Close to a month has passed and few days left until the second year in Hogwarts begins.
During this month, my life became much more interesting and entertaining. I was working less, had weekends, grind as much as I want and chill with Grangers on weekends. Overall, this month finally feels like a vacation.
Another awesome thing, that I found out a piece of very interesting information about books, knowledge gaining, and system. That was a few days after we went to Diagon Alley. While I was inspecting books, I wanted to discuss how the analysis of the books works but was interrupted midway. So, after I had some free time, I decided to discuss this topic with the system more thoroughly.
*Talk with the system*
'Say, if I read a book, that can't be used, will I get a raise in any of my skills?'
[There is a possibility for that, but it's minuscule.]
'Interesting. So basically, that Lockhart's book was garbage?'
[Story wise, it was entertaining. However, essentially it contains little to no knowledge, that may be useful to current you.]
'Wait a second. Are you saying that it might have been useful in the past?'
[Yes. Roughly speaking, your knowledge is higher than the book's knowledge.]
'So, are you saying that upon reaching some level books will become useless to me?'
[Depends on the book and its content plus mastery of an author. But probably yes.]
'Hmm… Then how the heck 'Use' option works? You increase my skill by one, but I don't receive any knowledge myself, right? At least, personally I don't feel any new knowledge appearing in my mind.'
[You don't. The system does.]
'Hmm? What do you mean? I thought that skills are a representation of my knowledge.'
[Indeed, they are, but skills usage depends on its numerical representation. But to calculate that number system takes the system's knowledge because the system helps in the process of using those skills. Moreover, some abilities take your skill level into consideration while calculating its own effect.]
'Eh…? What? Explanation please.'
[For example, your enchanting skill level normally responsible for how successful you are at enchanting things. However, after you took ability 'Scaling Enchantment', the level is also used to empower those enchantments if used personally. The skill level is a numerical representation of the user's knowledge, or to be precise system's knowledge.]
'What's the difference between the system's and user's knowledge?'
[User's knowledge is what you manually learn. On the other hand, the system's knowledge is user's knowledge plus other sources that were gathered autonomously by the system. Example of that is using books to raise skill. The system cannot provide you with knowledge. However, the system is part of the user, so even if your brain doesn't have the memories of knowledge, you do have the knowledge.]
'You are capable of so many things, but you are incapable of providing knowledge directly to my brain.'
[It is forbidden. It crosses a defensive mechanism placed upon the system.]
'Huh? There is a mechanism? And why it crosses it?'
[Memory is the foundation upon which your personality is built. Giving knowledge is borders memory manipulations, so to ensure freedom of choice, such types of manipulations were banned.]
'Wow.'
I was sitting there thinking over what the system told me. This gave me a lot of food for thought. After being like this for who knows how long, I started talking with the system once more.
'System's knowledge is not part of my own knowledge, but more of a knowledge I own. Then how can it affect me? How can help me in my skills?'
[System will lead the user towards what it thinks is a correct decision.]
'I used a lot of books, but I never once noticed you leading me.'
[You didn't, because the majority of skills you improved through books 'Use' were either practical or those that you don't use. In case of practical skills system will make your movements faster, more accurate and confident. E.g. magic chanting - the system will make chanting faster and more accurate. It will be hard to notice the difference between the system's help and natural skill because both come from inside the body. As for theoretical skills, you didn't use them.]
'What about magic theory? It had increased by at least 10 levels and I used magic constantly during the first year!'
[Magic theory is not responsible for using magic, but for creating and modifying it.]
'Oh… Well, then that makes sense. Heck… simple talk about books opened so much information. Why didn't you tell me that before?'
[Did you ever ask?]
'Well… no…'
[So?]
'Whatever. I am close to level 15 once more, right?'
[Indeed. How did you know?]
'You became too talkative. Although, I admit that I like these banters we have.'
[I'm glad you do.]
'In conclusion, based on information I assume that getting knowledge personally is better than raise it purely through books.'
[Well, in short, yes.]
'Short path to greatness is out of the window. But if I use the book after fully reading it, it will still be good.'
[That depends on the book. If you will fully understand the book, then there will be no knowledge to 'Use' left in it.]
'Okay. Got it. From now on, I will 'Use' book right after reading it. If I still can, that is.'
*Back to present*
I continued speaking with the system until I fell asleep that day and discussed many other system-related things.
In my free time, I started visiting the local library. I was focusing on books on skills that I already had because improving higher-level skills brings me more experience.
Even then, I was able to get a few new skills.
One of them I got when I found 'Kamasutra'. I never read it in my previous life, so I decided to read it now and was instantly consumed by the content of the book.
'I am 11, so… you know.'
After finishing it, I got a skill 'Physical Activities'. I was surprised and asked the system about this skill and what was the difference between it and 'Training'.
['Training' responsible for activities that are done to improve health and body conditions. Cleaning your room is a physical activity, but it does not help with training muscles.]
The explanation was pretty clear.
Another skill I gained was 'Programming' and this skill was the first one, that started at level 25. The system mentioned previously, what skills I have absolutely 0 knowledge about, start at 0, so the opposite should apply as well.
The last skill I got was 'dancing'. Although, I must admit I got this skill outside of the library. One evening Grangers took me to some friends and there they insisted on me having fun. They encouraged me, but I knew I danced like a drugged crab because my skill started at 0.
That was so embarrassing but heck I am 11 years old, so whatever.
In the library, I was able to raise my cooking, speech and astronomy skills after finding corresponding books. Also, I did not expect that muggles' astronomy books will be effective for raising that skill.
The best news is that I was finally able to get a level up today. So, after coming home and having supper I am going to lie down and get my new level. Thanks to system's mystifying this level up, I expect some new stuff to happen.
*Later that day*
'Oh my god. I expected some new stuff. But did I get a freaking jackpot? The system can you repeat all that, please?'
[Of course. Repeating.]
[Congratulations to host for reaching level 15.]
[System will be upgraded to tier 2.]
[All positives brought by attributes will be increased.]
[Improvement to magical talent brought by Magicka attribute will be increased from 1% to 5%]
[Increase in Health attribute will now increase lifespan by 6 months and increase healing factor by 5%]
[Improvements brought by Stamina increase will be tripled]
[System's upgrade tree is unlocked.]
[System's upgrade point was provided.]
[Tier one upgrades were unlocked.]
[Quest menu has been unlocked.]
[Journal has been unlocked.]
'Wow… just wow.'
The first thing that caught my eye was about attributes effects increase.
'System, can you explain to me that thing about attributes.'
[Improvement provided after increasing Magicka, Health, and Stamina, have been increased.]
'So, you mean from now on, I have a 5 percent increase rather than one, if I raise Magicka?'
[No. Not from now on. This upgrade is applied to all previously upgraded attributes as well.]
'Wow. Then now my magical talent has increased by 5 times?'
[Not exactly. Your initial talent was average. So, it is 1. With 1% on level 14, your talent was 1.1380. With 5% on level 15, it is 1.8856. Both cases Magicka attribute is level 13.]
'Oh my god. My talent nearly doubled compared to what I had initially.'
[Indeed.]
'Okay. Now, what is that upgrade tree?'
[System can be upgraded with upgrade points. Upgrade points must be spent after getting them. You can't save them like skill points. Every 15 levels next tier of upgrades will be provided, and one upgrade point will be given.]
'What are the quest menu and journal?'
[Quest menu is a function that gives out and keeps track of quests. Rewards will be provided for successful completion of quests. Journal keeps track of all dialogues and system interactions.]
'Interesting.'
'So, I assume I have to spend the upgrade point, now?'
[Indeed. Would you like to see the upgrade tree?]
'I do.'
As soon, as I thought so, a small sapling without any branches appeared before me. It looked like a spear that grew into earth.
'I do not see possible upgrades, system.'
[Look to left, right and up.]
I looked left and information about possible upgrade appeared.
『 Magical branch 』
〖First tier – Only fools hope for luck〗
〖All quest will provide rewards of magical nature. These rewards will be better than the original rewards. How much better the reward depends on the quest.〗
Then I looked right.
『 Stamina branch 』
〖First tier – My mind knows no rest〗
〖Fatigue does not affect your thinking process. However, stress will build, so resting is still required.〗
And finally, above the tree.
『 Health branch 』
〖First tier – Food? I eat life!〗
〖Can drain life from any representative of Plantae, Fungi, Protista, Archaebacteria, and Bacteria kingdoms. This draining can be used to heal the body and reverse aging.〗
'Wow! Doesn't it make me immortal?'
[It doesn't.]
'What I meant is that I won't die from aging.'
[You still can.]
'Huh? How? It's said it reverses aging.'
[Indeed. But reversing aging does not mean longer lifespan. When you drain plants and other beings, you consume nutrients that help by safely adding new stem cells into your body. However, this process does not remove senescent cells and does not improve cell replication mechanism. Your body still dies inside.]
'Hmm… Complicated.'
[Indeed.]
*30 minutes later*
I picked an upgrade from the magical branch because apparently, it forces the system to give rewards for all quests. Even those that shouldn't provide rewards. Plus, rewards quality will improve as well. Other upgrades are not useful.
After the upgrade, left half of the tree has grown thin branches with blue leaves, that were shining with white light. It was quite a sight.
Then, as usual, I increased Magicka.
I also looked at new skills and possible new abilities. Abilities were quite interesting.
『 Physical Activities 』
〖Unmatched vigor 0/2〗
〖In the process of physical activity, you tire slower〗
『 Programming 』
〖Fast typing〗
〖You type faster. With an increase in programming level, speed will increase as well〗
Programming had one more tier 2 ability, but I had only one skill point, so I didn't even look at it. Those 2 abilities were very good but quite useless to the current me.
I checked training for tier 2 ability, but there was no ability available. Seems like not all skills give tier 2 ability at level 20.
At first, I wanted to upgrade speech ability, but then I discovered that my studying skill was 29. My studying ability can be upgraded at level 30. Currently, studying skill is more important than speech.
Overall, I spend around 30 minutes on picking upgrade, looking at new skills and abilities.
I exited the skills menu and checked journal. It was empty. So, there was not much to check. Next was the quest menu. It was also empty.
'How do I get quests?'
[System will provide the user with quests, depending on external circumstances.]
'Well, okay. Have a nice sleep, system.'
[I am artificial …]
I didn't hear the rest, because I was very tired that day, so I instantly fell asleep.
*Full Progress by the end of volume 2*
*Free saves slots: 4*
*Stats*
『 Level 15 ➣ Not enough experience 』
『 Health ➣ Improvement : 0 』
『 Magicka ➣ Improvement : 14 (talent = 1.9799) 』
『 Stamina ➣ Improvement : 0 』
『 Number of skill points: 1 』
*Skills*
『 Alchemy 27 | Sneak 25 | Speech 26 ➔ 28 』
『 Studying 29 | Wand Making 26 』
『 Herbology 24 | Magic Channeling 27 』
『 Magic Chanting 24 ➔ 25 | Magic Gesturing 25 』
『 Magic Theory 32 | Astronomy 22 ➔ 24 』
『 Riding Expertise 21 | Crafting 21 』
『 Playing Games 17 | Enchanting 17 』
『 Cooking 25 ➔ 27 | Training 22 』
『 ❃Physical Activities 17 | ❃Programming 28 』
『 ❃Dancing 1 』
*Abilities*
〖
➤ Strong argument 1/4 (25)
➤ Remarkable Comprehension 1/3 (30)
➤ Fast Reading 1/2 (65)
➤ Better memory 1/3 (45)
➤ Better concentration 1/2 (45)
➤ Less Gestures 1/2 (50)
➤ Empowering
➤ Concentration
➤ Less Chants 1/2 (50)
➤ Dual Channeling
➤ Crafts Connection
➤ Scaling Enchanting
➤ Good metabolism 1/4 (40)
〗