The plan was to sleep for 3 days but I felt a strange disturbance after the second day. I detected deception around Raishin’s house but it disappeared after a bit. Whatever that was I guess Raishin had dealt with it.


    I couldn''t sleep after that so I decided to continue with my project. It was still early in the morning. I went downstairs and started testing the muscle dough while I looked into how to make Spirit Fat.


    The spirit vessel could be filled with only muscle dough but that wouldn''t give it damage reduction. This spirit fat would however.


    The spirit fat was also easy. I needed to collect a lot of oil produced by Oily hippos found in the Aquini delta. And flush acid of the Sevian Sea vipers which was near Ignacio and Bia?


    What? I don’t recognize these countries. I know where the Sevian sea is though. Are these old names of the countries next to it? Bizax and Igrini kingdom are at the Sevian sea. I assume they got renamed.


    After flushing the acid through this oil, it should turn into some yellow-green butter. I would have to flush it with a hydrophobic solvent or with water if my water magic control is very high. Flushing with water it is.


    After that, it should turn white. A basic damage reduction magic potion had to be be mixed with it while subjected under high pressure and low temperatures. The duration didn’t matter but the pressure and temperature would. Lower temperatures and higher pressure meant more damage reduction. Greg would make the best damage-reduction potion he can muster.


    The village was still asleep so this was the best moment to talk to the spirit guardian and tell her I needed to leave the barrier.


    I infiltrated the big tree while still testing the muscle dough.


    “You have returned. How is the progress?”


    I am currently testing the muscles of the spirit vessel but it seems good so far. I have finished the skin and I will be working on the fat now.


    “But I don’t want to be fat…”


    It is for damage reduction… it will protect from physical damage.


    “If you say so… So, what reckless trip are you going to make this time?”


    I am going to hunt snakes and hippos!


    “I assume that the details are going to confuse me even more, how long do you need?”


    That I don’t know. How long do I get?


    “Some minor gods have been quite active lately so I hope you can do this as stealthily and fast as possible. Will 3 days be enough?”


    I surely hope so. How are the blackouts?


    “They haven’t increased in frequency but the duration has gotten quite long. I know you are under a lot of pressure but please hurry up.”


    I’m doing my best. I haven’t started with the hard parts yet. I hope I will make it in time. Can you ask one of those elders to either draw how you want to look like or ask them to get Greg in here and have him draw how you want to look like.


    “I will, thanks, and be careful out there.”


    I left. Spirits are so nice. It’s so sad that they get treated so poorly. I decided to waste no time. I left the village and headed east toward the Sevian sea. It was easy to get there. I just jumped in the river, used [Water Dragon Festival] and rode the dragons until I hit the sea half a day later.


    Now Rignef had described several methods on how to lure these to the surface. I don’t need all that. I know how to fight underwater. I will hunt them down and cut out their poison sacks. I looked at my hip and remembered that I left Nilah at home, again.


    I should instruct her to follow me in moments like these. I dove down and scanned the area. These sea snakes are quite high up the food chain so they shouldn’t be hard to find. I saw a giant Sevian Sea snake bullying a Sevian Turtle. I have found my target! I used [Waterfall] and crashed into it. I evaded its attacks and sent out [Water Blades] whenever I evaded putting pressure on it by just evading.


    It tried to swallow me but that was its mistake. I made a sword out of frost and cut its upper jaw off its head instantly killing it. I dove to its body and covered myself in frost and cut the poison or acid sack out of it.


    Is this enough?


    I stored it in my dimensional pocket.To be sure, I hunted 2 more snakes and then went for the hippos.


    The other 2 snakes were smaller so easier to defeat and I went back to shore. The Aquini Delta is quiet far from here. It is closer to the university. I had dropped a [Dimensional Anchor] there so I can teleport to there. I will just have to avoid students and professors.


    I went into stealth, tugged on the [Dimensional Anchor] and arrived at the room I had used when I was a professor. It was empty. I was worried about someone else living here now but nothing here. How strange.


    I sneaked out of my dorm room. It was relatively early but the first lectures should start soon so I have to be careful.


    The campus was empty. Nothing had changed here. I managed to stay out of trouble and got outside of the university. I ran toward the ocean and ran over the surface of the water. It will be faster to go over the water than make an enormous detour where there are mountains, cities and a border.


    I ran around the Denga peninsula. The Denga Jungle covered most of this peninsula and behind the peninsula was the Aquina delta. All I need to do is to make some hippos sweat their oil by either agitating them or warming them up with some fire. The oil isn’t flammable so this shouldn’t be an issue.


    Ok this is an issue these hippos are way too aggressive. They are defending the oil with their life. I don’t need to kill them but if they keep this up, I had to. I only had 1 liter of oil and that wasn’t enough. I needed at least 500 times that amount.


    Hippos, you have forced my hand.


    I used [Frozen Ground] and froze their tiny hippo feet to the ground. I then started grill them non-lethally and collected the oil by making channels in the frost.


    Play stupid games, win stupid prizes! You should have just given me the oil while I was still being nice!


    I collected more than enough oil and freed the hippos. They all rushed at me but I didn’t care. I tugged on my [Dimensional Anchor] and returned to the burnt patch in the elven village. I had made it back in time.


    Now I could be efficient and get everything I need for the whole process in one go but then I get less opportunity to leave the village. I moved the [Dimensional Anchor] to my current house and instructed Nilah to follow me when I was about to leave the village.


    “So, what are you making this time” Jyno was reading on the couch with his girlfriend.


    The muscle dough still hasn’t fatigued so I think it’s done. Next up is spirit fat.


    I returned the muscle dough sample back to the rest.


    “You want to make our spirit guardian fat?” His girlfriend asked.


    It is for physical damage reduction… Which reminds me I have to ask Greg something.


    I went back outside and headed towards Greg’s house. Nobody was home. I went to Elliana’s home. Nobody either. Did they go out? Maybe they eloped. I noticed a large lightning blast near Raishin’s house. Maybe Raishin knows where they are. I came close and saw Raishin, Greg and Elliana on the large leaf next to his house. Ah right he would teach Elliana lightning magic. I approached them


    Sup, how is it going?


    Look who came out of his cave.


    Teaching lightning magic is hard!


    Hey I spent 3 days out of the village! And teaching lightning magic is hard if you never use it. How is it going Elliana?


    “I think I get the idea of it but Raishin’s explanations are vague.”


    Uhh show me what you got maybe I can give some tips.


    Elliana made some weak sparks. It had a strange shape.


    Ah, I see the problem. You’re putting too much effort in controlling it. The trick is to not control anything only its trajectory.


    “But what if I hit someone with it?”


    Isn’t that the point?


    “I mean what if I hit Raishin or Greg?”


    I connected to the air leyline currents and zapped Raishin and Greg.


    Hey! And why am I not immune to this?


    Probably because it is leyline energy and not magic but look Elliana, neither of them took a lot of damage or took damage at all. Don’t worry about it.


    “But I might zap you now that you are here.” Raishin fired a red [Lightning bolt] at me and I redirected it and sent it to the sky.


    Just go for it! We’ll be fine.


    Elliana nodded and she produced great results. Raishin had made targets for her to hit and she already has a better accuracy than Raishin.


    “Oh, it’s not that hard to control after I release it!”


    Yeah, you control it after you release it not during. Anyway, Greg, I need the best damage reduction potion you can make, preferably tomorrow or the day after.


    I will get to it and thanks for helping out!


    Also, Elliana, Raishin has super sloppy lightning magic circles. Pass them by Greg before you put in the effort to get familiar with them. And with this I’m off.


    I am concerned. I’m not seeing much progress between Elliana and Greg, and I’m not blaming Elliana. Someone needs to keep an eye on them but who? I can ask Inna, maybe she can help them. But only Raishin and I might be able to do something because Greg is obviously the problem here.


    I went back home and I noticed that Jyno and his girlfriend were gone.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Hey Inna? Can you keep an eye out on Elliana and Greg?


    Inna came down, she smelled nice as it seemed she had just finished showering. “Sure, what for?”


    Greg is being an idiot. Elliana could use some support; can you please help her?


    “I am not that close with Elliana but I shall try.”


    Just say that I sent you if she becomes wary or suspicious.


    “Ok. You are not going to do anything reckless while I’m gone right?”


    Just flushing some oil and then some butter so not much that could go wrong.


    “Ok then.” Inna left and I expanded the space with illusions and started to [Flush] all the acid through the hippo oil. The book was unclear on how long I would have to flush so I got comfortable because I suspected that it would take a while.


    I got tired after 2 hours so I disconnected from the leyline currents and used magic to flush the acid. My clone rewrote the progress of my research because it had all burnt down with my other house. It also rewrote my life story as it had also been burnt down. I might have to invest in fireproof paper. I just relaxed because these things are quite automatic with magic.


    Jyno came back home, alone this time. “Finally, a step where you can just relax.”


    Yup


    “And how long will this take?”


    I have no idea.


    “Classic, hey, what are you going to do after you completed this spirit vessel? Will you stay here?”


    Don’t think so sorry. We have to get stronger and help Neia in finding our home.


    “Neia is your auntie, right?”


    Not officially, but yeah.


    Jyno held his hand over his mouth.


    “I overheard an elder talking about contacting your cousins. In the case something goes wrong, they will come to pick you up.”


    I am actually not surprised. It sucks for me but it is their safest option. Thanks for telling me.


    “Do you dislike hanging around with your own race?”


    Not really, the problem is just that I’m one out of the 5 males in my race and they are all women so…


    “Ah, I see. And here are we elves almost refusing to reproduce even though we have enough members to do such…”


    Different race, different problems.


    “Is it true that you have found a way to make elves more proactive in reproducing?!” I twitched.


    Where have you heard that?


    “I also overheard the elders talk about that.”


    It would be nice if they would keep their private conversations secret… Yeah, I do, it’s the reason why you suddenly got interested in the opposite sex.


    “Huh? So, what did you do?”


    Yeah, it’s better if I don’t tell you.


    “Hmm well they made a special house at the edge of the village, quite big to where they would ‘convert’ some of our population.”


    Aha, that sounds like a bad idea but if it produces results then I won’t complain.


    I refreshed the acid and continued flushing the oil.


    “So, you really don’t want to tel…”


    The banana-stealing elders came in. “Are we disturbing you Agnis?”


    You are always disturbing me. I don’t have any bananas, shoo and I swear if you touch my mangoes, I will prank you!


    They looked at my fruit bowl filled with ripe mangoes. “Ehh, we’re not here for your food.”


    Yet, so what do you want?


    “We have made a special and specific building at the edge of the village; we want you to check it out.”


    I looked at Jyno and he nodded. I made a shadow clone to monitor the flushing process and I followed the elders. They stopped Jyno who also wanted to come.


    So, what this about if even my bodyguard can’t come.


    “You will see soon.”


    Nilah ran after me. She must have thought that I would go somewhere.


    We got lead to the edge of the village which had a large house made out of bark and we went inside.


    I saw an elder cast various types of magic to prevent eavesdropping and the sort.


    “We have made this building as a place to bring elves who are interested in bonding but don’t have the emotional aptitude or connection to do so. We would want to ask you to cast that thing you do on the couples that want to bond. They will stay here so that they can spend time together after you did your illusion to foster a deeper connection.”


    Doing this on just 2 is a waste as I can’t use this often. Make a place where I can watch over multiple rooms and I can cast it on them. Now I am fine with this idea there is one problem however.


    “We will be relying on another race to fix our problems, we know, can you at least help us to start out? We don’t have many opportunities to study the process of bonding under ourselves so we want to use this to find better methods of alleviating this problem.”


    Hmm, very well, you do know that I’m busy so I will do this once a month maybe less, also remind me because I’m busy and I forget. Get as many as possible so I don’t waste time and energy.


    “Thank you very much. We have contacted your cousins by the way. If a god ever finds its way in here, they will be ready to jump in action. We will also have 2 visit in several weeks.”


    Uh oh. Wait what month is it?


    “It’s mid-July, why?”


    Uhh, what did Hisui always say? Gold in spring, pink and blue in summer, red, brown, and black in autumn, and silver in the winter. Uhh, can you tell them to not come?


    “Why not?”


    I will be in danger if they come while it’s summer.


    “I don’t understand.”


    Please it will greatly hinder my process if they come.


    “Very well we will tell them to wait.”


    “Is this related to birthdays or something?” Banana stealing elder #2 asked.


    Uhh no we stop celebrating our birthdays after 18 years old. I’m sure you guys also give up after a certain age.


    “Yeah, we stop after 15”


    Anyway, don’t let them come and notify me when you want them to have the ‘Eslana Experience’


    “Is that how you call it?”


    I nodded to Banana stealing elder #1 and teleported home.


    Rejoice your race is saved!


    Jyno made a funny face. “Huh, what?”


    You will see.


    “Where is Inna by the way?”


    Saving another race!


    “Can you make sense please?”


    She’s possibly saving the 3t!


    “Ah, even under the elves we’re wondering when it will get somewhere.”


    Poor Elliana… Anyway, not my problem! Yet! Let’s see if this butter is ready.


    I looked at the butter which was still very much oil.


    Am I going to lose more weeks on these stupid processes?


    “Possibly.”


    <hr>


    It took 31 days for this stupid oil to become butter. It would have been nice if Rignef had noted that down.


    I wrote a big angry ‘31’ in my documentation. My dizzy spells had become more frequent to the point even I believe that leaving the village is a bad idea. The guardian spirit had been in a blackout for the last 2 days and the elves were becoming very worried which of course also extended to me. I had fallen out of the trees several times.


    The banana-stealing elders had been promoted to mango-stealing elders because I had caught them snacking on my mangoes. I paid them back by hiding multiple [Flour Time Bombs] in their homes which would explode at random times.


    It did remind me of Secret Weapon #3 that I never got to finish but I’m too busy for that. Gregory had finished the requested potion a long time ago so I just needed to flush the yellow-green color out of this butter.


    This process only took 2 hours. I was currently pressing the white fat mixed with Greg’s potion. I had made a cylinder made out of frost and was having a piston press down on it. The temperature in the piston was nearing absolute zero.


    Jyno was shivering in a corner and hugging Nilah. He had to choose between being cold or getting his mana stolen. I think Nilah has been getting more and more opportunistic lately. Maybe she feels as if a big battle is coming up soon.


    The pressing only took 20 minutes. The spirit fat was extremely soft and fluffy. I threw some at Jyno’s forehead and kicked it.


    “Hey! What the! Oh, what the fuck? That didn’t hurt at all! It’s a bit cold though”


    Hmm that is a lot of damage reduction, I was ready to kick your head off.


    “You asshole!” He started flinging magic at me which I interrupted or evaded.


    Well, the pressure wasn’t as high as Rignef recommended but in exchange I made it several times colder than he did so it should be fine. The damage reduction potion was also of higher quality.


    Jyno got tired of missing and calmed down. “You are really determined to make this spirit vessel extremely strong I see.”


    Well think of it. It is the only thing your guardian will have to stay here. You want it to be strong, eh? Also, I can’t stay here forever to keep doing maintenance on it.


    “Hey, I can’t help to notice. You keep talking about the spirit guardian, aren’t you forgetting something?”


    I think I have everything. I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything.


    “Shouldn’t you also make a spirit vessel for yourself?”


    Oh… well this all should be enough for 5-6 vessels so I can make mine afterward.


    “How about you make yours first? If you get in a blackout and never get out of it… nobody knows how to complete this vessel.”


    Hmm, that makes sense. Sure, I will work on it.


    We tested the spirit fat a bit but it was clear that its damage reduction was the real deal.