"Wait, so we aren't having an epic training arc right now?" I questioned. My mother gave me a bewildered look before roughly pinching my cheek. "Why did you do that?!" I yelled, rubbing my cheek in discomfort.

"Because you're talking gibberish. Did you really expect to simply strengthen your body? You've been trapped in this cave for the past 5 to 6 years with no knowledge of yourself or the outside world. These are things you need to know, which is why I'm here to teach you. If your father attempted to teach you, he would end up talking about himself. So, what exactly do you want to learn now? I'd like to have a discussion that is more student-led," she explained.

Who would have guessed that in a fantasy world, education would be so modern? "Can you tell me anything about myself?" I inquired.

"That's an excellent question. Let me begin by asking you a question, Methuselah. Have you noticed anything unusual or out of the ordinary about yourself?" she asked.

Quickly thinking, I controlled my hair and picked up a cup at my side. My mother looked at me in shock, reaching out to touch my hair in return. "When could you do this?" she asked, surprised.

"I've been able to do it for a while and practiced using it to pass the time. I thought I would be able to use it similarly to you, but that hasn't happened yet," I explained. My mother nodded and gently stroked my hair once more.

"Do you feel tired or exhausted after controlling your hair?" she asked. I shook my head in response.

"I see why your skill is so poor now. You haven't utilized any mana!" she chuckled.

"What do you mean?" I asked, curious.

"Permit me to explain with a little biology. We mythical creatures are mana-based, and our entire being is made up of mana. Even when we die from an external cause or age, our bodies fade away into the earth as mana. You're not flexing that mana muscle, which is why your hair is so weak. To strengthen your hair, you need to use the mana that exists within you. Concentrate all of your mana on your hair. Close your eyes and focus on strengthening your hair," she instructed.

I closed my eyes and visualized the mana inside my body, following my mother's guidance. What she said about us being mana-based beings felt true. I could feel the mana flowing through my body, rather than merely coursing through it. I focused on my head and attempted to channel the mana, but nothing happened. I decided to try a different approach and flex the mana like a muscle. Suddenly, I heard a faint shouting as the mana burst with power. My hair was lashing around me, and I quickly opened my eyes in surprise. The surroundings were completely destroyed, the grounds and walls in shambles. I immediately stopped flexing my mana muscle when I witnessed the scene.

Overwhelmed and exhausted, I collapsed to the ground. My mother gently rubbed my head with her hand. "You used too much mana, honey, but you did a fantastic job nonetheless. While you were doing it, you also learned how to extend your hair. We'll still need to cut it as it's way too long for regular use. Even a genius in the dryad community would take months to accomplish this, but not my son! Okay, you're going to take a few minutes to rest now. I'm going to inform your father about the good news. However, you and I still have some classes to complete before we begin training with your father. So just lie down and relax, okay?" I nodded my head,

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

allowing the nagging sensation in my body to fade away. It felt as though my entire body was in hibernation mode. As I lay there, I made the decision to check my status.

Name: Methuselah, the Hereafter

Blessing: Demon God of Unity

Level: 6

HP: 150/150

Mana: 5/200

Estimated Attack Power: 45

Speed: 10

Skills: Little Helper, Vine Control, Flight, Nature's Calling, Health Monitor, Baby Booster, Blessed Seeker

What is the purpose of this power-up? It was only an hour ago that it was at 20!!

[Perhaps it's because you actually used the skill the way it was intended to be used. You truly believed it would be mana-free. Nothing in this world or this system is free.]

Why do I get the impression you're laughing at me? You know what? I'm going to let it go. Just show me the Vine Control level already.

Vine Control Lvl 36-

The vines that make up a part of you are your body's arms. They have the ability to grab and move things, but they can also lash out.

For the love of God, it went up 16 levels just for using mana. If only I had another skill to test my mana on. Do you have any hints for me, Little Helper?

[In this world, as a mythical being, you don't need books to learn skills that come naturally to your race.]

Who uses books to gain skills then?

[Ask your mother. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about other living things, only things about yourself and the things that surround you. But, to return to my original point, your body is your weapon. Make an effort to make use of it. And keep in mind that with the Demon God of Unity's blessing, your learning speed is equivalent to that of a genius.]

Listening to what Little Helper said, I sort of understand what he meant. I activated my hair using mana. What if I activate something else? I wanted to test it out, but my mana was still empty. It took about an hour for my mana to reach half of what I had. So, I can estimate that it fills up at a rate of 100 mana per hour. Not that fast, but it's alright for now.

I wanted to see if I could focus it on my nails by repeating the process I used on my hair, but it proved to be far too difficult. Instead, I decided to concentrate on my fist. Slowly but steadily, it worked, and a light green glow surrounded my hand as I opened my eyes. I checked my status again and noticed that only 20 points of mana had been depleted and it wasn't changing. What's up with that, Little Helper? It was constantly draining when I used it on my hair.

[By using Vine Control, you not only give it strength but also give it control. Control skills are constantly depleted, whereas strength skills are not. And if you use your mana-powered fist, you'll get a surprise.]

Following Little Helper's suggestion, I threw a punch, and a powerful blast emanated from my hands. The sheer force of the wind pressure alone showcased the power of this skill! I'm curious about what else I can enhance with some fine-tuning and practice.

[You have now learned the skill Powered Punch Lvl 1]

You were correct, Little Helper! I can create skills. Thank you, and thank you, Demon God of Unity!

[Leave God out of it and just rejoice with me. Do you want me to explain the skill now?]

With a sneer, I gave him the green light.

Powered Punch Lv1- You will undoubtedly pack a punch with a mana-infused strike. Only against regular level 0 things, really. Still, good job.

Alright, I have to ask, why do these sly remarks sometimes get added when I check my skills?

[I may have some influence over that, but don't be too concerned. After all, you've grown stronger, haven't you?]

Yes, you are correct. I did get stronger, and I'm not going to stop now. I'll keep going for as long as it takes.