"You can do what?" Aurora's shock was palpable, as if her entire understanding of reality had been shattered.
"I can acquire more magic affinities and even improve them, also increase my mana capacity, magic power, and mana regeneration." Alex explained casually, as if discussing the most ordinary matters and not something extraordinary.
"..."
"..."
Aurora was momentarily speechless, and a heavy silence hung in the air between them.
"You even understand what all that means?" she finally inquired, her tone a mix of surprise and concern.
Alex shrugged. "I'm not entirely clueless. I know that having magic affinities for two elements is considered rare, and increasing mana capacity and regeneration is no simple task. But what exactly is 'magic power'?"
Aurora couldn't help but express her disbelief once more. "How can you be so nonchalant about all of this, even after understanding what it means?"
Alex replied calmly, "There's no point in worrying too much right now. After all, the existence of the system is a secret, and only you and I are aware of it and my progress."
He had indeed contemplated the implications of the system when he first received it but had ultimately decided that there was no need to fret since no one else possessed knowledge of these matters.
Alex persisted with his curiosity, asking once again, "So, what exactly is magic power?"
Aurora sighed audibly, her initial shock giving way to exasperation. "Magic power refers to the strength of your spells. It's not just about mastery; it encompasses the overall potency of a spell. Normal mages can enhance it by refining their mana and increasing its concentration."
She then offered a resigned smile, acknowledging that worrying too much about their secret, given that only they were privy to it, might be unnecessary.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
With the initial shock and surprises behind him, Alex turned to Aurora for guidance on which option he should invest in first.
Alex also observed that the "Magic" tab utilized system points (SP) for its purchases, as opposed to shop coins (SC). This revelation helped him grasp the purpose of accumulating SP within the system.
As he contemplated his choices, he weighed the advantages of increasing his mana capacity, boosting his magic power, or enhancing his mana regeneration.
With his current system points, he could only choose one of these options.
Awakening a new magic affinity was currently beyond his reach due to the SP cost, and the "Improve Magic Affinity" option's cost depended on the specific rank upgrade.
With curiosity Alex clicked on it and noticed that the system showed an option for improving his SS rank affinity for Darkness.
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[Improve Magic Affinity]
-Dark (SS→SSS): 1,00,00,00,000 SP
----------------------------------------------------
Faced with the astronomical amount of system points required for improving his dark magic affinity, Alex chose not to dwell on it.
Instead of allowing himself to be overwhelmed by the thought of accumulating such a vast number of points, he decided to focus on more immediate and achievable goals.
Turning to Aurora, he sought her advice on how to allocate his resources wisely to enhance his magical abilities.
"Hmm, in my opinion, you should prioritize increasing your mana capacity first" Aurora advised. "With a larger mana pool, you'll be able to use a wider range of magic types and higher-tier spells more easily. While magic power and mana regeneration are crucial as well, I think starting with mana capacity is a wise choice."
"Alright, I'll follow your suggestion and go for increasing my mana capacity."
----------------------------------------------------
[Increase Mana Capacity: 10 SP]
[Y/N]
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
[Purchase successful, mana capacity increased.]
[MP: 150→500]
----------------------------------------------------
Alex turned his attention to the system screen and was taken aback by the substantial increase in his mana capacity. The system had directly augmented it by 350 MP, causing a noticeable surge of mana to flow within him, coursing through his veins.
"Wow! The mana coursing through your veins has just doubled."
Aurora, once again surprised by Alex's rapid progress, couldn't help but express her amazement at the sudden expansion of his mana pool.
With his mana capacity enhanced, Alex shifted his focus to the "Skills" tab, eager to explore its potential offerings.
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[Skills]
• F-rank skills: 50 SC
- Beginner Combat Expert
- Beginner Weapon Expert
- Cook
- Focus
- Meditate
- Minor Magic Resistance
- Minor Poison Resistance
- Night Vision
----------------------------------------------------
Alex began to browse through the skills available in the "Skills" tab of the system shop, noting that each skill came with a price tag of 50 shop coins. At the moment, Alex had no shop coins to his name.
Considering his options, he decided to sell the E rank magic core obtained from the Monster Wolf he had defeated earlier in the day.
Although Aurora suggested saving it for a lesson on refining and absorbing mana, Alex prioritized acquiring a skill that could benefit him immediately.
----------------------------------------------------
[The system has detected an E rank magic core in the system inventory]
[Does the host want to sell this E rank magic core?]
[Y/N]
----------------------------------------------------
With a sense of reluctance, Alex parted with the E rank magic core in exchange for 50 shop coins, which he promptly used to purchase the F rank skill called "Beginner Weapon Expert".
==============================
[The host has acquired the F rank skill Beginner Weapon Expert]
Skill: Beginner Weapon Expert (Passive)
Rank: F
Description:
- Grants fundamental knowledge and proficiency in handling and using various weapons.
- Can adapt to any unfamiliar weapons
==============================
As new information flowed into Alex's mind, he felt a surge of competence in handling a variety of weapons.
This newly acquired skill would undoubtedly prove valuable, especially with the upcoming class advancement and quarterly assessment scheduled for the next month.
Alex had set his sights on advancing to the intermediate class, or even better, the advanced class during this assessment.
He was determined not to remain in the same class indefinitely and was eager to elevate his status within the academy.
Furthermore, this presented a golden opportunity to accumulate credit points, allowing him access to academy facilities and the potential to secure a better dorm room.
With his newfound skill and diligent daily training, Alex felt confident that he could confront his tormentor, Marcus, and seek vengeance on behalf of the previous Alex.