Chapter 65
65. Mana
Even a warrior class can use magic skills.
However, quests that grant magic skills are usually only completable if you have a magic-related class.
The skill books you can get from treasure chests also have their own usage requirements, so it's very hard for a warrior class to obtain magic skills.
But once you get one, you can use it. It isn't specifically blocked by the system.
By discovering special hidden elements, or by clearing a boss and learning a skill as a reward.
If you follow routes like that, even a warrior can use magic skills. I do have magic skills myself right now.
[Light Gathering Lv.1]
The Light Gathering skill I got as a reward for defeating the crystal spider doesn't do much, but it should count as magic for now.
And though I hadn't paid it much attention for a while, [Lightning Charge] that I got on the third floor should probably be a magic-type skill too.
Besides, I already know that skills aren't obtained only through quests or skill books.
The various passive skills I've obtained prove that. Techniques learned through experience become skills.
Then if I learned from Eleanor, maybe even I as a warrior class could use shadow magic.
Maybe I could even transfer into a special class that uses shadow magic.
Of course, since I'm completely locked into the warrior class, it'd be hard to change even if an opportunity came along for some half-baked higher class.
Anyway, with those thoughts in mind, I went to find Eleanor.
Eleanor had a weird reputation among the Dark Elves, but she was still a princess.
It didn't seem like I'd be able to meet her just by showing up.
"You came looking for me first? What a surprise. Should I take that as meaning you're ready to accept my previous proposal?"
"No."
"Hehe, you don't have to be shy. I already know you're a little bashful. Leave it to me."
Eleanor, saying she happened to be free, immediately started spouting nonsense at me.
By the way, what Eleanor just called her "previous proposal" was her usual talk about sleeping together or whatever.
Come to think of it, appearance really is important to a person.
If the one saying that were a busty Dark Elf beauty instead of some ugly middle-aged woman, I'd have drawn my sword and swung it long ago.
"Lizmel told me she doesn't have anything left to teach me. She said if I wanted to learn something, I should come to you."
"Lizmel said that? How long has it been since you started learning swordsmanship, and she's already saying that?"
Eleanor's eyes went wide.
Since I'd learned a technique in one day that normally takes at least half a year, that was only natural.
-Creak.
Eleanor pushed her chair back and rose from her seat. She came slowly toward me, then slowly covered my face with both hands.
"Wait."
Then she closed her eyes and stood there motionless for a few minutes. Just as I was wondering what she was doing, Eleanor opened her eyes.
"Goodness, you've changed beyond recognition in just a short while. Even for humans, that's too fast."
She seemed to have done some sort of scan. That was probably magic too.
"You really are new every time I look at you. I like you so much. I want to kiss you right now."
This bitch is at it again. Get your face off me.
**
I don't know what Eleanor had figured out with that scan or whatever, but she soon said she'd teach me that "something."
Of course, Eleanor had her own work to do, so we couldn't start right away.
We wrapped up the conversation by agreeing to meet again when I was done with swordsmanship training and heading back to the dorms.
And so, after the sun had set.
Eleanor came to my room as always, wearing a translucent negligee.
I thought this would be an extension of swordsmanship training, or maybe magic. Why is she dressed like that again?
It is a feast for the eyes that beats the best screenshots on the open community.
But that doesn't look like the kind of outfit someone teaching me something should wear.
She isn't about to teach me bedroom techniques, is she?
"Ah, I just came dressed comfortably. Honestly, don't be so tense."
Even if she says that, who wouldn't be tense with a Dark Elf in a negligee right in front of them?
"Now then, you've passed all of Lizmel's tests, right? Then you've also learned sensory expansion."
"That's right."
"Seeing how quickly you picked it up, I suppose you've been doing similar training for some time?"
Of course that wasn't the case. But it was flattering praise.
"Then naturally, you must also know there's a stage beyond that."
I don't know. I had only roughly guessed as much by watching Lizmel's movements.
When I honestly said I didn't know, Eleanor again widened her eyes in surprise and began explaining things.
Compared to the swordsmanship theory Lizmel taught me, the explanation was very complicated and not at all beginner-friendly.
To put it bluntly, I couldn't understand even half of it as I listened.
"So you're saying there's some technique and stage, or whatever, that uses mana to sense your surroundings?"
At my abridged summary, Eleanor nodded.
So I was right.
Then it must be the [Mana Sense] skill that sometimes gets mentioned on the open community.
It's a skill that mage-type classes can obtain, and when used it consumes mana to perceive the objects around you.
I heard it was once a very important skill because you could find dungeon traps in advance or detect monster ambushes.
Now that the tower has been fully mapped out, it's all old news, but I heard first- and second-generation challengers always made sure to bring along at least one mage in the party who had learned Mana Sense.
For me too, who is challenging the tower under the same conditions as the first-generation challengers, it'd be a pretty useful skill.
"Hmm, you're quick to understand. The technique of sensing and using mana is very important even for warriors."
Then Eleanor suddenly blurted out information I hadn't expected at all.
"No matter who says what, it's the very first step toward mastering Mana Enhancement."
One of the warrior-class trinity skills used by that high elf knight.
Mana Enhancement.
So that was the prerequisite for learning it?
**
The top-tier movement skill [Flash Step], which instantly solves the chronic mobility problem of melee warrior classes.
The top-tier mastery skill [Aura Mastery], which provides a variety of attack skills that surpass the limits of melee warrior classes.
The top-tier buff skill [Mana Enhancement], which grants melee warriors overwhelmingly superior defense and stat boosts.
The reason these three skills are called the trinity is simple.
Learning even one of them is enough to make a B-rank hunter position practically guaranteed.
And because their performance is matched by how difficult they are to obtain, they are also extremely rare skills.
Skill books are only found in very limited places, and the related quests are mostly hidden quests whose conditions are unknown.
Learning them naturally through leveling up is something only rare classes of Unique rank or higher can do.
So the prerequisite skill for Mana Enhancement was Mana Sense?
"What? Really?"
I immediately shot back. Eleanor nodded calmly.
"Isn't that obvious? There's no way you could master Mana Enhancement without being able to use or sense mana, is there?"
Hearing it that way, it sounded incredibly obvious. Maybe other challengers had already guessed as much too.
No, maybe the reason other challengers can't obtain Mana Enhancement is because they're looking for related quests or skill books in the first place.
There don't seem to be many challengers left like me, who learn skills without relying on system rewards or skill books.
"Yeah, that makes sense. It really was obvious."
I immediately accepted it and nodded. I really am glad I chose the Dark Elf faction.
Those goddamn Dark Elf bitches, notorious for having rotten personalities, might give good quest rewards, but they definitely wouldn't help me train.
Just learning that both Mana Sense and Mana Enhancement can be obtained through training is already a huge gain.
"Right, then let's start quickly. What do I do first?"
"First, a kiss on my cheek..."
"Cut the bullshit and tell me how to use mana."
I quickly cut off Eleanor's nonsense and pressed her, nearly to the point of grabbing her by the collar.
Fortunately, Eleanor didn't spout any more nonsense after that. Instead, she said to get started right away and explained a simple training method and some tips.
But the training method and tips Eleanor taught me were nothing like what I had imagined.
That training method was just meditation.
In fact, before even getting to the tips and whatnot, the very premise itself was the problem.
"No, damn it, how am I supposed to feel that mana?"
"Um, so, meditate..."
"You're saying to meditate while feeling mana, but I can't feel mana."
It looks like it'll take quite a while before I reach the next stage.