Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1714 - 1713: Arcane Technique – Enhanced Spatial Awareness

Chapter 1714: Chapter 1713: Arcane Technique – Enhanced Spatial Awareness

Shard believed that after what happened last time, Dorothy and Lecia would refrain from such risky behavior. He now only needed to quickly resolve the matters in the Green Lake region, ensuring that the Princess and the female writer were not involved, thus concluding the matter safely.

After sending Lecia off, Shard had no significant tasks to attend to on Thursday. He wrote a letter to Miss Danester, arranging to visit the library in the evening. Then, taking advantage of the free time, he handled some academic work and reports at home.

Of course, he hadn’t forgotten to examine the rewards from completing the new Time Key. He placed two brand new Ever-Youth Leaves in front of his eyes one after the other. As the golden light trace flowed along the leaf veins into his eyes, he first gained knowledge of "Dragons," and then automatically learned the Arcane Technique related to the Core Spirit Rune of Space-Time—Enhanced Spatial Awareness.

"Oh? This knowledge..."

Previously, Shard had obtained racial knowledge of Elves, Vampire Kind, and Mermaids, which included but was not limited to information on language, history, and customs, as well as enhanced spellcasting. However, this time, the information regarding the "Dragon" race provided Shard with a brief understanding of how to maximize the effects of the Relic Higgs Dragonhead Stone.

In addition, the numerous ritual information related to "Dragons" highlighted the preciousness of this knowledge. It seemed that with each completion of a key, the content of the rewards, even of the same specifications, became richer.

"And then there’s the Enhanced Spatial Awareness."

The use of Arcane Techniques requires no spellcasting materials, gestures, or specific actions. Standing in his living room, Shard used the Arcane Technique while maintaining a dazed posture.

The effect of Spatial Perception that Circle Sorcerers could learn was to vaguely know the nearby terrain without holding a map. As long as there was no spatial interference nearby, even the thickest fog or iron plates would not block this effect.

And when Shard used the Arcane Technique with the "Enhanced" prefix, he indeed experienced the normal effects, with a fuzzy outline of the entire building appearing in his mind. The range then expanded to the neighbors, covering a small half of Saint Delan Square, and extending to the distant streets beyond the square.

This "Spatial Perception" could not inform Shard of the movements of nearby humans, only affecting the "terrain" itself and large obstacles like bookshelves. After spellcasting, it didn’t grant him "clairvoyance," but instead made his Sixth Sense aware of his surroundings, much like knowing that Mia at his back was watching him.

The "Enhanced" effect made this perception more astonishing than the Arcane Technique learned ordinarily. Shard didn’t feel any limitation to his perceptual range; as long as he was willing to expend more Spirit, this perceptual effect could continue to expand.

He wanted to test his limits, but his perception was hindered when it reached near the Yordle Palace, indicating protection from the Church for the Royal Family, along with some Spatial Power.

Normal "Spatial Perception" couldn’t extend to perceiving corridor and room separations inside buildings like this. Although Shard couldn’t easily detect small spaces like "hidden compartments" within walls, it was still superior to regular Arcane Techniques that could only perceive wide-ranging terrains.

After all, this was "Spatial Perception," not "Treasure Exploration." Finding hidden compartments would require more precise Arcane Techniques.

"And then there’s the case of holding a map."

He found the highly accurate map of Tobesk City left by Detective Sparrow. Holding the map, he cast the spell again, and as expected, he knew his exact location on the map. However, there didn’t seem to be any additional special effects.

"Enhanced Spatial Awareness enhances the effects based on normal Spatial Perception. Although I’m not currently on the island, it should allow for greater vision even in settings like Green Lake Central Island and find a way out if I lose direction. Is that all?"

Maintaining the Arcane Technique, he looked around, and while his vision didn’t change, he distinctly felt that the world he "saw" was different.

Shard pondered for a moment, taking out the Wind Vane Bluegrass extract from his pocket and dropping some on his tongue. He took a step and appeared in the second room next door. Counting down in his mind, he waited for just five seconds before taking another step and directly appearing in the living room on the ground floor.

He looked around on the first floor with a smile on his face:

"I see. Originally, Lagre’s Leap could only move to places visible to the eye, or places one could otherwise perceive, like behind. But with Enhanced Spatial Awareness, although I’m still limited to a 20-meter range, I can move even to places out of sight. Many Circle Sorcerers have learned Spatial Perception, yet no one has mentioned this, indicating this is an ’Enhanced’ effect. And the reduced cooldown time..."

Lagre’s Leap originally had a waiting time of up to an hour. Shard, using the Spatial Stabilization Aura enhanced by the Divine Afterglow state on himself, reduced it to ten seconds.

Circle Sorcerers like Miss Sylvia, who have also learned Lagre’s Leap, often find methods to locate stable space to increase their usage frequency. Witches find a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic to reduce the waiting period to twenty seconds.

Of course, she has other spatial movement Arcane Techniques as well.

The difficulty of spatial movement Arcane Techniques in the Sixth Era is not "how to conduct spatial movement" but "how to conduct it safely." If one isn’t afraid of attracting strange entities, using Lagre’s Leap as a way to walk everywhere is possible, yet no one would dare to do so.

With Enhanced Spatial Awareness, Shard can effectively avoid things that might follow from spatial cracks or subspace when using Lagre’s Leap. Though he still has to wait five seconds before casting again, that’s a significant improvement over the original ten seconds.

Thus, even if he doesn’t learn other spatial movement Arcane Techniques, his short-range spatial movement speed can barely keep up with Miss Sylvia.

Calculating the cooldown time, he took another step, appearing on the third floor from the first floor. Satisfied, after another step, he was beside Mia.

The cat, already familiar with Shard’s miraculous appearances, didn’t panic, just let out a "meow~," its meaning unclear.

"Interesting, I even feel now that I could use Lagre’s Leap to conduct spatial movement, carrying Circle Sorcerers no larger than myself."

Shard marveled at his hands, but with no one at home, he couldn’t test this newfound ability.

Nonetheless, the enhancement to Lagre’s Leap far exceeded the value of merely acquiring a new Arcane Technique.

"So it seems that Enhanced Spatial Awareness enhances all space-related powers I possess?"

Shard’s Space-Time Spirit Rune encompasses both "Time" and "Space" meanings. However, aside from his various time-related Arcane Techniques, the ones strictly related to "Space" are Lagre’s Leap and the Spatial Stabilization Aura.

He then tested the Spatial Stabilization Aura and found that not only did the coverage area expand with the same expenditure, but the effectiveness was also enhanced.

"Maze Lock should also count as a spatial power."

Thus, the ceiling dissolved, revealing a starry sky, with snowflakes drifting down. Shard extended his hand to catch the snowflakes. Although Maze Lock didn’t become easier to cast due to Enhanced Spatial Awareness, he felt his Maze Lock had become more stable.

"And then there’s this."

He took out Lecia’s Crystal Shoes and tossed them, appearing in the basement. Holding the Crystal Shoes, he then took a step from the basement back to the second floor. After repeated testing, Shard discovered that when possessing a map depicting both the "current location" and "No. 6, Saint Delan Square," the energy cost of throwing the shoes to return home was greatly reduced.

This means that, with a map of the Old Continent, he can reduce the cost of returning home from any other city.

"In summary, the most valuable trait of Enhanced Spatial Awareness is enhancing the effects of all my spatially-associated Arcane Techniques. If I am correct, Arcane Techniques like Key of the Door may become enhanced when unlocking Maze Lock... how interesting."

Shard couldn’t help but smile, feeling his combat and escape abilities had greatly increased. He was eager to embark on the island again with Megan to see how effective his Arcane Techniques could be.

Apart from knowledge and Arcane Techniques, another gain was the new two Ever-Youth Leaves. His original leaf had been consumed after the battle in Randall Valley ended its deification state, so now he could keep one for himself.

As for the other leaf, Luviya, Lecia, and Dorothy already had one each, and Iluna had one that Shard had given her long ago, though he wasn’t sure if she had used it.

He considered giving the other leaf to the beautiful red-haired Duchess, but clearly, Iluna, who often encountered dangers, needed it more. So Shard decided to ask Iluna if she had run out of her leaf and give it to her if she had.

"Quite the gain, indeed. As expected, the Time Key is the safest, most effective, and enjoyable way to enhance oneself."

Thinking this, he glanced at the card lying on the coffee table. On the card, Shard and a group of animals were frozen under the moonlight. With a soft sigh, he put the card away:

"We will certainly meet again."