trying to use it."
"I need to familiarize myself with the basics to be able to survive in this magical world..." He murmured, eyes shining.
Without wasting a second, he rushed to his desk and flipped open the
Casphian had always been systematic-starting with the history, then the basics, and only afterward tackling the most complex parts.
"Hmm..." he had finished the
[ Quest has been unlocked ]
[ Quest List -
Learn a new Magic Spell — 0/1
Time Limit: None ]
[ Universal Roulette - 1x daily lucky draw is now available ]
"So learning the history of magic was a blessing in disguise...and it's nice to know that the lucky draw refreshes at midnight." Casphian murmured, a satisfied smile on his face.
"To use magic, you need sufficient mana... and you also need to memorize each magic circle."
"I don't think I have to worry about mana. But... can I really memorize a magic circle?" He wondered.
The
He also learned that one's magic affinity is innate and not tied to bloodline. A person could be born with water affinity even if both parents wielded fire.
It also explained that four spells were so complex that most magicians preferred to specialize in a single affinity-even if they were born with more than one.
Magic affinity could be improved through repeated training and a deeper understanding of one's element, but those born with higher-ranked affinities almost always outperformed those with lower ones, since the level of affinity was directly proportional to a magician's total mana.
"Life really is unfair, huh..." He sighed.
"Anyway, let's try to learn some magic now..." He flipped open the
Requirement: Fire Affinity, 10 Mana.
A basic offensive spell that condenses mana into a sphere of flame and launches it at a target.>
Below the fireball's description was the magic circle.
Casphian looked at the magic circle and memorized it at a glance.
[ Ding! ]
[ Quest Completed -
Learn a new Magic Spell — 1/1 ]
[ Quest List —
Learn a new Tier 2 Magic Spell
Raise any 1x Magic Spell to Mastery Rank (F)
Time Limit: 7 days ]
"Huh? That's it? That was way too easy..." Casphian muttered in disbelief.
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