Before I started with the materials, even the small trickle of Mana I was sending into my Authority Core was getting hard to hold in. I had to release my hold on my Authority.

I didn't do anything special. I just let go.

The pressurized Authority that had been building up within me exploded outwards. I think the aura reached nearly fifty metres out, which seemed really far to me since it was also the range at which I could send Mana through a distribution array or maintain control over a construct. This meant if someone had their aura pulled in tight to their body like the Phasic Mosquito, I could create Mana constructs completely surrounding them.

That didn't seem right. How would warriors even fight while being bombarded on all sides by a magic user?

Not that it mattered to me, it was my gain.

I just let that sit for a while as my aura slowly burned itself off outside my body. Then, while waiting for that to happen, I fed every single material I had available into [Biomagical Analysis]. Only one stood out as particularly interesting. The one I hadn't checked the description of yet.

[Wondersprout Fibre] Description: A dense, fibrous organic material. Absorbs ambient Nature Mana passively and can be stimulated with Life Energy to catalyze controlled generation of refined Nature Mana. Naturally radiates Authority as a side effect of its internal Mana cycling. The aura produced by this material has an inherent Growth domain to it.

Structure - Leaf Fibre Origin - Analyzed Sample Mana Structure - Growth, Natural, Aura, Generative Tier - II - Wrought AMSS Profile (Rathe-Scaled) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Blunt Resistance: R1 Pierce Resistance: R1 Shear Resistance: R1 Elasticity: R1 Mana Conductivity: R2 Mana Capacity R20 Mana Resistance: R2 Mana Compliance: R1 Mana Generation Rate: R2 Non-Mana Conductivity: R3 Heat Tolerance: R1 Cold Tolerance: R1 Kinetic Sheen: R2 Contact Serenity: R2 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Soul Reactivity: +26% Arcana -15% Might +7% Grace

The capacity for Wondersprout was fucking ridiculous. Too bad I couldn't use it as a storage vessel because any Mana inside it was almost immediately converted into Authority. Perhaps I could extract that specific property? I wondered if it was because the plant was considered in the second Ascension, or at least that's what I assumed the 'II' meant. Because it carried almost the exact meaning in Rootspeech as the 'I' next to my level in my Status Menu.

It wasn't written as a simple 'one'. The number carried significance to it. The exact nature of that significance was unspecified, but if I had to call it anything, it was akin to the number holding metanarrative significance.

I also saw what it meant by 'Growth domain.' Just sitting here with my Authority blasting outwards was causing sprouts to shoot from the ground, and even the trees seemed to be growing slightly.

The list of materials was just the first part of the Skill. The second part provided insight on Intent shaping, and it seemed to do this in the form of a secondary menu.

[Recommended Transmutations] [Trivial] [Very Easy] [Easy] [???]

I decided to start with Trivial. Obviously, I'd have to prove I was good at this already; otherwise, I'd have to give it up and never try again.

Being clever truly is a curse.

[Available Trivial Transmutations]

Status: Processing options… Suggestion: Increase Wit to improve data processing speed.

Ranked in order of difficulty:

[Random Garbage] Continue just mixing material properties with Corruptive Nature Mana.

[Solflower Petal] Material Components: Runaspriggan Wiring + Ashenflare Leaf Process: Interlinking Graftfusion Mana Requirements: Nature (Growth focus) + Light Features: Mana Conversion (Nature/Sun)

[Glacivein Muscle] Material Components: Bloodroot Blood + Klyven Dew Process: Essence Flash Freezing Mana Requirements: Nature + Ice Features: High Mana Compliance

[Whisperash Bark] Material Components: Runaspriggan Flesh + Ashenflare Leaf Process: Draincasting + Interlinking Graftfusion Mana Requirements: Nature + Cold / Nature + Sound Features: High Contact Serenity / Presence Dampening

…

I felt both hurt and called out. Did my System really have to put it that way? I thought I was doing pretty well… Wait, did Syladine write that? That would make sense.

Oh, except for the fact that she apologized to me in the other message she left. I didn't know what to think, maybe I was just making assumptions, but it was rude either way.

I decided to start with Glacivein Muscle, since after Whisperash, the processing section began rapidly expanding into ridiculous proportions. Selecting that option, I was presented with step-by-step instructions on how to perform Essence Flash Freezing. I was really thankful I had changed my System language to Rootspeech because it made specific instructions a lot easier to understand.

The process began simply: just blend the two fluids.

To achieve this properly, I decided to design a device to obtain an even mixture of the two substances. I had plenty of experience in chemistry labs, so I had some idea of what I was working with here. Don't ask why.

I created a plate that I designed to release heat with a dial to control the manifested Fire Mana output. It was starting to get fairly cold as my domain took effect, so the two fluids might freeze if left exposed. It was powered using environmental Mana pulled in through Stabilized Manavine Alloy.

On top of the hotplate, I placed a cup, and inside the cup, I put a stirring bead with a Kinetic Mana circuit inside it. The bead would spin until it ran out of Mana. The entire setup was made out of Scorchbranch to prevent environmental Mana saturation.

I turned on the hotplate, testing the temperature to make sure it was warm but not hot then began pouring in an equal amount of Klyven Dew and Bloodroot Blood. Once I had an amount that I thought was right I placed a rod made out of Manavine attached to a bit of Wondersprout just to suck out any residual Mana. Then I covered it to let the two mix.

On one side, I created a casting container, one Groveheart Root wire for Cold Mana and Runaspriggan Wiring wire for Nature Mana. The two wires were coated in Scorchbranch and twisted together before being inserted into the side of the cast.

The mixture remained warm while the two viscous fluids slowly began to blend. Ten minutes later, I checked and found a purple mixture that was rather watery.

I shrugged and poured it into the cast, then sealed it.

Just as I was about to begin channelling Mana into the mixture, I received a twinge from [Biomagical Analysis] informing me that something was wrong. Upon reviewing the documentation again, I realized I needed to align the Nature Mana with the concept of musculature. The intent-shaping aid was already proving helpful.

Unfortunately, the imagery I had to hold in my mind was disgusting. I took a shuddering breath. It's not flesh muscles, it's plant muscles, don't think too hard about it.

This time, I did my best to keep the intent aligned with my goal. I was using Nature Mana to create a musculature structure in the Bloodroot, then immediately freezing it in place with Ice Mana to stabilize the material.

A minute or so later, I decided it was probably ready and opened the container. Inside was a jelly-like purple substance.

I shrugged and put it in my Inventory, then checked what my Core thought of it.

[Useless Garbage] You screwed up while trying to make Glacivein Muscle and are left with Useless Garbage as a result. Maybe next time you'll stumble onto something useful by complete accident.

Hey, what the hell, why is my Core being so mean?

Useless garbage, I'll show you useless garbage.

I started the process over again from the beginning, this time being very careful and checking every step before taking any action.

The final result resembled shiny red ice. I put that in my Inventory and checked what it was.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

[Useless Garbage] You screwed up while trying to make Glacivein Muscle and are left with Useless Garbage as a result. This one was even worse than the last attempt.

Fucking bullshit, Core. Why don't you do it then? Huh?

I received a memory impression that displayed a small metal ball, specifically highlighting the lack of hands.

I AM ALSO THE SAME SMALL METAL BALL. I FIGURED IT OUT.

Whatever, what do I know?… 'What does it know?' I mean. That was weird. I'm not my Core's System. Why did I think that?

Okay, big problems also call for big solutions. It was time to scale up this operation and move it off the ground. I deserve a table, and maybe getting snow in my cup is fucking it up. I tried to crack my fingers, but produced no result because I have no bones. After a moment of disappointment, I picked up a stick and snapped it in half.

Good enough!

Pulling Nature Mana through my body, I allowed it to flow directly through the Scorchbranch, completely bypassing my usual wiring system. Then I gathered it together and stomped my foot into the ground, releasing all the built-up Mana, doing something similar to how I survived back in the Cradle of Ash.

All the plants touching the ground responded to my Intent as my Mana flooded their root systems. Grasses gathered, trees blended, and a fusion of everything I knew about Nature, excluding Corruption and Winter, was combined to create a nice little abode. Then I used [New Growth] to build a door for the frame.

Entering the cottage, I had to rip the pre-built chair off the ground with a burst of Nature.

Sitting at the only desk in the room, I leaned back into the chair and thought about how to do this.

I could give up and design a ritual specifically for this purpose. One that would create exactly the material I want. However, that would be both very expensive in terms of Mana cost, and I kind of need to learn how to use Intent better anyway. Autumn chided me about that… I wondered what they were up to. It felt like I hadn't seen them in forever.

Though to be fair, my measurement of time might be a little off with how fast I think now.

Letting out a sigh, I began setting up what I would consider lab-grade equipment. The heat plate was now ten times larger. A bucket-sized container was then placed on top and sealed with a vacuum. Courtesy of a bit of Air Mana

That was then attached to a pump that would automatically send completed batches into casts, which would ping when full. I then wired my body up to all the casts and waited to begin trying different versions of intent.

Did I regret not taking that Skill that would have allowed me to simulate these in [Mana Simulations]? A little yeah. It's fine, though, the real world is more… Real. Or something, I don't know.

At least the Skill got some use designing this entire setup.

The first batch was ready, and I activated the pump. After I heard it begin to gurgle as the last of the fluid drained out, I disconnected the hose from the cast and washed it out with manifested pure water, then heated it and reapplied the vacuum seal.

The dirty water went out the window. I didn't really care about chemical pollution. These were all plant-derived materials anyway. I was just returning magically manifested plant material to the soil. The cycle of life as they say.

Then I started the process of applying Intent one by one to the casts, then checking the contents. Halfway through, after the tenth Useless Garbage, I started another batch on the hotplate. This time, lowering the heat. Technically, my heat resistance should also apply to liquids, so it doesn't make sense for me to be overheating and potentially destroying something important.

The rest of the first batch also failed.

[Useless Garbage] You screwed up while trying to make Glacivein Muscle and are left with Useless Garbage as a result. It's getting kind of sad. Are you sure you don't want to try something easier, like finger painting?

I nearly gave in to temptation and threw my Core out the window. Only holding myself back because it would be ridiculous to throw myself out the window.

The next set of casts finished, and I began the process again.

This time, the results were sort of better. I think.

It looked like a muscle this time, at least, or well, part of it did. The other part didn't get enough Ice Mana, I think, because it was still a liquid. But that didn't make any sense.

I really wish I had some kind of glass. Maybe a see-through plant material. Instead, I just opened one of the casts to see what was inside.

The result was a rather viscous blue fluid. Had the heat actually been too high?

I eyed the window before deciding that throwing myself out of it wouldn't help.

I started a new batch this time without any heat at all. Then started trying each of the still-sealed casts.

They were improving, but something was still not quite right. I stopped underpowering the Ice Mana since, with a thicker viscosity, I needed more oomph to freeze the material. But if I used too much Ice, it wouldn't form into a muscle.

I tried the next batch, but it was completely ruined. Using no heat had basically turned it into some kind of cement. I ended up having to ditch the entire flask and make a new one.

Just adding a tiny bit of heat, enough that it felt… Well, not skin temperature because I didn't have body heat, but something resembling what I'd approximate that to be.

Filling the casts again, I began trying again. What I needed to have happen was for the muscle to form. Then that muscle needed to be completely frozen in place to contain the essence of musculature or some bullshit. The instructions used a lot of esoteric terms that meant something because everything in Rootspeech had meaning. It just didn't mean something that I understood very well.

It was like only part of the meaning was included, as if the person who wrote the instructions assumed prior knowledge of the subject.

I finally decided to try waiting a moment after I imbued the muscle Intent before adding the Ice Mana. Despite the fact that the instructions said 'add Ice and Nature Mana together to lock the essence of musculature derived from the…' I just didn't think that was right.

On that attempt, I was met with a blue shiny throbbing thing. Is this it? Did it work?

[Glacivein Muscle] Description: A dense, phytomuscular organic material. Designed using a simple Essence Flash Freezing. This material is highly pliable by Mana Manipulation, and the force exerted per unit of Mana is vastly increased. Strikes made using this material also have a chilling effect.

Structure - Frozen Phytomusculature Origin - Bloodroot Blood + Klyven Dew Mana Structure - Strength, Ice, Flow, Precision Tier - I - Emblazoned AMSS Profile (Rathe-Scaled) ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Blunt Resistance: R2 Pierce Resistance: R1 Shear Resistance: R1 Elasticity: R3 Mana Conductivity: R2 Mana Capacity R2 Mana Resistance: R2 Mana Compliance: R6 Non-Mana Conductivity: R1 Heat Tolerance: R0 Cold Tolerance: R4 Kinetic Sheen: R1 Contact Serenity: R0 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Soul Reactivity: -5% Wit +10% Might +6% Grace

I did it! Damn, a Rathe value of six, so my Might will be multiplied by thirty-two times when using the material as muscles.

I couldn't stop a giggle from coming out. That was going to be crazy once I actually added them to my body. I was thinking about layering them around my conduits to maximize their benefit. The best way to use them was to treat them like real muscles protected by Scorchbranch skin. Because the properties other than Compliance kind of sucked.

Wait, 'simple Essence Flash Freeze' what about this bullshit was simple? Oh, gods, how bad were the later materials going to be?

I sagged in my chair. Reality had dealt a fatal blow to my will to… Wait, why did I keep this up the whole time? Normally, I would have dropped this after the first failure.

Oh, spite, right. That's a useful motivator. I looked out the window. The snow was pretty. I always liked winter. It was the coziest time of year. Especially since I couldn't even feel cold anymore, I bet my Core ran better at colder temperatures.

…

I wondered if my duplicate had finished trying to figure out Winter Mana yet.

Checking the simulator, I couldn't see anything.

Hello? Where did you go?

[Found a Neat Function, Still Figuring it Out. Give me a bit. There's a lot of stuff to dig through. 95% of our Wit is allocated to you.]

That explains the attitude. I was just being an asshole to myself. I see how it is.

At least it motivated me to finish the project. That was probably my other self's intention, too. I had notifications waiting, so I decided to open them.

Profession Level (Greenweaver) Increased +2 (12) +4 Wit, +2 Spirit, +2 Arcana, +8 Eidetic Drops

The Eidetic Drops went straight into Might again. I was gonna have fun playing with those muscles.

Milestone Achieved: [Emblazoned] Tier plant material created through Essence Flash Freezing.

Species Level (Runaspriggan) Increased +3 (51) +2 Might, +3 Wit, +4 Spirit, +2 Fortitude, +3 Arcana, +2 Grace

Would you like to accept this Ascension's Capstone as your Species 'Runaspriggan'? If you do not accept, it will be applied to either your Class or Profession. Y/N

Well, that seems like an important decision.

Uhhh, sure, yeah, why not? I'd probably get cooler Classes and Professions later. My Species already was how it was.

Wait, would the capstone affect what direction my Second Ascension would take? Probably, right? Then definitely Runaspriggan, I wanted a really cool Species to upgrade into.

I accepted the prompt.

Name: [Integrate Artifact] Tier: [Capstone] Description: [Select an artifact, and it will be integrated into your Core, becoming a part of you.] Effect: [Your Capstone's Description and Effect will change into a Skill relating to the artifact you chose.]

My eyes went wide. REALLY?!

I immediately knew what I wanted to use. I went into my Inventory and pulled out the staff I had made and laid it by the door.

Then I pulled out the Distributor Relay, which appeared right above the table. The Tyrannical Tier artifact I stole from that lizard lady all that time ago. Well, there was no question, was there?

I placed my hands on it and activated [Integrate Artifact].

A blinding light, which was immediately dimmed by the circuits in my eyes, suddenly came through my chest as my Core pulled itself out and floated towards the artifact. Wires hung from it, and the two artifacts of immense power came together.

[Ah shit it looks like we have to shut down for a bit. I'll re-merge when it's over.]

My mind shut off.

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