Icy Book

Leus picked up the book and inspected it.

Its cover was icy blue, and its title was

(Ice: The Elemental Abstract of Freezing)

Leus' interest was piqued, and he opened the book.

As soon as he opened it he found a note

(Open your wardrobe and wear a Fur Coat before going into the Barrier)

At this point, Leus didn't need to think about why Arno wrote such notes.

'I will definitely do it, it'd be ironic if I freeze to death while trying to unlock The Abstract of Freezing.'

Leus put the note aside and started reading the book

(The Elemental Abstract of Freezing,

By: The Supreme Librarian, Seraphina Aquastra)

'Supreme Librarian huh ... Is she Arno's superior or something like that?'

Leus didn't really care much and flipped the page

(Contrary to the common belief that Water serves as the opposite element to Fire, I contend that Ice holds this opposition.

In my sincere perspective, Darkness aligns with the antithesis of Light, and similarly, Coldness stands as the counterforce to Heat. Therefore, I assert that Ice serves as the true opposite of Fire.)

Leus nodded in understanding

'I see where you're coming from, but ... what does that have to do with the Abstract?'

Leus flipped the page

(The Abstract of Freezing, also referred to as Freezing Touch, can more accurately be termed The Abstract of Draining Heat.

Realistically, achieving the freezing of opponents demands close-quarters combat and a substantial amount of Mana, coupled with time.

This means that Full Freezing is only attainable with a considerable investment of both Mana and time, so practically, it isn't feasible.)

' ... Such an encouragement'

Leus sighed and flipped the page

(Can you conclude the potential outcome of using the Abstract of Freezing for a short duration against an opponent of equal or slightly stronger power?)

'Uh? Heat Draining?'

(Exactly! Heat Draining!, This fact raises a fascinating question:

What transpires when you deplete someone's heat? The explanation delves into the realm of Physics.

Matter is fundamentally composed of atoms. By extracting heat from an

individual's body, you're essentially withdrawing heat from these atoms.

In the realm of Physics, we understand that as we diminish the temperature of atoms, their motion decelerates. In essence, this implies that the extraction of heat directly corresponds to a reduction in the kinetic energy of these atoms.

It's akin to orchestrating a delicate dance of energy on a minute scale.)

Leus tilted his head

'What the heck? What are all these complicated stuff?'

'Supreme Librarian Seraphina is flexing her knowledge?'

Without trying to comprehend what he read, Leus flipped the page

(In simpler terms, using the Abstract of Freezing on someone will slow them down, causing their body to become sluggish. Consequently, they experience a temporary loss of control over their physical attacks or a direct weakening of such actions.)

After reading that, Leus felt slightly annoyed

'This entire book could've probably been summed up in like two sentences'

But since he had already read most of it, and only the most important parts were left, he had no choice other than to finish it.

(Now that you grasp the fundamental workings of The Abstract, it becomes much simpler to comprehend why it is relatively disadvantageous.)

'Huh? After all this talking you're saying that it's bad?'

(To use this Abstract, you must gather and accumulate Ice Mana on your palm, preferably the left one, allowing your right palm to engage in more useful activities.

Once prepared, you touch the desired spot for freezing and release your attack. The principle is quite straightforward, yet it harbors several flaws.

Primarily, the limitation of the attack to what you can physically touch poses a significant disadvantage. Knights, with their Domains, won't permit you to get so close in combat. As for mages, they remain largely unaffected by this Abstract.

Firstly, if you manage to get close enough to touch a mage in combat, why not opt for a more direct and lethal approach like stabbing them?

Secondly, even if you do touch a mage, the impact is minimal.

Mages, relying on magic, don't require swift physical movements during combat. Slowing them down provides virtually no advantage, as their mental capabilities will remain unaffected.)

Leus, with a solemn expression on his face, Flipped the page

(Hence, we find ourselves with an Abstract that proves impractical against knights due to their Domains and virtually ineffective against Mages.

This underlines the inherent limitations that render this Abstract relatively subpar in certain combat scenarios.)

'Relatively subpar? Where's the relative part? The Abstract seems horrible!'

'Damn I really hate ice'

(Despite its limitations, there exists a silver lining.

The process of mastering this Abstract contributes to your overall strength.

Moreover, the evolved iteration, Freezing Beam, extends its range, transforming it into a more efficient and versatile tool for those adept at its usage.

The journey of mastery unfolds, revealing hidden potentials within this seemingly restrained Abstract.)

Leus sighed

'Ice never fails to disappoint.'

'Even if it's a beam, that doesn't solve the problems the book explained earlier, like its lack of effectiveness.'

Leus was just bored and wanted to be done with this Abstract as soon as possible, so he flipped to the last page.

(Mastering this Abstract is a straightforward approach.

Accumulate Ice Mana on your palm and allow it to flow in and out.

Initial challenges may arise, particularly if utilizing Natural Mana rather than your own. However, your body will adapt over time.

Once the Ice Mana achieves sufficient condensation, the Abstract will unlock.

Best of luck on your journey.)

'Shut up'

Leus closed the book and walked with his sulked expression to the bedroom.

He opened the wardrobe and searched for the Fur Coat, which he quickly found.

'It's pretty huge, That's more like a Fur Robe, not a Fur Coat'

Leus put the coat around him and it covered his entire body.

The fur was thick and white colored.

'Just like a bear's fur'

After about a minute, Leus began feeling hot, so he stopped inspecting the coat and walked to the shelf where the Mana Crystals were kept.

'Whew, it feels like I haven't touched one of you since ages'

He picked up an icy blue Mana Crystal.

Leus activated the Barrier and stood in the middle of it, then a grin appeared on his face

'Time to become stronger'

Leus put his hand on the Mana Crystal

"RELEASE!"