We spend the next few hours discussing my powers, the kind of magic I can use, the awakening and attunement process, and the history of this world.
In that time, I learn that the reason so many things feel instinctive to me now is because our magic reacts differently to the one used by most creatures. When an ordinary adventurer tries to cast a spell or empower their body, they need to do so by manipulating their energy in a very specific manner. To become a Sword Fighter, I had to master a few techniques considered "core" to the class, which took me a few years to do. Different classes have different "core" techniques that define them, and the vast majority of people fully dedicate themselves to one class for their whole career because of how hard it is to gain new techniques.
But for a Witch, or me, our power reacts to our will much more than to the way we carefully manipulate it. I learned to create the crystalline projectiles I rely on so much because I wanted something I could use as a projectile. When I opened the earth up in a dungeon, it was because I wanted to create that hole. And the reason it feels different now when I empower my arms to strike harder or my legs to run faster, even though those are things I learned to do as a Sword Fighter, is because my magic reacts to what I want much more than to the way I use it. According to the Witches, as I get used to this, I'll be able to focus my will better and use my energy more efficiently, but that also requires going through the attunement process.
I also learn that this world went through a great war that ended 85 years ago when the earth split open and "World Eaters" started pouring out, killing anything they could find. That coincides with the apparition of dungeons in my world. The five Witches here have been working hard to fight back against these monsters, but it might still take a while before they can truly start rebuilding. The fall of their civilization, which they call the Collapse, caused much of their knowledge and technology to be lost.
I'm taking a sip from a waterskin Ulara lent me after our long conversation, when I suddenly feel a powerful and somewhat familiar presence, far above us, approaching at a great speed.
The wyvern?
I notice that the five Witches are all looking in its direction, smiling.
Tionan is the first one to speak:
"We're all hiding our presence, but Matt hasn't learned to do that yet. Looks like our old friend is coming for him, unaware that we're also here."
Vivian, who I see smiling for the first time, asks:
"Should we finally take care of it? Sending our new friend back home with wyvern parts seems like a fitting welcome gift to me."
"We haven't seen it since we became strong enough to defeat it. This might be our chance to get our revenge."
Looks like the Witches know about the wyvern. I wonder what kind of history they have with it.
Ibellir seems to anticipate my question, because she tells me:
"This wyvern has attacked each of us at least once after we awakened as Witches. It seems to be attracted to our power, but it's mostly a coward so it stopped showing up after we got stronger than it. We didn't intend on things turning out this way, but looks like you ended up as bait since it's still stronger than you."
I was with a full group of adventurers when I met this wyvern, and all we could do was run away. In comparison, here are the Witches confidently talking about taking it down. Am I really going to become that strong over just one year?
Saorin is squinting as she tries to spot the approaching monster. After a short while, she turns towards us and says:
"I saw it. It's using the clouds as cover, but it's definitely coming this way. I know Tionan is the one who fought it the most often, so how about we let her do the honor of blasting it out of the sky?"
The other Witches all agree, so the half-dragon Witch, with a large smile on her face, takes a few steps forward, positions herself to be solidly anchored on the ground, and starts charging energy in her mouth.
I guess dragons also breathe fire in this world.
I can feel the wyvern slowly approaching. The first lights of morning make it a bit easier to see the clouds it's hiding over, but despite its attempts, we can all tell exactly where it is.
An orb of flames leaves Tionan's mouth at an impressive speed, hurling towards the wyvern. It pierces the clouds, forcing them apart, revealing our target. It barely has time to be surprised by the attack before being hit, causing it to fall from the sky, seemingly injured.
"Ah! It can't even take one of my breath attacks anymore. No wonder it stopped trying to kill me."
Ibellir taps my shoulder before saying:
"We haven't told you about growing stronger through combat yet. Grab your sword, you're slaying that wyvern with us."
I'm a bit scared of having to fight that thing again, but I should be fine with the Witches helping me.
As we're running towards the location where the wyvern fell, Ibellir explains:
"As I'm sure you already know, we get stronger by killing other creatures. Do you know why this happens?"
"I learned that the amount of magical power an adventurer has increases after killing a monster."
"Correct, but it increases because a small part of the power of the creature you killed is transferred to you. As I'm sure you've already noticed, magical energy has a distinct feel based on which creature it's in, so humans feel different to monsters, and different monster types feel different from each other. And as you can almost certainly feel now that we're all letting some of our power out, Witches all feel similar, even though we're all from different races."
I nod. Around that time, we also reach the small crater caused by the wyvern's fall. Ibellir continues:
"Our power is a bit special, but I'll explain in more details once that thing is taken care of."
The wyvern gets up and takes a look around itself, seemingly a bit dazed due to the fall. It spots the Witches, panics a bit, and starts crawling away. I can see that Tionan's attack severely damaged one of its wings, so it won't be able to fly away.
As it leaves the crater, Saorin quickly jumps in front of it, blocking its path. It changes direction, only for Tionan to also position herself in front of it. Realizing that we won't simply let it run away, the wyvern lets out a bloodcurdling scream and rushes towards me, clearly sensing that I'm the weakest link in the chain restraining it.
I manage to dodge its attempt at hitting me with its horns by jumping on the side. From here, I can spot the wound that was left behind on its belly when I point-blank launched a crystal at it.
It quickly adjusts its movement, turning around and launching another attack at me, which I dodge again.
The third attack comes as I'm still in the air. That thing keeps surprising me with its speed. Fortunately, as the wyvern's mouth gets close to my body, Vivian jumps on its head, causing it to crash on the ground as I land safely.
She quickly looks at me before saying:
"Looks like it's still too fast for you."
The wyvern starts shaking its head, forcing Vivian to jump off. Despite her clothes appearing more cumbersome than the ones worn by the other Witches, she manages to move gracefully.
Ulara steps besides me and says:
"I'll slow its movement down. Use that opportunity to strike a weak point."
The wyvern is aggressively whipping the air around it with its tail as it growls angrily at us. It still seems to be focused on me, however. Having realized that the Witches weren't going to let it go, it might have decided to just try and take me down with it.
Ulara raises a hand towards our target. Immediately, its movement slows down. I might be able to keep up with it now.
Solidifying my grip on my sword, I start running towards the wyvern. It tries to bite me again, but I manage to effortlessly avoid it. I slide under its belly and, before it has time to react, jam my sword as hard as I can in the wound already there. The monster screams in pain as blood starts flowing down the blade. I manage to pull the sword out and jab it back in before the wyvern jumps away.
I figured this wouldn't be enough to kill it. My sword is too small compared to its body for me to have any hope of mortally wounding it like this.
Saorin does an impressive jump and lands next to me.
"Try going for the eyes. Your sword might not be strong enough to pierce them, but your magic might manage."
My magic? Right, my crystalline projectiles pack quite a punch. They're not very effective against its scales, but targeting the eyes might lead to a different outcome.
The wyvern starts charging a magical blast as I start running towards it. Thanks to Ulara's spell, I'm confident I can avoid its next attack.
I close the distance and jump to the side just as the monster unleashes the magic in its mouth. The large beam misses me as I point a hand towards one of its eyes. I think it understands what I'm about to do, but has no time to react. The next moment, the sound barrier breaks as blood starts flowing out of the wyverns eye socket.
It screams and starts flailing its body. We all jump back, watching it hit the ground again and again, until it finally falls flat, dead.
As soon as it draws its last breath, I start feeling the magic in my own body increase very rapidly.
Ibellir runs to me and asks:
"You can feel it, right? The wyvern's power flowing into you."
"I can. What's going on?"
"Normally, your body would need to convert the power it receives from a defeated monster into 'human' energy so that you can use it. This process greatly limits how much of that power you can acquire. Witches are different. Our power is 'universal', in the sense that it will fully absorb and integrate any other power. That monster was stronger than you, and you're fully absorbing all the power you can, so you're growing a lot stronger in turn."
In that case... Does that mean I'm going to level up way faster than everyone else? Going from having the lowest level cap in history to having a massive progression multiplier was unexpected, but you won't hear me complain about that.
Saorin approaches and asks:
"Matt! Do you use monster parts to make equipment in your world?"
"Yeah, we do."
"Then how about you bring that dead wyvern with you?"
Uh? How am I supposed to do that?
