Puppeteer in the DanMachi World Chapter 15

"Mm... do you take me for a child, Ming Ge?"

Meitellia pouted. "I'm not that stupid."

It was just basic mana guidance. Ming Ge could do it without even needing an incantation.

With things explained to this extent, no matter how dull someone was, they could complete the first step after practicing twice.

And that was indeed the case. Meitellia might not have the talent to become an adventurer, but no one was completely without talent.

Encouraged by Ming Ge, she quickly completed the first step: gathering mana.

"The second step is to condense the mana."

Ming Ge condensed the mana in his hand into a sphere, and even Meitellia could faintly sense its outline.

But only its outline. Pure mana fluctuations were invisible. Meitellia concentrated carefully, then quickly learned the second step.

The third step was activation. With an incantation, Meitellia successfully cast her magic.

"I did it!!"

Meitellia's face lit up with excitement.

"You did. You succeeded."

Ming Ge stroked her head and encouraged her. "Meitellia-chan, you're very smart."

"Not at all. You're just a good teacher, Ming Ge."

Meitellia's brows curved slightly, her eyes smiling.

Meitellia knew she was only ordinary—an ordinary person who was a little slow. She really could not be called clever.

But Ming Ge was a good teacher. He could break down every principle of magic, then teach it in a simpler way.

First, they would use it through incantations. Once they became proficient, they could practice chantless casting.

Step by step, beginning with the simplest exercises, they learned the simplest magic.

This was not meaningless effort. It was growth, a process of accumulation.

Giving up because one's innate magic was weak, or refusing to learn because one could not master it—those were privileges reserved for the talented.

Those who stood above the talented were creators who led an era and opened up the future of magic.

Clearly, because of the convenience of the Divine Blessing, such people had never appeared in this world.

Ming Ge intended to become such a person, and Meitellia supported him with her own strength—so the two continued striving forward.

"Come on, let's continue."

Ming Ge continued holding Meitellia as he gathered a magic bullet in his hand, maintaining the process of mana compression.

"Mm."

Meitellia nodded with a hint of excitement, then recited the incantation. "Gather, condense, roar—Magic Bullet!"

It was the simplest three-line spell, an extremely simple process that condensed mana before firing it outward.

Explosions rang out continuously. As the two practiced, pits began appearing across the walls.

But compared to what they had gained, that was completely insignificant.

"Let's take a short break."

Seeing Meitellia's flushed face after all that fun, Ming Ge suggested it.

The essence of mana was mental strength—Mind. Excessive use could cause headaches or even make one faint.

Therefore, mages should always pay attention to their own condition.

"Mm."

Once her excitement faded, Meitellia also began to feel somewhat tired.

"I never imagined practicing magic could be this enjoyable."

Sitting in a chair, Meitellia rested her head against Ming Ge's shoulder. Her white hair brushed against his cheek, tickling him pleasantly.

Wrapping an arm around Meitellia, Ming Ge smiled. "That's because you never had a good teacher, or someone to keep you company."

"Companions and lovers are different, after all. They aren't as weak as you, so it's difficult for them to truly understand how you feel."

"But I'm willing to think from your perspective, so I can understand you and stay by your side."

Ming Ge affectionately rubbed his cheek against hers. "And besides, adventurers practice magic to grow stronger. For us, practicing magic is a form of enjoyment."

Enjoyment—both romance and pleasure.

No matter what one did, interest was the best teacher.

"Enjoyment..."

Meitellia's face reddened slightly, then she revealed a blissful smile.

These days were truly happy. If she were not still worried about her sister, who had gone off on an expedition, Meitellia could have immersed herself in them even more.

After resting for a while, Ming Ge rose and continued practicing once he felt his mana had recovered.

For Ming Ge, this kind of practice was necessary.

It was for the sake of understanding magic better. Theory alone, without practice, could never make someone a pioneer.

And while practicing with Meitellia just now, Ming Ge had discovered the essence of the Magic Bullet.

Even when mana was turned into ammunition, it possessed no offensive power of its own.

It was like a brick. It could only unleash power when swung, unlike flames, which were inherently destructive.

Therefore, the true power of a Magic Bullet was actually the impact force generated by mana.

Chapter 12: Coming-of-Age Ceremony

The phenomena caused by mana were magic.

Gathering mana, condensing mana, then firing the Magic Bullet—this was the simplest innate magic, because mana itself was also a supernatural phenomenon.