Infinite Possibilities

A gigantic palm, large enough to blot out the heavens, struck toward an unknown towering creature in the distance.

Thunderous rumbles rolled across the entire sky. In an instant, the gigantic palm tore through the space between them, appeared above the towering creature's head, and slammed down. Then the entire world began to shatter.

The scene lasted only a single second. The gigantic palm struck, and the crystal ball shattered—the sheer power of that blow instantly overwhelmed the memory crystal and burst it apart.

"Gods, Master Sanderson, wh-what kind of monster is that?!" Dean's legs felt weak, and his fingertips trembled. Having experienced that heaven-shattering, earth-destroying strike as though he had been there himself, he could not imagine how he could possibly withstand it.

"That was a One-Armed Demon. They have one arm and one arm only that represents their greatest fighting strength," Sanderson said slowly.

Dean noticed that he was not the only one trembling. Master Sanderson's body was shaking slightly too, clearly shaken by that gigantic palm's strike.

One-Armed Demons were a relatively well-known kind of demon in the Demon Abyss. All their strength was concentrated in a single arm. Whether that was the left or right depended on the demon's own choice. The other arm would shrink considerably compared with a normal arm and possess little fighting power.

They fought with one arm alone, placing all their strength in that single arm. That was why their race was known as One-Armed Demons.

Dean's understanding of demons grew ever clearer.

"As far as demons go, I've done all I can as your teacher. That memory crystal was a little gift for you, too—the only one I had," Sanderson said with feeling. Judging by little Dean's thoughtful expression, his gift seemed to have had an effect.

Dean nodded. It had been utterly overwhelming. Though it had lasted only a second, the shock that single second had delivered was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

"Now, tell me. After thinking it over last night, what have you decided about the initial form of your Demon Hand?" Sanderson asked with a smile. "You now have my permission to attempt the demon's palm in that spellbook. Tell me your choice."

Dean looked at Master Sanderson. His teacher, who had kept forbidding him from attempting this Demon Hand, had actually given his permission. Did that not mean he would have no chance to modify it?

No, it's not that I won't have a chance to modify it. I won't need to. I'll choose the Demon Hand I want and establish its form in one go. That way, it won't interfere with using my Demon Hand properly in the future.

"I've made up my mind, Master. There's a reason this spellbook is called Magic Hand rather than Demon Hand. Each of the three methods has its own strengths, so I've decided that I want to shape a Magic Hand that can gradually grow." Dean's eyes suddenly burned with excitement.

For it to grow, of course, Dean himself would have to provide his Magic Hand with the necessary conditions and capabilities.

"Do you understand what it means to be capable of growth? Do you understand the price you'll have to pay? If you do, then I have no objections," Sanderson said seriously.

Clearly, Dean did not want to give up any possibility. Of course, Demon Hand was definitely a must.

"I imagine successfully forming a Demon Hand will take a great deal of effort, but I don't necessarily have to spend most of my energy forming one every time," Dean said. Such a versatile spell would be wasted if he failed to make full use of it. Whatever happened, he had to preserve that versatility.

This was the approach Dean had settled on early that morning. A Demon Hand capable of growth would be ideal.

"I understand, Master. If I form a Demon Hand right from the start, I'll still be able to handle the mana consumption comfortably. But if I develop a Magic Hand into a Demon Hand, the mana required will increase dramatically," Dean said.

That was Sanderson's greatest concern. A mage's mana was limited, so most mages sought the greatest power for the smallest expenditure. Dean's approach, however, would increase the cost.

This was the conclusion Dean had reached after a whole morning of thought. Though the spell would consume more mana, he would gain a more convenient Magic Hand in exchange.

More importantly, it could grow. Dean felt that one day, his Demon Hand could grow into something like that heaven-obscuring hand recorded in the memory crystal's brief second of imagery—an existence so powerful it seemed invincible.

"Hahaha! To think that my disciple would have such lofty ambitions! It seems that when you're ready to form your Magic Vortex, little Dean, you'll need a meditation method focused on increasing your mana." Sanderson laughed heartily. He had never expected his student to choose this path.

After all, even he had not initially thought of choosing a Magic Hand capable of growth.

Or rather, Sanderson had never considered that possibility at all, because the mana expenditure later on alone would be more than an ordinary mage could bear.

"Little Dean, would you... like a meditation method renowned for increasing mana?" Sanderson continued. "Since you've made this choice, I can hardly be stingy as your teacher."

The moment Master Sanderson spoke, Dean's calm heart began to race, thumping wildly as it instantly accelerated to its limit.

"Could it be... Master, do you have that basic meditation method?" Dean licked his dry lips.

"Basic Troll Vortex Meditation!"

Smiling, Sanderson spoke immediately after Dean!

Trolls were widely recognized as one of the races that gathered mana fastest, and their mana reserves were exceptionally substantial. Yet they infused that mana into every inch of their muscles. Though they could not cast spells, they were terrifying in close combat.

Thus, a certain high-level mage had modeled a technique on the mana of Trolls and created Basic Troll Vortex Meditation.

Among basic meditation methods, this technique ranked near the top for its astonishing mana reserves.

Of course, there were races with greater mana reserves than Trolls—and quite a few at that. At the very least, the mana of dragons could be described as a bottomless abyss. However, meditation methods of that sort all fell within the realm of advanced meditation methods.

Among basic methods, Troll Vortex Meditation was second to none.

"Here, take it. This is Basic Troll Vortex Meditation." Sanderson pulled out a spellbook and handed it to Dean without even looking at it.

"Master... this is Basic Troll Vortex Meditation! It's a precious item worth something like fifty gold coins in the library. Is it really all right to just give it to me?" Dean's mouth fell open. Could pies really fall from the sky?

Even if he was Master Sanderson's only student, surely that was no reason to hand out gifts like this!

Still, despite feeling a little embarrassed about accepting it, Dean quietly tucked the meditation manual away. He could not help it. Before long, he would be forming his Magic Vortex.

He had originally planned to work hard after forming his Magic Vortex, then borrow a little money. He would have been satisfied with buying a meditation method worth three or five gold coins.

But why should I wear myself out like that? He's my teacher, after all. If I turn down something he's giving me for free, my brain really must have rusted over.

(End of chapter)