He floated in the massive bath face down and thought. It was something he would do in his last life. Seeing how long he could hold his breath. Finding out in this one, his magic that removed his need to eat and sleep also took away any need to breathe. It was a weird sensation where he continuously felt like he had just started holding his breath.

Never having to surface for air his mind raced endlessly without any need to stop. Every so often he would ask LGG a question. Like when he realized he got levels for killing someone that didn't stay dead

'Not all of your accumulated power will come with you when you die. Some of his power that gets left behind is what grants you, experience, as you called it.'

'So he got resurrected but there was a level penalty'

After an unknown period of time someone tried to open his front door. David had left just enough space for the door to have the ability to move but not even to be able to clear the frame. He didn't want anyone to be able to see how he had the door blocked if he could help it.

'Someone is repeatedly trying to open your door'

I know!

Still being able to feel the stone he made with his magic made it the perfect warning system. Every whack of the door sent vibrations through his stone that he could feel. He wasn't sure what the range of the ability was though, as he had never lost connection to it before leaving the tutorial area, when he lost connection to all he had made at the time.

He worried for the door as they tried for some time before leaving. He wasn’t sure what the door was made out of but he was sure it wasn’t meant to repeatedly hit stone. After some time they came back with a renewed devotion. Smacking the door dozens of times before giving up again.

During the second long pause of their attempts to open the door he got out. Despite having no audience, or more likely because he had no audience, he got out of the water in a dramatic fashion. Moving the water out from under him, so his feet rested on the bottom of the tub, before then making himself stairs out of the water. Casually walking out of his bath as dry as he entered it

As he approached his stone barricade, he contemplated what to do with it. He could will it into existence with mana but not out of it. He could hide it in the backrooms, or spread it out amongst the walls and floor. What he really wanted to do was make himself a throne.

Resisting the urge to make himself a throne he Instead made his rough barricade into a proper one. He built up stone around the door frame. Making a foundation for a drop bar.

It's ugly but it will do. Let them wonder where it came from.

Finally ready to leave, but not really eager to, He raised the drop bar and went over to the couch and laid down.

'In the training area how did the one guy know he was there even though he made no noise when he shifted.'

'It probably affected his aura."

guess I need to make an aura that doesn't kill people.

He pushed out mana like he did for his defensive aura but left it aspectles. It took several mann to saturate the entire room, Unfortunately it made everything look foggy.

well thats a mood but would be terrible to try to maintain all the time. oh pardon my fog bank.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

He pulled his mama back before dispersing it once more. This time as he pushed the Mana out he thought of the nature of light. Repeating this several times before it cliched and he blinded himself as it came out as the brightest flash he had ever seen.

Light aspect obtained

Its a good thing I heal quickly.

Closing his eyes he pulsed his light aura as fast as he could for several minutes. Once his skill level had reached the intermediary ranks, After several thousand casts, he began working on making his aura more like lidar and less like the flash bomb it was currently. His overall mastery of Mana skills made it a trivial manner.

As he was about to send LGG out to test its detection abilities the door opened. A very frantic pixie-like creature along with the man that recruited him entered.

OH yeah there was stuff to do hehe.

The chancellor was the one to talk as the Pixie creature just flew around so fast he couldn't tell if it was identical to the one from before

"You're late to your assessment. Is there a reason as to why you barred your door?"

"Security as I have no retainers. Though I don't know how to keep your people from shifting into here."

.

"I assure you that no one will be shifting into your rooms, let alone one of my people. The walls are enchanted against it."

Of course I’ll just blindly trust you, guy that kidnapped me a day ago.

'LGG can you check out the enchantments when we are alone?'

'Easily. Reading magical energies is a specialty.’

"Even still I'll keep my doors barred. Now aren't we late?"

David walked past the Chancellor, and the frantic pixie, out into the hallway. He had no idea which way to go so he had to wait for them to get ahead of him.

The walls might have been enchanted against shifting but the chancellor was using a movement ability of some sort. They walked at a casual pace but their surroundings moved past as if they were sprinting.

After a few turns, and several flights of stairs they found themselves in a box suite for the arena where the assessment was taking place. There were about a dozen people but it looked like half of them were retainers as they were lined up along the back wall waiting to be called upon.

Worst part was that nobel from the day before was here, and worse still, but not in the least bit surprising, was that he immediately started talking as they entered.

"Finally we can get started. Now I know I said he should just test with the other commoners, but you're right. To rob him of seeing true excellence would stifle his future growth."

I really hope we aren't stuck together until I reach level fifty.

"Now I will gladly go first so he can see what he should aspire to."

"No David will go first."

Of course I will.

"Ok so what am I supposed to do?"

"It's a combat test so just attack them as you see fit."

There was a door to the side with stairs leading down to the Arena floor. Guards were stationed at several points but It was clear they were more for general crowd control than protection.

Glancing back as he walked down the stairs he saw the man the Chancellor had been arguing with had joined them.

What's one more person to all the people already here about to watch me, there must be hundreds in the stands and it's not even half full.

As he reached the bottom the guard at the base of the stairs addressed him as he was being announced to the audience

“Don't worry. The dolls won't attack until you do, so you have as much time as you need to set up."

He was worried he was about to make a fool out of himself because he was going to hide most of his abilities. Nobody needed to know that though

"The only thing I'm worried about is what happens when I break them."

The guard shook his head and laughed quietly as he passed.

probably used to fool nobles.

As he approached the five dolls he conjured a stone sword. It looked like it was made of plain stone but was far stronger. Its razor sharp edge would never chip so long as he had any mana left. The grip literally molded to his hand.

Never breaking his stride as he approached the dolls, he dispersed the Mana for his detection aura. And since he didn't want the fight to end instantly, he released his protection aura.