"Good afternoon." Adrian greeted the two at the corner of the tavern.
The onlookers looked at us, still confused about what happened when I confronted the thugs, cautiously observed our interaction.
"Greetings, Mr.?" The sitting figure asked, And I replied. "Aris. You can call me Aris."
"I am really curious what kind of magic or skill you used to subdue those thugs. It is really impressive."
"I heard that you're looking for guards to accompany you to the city of Hatar..."
"Yes, that's correct. I am in need of skilled guards to ensure the safety of my journey to Hatar."
"Bandits and beasts are a threat that I and my personal guard cannot handle alone. I need a team of capable individuals who can protect me and my belongings throughout the entire journey. I cannot afford any risks..."
"..."
"The road to Hatar is not that dangerous, apart from some low-level beasts sometimes wandering on the road, bandit attacks are a rare occurrence." Adrian replied.
"Rumors are circulating that a new gang of bandits is terrorizing the road to Hatar, and they are being led by a strong individual. I must take all reasonable safety measures to protect both my personal safety and the security of my possessions. It is better safe than sorry."
"You're paying 8 silver a person for the whole trip, right?" The figure sitting in front of me nodded in confirmation. "Then count me in."
"Good." The figure in front of me lowered his hood, revealing his face. He extended his arms to me in a gesture of trust. "I'm Marcus, glad to have you on board. With your help, we stand a better chance against these bandits."
I extended my hands toward him, accepting his handshake. And with a firm grip, we sealed our agreement. "This is my bodyguard, Luther. He doesn't talk that much, but he's incredibly skilled in combat. We'll depart tomorrow morning."
After our brief conversation, I head out of the Tavern.
"I don't trust him, Marcus. He has a dangerous aura around him, and the skill that he used on the thugs is suspicious."
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"Can you handle him, Luther?"
"I sensed the mana around him. It's just at the beginning ranks. But my gut tells me that he's very dangerous."
"We need a capable person like him on our journey, so if you can handle him, that's fine."
After leaving the tavern, I went straight to the hills, where mana concentration is quite high. I wanted to train my mana until the penalties were lifted.
As I reached the hills, I could feel the mana flowing in the air. The serene surroundings provided the perfect environment for my long meditation.
I sat on the crest of a small hill and assumed a meditation position.
[--Stats--]
[Strength]: 35
[Agility]: 39 [-5 PENALTY]: 34 (7 hours remaining)
[Endurance]: 31
[Intelligence]: 44
[Stamina]: 35 [-5 PENALTY]: 30 (7 hours meaning)
[Mana]: 90 [Quality]: E- [-20 PENALTY]: 70 (12 hrs remaining)
[Luck]: C
[talent]: (???)
[Rank]: E-
The gentle breeze brushed against my skin, carrying with it the soothing scent of nature. The serene sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling provided a calming atmosphere for me. 'If I manage to increase my mana to 150 today, My rank will instantly shoot up to peak E Rank.'
I took a deep breath and muttered the words [Jade flow].
Feeling the mana in the air swirl around me, I focused on channeling the mana into my body. As the mana flowed into my veins, I could hear the system's noises inside my head.
After training my Mana for hours, I can't help but notice a decrease in the conversion of mana from my surroundings into me. 'It had gotten slow. The jade crystal is starting to lose its effectiveness.'
"..."
"..."
"..."
Opening my eyes, I noticed that it was already dark. The moonlight bathed the surroundings in a soft glow, casting long shadows across the landscape.
I realized that I had been lost in my meditation longer than I had anticipated. 'My jade crystal had finally dissolved inside of me. I need to find a new one.'
[--Stats--]
[Congratulations on ranking up, All stats +2]
[Strength]: 37
[Agility]: 41
[Endurance]: 33
[Intelligence]: 46
[Stamina]: 37
[Mana]: 136 [Quality]: E
[Luck]: C
[talent]: (???)
[Rank]: E
[---Skills---]
[One with shadows] (C rank)
[Jade flow] (S - E+ rank) (Cathalyst: None)
[Demonic stare]
[Embrace the shadows] (?Rank)
[Devour]
Consume the shadow of the dead, taking random stat points and skills from the target.
(Note: This ability can only be used three times per day. The stats that are gained are random and based on the creature's rank.)
-???
-???
-???
-???
[---passive skills---]
[Mana Control] (S-rank) [Reduced to E+]
A mana technique that helps the host manipulate Mana
'The restrictions are lifted, and I can finally pick a profession. I already master the basic elements, and I already have high mastery on some secondary elements. So picking sorcerers is really the most beneficial path for me now.'
'No. Swordsman is the most beneficial because of the arts that I've learned, But Im already tired of it.'
'I want to try something new and explore different abilities. Maybe becoming a sorcerer will allow me to have a fresh start.'
[Acquiring profession, sorcerer]
[Checking necessary requirements and pre-requisites]
'...'
'...'
[The host has already mastered the four basic elements]
[Elemental Masteries]
Fire: 100%
Water: 100%
Earth: 100%
Air: 100%
[...]
[...]
[Congratulations]
[The host is already a sorcerer.]
[+7 Intelligence]
[+3 Mana]
[Sorcerer's exclusive skills]
[Basic Elemental Attunement] (Mastery 0%)
Attune yourself to the elements, gaining enhanced control and affinity with fire, water, earth, and air. This allows you to manipulate these elements with greater precision and power.
[Advanced Elemental Conjuring] [Basic Elements] (Mastery 78%)
Harness the elemental forces to summon and command fireballs, water torrents, rock formations, and gusts of wind. With practice, you can unleash devastating attacks or create protective barriers using these conjured elements.
[New Passive Skill Acquired] [Spellcasting]
Learn and cast a wide variety of spells that tap into the arcane.
'My elemental conjuring is at the advanced level. I guess it's one of the benefits of the knowledge I acquired before regressing. And It looks like my rank is still too low to use elemental combinations.'