Jessie was about to respond to Nick using some clever words, but someone else responded for him:
"Nick Capitol. After all this time, here you are making a scene. You'd think that you would have learned better by now."
Nick didn't have to turn his head that much to focus on the person that leisurely approached Jessie's left side while patting him on the left shoulder using his right hand. Nick muttered this person's name:
"Sergeant Dave McKoy."
Dave McKoy looked like a teenage boy, and was one head shorter than Nick. He had slightly tanned, white skin, black, curly hair, and his eyes emitted an eerie, purple glow. He was wearing a similar military uniform to Jessie's except that he had an emblem with three horizontal bars and two red stars pinned to his uniform's right breast area. He also emitted faint magic energy that indicated that he was a rank 3 late stage Magician. Nick indifferently replied to McKoy:
"I am not the cause of the scene this time. I was only disciplining a noisy woman, and warning her brother."
The few dozen other people in the lobby realized that the situation between Nick, and the apparent military personnel was slightly tense, so they decided to just watch while whispering amongst themselves:
"Who are these people?"
"I am not sure, but two of them seem to be from the Ministry of Magic."
"I know more than you. That boy with the purple eyes is actually Strongest Viper Dave McKoy. He is a somewhat famous sergeant within the magic military."
"Now, I recognize him. Yeah…why is he here?"
…
Jessie was glad that McKoy showed up when he did. Nick's magic energy was too rampant when used, and Jessie was not sure whether Nick would attack them, or not. McKoy stepped ahead of Jessie, and said to Nick:
"I get it, but now that Jezda has been warned, it is time to let bygones be bygones."
Nick appeared to put on a thoughtful expression before replying:
"...Okay."
Nick immediately turned around after speaking, and headed for the couch that he had his eyes on earlier. Jessie breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw that Nick did not intend to make an issue out of the situation. McKoy was also relieved because he had already made a judgement about Nick before he intervened:
(That man's magic energy is very peculiar. Usually, when a Magician is strange enough, it is best to avoid a direct confrontation.)
Jezda pouted when she saw that Nick just walked away from the situation, so she mocked him openly:
"You coward!"
Nick ignored Jezda because he had been called worse in the past. Her words were like water rolling of his back. Jessie sighed in response to his sister's foolishness, but he was helpless. Her cultivation was higher than his, and she was extremely prideful.
McKoy felt that Jezda was acting foolish on purpose, but because she was an Inspector of the Magicians Association, he was not going to reprimand her publicly. Instead, he said:
"Miss Jezda, Nick has practically yielded to you. Let past grievances go."
Jezda liked how McKoy phrased those words even if she knew that they were not exactly true, but she was no fool. Since McKoy had offered her a graceful way out, she would take it. She quickly raised herself from the floor, and replied:
"Well…I will let him off this time. He, and I have history, after all."
The other rank 3 Magicians present shook their heads in disapproval after they heard Jezda's words, and then turned their heads away to mind their own business. The other Magicians soon turned their focus away as well.
After McKoy's discreet urging, Jessie took Jezda by her left hand using his right hand, and led her away from the lobby, so that she would not raise another fuss. Mckoy, on the other hand, approached Nick again after the latter leisurely sat on a couch near one corner of the lobby, and struck up a conversation:
"You really surprised me. Who would have thought that you would promote to rank 3 late stage in only a few years?"
Nick did not mind conversing with McKoy since the latter was being so polite:
"I guess I got a little lucky."
"Ha! It takes more than luck to get to this point. Don't try to be modest. It is shameless when you do it."
"Okay…I tried really hard."
McKoy smiled bitterly when he heard Nick's casual words. He thought:
(If trying really hard was all it took to get to rank 3 late stage, then my position would have no meaning.)
McKoy soon said:
"Well, it is always good to see another young person make it into his own. If you ever try to get into the magic military, feel free to use my name."
Nick stared at McKoy blankly for two seconds before his gaze focused, and he replied:
"Thanks, I will remember that."
McKoy's smile remained as he wordlessly left Nick to go, and meet up with Jessie, and Jezda again. Nick put the events of the last few minutes behind him, an simply waited for Carla to arrive. About two hours later, Carla arrived within the lobby, and sensing Nick's presence, she approached him with another person walking by her side.
Carla was dressed in a black, and orange striped magician's robe, a pair of slightly elevated, orange, female shoes, and sported her four black, beaded bracelets on both her arms.
The person walking in tandem with her was a man that seemed to be in his early thirties, he wore a dark-green magician's robe that had a gold cross embroidered on the left side, and a pair of black dress shoes. He had pale-white skin, straight, black hair that reached down to his shoulders, and dark eyes. He also sported two earrings that included a small, gold cross hanging from each.
Nick sensed Carla approaching him using Spatial Awareness, but remained in his sitting position. When Carla got close enough to him, she briefly kissed Nick on the right cheek before making introductions:
"Flynn, this is my husband, Nick Capitol. Nick, this is Flynn Jeralds. He is a rank 4 Inspector within the Magicians Association."
At that point, Nick slowly stood up while observing Flynn. He could not determine Flynn's rank at all which corresponded with Carla saying that he was a rank 4 Magician. Flynn looked at Nick with slight amusement on his face, and soon said:
"I know of this man. A friend of mine adjudicated a battle between him, and one of our rank 3 Inspectors in the past. I hear that you are quite capable, Nick. Who would have thought that you were also an expert in formation path?"
Carla was not surprised to hear that Nick had battled one of the association's Inspectors. To her, Nick seemed like the kind of man that would go to the extremes to get what he wanted. Nick politely greeted Flynn:
"It is nice to meet you, Flynn."
The expression of amusement on Flynn's face deepened when he heard Nick use his name so casually. He thought:
(She told me recently, but I did not believe her, at first. Carla really married a rank 3 Magician. She says that he is a formation path expert, but that remains to be seen. Well, hiring a rank 4 formation path expert is not something that we can pull off at the moment, so I am willing to put this man to the test.)
After introductions, and greetings were made, Carla explained the situation to Nick:
"Flynn, and I know of the location of a certain inheritance within a certain realm that was constructed by a very powerful rank 7 Magician that died a long time ago. We want to retrieve the inheritance, but the only problem is that we have to take apart a ridiculously complex magic formation to do that. That is why I told you to come here."
Nick contemplated for a few seconds after hearing Carla's explanation:
(An inheritance constructed by a rank 7 Magician, huh? I guess that would get anyone to act quickly once they became aware of it.)
Nick replied:
"I hear you, Carla. I'll help you do whatever. What is the name of the realm that we will be going to?"
Carla was pleased that Nick knew well enough to go along with her plan without too much urging. She smiled sweetly, and replied just as sweetly to him:
"The name of the realm is Giant's Ruin, Nick honey. Do you know it?"
Nick furrowed his brows when he heard the name of the realm. He thought:
(Giant's Ruin? That is a realm infested with magic beasts of the regular ranks. I learned about it while I did research on the Magicians Association. It is usually restricted for the general public, and features the preserved carcass of a rank 7 magic beast of the giant species at the very centre of the realm. She wants me to go there? A place like that is bound to have all kinds of troublesome Magicians roaming about.)
Nick awkwardly rubbed the back of his head using his right hand while saying:
"Yeah, I know of the realm. I guess great opportunity lies in the midst of great danger. Do you two have a way to deal with the regular ranked magic beasts?"
Flynn leisurely replied:
"We simply deal with them by avoiding them. Most regular ranked magic beats won't chase unworthy prey for too long, and rank 4 Magicians that don't leak much magic energy seem unworthy to the more abundant, weaker ones."
Carla spoke right after Flynn:
"I am aware of your possible concerns, Nick. Don't worry, I will protect you from all harm. In addition, I have come to an agreement with Flynn, and a few others. I will tell you about it later."
While Carla said that, she transmitted information to Nick privately:
(Yes, this is dangerous for you, but I really will protect my husband. I need a magic material that is contained within this inheritance for my own cultivation, so you have to participate. I will talk to you about any other details when we are alone.)
Nick internally sighed before asking:
"When do we head out?"
Carla sweetly answered Nick:
"Right away, Nick honey."
Carla, and Flynn began to lead Nick away from the lobby, down a grey, brick-lined corridor that had many doors as far as Nick could see. They walked for over three dozen meters before Carla, and Flynn stopped in front of one grey metal door. Flynn then knocked the door three times.
Following that, the door was opened, and Flynn walked through the doorway, followed by Carla, and lastly, Nick. Once Nick was inside the room, a man that seemed to be in his mid-twenties locked the door behind him. The room's four walls, floor, and ceiling were line with grey bricks, and had no furniture to speak of. What it did have was a magic formation painted with yellow pigment that was laid across most of the floor.
The man that opened the door had tanned, white skin, a bald head, and dark eyes; he wore a khaki-colored magician's robe, and a pair of brown leather combat boots. The man leaked magic energy that identified him as a rank 3 late stage Magician.
There was also two other people inside the room. One was a woman who wore a purple magician's robe, looked to be about thirty years old, had tanned, white skin, long, flowing black hair, and dark eyes; Nick could not tell what her rank was. The other person was a man that looked to be in his late thirties who wore a tan-colored magician's robe, had pale-white skin, short, messy, brown hair, and brown eyes; Nick could not tell what his rank was, either.
The purple robed Magician soon spoke to the man that had opened the door for Nick, and the others:
"Wesley, we will be departing soon. Make sure that all the necessary supplies are stored within your space band."
The man that was apparently named Wesley replied:
"Sure thing, Nora. I almost forgot to check."
The woman that was apparently named Nora nodded her head once before speaking to the tan-robed Magician:
"Alright, Capra. Since Flynn, and Carla are here, let's leave as soon as possible."
The man apparently named Capra replied:
"Hold on, Nora. Flynn, and Carla have brought someone new along. We should make introductions first, and besides, Flynn is the person that will take the lead."
Nora sneered before responding while eyeing Nick with disdain:
"He is only rank 3 late stage. What good will introductions do?…"
Carla interrupted Nora at this time:
"Actually, this man is named Nick Capitol, and he is the formation path expert that we have invited. He is with me, Nora, so you should really watch your tone."
Nora replied to Carla with disinterest expressed on her face:
"I had told you already that with a wisdom path Magician like myself here, there was no need to get a formation path expert."
Flynn shook his head in response to Nora's words before saying:
"You are a wisdom path Magician, but what you said is not right. Of course we will try to get a formation path expert to deal with a magic formation. Having you here is great, but also having Nick here as well is even better."
Nora pouted, seemingly disappointed that Flynn took Carla's side, but she soon dropped the matter:
"Fine. He is already here, anyway."
Seeing that Nora backed down, Flynn made introductions, mostly for Nick's benefit:
"Nick, this woman is Nora, and that man is Capra. The bald man that opened the door is Wesley. Everyone. This is Nick Capitol, and like Carla said, he is a formation path expert despite his rank."
Nora ignored Nick, but Capra, and Wesley nodded in Nick's direction as a kind of greeting. Nick remained indifferent throughout, and kept close to Carla's right side. He soon politely greeted everyone:
"It is nice to meet all of you."
Hearing Nick's youthful voice, Wesley thought that he was actually as young as he looked, and so smirked while running up to Nick from behind. He put his right arm around Nick's shoulders while standing at Nick's left side. While maintaining his smirk, Wesley spoke:
"Junior Nick, if you need anything, you can ask me. You will have to call me Senior Wesley, though…"
Nick quickly realized that Wesley was trying to set up a hierarchy between them since they were the same rank, and stage. Nick wasn't interested in such nonsense, so he simply flicked his left finger while casting one of his spells:
(Dragon Cleave.)
Before Wesley knew what happened, his entire right forearm was sliced off, and blood poured out from the remaining stump like it was a fountain. Wesley stepped back several times in horror, not expecting Nick to act against him like this. Nick spoke without even offering Wesley a glance:
"If you touch me again, you will die."
It is not that Nick wanted to be cruel, but he was no longer as naive as in the past. Many people spoke sweet words while harbouring ill-intentions. With that in mind, he acted against Wesley because he thought it best to set boundaries as soon as possible.
Everyone else except Carla was slightly shocked in response to Nick's ruthlessness. Nora was slightly shocked before becoming enraged. She quickly rebuked Nick:
"You brat! You have to ask the master before you can kick the dog. Are you looking for a fight? Wesley, hurry up, and stop your bleeding. We will not delay the trip because of your wound."
Nora maliciously stared at Nick while speaking, but Carla quickly blocked her view of him, saying:
"It was Wesley's fault for touching Nick without his permission. Control your disciple better!. You have no one else but yourself to blame for what happened to him, Nora."
Nora pouted in response to Carla's reproach, and did not push the issue because she knew that Carla was right. In addition, with Carla protecting Nick, attacking the latter became an unprofitable enterprise. Nora waited for Wesley to heal himself, but although she sensed a surge in his lightning magic power, Wesley still remained bleeding.
Wesley soon cried out:
"Sis, I need your help. This wound is taking so long to close. It is barely responding to my healing magic."
Wesley was still bleeding so much that a small pool started to appear on the floor. Nick was not surprised that Wesley had a difficult time healing himself:
(My Blade Signature talent's effect results in injuries created by my blade path spells being difficult to heal. That is because those injuries are now filled with blade path laws that magic that is not my own has a hard time removing, causing the injury to persist. This is Blade Signature's most obvious use.)
Nora quickly realized the peculiarity, and so she walked over to Wesley's right side, and cast some healing magic on him. His right arm then glowed with a faint, purple light before the wound in his right arm completely closed, stopping the bleeding. Wesley was relieved that he was not going to die from blood loss, but he stared at Nick with hatred since he felt that the latter had tried to kill him.
Nick sensed Wesley's malice, but ignored him, thinking:
(Like Carla said. What happened to him was his own fault.)
Capra lightly smiled, and complemented Nick after Wesley was healed:
"That was a great blade path spell. I barely even saw you cast it. Your attainment in blade path must be quite high."
Nick shrugged his shoulders in response, saying:
"It is average."
Capra did not believe Nick, but did not inquire further. Carla noticed that Nick was getting a lot of negative attention because of his relatively weak cultivation, and so she had no choice but to make his status clear. She turned around, and kissed him on the right cheek before standing at his right side. Nick remained indifferent, but he inwardly praised Carla for here awareness:
(Sure enough, she is no simple woman. She understands social politics perfectly…)
Capra, and Nora slightly raised their eyebrows because they new what Carla's actions meant. Although Nick was wearing black leather gloves on his hands, Carla had the gold wedding band on her right middle finger on full display. Nora asked while maintaining a confused expression:
"He is your husband?"
Carla replied while maintaining a serious expression:
"Yes, that is the case."
The whole room went silent after Carla said those words. Although Wesley felt more hatred, and also jealousy as a result of the revelation, he had to swallow his feelings, thinking:
(Pissing off a lone Magician is one thing, but pissing off a member of the Jenner family is something else entirely.)
Capra, and Nora said nothing else after hearing Carla's answer. Sensing the awkwardness present, Flynn tried to move the situation forward by explaining the plan:
"Alright, we will be going to Giant's Ruin in a bid to obtain the rank 7 twilight inheritance. I personally have experience with the magic formation that blocks the way to most of the inheritance, and so I know the difficulty. But because of the rich rewards that it promises, I have not told my superiors about the exact details of the inheritance. That being the case, I hope that you all have enough sense to keep your mouths shut about it going forward.
Giant's Ruin is mostly undocumented, virgin land, so we will travel by air to the inheritance site, which will take us about two weeks after we get there using this space magic formation. One day on Grand Earth is about five days within Giant's Ruin. Based on my intel, all we need to do is pull the magic formation apart, and take away the inheritance. Once that is done, everyone will be rewarded as already agreed."
Capra, Nora, and Carla nodded their heads in unison, confirming that those were the agreed upon terms. Flynn continued afterwards:
"We will head out now."
Nora gave Wesley some discreet instructions before leading him to the center of the apparent space magic formation. Capra also walked to near the centre of the magic formation, followed by Flynn, and finally, Carla, and Nick walked in tandem to near the centre as well. Through Spatial Awareness, Nick sensed that Wesley was putting in extra effort to pretend like he was not there. Nick remained indifferent to this.
Once everyone was in place, Flynn summoned a small stone in his right hand from his space band that looked like a piece of coal. He soon crushed it, which seemed to activate the space magic formation. The magic formation's yellow pigment began to glow brightly as yellow light enveloped the six Magicians. When the yellow light faded half a minute later, the six Magicians had vanished.
When Nick's vision became clear again, he noticed that all six of them were now standing on a raised, stone platform that had the same yellow space magic formation painted on its surface. Flynn quickly spoke:
"The Magicians Association does to have exclusive access rights to Giant's Ruin, and other members of the association might also be residing within the realm, so be vigilant."
Everyone kept silent, indicating that they understood Flynn's words, so Flynn continued:
"Alright, using too much of our magic to travel by air at high speeds will attract rank 4, and higher magic beasts, so we will need to move at a steady pace to be safe. I will lead the way."
Capra impatiently spoke after Flynn said this:
"Let's get going, already. Fortune favours the bold."
Nick heard that statement clearly, and internally corrected Capra:
(No. Fortune favours the prepared far more.)
Flynn nodded his head, and was about to use his magic energy to raise himself off the ground, but Nick was faster than him in terms of taking action. Nick quickly summoned Space Craft from his space band, and let the flying saucer magic formation hover one foot above the stone platform as it rotated on its axis, at his left flank.
After checking that everything was fine using his magic sense, Nick stopped Space Craft's rotation, and willed for one of its opaque glass panels to swing open, revealing its interior. Nick then used his stretched out, left arm to point towards the interior of Space Craft, and picking up on his signal, Carla floated off the ground to enter the flying saucer, a little confused.
Nick then activated Cursed Vessel to teleport into Space Craft, after which, its opened glass panel closed. Nick's voice then rang out from inside Space Craft:
"I will follow your lead, Flynn."
Everyone on the outside observed the silver, flying saucer with surprise plastered on their face. Although none of them were unfamiliar with complex magic tools, Space Craft seemed weirdly different from a magic tool to them in that it had an aura similar to a magic spell. They quickly noticed that it leaked space path, and soul path magic power.
While Nick sat in the command seat at the center of Space Craft's interior, Carla felt at the now see-through glass panels while sporting a neutral expression, and asked Nick without turning her head:
"Nick honey, what is this device?"
Nick indifferently answered, not afraid to tell Carla the truth:
"It is a magic formation of sorts, but with a strong structure built around it. It will allow us to travel at efficient speeds while protecting us from external influences to a great degree. It can also be used to make attacks. I brought it out because I do not trust your friends."
Carla replied to Nick while still feeling at the glass panels:
"They are not my friends, just associates. Hmmm…this magic formation is very secure, like an armoured tank. I am even having trouble peering through it using my scouting method. What a great invention! Why have you been hiding this?"
In response to Carla's question, Nick answered:
"It's not that I have been hiding it, but that I rarely ever need to use it. Before you ask, I am not selling it, so don't ask."
Carla turned around, and furrowed her brows in response to Nick's assumption that she would have asked to buy it, not that it wasn't valid. She said:
"Don't assume my thoughts. I will respect you wanting to keep this invention to yourself. I won't tell the others a thing about it, but I might ask to borrow it sometimes."
Nick sighed aloud when he heard that. Carla was his wife which made it unreasonable to refuse her borrowing his property. He replied with half-willingness:
"As you say, Carla."
Carla smiled sweetly once again before summoning a reclining chair to Nick's right side from her space band. The chair was padded all over, and its back portion could obviously be adjusted. Carla sat in her chair, and waited for Nick to take action.
Outside of Space Craft, Capra, Nora, Wesley, and Flynn still observed Space Craft with suspicion since to them, it somehow felt like a threat. Everyone was silent for three minutes until Flynn sighed, and decided that asking about the device was not appropriate. He then declared:
"It is time to move out."
Following those words, Flynn was raised high into the air by a stream of gold light that was generated directly beneath his feet. Nora simply floated at high speed to meet up with Flynn; Wesley did the same thing as Nora. Capra, however, used his magic power to form a small twister made of brown sand around himself that allowed him to fly upwards to meet up with the others.
Nick used Space Craft to follow them by generating a twenty meter stream of warped space that flowed upwards, and he kept up with the pace of the others since he did not know the location of the inheritance.
Seeing that everyone was ready, and willing, Flynn flew off at modest speeds of over one hundred kilometers per hour while leading the rest. Everyone else followed him closely, but kept constant watch of Space Craft. They traveled for hours undisturbed until two magic beasts that looked like enormous, grey vultures appeared. Each magic beast had a crown made of bone on top of their head, and shrieked fiercely. They Were clearly rank 3 magic beasts, and were fast approaching.
Everyone else wanted to ignore the rank 3 magic beasts, since they would eventually flee after sensing the rank 4 magic power that was being emitted by members of their group, but Nick did not like the thought of letting them go, since he was unaware of what kind of magic beasts they were. The grey vulture magic beasts were only three hundred meters away, so Nick directed Space Craft's warping stream towards the right-most magic beast. He then instantly caused Space Craft to accelerate to its top speed of three kilometers per second, and activated one of Space Craft's methods:
(Soul Ram.)
A thick layer of hard crystal immediately formed on Space Craft's exterior. Nick arrived in front of one of the grey vulture magic beasts within the time that it took to blink, and crashed into it.
SPLAT!
Following Nick's manoeuver, the entirety of the magic beast's head was smashed into paste that splattered in multiple directions. The rest of its huge body fell towards the ground immediately after. The terrain below was a lush grassland with well-spaced, evergreen trees growing everywhere. The other grey vulture magic beast saw what happened, and panicked, but before it could flee, Space Craft's warping stream magic power flowed towards it.
Not even two seconds after its companion had died, Space Craft appeared in front of it, and also crashed into its head without giving it the chance to resist.
SPLAT!
The same thing was repeated twice, and the grey vulture magic beast lost its head just as tragically as Nick's first victim. The rest of the magic beast's huge body quickly fell towards the ground thereafter.
Flynn, Capra, Nora, and Wesley witnessed the entire incident, and were taken aback by the flying saucer's violence, not because that kind of violence was new to them, but because a rank 3 magic tool was able to crush a rank 3 magic beast so quickly, easily, and efficiently. What Nick did was really not the norm. Wesley thought:
(Usually, as a rank 3 Magician, you would have to spend at least a few minutes fighting with a rank 3 magic beast before deciding whether to kill it, or flee. Maybe a few seconds if you were an exceptionally strong Magician, but Nick Capitol's actions killed those magic beasts within a span of moments, and we did not even see him put in much effort, either. What kind of efficiency is this?)
Carla, who watched the entire incident from within the safety of Space Craft, clapped her hands a few times, before praising Nick:
"You did well. This magic formation of yours is a very powerful weapon in addition to its obviously powerful movement abilities. The others must be looking at us with some awe, now."
Nick indifferently replied:
"That was not my intention. I just didn't want to leave any needless trouble behind. Magic beasts have memories too."
Carla quickly understood Nick's reasoning, and so did not give anymore opinions about the matter. She was about to discuss other matters, but she actually received a magic transmission from Flynn:
(Carla, that magic tool is just too useful. It would be better if we all traveled inside it to get to the inheritance site. Convince Nick to let us inside.)
Carla felt troubled by Flynn's request, but understood why he was making it since they had all seen Space Craft's capabilities, first hand. She quickly told Nick about Flynn's communication, and asked him:
"...I made an agreement with them to help as much as I can. I need you to let them ride with us. You do not want to see me struggle with keeping a commitment, do you? After all, my commitments are also your commitments."
Nick wanted to refute Carla, but then he decided that it was not worth the effort, so he assented:
"I will let them inside."
Carla quickly transmitted Nick's decision to Flynn, and following that, Nick opened one of the glass panels, and let the four other Magicians inside. They all quietly entered Space Craft while observing its interior. Flynn seemed intrigued by its design, and asked:
"What kind of magic tool is this?"
Carla kept quiet, but Nick figured that he had to answer:
(If I do not tell them the bare minimum, and they make a mistake in here because of that, then the resulting situation will be my fault.)
Nick explained simply:
"This device is not strictly a magic tool. It is more of a magic formation with an outer covering. Do not ask more about it."
Flynn stared at Nick for a few second's before saying:
"Carla was right to bring a formation path expert along. He is already making things easier for us."
Nora was forced to see Nick in a new light after realizing that this magic formation was probably the result of his own work. Wesley kept quiet while looking over the interior. Capra merely summoned a wooden stool from his space band, and sat while he observed the surroundings through the glass panels.
Flynn proceeded to summon a red, padded chair from his space band, and placed it at Nick's left side. He sat on the chair while summoning a map of Giant's Ruin. He used it to show Nick where they were supposed to be going, and after a few minutes of studying the map, Nick guided Space Craft to their destination at a few hundred meters per second. Space Craft was like a large bullet moving through the sky.
Capra soon commented:
"There is not one bit of discomfort while moving like this. I have heard of aircraft-like magic tools being used by companies, and the military, but none of them are rumored to be this efficient. This is an ingenious invention. You Jenners are not being fair by keeping it to yourselves."
Carla reprimanded Capra for his forthrightness using a stern tone:
"Capra! We are currently on a mission. Make all the complaints that you want after it is over. I will patiently listen to them, then."
Capra's expression grew awkward when he heard Carla's last few words, and tone. He did not want to have a conflict with her:
(Forget that she is a princess of the Jenner family. Her shadow magic is troublesome, and now her husband reveals this new way of traveling within realms. When did Carla gain such a peculiar ally? Rank 4 women do to not usually marry rank 3 men, but now I am starting to understand her decision…)
Nora soon commented:
"This magic formation has soul path, and space path aspects. It is not simple at all. It would be a very difficult thing to unravel if you did not have sufficient attainment in either path."
As expected of a wisdom path Magician, while everyone else was thinking about how useful Space Craft was, she was trying to determine how difficult the magic formation would be to unravel. Nick stayed quiet through all the talk, and just focused on moving Space Craft.
Flynn noticed Nick's stoic silence despite all the talk from the others, and transmitted to Carla:
(Your husband doesn't talk much. Is he not the friendly type?)
Carla silently transmitted to Flynn in return:
(He is as friendly as he needs to be. It is best that we do not communicate about him secretly.)
Flynn lightly smiled in response to Carla's apparent loyalty, thinking:
(It seems that there is no small gap in their relationship that I can take advantage of.)
Following all that, the journey was mostly a silent one as Space Craft moved at rapid, uninterrupted speeds towards their destination. After a few days, Flynn was surprised that Nick did not need to sleep even though he had been operating the magic formation non-stop:
(I had been planning to use the excuse of Nick needing sleep to get a chance to operate this magic formation myself, but it seems that I will not get the chance.)
Flynn had initially planned to reach their destination after two weeks of travel, but using Nick's magic formation, they had almost reached their destination in eight days. That was about twice the efficiency of rank 4 Magicians using their movement spells steadily. Flynn did not overlook the fact that his magic formation was of the rank 3 standard, and was a way more comfortable mode of travel than simply flying somewhere using their own bodies, and magic. He mused:
(Theoretically, unlike a usual aircraft magic tool that requires individual complex components to function, this aircraft seems to be molded from magic materials without including other complex devices, and tools. That means that as long as one had sufficient knowledge about the magic formation's base, and backup magic materials, they would not have to worry about losing the device to wear, and tear, or as a result of individual components losing function.
That is an incredible advantage. I will have to mention this to my superiors when I get back. A contribution like this one would get anyone promoted.)
When they were a few kilometers from their destination, Flynn had Nick stop Space Craft in midair. Flynn then explained:
"We have to abandon the magic formation, for now. There are dense groups of flying magic beasts up ahead that will attack it non-stop if they spot it. We have to travel low to the ground from here on out."
The terrain on the ground had become an expanse of dense forest, so using Space Craft to travel was no longer practical. At realizing this, Nick opened one of the glass panels so that everyone could leave. Wesley, whose right forearm had regenerated by now, left first, followed by Nora, then Capra, then Flynn, then Carla, and finally Nick walked to the outside while exuding his formless magic energy.
Without him thinking about it, Nick's magic energy quickly condensed below his feet before his altitude lowered, and his magic energy's invisible, beast-like form took shape, barely perceptible to the others. Using his magic sense, Nick was able to sense that he was currently standing on the beast's head, and so he remained in midair. He did not hesitate to store Space Craft into one of his space bands before focusing on the others.
Carla was the first to notice the strange, invisible creature below Nick's feet using her scouting method. Even with her abilities, only a vague outline of the creature was perceptible, but to her, it felt absolutely like a living entity, not a concentration of magic energy. She was confused as a result of the discovery, but did not ask Nick any questions because she could tell that the creature was really formed using his magic energy.
Flynn, Capra, and Nora also noticed the floating creature below Nick's feet, but could not perceive a proper depiction of it. These rank 4 Magicians remained silent as they observed the vague creature, but Wesley foolishly shouted:
"What the hell is that thing? That is no magic beast I have ever seen."
Wesley's scouting method also picked up on the strange creature, but he could not tell what it was, or what it looked like. He was aware, however, that it was made up of Nick's magic energy. This made him extremely suspicious, and frightened. Nick was starting to seem unfathomable in his eyes.
Nick shrugged his shoulders, and replied to Wesley:
"You should learn to mind our own business."
Just as Nick said that, a massive shadow suddenly loomed over him because a house-sized magic beast that looked like a black frog that had warts all over its skin, and two rainbow-colored eyes had jumped up from below the forest canopy to his current altitude of over forty meters above ground. The magic beast had jagged fangs visible as it opened its mouth, and emitted a sickening croak.
It's jump was fast, but Nick effortlessly turned his head to look at it because Spatial Awareness had already made him aware of its existence. The frog magic beast was clearly rank 3, and one of the stronger varieties, obvious from the stifling, poison path aura that it emitted.
Nick's expression remained indifferent as he poured thousands of units of magic energy into casting one of his advanced grade spells at the looming magic beast that looked at him with 'crazy eyes':
(Malevolent Altar.)
Within milliseconds, thousands of thin, formless streams of eerie magic power blew against the frog magic beast, and after less than one second after it had made its jump, it was silently cut into thousands of small pieces in midair. Nick, and the rest watched as sliced up flesh, bone, and rainbow-coloured fluids fell towards the ground, after which, they soon heard a sickening splashing sound when the ruined carcass of the frog magic beast came in contact with a tree below them.
Wesley's eyes opened wide after seeing what just happened. His scouting method had been active the whole time, so he missed nothing. He easily noticed how Nick murdered a powerful rank 3 magic beast while making it look effortless. He then pointed at Nick using his right index finger before accusing him:
"You are a monster!"