The room exuded coziness with its bed, fireplace, chest, and a small desk accompanied by a chair. While not overly spacious, it provided just enough comfort.
I headed to the bed and sank into it, reflecting on how much time had passed since I last experienced the luxury of lying on a proper bed. After savoring the moment for a while, I rose and made my way to the desk. Seated on the chair, I picked up the book that the enigmatic man, Peacock, referred to as a mana guide. I couldn't help but wonder what that meant. With curiosity piqued, I opened the book and began to read.
Mana, what is it?
Mana, in this world, is the fundamental energy that imbues all existence. Everything, in some measure, contains mana within its essence, although the quantity varies from one entity to another. However, it's crucial to understand that having mana within one's constitution doesn't necessarily equate to the ability to manipulate it.
Take monsters, for example; they are composed entirely of mana, yet they lack the capacity to wield it consciously. Instead, they possess unique abilities that are inherently tied to mana, resembling skills more than true magic.
On the other hand, humans and beastkins share a common trait of being approximately 10% comprised of mana. However, only one in every ten individuals from these races possesses what's known as a "mana core," a specialized organ that gathers ambient mana and transforms it into a usable form. Without a mana core, no one can harness mana's power. Notably, these two races are exceptions, as they can occasionally give birth to individuals without mana cores.
Then, we have races like elves, vampires, fairies/sprites, and dragons, all of which are naturally endowed with mana cores. However, dragons, high-class vampires, and fairies/sprites exhibit a unique characteristic— their entire bodies serve as mana cores, constituting a full 100% mana composition. This trait elevates them to the status of superior beings, renowned for their impeccable control over mana, earning them an instant diamond ranking.
The Demons and the Goddess similarly possess this distinctive trait. However, being considered holy beings who have resided in Lorimmer since its creation, they are not subjected to the conventional ranking system. Instead, they are granted the distinguished title of "primordial beings."
Ranks, how they work?
To make easier to mess the power gap between individuals and beings, the rank system was invented, Monsters and Races both have a ranking system, however their not the same.
Monsters rank system
Monsters within this world are classified according to their strength and potential threat level. The ranking system for monsters includes the following categories:
D Rank
C Rank
B Rank
A Rank
S Rank
Boss Rank
The Boss Rank stands as a distinctive category, reserved for the mightiest monster of each type. In the event that the Boss Monster is defeated, the most powerful S Rank monster of that type will ascend to assume its position.
Assessments of danger and risk for these ranks are as follows:
D Rank: These monsters are not particularly perilous, but they can easily dispatch a small group of individuals lacking mana.
C Rank: Capable of causing considerable destruction to a village.
B Rank: Pose a significant threat and can readily decimate a small town.
A Rank: Present a genuine danger to an entire city.
S Rank: Capable of laying waste to a small kingdom.
Boss Rank: Poses a substantial menace and can threaten an entire empire with their formidable power.
Races rank system
The various races within this world possess the ability to manipulate mana and perform magic. Consequently, devising a conventional ranking system for these races proves challenging. Instead, they are categorized based on their mastery of the 12 aura techniques, which are organized according to the degree of mana control required for their use. Essentially, one's rank is determined by their proficiency in managing mana.
The ranking system comprises the following tiers:
Unranked
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Diamond
Overlords/Irregulars
The initial six ranks are assigned based on an individual's mastery of the 12 aura techniques, as follows:
Unranked: Individuals who have not reached Bronze rank, regardless of their mana abilities.
Bronze: Attained upon mastering the 3rd technique.
Silver: Attained upon mastering the 5th technique.
Gold: Attained upon mastering the 7th technique.
Platinum: Attained upon mastering the 9th technique.
Diamond: Achieved by mastering all 12 techniques.
The Overlord and Irregular ranks are determined differently:
Overlord: Reserved for the top 13 Diamond-ranked individuals.
Irregulars: Applicable to those who do not conform to the established ranking system or the norms of power balance. They may possess power on par with an Overlord.
Furthermore, there exist Holy Beings, such as the Goddess and the Demons, who rival or even surpass the strength of Overlords or Boss monsters. Due to their immortal nature and their avoidance of involvement in worldly politics, they are bestowed with the title of "Primordial beings," and their power remains beyond precise classification.
To assure your Rank, you receive a badge featuring the symbol of your chosen nation, crafted or coated with the material that corresponds to your rank. You have the freedom to select any nation you prefer to represent until you attain the Diamond Rank. However, following the Alabardah peace treaty, once you reach Diamond Rank, you are bound to that nation, and you may be recognized as a resident of the nation in question.
For those who achieve Overlord or Irregular status, special badges are awarded directly by Alabardah itself. Overlord badges are adorned with a crown symbol, while Irregular badges bear the symbol of your nation accompanied by a question mark, crafted from the material of the rank the indivdual was considered an irregular. These badges hold relatively little significance, except for certain professions. Anyone holding a Diamond rank or higher is regarded as a noble, with the equivalent status of a count.
Monster and races power gap
The power disparity between monsters and races can vary based on two critical factors: the presence or absence of magic and a defined fighting style. Depending on these factors, the power gap is as follows:
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If they possess magic or a fighting style:
D Rank: Equivalent to 1 Bronze Rank
C Rank: Comparable to 1 Silver Rank
B Rank: Corresponds to 1 Gold Rank
A Rank: Equates to 1 Platin Rank
S Rank: Mirrors 1 Diamond Rank
Boss Rank: Equals the strength of 3 S Ranks, 1 Overlord, or 1-2 Irregulars
If they lack both magic and a fighting style:
D Rank: Roughly equivalent to 1 Bronze Rank
C Rank: Similar in power to 3 Silver Ranks
B Rank: Approximates the strength of 3 Gold Ranks or 10 Silver Ranks
A Rank: Compares to 2 Platin Ranks or 12 Gold Ranks
S Rank: Resembles 3 Diamond Ranks or 15 Platin Ranks
Boss Rank: Corresponds to the power of 10 Diamond Ranks
It's important to note that these are theoretical guidelines, and individual capabilities may vary. Additionally, achieving Platin Rank without either magic or a fighting style is considered practically impossible.
Aura technics and Spells
There are three ways to harness mana:
Magic: This involves crafting spells and utilizing mana to bring them to life.
Aura: Manipulating mana in its raw, unadulterated form without the need for spells or tools.
Alchemy: Creating artifacts or concocting substances that are mana-based or interact with mana.
This guide primarily focuses into the realm of aura manipulation. Therefore, we will not delve into the workings of alchemy and will provide only a brief explanation about spells, but not how to obtain one.
Spells
Spells in this world are essentially contracts made with mana. In exchange for a desired effect, one offers mana from their own mana pool. Spells typically consist of five key elements:
Effect: This defines what the spell will accomplish.
Cost: This represents what you must provide in return for the spell, which could be mana or something else.
Conditions: These are prerequisites that must be met for the spell to work.
Restrictions: These outline situations or circumstances in which the spell won't function.
Cooldowns: These specify time-related conditions or restrictions.
Of these five elements, only the effect and cost are mandatory for a spell to function. However, the more conditions, restrictions, and cooldowns you add, the more affordable the spell becomes.
The cost of a spell can also be influenced by a person's mana attribute. Mana attributes are passive skills inherent to mana. For example, if your attribute is "anti-heal," any spell you use will have an anti-heal effect. If you create a spell based on this attribute, it will be more cost-effective. However, healing spells will become more expensive. Among individuals with mana, only 1 in every 10,000 possesses a unique attribute, making it a rather rare occurrence. However, these only applies to humans and beastkins. In contrast, elves, fairies/sprites, dragons, and vampires are all inherently born with their own attributes. Yet, within each race, these attributes remain consistent. For instance, all vampires share the blood mana attribute.
While making spells cheaper is advantageous, you should also consider your mana pool. A mana pool represents your mana capacity, measured in liters. Here are the classifications for mana pool sizes:
Unacceptable: Anything below 100 Liters. Not recommended for pursuing the path of magic.
Low: 100-499 Liters
Medium: 500-2,999 Liters
High: 3,000-9,999 Liters
Bottomless: 10,000 Liters or more
Mana pools can grow, but there is always a limit. It's generally believed that you can't surpass nine times your initial quantity, with an average growth of about four times.
With this in mind, one must carefully consider their fighting style. More mana allows for fewer conditions and restrictions on spells.
Lastly, spells can be classified based on their power and traits. Here are the spell classes:
Domestic: Spells designed for everyday convenience, lacking combat utility.
Basic: Simple spells with low mana costs and damage output.
Intermediate: Most combat spells fall into this category, offering decent power at a manageable cost.
Advanced: Powerful spells that often come with high mana costs, commonly featuring conditions and restrictions.
Support: Spells focused on healing, buffing allies, or debuffing enemies.
Technical: Versatile spells, like teleportation or detection, with limited combat use.
Ultimate: User-created spells that can belong to any class, serving as a trump card or the centerpiece of one's fighting style.
Strategic: Destructive spells with the potential to decimate cities or vast areas, extremely costly, not quite considered ultimate spells due to their destructive magnitude even when self-invented.
Aura technics
Aura is the art of manipulating pure mana without the use of spells or artifacts. There are 12 Aura Techniques, each ranked based on their level of mastery difficulty. In addition to these 12, there are also the Imaginary Techniques. These are techniques theoretically possible but exceedingly challenging to execute in practice. Nonetheless, a select few individuals have managed to achieve them, and mastering just one of these techniques sets a practitioner apart from those who have not.
The 12 Aura Techniques are as follows:
https://i.imgur.com/vaKztNE.png [https://i.imgur.com/vaKztNE.png]
The Imaginary Technics are the follow four:
Double Flux: This technique involves simultaneously maintaining both normal and reverse fluxes. Unlike other imaginary techniques, it's particularly useless when you don't have any spells that can be reversed.
Mana Zone: With this technique, you expand the processing area of your mana core, effectively enveloping all the mana in your surroundings. This makes it impossible for your opponent to replenish their mana and allow you to also steal directly from their mana pool.
Mana Nullification: By altering the frequency of the mana used in your armor to match that of your opponent, you render their mana ineffective against you. Meanwhile, you retain the ability to harm them with your own mana, providing you with a strategic advantage.
Spell Stealing: This technique entails manipulating the mana frequency of an enemy's spell and seizing control of it. This allows you to redirect your opponent's attacks and turn them into your own offensive maneuvers.
Warnings:
Once you've mastered the 11th technique, you become impervious to harm from your own mana and spells. However, individuals who have also achieved this mastery will still pose a threat because their spells' mana protection is intensified.
It's essential to note that the last two imaginary techniques, Mana Nullification and Spell Stealing, exclusively apply to individuals without mana attributes. Replicating mana frequencies tied to attributes is an impractical and unfeasible endeavor, both in theory and practice.
Mana protection
In a battle between individuals wielding mana, there are several crucial factors to consider:
When casting a spell, it comprises both mana and a physical element. Let's use a fireball as an example. If I launch a fireball at you, and you attempt to intercept it solely with your body, the intense mana within the fireball will disintegrate you upon contact. However, if you deploy your mana armor, the mana within the fireball and the area protected by your armor will dissipate, resulting in you only sustaining damage from the fire in that specific area. If you enhance your body using mana, you might withstand some of the fire damage, but the optimal strategy is to avoid being hit by the fireball altogether.
This scenario applies to individuals who have not yet attained the 11th technique. However, if one of the combatants has mastered the 11th technique, victory becomes virtually impossible for the other. Why is that? It's quite straightforward. When the mana from the fireball strikes, the same effect occurs as in the previous case. However, those who have achieved the 11th technique have bodies composed of mana, which means the fire will not inflict any damage. This, of course, holds true only if they employ their mana armor. Failure to do so results in experiencing fire damage, just like someone who has not mastered the 11th technique.
Regarding offensive capabilities, those who have reached the 11th technique enjoy a significant advantage. Their spells are fully imbued with mana, and the physical component incorporates mana infusion. In essence, it's akin to having two layers of protection. Consequently, if the spell makes contact with an individual lacking the 11th technique, it will lead to their disintegration.
If both combatants possess the 11th technique, the outcome remains unchanged, as they are evenly matched.
With that, I concluded my reading for the day. Although I still needed to learn about how to awaken my mana, it was growing late, and I had plans to go shopping tomorrow. I rose from the chair, placed the book back inside the ring, and settled down for a good night's sleep.