…
"Instead of simply telling you whether you should take this Skill or not, let me help you understand how to choose Skills."
Seated in the study room on the first floor, Peter listened attentively. He had already eaten breakfast and taken a bath before their discussion began.
Give a man a fish, and he won't go hungry for a day. Teach him to fish, and he'll never go hungry again, he mused, nodding to show his understanding.
"Skills like Mana Manipulation act as guiding tools—they help us improve in a subject while also making things easier," Mariah explained.
She gestured toward the window before continuing, "Your father doesn't have Mana Manipulation, yet that doesn't mean he can't manipulate mana."
"The Skill would have just made him progress faster and be more efficient at it," she added.
Peter nodded again. He already knew this from studying Skills using his IDE, but since she wasn't aware of that, he let her continue.
"So, you're saying every Skill is like an assistant?" he asked.
Mariah nodded. "Yes, more or less. A really good assistant. So much so that having a Skill or not can drastically change the outcome of an action."
Leaning back slightly, she continued, "Now, moving on—think of Classes as paths leading to a destination."
"The destination being higher advancements?" Peter guessed.
"Exactly. But each path differs in some way. That's why certain Classes have varying compatibilities with different Skills depending on how far along they are in their advancement."
She glanced outside before providing an example. "Take your Uncle John, for instance. He has a common Class—Farmer. That Class helps him grow crops, protect them from disease, and perform various other tasks."
Turning back to Peter, she elaborated, "Right now, he can only grow non-mana crops, even if he had Mana Manipulation. His stats are more aligned toward physical attributes."
"In other words, even if he had the Skill, it would be useless without enough Spirit points. Do you understand?"
"I get your point, but Dad has a substantial mana pool—more than 500 points. Why didn't he choose to take the Skill?"
"Because right now, he doesn't have complementary Skills," Mariah replied. "Mana in its raw form isn't particularly harmful—it's all around us, after all."
Folding her hands in front of her, she continued, "The real challenge is shaping that mana into a specific element, and that requires extensive study of magic. Other Mage-related Skills, like Intent Casting, are essential for that."
She glanced at the bookshelf before continuing. "Your father does manipulate mana and use it, but his outlet is his sword—or his own body. His Swordsmanship Skill is enough for that."
Meeting Peter's gaze, she added, "If he ever advances to a higher stage, then yes, he might need Mana Manipulation. But for his current Class? It's not a necessity."
Then, her expression shifted, and she smiled slightly. "Which brings us back to my first question—have you decided what you want to be?"
She waited patiently as Peter thought it over.
Peter had already made up his mind—he wanted to be an all-rounder, capable of using both magic and martial skills. More importantly, he had the potential to do so. His skill slots weren't as limited as his parents believed.
To them, he only had one slot available.
He considered his options. Mana Manipulation… That seemed like a solid choice. It was one of the few Skills that didn't need modification—a foundational ability, just like Mana Sense. The decision was taking shape in his mind.
"I want to learn swordsmanship from Dad," he said at last.
He had already resolved this long ago—mastering weapons was his goal. That was why he was working on Weapon Mastery now.
Mariah sighed, looking slightly downcast. "That's good. I was worried you might want to study the magical arts."
She shook her head. "There's no one in the village who can teach you that. And we wouldn't be able to afford genuine magical tomes."
She hesitated before adding, "Besides… we don't even know when you'll gain another point in Spirit. The magical path requires more foundational Skills than just Mana Sense and Mana Manipulation."
The conversation settled into quiet contemplation, and for the next few hours, they focused on studying.
In the end, Peter accepted Mana Manipulation.
Status Update:
[Mana Manipulation Lv. 1]
Mana is everywhere. It is both the most stable and the most unstable building block of the world. This Skill assists the user in manipulating mana in its various forms.
Rank: Common
…
During dinner, Peter finally voiced the question that had been on his mind for weeks. "Dad, when can I start training with a sword?"
It had been over a month of nothing but running, meditation, and footwork training.
Joseph didn't even look up from his food as he replied, "Maybe in a few months."
Mariah glanced at him and interjected, "He's a child, dear. A change of pace would be good for him."
Joseph paused, considering her words. "Hm... I guess you have a point. Maybe we can start working on your skill," he mused.
Then, after a moment's thought, he turned to Peter. "How about this, Pete? I'll be heading into the woods to collect some herbs. Do you want to come with me?"
Peter nodded instantly.
Mariah shot a sharp look at Joseph. "You better make sure my son returns safe if you're taking him."
"We won't go too deep," Joseph reassured her.
…
Next morning
The sky remained dark, and the air carried a sharp chill as Peter and his father made their way toward the forest. Dew clung to the grass, dampening their clothes below the knees. Peter carried a bag in his hand, while Joseph had his sword strapped to his side.
As they walked, Joseph's tone shifted. "Once we enter the forest, make sure to follow my orders without question."
The usual calm, thoughtful demeanour he carried was gone. His expression was vigilant, eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
Peter nodded, immediately sensing the seriousness in his father's voice.
Joseph continued, "Until now, you've been using your Mana Sense with Meditation to observe your mana under my guidance. The Skill is far more versatile than that." His gaze remained fixed ahead. "Today, we'll work on using it outside."
At last, they reached the boundary where the open grasslands ended and the dense forest began.