Back in the small village.
After resolving the lake monster incident, Grandpa finally felt at ease. He took Lucian and the others to rent a small rowboat from Captain Shaw—a simple paddle boat, light and easy to handle. Together, they set out on the lake to enjoy the scenery and do some fishing.
This time, there was no Captain Shaw's scowl, and no terrifying lake monster—just a peaceful family outing.
Soft sunlight shimmered over the clear blue lake as a cool autumn breeze drifted by, refreshing and gentle. The little fishing boat glided smoothly across the still water, surrounded by calm and quiet.
Ben and Gwen crowded in front of Lucian, their eyes wide with curiosity as they listened to him recount the lake monster story.
"So the Friends of Fish were bad guys after all! I knew I didn't like them!" Ben said, eyes burning with indignation.
Gwen looked at Lucian with admiration. "Cuz, you're amazing! You didn't just save the lake monster—you helped it get its child back! That's so cool!"
Girls always had a bit of admiration for brave boys...
"No big deal," Lucian said with a smile. "But that Jonah Melville mech was pretty strong. Even the lake monster couldn't take it head-on."
That kind of high-voltage current could kill entire schools of fish in seconds. Even transformed as Ripjaws, Lucian had no desire to face it directly.
[Ding~ Congratulations, Host, on successfully pacifying the lake monster]
[Reward obtained: Grimoire of Water Magic*1]
'Grimoire of Water Magic?' Lucian's eyes brightened.
It sounded mysterious—definitely some kind of magic book. Curious, he grabbed his backpack, pretended to reach inside, and secretly summoned the Grimoire of Water Magic. He began examining it closely.
The cover was old and worn, dark red in color, etched with intricate and cryptic symbols.
Lucian frowned slightly. None of it made any sense to him.
He opened it and found short notes describing spells and techniques for controlling water magic.
Page One: Water Magic originated in ancient times, created by a powerful water spirit capable of commanding the element of water—one of the five forces of nature.
Only those with exceptional magical talent and strong intuition can master this art. Otherwise, one risks losing control and falling into madness. Caution is advised.
Chanting is required during spellcasting to maximize a spell's power.
The spells are divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The higher the level, the harder it is to learn. Practitioners must be patient and persistent. Only through steady effort can one fully master Water Magic and become a Grand Mage of Water.
...
The first half of the book mostly discussed origins and taboos. Skimming through, Lucian flipped ahead to the section on practical spells.
Beginner Spell: Aqua Arrow
Description: Channel the power of water spirits to form a water arrow. Chant the incantation softly, form a circle with the left thumb and index finger, and release the arrow from the right index finger.
Incantation: "By the oath of water, in thy name, I borrow the power of spirits—shoot!"
Mist Spirit Spell
Description: Use condensed water vapor to obscure the enemy's sight, surrounding the target in mist. Often used for escape, distraction, or ambush.
Incantation: "Spirit of mist, power of the demon, cloud their eyes, protect my form!"
Further in, there were intermediate and advanced spells—techniques like Water Bubble Spell, Water Dragon Soul, and Thousand Arrows Volley—each seemingly more powerful than the last.
Following the book's instructions, Lucian formed a circle with his left thumb and index finger, then extended his right index finger toward the lake's surface.
"By the oath of water, in thy name, I borrow the power of spirits—shoot!"
Lucian straightened his finger and focused all his strength, attempting to fire a water arrow.
…
For a long moment, everything was silent.
Lucian shook his head helplessly. It seemed he wasn't cut out for this kind of magic.
"Cuz, what are you doing?" Gwen leaned over curiously.
When she noticed the magic book in his hands, her eyes sparkled.
"Cuz, what is this? Why do I feel like it's calling to me?" Gwen's eyes widened in surprise, her mouth slightly open. "It's like… somehow, I'm connected to it."
As she spoke, she swallowed nervously, her gaze burning with desire—she clearly wanted the book.
Lucian turned to meet her eager eyes and instantly understood.
In the original story, Gwen awakened her magic after swapping bodies with the Charmcaster. That meant she already had an innate gift for magic—otherwise, she couldn't have become such a powerful mage.
"Here. See if you can use it." Lucian handed the Grimoire of Water Magic to the excited Gwen.
She gripped the book tightly, her eyes glowing with excitement, almost sparking with energy. "Thank you, cousin! I don't know why, but I just really wanted this!"
"No problem." Lucian waved casually, making up an excuse. "I got it after defeating the lake monster. You can try practicing with it. If you really have a talent for this, I'll give you the book."
In truth, the Grimoire of Water Magic wasn't much use to him. He already had the Omnitrix—spending time on spells was pointless when he could focus on strengthening his alien heroes instead.
Just then, Ben wandered over.
"Hey, geek, what's that? Don't tell me you're reading while we're fishing," Ben teased, clearly enjoying the chance to annoy Gwen.
"Go away, loser," Gwen snapped, rolling her eyes.
"Enough, you two!" Grandpa called from not far away. "Come on, fishing's supposed to be fun!"
Gwen ignored them, her attention fixed on the Grimoire of Water Magic.
"Grimoire of Water Magic," Ben read aloud, then burst out laughing. "You actually believe in magic? Guess the sun really did fry your brain!"
But what happened next left everyone speechless.
Gwen's face turned serious. She lifted her slender right hand and recited softly, "Spirit of mist, power of the demon, cloud their eyes, protect my form!"
The moment she spoke, thick mist began spreading around them, quickly blanketing the lake. The surrounding scenery blurred and vanished, replaced by a sea of white fog. Visibility dropped to almost nothing.
Lucian's heart skipped. "That's... the Mist Spirit Spell!"
Mist Spirit Spell: Creates water vapor to obscure an enemy's vision, surrounding them in fog. Commonly used for escape, distraction, or ambush.
To cast it perfectly on her first try—her magical talent was undeniable.
"Oh, come on! How is this even possible?!" Ben shouted, eyes wide with disbelief.
Grandpa Max furrowed his brows slightly, silent, deep in thought.
Then Gwen extended her hand again and shouted, "By the oath of water, in thy name, I borrow the power of spirits—shoot!"
A sharp burst echoed as the Aqua Arrow struck the lake, sending a towering spray of water into the air with a booming splash.
"To master two beginner-level water spells right from the start... what incredible talent," Lucian thought, nodding to himself.
"Gwen, try an intermediate spell—pick any one you like," Lucian said with a faint smile.
"Okay, cousin!"
Her eyes gleamed with determination as she pressed her palms together and chanted,
"Gather the void into water, condense water into a dragon, and turn the dragon into a soul!"
"Water Dragon Soul!"
A powerful mid-tier spell—one meant for offense and destruction...