The knowledge of so many skills at once was complex, but for soone who had learned techniques that transcend worlds, this was nothing.
This one particular skill, tal telekinesis, really fascinated him, teaching him to sense the crystalline structure of different tals and how to apply mana to alter their trajectory.
"You’re not even pausing," Seraphine observed. "Just absorbing them one after another."
"Why hesitate?" Leon replied, already reaching for the next stone. "I know what I need. I am compatible with every skill. There’s no risk."
Seraphine was not talking about compatibility at all, but rather the amount of tal toll one should have when learning so many one after another; however, seeing him not even ntion it once and showing even a little bit of discomfort told her that he would be completely fine.
A stone that seed to shift colors as he turned it caught his attention—sotis red, sotis blue, never quite settling on a single hue.
[Temperature Control - Common Rank Skill] Allows fine manipulation of temperature in a small area around the user’s hands. Can heat or cool objects, though not to extre degrees. Mana Cost: Very Low (Continuous) Elent Required: Fire and Water
Utility skill, Leon thought as dual-elent knowledge—both fire and water—rged in his consciousness. Not flashy, but incredibly practical.
He could already imagine the applications. Heating food, cooling drinks, therapeutic uses, even subtle combat applications like freezing door handles or heating enemy armor to uncomfortable levels.
A dense, iron-gray stone followed.
[Gravity Press - Uncommon Rank Skill] Increases gravitational force in a target area, making movent difficult and potentially crushing weaker opponents. It can be focused on a single target or spread across a small zone. Mana Cost: High Elent Required: Earth/Space
Robust crowd control, Leon noted, as the complex skill knowledge filtered into his mind. But expensive. This is for finishing moves or controlling strong opponents.
The sensation of manipulating space to intensify gravitational pull was disorienting at first, but his mind adapted quickly. The skill required precise mana control and spatial awareness, but he had both in abundance.
His hand hovered over the remaining stones, then settled on one that practically humd with power. It was larger than the others, with a deep purple core that pulsed rhythmically.
[Void Step - Rare Rank Skill] Allows instantaneous teleportation to any location within line of sight (maximum 50 ters). Leaves behind a brief spatial distortion that can disorient nearby enemies. Cannot teleport through solid barriers. Mana Cost: High per use Elent Required: Space
Now this is valuable, Leon thought, excitent coursing through him as he absorbed the rare-ranked skill.
He knows how to teleport without even having to worry about walls or any barrier; even so, this skill piqued his interest quite a bit as its na was interesting in itself.
He would study his skill thoroughly to see what he can learn from it.
The knowledge that flooded in was significantly more complex than the common or uncommon skills. Spatial coordinates, dinsional folding, and the precise mont of translation between two points in space. His consciousness expanded montarily as he grasped the fundantal principles of short-range teleportation.
When he opened his eyes, Seraphine was staring at him with wide eyes.
"That was a rare skill, wasn’t it?" she asked. "I could feel the mana density from here when it shattered."
Leon nodded. "Void Step. Teleportation within line of sight."
Her expression shifted between awe and envy. "That’s... incredibly valuable. Most spatial skills are rare or higher."
"Which is why I’m keeping it," Leon said with a slight grin.
He continued his selection with renewed energy. A translucent stone with floating sparkles inside.
But for the next skill Leon even felt weird about, as it was only commonly ranked as the ability sounded too promising.
[Mana Sight - Common Rank Skill] Allows the user to perceive mana flows, magical constructs, and enchantnts as visible light. Can be toggled on and off at will. Mana Cost: Very Low (Continuous) Elent Required: None (Neutral)
Tactical awareness, Leon thought as the skill settled into his mind. Being able to see magic makes countering it significantly easier.
A bronze-colored stone with tallic striations.
[Iron Fist - Common Rank Skill] Temporarily increases the density and hardness of the user’s hands and forearms, dramatically increasing punching power. Mana Cost: Low Elent Required: Earth/tal
Simple but effective. The knowledge was straightforward—channel earth mana into bone and muscle, increase density, hit harder.
The pile of absorbed stones continued to grow. Leon moved through the collection with the efficiency of soone who knew exactly what he wanted and felt no hesitation in taking it.
A shimring silver stone.
[Flash Step - Common Rank Skill] Brief burst of speed allowing near-instantaneous movent over short distances (5 ters maximum). Creates afterimages that can confuse enemies. Mana Cost: Low per use Elent Required: Lightning/Wind
Mobility stacking, he noted. Combined with Wind Step and Void Step, my positioning options are now extrely flexible.
A deep green stone with a faint earthy sll.
[Root Bind - Common Rank Skill] Summons magical roots from the ground to entangle and immobilize targets. Effective against ground-based enemies. Mana Cost: dium Elent Required: Earth/Nature
Crowd control and area denial. The skill taught him to channel earth mana through soil and stone, animating the latent life energy in roots and vegetation.
The sun had nearly touched the horizon now, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and purples. Leon’s shadow stretched long across the grass as he absorbed stone after stone, his arsenal of techniques growing with each passing minute.
In total, he learned forty-seven new skills that evening. Beyond the fifteen he’d examined closely, the others ranged from basic elental attacks to utility skills for survival and convenience. Fire projectiles, water purification, minor illusions, enhanced hearing, night vision, and dozens more.
Each stone that crumbled in his hands added another thread to the tapestry of power he was weaving. By the ti he finished, the table was empty except for a few stones he’d deliberately set aside—ones that seed interesting but not imdiately useful, or duplicates of skills he’d already learned.
Forty-seven skills in one sitting, Leon thought, flexing his fingers as if testing his new capabilities. Most awakened never learn more than twenty skills in their entire lives.
"Are you finished?" Seraphine asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
Leon looked at the less crowded table, then at his hands, feeling the weight of knowledge settling into his consciousness. Forty-seven different skills, forty-seven new options in combat, forty-seven ways to adapt and overco.
"For now," he said quietly. "Though I’ll find more skill stones in the future."
The last rays of sunlight faded, and the first stars began to appear in the darkening sky. Leon stood, brushing dust from his clothes, feeling simultaneously satisfied and eager for the chance to test his new abilities.
Let’s see how these skills perform in actual combat, he thought, a predatory smile crossing his face. I’m curious to find out.
User Comments
0 comments from readers