Master Of None

Chapter 2743: 2743. Full Circuit

Knowing more details about where the experiments to make a longer term dark dome around just a small greenhouse was good.

Since the issues with planting herbs that would naturally draw in more manas from the surroundings was the fact that they would grow and damage the rune materials was useful. It meant that if any methods of herb ground around the greenhouse was used, it would eventually lead to constant maintenance. And since that was the case, the dark dome would fail whenever repairs were made or needed to be made. A higher chance of failure.

If the rune formations used could only be temporary because eventually the manas would become too dense and damage the materials they were carved on, then it also made sense why the materials were being stockpiled nearby. It was clear that even focusing more heavily on the formation itself might be the wrong path due to the fact that the more mana drawn in the faster the degradation would be.

There was also the issue of the form the mana took. For example, dark mana has many qualities. Saying that Dark mana was all about the fact that it was dark would be wrong. Saying it was all about decay and rot would also be wrong. Those were aspects of what made up dark mana but would not always be the core feature. Dark mana could heal but it would do so in different ways for those with different affinities.

However, dark mana was a mana with pressure and the more potent it got the harder to control or hold it. This was the case for every single mana. Just as fire mana could be warm and bring forth life in the coldest of places, it could also bring forth pain and burning. It was a balance of care and understanding that was needed.

Walker had considered trying to make a skill to create a proper dark dome. That would need a mage to maintain it at all times though. Something that was a counter to the goals being discussed right now. The rune formations worked but were temporary because no matter what the potency of dark mana always failed. This left Walker wondering if he could search for a mix of the two.

Somewhat seeing where Walkerʼs thoughts might be going, the old herbalist spoke up. ”We tried to have a few mages monitor the manas but they had to keep pulling manas away from the formation so that it wouldnʼt become too dense. That allowed more manas to seep in and cause the herbs to suffer. They werenʼt balanced.”

The idea that drawing away manas to control the degradation of the materials used for the rune carving was good. It was what Walker would have tried. But if it was a failure because too many other manas ambient in this area caused there to be a disruption for the herbs when it was something that needed to be focused on.

It all pointed toward having just an area where dark mana was used. However, that would be against the goal. The goal was to have these greenhouses in places where there was not a density of whatever mana made up the dome. Allowing for herbs that would not normally be there to grow and be used. If this succeeded, there would be a lot more opportunity for those who were far from certain herbs due to the environment. Especially when the floating islands could be created to make moving greenhouses, workshops, and even more.

For a moment Walker felt stumped. This issue wasnʼt simple and maybe it was partially because they were trying to control the mana in one area without any drawbacks. Yet, he had a feeling that it was possible to keep minimizing the costs. Especially for the fact that there were rune formations that lasted from ancient times for multiple races. Meaning that they had managed to cut the degradation of even the densest rune formation they used by utilizing certain formations and techniques.

”What if we look at it as part of a system? Not just making a dome of elemental mana but circulating some of that mana to be stored elsewhere. That way we can keep the mana density higher but instead of degrading the material, it works like a filling station. The mana filling mana gems or something?”

This seemed to intrigue the young runesmith. She was looking at Walker like he had given her a bounty of ideas to experiment. She had always tried to dissipate the manas by calling on mages or using different rune formations. Yet, those had failed because they weakened the original rune formation instead of allowing it to maintain the same output to isolate the space inside of it with just one singular mana over the other naturally occurring manas.

”We can make that happen. Should I try to have mana gems for dark affinity brought here?” She began to send off different attendants who had gathered. Each was in their own right a great rune carver who knew exactly what she would need to progress any further.

”So you wonʼt need me for the time being then?” The old herbalist was looking at Walker and Midnight for assurance. He wanted to be sure he could wander off to work on what he found to be important. It wasnʼt his fault that he found the rune and rune formation to be something boring and unimportant if they werenʼt being used actively to help his herbs.

”Actually, why donʼt you bring seeds of dark elemental herbs we can test on. I want to use some skills to grow them rapidly in and outside of the dark dome we make. That way we can see if there is a greater or weaker effect.” Now that caught the old herbalistʼs attention. He thought Walker would be here just to control mana and to make sure the project was moving ahead. Not necessarily to be entirely hands on with everything going on here.

”I can have the extra mana absorbed by my eternal codex. It has been storing natural mana for a while and we can use the natural mana to help enhance the growth of the nearby herbs to free up some space.” Walker knew that as a bound weapon and tool overall for him, the eternal codex was still incredibly unique. Oftentimes, it stayed as a piece of armor on his body or he wielded it like a staff or sword. However, when it came to storing mana, it was considered an abyss with too much space to fill. Or at least that was the best way to put it.

He and Fleur actively filled it with natural mana to have it available at all times. But using some to help the herbs and the land itself be better for growing everything was not a loss to him. It had the space for the excess dark mana while they experimented too so this was just another benefit without needing to make a ton of mana gems or connect the rune formations right to something that could store a larger amount of mana in general.

”We might need to ask about those pillars in the floating cities sooner than later. They stored a lot of mana for the floating city and we might need a core like that for the greenhouses. But they will need to be tailored to different manas.” Walker was speaking to himself but Midnight was sleeping a close eye on him. Walker had started to manipulate the natural mana inside the eternal codex.

She came to learn more about the way that Walker manipulated mana. Since they had a bond between them, she was able to better understand how he did so. As he did, she used that bond to feel his movement while she also witnessed them. It gave her more insight on the flow of mana and how delicate he needed to be when moving the natural mana and splitting it. Adding that to how she manipulated and mixed manas, then she should be able to use the same buffing skills that Walker did for mana.

Even better yet, she might be able to mix the dragon breaths better and make an attack that allowed her to be the strongest dragon using a natural dragon breath or some elemental clashing mana breath. Her mind was excited but Walker pretended he didnʼt notice it at all. He knew all too well how Midnight would get if he kept pushing her on this path. She would get way too dedicated and he would end up sparring with her rather than helping here at all.

”Start carving the rune formations and try to keep in mind that it needs to keep the same strength while the mana flows to and from the eternal codex. We are making a constant loop that can be drawn from without causing a loss.”

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