Inside the apartment. Pierce sat cross-legged on the floor, eyes squeezed shut. A moment later, they snapped open, a sharp, crystalline light radiating from his pupils.
"Will-Rune #3... success!" He summoned the HUD.
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[Spirit: 7.01 (+1.6)]
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[Physique: 2.84 (+0.6)]
With the third sigil finalized, his Spirit had surged past the 7-point threshold. As far as he knew, only he and Cedric had reached this height in Class 3. Even the well-born Xavier was still grinding away at the third rune’s complex geometry.
"Omniscience, begin analysis of Rune #4." [Task Created. Estimated time: 12 days.]
Next, Pierce turned his attention to the spell models. As his Spirit grew, the analysis time for his spells had plummeted.
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[Mage Hand: 3 days, 9 hours remaining.]
The itch of curiosity was too strong to ignore. This was it—his first real act of magic. "Omniscience, burn Spirit for maximum acceleration on Task #2!"
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A familiar, bone-deep exhaustion slammed into him. His Spirit was drained to a precarious 0.01 in a heartbeat. Staggering to the bedroom, Pierce collapsed onto the mattress and fell into a dreamless sleep before his head even hit the pillow.
...
He woke up at midnight to a silent apartment.
Pierce bolted upright, his mind instantly syncing with the newly completed model—Mage Hand. He extended a hand toward the glass on his nightstand and chanted a string of gutteral, ancient syllables.
"Vok-Ar-Sia..."
The air rippled. The glass shuddered, then slowly drifted into the air, hovering and swaying in perfect synchronization with his gaze. To an outsider, the glass moved on its own. But Pierce could see it: a spectral, translucent hand of pure energy gripping the cup.
"So... this is magic."
The sensation was intoxicating. Because of the Eye’s perfect deconstruction, Pierce’s version of the spell was hyper-efficient. It cost only 1 Spirit point and lasted three full minutes. A typical Initiate would burn 2 or 3 points just to get a shaky, unstable manifestation. Pierce could now cast seven spells in a single session—a feat that made him a lethal threat compared to his peers.
Even more tantalizing was the Eye’s new feedback: Personalized Optimization. [Optimization time: 35 days.]
It wasn't a change to the spell’s core, but a reconfiguration of the model to perfectly match Pierce’s unique biological and energy signature. It would become a "Signature Spell"—more powerful and efficient than any standard version, but usable only by him.
"A Signature Spell... tempting," Pierce mused. "But I need to prioritize the mission."
While the peer tutoring was profitable, it wasn't a sustainable career. To secure the high-paying "Gardening Guard" bounty, he needed that niche spell.
"Omniscience, analyze: Verdant Radiance." [Task Created. Estimated time: 10 days.]
"With acceleration, I’ll have it by the day after tomorrow. That garden bounty is as good as mine."