Chapter 18
Nick took his new skills and was surprised that he was able to develop the skill of manipulating soul energy and spiritual feeling. Usually, people develop these skills when they become Great Mages. After all, to become an Archmage or Master, you need to be able to use techniques or spells with soul energy. But Nick understood that it was not as easy as it might seem. He did not use a spell with soul energy, he made a pact with the spirit. Nick decided to ask his father later what the requirements were to become a master, because everything could not be so simple.
Looking at his status, he saw an interesting change in skills and stats, and immediately distributed the stat points to Willpower, Mana, Mana Regeneration, and Mana Output.
Name: Dylan Ghostblade (Nick Miller) 14.5 years old
Race: Evolved Human [Rare] Lvl 27
Class: Blocked
Class: Blocked
Health 1420 HP 2.13 HP/hour
Mana 208 MP 1.55 MP/hour
Endurance 1510 ST 22.65 ST/hour
Statistics:
Strength 130
Dexterity 145
Stamina 151
Vitality 142
Constitution 137
Intelligence 156
Wisdom 145
Mental Control 163
Willpower 245
Perception 143
Charisma 45
Mana output 155
Mana 208
Mana Regeneration 155
Luck 37
0 free attribute points
Titles: Otherworldly Reincarnator [Legendary+], Special Skill Holder [Special], Contract with the Emerging Spirit [Uncommon].
Racial Skills:
Fast Recovery [Rare+]
Quick Learning [Uncommon]
Low adaptability of characteristics [Common]
Minor Adaptation [Common]
Lesser Mana Core [Common]
Low Mental Resistance [Common] Lvl 40
Low Poison Resistance [Common] Lvl 18
High Pain Resistance [Uncommon] Lvl 120
Skills:
Reincarnator's Madness [Special][Unique] Lvl 401
Great Identification [Special] Lvl 401
Fake Status [Special] Lvl 401
Great Meditation [Rare] Lvl 201
Manipulation of Mana [Rare] Lvl 201
Mana Sense [Uncommon] Lvl 190
Language Proficiency (Ramiast) [Uncommon] Lvl 160
Phantom Sword Mastery [Uncommon+] Lvl 161
Casting Spells [Uncommon] Lvl 180
Magic Arcane Will [Rare] Lvl 201
Magic of Predictions [Uncommon] Lvl 108
Magic of Stone [Uncommon] Lvl 122
Awakening of the Ghost [Uncommon+] Lvl 104
Ghost Flicker [Uncommon+] Lvl 105
Stamina Manipulation [Uncommon] Lvl 120
Life Force Manipulation [Uncommon] Lvl 111
Aura [Common] Lvl 25
Lesser Spiritual Sense [Rare] Lvl 201
Lesser Soul Energy Manipulation [Rare] Lvl 201
Of the outstanding things, he was able to get a new title, which of course did not have much weight, but was very pleasant. He was also able to develop the skill [Magic Arcane Will]. Most likely, it simply allowed him to better invest his will into spells, which was still very useful. Then his skill [Great Meditation] increased, most likely because he was able to obtain spiritual sense. In the possible skills, he saw [Wood Magic] and [Spirit Magic] - certainly, this was impressive magic and it had great potential, but he was not interested in it now. Therefore, he did not take the skills.
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Nick really wanted to try using a spell with soul energy now, but he had no mana at all. Everything that was in the tree for some reason used a sword. At least he could carefully examine the sword. It was not very heavy and had a great balance, it looked like his usual sword and felt the same. In his magical sense, the sword was very bright, it had a large amount of mana, even more than he gave the spirit for 5 months. Half of this mana was intertwined with spiritual energy into a secret reinforcement formation, it was an exact version of the spell he uses to temporarily strengthen stone walls, but in the sword it worked constantly, due to the fact that it was supported by the spirit's spiritual power. The other half of the mana was just in the sword, but he could not understand what for. What could the spirit use to help him in battle? Nick thought that it could be some kind of shapeshifting, or something else related to the tree. He decided to try using the free mana in the sword and it easily succumbed to his control.
He sat down on the ground in front of the tree and turned on his soul sense to understand how much soul energy he had and how he could use it. Soul energy was strange, he could not understand how much or little he had and how quickly it was restored. After checking the statistics, he did not have any additional characteristics related to the soul. Nick tried to control as much soul energy as possible. At the same time as he pulled mana from his sword, he wove a spell that contained 25% of his willpower and about 500 mana. Deciding not to waste time on trifles, he fully charged it with all his remaining will. The spell he was doing was the "Stone Spear" spell, he decided that it was easier to check the destructive power of the spell than to try to understand its effect. When he took control of the surrounding stone and cast the spell, he realized something he could not understand. The spell was ordinary, of course, it exploded violently upon impact, but this was the effect of his will. Coming closer to the stone fragments, he noticed that the stone was more intact than usual. Looking closely with his spiritual sense, he saw the remnants of soul energy that were gradually dissipating. Shooting the stone with the spell "Arrow of Power" he broke it, but not as much as he expected.
Are you telling me that in order to use soul energy in spells I need to know how to do it, and not just pour it in and hope that it works? That's kind of lousy, I spent half a year struggling to unlock a skill that slightly strengthens the stone? Okay, I went too far here, the magic of secret will is very good and I'm even more happy with this development than other skills, but this is just disappointing! I hoped that at least once everything would be simple. Damn, isn't there something similar in using soul energy to using life force? Well, if I'm still standing, then everything is fine.
Looking at himself with his soul feeling, Nick was convinced that his soul energy was less, but overall everything was fine with his soul. It still looked like a yellow fog with veins in which golden soul energy flowed.
Hmm, there are skills in the soul, but I can't see anything. Most likely, my feeling is enough to understand only that I have a soul and where the soul energy is. After all, I'm not really sure that all this has this color, maybe my subconscious determines the color palette. I'll think about it some other time. I need to go and visit Master Rimel, at the same time I'll ask him to evaluate the sword and its capabilities. Mmm, in another week Liam will turn 15 and they will finally tell us why we didn't go to the academy, like all decent nobles.
***
Liam turned 15 today, revealed his status but saw what he had been waiting for so long.
Congratulations, you can choose the classes offered to you.
Ice Mage's Apprentice [Uncommon] +15
Apprentice of the Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Uncommon] +19
Apprentice of the Arcane Mage [Uncommon] +19
Mage [Uncommon] +20
Apprentice of the Mage of the Variable Water Weapons [Rare] +22
Ice Mage [Rare] +27
Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Rare] +35
Arcane Mage [Rare] +38
Mage of Variable Water Weapons [Rare] +40
Liam was pleased, of course he already knew what classes he was supposed to have, but it was always nice to confirm. Concentrating, he read the descriptions of the classes he had chosen.
Class: Variable Water Weapon Mage [Rare] - As a Water Mage, you know all too well how changeable water can be, and your path only embodies this. Not content with manipulating water in its three states, you have chosen to alter its composition for more adaptive attack styles. With your [Adaptive Water Weapon][Rare++] skill, you can infuse your water attacks with a variety of attributes, tailoring your attacks to the enemy.
For 1 level you get: +40
Mental Control +10
Willpower +10
Mana +5
Mana output +5
Mana regeneration +5
+5 free attribute points
Class: Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Rare] - You have chosen to specialize in physical attacks that are infused with holy mana. You become a real threat against all impure beings that stand in your way. To develop this class line, you need to develop the holy magic skill.
For 1 level you get: +35
Mental control +5
Willpower +10
Mana +5
Mana output +5
Mana regeneration +5
+5 free attribute points
Unlike Nick, Liam didn't want to be a Arcane Mage at all. He just wanted to be the strongest and thought that a fairly broad specialization suited him.
Congratulations, you have chosen the class [Variable Water Weapon Mage][Rare]. You have the skill [Mage Aura], and you have been granted another skill [Parallel Thinking][Uncommon].
Congratulations, you have chosen the class [Holy Diamond Dust Mage][Rare]. You have the skill [Mage Aura] and the skill [Parallel Thinking]. You have been granted another skill [Compressing Holy Mana into Diamond Dust][Uncommon].
Name: Liam Changeable Water 15 years old
Race: Human attuned to water mana [Rare] Lvl 27
Class: Mage of Variable Water Weapons [Rare] Lvl 1
Class: Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Rare] Lvl 1
Health 1230 HP 1.23 HP/hour
Mana 3100 MP 2.3 MP/hour
Endurance 1230 ST 12.3 ST/hour
Statistics:
Strength 113
Dexterity 120
Stamina 123
Vitality 123
Constitution 140
Intelligence 195
Wisdom 185
Mental Control 245
Willpower 243
Perception 200
Charisma 90
Mana output 180
Mana 310
Mana Regeneration 230
Luck 37
+10 free attribute points
Titles: Otherworldly Reincarnator [Legendary+], Rare Skill Holder [Rare], Mage of Variable Water Weapons [Rare], Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Rare].
Racial Skills:
Better Water Mana Conductivity [Uncommon]
Quick Learning [Uncommon]
Low adaptability of characteristics [Common]
Minor Adaptation [Common]
Lesser Mana Core [Common]
Low Mental Resistance [Common] Lvl 21
Pain Resistance [Common] Lvl 13
General Skills:
Great Identification [Special] Lvl 401
Fake Status [Special] Lvl 401
Language Proficiency (Ramiast) [Uncommon] Lvl 166
Apprentice of the Spear [Common] Lvl 56
Disciple of the Shield [Common] Lvl 45
Observation [Common] 100
Class: Mage of Variable Water Weapons [Rare] Lvl 1
+75% to skill development speed,
+75% to understanding your own class.
Class Skills:
Meditation [Uncommon] Lvl 199
Manipulation of Mana [Rare] Lvl 230
Adaptive Aquatic Weapon [Rare++] Lvl 225
Mana Sense [Rare] Lvl 210
Water Magic [Rare] Lvl 201
Casting Spells [Uncommon] Lvl 140
Ice Magic [Uncommon] Lvl 135
Mage Aura [Uncommon] Lvl 101
Parallel Thinking [Uncommon] Lvl 101
Class: Holy Diamond Dust Mage [Rare] Lvl 1
+60% to skill development speed,
+60% to understanding your own class.
Class Skills:
Diamond Dust Holy Mana Manipulation [Rare] Lvl 201
Diamond Dust Magic [Uncommon] Lvl 190
Compress Holy Mana into Diamond Dust [Uncommon] Lvl 101