Ethan's Pov :
With the addition of the new skill, Mana Manipulation, to my training schedule, the process of sensing and utilizing mana became increasingly intuitive. Using Mana Sense, I could now observe how various skills drew on mana as their fuel. Interestingly, I noticed that skills like Advanced Balancing and Body Coordination utilized minimal mana, instead relying on another force intertwined with mana, which I suspected to be my stamina.
The intricacies of mana manipulation fascinated me. I dedicated nearly half of my training to honing this skill, employing Focused Meditation alongside it. Initially, forming a single thread of mana required intense concentration and took between five to ten seconds. However, as my familiarity with the skill grew, I managed to reduce the time to just three seconds, and eventually, I could craft a thread within a single second.
My focus then shifted to improving the durability of these threads by condensing them. As I observed through Mana Sense, the threads gradually depleted over time. Noticing this, my next goal was to create sustainable threads by condensing small amounts of mana. With my expanded mana pool, I could sustain my training for hours, which significantly accelerated my skill gains. Over the course of a month, I advanced Mana Manipulation by five levels, increased Mana Sense by three levels, and elevated Focused Meditation by seven levels.After all these gains, my use of mana improved significantly. I could now maintain control over the threads for increasingly longer periods, and the mana depletion after forming the threads was reducing noticeably.
Beyond my mana training, Lydia continued to impart new knowledge to me. When I expressed a desire to visit the library, she insisted that I first learn to read, a condition I found reasonable. Thus, she began bringing me books to teach me the letters of this world. I was fascinated by these new symbols and, thanks to my Literacy skill, I quickly picked them up. I also noticed how my enhanced intellect facilitated quicker recall and understanding, leading to a five-level increase in my Literacy skill.which led to skill evolution.
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New Skill Acquired: Advanced Literacy (Uncommon)
EXP Gained: 1000
Skill: Advanced Literacy(Uncommon)
Description: Refines and expands basic literacy abilities to include advanced reading, writing, and comprehension skills. This skill encompasses quick understanding of complex texts, accelerated learning of new languages.Enhances analytical thinking, critical interpretation, and the ability to derive deeper meanings from written content.
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The three months following my birthday i saw remarkable growth across various skills. My new Advance Literacy skill also improved by another two levels, as the symbols and words of this world became more familiar. I could read simple passages and understand basic texts, fueling my eagerness to explore the library in the future.
In physical training, my Advanced Balancing advanced by one level, and Body Coordination by two. Each improvement translated into smoother movements and a better command over my physical abilities, which were essential for practicing more complex skills.
In the early mornings, while the world was still enveloped in a gentle haze, I dedicated my time to honing Mana Sense. As I attuned myself to the subtle flow of mana, I noticed a marked improvement in my perception capabilities. It was as if the world around me had gained new layers, each one revealing more about the energies that interwove through the environment. This heightened perception didn’t just make my mana sensing more acute—it also allowed me to perceive intricate details that were previously beyond my grasp.
One morning, as I was practicing Mana Sense, visualizing the area around my crib, something extraordinary happened. My focus and perception converged, leading to the birth of a new skill
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New Skill Acquired: Visualization (Uncommon)
EXP Gained: 1000
Skill: Visualization (Uncommon)
Description: Enables the user to create detailed mental maps and representations of objects, locations, and structures. This skill enhances memory, allowing the user to mentally project and manipulate visual constructs. As proficiency increases, the user can visualize complex scenarios and structures with greater clarity and accuracy, aiding in planning, strategy, and magical constructs.
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This newfound ability allowed me to create a mental map of my surroundings, enhancing my awareness and giving me a clearer sense of the spatial dynamics at play. The crib, the furniture, even the subtle variations in mana around the room, became part of a vivid mental landscape I could navigate with increasing ease.
Visualization quickly became a crucial tool in my repertoire, advancing by four levels. This skill enabled me to create detailed mental maps, which not only helped in understanding my immediate surroundings but also allowed me to form a mental image of my environment when used alongside Mana Sense.
My Mana Sense improved by four levels as well, now finely attuned to the ebbs and flows of mana around me. This made it easier to detect even subtle fluctuations in the energy fields, giving me an edge in identifying potential sources of mana and understanding how different skills interacted with it.
Finally, Mana Manipulation itself saw a gain of three levels. My control over mana was becoming more refined, enabling me to perform more intricate manipulations with less effort and greater efficiency.
By this time, my Mana Manipulation skill had reached level 11, and gains from further training became minimal. I realized that repeating the same exercises made skill progression increasingly difficult, not just for mana skills but for physical ones as well. This prompted me to devise new training methods.
I contemplated manipulating the mana particles outside my body. Despite numerous attempts, I found myself unable to affect external mana, leading me to believe there was a fundamental difference between internal and external mana. Intrigued by this challenge, I wondered if I could bring my internal mana outside my body and manipulate it there.
Driven by curiosity and determination, I began experimenting. Could I somehow release my mana into the surrounding environment and then control it? The idea of external mana manipulation became my new focus. As I explored this concept, I prepared myself for what could be a breakthrough in understanding and harnessing mana beyond the limits of my body.
As I honed my Mana Sense within my body, I became increasingly aware of the intricate pathways through which mana flowed. I was surprised to discover that these pathways were intricately woven throughout my entire body, guiding the flow of mana in a precise and natural manner. This newfound understanding deepened my appreciation for the complexity of my own mana system.
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Inspired by my understanding of the mana pathways, I began channeling mana through these routes to extend it beyond my body. Despite my efforts, only a small amount of mana initially flowed out, and its movement was slow and diffuse.
Determined to overcome this limitation, I dedicated my Focused Meditation to the task. Each day, I visualized my mana flowing beyond the confines of my skin, using Mana Sense to track it through my pathways and Mana Manipulation to guide it outside my body by imagining it breaking free and interacting with the world around me. The effort was grueling and required intense concentration, but it gradually bore fruit. With my persistent efforts, I gained two levels in Focused Meditation and one in both Mana Sense and Mana Manipulation.
I could now clearly perceive the mana within my hand ,while using Mana Manipulation to guide it out. The process was painstakingly slow at first, with mana trickling out in tiny wisps. Yet, I continued, focusing my willpower and refining my technique. Eventually, my efforts were rewarded. With a newfound level in Mana Manipulation, the mana finally flowed out in a controlled manner.
The breakthrough was exhilarating. I felt the mana diffusing from my hand, creating a faint, shimmering aura around it. This tangible connection between my internal mana and the external world was a significant milestone. To my astonishment, this achievement unlocked a new skill.
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New Skill Acquired: Mana Diffusion (Rare)
EXP Gained: 5000
Skill: Mana Diffusion (Rare) - Level 1/30
Discription: Allows the controlled release and diffusion of internal mana into the surrounding environment allowing the controlled release of stored mana in bursts or streams, providing the ability to channel mana with precision and force.
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After acquiring the Mana Diffusion skill, I noticed a significant improvement in my ability to diffuse mana into the environment. Eager to gauge the full extent of this enhancement, I decided to test the speed at which mana could be diffused. Despite continuous utilization of mana, my reserves remained substantial, totaling 570 units, thanks to the ongoing use of Focused Meditation. This consistent practice made maintaining a meditative state increasingly effortless as I progressed through the levels.
With renewed focus, I delved back into Focused Meditation, integrating Mana Diffusion into my practice. The difference in speed was immediately apparent; mana diffusion occurred far more rapidly than before. I could now effortlessly disperse mana in small quantities continuously. This experience reaffirmed my observation regarding the transformative impact of acquiring new skills. Each skill acquisition seemed to facilitate tasks that were previously arduous, now becoming notably easier. Moreover, the synergies between skills played a crucial role in skill acquisition. The proficiency I had developed in mana manipulation greatly facilitated the acquisition of Mana Diffusion, highlighting the interconnected nature of magical skills.
With these thoughts, I conceived a plan to expedite my progress in mastering the Mana Diffusion skill. While employing Mana Diffusion, I utilized Mana Manipulation to accelerate the process. Initially, I noticed a gradual increase in mana expenditure, losing 1 point every 30 seconds. However, through focused concentration, I managed to intensify the rate, reducing it to 1 point every 5 seconds. Simultaneously, my mana sense began detecting a surge in mana concentration within the room.
Persisting in my efforts, I continued until only 10 mana remained. This concerted endeavor resulted in a significant breakthrough, granting me three levels in Mana Diffusion and a single level in mana manipulation. Notably, during the final depletion of the last 100 mana points, my speed nearly doubled, marking the culmination of my skill gains..Indeed, this endeavor confirmed my hypothesis that employing related skills concurrently could amplify skill acquisition.
Next, I aimed to manipulate the diffused mana, but my mana had depleted, so I focused on replenishing it. During this time, I also observed my mana recovery speed. Initially, it was around 2 points per minute, but with consistent practice, I noticed it had increased to 3.5 points per minute. I realized that the more attuned I became to mana, the better I became at both its recovery and utilization. Additionally, I deduced that my mana recovery rate must have been one or less initially, considering the time it took for recovery previously. However, with the use of Focused Meditation, it had surged to nearly 19 points per minute, and I anticipated further increases with higher skill levels.
While recovering, I checked my status to assess all my recent gains-
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[STATUS ]
[NAME: Ethan Runeblade]
[LEVEL: 9]
[EXPERIENCE: 16300/25600
[TRAITS: Foreign Reincarnator (Heretic), Fate Chosen (Absolute)]
[HEALTH: 100/100]
[MANA: 16 /1050]
[STAMINA: 100/100]
[VITALITY: 10]
[STRENGTH: 4]
[ENDURANCE: 10]
[DEXTERITY: 5]
[MIND: 105]
[INTELLECT: 25]
[PERCEPTION: 27]
[STAT POINTS: 37]
[SKILLS:
[ Body Coordination(Uncommon) - Level 9/20]
[Arithmetic (Uncommon) - Level 9/20]
[Advanced Balancing (Uncommon) - Level 2/20]
[Visualization (Uncommon) - Level 5/20 ]
[Advanced Literacy (Uncommon) - Level 3/20]
[Focused Meditation (Rare) - Level 6/30]
[Mana Sense (Rare) - Level 17/30]
[Persuasion (Rare) - Level 2/30]
[Mana Diffusion(Rare - Level 4/30)
[Mana Manipulation (Epic) - Level 9/50]
]
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After checking my status, I also noticed the stat gains I had achieved in these past months. My mind stat had gained 5 points due to constant use of mana during my training. Dexterity stat increased by 3 as I improved my control over my body. Endurance stat also rose by 2 from the physical exertion of my training regimen. Perception stat saw a significant increase of 7 points, thanks to my enhanced mana sense. The only stat increase I couldn't explain was vitality, which had also risen by 3, reaching 10. I speculated that this growth might be attributed to my increasing age, as vitality tends to increase to a certain level over time.
As I pondered over this, I noticed Lydia approaching with my meal. While reflecting on my recent discoveries about mana diffusion, I also observed something peculiar. Just as I had sensed a difference between my own mana and the mana in the environment, I detected a similar distinction in Lydia's mana. It seemed to possess a unique variation, distinct from the ambient mana. This led me to speculate that each individual might have a unique mana signature, akin to a fingerprint, which could potentially be used to distinguish between different people's mana.
As I entertained these thoughts, Lydia interrupted my reverie with a curious inquiry about what I was doing. After my birthday, she had started talking to me more frequently,So I indulged her with some playful banter, regaling her with tales of my imaginary adventures and innocent musings. Satisfied with my response, she proceeded to feed me before departing, leaving me to my thoughts once again.
She left after feeding me, and I began to recover my mana once again. Employing mana diffusion, I used the diffused mana through mana manipulation to attempt control. I noticed that as the mana dispersed into my vicinity, it was easier to control initially. However, with time, it became increasingly difficult. I also observed how the mana transformed into external mana, becoming uncontrollable. Despite gaining three more levels in mana diffusion and one in mana manipulation, I could only create small threads of mana that dispersed rapidly.
Recognizing this as a valuable training opportunity, I knew I had to persist to see the results that I could achieve from it in the coming days.