CH 12 What Do You Mean “Jump Your Enemy”? This Is Not JJK Verse. We Don’t Do Things Like That Here.

First, I should level up.

He could already feel the strain in his Domain of Oneself. It felt stretched, almost like a container that had been filled too quickly. That feeling made sense when he thought about everything he had pushed into it recently. He had already maxed his Normal-rank Wind Element, raised Water Bullet to Level 5, pushed Fire Bullet to Level 7, learned a Rare-rank spell, and obtained two additional Wind Element spells.

For a Level 6 Awakener, that was already far beyond what the Domain of Oneself was meant to hold comfortably. If he continued upgrading spells without increasing his level first, the pressure on the Domain could become dangerous.

Ren focused on the leveling process.

[You have leveled up. Strength +1, Agility +1, Constitution +1, Mana +4]
[You have leveled up. Strength +1, Agility +1, Constitution +1, Mana +4]
[You have leveled up. Strength +1, Agility +1, Constitution +1, Mana +4]
[You have leveled up. Strength +1, Agility +1, Constitution +1, Mana +4]

He was now Level 10.

The change was immediate and noticeable. His body felt lighter and stronger at the same time. Even without activating Wind Wrap, he could sense that his movements had become sharper. His breathing was steadier, and the lingering exhaustion from the previous fight had faded slightly.

After thinking for a moment, Ren decided to improve one of his offensive spells.

Fire Bullet.

The spell had already proven useful during the fight against the Ironhide Goral. Increasing its power would make future battles safer. But before leveling it up, he spoke in his mind, Fire Bullet, don’t strengthen the previous modification this time. I am going to add a new modification.

Okay!

He invested the necessary points.

[Fire Bullet]
[Rank: Normal]
[Level 7 → Level 10] (MAX)
[Description: A perfectly compressed sphere of stabilized flame launched at extreme velocity. The projectile leaves a sharp scorched scent and distorts the air with intense heat as it travels. Base range: 30 meters. Impact force: capable of piercing reinforced armor, shattering stone, and instantly igniting most materials. Upon impact, the flame releases a concentrated burst of heat that burns through the strike point before spreading outward.]

[Fire Bullet has reached MAX level. Please upgrade the Fire Bullet’s rank from Normal to Rare to continue leveling up.]

[Do you wish to upgrade Fire Bullet to the next rank? Cost: 99 stat points.]

Ren ignored the rank upgrade and focused on the spell itself. The base range had jumped to 30 meters. It was a significant increase that came with the mastering spell. He could strengthen the previous modification to increase the range even further, but this time he had a different plan in mind.

Fire Bullet, add a modification that lets you wrap around targets I choose without harming them, he said internally.

Wrap?

Yes. If we do this, your damage and range will increase at the same time. For example, I could wrap you around Earth Bullet or arrows. Your damage would add onto them, and if the arrow had longer range, your range would increase with it, Ren explained.

If the modification succeeded, he could even wrap Fire Bullet around his arm. Then, if he added Wind Wrap as well, his punches would gain devastating speed and damage. Though, he couldn’t use such an attack many times. The impact from punching with the combination of Fire Bullet and Wind Wrap could easily shatter his bones. It was one of the reasons Ren didn’t plan to fight in close combat. Not because he was afraid, but because he could fight better at range. This modification was mainly meant for ranged attacks.

During their fight with the Ironhide Goral, Ren had realized he lacked a decisive spell. The suffocation tactic with Water Bullet and the damage from Fire Bullet were both useful, but none of his attacks could guarantee a one-hit kill or deal massive fatal damage.

And monsters were only getting stronger with each level.

That was why he wanted this modification.

Wrapping Fire Bullet around a target… hmm…. That’s not how bullets work.

But fires work like that, right? Ren countered.

Fire does behave like that, but then, it would damage the target it’s wrapped around.

The Fire Bullet wanted to help him, but the modification was too far from the image of a normal Fire Bullet.

Ren tried to think of ways he could push the negotiation in his favor. Should he argue that Fire Bullet would just be attaching itself to the target, and flying together with them? Or should he say Fire Bullet was a bullet and bullets had casing, and in this case Fire Bullet could be the casing for—

That works!

Huh? He blinked in confusion.

Casing ideology! It is correct! Why didn’t the Fire Bullet think like that? Fire Bullet should be able to modify itself with that angle!

[Fire Bullet Spell has been modified.]

[Fire Bullet Spell has been modified.]

(New) [Modification: The Fire Bullet can envelop a small projectile without damaging it.]
[Modification: For each unit of extra mana added up to 45 units of Mana, the range can be increased by 10%.]

A new modification had been added, and the previous one had been strengthened. Ren could feel that the new modification had taken one level’s worth of space, and the remaining space had gone toward strengthening the previous modification.

He read the new effect carefully. It was exactly what he had wanted. The only limitation was that it worked only on projectiles, not his fists. Still, he wasn’t disappointed. Fire Bullet had clearly done its best. And even if the spell could wrap around his arm, he couldn’t use that attack too often anyway. Even if the flames didn’t burn him, the impact from punching with the combination of Fire Bullet and Wind Wrap could easily shatter his bones. Using it on projectiles was far safer.

Thank you for the modification, Ren said in his mind.

No problem!

Ren still had thirty-one stat points left to allocate. After thinking briefly, he decided to strengthen Wind Wrap. The movement spell had saved his life during the fight earlier, and increasing its duration would make it even more useful.

He invested the remaining points.

[Wind Wrap]
[Rank: Normal]
[Level 1 → Level 5]
[Description: Summons a controlled current of wind that coils around a moving object or target, reducing air resistance and adding forward momentum. Can be applied to arrows, thrown weapons, yourself, or moving allies. Effect Duration: 3s → 5s → 7s → 10s → 12s. Speed Increase: Minor → Moderate → Strong → Very Strong → High acceleration with stable airflow.]

Ren considered the potential modification options for the spell.

Two possibilities stood out.

The first option would silence movement and suppress scent. That modification would allow him to move through forests and other environments without making noise or leaving a trail of scent. It would be extremely useful for stalking prey or ambushing enemies.

The second option focused on improving aim and stability. He could add a modification that created subtle guiding winds to guide the arrow to its target. Then, if he applied Wind Wrap to his arrows, it could significantly increase his hit rate even at long distances. He also wouldn’t need to spend much time aiming and could shoot as soon as he pulled the bow back. With the right bow, that combination could become a devastating ranged attack.

Both choices had their advantages. After a moment of thought, Ren decided not to rush the decision.

I’ll choose later.

He upgraded Water Bullet lastly.

[Water Bullet]
[Rank: Normal]
[Level 5 → 8]
[Description: A highly compressed sphere of high-pressure water launched at extreme velocity. The projectile cuts through the air with a sharp, rain-clean scent and a faint hiss. Base range: 26 meters. Impact force: strong enough to pierce reinforced light armor, fracture stone, and punch through thick wooden barriers. Upon impact, the compressed water releases a violent pressure burst that drives force into the strike point before dispersing outward.]

The increase in range was large—from eighteen meters to twenty-six—and the damage improvement was substantial as well. Before, it had only a minor chance of piercing light armor. Now it was strong enough to pierce through it every time. Even without charging the Water Bullet, he could easily shatter the head of a Level 8 Striped Gazelle now.

Hey, Water Bullet, isn’t it time for you to strengthen the modification? he spoke in his mind.

No!

What do you mean ‘no’? I’m not asking you to increase the time, just the damage percentage, he said.

The Water Bullet would not listen to him! This was its revenge for the previous bullying it went through! It refused to listen to him!

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Ren was speechless. This brat was becoming unruly after it grew from gaining levels. He could’ve straightened Water Bullet out, but he decided to let it be for now.

Domains were delicate things. He couldn’t simply force them to follow his demands without listening to them. Doing so would only cause problems in the future. It was better to let Water Bullet vent and talk again once it had calmed down.

After making his decision, he checked his updated status.

[Name: Ren Buttowski (Level 10)]
[Class: Mage]
[Elements: Wind, Water, Earth, Fire]
[Spells: Wind Wrap, Wind Surge, Mana Zone, Wind Bullet, Water Bullet, Earth Bullet, Fire Bullet]
[Talent: Heir of Demonic Magic]
[Strength: 13 / Agility: 15 / Constitution: 15 / Mana: 0 (sealed)]
[Free Stats: 3]
[EXP: 0]

He decided to save the last bit of Stats for emergencies, as he always did.

Satisfied with the improvements, Ren opened his eyes.

Freya was still leaning against the tree, watching the surrounding forest carefully.

“You done?” she asked.

“Yeah. I’ll go check the trees now. If I’m not back in twenty minutes, assume something went wrong,” Ren replied while standing up.

Freya nodded.

Ren activated Wind Wrap briefly and began climbing the nearby tree. His movements were quick and controlled. The branches were thick enough to support his weight easily, though, as he climbed higher, the dense foliage made it difficult to see more than a few meters ahead.

The forest canopy grew thicker the higher he climbed. Some of the trees reached heights of over a hundred meters. In certain areas the branches were so tightly packed that they formed natural platforms several meters wide.

Ren kept his Mana Zone active while moving upward. The ability helped him monitor the area around him, though he had to use it carefully to avoid wasting too much lifespan.

As he climbed higher, the ground slowly disappeared from view. Eventually he reached a point where he could no longer see Freya below. He moved carefully along one of the massive branches and continued scanning the area. Fifteen minutes passed. Ren was about to turn back when something unusual caught his attention.

He froze.

“…how?”

Just ahead of him, several pieces of cloth had been tied between branches. They were hammocks, a type of human tool. There were three of them. One of the hammocks held a large black shape.

Ren immediately stopped moving. It was another Ironhide Goral. The creature was lying across the cloth hammock, its massive arms hanging loosely at its sides.

Ren remained completely still. Several seconds passed. The monster did not move. He observed it carefully, focusing on its chest. There was no movement, hinting that the creature was not breathing. Slowly, cautiously, Ren moved closer, and confirmed the Ironhide Goral was dead. He examined the body carefully and soon noticed two large puncture wounds on its forearm. The marks looked like they had been made by sharp fangs.