Before Vyn realized it, several hours had zipped by, completely captivating him in the depths of the skill book. With a heavy sigh, he snapped the book shut and his gaze flickered to the enormous clock dominating the far end of the hall.
'What the hell!'
Shock etched across his face as he noticed the time. Eight whole hours had vanished while he was lost in the pages. Just a moment ago, a prompt from the system popped up, announcing he had gained one intelligence point. This had prompted him to check the time.
"Eight hours for just one intelligence point?" Vyn muttered under his breath. Was the system playing some cruel joke on him at such a crucial time?
He hadn't even finished one skill book, and already eight hours had slipped away. At this snail's pace, how on earth was he supposed to read the three skill books within the twenty-four-hour deadline? It seemed like the system always found twisted joy in complicating his life.
The frustration gnawed at him, especially thinking about the three coins he had already forked over just to secure this precious reading time. And now, the looming possibility of spending more coins throbbed in his head like a bad headache. There was no way the information absorbed in the past eight hours was worth only one intelligence point.
It felt as if the system was intentionally tightening the screws, eager to drain his pockets dry in this merciless, cursed battlefield! Determined, Vyn made a silent vow. Once this session was over, he wouldn't spend another dime on learning from skill books.
He was not about to fall for the system's traps. With renewed vigor, he plunged back into his studies. Hours flew by in a blink. Before he knew it, nearly twenty hours had passed. The intense focus had made the passage of time elusive. This time, he increased his reading speed dramatically and, to his surprise, he finished all three books much earlier than expected.
The system notification blinked brightly, catching Vyn's attention as it revealed he had earned a new point in intelligence, increasing his total to fifteen. Remarkably, he had acquired three intelligence points overall, each one attributed to a different skill book he had studied.
Despite this progress, Vyn felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. He pondered the possibility that his small gain in intelligence might be tied to the simplicity of the books. Perhaps the system allocated points based on the complexity of the concepts he learned.
Now that he had grasped the basics, it was time for him to test his enhanced skills and determine if the money invested in these books was truly worthwhile.
With a sense of resolve, Vyn made his way to the training area located on the second floor of the skill library. This area boasted several spacious rooms, each intricately engraved with various formations designed to assist rankers in diverse types of training—whether it be for attack, defense, healing, mana sensitivity, vitality, or battle sense.
He noticed that many of the training rooms were already bustling with rankers deeply engrossed in their exercises. Vyn retrieved a black jade token given to him by the administrator and placed it on the scanner next to the door of an available room, following the given instructions meticulously.
As the door swung open, a digital timer appeared, displaying the remaining four hours and twenty minutes of his daily pass.
Vyn stepped into the room quickly, the door sealing shut behind him. He selected the "attack" option from the training menu, and the attack formation sprang to life instantly.
The room transformed dramatically around him, with intricate runes materializing on every surface—the walls, floor, and ceiling pulsated with energy. The air filled with a tangible tension as the room began to simulate various combat scenarios, readying Vyn to practice his newly enhanced attacks in a dynamically altered environment.
From hidden alcoves within the walls, lifelike training dummies smoothly emerged, each meticulously adorned with glowing runes that illuminated their weak points and vulnerabilities. These dummies, crafted to endure attacks up to a D rank level, could offer Vyn highly realistic feedbacks as he honed his combat skills with precision.
Vyn's eyes widened in admiration as he observed the transformation the room had undergone to accommodate his training. The advanced level of technology used in the skill library was clearly evident, justifying the huge fees associated with its use. The complexity and cost of setting up, operating, and maintaining such sophisticated magical formations must be considerable, he thought.
Without wasting another moment, Vyn focused intently on the teachings from the skill book concerning the Concept of Fire. As he absorbed the knowledge, he closed his eyes, seeking tranquility in his mind. Deep within, a surge of energy began to stir—an energy he suspected was the Spiritual Energy the system had mentioned, given his lack of Mana.
In his serene state, Vyn carefully directed the swirling energy within him. It grew more intense, more turbulent, until, at the pivotal moment, he channeled this burgeoning power into his palm, envisioning it transforming into fierce flames. Suddenly, a burst of radiant light erupted from his hand, mimicking the properties of fire as it danced wildly across his skin.
Vyn's astonishment was palpable as he gazed at the nature of the flames. He recalled the system's earlier assertion that the light would respond to his will, urging him to master skills and concepts to manipulate it effectively. The idea of controlling the Boundless Light or directing it according to his will was an entirely novel concept for him.
Taking the system's advice to heart, he had chosen to experiment with a basic concept like fire. Although he had only imagined the light resembling flames, he hadn't truly anticipated what might occur. Yet, what he witnessed now far exceeded his wildest imaginations.
As the flaming light continued to flicker on his palm, Vyn noted that it possessed all the attributes of fire—except that instead of the usual red, it had a brilliant white color and an intense luminosity emanated from it.
Remarkably, despite the fierce appearance of this light-created flame, it caused him no pain. Vyn realized with awe that the power of this flame, spawned from the boundless light, far surpassed that of any ordinary fire of similar size.
Vyn managed to suppress the surge of excitement bubbling up inside him. With a firm resolve and a spark of curiosity in his eyes, he raised his hands toward the target—a lifeless dummy positioned across the room. Taking a deep breath, he unleashed the attack with a flick of his wrists. The fireball flew through the air with a bright trailing spark.
**Boom!**
The impact was immediate and spectacular. With a thunderous explosion, the head of the targeted dummy burst into a brilliant inferno, disintegrating into countless smoldering fragments. The ancient runes and intricate formations etched into the walls of the training room sprang to life, humming with energy as they absorbed the shockwave of the explosion.
Vyn stood dumbfounded, his mouth agape in astonishment. He hadn't anticipated such a formidable force from his attack. Turning his gaze back to the wreckage, he noted that despite his precise aim at the dummy's head, the destruction was far more extensive. Almost the entire body was obliterated, charred beyond recognition by the ferocity of the flames.
Just then, a bright notification flashed before his eyes, breaking his stunned silence:
[Host has learned a new skill: Basic Fireball]