Risky Skill

This skill was a risky one. While it may be able to help one survive a fight, it could just as well lead to one's doom. As long as one was able to defeat the foes in the time frame, one had because of the Mental Energy one had, then everything was good and this skill would make it much easier. But if one miscalculated and the time wasn't enough, then one would fall into a coma and be easily dispatched.

It was a skill, that once activated didn't allow retreat. And as such should only be used, when one could either calculate the time needed for the fight or when the situation was so dire, that the increase of combat strength may help one survive, while otherwise, one would be unable to. As such it was a great last resort skill in case one was unable to flee.

But because of his skill 'Reincarnation', he would be able to use the skill a bit more freely. It could be said that the skill 'Reincarnation' was the most important one, he had ever gotten. How couldn't it, since it was, what enabled him to survive all kind of situations. Although could it really be called surviving?

There was only one prompt left, which was a new skill as well. It was surprising how many skills he had gotten in one day of extensive fighting.

<< Congratulations, you have learned the new skill 'Mana Strengthening' >>

<< Skill: Mana Strengthening (E)

The body is something that requires energy to run. The more energy available, the better it can work, the more power and speed it can deliver. So what if you infuse it with something like mana?

Since mana is a highly concentrated form of energy, that is usually incompatible with the energy used by the body, the effect will surely be surprising.

Ever experienced an uncountable number of explosions going off in your body? Now you can.

By mixing mana with Vital Qi you can, through the resulting explosion, supercharge your cells, drastically increasing your power and speed for a short time. While at the same time stressing and even damaging your cells.

Cost:

A variable amount of mana and Vital Qi.

Effect:

Increased strength and speed, depending on the amount of mana and Vital Qi used. If too much mana is used, then additionally there will be a period of weakness after the effect ends.

Is way too much mana used, then after the effect ends, there will be damage to your body. This damage may even be the complete destruction of your body.

Warning:

Calculate the amount of mana used. It depends on the strengthening of your body.

Remark:

Yay, you blew yourself up. Come on, do it again.

>>

Once again it was a skill, where Ivan didn't know what to say about it. While it was very useful, there was a risk associated as well. This generally seemed to be a pattern with most strengthening skills. Or maybe it was just a thing, that skills with variable mana usage had drawbacks. While they would always scale well with increased mana and other factors, they would also always have a risk associated with them.

Some skills would just not work if the amount of mana was wrong, while others would either fizzle out or explode. And those body strengthening skills were the worst. In the end, they could always result in the death of the user.

Just like the 'Battle Trance' skill. If you failed, then you would fall into a coma and while that sounds like you wouldn't die, you would have to take a look at the situation you could fail in. If you weren't extremely lucky and fell into a coma just when you got rid of your last foe, then you would surely have at least one foe going at you. So if you fell into a coma, how the hell, were you supposed to defend? Thus it meant you were as good as dead if you failed.

And this 'Mana Strengthening' skill was similar. You could use it to boost your body short time, but you had to be careful not to extend the right duration or you would be as good as dead. If you need the skill at a level that would result in weakness after the effect ended, then if you didn't manage to finish the fight in the time the effect lasted, you would surely die after it ended. Not to mention the case were you directly blew yourself up while casting the skill.

"Well, at least I now have two skills to use in an emergency.", Ivan murmured.

While he had been checking out the prompts, he had reached the station next to his home. As such he left the subway and started to walk back the last part. Although he had learned how to drive and even got his license, he still preferred to use public transport and go on foot.

It was already night, so the sky was dark and only the light from the moon and stars lighted up the area. Since this was a luxurious neighborhood, there were no other sources of light that could destroy the atmosphere.

Ivan enjoyed his walk back. The slightly cold night wind comfortably caressed his face, helping him relax and fully release the tension from the dungeon run. There truly was nothing more beautiful than a silent night with no danger in sight.

The walk back home was nearly to short for him. If not for him desiring to check on his daughter as well as being slightly tired, he would have spent a bit more time, just walking around.

The villa was dark, indicating that everyone was asleep. Ivan silently made his way up the stairs to his daughter's bedroom. Thanks to his good night vision he didn't need to activate the lights.

When he saw the sight on his daughter's bed he had to uncontrollable smile. Jane had fallen asleep in the arms of Lucia. Something he was happy to see, as it showed how close they had gotten in the short time they knew each other.

In fact, they now seemed like sisters, who knew each other for a long time. This was something Ivan was very glad to see. When he had first met Jane, it hadn't taken him long to realize that she was unlike other children of her age. She was much stronger and intelligent than most of them. But because she was still a child, she was unable to hide those differences, leading to her being unable to spend time with them.

This had lead to her being very lonely and developing a much more mature personality than normal. Now with Lucia, who often acted childishly, she had someone she could play with, without fear of hurting her, either physically or mentally.

He didn't enter the room, but instead silently closed the door. Still smiling he walked to his room. After a short shower, he let himself fall onto the bed in his pajamas.

"I wonder how Lara is doing?", he asked himself. He didn't know how, but in the short time Lara had slept at his room, he had gotten used to seeing her lying on his bed. Now that she wasn't here, he couldn't help but wonder how she was doing.

Ignoring the fact that it was already late, he took out his phone and send a message to her. It was nothing special, just asking her how she was doing.

Not unexpected, he didn't directly get an answer.

Lying on the bed, he reminiscent of what had happened ever since his reset and he once again realized, that everything that was truly important to him had to do with Lara and Jane.

"Thank you former me, for what you did." Although he knew that Lara had gotten a trauma, because of what his former self had done, he couldn't help but be grateful for it. If not, then what would his current life be about?

Mindlessly trying to get stronger? What was the sense with that? Only to find out who he was before? Was that really something one could make the only goal of one's life?

Sure, that was what he had thought at first, but now his view had changed. The most important thing was to live happily. And everything else was only a tool to do this. Happiness was the true goal one should strive for. Who cares about strength, as long as one can be happy and protect one's happiness.

And to him, happiness was living with his family and watch them enjoy their life. To watch his daughter laugh happily while playing. To see his wife relax and smile. This was his happiness and he would do anything to protect it.