Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 154: Book 3: Chapter 10: Research

Read chapter 154 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Book 3: Chapter 10: Research Book 3: Chapter 10: Research The fire burned low, shadows stretching and bending across the circle of tired faces. Bandages glimmered pale in the flickering light. All of the surviving caravan members sat around the low campfire, taking in the defeat of the last fight. Alex sat on a log-bench, messing with the [Aether Siphon Plate], he had traded with Eric for so many weeks ago. It wasn’t as useful as he hoped it to be, as its potency and efficiency hadn’t kept up with his power growth. It barely managed to fill the mortal-grade aether gem slotted in his bracer. Now, in the middle stage of Adept Tier, it was basically a tiny spoon sized bucket trying to fill a swimming pool. He—along with Obby’s inputs—had come up with an idea for modifying and boosting the item, if not, just to construct a more powerful one whole-sale with his [Glyphcraft], along with help from Garret’s [Smithing] skill. But the plans were still in the infancy phase, ideas rattling around and slowly coalescing in his mind. He had time, for now, to come up with a truly great item. Holly sat on the log next to him, her head resting on his shoulder as he worked idly. Her own hands danced slowly in front of her, gusts of subtle wind shifting and moving about as she practiced using her aether element. Out of everyone in their team, it seemed Holly was the one that was touching on something close to free-form spell creation. It might simply be a result of her element, but Alex doubted that given that Eric, who had the Air attunement as well, wasn’t able to do the same things that she could. Eric also seemed to focus more on the lightning aspect of the air attunement, while Holly appeared more drawn to wind. There was a lot of nuance to every elemental attunement, and Alex wasn’t able to figure out the subtle differences, even when watching them both through his [Aether Sight] as they cast their spells or used their martial styles. Henry also seemed to be a special case of his own, his water attunement leaning heavily on Nature aspects in general. This attunement guiding him in the cultivation of his now impressive looking mobile garden, which he kept in his special dimensional item. An item that was yet another mystery Alex just couldn’t quite understand when he compared it to his bracelet, or the pouches they had scavenged. It feels like the more I figure out about how the magic of this world works, the less I truly understand. How the fuck is someone supposed to grow in power and prove themselves to the Heavenly System, when there doesn’t seem to be any rules like a real RPG? “That’s exactly what makes it balanced.” Obby said in his mind. “ Even when two people, or a hundred people for that matter, have the same attuned element, none of those mages will be the same. The roads to the peak of power are as diverse as the sentience of the races themselves.” So there’s no right way? Feels like there sure as fuck is a wrong way. Alex felt his frustration rising. “Who’s to say? There are things to learn and methods to unlock for everyone. So no single person is limited, they all have a path that leads to the next tier, they just have to find it. Like Garret over there.” Alex turned to his friend, seeing him sitting closer to the fire than anyone else, his legs tucked under him in lotus pose. Even now, he was cultivating, trying to grow stronger, like the rest of them. What do you mean? “ I’m willing to bet that you think, just as he does, that he could unlock some magma spells or abilities given his dual fire-earth attunement. And you are not wrong, I will say. But he has yet to do that so far. It’s not because he is dumb, it’s because he needs to find his own path towards those powers, if he makes it there at all and doesn’t end up veering off into something else, that is.” Oh. It had been strange to Alex that his friend hadn’t figured out any lava spells or magma armor martial arts yet. If he knew Garret at all, then he was certainly tryin