Liam stared at the notifications with extreme confusion. He had a brow raised and his mouth was slack for a moment as he tried to process what it was he was reading. He knew that there were things about Racial Benefits he still didn’t understand, but he was pretty sure that he didn’t see any signs of there being any Racial Benefits being sealed when he received his while finishing the fourth floor back in the Tutorial Dungeon. For it to also be on the racial side that was still a mystery to himself was also something that confused him.

“I should probably see what this Enhanced Shadow Application is all about. Maybe I can get a better understanding why it was sealed in the first place,” Liam muttered to himself as he pulled up the information on it.

[Enhanced Shadow Application – a racial benefit belonging to the ????? races. It enhances certain Shadow Spells that the user uses through shadows they are personally manipulating. Shadow Spells being used on or through shadows collected through the ability Shadow Manipulation are enhanced and react differently than normal.]

Liam was still a bit confused as he read this. While he understood that the Racial Benefit was tied to his ability Shadow Manipulation, he wasn’t sure why it was now appearing before instead of when he first received the ability. Not only that, but he still didn’t understand what had triggered him to get this Racial Benefit. Almost as if the woman was waiting for him to finish reading it, Eri’s message appeared to explain.

[You’ve got that I’m really confused about what is happening here look going on. Would you like some help to alleviate some of the confusion? – Eri.]

Yeah, I would. Like, is having Racial Benefits sealed actually a thing? If so why didn’t that show up when I received my other Racial Benefits? Do I have more Racial Benefits sealed? Is there a way to know? Liam questioned. His curiosity and confusion still burning as he wanted to know more.

[Hahaha. First, yes. Sealed Racial Benefits are a thing, but they are only so for New Arrivals. The reason for that is because people like you who are just now getting used to the world and the magic and abilities you have gained here are coming to the starting line natives reach when they are younger and learning about the benefits of their race. This Racial Benefit you just unsealed is a great example. It is something you could only receive through understanding and practice with Shadow Manipulation as well as apply one of your Shadow Control Magics through it. If you hadn’t practiced, learned, and leveled the ability you would have never unsealed it.]

[As for your next question. I’m not entirely sure why it doesn’t show up. If I were to make a guess, I would have to say it doesn’t show up, so you don’t have to worry about it. if it was there people would fret over what it is and how they would be able to unlock it. I’m not sure if that’s the case, but that’s what I think. As for if you have any more unsealed Racial Benefits, there’s a possibility. But I wouldn’t focus on if you do or not though. – Eri.]

Why not? Liam questioned. His curiosity already wondering if there were any other secrets he had that he didn’t know about.

[Because you have other things you need to focus on than if you have any other sealed Racial Benefits. For example, you need to focus on leveling your abilities. It’s great that Bear-folk is helping with your crafting side and helping you cement a fighting style based on that, but you have other things you need to cement as well. – Eri.]

Like what? Liam asked as he begrudgingly turned his thoughts away from his earlier curiosity.

[Like cementing a fighting style for your Phantom Cat persona. Not to mention you still need to work on your Lunar Magic as well as your Soul Crafting. Being around all these people isn’t helping you work on those. Your Shadow Magic is easy to hid while in this room, but the other two…you’d stick out like a light beacon if you tried working on those in here. – Eri.]

Liam frowned at that. She was right. He was progressing well with everything except those two things. Except when he was in the Magical Tower practice room with the others a few days ago, he really hadn’t practice much with his Soul Crafting. It didn’t help that the only way he could replenish his Spirit Pool was by using his Devour ability to eat the Soul Orbs…

A sudden thought popped into his mind. There was something else tied to eating the Soul Orbs that he had forgotten about. That strange Seed he had in him that was still sealed. With everything that had been going on he had forgotten to check on the progress of it. He quickly opened his Mystical Landscape and looked to the left of his Seed of the Arcana and spotted the ghastly green seed. To his surprise the color of the seed was glowing more than last time. While it wasn’t at the same level as his Seed of the Arcana, he could still see some progress had been made. He assessed it to see how far the progression had gone.

[Seed of ??????? (Information Sealed. Progression to fully planting Seed of ?????? (Information Sealed): 49.7%.]

Liam’s eyes widened at the progress. He hadn’t received any notifications whenever progress had been made so it never came to mind. He was glad he had made so much progress, but at the same time he didn’t like how slow it was. He needed to keep track and see how much progress was being made or if there were any changes from when he first tested it out each time he used Devour on a Soul Orb.

[Glad to see there has been some progress made. Reaching almost fifty percent is good. Now you need to finish that progress so we can see what will happen. – Eri.]

Agreed. Liam responded as he nodded his head.

[That being said, we need to figure out ways for you to start practicing more on your Phantom Cat fighting style, your Lunar Magic, and your Soul Crafting. While it is good you are working on the Shadow Magic, it won’t do you any good without practicing any style of fighting. – Eri]

That’s true… Liam started to say as he tried to think of some ways. He tried to think of what he could do. He looked around the room and tried to think of what he could do. While practical practice was always good, it wouldn’t do him any good going into a fight testing anything and everything out. He had some ideas on what he could do, but they still only fell upon him practicing his Shadow Magic. Liam was about to open his mouth and speak, but was interrupted when Eri’s text notification popped up in front of him.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

[Before you say anything, I agree that practicing your Shadow Magic is a must in this room. You can practice certain magics to help solidify some of your magic, but there are a few you won’t be able to practice. Those you’ll have to use while in a Dungeon run. The same could be said about your Lunar and Soul Crafting since dungeons are the safest areas, but there is something I think you may have forgotten about that you could gleam from to inspire a fighting style that can fit you. I believe you might have reached the appropriate levels that your mentor mentioned to unlock it as well. – Eri.]

Reached the appropriate levels that my mentor… Liam muttered to himself before the image of a box and a note flashed before his eyes. Eri was right that he had forgotten about that thing. It was a present his mentor, Nabal, had left him. He had put the box and his curiosity at the back of his mind because he had to reach a certain level in specific sub-stats as well as his Weapon Skills in Daggers and Throwing Weapons. Since the man was vague and didn’t state what levels in those he needed to be in he didn’t even think about it. Liam quickly pulled up his information to peek at where he was in those specific levels.

[Body Stat: Dexterity. Sub-Stat: Agility. Level: 25. Progression: 17%. Sub-Stat: Fine Motor Skills. Level: 25. Progression: 25%. Sub-Stat: Reflex. Level: 26. Progression: 76%.]

[Weapon Skill: Dagger. Level: 20. Progression: 16%.]

[Weapon Skill: Throwing Weapons: 20. Progression: 0%.]

He didn’t realize he had already reached level twenty in both those Weapon Skills. He must have reached that level in Throwing Weapons thanks to the Sea Parade. After closing out the information, he was hoping that he had finally met the requirements. He looked through his Inventory and found the box he was looking for.

Before pulling out the box, Liam closed his eyes and swallowed down his worries. He steeled himself and went to pull it out. As the box appeared in his hands he waited for a reaction. After almost a minute of staring at the box and nothing happening, he let out a disappointed sigh.

He was about to voice some complaints about how he was an idiot for getting his hopes up but stopped as he heard a noise. His attention swiftly went to the door that was starting to open as he panicked and tried to hide the box behind his back. Feeling his heart thumping against his chest and beating fast, Liam felt like he was caught doing something he shouldn’t. Feeling like he was out of time to put the box back into his Inventory, he locked eyes with the person who entered the room. When he saw who it was, he grew confused and tried to settle his fast pacing heartbeat. It was Gimmel.

“Is everything alright?” Liam asked, relaxing his body and trying not to sound like he had ran a marathon.

Gimmel looked confused as he slowly closed the door. After the door clicked into place, he replied slowly, “Yeah…Eri had told me you might have some need of me for something?”

Liam stared at him for a long moment before comprehending what he had said. He let out a chuckle as he pulled the box back around and said, “Not unless you know how to open this box, I don’t really…”

Gimmel quickly closed the distance to Liam and snatched the box out of his hands. He inspected it as thoroughly as he could before narrowing his eyes and asking Liam, “Where did you get this?”

“Nabal left it to me as a present,” Liam started to explain, not sure why Gimmel was staring at him like that. “He said it was a present to me if I decided to become his actual apprentice and that I would need to reach a certain level in my Sub-stats Agility, Fine Motor Skills, and Reflex. The same for my Weapon Skills in Daggers and Throwing Weapons. However, he never mentioned what level I needed to be in order to open the box…Do you happen to know? Also…judging by that look in your eyes do you have an inkling as to what is in this box?”

Gimmel continued to eye Liam. He didn’t respond for a long moment before letting out a sigh and cursing under his breath. “He really is going against traditions. That stupid uncle of mine.” Gimmel looked back at the box once more and inspected it before saying, “He lied to you. The whole needing to be a certain level in those things…It’s a trick to get you to focus on leveling those things so when you finally realize that all you need to do is channel some of your mana into this, you’ll have a better time learning the contents.”

“Learning the contents…pouring my mana…,” Liam muttered as he started to feel both embarrassed and annoyed at this revelation. “He seriously pulled one over me like that?”

Gimmel nodded his head as he handed the box back to him. “Go ahead and pour some mana into the box. You’ll see I’m not joking.”

Liam took the box and did as he was told. To his annoyance, the magical circle on it shattered and the lid became loose enough for him to open it. As Liam took the lid off he peeked inside to see a book. On the cover of the book weren’t words, but two symbols. One was a black club and the other was a red heart. Liam looked at Gimmel with a confused expression and waited for the teenager to tell him what it was he was looking at.

With another sigh, Gimmel explained, “This is a training manual or rather a Knowledge Theory book on techniques and fighting styles that he mastered from the Club and Heart sides of the clan…” Gimmel took in the book and looked slightly confused before correcting himself, “Or at least I thought that due to the symbols on the book, but after looking at it again I think this might be something completely different…”

Liam side eyed him for a moment, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t he asked, “What is it then?”

Gimmel looked back at Liam with a puzzled expression. He then registered that he didn’t finish what he was saying and gave him an embarrassed grin before continuing, “I think this might be his own personal Knowledge Theory book full of his ideas he’s had for fighting styles and Weapon Skill Arts using different Mana Types. I remember him talking about a book he was working on, but he never showed it to me. Open it and take a look.”

Liam looked back at the book. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious and excited to see what was in it. He pulled it out, placed the box on the table and opened it up. The first page was mostly blank except for a few words written in the middle of the page. It read, “Wild Card Combat Style – Dagger and Throwing Weapons Edition.”

Liam’s eyes widened at that, but he didn’t stop there as he turned the page to see a small section of words and read it out loud. “Dear Liam, if you are reading this then you have finally figured out that the requirements I wrote on the letter to open the box was a lie. You really didn’t need to reach any level requirement to open the box. However, do not think I said that to trick or deceive you. It was better for you to at least get somewhere in the twenties so you can have an easier time handling some of the things written in this book.

“By now you must have learned and leveled multiple different Mana Types in Mana Manipulation and Control. This book is full of styles, combat arts, and even hints to some Mana Arts for specific Mana Types I believe would best suit you. I know you will not show this to anyone, but if you happen to find my nephew I have placed some things I believe would help him out as well. I have faith he would be beneficial in helping you understand some of the things you cannot fully grasp in this book. If you don’t come across him then do not worry about it. Take a look at what I have in this book and do your best to evolve your fighting style.

“P.S. Congratulations on reaching the next step. I look forward to seeing what you decide on learning and adapting to better suit you as well as the style of combat you create from these ideas.”