-Asher Frostblade's point of view.
The next day, Asher got up and, of course, did everything he normally did.
Taking out the mana crystal and also a few other things as well, each object was placed on the bed. Looking at each object, Asher's eyes widened as he saw the book.
"I had forgotten about it."
It was the book that the mysterious woman handed to him.
However, when he entered Encrid's domain and was inside for a year while only an hour passed in reality, Asher, of course, would have forgotten about the book.
The cover of the book had nothing on it; it looked like a book without any information on its cover, but perhaps it was a book of skills.
However, whether it is a skill book or not, why would that woman give him a book like that and without any intention? It was relatively strange and suspicious.
Opening the book, Asher looked at the first page.
"A book of skills and also..."
Turning a few more pages, Asher noticed something peculiar.
"A method of mana control for a sixth circle mage."
Certainly, the mana control mentioned in the book was much better than Asher's. Perhaps the mysterious woman knew that he needed much more advanced mana control.
Whether that was so or not, Asher was unaware of the woman's intentions. Her sudden appearance in the castle, her surveillance throughout the academy, and though in his room he didn't feel he was being watched, still that couldn't be entirely true.
But more than anything else, why did he give her a book?
"He must know where I stand."
Maybe so; after all, the mystery woman had been watching him for a short while now.
Reading the book, Asher concluded something.
Mana control is a specialized skill, especially to have better control over mana.
That means that by using better mana control, the mage can make much better use of the amount he spends on each spell created and, of course, a mana control helps to save more mana.
It is simply a skill to manage mana much better, and the more advanced the skill, the more mana you can save with skills that are better used.
Each mage has different mana controls, and each mana control is unique to be created by each mage.
For example, an ability that consumes half of a mage's mana, with a good mana control, helps the mage use less of his mana on a spell, so the spell that consumes half the mana is reduced by 50%, although that depends on the mana control.
The more advanced, the more mana saving can be accumulated and the less mana is used on spells.
Asher then read the book for an hour straight.
There were various skills, but none of them were very useful. The only good thing in the book was the mana control.
Perhaps the mysterious woman gave him the book only so that he would gain better mana control instead of learning skills; it certainly made sense.
"Hum... Well, time to put it into practice."
***
-Scene Change.
After a few hours, Asher managed to grasp the skill and was now in the combat section.
Though, of course, he wasn't going to fight anyone, he was simply going to test his skills with the new mana control he learned.
Standing in the center of the combat arena, Asher sat down as he concentrated his mind and absorbed mana from around him, and then opened his eyes.
"I'll try the higher mana consuming skills."
There were two skills.
Although Asher had hardly ever used these two skills, the first time he used them it cost him almost 70% of all his mana, not just in one skill but in both skills.
These two skills were Field of Darkness.
A skill that allows to fill all surroundings with mana and with a radius of thirty meters. This skill serves mainly to leave the enemy without vision, allows to move through the shadows and absolutely controls the mana in the radius of the skill.
The second skill is Weapon Creation.
As its name suggests.
Asher can create any weapon by concentrating mana until it becomes thick. That means he uses a lot of mana when creating any weapon, such as shield, sword, spear, bow, crossbow, axe and many other weapons. Of course, it also includes defensive ones, such as the shield.
These two skills, having a high mana consumption, are not really useful in prolonged combat, and although they are very good in close combat, they are not so good at a distance.
The first skill has a thirty meter limit; the second skill only creates weapons depending on which Asher thinks, but attacks using those weapons are relatively quite fearsome.
"First, Field of Darkness and then Weapon Creation."
Asher thought about which skill he would use first.
At that instant, Asher's mana circulated throughout his entire magic circuit, and then his surroundings began to fill with a curtain of dark mana; an entire thirty meter radius was covered with only dark mana.
Any other mage would be blinded if they were within the radius of the ability.
"Swoosh."
Moving at full speed within the radius of the ability, Asher was achieving three times the normal speed he could attain. Moving in zigzags throughout the radius, Asher clearly observed every step he took, it was like a dance of steps followed with a high fluidity.
Following with quick movements as he zigzagged running, kicking and punching in the open air, it was like a high speed workout.
Analyzing each strike and adjusting his speed very precisely, manipulating the mana around him, Asher moved even faster, leaving only the hiss of the air.
One of the characteristics of absolute mana control within the radius of Field of Darkness was that Asher could slowly use that mana to increase his strength, agility and stamina the longer he was around.
Certainly, anyone would say that this is a broken ability, but the downside is the mana consumption. Also, the skill prevents Asher from being able to absorb mana, making it impossible to replenish mana within the radius of the skill.
"Phew... Okay, that's enough."
"From what I see, the mana consumption wasn't felt. So, I saved 90% mana, which means I only consumed 10% mana."
A big difference in consumption; if it was 70% mana consumption before, now it was 10% less mana consumption.
Asher thought for a moment.
"I significantly reduced the mana consumption. The effectiveness of the skill is the same, I can even say it's a little better, like 1.90% versus 2% improvement."
The skill itself is even a bit better compared to before; the mana consumption is relatively lower thanks to Asher's new mana control.
Now there remains the Weapon Creation skill. This one, however, has the same 70% mana consumption as the other one, so it is possible that it will be reduced to 10% mana consumption.
"No, this is different."
Asher immediately dismissed the idea. Although the previous skill showed a better result, this second skill is different.
When creating any weapon, this skill requires concentration of mana in order to create a weapon completely from Asher's dark mana, which means that in reality its consumption is even higher than the previous skill.
When creating a mana weapon, the mana must be dense and take form in the created weapon, which means that, of course, its consumption is quite high compared to any other skill Asher currently has.
"I could use a normal, non-mana sword, but this is a mage academy and no weapons are allowed."
Even if it is a normal weapon, these are not allowed in the academy, but it is different when it is a mana weapon.
Mana weapons are created from the same mana and creating only one means that the mage has such a high mana control, which is also true if more weapons are created at the same time.
It is actually more effective to use mana weapons than normal weapons. One advantage is that you can create more weapons and fight with more weapons at the same time, while normal weapons can only be used one at a time and it takes two hands to use two weapons.
But, of course, using even two or three mana weapons involves high mana consumption and you also need great mastery in creating mana weapons.
"While it's not a problem for me to create multiple weapons, the mana consumption is very fast."
Asher, of course, can create more than five mana weapons at a time, but his mana is consumed almost instantly, dilating only about five seconds, and after that time he would run out of mana.
This is a distinct disadvantage.
"I'll try to use five weapons."
Closing his eyes, Asher thought of five swords at once, with each design and size on each sword.
Opening his eyes, he already had the design of each sword, and then his mana began to circulate and came out of his hands.
The manna separated into five specific areas around Asher. Quickly, the mana was gathering in the five sections, and then they began to take shape.
After a second, five swords appeared, some long and some small, some wide and some thick; a total of five swords.
Using the new mana control, Asher felt his mana stop draining rapidly and then a smile appeared.
"It works."
He said to himself as he watched the five mana weapons for more than ten seconds at a time.
Holding two swords with both hands, Asher quickly moved executing fast, precise and fluid movements; each time, the swings of his movements were faster and more fluid, with much more force.
"Whistling."
The air echoed each time he swung both swords, and then, the other swords began to move.
Executing quick movements in different ways with each sword, Asher perfectly controlled every movement the other swords made. Moving at great speed, he moved the swords even faster.
His feet moved everywhere like a dance in action; each step was perfectly calculated, with precision about where to stand and how much force to exert on the ground.
As Asher moved, eyes were watching him, clearly surprised and unable to express words at the sight, though he continued to watch Asher.
Asher, of course, was unaware of his guest watching him and continued until he finally stopped.
A blizzard of wind blew past him and his long hair shook. His eyes were serious, but quickly filled with a twinkle and a smirk appeared.
"Amazing, not only was it reduced by 10%, but I can even use the weapons for one minute and thirty-five seconds."
It was a much faster increase in weapon usage time, but then, how many more weapons can Asher create now?
"Mmm, let's see."
Five, six, seven, eight, eight, nine, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.... nineteen.
A large number of swords appeared around Asher. His eyes widened in shock at the sight of the large number of swords created around him, but after another second, the weapons turned into mana particles and slowly disappeared.
The weapons vanished, but that didn't matter to Asher.
"Fourteen more weapons than normal. Although using all of those my mana is depleted in two seconds, five is enough."
It wasn't that he wasn't satisfied, it was simply too many weapons to use, and of course, the mana consumption would be huge and would be depleted in less than two seconds.
"How many weapons will I be able to use when I'm in the third circle?"
The mana in the third circle increases exponentially, meaning that Asher can use a lot more mana.
And although it wasn't far from being a third circle, for the time being Asher stayed in the second circle.
Knowing his results, Asher sighed and then stretched.
"That's enough for today."
Walking in the direction of the exit, a female voice muttered quietly unheard by Asher.
"This... it's impossible." He said to himself, yet he couldn't deny it.
His voice sounded incredibly shocked; he couldn't believe what he had seen....