Chapter 105: Watching a Show - VI

[Name: Louis Hilves]

[Level: 79 » 85]

[Health: 900/900 » 1010/1010]

[Mana: 100/100 » 210/210]

[Physique: 90 » 101]

[Mind: 99 » 113]

[Spirit: 10 » 21]

[Traits: Draconic Strength (A-Rank), Draconic Pressure (A-Rank), Mana Coating (B-Rank), Telekinesis (C-Rank), Spear Veteran (C-Rank)]

o=o=o=o

[Class: Warrior]

[Martial Arts: Swallow’s Three Movements, Sky Charge, Shooting Star Spear, Blade’s Distance]

Looking at his no longer stagnant growth, Louis felt a hint of satisfaction bubbling up inside him.

It had been incredibly frustrating to sit at Level 79 for so long without any progress, no matter how many monsters he had hunted and killed.

The only solace at that time had been the <System Quests> he used as a guide in his training.

—Ding!

[You have completed a Quest!]

[Block and parry eighty (8,000) heavy strikes from an existence (Level 80+) with your spear.]

[Reward: <Spear Veteran> Trait Enhancement +1%]

[Spear Veteran | 17% Enhanced]

Louis nodded to himself upon seeing this. He turned to his party and waved his spear.

"Let’s end this run here."

He was able to complete his Quest while also helping the mage in his party level up.

Tomorrow would be another day.

** *

Fleim.

Walvaskaz Empire.

Soulless City of Grakkis.

Hau’goth’s territory.

Aventine’s Mage Tower.

While Louis nodded to himself in satisfaction, a certain someone was also looking at the blue screen floating before his eyes.

Compared to the combat-laden life of Earth’s Hunters, Aventine had been stabilizing his foundations—studying and honing <Mind Force> and <Pure Instinct>, while also expanding his repertoire of Magic Spells.

In terms of getting stronger, the greatest gain was in his <Manakinesis> Mastery, going from Lv. 3 to Lv. 8 thanks to his own training and the <System Quests> that guided him every step of the way.

That being said, today was a special day.

—Ding!

[You have completed a Quest!]

[Absorb or manipulate 8,000,000 points of mana using <Manakinesis>.]

[Reward: <Manakinesis> Level +1]

[Manakinesis | Lv. 8]

"Oh! Just in time."

Aventine’s eyes widened at first, not having realized that his recent studies had helped him get past the final 100,000 mana points needed to complete his Mastery over <Manakinesis>.

[Name: Aventine Tidea]

[Level: 1]

[Health: 200/200]

[Mana: 670/670 » 690/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 900/900 )]

[Gift: Absolute Awareness (???-Rank)]

[Physique: 20]

[Mind: 20 » 26]

[Spirit: 69]

[Traits: Perfect Estimate (B-Rank), Power of the Sky (A-Rank), Power of the Sea (A-Rank), Power of Death (A-Rank), Soulbound Anchor (S-Rank), Blessing of Light (SS-Rank)]

[Divine Branches Contributed: 5/42]

o=o=o=o

[Class: Mage (Third Circle)]

[Engraved Spells: Mana Core (300/300 (x3) | F-Rank), Mana Storage (3/3 | E-Rank), Manakinesis (Lv. 3 » Lv. 9 | Complete Mastery)]

[Memorized Spells: Water Bullet (Available | E-Rank), (UPDATED!) Fireball (Available | D-Rank), (UPDATED!) Chill (Available | E-Rank), (UPDATED!) Earthen Grasp (Available | E-Rank), (UPDATED!) Mana Flash (Available | F-Rank), ...999+ more currently locked.]

[Psychic Techniques: Mind Force (F-Rank » E-Rank | Growth-Type | Blood-Imbuing Mastery: 100%, Bone-Imbuing Mastery: 0% » 15%)]

[Martial Arts: Pure Instinct (F-Rank | Growth-Type | Autonomous Reflexes Mastery: 2% » 100% | (NEW!) Danger Sensing Mastery: 0%)]

Looking at his progress with Pure Instinct, Aventine couldn’t help but understand why he gravitated towards such an ability.

After all, he was already capable of doing something similar in a desperate moment—when he stole the <Orb of Guidance> from the <Wyrm With No Name>, he used [Absolute Awareness] to feed his own senses and act solely based on the information from his Gift.

It made the process of using his blood to think using <Mind Force> and thus aid in his reactions from <Pure Instinct> much easier to master than his initial estimates.

Therefore, despite being dependent on his mastery and development of <Mind Force>, <Pure Instinct> had rocketed through the first stage and matched the former at the E-Rank. Now, he was slowly imbuing his bones with his thoughts and will so as to develop a special kind of Danger Sensing ability.

Metaphorically speaking, fully completing the Bone-Imbuing and Danger Sensing masteries would allow his body to move whenever a chill runs down his spine. A pre-emptive reaction that bordered slightly on prediction.

...And that was without [Absolute Awareness].

’As for <Manakinesis> finally reaching Lv. 9 Mastery...’ Aventine’s eyes flashed as he delved deep into the <Archmagus> Daimyuon’s memories.

Once the D-Rank, Third Circle Spell, <Manakinesis> was fully mastered, a mage could upgrade it to the C-Rank, 4th Circle Spell, <Mana Manipulation> and use it effectively—without any risk of backfire or self-harm.

Such was the main ’path’ one could take as a Mage, using complete mastery of one’s engraved spell-circles to step into higher and higher ranks.

Of course, one could easily advance in other ways—by carving other, unrelated Magic Spells around one’s heart and advancing once one’s Spirit has reached the threshold—but this process of mastery was the most stable path of advancement.

There was a guarantee that one would instantly have the combat ability of a 4th Circle Mage upon the upgrade’s completion and the advancement of one’s Spirit.

Of course, Aventine’s benefit in this regard was quite special given the precise quantification of his status.

"I can finally advance to 4th Circle."

Muttering these words in excitement, Aventine activated [Absolute Awareness].

His mind flooded his Mage Tower, becoming aware of every nook, cranny, or history within. The faint ripples created by the threads of <Fate> attached to him spread outward, barely perceptible as long as he did not expend the necessary mana to pinpoint them.

Swiftly, his mana plummeted.

[Mana: 690/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 400/900 )].

[Mana: 500/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 100/900 )].

[Mana: 200/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 100/900 )].

[Mana: 50/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 50/900 )].

[Mana: 10/690 (Mana Storage Capacity: 10/900 )].

Just moments before hitting rock bottom, Aventine moved his mind into a perfect stillness, asking his blood and whatever sentient bones he had to do the same.

[Moving Meditation] allowed him to regenerate his mana as it emptied out.

Then—

—WHOOOSH!

[Manakinesis (Lv. 9)].

A large amount of mana swirled around him, pouring into his body and rapidly filling his <Mana Storage>.

Then, Aventine began to carve a magic circle in his heart. One that was much more complex than the ones he already had.

Lines, glyphs, and runes were arrayed and assorted according to function, mana circuitry theory, and efficiency.

To be specific, he was using the magic circle that Daimyuon had designed for <Mana Manipulation>, allowing Aventine to maximize the efficiency of this Magic Spell’s output and stability.

Time passed as his Spirit slowly broke through an unseen bottleneck, aided by the engraving of the magic circle in his heart.