Chương 115: One Step At A Time

Level: 20 Experience: BLOCKED Healing: 440/440 Stamina: 450/450 Mana: 270/270 Class: Tier 1, Adult Human (Blue) Effect: Increased Skill Acquisition (+10%), Increased Learning Speed (+10%), Increased Stat Gain (+10%), Increased Physical Gain (+10%), Increased Mental Gain (+10%) Vitality: 44 (+1) Endurance: 45 (+1) Strength: 34 () Agility: 42 () Perception: 31 () Mind: 112 (+7) Magic: 27 (+1) Focus: 47 () Free Points: 200 Tier 1 (25) (14+): Light Armor (100), Dwarven Etiquette (100), Eldarin Etiquette (100+ 11), Shield Skills (86+6), Speech (75), Drawing Skills (70), Pulse Strike (67), Elven Language (63+63), Pugilist Skills (56+6), Cleaning Skills (55+3), Combat Tactics (55+4), Axe Skills (54+8), Bow Skills (52), Elven History (52+52), Elven Etiquette (50 +50), Deflection (50 +10), Sweet Tooth (50 +10), Dancing Skills (45+7), Driving (39), Cooking Skills (37+7), Dagger Skills (29), Medium Armor (28+3), Stealth (25), Throw (25), Wrestling Skills (25 +4) Tier 2 (54) (2+): Mana Sense (100), Danger Sense (100), Focused Breathing (89+2), Focused Running (84+4), System Sense (80 +1), Algebra (75+7), Focused Toughness (66+3), Focused Meditation (64+4), Soul Sense (63+1), Darkness Vision (58+2), Geometry (60 +5), Speed Reading (48+8), Trap Detection (40), Shadow Vision (40 +3), Focused Sword Skills (39+2), Critical Thinking (34+4), Focused Dodge (33+4), Mana Vision (28+2), Monster Analysis (26+6), Depth Sense (21+1), Focused Rage (16+1), Poison Sense (13+8), Eldarin Lore(8), Focused Monster Processing Skills (5), Focused Spear Skills (3), Dwarven Script (1), Dwarven Lore (1) Tier 3 (54) (1+): Empowered Will (100), Soul Resistance (93+1), Poison Resistance (78+6), Fear Resistance (61), Healing Resistance (60), Eldarin Runes (40), Mana Manipulation (33+9), Fire Resistance (27), Lightning Resistance (26), Empowered Writing (20), Cold Resistance (20), Soul Strike (20), Skill Control (18+1), Arcane Resistance (16), Physical Resistance (14+1), System Control (7+1), Alchemy (5), Social Resistance (5) Tier 4 (8): Soul Link (30 +7), Pain Immunity (5) Tier 5 (-): Experience Siphon(C) Equipment Gloves: Gloves of Processing (T2) (Blocks Mana T2 and Below) Boots: Armored Boots (T1) (Basic Equipment) Head: Armored Helmet (T1) (Basic Equipment) Body: Light Armor (T1) (Basic Equipment) Ring 1: Ring of Concealment (T3) (Hide Status T3 and Below) Ring 2: Ring of Remote Awareness (T3) (Allows for remote viewing from companion ring) Amulet/Bracelet: Experience Blocker (T4) (Prevents all experience gain for primary level) Weapon 1: Beginner's Blade (T2) (Sharpness-T2, Durability-T3, Self-Repair-T2) Equipment 1: Runic Writing Set (T3) (Write Runes T3 and Below) Winged Serpent Level: 30/462 Experience: 923/2, 737 Healing: 1, 110/1, 110 Stamina: 410/410 Mana: 1, 030/1, 030 Class: Tier 1, Young Winged Serpent (Red) Effect: Alchemy Skill Growth (+50%), Alchemic Skill Power (+100%) Vitality: 111 () Endurance: 41 () Strength: 58 () Agility: 90 () Perception: 44 () Mind: 102 () Magic: 103 () Focus: 51 () Free Points: 0 T1: Bite (96+4) T2: Toxic Breath (60), Alchemic Vision (51+9) T3: Alchemy (44+2), Poison Insight (26+2), Fire Insight (10+1), Cold Insight (10+1), Arcane Insight (10+1), Spatial Insight (9+1), Soul Insight (4+1), Healing Insight (2+1) T4: Soul Link (30 +2), Flight (25+2), Alchemic Bounded Field (22+5)"That is 477 skill levels gained," I said after filling out my status sheets for the middle of my second semester.

"No headaches or tiredness?" Healer Melon asked me.

"Sometimes, but much less than before."

"Increasing the tier of your class was necessary. Especially with Tier 4 skills. The pressure on your soul was getting dangerous."

"When will I have to increase the Tier of my class again? When I get a Tier 5 skill..."

"Yes. While it won't be instantly fatal, you will have health problems if you don't. Also, your Mind stat is getting large compared to the other stats."

"I can't help it. There is a lot of book learning. Isn't more Mind a good thing?"

"It is. But you don't want your stats to grow too far apart from each other. It is good that you focused a lot on Mana Manipulation."

"When will it be dangerous?"

"When your highest stat is greater than the sum of half of all your other stats combined. Like I said, you are far away from that point, but you need to be aware of this."

"Then I have a fair bit of time. There shouldn't be an issue over the next couple of years," I replied, and Healer Melon nodded.

"I am quite happy with how quickly my Elven skills have advanced. I should be able to master all these skills in the second half of this semester and then move on to other languages next semester." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"The rest of your improvements are spread across multiple skills."

"The descent at the start of this year and all the auxiliary classes I am taking have spread out my skill level gains. I'm just glad I have mastered Eldarin Etiquette. One less skill to worry about."

"I'm surprised you even spent time mastering it."

"Knowing the perfect angle to bow and other minor details isn't that important, but since I have had the skill, I might as well master it. Do etiquette skills advance into another one?"

"A social skill, most likely. I can't say for sure. I am sure someone at the College has the answer."

"Not that important. While my father might specialize in social skills, I have too many other skills to focus on right now. A lot of skills. I have three more languages and history courses to take."

"Trying to get Artifact Analysis by maximizing lore skills?"

"It is useful to analyze equipment, since it has a strong tie to runes. But I don't think I will have time for lore skills at the College right now. After focusing on language and history skills next year, I will need to work on script skills in years 3 and 4. Then I will focus on spell skills for the last three years."

"Maximizing Mana Manipulation will be an enormous challenge."

"Which is why I spent more time on that skill in auxiliary classes. If I am earning at least five levels every three months, I will get it maximized by the time I reach year 5 at the College." As for other skills I was taking in auxiliary classes, my progress in those skills determined their importance, but they weren't make-or-break skills while I was at the College. In my last three years, I would study a different spell skill each semester. Silent Casting would be chosen as a support skill.

It was useful, but not for the reason most people thought. It allowed for faster casting. That extra bit of speed was key, while saying the spell skill name after use allowed for greater control and power. Clean was next on the list, which meant I should work on Cleaning Skills. One of the few spell skills that directly benefited from underlying skills. Vibration Blade was a Tier 4 spell skill that interested me. Fireball, Lightning Beam, and Ward seemed like good choices to fix offense and defense.

I could change up the last three later. There were a lot of good options for spell skills and not enough time to study them all. I knew I wouldn't be able to easily obtain skill levels for higher-tier skills outside of the main classes. And many higher-tier skills didn't have auxiliary courses.

"Any luck with a resistance training chamber?"

"Next year, once you place first this year. Are you sure you don't want to wait until later years to work on resistances?"

"Trying to scramble for skill levels in my last couple of years is like constantly checking one's status. It is the wrong mindset to have. I need to use my free time to maximize my level gain when I can. Resistance training doesn't require studying and is useful. It isn't something I can easily train up in the dungeon."

"I understand. I will make arrangements. At least you can afford the Alchemical mixtures."

"Despite how rich my parents are, they didn't leave me a lot of money."

"Perhaps they thought you could get enough money through your own ability," Healer Melon suggested. I wanted to roll my eyes at that statement. They never thought about money that much, so they weren't worried about me. At least I would get refunded 500 gold, which was my yearly tuition, as one of the top three students in my year.

"Your link with Ozy has gotten stronger much more quickly. I would say that you are doing a good job. There shouldn't be a problem with that skill."

"He is the best. Just easily earning levels and eating. If only it were that easy for the rest of us."

"Unfortunately, insight skills are limited to monsters."

"Do you think the demon has insight skills?"

"Most likely. They don't need to learn. They can improve naturally by consuming Mana. The biggest challenge would be the lack of skills. But if they learned enough Alchemy or had the right skill, they might extract skills from others," Healer Melon said, and I frowned.

"Troublesome. Do you think I should look at monster skills?"

"Your Alchemical toxicity will be low enough in a year or two, but it is best to wait until you graduate. The best option is sensory skills, though you already have several. Too many and you risk confusing yourself. There is an overlap between them. It probably isn't worthwhile."

"Soul Strike didn't level up, even though I used it in the dungeon."

"You have had things too easy with breakthroughs at bottleneck levels. That is the clearest sign that the soul fruits you consumed are wearing off. You are not supposed to break through so easily."

"That isn't good."

"Of course it isn't. But it is what regular people have to suffer through. At least you are making the most of this time."

"Couldn't it be from me leveling up as well?"

"That too. It isn't an exact science, unfortunately. While your soul can accommodate more, it prevents you from improving skills as easily. You don't use that skill that often, which is part of the issue with a dangerous combat skill. Once you spend a longer time in the dungeon, then that should change."

"So many skills. I am not complaining, just thinking about how far I have come and the distance I still have to go. Those free stat points are looking incredibly tempting. I know, I know, no using them. Focused Breathing and Focused Meditation are leveling slowly." Despite working on my breathing constantly, it was a slow skill to raise through passive application. Focused Meditation wasn't much better. Even with taking an auxiliary class, the improvement was slow.

By the time I graduated, I would have gotten them to Tier 3, but leveling the Tier 3 versions of those skills would take far longer. Decades at the very least, and that was with effort put into them. But I would not slow down or stop. I was going to keep working on my skills. They were the backbone of any fighting I would do in the future. I considered looking at the book my mother had left me regarding her path. She had told me not to look at it unless I placed first in the College in my final year.

It was tempting to ignore her wishes and see what she had left behind, but I would wait. The same with other skills. It would be too easy to get distracted by looking ahead and not focusing on foundational skills.

"Ozy can get another skill as well."

"Anatomy Insight would be the best since it would let him gradually level up his insight skills. After that, I would defer to your judgment on the order he should learn."

"Cure would be a good starting spell skill to get to practice with an animal. That is how most healers learn spell skills. It will be interesting to see how a monster compares its insight skill to an actual healer," Healer Melon said with a thoughtful look.

"You don't mind?"

"No, since the Five Star Institute of Healing has given its approval. It isn't like I am opening a new school of healing or teaching subordinate skills. The two insight skills should take care of any issues. The challenge is application. Ozy may heal only you or test animals. This is for safety reasons. It is too easy to make a minor mistake, which will cascade into later problems."

"Really? But healing points seem to do fine without support skills, and spell skills work fine mostly without direction."

"That might be true for other skills, but healing skills carry much greater risk. Your soul matches your body. But curse skills and certain types of damage create minute soul damage as well. This causes problems with healing. While it might not kill a person, it won't heal properly without the proper knowledge to adjust and the support skills necessary."

"Really?"

"Yes. That is why the Five Star Institute of Healing has a monopoly on healing services and takes it seriously. While it is a mostly human institution, there is a reason the Elves and Dwarves don't replicate it or have their own healers. The risk of minor mistakes is quite high."

"Will Ozy be able to heal then?"

"The insight skills should take care of any issues, but no rushing his healing. And no using it on other people unless they are literally about to die in the dungeon and give permission ahead of time. If you don't advertise or misuse your pet's healing, the Institute won't get excited."

"Understood. Can you tell me all of this?"

"The other healers here at the College and I talked about this situation. Like I said, don't use his skills on others outside the dungeon, and get permission first. Only use it on others if the situation is incredibly dire. This is to protect you. If Ozy heals someone and they die later, it would create a terrible impression."

"Won't healing points fix any issues?"

"Mostly, they would, but residual damage can stack up. With a body, one minor error can become something critical if that error happens in a dangerous location."