Although the knowledge of common magic had faded from the memory of this world, Lennok knew that the power he wielded had not vanished. It was a rare privilege to possess a weapon that was unknown to others.
With this realization, Lennok poured all his time and effort into delving deeper into the realm of magic. His obsession with the subject was so intense that he only took breaks for meals and to extend his room reservation in the lobby.
At the factory, Lennok had demonstrated his proficiency in three spells – light, bolt, and silence. However, there were many other forms of common magic that existed solely for the convenience of the user.
Though they lacked the potency of more profound forms of magic, their versatility was a significant advantage. Not being confined to specific attributes or series made them an incredibly potent tool in Lennok's arsenal.
With all the common magic he could recall neatly organized, Lennok began testing each one individually. As the roll of toilet paper sliced through the air with an eerie sound, Lennok nodded in approval. "I can use cutting magic too. Let's add that to the list," he muttered as he scribbled down the new spell on a sticky note.
A multitude of memo notes scattered across the bed, each one inscribed with the names of spells Lennok had successfully tested. Through rigorous experimentation, he had painstakingly explored the limits of his magic. The beauty of common magic was that he didn't need to fret over the intricacies of magic circles, symbols, or incantations. With a simple thought, mana would materialize and take form before his very eyes.
To be sure, there were spells beyond his current capabilities and others that he dared not attempt in the confines of his hotel room. Yet, Lennok's skill was nothing short of remarkable. As a player in the game World, he had to go through the motions of hand signs and chants. But in reality, he wielded his magic with ease.
As Lennok practiced, his mana steadily grew, enabling him to use magic with increasing frequency and efficiency. This was a new experience for him, even as an experienced player. Thanks to this newfound power, he could cast spells more than ten times in a single day. His progress in the study of magic was nothing short of remarkable, improving with each passing day.
Lennok devoted his entire day to the practice of magic in his room. Yet, once his mana was depleted, he would collapse into a deep slumber. After a week of such intensive study, he considered himself a wizard, having made great strides in honing his magical abilities.
However, he realized that the time had come to end his solitary research and seek a stable source of income. Despite his proficiency in magic, Lennok understood the importance of practical matters in stabilizing his life.
"This is for the best," he thought to himself. Lennok acknowledged that his knowledge of magic was limited to what he had gleaned from playing as a Magic Musketeer. He had not encountered the world of magic prior to arriving in this world, and his understanding was largely confined to the well-known common spells popular among players.
Nevertheless, Lennok felt no trepidation about his limited magical knowledge. He remained confident in his ability to adapt, having already mastered a significant number of common spells. He had recorded these incantations on three pages of a memo pad, and he knew he could rely on them even when his mana was running low.
“I have to go out soon.”
Upon opening the window, Lennok was met with a refreshing gust of cool morning air. He inhaled deeply before tearing up the meticulously organized notes on magic he had been poring over, flushing them down the toilet.
Despite losing all the information he had gathered over the past week, Lennok remained composed as he packed his belongings and readied himself to depart. His expertise lay in the mastery and manipulation of magic, and he had committed the numerous spells he had researched to memory.
With all necessary preparations made, Lennok recognized that it was time to move forward. The funds he had extracted from bullies were rapidly dwindling, and he required a stable source of income to maintain his present lifestyle. Without hesitation, he left his room and set out to find a solution.
Ever since his escape from the factory, Lennok had been consumed with concerns over his finances. Though he had managed to pilfer some money from the supervisors, it was insufficient to sustain him for any significant length of time. As an individual who was not only unfamiliar with the world, but also inherently weak, he knew that he would need to rely on his magical abilities to survive.
As a person lacking any sort of special status, Lennok was aware that it would be nigh impossible to find any legitimate employment that would offer a decent wage. In the end, he decided to head back to District 49, where the gloomy mana flowed.
"I was prepared for something like this," he mused to himself, recollecting the directions given to him by the man he had saved from the gangsters.
Turning into an alley, Lennok made his way to the basement of a seedy gambling den. Despite the early hour, there was a small bar with soft lighting open.
Before entering, Lennok skillfully transformed his face using magic, taking on the nonchalant appearance of a young man.
With only a handful of customers remaining, he took a seat at the bar and ordered a cocktail. The elderly bartender lazily mixed his drink before returning his attention to his own glass.
Taking a deep breath, Lennok finally spoke up. "I'm looking for a job suitable for a wizard."
Basement manpower office, this was the place the man, whom Lennok had saved from gangsters, had recommended to him as a job-finding hub.
According to the man, this place arranged appropriate jobs for him, so it was unlikely to be hazardous for Lennok.
The elderly bartender hesitated before tapping his glass four times in silence in response to Lennok's request for work suitable for a wizard.
Suddenly, the space behind the bar opened up and a person emerged, yawning loudly.
"Ha~. It's after hours, and I'm ready to pass out. What's your deal?" said the sharp-looking woman with wet hair, eyeing Lennok.
She wore a loose-fitting shirt and black leather pants, exuding both lethargy and fierceness. To be honest, she didn't seem like a typical bartender.
The elderly bartender standing next to him spoke up for the first time. "He's a wizard."
"…..Wizard?"
Lennok had experienced that wizard were not treated poorly in this world. The woman seemed to share his thoughts, so doubts started to creep in instead of an annoyed expression.
"Hmm, this dude doesn't exactly scream ‘wizard' to me. Maybe he's an escapee from some sketchy science lab or something?" the woman said, examining Lennok's complexion under the dim light.
Without any response from Lennok, she convinced herself and sat across the bar. "But whatevs, it's all good. Wizards are in high demand and we can always use more of 'em. Name's Jenny, what's yours?"
Unable to give his real name, Lennok considered creating a new identity along with his magically created face for work at this place.
After some thought, he gave the name of the man who first spoke to him at the factory.
"……Van."
"Okay, Van. It's not a big secret that our bar arranges various things. Are you looking for a job that a wizard can do?" Jenny asked.
"Yes," Lennok deliberately kept his answer brief. He believed it was risky to reveal too much information before understanding Jenny's character.
Jenny raised her eyebrows at Lennok's answer. "Then I gotta know how legit your wizardry skills are before I can hook you up with the right gig."
"You mean my level?"
"You catch my drift? You don't have to disclose the unique magical system you've learned, but it's important to know what category you belong to."
“……”
Lennok remained quiet, causing Jenny's expression to change abruptly, misinterpreting his silence. "I hope you ain't just using charm magic to fake being a wizard. That's boring, man," she said, with a sharp tone in her voice.
Without a word, Lennok put down his glass and raised his hand, strongly imagining the image while pulling up his mana.
As a bright magical light shone on the faces of the three people, Lennok's magic manifested.
Zap!!
"Oh, you're a lightning-type wizard! My bad, I didn't realize it earlier." Jenny said, looking bewildered at the sight of blue currents flowing between Lennok's palms.
Attribute-based magic was known for its power and straightforwardness, but it required extensive training and could be challenging to apply, making it much more challenging than its symbolism suggested.
Lennok had used magic without incantations or gestures, something only orthodox wizards who had spent decades in the field could do.
Even the elderly bartender standing next to them nodded in approval, but Lennok had no intention of stopping there.
Lennok knew he couldn't reveal all his abilities, but he needed to showcase his skills among the workers who frequented the bar.
He concentrated and deftly manipulated the mana flowing through his fingertips.
The old bartender and Jenny's expressions changed dramatically at the sight of his prowess.
“……!!!”
The current flowing through his fingers split into five branches, and he gracefully drew a small pentagram, a feat that required precise control over mana at the centimeter level.
They both looked at Lennok with newfound respect.
After dissipating the pentagram, Lennok picked up his glass again and asked, “As you can see, I'm pretty confident in my skills, so I'm hoping you can introduce me to a decent job.”
"Hey, you're a cool customer for showing up so early in the morning. I like you." Jenny replied with a grin.
"But we can't just hand over important jobs to you right away. We need to build trust first by working together on some smaller tasks. Are you okay with that?"
"Sure, I understand."
"Great. Let's draw up a contract then."
The two parties quickly reached an agreement and proceeded with lightning speed. Jenny presented Lennok with a contract that served as a mere facade, claiming that neither party would be bound by the other's freedom or responsibility.
Then, she retrieved a thick file from behind the bar and handed it over to Lennok, saying, "Shall we begin? Is there anything you want to avoid?"
"Anything is fine as long as it doesn't involve civilians."
He didn't want to risk harming innocent people and then being chased by the police or the military.
Jenny nodded as if it were obvious. "You don't have to worry about that because it's unlikely to happen. Let's look at this first."
She opened the file, revealing various profiling papers, each containing dozens of pictures of people from different ages, genders, and backgrounds, with a large number written beside each.
"….bounties?"
"Yeah, they're easy to find, easy to measure performance, and the rewards are instant. That's why bounty hunters are a thing."
Jenny explained as she pulled out a document and handed it to Lennok.
"It's a good way to screen out unreliable people. Are you up for it?"
"I haven't been in the city for long, so I can't be too picky," Lennok replied as he carefully examined the faces in the pictures.
He focused on the face of a young man with a nervous look and a puffy face, smoking a cigarette.
"His name is Taylor Evans. He's from Scavenger and is currently accused of attempting to steal security equipment from Achilles Corporation's port in District 31 three days ago."
