I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Chapter 144: The Shapeshifter's Legacy

"Interesting..." Adam said, absorbed in the book's knowledge. "To use transmutation to shapeshift partially or entirely, I'll have to expand my knowledge of anatomy. I should probably look or design a spell to make things smoother..."

He pondered about the Morphomancer's legacy and how to integrate it into his arsenal.

A plan manifested in his chaotic mind. What would happen if he managed to become proficient as both a mana conjurer and a morphomancer? Would he create a whole new class recognised by his system?

Excitement bubbled as he theorised and analysed both fields' applications.

"Mana conjurers focus on manipulation outside of the body. Morphomancer's does the opposite. They control mana inside, transforming muscles, tissues, and cells. In fact, they complement each other perfectly!" He said, his mind happily combining his limited science knowledge with magic.

He wondered if he could discover a third path's legacy excitedly. But where should he look?

He obtained Kwame's legacy by chance, while he almost died to get Elena's in a random ruin hidden inside the belly of a dangerous mountain.

After a brief reflection, he put his excitement aside, refocusing on his training and reading.

Using transmutation, the morphomancer bypassed the need for incantations to use spells. Their fighting style focused on their ability to transform their bodies and objects.

He understood no morphomancer was unarmed, as they could use nature as their weapons. For example, a seemingly harmless boulder on the side of the road could suddenly become a stone sword in their hands. Depending on the mastery and level of knowledge, they could even change the rock's properties, turning it into steel or even magic materials.

That wasn't all. Their ability to shape-shift was absolutely terrifying. At high mastery, the most common-looking person could suddenly transform entirely. Bones, muscles, fangs, claws, wings, the only limitation to what they could change their bodies into was their knowledge, mastery and imagination. He also noted that they had to train their bodies rigorously to support the shapeshifting.

Moreover, they could also change faces and voices, making them the best spies.

Adam drooled at the prospect of changing his appearance into a stylish mix of powerful magic beasts before facepalming. "I don't have a body..." He said, his eyes dimming.

"At least I can try in the dream place." He said, trying to raise his morale.

After understanding the pros and cons of the morphomancer and realising why Elena spent most of her life studying and conducting research, he flipped the pages to study her achievement.

Diagrams covered by old, forgotten symbols greeted his eyes. Elegantly written explanations about their usage covered the pages in a well-structured manner.

He skimmed through the pages, his eyes wide, trying to understand the underlying workings of the mineral transmutations, only to realise he couldn't understand them.

As he reached the last page, he noticed a warning written in bold font. "Do not, and I insist, try mineral transmutation before reaching the seventh tier or have mana control reaching that tier's standard. The process will backfire, transforming your body into minerals if you do!"

He nodded, his face serious, wondering if his soul could be transformed into minerals, too.

He placed the book back on his table with a wry smile before shifting his focus's attention.

On Monday, they would attend their headteacher's class. After learning about his existence, Beatrix offered him an apprenticeship, like the others.

"Should I abuse the teacher's trust and eagerness to ask for benefits to accept their offers?" He said, his eyes filled with reluctance. He hated that idea.

Ever since he woke up in this world, he always returned favors, striving to be an honest person

The best example would be Alina. After receiving her help, he made her life comfortable, making her work an undemanding job in Theodor's shop.

He sighed after remembering the old man, before steeling his resolve. "I'll pay them back. As long as I progress, I can help them become adepts or even arcanists." After all, he owned two archmages' legacies.

But how could he make them believe him without exposing them? The grimoires' secrets had to stay hidden until he became strong enough to protect himself.

After thinking briefly, he decided to use their perception of him to convince them.

With that point sorted, he planned his next actions. "I need to borrow anatomy and mineralogy books. I should also brew potions for my other stats and check on the Battle Monster Club."

With a bright smile, he shook his head. With each passing day, the world seemed to grow more enchanting, presenting him with an ever-expanding list of tasks and discoveries to pursue.

With everything planned, he focused one hundred percent of his attention on mastering the mage's hand mana technique. His progress was smooth, and he should be able to materialise a full hand by tomorrow. Next, he would try to materialise two instantly without using his own hand as a template.

As he diligently trained, the sun passed its zenith, commencing its downward course.

In the courtyard in front of dormitory three, the loud clang of metal resonated, disturbing the afternoon's calm atmosphere.

"Come again!" Shiro exclaimed, her smile wide and her eyes sparkling.

Opposite her, Julius took a deep breath, taking his battle stance. They had been fighting against each other for hours now.

In the beginning, he overpowered Shiro with ease, using tactics to catch her off guard. However, as time passed, the young girl slowly adapted. She used her affinity more seamlessly, using control instead of spells to increase her gauntlets' weight while attacking or defending.

Faced with her swift progress, Julius found himself forced to change his approach after understanding his problem and reviewing their battles.

He tended to overthink before taking action, missing free opportunities. Instead, he started to rely more on his reflexes, searching to punish his opponent's mistakes or missed strikes instantly.

He also forced himself to strike more viciously, targeting vital areas after understanding his big brother's analysis of their fight against the frost naga.

They fought until dusk, only stopping to eat in the cafeteria before returning to their respective room for the night.

They both felt happy about their progress and promised to train together more often.