The next day, Sam reviewed his stats, finding them remarkably helpful in providing numerical representations of his abilities. He then shifted his focus to the Affinities section, noting his current affinities for wind at 3% and fire at 1%.
[Affinities: Wind (3%), Fire (1%)]
Within the world of the arcane, mages were divided into two categories: elemental mages and non-elemental mages. Non-elemental mages lacked specific elemental affinities but could simulate elemental magic by calculating and borrowing elements from the surrounding environment. However, they were generally weaker than elemental mages, who possessed the ability to harness elemental mana from within themselves.
The majority of mages in Arcane derived their affinities from natural elements such as wind, water, earth, fire, and lightning. The lightning element was particularly rare and highly sought after. Additionally, combining different natural elements could result in the creation of new elements like ice or lava.
[Bloodlines: Verninne (Mage Bloodline), Tatsuya (Hero Bloodline)]
Sam's bloodlines revealed a remarkable heritage, with the Verninne mage bloodline inherited from his father, a high-class mage, and the Tatsuya hero bloodline inherited from his mother, a general-class hero.
[Skills: Dance of Swords (Breath of Life), Mana Sense, Speed, Heroic Sense, Influence (Unique)]
Amused by his powerful lineage, Sam's attention turned to his Skills, which included Dance of Swords (Breath of Life), Mana Sense, Speed, Heroic Energy Sense, and a unique skill called Influence.
[Spells: Wind Blast, Wind Blade, Concealment, Transmission, Silence, Lumos, Heal, Barrier, Fireball, Water Sphere]
Next, he examined his collection of Spells, which encompassed Wind Blast, Wind Blade, Concealment, Transmission, Silence, Lumos, Heal, Barrier, and Fireball. Sam couldn't help but be captivated by the potential and effectiveness of these spells, envisioning the endless possibilities they offered.
Driven by curiosity and the desire to test his abilities, Sam decided to conduct an experiment using a special object—a precious mana stone. Mana stones were solidified forms of pure mana that took decades to form as high concentrations of mana accumulated over time. Cultivators utilized these stones to accelerate their progress, while mages employed them as storage devices, replenishing their mana reserves by absorbing the mana stored within.
Although mana stones had a flaw—they were inherently inefficient, resulting in some mana being wasted or dissipated in the environment—they came in various sizes and colors. The larger and denser the stone, the more mana it contained. These stones were typically found in areas abundant in natural mana.
In the spacious backyard, Sam's grandparents, Aunt Yuki, his mother, and his older sister, Xenovia, gathered as he prepared to demonstrate his abilities. Sam had invited his parents to witness this momentous occasion, as he believed that actions spoke louder than words.
"is this enough?"
Anos presented a light red mana stone the size of a football, surprising Sam with its rarity and value.
"so how do you do it? you just absorb it?"
Xenovia, with her blue-fringed, chin-length dark hair and tomboyish demeanor, pondered the mechanics of Sam's ability while resting her chin on her hand.
As silence filled the air and anticipation grew, Sam placed his palm on the mana stone, activating his ability with a resolute command: "Devour."
A tingling sensation filled his palm as a vortex of swirling energy formed, drawing in everything in its path. Sam's senses sharpened, making him acutely aware of his surroundings. His eyes shimmered with a newfound power as the mana stone was effortlessly engulfed by the vortex, vanishing into his grasp.
"this ability looks awfully similar to his ability?"
The spectacle left everyone in the room awestruck, including Jin and Anos, who felt a sense of familiarity but quickly dismissed any further thoughts. Yuki's eyes sparkled with admiration as she applauded Sam's incredible feat.
Observing her aunt's reaction, Xenovia couldn't help but scoff inwardly, thinking to herself, 'There she goes again, fawning over my brother.' With a cold gaze, she glanced at Yuki and then voiced her thoughts aloud, remarking to her seemingly absent-minded brother, who appeared to be half asleep.
Perplexed by Xenovia's behavior, Yuna's mother, who was nearby, looked on in confusion, wondering what might be troubling her.
Curious about the outcome, Jenna, Sam's grandmother, sought an answer, turning her gaze towards Sam. Unbeknownst to her, Sam was fully absorbed in the information displayed on the screen, completely unaware of the surrounding commotion.
<Mana Stone successfully devoured>
<Small quantity of qi detected>
<Substantial quantity of mana detected>
<Qi absorption in progress...>
<Qi absorption failed>
<The host is unable to assimilate Qi into their body>
<Separating Elemental Mana extracted from the Stone>
<Elemental distribution: fire (50%), air (30%), and water (20%)>
The system promptly notified Sam of the successful devouring of the mana stone, revealing the presence of a small quantity of qi and a substantial amount of mana. However, his attempt to absorb the qi failed, as the system indicated his inability to assimilate it into his body. Nevertheless, the system proceeded to separate the elemental mana contained within the mana stone, revealing fire (50%), air (30%), and water (20%).
Sam's mind brimmed with the possibilities afforded by the elemental mana he had absorbed. He contemplated two options: either directly increase his mana cultivation by absorbing the elemental mana, or utilize the mana from the stone to cultivate his wind and fire elemental cores while also gaining a new water elemental affinity.
Considering that he could enhance his cultivation through leveling up, Sam deemed the first option redundant. Moreover, the mana stone predominantly contained fire and air elemental mana, making the second option more enticing. The prospect of gaining a new elemental affinity—water—solidified his decision.
Without hesitation, Sam selected the second option, triggering noticeable changes within his body. Although he had yet to master entering his sea of consciousness independently, he sensed the progress taking place.
Inside his sea of consciousness, a mesmerizing light blue ball of energy floated in a pristine white space, captivating the observer. This ball represented Sam's original core, the very essence of his soul. Two smaller cores, one light gray and the size of a squash ball, and the other bright red and the size of a pea, accompanied it.
The football-sized core vibrated with anticipation, welcoming the incoming mana into its domain. The white space became infused with mana, exhibiting shades of red, light gray, and dark blue—representing fire, wind, and water elemental mana, respectively.
The red-colored mana gracefully flowed into the rapidly spinning red core, joyfully assimilating every ounce of fire elemental mana. The light gray core underwent a similar phenomenon with the wind elemental mana. Meanwhile, the blue elemental mana coalesced into a concentrated area, giving rise to a new, pea-sized blue core.
The growth of the fire and air elemental cores ceased once they reached the size of a golf ball, while the water elemental core retained its pea-sized form.
<Fire Elemental Core cultivation has been enhanced>
<Wind Elemental Core cultivation has been elevated>
<Attained a new affinity: Water>
<Water Elemental Core cultivation has been intensified>
The system promptly relayed the progress made: an increase in cultivation for the fire and wind elemental cores, the acquisition of a new water elemental affinity, and subsequent cultivation of the water elemental core.
Filled with satisfaction, Sam accessed the system to examine the changes, a smile of excitement gracing his face.
[Affinities: Wind (5%), Fire (5%), Water (3%)]