Nighttime. A bright full moon rose from the sea's horizon, its clear moonlight softly illuminating the surface of the sea, bringing the only light to the pitch-black night.
A three-masted sailing ship raced across the sea, dim lights flickering on board.
Alka sat at the table in his room, reading a book by the light of an oil lamp. Two other books were stacked nearby. These blue-covered volumes were filled with dense text and some illustrative drawings. *Treasures, Spells, Humans (Part Three)* was the title of the book he held. The three blue-covered books formed a complete set, divided into upper, middle, and lower volumes, detailing the unknown other side of this world.
In the silent room, only the rustling of Alka turning pages could be heard. An unknown amount of time passed; even the flame in the oil lamp beside him had grown dim. Alka closed the book, placed it with the other two from the table onto the bookshelf, and put the retaining bar in place. He then carried the oil lamp to his bedside.
Lying on his bed, Alka stared at the ceiling, the dim lamplight flickering. After reading the three books, he finally had a general, though not very detailed, understanding of the world's other side. He was no longer as ignorant and naive as he had been a few days prior.
The three-volume series, *Treasures, Spells, Humans*, explained the origin and development of power, starting from the basics and gradually delving into deeper, more comprehensive details. It read more like a history book of the Extraordinary World, using historical narration to detail the evolution of these Extraordinary Powers. Just as its title suggested, the most important of these were Treasures. These were not precious metals or jewels, but the true source of power. They possessed immense force, strong enough to obliterate an island in an instant. They could magically enable people to fly, swim freely in the water, and traverse effortlessly between islands. These items, which defied the world's natural order, were collectively known as Treasures.
Of course, Treasures themselves were classified into different levels. However, Alka didn't know the specific criteria for this division. From lowest to highest, these Treasures were designated Holy Grail, Scepter, and Crown.
Treasures were the source of all Extraordinary Powers currently possessed by humans. All Extraordinary Powers humans used required the assistance of Treasures.
Humans possessed Magic Power innately. This power naturally expanded as they aged, stabilizing when they reached adulthood, typically between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. The age of adulthood in this world was also set at sixteen. However, the Magic Power within a human body was inert and couldn't resonate with external Magic Power. Humans naturally couldn't manipulate this dormant, static Magic Power on their own, much like humans cannot perfectly control their own bodies.
An external force was then required to clear the Magic Veins within the human body, activating the latent Magic Power and making it vital once more. This process was known as "Touching"—to touch a Treasure. Any Treasure, regardless of its level, could reactivate the Magic Power within an ordinary person. However, each Treasure could only activate a limited number of people, depending on its level. The book offered no explanation for the specific reason behind this limitation. Once this "quota" was filled, the Treasure could not activate anyone new, unless a spot in the "quota" opened up.
When Magic Power became active through Touching, the Magic Veins were also stimulated. These veins were like nerves that connected to and controlled Magic Power, allowing humans to manipulate their Magic Power as easily as their own limbs. The activation of internal Magic Power enhanced an ordinary person's physique, as Magic Power inherently strengthened the body. With deliberate control, specific parts of the body could be further enhanced using Magic Power.
As control became more proficient, Magic Power could even be temporarily extended outward through physical contact. It could be spread over weapons, imbuing them with additional properties, or this extended Magic Power could be used for other operations. However, to wield more wondrous abilities, one had to manipulate Treasures using Magic Power. Having Magic Power also made humans more adept at mastering Treasures.
But Treasures were exceedingly scarce, possessed by only a select few. So, what of the others? Over time, humans with strong souls who frequently Touched Treasures began to comprehend and acquire new powers from different Treasures. This was Spell.
Spells could be inscribed on durable materials or those with magical affinities for use. It was rumored that some even inscribed Spells onto their own bodies. Once mastered, one could even draw them in mid-air. By using their internal Magic Power as a medium, channeled through the Spell, they could invoke the surrounding ambient Magic Power to produce miraculous effects. Alka already had some understanding of this. After all, Jack's *Spell Explanation* clearly described the use of three Spells. It also informed Alka about a Scepter-level Treasure. This was the source of the Cross of Righteous Fire Spell—the Scepter-level Treasure, Burning Melting Tree. As for the other two Spells Alka knew, Screw Vortex Water Chain and Silver Blade, he didn't know from which specific Treasures they originated.
At this thought, Alka raised his right hand and waved it casually. The three cards, each engraved with a different Spell, appeared in his hand. Of course, he always carried such items with him. For a Magician, one never knew what they might have hidden on their person. With another flick of his wrist, the cards vanished. Alka then rose, blew out the oil lamp, and, bathed in the moonlight from his window, fell into a deep sleep.
...
「Morning.」
The cool sea breeze and the rising sun, already scorching, dispersed the lingering mist from the previous night over the sea. After washing and dressing, Alka headed below deck. Such a spacious and massive ocean-going sailing ship held barely five people; including himself, there were only six. It felt remarkably empty.
It wasn't until he reached the canteen on the gun deck that he saw Hammer, who was waving at him.
"Alka, hurry over!"
Alka first went to the open kitchen counter, where Uncle Matt smilingly handed him breakfast. It was a portion of golden bread, a fried egg, a serving of bacon, and even a glass of milk. Sitting down next to Hammer, Alka eyed the glass of milk.
Could milk really keep for long on a ship?
He hadn't seen any dairy cows being kept below deck yesterday.
"The food storage room has a chilling Spell," Hammer explained from across the table, shrugging. "They say it keeps the food fresh, but I don't really get how."
So that's how it works.
A magical version of a refrigerator, then.
He began to enjoy a breakfast that was quite a luxury on a ship. Still, the dining area only held him and Hammer, along with Uncle Matt, who was busy in the kitchen.
Hammer quickly finished his meal and then got three packed meal boxes from Uncle Matt. "Alka, you go on eating," Hammer said. "I need to deliver breakfast to the Captain, Liboka, and, of course, Grandpa Bobby."
"Honestly, why can't these people walk a few extra steps for their own breakfast?" Hammer grumbled, clearly annoyed. Just as he was lifting the curtain to leave, he seemed to remember something and turned back to Alka, who was still eating. "Oh, right," he added, "at our current speed, we should reach our destination by noon."
With that, he lifted the curtain again and departed.