Chương 102: Chapter 107: Spells

"So, you managed to not only evolve, but mutate the skill. That's why you got that achievement… anyway, you have two offensive skills that occupy two of your ten free skill slots. Now, you could keep them, evolve them into something more integrated with you, or even merge them into your aura skill. That would be the most powerful option in my opinion."

"But I'm a mage first, a hexer. Should I really go full on the aura route?" For a moment his own aura flared as his face morphed into a sneer. Then, as if it was a mirage, he returned to being the nice drinking buddy I was having a conversation with. But I could not help noticing how his tone became a tad colder and more forceful.

"How many spells do you know?" he asked me.

"Well, Hex, Arcan-" He raised a hand to stop me.

"Those are skills, not spells. Spells are cast by your knowledge of the mystic forces: mana, ether, reishi, essence or whatever else you like. You don't know any spell. You are not a mage, not in any real sense. I know the System gave you the option to be one and you thought it was cool, but people study years to be able to unlock all the prerequisites to become a mage, and many fail at that too. You have zero knowledge of how a mage should operate. You just cast skills." He took a calming breath.

It appeared that I offended him with my ignorance, but this was very interesting. If I was capable of learning spells, my skillset would become even more versatile.

"Can I learn how to cast spells then?"

"Yes. Your two first skills were a very lucky start. Many have to waste free slots just to start the training to become a mage, but you can try your hand at spellcasting later. The shop has books for that. Now, let me ask you something else. How much did you use your mana based skills since unlocking Aural Manifestation?" I thought about it, really thought about it. Actually I could see his point.

Aura was so versatile in its application that I didn't need any other skill for fighting, except for long range, and I could shoot aura projectiles too. I just didn't want to waste it for nothing. But if I could get to merge Arcane Dart with my aura, and for example substitute that skill with an aura regeneration skill or something similar, it would be much better, no?

"Actually very little. I only have trouble at long range with my aura. For short and mid range I'm covered."

"It is a common problem at the beginning. Enemies who stay at a distance would have an advantage for now. Well, they would if they could stay far away. Anyway, in the end it depends on you, but while a mage is versatile in the effects it can produce, having a tool for any situation if they know enough spells, an aura master is spread less thin. We master a single tool to accomplish many things. Most of our skills and traits go to bolster our aura one way or another.

Make no mistake though, while mages are less directly powerful, with some exceptions, they are not adversaries to trifle with. Remember that." So, I had the chance of learning spells and to use aura, but traits and skills were limited, and improving both would make me weaker overall. So I would have to choose which one to focus on. Of the five traits I had, three were curse related, and two were arcane related.

"Are my arcane related traits working on aura too?" I asked him. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"In part, yes. They are magic focused. Aura is still under the magic umbrella, if marginally. Aura, you see, is a byproduct of the soul, and soul magic is a very powerful kind of magic, nearly impossible to obtain. Those who can cast it have incredible power. But aura users are the closest to soul mages, even if usually we tend to be more martially inclined. The strongest ones can reach the level of manipulating their very soul through their aura. Those sit at the pinnacle." Okay, we were going off topic now.

I understood that he was all for blowing his own sails, but I needed facts and concrete advice.

"Let's say that I focus completely on aura from now on. Could I still become a decent mage?"

"Decent, yes, but not more than that. You would have to invest heavily in time and resources to become a good mage. You don't even know if you have the aptitude to cast spells yet. First you should try to see if that is a viable path for you. But if you decide to focus on aura instead, I think you could evolve your skills to create a very powerful synergy. Imagine casting with aura instead of mana. Yes, it's possible, don't interrupt me," he said while I was about to speak.

"You cast your hexes through your aura, easily bypassing most physical and innate defenses, especially with your disgustingly high willpower stat. The enemies are weakened and more susceptible to your magic, not to forget that a part of your aura is inside them. You could wreak havoc just with that. Moreover, they won't be able to hide from you, and you will be able to throw any aura based spell, skill or attack and home it to their position. They won't be able to escape you.

If you evolve that dart skill or merge it with your aura one, you will become a menace very easily, without talking about your curses and the possibility of integrating them with your aura too. Potentially you would be able to evolve your Arcane traits to work more with aura, especially since you didn't cast a single spell to date. The System observes and opens ways for what you show it. Think about it, but don't rush into evolving your skills. You have only four chances for every skill.

They will reach their maximum potential by level 100. After that, with rare exceptions, you won't be able to change them." That was a lot to take in, but at least I had an idea about how to go forward with things.

"I will think about it, but about the skills, how can you tell if one is better than the others? There are no tiers or anything, and leveling a skill up makes it more powerful? I noticed my skills improved even if their level remained the same." He poured the last of the liquor into both our glasses. I was starting to feel hot.

"Skills don't become stronger with level ups. Those indicate your level of proficiency with the skill, and it will become harder and harder the more you raise in levels. It's a logarithmic curve. You'll see, especially after level fifty. Anyway, the only exceptions are the skills you gained as your first. Those have no evolutions before level 100, and you will get only one for those, but it's still far in the future. For now focus on those you have right now. Oh, I almost forgot, your mutated skill…

that could go in any direction. It could evolve in two levels, or never. Mostly it will depend on you." He took another pause, then with one of his arms he fixed a long strand of hair while two more took out two other bottles.

"Keep in mind one thing. There are no bad skills or bad classes, just bad users. You can give me a toothpick throwing skill, and I could kill a leviathan with that, so keep it in mind. My master has the Swordsman class. He got it at level 1 and never evolved it. He just progressed in levels and went on with it. Said it was all that he needed. No fancy Dark Swordmaster of the Void and Rainbow bullshit. And trust me, whoever thinks that because they have a fancier named class they could beat him… well, they can try.

In the end the rule of the game is synergy, always. It doesn't matter if your skill can disintegrate space and time if it can't hit your opponent. One skill alone can't carry you forward, but it can be a foundation to build on." I had a feeling about where this would go.

"Like my Aural Manifestation?"

"Exactly like that one." He took out yet another liquor, then put away the one he had taken out previously after a glance. A reddish spirit with violet swirls was contained in the pretty crystal bottle. Refracted light illuminated the room. After a second I noticed that the light was coming from within.

"Now, enough about that. We can continue later, after our sparring. Let's talk about that little curse of yours…"