What is a Skill?
Skills are powers born from accumulated records of actions and phenomena. When an action is performed, the planet records it. Once enough records are gathered, a skill is created and bestowed upon an individual. The effectiveness or power of a skill is determined by its rank. The ranks range from E, the lowest, to EX, the highest.
Ways to Acquire a Skill
1. Training and Repetition The most common and accessible way to acquire a skill is through training and repetition. As long as proper training is followed, most skills can be acquired "naturally."
2. Skill Books Skill books are typically acquired as drops from dungeons or bosses. Dungeons, being places where mana and records converge, have a high chance of producing skill books. Some skilled mages can create skill books, but these are rare and often of lower quality.
3. Inheritance Monsters, both sapient and non-sapient, often acquire skills through inheritance. While civilized beings can also inherit skills through blood, it is less common. Some scholars believe this is because civilized beings protect their young, making skills redundant for survival at an early age.
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4. Mutation Non-sapient monsters can acquire skills through mutation, influenced by mana and other energies, typically draconic or demonic in nature. While those with strong self-awareness can resist mutation, most monsters cannot. Even those with strong self-awareness can mutate under the right conditions and gain skills and power, though this often leads to insanity.
5. Bestowal Powerful and ancient beings, primarily divine, can transfer records to another being, granting them skills. This process is similar to acquiring skills through skill books, but the effectiveness is generally higher, and no physical book is required.
How to Rank Up Skills
The most basic method, known to even children, is to use the skill as much as possible. However, simple repetition, while necessary, is not sufficient for higher levels of mastery. For example, "Sword Mastery," a skill even the lowest soldiers can acquire by swinging a stick or sword repeatedly, seldom ranks up without more sophisticated practice.
To rank up a skill, deliberate and precise practice is required. This includes practicing specific techniques, forms, and engaging in controlled sparring sessions. Practitioners must be acutely aware of every movement they make, understanding the mechanics and purpose behind each action. This involves performing each action with clear intent and purpose, visualizing the desired outcome, and aligning mind and body to achieve it. Understanding the underlying principles and core components of the skill is crucial, especially for those who acquire skills through skill books.
By breaking down the skill and comprehensively understanding it, practitioners can enhance their abilities and rank up their skills more effectively.