Chapter 181: Learning New Skills

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I took a look at my inventory and saw the immense quantity of items. Putting aside the materials, which I'll eventually use with Hilda's help to craft even more broken equipment, I can use a few things right now. I'll ignore the Constellation's gifts and concentrate on the real meat and potatoes on this list of items.

These:

[Privilege Evolution Ticket (S Rank)] x1

[Privilege Evolution Ticket (A Rank)] x2

[Privilege Fusion Marble (S Rank)] x1

[Privilege Fusion Marble (A Rank)] x2

[Skill Evolution Stone (S Rank)] x1

[Skill Evolution Stone (A Rank)] x4

[Skill Fusion Ticket (S Rank)] x1

[Skill Fusion Ticket (A Rank)] x2

[Skill Specialization Grimoire (S Rank)] x1

[System Gachapon (A Rank)] x5

I showed the list of items to Gram and Sepa to get some of their opinions. They were the only ones who knew my status fully so far. And the only ones I could trust in these things. Well, they are the only ones that can speak. Violet and the other tamed monsters don't count.

"Hmm, I see how it is. You want some opinions from an old and powerful constellation such as me?" Sepa asked, thinking highly of herself. "After all, it was an arduous path, the one I took to reach where I was… Hmm."

["You're really thinking of yourself quite highly, huh? But you're still sealed."] Gram laughed.

"Shut up! You're even lower than me, just a sentient sword!" Sepa barked back.

"Enough, let's not fight between one another if possible. Alright?" I sighed. "For the time being, I want to use a few of these to strengthen my foundation and get stronger."

"Then I would first recommend you patch some of the weaknesses you have," Sepa said. "Didn't you complain over your lack of Mana? Well, for the level of your body, you have a lot of Mana and, even more, Cosmic Energy. However, because of the ridiculously strong abilities and skills you have, you constantly need more and more. And it feels like it's never enough, even when including the mana bonuses on equipment."

"You're damn right, I really need more Mana... And Ki. Especially Mana and Ki, the most." I nodded. "Ki… I can usually only get it through physical cultivation. But there are other times when I get some as bonuses. Skills can give Ki, but the ones that do are very rare. Usually belonging to powerful Cultivators from Murim Worldlines." 

"I am surprised you even know what Murim is to begin with." Sepa said. "Is there some Constellation from a Murim watching you?"

"I don't know, maybe." I shrugged. "More importantly, though… Thanks to the Sorceress Skill, I can gain Mana over time by emptying it completely and then slowly regenerating it. But that takes a WHILE. And I don't think I'll have enough time until the next big thing happens."

"Then why not learn some Skill first?" Sepa asked. "You do have the Skill Shop. Learn some sort of special Mana Enhancement Skills and then evolve it. That should give you more to work with."

"Right…" I nodded. "Well, if I add the Mana I get out of my equipment. I think I have roughly 40k, but that's not nearly enough. I think I need at least 100k for my need for Mana to be slightly more relaxed. With that, I could probably use the Nameless Axe-Sword with much more freedom."

"Then do just that." Sepa nodded. "You got a lot of bonus skill points thanks to your new titles, so you're not lacking in that."

"Alright, that was a really good suggestion, Sepa," I said. "I often forget you were an actual Constellation sometimes… I can't believe you let yourself get so angry over me just rejecting your incarnation contract. If you lived so long and were so smart, why even bother so much?"

"I… Well, I can't… Ugh, yeah, I was stupid." Sepa sighed. "I was in a dark spot back then. After the war between the Egyptian Gods and the fall of Osiris, who used to take care of me, I had to run away. Isis seemed angry at me too, because I cowardly ran away instead of fighting. And although Anubis saw me with neutral eyes, I was still intimidated by the whole Nebula, which he had mostly taken over now. The former Ruler of it, Ra, was gone. And well, his son was nowhere to be seen. Osiris and Anubis were temporarily the two Rulers. But Anubis couldn't accept Osiris as having equal authority as he did because he often stopped him from making harsh decisions. And… Well, everything went to shit."

"So you were desperate, very desperate." I nodded. "Okay, I guess I kind of get it… I'm sorry, okay?"

"Eh?" Sepa looked into my eyes in surprise. "What the… What are you even sorry for?"

"After knowing you for a while, I have grown a bit attached to you. So I empathize a bit more." I admitted. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. I wish things could have been different."

"…" Sepa remained silent for a moment and then laughed. "Heh! What are you even talking about?! I don't need your pity! Hmph! As if that would ever change anything… Now that I am literally part of your heart. It is as if we're one. I'll ascend once more with you, and we'll kick the Constellation asses together. I have already made up my mind. So stop being emotional about trifling matters and get your Mana increased. Don't you know this also affects my own growth? So the stronger you are, the better for me."

"Aww, I love how you try to hide how embarrassed and happy you are!" I laughed.

"S-Stop it! You damn brat!" She groaned, playfully biting my head with her mandibles.

["You two are like sisters already… I always thought women had a hard time getting along. But I guess I was wrong."]

As we ignored Gram's remarks, I swiftly decided to learn two new Skills that would alleviate my Mana problems a bit. I quickly evolved both right after learning them.

[You exchanged 100 Skill Points.]

[You learned the [Mana Reserve (E): Lv1] Skill!]

[You exchanged 100 Skill Points.]

[You learned the [Mana Breathing Technique (E): Lv1] Skill!]

[You have used the [Skill Evolution Stone (A Rank)] Item to forcefully evolve your [Mana Reserve (E): Lv1] Skill!]

[The [Mana Reserve (E): Lv1] Skill has evolved into the [Mana Core (A): Lv1] and has gained +4 Bonus Levels.]

[You have used the [Skill Evolution Stone (A Rank)] Item to forcefully evolve your [Mana Breathing Technique (E): Lv1] Skill!]

[The [Mana Breathing Technique (E): Lv1] Skill has evolved into the [Archwizard's Mana Absorption Technique (A): Lv1] and has gained +4 Bonus Levels.]

FLASH!

The moment both Skills evolved, I felt a direct change in my entire body. First of all, I felt an overwhelming flow of Mana entering my body through every single pore. I was rapidly absorbing the Mana from the environment!

Second, the mana gathered into my chest and quickly crystallized into a sphere, which was then absorbed and assimilated by my Cosmic Core. But its effects were working just as intended. I got a Mana Core! I can't believe Mana Reserve which simply helps me get some extra mana, would evolve into a whole core.

"Burp, I think I swallowed something," Sepa said. "Wait, now I feel like we got a lot of Mana! Well done."

"And we're not even done." I smiled, sitting cross-legged over the bed.

WHOSH!

Dozens of streams of blue energy rushed into my body, constantly feeding me small amounts of Mana over time. And it was rather quick growth. Not like the Sorceress skill slow growth, which needs me to practice so much. With the Archwizard's Mana Absorption Technique, I can constantly drain Mana from the environment and then add a small percentage of it to my permanent Mana pool!

"Alright! Not bad!" Sepa said. "Your Mana should have at least increased by over half now!"

"Let me check the skills first…"

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[Mana Core (A): Lv5] 

[Skill EXP]: [0/25.000]

The Evolved form of the [Mana Reserve] Skill, which has fully evolved into a Mana Core of its own, a crystallization of your Mana within your heart. 

This pool of Mana regenerates at the same time as your other main Mana, and it can grow larger the higher the Level of this Skill. 

This pool of Mana is unaffected by the effects of Mana multiplication that Skills, Buffs, or Equipment might possess.

Mana Pool: 30.000/30.000 

Level Bonus (5): Increases Mana by an additional +1.000 with each Skill Level. Increases the Regeneration Speed of the Mana Core's Mana Pool by +50%. 

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[Archwizard's Mana Absorption Technique (A): Lv5]

[Skill EXP]: [0/25.000]

The Evolved form of the [Mana Breathing Technique] Skill that every magician must learn to begin their cultivation of Mana and to begin the creation of their Internal Magic Circle.

Utilizing this technique, you're able to draw Mana from the environment and permanently increase your Mana Pool by a small percentage of the absorbed Mana.

The higher the level of your skill, the faster the assimilation of Mana becomes. 

Additionally, you can utilize this Skill offensively by touching the body of a magician, quickly absorbing 0.1% of their Mana per second. 

If used against a spell, you can quickly weaken the spell by absorbing a part of its Mana. If you spend twice as much Mana as the spell costs, you can cancel its effects completely. 

Level Bonus (5): Increases Mana Assimilation Speed by +50% and Mana Assimilation Quantity by +25%. Increases Focus, Concentration, and Processing Ability by +250%. 

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Not only did my body feel overflowing with Mana, but my mind felt so much sharper! It was as if I could fit many more thoughts inside my head at the same time as before. It was very weird. It made it feel like the Anna from before was really slow. The thought-processing enhancement is insane. It will benefit me the most in real-time battles where I need to think quickly.

[You have been slowly absorbing the Mana of the environment. The Mana has been assimilated permanently inside of your Body and Soul.]

[+0.2 MP]

[+0.1 MP]

[+0.2 MP]

[+0.1 MP]

[…]

"Woah, it's working already?!" I was shocked. "It is very little, but if it happens every minute, then it can certainly accumulate into a large quantity over just a few days."

"It was worth the stones and skill points." Sepa nodded. "Also, you just got an extra thirty thousand Mana out of nowhere. That Mana Core Skill is surely useful for a quick Mana boost! Even though it might fall off at later stages."

"Yeah, it's totally worth it right now…" I nodded. "Now, should I boost my Ki too?"

"It is essential…" She nodded. "If you happen to go to a Murim Worldline or some related Dungeon, you'll need Ki more than anything there."

"Yeah, I know… I do plan to go to a Murim Dungeon, so it can't be helped." I nodded. "I need Ki asap! Let's see… Is there any Skill for Ki in the shop? Time to use all my damn Skill Points! Screw this!"

I quickly checked the whole Skill Shop. More Skills unlock every time I Rank Up, apparently. And my last Rank Up unlocked a lot of new ones. And yes, there it was. There were three Ki-related Skills. I can only evolve two for now; I don't plan on using my S-Rank Skill Evolution Stone yet.

"So your options are [Ki Aura Boost], [Ki Breathing Technique], and [Cycle of Life and Death Breathing Technique]," Sepa said. "What the heck is the last one, though?"

"I think it is related to my dual abilities as a Celestial and Demon. It's a weird one, isn't it? It does feel stronger than the Ki Breathing Technique. The Ki Aura Boost gives me an Aura that boosts my Ki Quantity temporarily." I said. "I guess the Aura can be thrown away. Let's get the two breathing techniques."

"Wait." She stopped me. "You can't. I guess you don't know everything. If you combine two Ki Breathing Techniques together, your body won't be able to hold on, and it will collapse. You can only have a single one. The same goes for Mana Breathing."

"Shit, you're right."

I don't remember that ever being mentioned in the novel at all. My brother never delved into Murim Skills and just continued absorbing monster skills and combining them together for the most part. One of his key abilities of Gluttony was that.

"So pick the fancier one and get the Aura," Sepa recommended to me. "You don't have any other options."

"Alright, I guess! Thank you, boss." I joked a bit with her.

"Heh, I can get used to being called the boss!" She smiled proudly.

"Then…"

[You exchanged 150 Skill Points.]

[You learned the [Ki Aura Boost (E): Lv1] Skill!]

[You exchanged 200 Skill Points.]

[You learned the [Cycle of Life and Death Breathing Technique (D): Lv1] Skill!]

"Ugh…?!"

However, the moment I learned the last skill, I felt like I couldn't breathe, and collapsed on the ground.

THUD!

"Anna?!"

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Can't wait to see what's next? You can join my Patreon: 

https://www.patreon.com/pancakeswitch 

and gain access to all these Advanced Chapters:

56 Advanced Chapters of

The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest

37 Advanced Chapters of

The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns

17 Advanced Chapters of

Fantasy Story Online: The Crippled Vampire Prince Walks The Heavenly Demon Path