Chương 17: Breakthrough

While I copied the massive book of flowing Eldarin Script, I felt a breakthrough in my Breathing. It became slightly easier and more controlled. I paused in my copying, setting my pen aside. I hadn't been expecting to breakthrough so easily, but the skill had been at the bottleneck for a while.

"Tutor Damian, I broke through with my Breathing. Any suggestions for future improvements for the skill?"

"Congratulations, that is a combat skill. But let me give it some thought for a moment. The best advice I can offer is to practice the skill regularly. It will improve gradually. The bottleneck was level 75?"

"Yes," I replied. It wasn't polite to ask about other people's status or level without being prompted. Although skills existed that could reveal this information, people considered it incredibly rude to do so without permission. Since Damian was my personal tutor and it was a tier 1 skill, there was no reason to conceal its progress.

"Then it will take time. It is as simple as just constantly using the skill. Some say it is the best way to improve more stubborn skills. If you don't practice using the skill regularly, it won't be effective in those situations. It is when you need to adjust your breathing and you focus on the skill that there is more pressure and the skill will level up," he explained. The explanation was slightly complex, but it made sense. Skills improved through adversity.

While one could train them through use and repetition, it was a much slower process. By using Breathing constantly, I was forcing myself to use it all the time, even when it was difficult. It would also alleviate the bottleneck in skill level. With tier 1 skills, the bottlenecks came every 25 levels. For tier 2 and 3 skills, they came every 20 levels. For tier 4 and 5 skills, every 15 levels. And for tier 6 skills, there was a bottleneck or a breakthrough point every 10 levels.

Leveling became increasingly difficult with each subsequent tier and the passage of each bottleneck. That's why nobody had ever reached level 100 with a Tier 6 skill. It took too long and was too difficult. This included my mother, as far as I knew.

"Hmm, I can sense your frustration. Well, I could get some research data from the College of Advancement. Thankfully, it's not too pricey, unlike some of their other products. You are probably feeling like you are stalling or slowing down in levels?" Tutor Damian asked me with a smile.

"A bit. I want to gain more levels more quickly. I know I am going fast, but sometimes I am not sure," I replied. Tutor Damian nodded.

"Look at this research paper compiled by the College of Advancement and locate your position on it," he said, pushing a piece of paper across the table we sat at in the library. I picked it up and examined it. Guide to Leveling Progress for Humans, Correlation to Age By Hellabella June, Professor of Systems Analysis and Skill Experience Synopsis This research paper represents a compilation of over 10, 000 individuals from various human classes across all ages and professions.

The research also included the standard exception for legends, extrapolating the probable skill level total of such individuals. The researchers created equations based solely on age, with multipliers for specific groups of individuals with varying availability of tutoring and other resources. Given lifespan L (age in years), with skills gained from age 8, the expected skill contribution C is: C = 65. 92 (L - 8)^0. 6 where: C = sum of ln(1 + S_i) T_i for i from 1 to N.

S_i: Skill level (1 to 100) for a skill in tier T_i (1 to 6). N: Number of skills, constrained by sum of T_i less than or equal to L / 2. For L = 28 years, C ≈ 65. 92 * 20^0. 6 ≈ 385. 72. I looked back up at my Tutor as the research paper continued.

"My math isn't good enough for whatever this is," I replied. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Well, it will help push your Mathematics skills quite a bit. It isn't that complicated," he replied. I re-examined the synopsis of the research paper.

"How do I even handle an exponent of 0. 6?" I asked.

"That is where you use the square root method. Let me explain." I listened closely as Tutor Damian showed me how to approximate such a value using square roots. It was complex, far more than the basic math I had been studying recently. Halfway through the explanation, Tutor Damian stopped.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Sorry, I didn't think about your current situation. While unlikely, this could give you some skills that we need to avoid. Let me sum things up for you. I wanted to help your mindset and put you at ease, not create a health risk." He took everything back. I let out a small sigh but said nothing.

"The equation gives the approximate number of skill levels based on age. Since you are approximately 9. 25 years old, the equation yields 75. 36 as your expected skill level. The paper says that people with tutors and abundant resources can reach a multiplication factor as high as 16, which would translate into 1, 205. 82." I nodded along.

"Now, based on the last time we checked, your total skill levels multiplied by tier are 1, 012 for tier 1, then 182, and 78 for tiers 2 and 3, respectively, which totals up to 1, 272, far above the maximum multiplier to account for people with tutors by around 67 skill levels. I am also counting the two skills you have mastered at Tier 1. Working backwards, if we divide your skill number by 16, we get 79. 5, which translates into an age of around nine and a half years," Tutor Damian explained.

It was a lot of math, but that was what the College of Advancement focused on, or at least a significant area of its focus—breaking down every facet of the system that controlled a person's status.

"What you are saying is that I am about a quarter year ahead of the most advanced people my age," I said.

"Exactly. If you really want to evaluate your progress, the College of Advancement encourages the use of equations developed from large data sets. It can get tedious when you have more skill masteries and have to take them into account, but it is a good way to check your progress," he explained. I muttered, "It's complicated."

"That is the College of Advancement for you. They attempt to simplify things so they can sell their research, but even the simplest concepts are headache-inducing and confusing. That is why Mathematics is a key skill to have regardless of your job in life."

"Older people would have a lot of skills," I replied.

"We have quite a few. Especially if we raise our Mind stat. But we also get mastery of lower-tier skills. This kind of stuff is nice to know, but it isn't necessary. For people like your mother, and other legends, she would tell you not to worry about other people's progress, focus on your own growth and the task at hand as much as possible." That aligned with what I knew of my mother. Focusing on the moment increases one's skills.

That was why she didn't want me constantly checking my status over every single level.

"I am surprised other kids are that high," I replied.

"While you have more advantages than most, the elites of this world also pass on similar advantages to their kids. Given the difficulty people with high stats face in conceiving, resources and training have been focused on a select group. The earlier skill levels are the easiest. The paper discusses how skill levels tend to stagnate as one ages. That is the power of this exponent in the equation, in relation to age," Damien said, and I nodded.

I still didn't understand math, but it felt good to know that I was ahead of my peers.

"Competition is good, but don't let math dominate your life. Some people get caught up in it like their status page. You would miss the forest while staring at the trees. Overall, holistic growth is the most important, and building up a foundation is key for long-term success," he said.

"Did my mother talk to you about that and tell you to say that?"

"Yes, but not in so many words. I also won't lie. She isn't wrong based on my experience and knowledge that I have gained over the years. I have had peers in the College of Advancement who had this issue. They struggled the most and were desperate. That kind of mindset is poor in the long term. You need urgency, but also need to be focused. Speed yet precision."

"You definitely got that from my mother," I said.

"She had some ideas she wanted me to impart to you, but I teach my students in my way. It is quite rare that I handle just one student."

"Even nobles?" I asked.

"Most would send their kids as a small group to someone like me to save money. Even though I dropped out of the College of Advancement after my fifth year, that is still incredibly impressive. A professional tutor of my qualifications isn't cheap."

"It must be tough, if it is impressive making it that far," I said.

"It is. The graduating class is 10 each year from a starting class of 10, 000." Those numbers shocked me.

"They get over 100, 000 applications a year. There is no greater institute of higher learning than the College of Advancement. There have been attempts to replicate its success, but all of them are minor places that have little recognition."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Centuries of building up a powerful alumni network of legends. Legends have higher stats and higher Vitality. So, they live a long time. Some take offense at other institutions, which makes their existence difficult. Also, people leave their legacies behind. It builds up."

"Oh, do you think my mother wants to send me there?" I asked.

"I am not sure. It is a cutthroat environment. The minimum age to enter is 12, with no maximum age limit. They look at your overall status, age, and background. Anyone over level 100 can visit freely, give lectures, or stay there for free."

"Keeping a high-level force available at all times," I replied.

"One reason they do so is to boost the College's standing in the world."

"Why is the dropout rate so high?" I asked.

"The College grades everyone against each other, and the lowest performers are cut. Skill growth mostly determines who remains and who is expelled. Most people survive three years, but then the grading criteria increase, and the numbers quickly decrease. It is brutal, different from the dungeon, but they are similar for unrelenting pressure."