Low-Fantasy Occultist Isekai

Manifesting a spiritual storm within the Tower probably wasn't a good idea, no matter how many points it would earn him. Nick suspected that the wards wouldn't allow anything that could threaten the stability of the layers of reality anyway, so he didn't even attempt it.

No, what he was aiming for was something a bit different. It was the result of studying the cursed amulet he'd bought the other day, which had helped him deepen his understanding of spiritual magic in a new direction.

Using a new spell for this might be a little risky, but choosing [Spiritual Hurricane] or [Spirit Crush] could reveal too much. This should provide a hint of my abilities without arousing too much suspicion. Well, at least not too much. I'm fairly certain someone will get spooked no matter what I do.

The local ether was already flooded with the hopes and dreams of thousands of aspiring tower mages, and it didn't take Nick much more than a gentle nudge to pull a significant portion of that power toward him. It required little pressure to start twisting it on itself, giving it purpose and feeding it until it turned into an obsession.

For that was what curses were. Intentions taken to the absolute extreme, recursive and self-feeding, capable of clinging to their target for any length of time until their purpose was fulfilled in truth.

What he initially thought was a simple mistake in making the amulet was actually part of its design, meaning the object wasn't cursed afterward but was always meant to punish those who dared look too far.

Nick made sure to make it appear in his cloak's pocket so that anyone watching could see how he developed the magic he was working on.

Only a second passed in real time, but the spiritual mana had already started to manifest, flowing into the clearing as Nick directed it, until the spellcrafting process was finished and its effects became apparent.

The halfway manifested grass started to look greener and more lively. The birdsong grew louder, reaching brighter, more joyful notes. The wind turned into a gentle breeze, tousling everyone's hair. Where the ground had been scarred by the many spells cast upon it, new growth began to emerge, filling in the gaps and bringing the meadow back to a peaceful state.

The ambient mana reached a state of perfect stillness, so much so that anyone attempting to disturb the peace would find themselves unable to do so. There would be nowhere for their mana to go, as the space was saturated with positive energy. Not that they would want to.

"[Daydream]" Nick murmured, feeling the spell reach its completion. It wasn't the most visually impressive magic he could cast, no, nor was it as destructive as his other spiritual spells.

But considering the wide-eyed look Master Battera was giving him, he had achieved his goal.

After all, [Daydream] wasn't just a basic restoration spell, nor was it focused on creating a cozy environment. Instead, it transformed positive emotions into reality, amplifying the very aspects that made a space enjoyable to their absolute limit.

That meant wounds couldn't be inflicted, and destructive spells would fail to form. It was a forced peace that was just as much a curse as a place filled with angst and negativity. A rope tightening around one's neck, only this time, it was so comfortable that many would gladly let themselves be taken by it.

Truly, it was a terrifying piece of magic that he'd woven. Before it could entrench itself too much, Nick disrupted the flow of mana, sending the positive emotions back into the ether.