Magic Edge
"Oh, that makes sense. It looks like we need to train more.", Tina said, before continuing, "But for now, we should all go home and take a good rest. If everyone agrees, then we can talk about this run tomorrow."
Everyone else enthusiastically agreed. They couldn't wish for anything more, than going home and resting. Of course, it would be even better if they didn't have to go home and could instantly rest.
While in the subway, on his way home, Ivan checked out the message prompts he had dismissed during the frantic fighting in the dungeon.
<< Congratulations, you have learned the new skill 'Magic Edge (F)' >>
<< Skill: Magic Edge (F)
By infusing the blade of your weapon with a small amount of mana, you create a thin mana shield around the blade, drastically increasing its sharpness as well as slightly increasing its durability.
Cost:
A constant stream of mana. The amount of mana funneled into the blade determines the effect. The amount of mana per second a weapon can take depends on its quality as well as your control over the mana.
Effect:
Drastically increased sharpness of the blade depended on the mana funneled into the blade as well as the control over the mana and this skill.
Slightly increased durability of the blade. Because of the mana shield, the blade is less likely to get damaged, thus reducing the damage it takes.
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This skill should be something he had learned during the combat when he had used his flaming blades, to instantly kill the wolves. But because he had run low on mana he was forced to remove the fire component. Although this drastically decreased its effect, it also decreased the mana cost, making it much more suitable for long-duration fighting.
It was a useful, but still simple skill. Especially the fact, that the effect was dependent on the mana channeled into it as well as his mana control. Especially the mana control made it very suitable for him.
Although he wasn't as good as Serge in controlling mana, he was still much better than the average mage. This was because of the requirements of pill refining. While usually, mages would focus more on increasing their mana, pill refiners would instead focus on their mana control. Sure, that would slow the growth of their mana reserves, but it was well worth it.
Ivan had realized, that while spells managed by the system mostly weren't influenced by mana control since that part would be taken care of by the spell matrix. But for developing personalized spells or customizing spells to suit one's style, mana control was a requirement.
In his opinion, someone who didn't have fine control over mana would never be a good mage. Instead, they could at most be called spell slingers. Nothing more than casters who would just throw out spells. Unable to react properly to unexpected situations and locked in the framework, formed by their available spells.
Of course, there were also some spells, who could be caster better if the mana control was better, but those spells were mostly channeling spells and as such not very popular. Especially since they ofter worked best in combination with close-quarter combat. Something most mages inherently disliked.
He then checked the next prompt. It too was about a skill he had gained. But it was quite different from 'Magic Edge'.
<< Congratulations, you have learned the new skill 'World Awareness (C)' >>
<< World Awareness (C)
For an adventurer, it is imperative to be aware of the surroundings.
To sense enemies approaching, to sense projectiles shooting towards him and of course to sense valuables. Because if one isn't able to find any valuables, then why bother being an adventurer?
By using Spiritual Sense to sense the surrounding one can do all this. But as one might realize, the costs are way too high. A high drain on one's Mental Energy because of the constant use of Spiritual Sense as well as the extreme amount of information leads to fast exhaustion. Thus it is necessary to filter the information and to efficiently use the Spiritual Sense.
This skill enables the owner to efficiently sense the surroundings, by making use of a complex scan algorithm as well as filter algorithm.
Cost:
A large amount of Mental Energy as well as mental exhaustion.
Effect:
Scans the surroundings of the user for hostile creatures and objects, as well as valuables.
Current range:
50m
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This was another useful skill. Although it had one weakness and that was the high cost as well as the cost. While using up Mental Energy wasn't a problem for Ivan, since he didn't have a way to use it in combat anyway, The problem was mental exhaustion. This was something that could be fatal. Because of mental exhaustion, the reaction speed, as well as the thinking speed, would be reduced. And during combat, there was nothing worse. Especially since he focused on speed to evade the enemies attacks as well as to counterattack.
There even a millisecond could determine the result. As such a slowed reaction speed could spell his doom. There was no need to even mention the effect on his thinking speed. With that, the skill lost most of his usefulness.
Maybe in some situations, it could still be useful. As such he wouldn't use it in normal cases to scan for enemies. But to use it to scan for valuables would surely be viable, as long as he was sure that there was no danger around.
<< Congratulations, you have gained the passive effect of World Awareness (C) >>
<< World Awareness (passive) (C)
While it is unrealistic to continuously scan the surroundings actively, for an adventurer it is still a necessity to be aware of the surroundings.
By drastically reducing the amount of Mental Energy used to scan as well as more radical filters, it is possible to scan the surroundings without much strain. In fact, the strain is even lower than the recovery rate.
Of course, this to the detriment of sensitivity and range.
Effect:
You can vaguely sense creatures and objects in your surroundings.
Current range:
5m
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Now, this was exactly what he wished for. He had already realized, that he had been able to vaguely sense his surroundings, but the feeling was so vague that it might as well not be there. It seemed like he had to train this skill more since it was unmeasurable useful. Of course, the range was to low as well. Five meters was something that some monsters could pass in the blink of an eye. And that was valid for monsters, that were on the level of those wolves.
With a higher level and grade, they would be even faster. If he met such a monster then his five-meter sensory range, might as well not exist at all.
<< Congratulations, you have gained the title 'Slayer of Wolves (F)' >>
<< Title: Slayer of Wolves (F)
By slaying a large number of wolves, that have at least your level, solo, you have managed to gain the title 'Slayer of Wolves'. You have extensively studied the best way to slay wolves, enabling you to easily find their weak points as well as to exploit them.
You have been drenched by the blood of wolves, making you appear as a dangerous foe to all wolves. Those stronger than you will seek you out to get revenge for their fallen brethren, while those weaker will try to avoid you, as to avoid the same fate as those slain by you.
Effect:
- Increased damage to wolves.
- You can easily find the weak point of wolf creatures.
- Wolves that are stronger than you are more aggressive towards you.
- Wolves that are weaker than you are more likely to avoid you or flee from you.
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This title was just one of the usual title one could get when slaying many creatures of a specific type solo and in a short timespan. They were something commonly seen and were very balanced. They were very popular as well since it would remove the need of having to handle trash mobs. As the low-level monster would just flee, while the higher leveled monsters would come towards you. Of course, if one wasn't strong and careful enough this aspect could spell one's doom. But generally, the pros outweighed the cons of this type of title.
<< Congratulations, you have learned the skill 'Battle Trance (C)' >>
<< Skill: Battle Trance (C)
Those who love combat, especially close quarter combat, will sometimes lose themselves in the joy of fighting. They will then only react on instinct, drastically improving their fighting ability, while reducing the decision making ability. They will become the perfect fighting machine.
They can only leave the trance when there is no foe left, standing or they are critically wounded.
Cost:
Mental Energy, that is proportional to the time spent in the trance.
Effect:
- Increases reaction speed.
- Increases skill proficiency.
- Reduces the ability to make decisions, not relevant for combat.
- Can't be canceled until either you or the foes are defeated, or your Mental Energy runs out.
Warning:
If the trance cancels because you run out of Mental Energy, then you will fall into a coma for two to five days.
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