Extra Chapter: Magic System
In this world, all existing magic is divided into three major categories: Elemental Magic, Magic of Will, and Magic Strengthening.
1. Elemental Magic
There are various types of elemental magic, divided into core elements and polarities (Positive and Negative):
Dark Magic (Negative Polarity): Utilizes negative elements. This includes curses, the control of living or dead beings (Necromancy), the creation of monsters, and the ability to manifest things that absorb light.
Light Magic (Positive Polarity): Utilizes positive elements, focusing on blessings, purification, healing, rays of light, and solid shapes made puramente of light.
Note: Both sides, positive and negative, can imbue and utilize magic from other elements. A light user can harness positive aspects to focus on advanced healing, whereas a dark magic user can warp elements to unleash attacks solely designed to inflict pure pain and agony.
Water Magic: Can create ice, vapor, and high-pressure water attacks. The user possesses absolute control over water in all its physical states, as well as healing capabilities.
Earth Magic: Can create and manipulate earth and metals, alongside the advanced ability to vibrate the surrounding ground to trigger devastating earthquakes.
Fire Magic: Controls thermal energy. A master is capable of raising the temperature to generate flames of various colors or even freezing heat itself.
Air Magic: Can create, shape, and control the air and wind currents in different forms and manners.
The Mage's Perception: Each spell typically requires a chant incantation to be cast, though the use of silent magic (chantless casting) is not uncommon among experienced users. Furthermore, a true mage possesses an innate ability to detect mana embedded in objects and can even measure the raw power of formidable individuals.
2. Magic Strengthening
A very common type of magic. It is fundamentally based on channeling and placing mana into specific parts of the body to amplify physical attributes. Generally, individuals who develop or awaken their core through the assistance of other people utilize this technique.
3. Magic of Will
A legendary and extremely rare tier of magic that utilizes Sacred Mana. Sacred mana is an energy that is far richer, denser, and overwhelmingly more powerful than ordinary mana.
The Risk: Refining the surrounding mana and transmuting it into sacred mana requires microscopic, razor-sharp control over the energy. Any failure in this process can cause severe, catastrophic damage to the individual's body and soul.
The Limit: Due to the fact that it requires millennia of rigorous training to be achieved, it is incredibly uncommon for humans to possess it. Truly powerful entities can pump sacred mana directly into their cores, rendering themselves practically omnipotent. However, to activate and utilize it, an incredibly overwhelming intention or force of will is required.
4. Core Awakening and Development
To manipulate mana, an individual must first awaken their magic core. There are different methods to achieve this, each with its respective costs and dangers:
Guided Condensation: The safest method, where an experienced mage helps guide and condense the beginner's internal energy to form the core.
Monster Core Consumption: A dangerous and much less common shortcut. Because monsters are incredibly strong, attempting to absorb a wild core without the assistance of others can be lethal. The most viable way to obtain this resource is by purchasing pre-processed cores, though they are astronomically expensive.
Self-Training: A method that demands extreme sensitivity and patience. The individual must sense the environmental mana entirely on their own and condense it internally until shaping the magic core into a perfect sphere.
The Genie's Grant (The Lamp): An extremely unusual and mysterious method. However, this path carries a terrifying risk: the danger of encountering a Corrupted Lamp.
Lore Note: The Corrupted Lamps
In its normal state, the absolute rules of the lamp force the Genie to strictly grant the wishes of mortals. However, the corruption of such a high-level magical object completely distorts this dynamic, and it can occur in two ways:
The Genie's Rebellion: If the Genie's willpower is massive and overpowering, over the span of decades it can slowly corrode the restrictions and the will of the lamp itself. Once the vessel is subjugated, the Genie breaks free from the shackles of the contract and is able to do whatever they please.
The Object's Decay: The Genie can end up losing their mind due to eternal isolation, or the magical receptacle where the entity was sealed was already corrupted from the very beginning. In this case, the Genie is forced to follow the distorted will of the lamp, causing any granted wishes to be bizarrely corrupted or altered.