I didn't even realize the implications of what the system said until the countdown started and as it slowly ticked down I prepared myself. It really hit me when I tried to activate the [Slash] skill and was answered with a very surprising message from the system.
[All physical combat skills disabled for the duration of this combat simulation]
I was so shocked by that I was taken by surprise when the system announced [START].The monster that formed was a large dark blue leopard with light brown spots. It stood about the same height as the boar from the first simulation. Besides its somewhat bold coloring the only monstrous aspect of the beast was its abnormally large eye.You heard me right it only has one eye and it's huge almost the size of a grapefruit.
While I was busy taking in its appearance it started its approach.Unlike the boar it was cautious and seemed to be quite intelligent.I immediately activated both my [Beasts Ears] and [Combat Focus].I wasn't expecting them to activate but was very relieved when they did.I guess the system doesn't see them as physical combat skills."System how am I supposed to fight it with magic if I don't know magic"
[Host must learn magic]
[I suggest activating your [Insight] and [Mana manipulation] skills to help increase your learning curve]
I activated my [Insight] and [Mana manipulation] skills and for the first time I saw a monsters status screen.
[One-eyed Creek Leopard]
[Status]
[Level 1
Strength:21
Agility:24
Endurance:18
Intelligence:33
Wisdom:12
Luck:8]
"Show me its skills and magic" I said
[Skills]
[Reflection Barrier
High Speed Sight
Cleave
Mana Claw]
[Magic]
[Light Attribute:
Light Shot
Light Piercer
Water Attribute:
Water Bomb
Water Blade
Water Stream]
"Oh this is rigged" I shouted after I saw what skills I was up against. It has everything it needs to crush me in seconds. "It even has a skill that reflects magic how am I supposed to beat this?" I questioned myself.
In a last effort to make some progress this time around before I inevitably die here I push my [Mana manipulation] skill to the forefront of my mind and felt the mana around me for the first time.Mana feels weird but it also felt familiar. It was like breathing underwater, like I was surrounded by it but also filled with it.It was kinda surprised at first and almost immediately started choking causing the leopard to jump back and start preparing an attack.After a few seconds I regained my ability to breath and started trying to control the mana. I noticed I could pull out and control the mana in me much easier than I could control the ambient mana in the air.So I shaped the mana into a blade similar to the when the [Slash] skill enveloped my hand in the last fight. I had considerable trouble holding its shape and it disappeared shortly after I formed it.As I was trying to form it into a orb so I could attack the leopard, I felt it tear into my chest with what I can only assume was its water blade spell.
After a second I woke up in the green space once more.That was painful but atleast I can take a minute to prepare now.I need to learn some kind of offensive spell to stand a chance at dealing any damage."System show me the requirements for the [Mana Claw] skill" I asked after remembering the leopards skill list.
[Requirements]
[Mana Claw: Monster only skill]
"What do you mean monster only skill" I asked a little irritated.So there are skills I can't learn because I'm human that's good to know.
[[Mana Claw] like many other skills can't be used by people]
[Monsters have a unique trait to their physiology that infuses their body with mana]
[This greatly increases their strength and magic but prevents them from actively pulling in mana so they can only recover it over time]
[If you chose a evolution that does the same or similar it will greatly increase your physical and magical strength]
[Host would gain the ability to passively absorb mana as well as the active regeneration used by humans and other spaients that you have already begun to use]
[If you want to use monster skills you would need a body evolution to give you the physiology necessary to use them as well as the [Evocation Crystal] needed to learn them in the first place]
"I guess I know what my fist evolution is going to be" I said with a defeated sigh. I guess I need to go through that again afterall.I thought for a minute and decided to ask the system for tips on what spells to try and learn."System any spell recommendations".
[For wind spells I recommend [Wind Cushion]
and [Wind Blade] and for lightning spells I recommend [Lightning Boost],[Lightning Touch],and [Lightning Ball]]
[Requirements]
[Wind Cushion: Form a 3 foot by 4 foot barrier of wind then another matching barrier behind it and connect the two while leaving the middle hollow]
"So it's like a small mattress made of made of air" I said after reading the description.It probably defends against blunt force attacks very well."I better get to work system can you put me back in the simulation so I can practice"
[Of course, Host]
The field materialized around me again and I immediately got to work.I first tried pulling the raw mana in the air into a barrier but found it to be way harder than expected.I instead I pulled the mana from within me an focused it into a small barrier that was almost big enough to cover my chest maybe 3 foot long and 1 foot wide."I need more mana I've pulled out all I've got and it's still not enough to form the barrier"I said while trying to figure out what I did wrong."Wait if I use wind mana I might be able to spread it out wider with less effort" I thought.Now, how do I use my wind attribute."System can I get some help here"
[To use a attribute you would typically need to feel and understand the element first but the system bypasses this by allowing you to use your attribute by simply focusing on it through the system]
So I just need to focus on the element, this is gonna be easier than expected. I began to focus on my wind attribute in the system and I could feel the barrier I had made begin to shift from raw mana to wind mana.I felt the mana that flowing through my body get lighter and faster. It seems attributing your mana can enhance your body using the manas effects.After some trial and error I managed to get the first 3 by 4 barrier necessary for forming the spell.It took me significantly more time to form the matching barrier because I ran out of mana and had to pull it from the air.I don't know how long I spent trying to connect the two.I passed out and had to start over after a while because of the mental strain.After I woke up I restarted using only mana from the air to make the barriers this time.As I continued to practice the controlling the natural mana I felt it grow a bit easier.I finished making the matching barriers after a while and used my internal mana to connect the 2.After even more time maintaining it I got a notification from my system.
[Spell learned:Wind Cushion]
[Skill [Mana manipulation] reached Level 2.]
I was both surprised and excited at that. I learned a new spell and apparently my skills can level up, what's not to be happy about.I moved towards the pedestal ready for round 2 with my leopard friend.