Later that evening, Nuel found his way into a long field of reeds present at the outskirts of the Valtor's family academy.
Victor Valtor had blessed him after his awakening and Nuel was made to undergo a cleansing that renewed the substance of mana into his being.
Victor Valtor had suggested Nuel put his newly found ability to a test while he awaited a call up from any adventurer guild ready to take him up as a member within the academy.
Nuel, arriving at the field of reeds, found a suitable place to practice. He could notice some dolls built in the form of scarecrows lined at the center of the reed field and he thought he could put them to use.
But first he had something important to check out.
"System." He called, tenderly working out his knuckles.
[System update complete]
[The players awakening as being successful synchronized with system, eradicating the anomalies]
[Welcome back, player]
"Show me my status." Nuel said.
Name: Nuel Ainsworth
Class: Summoner
Race: Half Human [50%], Half ¿~•‽°~[50%]
Level: Lv 3
Affinities: Lightning
Mana: 1000
-Attributes-
Strength: 70
Agility: 85
Intelligence: 72
Endurance: 96
Luck: 100
Available stat point: 0
He held his chin as he looked over at the system tab bearing his class job.
"Summoner?"
[(Summoner)]
A mystic who commands entities from other realms, leveraging their power to dominate the battlefield and unravel mysteries.
[The player has been granted the class job as a summoner]
"Does that mean I can summon entities for myself?" Nuel asked the system.
[Affirmative!]
A new tab appeared right below the class tab.
[Summoner Skill]
Skill: Replication or duplication
Skill level: Lv 1
[(Description)]
The player can create an exact replica of a target object.
[(Mana cost)]
2 replicas: 50(base)+20(additional)= 70 mana points.
[(Level requirement)]
Player can use this skill at his current level
[(Time limit)]
5 minutes. Lifespan of duplicated objects by player can be sustained with mana. The player can continuously spend mana to keep the replicas active.
"I have to put this skill to a test."
Nuel looked at the doll standing alone in the middle of the reed. He could sense the mana active within the doll and he was quick to understand that the doll was a training doll that could come to life at will.
At the thought of this, Nuel decided to train with the doll. He walked towards the doll and tried to manipulate a new reality away from its real form.
For about five minutes, he ended up with nothing. He felt stupid and embarrassed even though he was only surrounded by unbothered reeds.
Nuel gave it another try, confident he could achieve something with his skill. He closed his eyes, controlling his mind to make replicas of the doll standing before him.
In his mind, a figure plopped out of the real doll, falling in line like a noob soldier at the war front. Nuel opened his eyes and the reality he had formed in his mind was in actual existence.
He touched the still arm of the doll just to make sure he wasn't imagining things from worlds beyond and his curiosity was satiated as his fingers touched the brute cold aem of the doll.
He was glad he had manipulated reality by making a duplicate of the doll and he was excited to do the same thing again to aid his training.
[(Ding!)]
[The player has made replicas of the training doll]
5 replicas: 125(base)+50(additional)= 175 mana points.
[The duel is about to begin]
[Countdown: 00:00:30]
Nuel stepped back from the dolls, taking a stance as he was ready for battle.
[00:00:01]
[Start!]
The first doll charged at Nuel, aiming straight at his head which Nuel successfully countered by slamming his fist into the doll.
In expentace of the doll falling to the ground, Nuel was shocked to see the doll still rooted in the ground. The blow he delivered left no impact on the doll.
"What the hell is this?" Nuel exclaimed, making an attempt to retract his steps backward away from the doll.
The other dolls charged at him, sparing him no chance to get away. They all attacked him at once, forcing heavy punches into his ribs and vulnerable points.
This torment only came to an end when their replication time had elapsed and Nuel couldn't feel any more embarrassed, realizing he had just lost to mere dolls.
Again, he made replicas of the head doll and at summon, the dolls came back to life and charged at him with rage.
When the dolls were halfway, blue lightning crackled as they raged at him with grace and speed, forming lighting whips in their hands.
"These dolls can weave my spell too?" Nuel exclaimed in shock as he managed to dodge their attack.
The dolls gave him no chance to catch his breath as they lashed their whips at him, the lightning whip swept straight at Nuel, the last of the whip almost wrapping itself around him before he slipped away.
'They could kill me at this rate.' He thought to himself.
Nuel felt embarrassed as the dolls could summon lightning into weapons while he, the bearer of the affinity, seemed useless in front of all five of them.
The doll attacked again, leaving him no chance to calculate his next move. Their lightning whips began to take new form, changing into different battle weapons.
One had a lightning spear, another appeared with a gauntlet and the next had lightning blades. The fourth doll transformed into a sword while the last didn't transform its whip.
The dolls made brilliant choices in their mode of attack, ensuring Nuel could not learn their attack patterns, but every counter he made to their attack in his defense, he was learning them as well.
The doll with the lightning blades charged at Nuel, taking him for a dart board. The speed at which they moved was insane and it seemed they all were toying with him.
The first doll gave a signal to the others and they all leaped on their feet, releasing the full potential of their weapons at Nuel which trapped him with no room for escape in the circle they had created around him.
The doll with the lightning spear launched a finishing attack. Nuel could feel the spear bury itself within his flesh even before it happened.
But before the spear could reach him, they all vanished.
[(Ding!)]
[Time-limit for replicates has elapsed]
Nuel collapsed into the ground, finally catching his breath.