“Oh, we can deal with them later, can't we? I see that you got a haircut and went shopping a bit. Why don't you look around our base? We kept a nice room for you.” The way Tess says it makes me even more suspicious and I notice a cheeky shine in her eyes, but she is right. It would be best to take some rest and go over my Primary Class options.
I keep having to hold myself back, and now in the safety of the city, I can go through them.
“Others went out to hunt, and I'll tell you about the stuff we learned. So just take it easy, rest a bit, and tomorrow we can talk,” Tess adds.
Impatient to check the classes, I just nod. Holding Biscuit in my arms, I move to follow Tess towards the room they saved for me.
The room is on the highest floor with a large window and a balcony that offers a view of the city below the hill on which the house stands.
They know me well; the view is amazing.
“Everyone wanted this room, but…” Min-Jae pauses under Tess's gaze and carefully continues, “But we wanted to keep it for you.”
They are hiding something from me. Did they sell one of the epic items I got from the 3rd floor? I don't think the valuables they took would be worth that much.
Well, even if they did, it's not such a problem. I still have three of them left, but they don't need to know. If they really did that, I will bully them a bit.
“Okay, I'll rest a bit and in a few hours we can talk.” I stop, and a cheeky idea flashes through my mind. “Oh, and can you bring me the items I left with you? I came up with an amazing way to use them.” I lie, and immediately I know Tess and Izzy noticed.
Yet they both smile secretly and leave me alone. While the boys seem to panic.
Little twerps.
Anyway, greetings were short, but it's time for Primary class selection!
I look around the room and identify a massive armchair near the balcony as the most comfortable spot. I sit in it and check the notifications.
Well done! You have successfully reached level 150. You can now select one of the Primary Classes. The classes and their rarity are based on your actions and performance up until now within the Tutorial.
Mana Forgemaster (Rare)
An advanced class specializing in the use of mana to craft complex constructs. Their abilities go beyond simple creations, allowing them to manifest highly versatile magical objects for offense and defense, elevating them to a critical role in any skirmish.
Your prowess in handling mana constructs is evident. With a mana stat of 200 or higher, you've created dozens of creations entirely from compressed mana. Possesses the Mana Manipulation skill, or its equivalent, at level 25 or higher.
Horizon Striker (Rare)
An elite class excelling in long-range combat. With attacks supercharged by potent magical energies, they can deliver devastating blows from distances where retaliation seems impossible.
Your unleashed power is a sight to behold. You've expended over 50% of your mana in a single long-range assault, decimating hundreds with your long-range abilities. You've also defeated hundreds of enemies nearly matching your own level in just one strike.
Paramount Fighter (Rare)
With unparalleled martial prowess and an expert handle on mana to amplify their physical capabilities, their role in battle is often a game-changer, commanding respect from both friends and foes alike.
Your body is a lethal weapon. You've maintained enhanced bodily fortifications for over 24 hours. You've defeated hundreds of enemies of equal or superior strength in close-range combat. Your fortified physique alone allows you to withstand attacks that would be fatal to others.
Energy Conductor (Epic)
A potent class specialized in the mastery and manipulation of diverse energies, wielding them with such finesse and power that they can shift the tides of battle, shatter defensive lines, and provide crucial shields in dire situations.
You channel the elusive Primordial Energies, a feat accomplished by only a select few. You have skills at level 30 or higher that allow mastery over Primordial Energies. Acquired one of the Primordial energies purely through the indomitable force of your will and have managed to control two such energies.
Focused Channeler (Epic)
An epic class with unmatched expertise in the intricate art of mana manipulation, able to shape and control the flow of mana. This highly specialized skill set renders them an influential force in any magical confrontation.
Through sheer determination, you reign supreme over your mana. Have a skill related to concentration and a Mana Manipulation skill at level 30 or higher. Have a mana stat over 400. You've used mana far surpassing your body's capabilities and survived.
I spend a few minutes reading the descriptions over and over again. It's always an amazing feeling to do so, as I know how much they can strengthen me. I also come to think that the only possible way of getting an active skill, other than by learning it, is with the help of a Primary Class. I might be wrong, and Sub-classes will offer that, but I don't think so.
It's also one of the things I asked Lissthaniel, and she confirmed that. With my experience, I am inclined to believe that.
Skills are important, and the words of the being in Beyond prove it. “Never get your skills to level 99,” it said. Primary classes do give skills, which [Mana Surge] from my Mana Channeler proves. The importance of skills is also why I have decided not to use skill upgrade tokens for the skills I think are my strongest ones.
This is the description of my current class:
Mana Channeler:
Active Skill: Mana Surge - The user can temporarily increase the flow of mana within their body, boosting the power of their magical abilities for a short duration.
Passive Skill: Mana Flow (Rare) - The user's mana flows more efficiently throughout their body, reducing the amount of mana needed for skill activation and improving their overall magical control.
Bonuses:
Constitution +2
Mana +10
There is no rarity unlike now, and the bonuses are... just bad. 2 Constitution and 10 Mana. What even is that?
As for the skills, both passive and active, they currently aren't that strong. It's something I outgrew quickly, but I can't be too disappointed. It was just a starting class.
So yes, I am offered three rare classes and two epic, and that makes me curious. Do people often get offered epic classes at level 150? I am inclined to think not.
Through the community, I learned that some of the members of other groups rarely saw a rare passive skill. Yet for me, they became something of a norm, and even if I could buy a few more of them through the shop, I do not do so as even a few of them wouldn't strengthen me that much.
Focused Channeler seems like a good choice. An epic class, most likely an upgrade of my current Mana Channeler, and it even mentions focus. The amount of mana that I possess right now is really high, so I am drawn more to this class than the Energy Conductor that deals with Primordial energies such as kinetic or thermal. I mean, Primordial energy also doesn't sound weak, and I'm sure they are powerful, but they were never my main interest.
Well, let's not hesitate much longer. I'm sure in the end I would pick Focused Channeler even if I gave it a few more days to think. So I just do that and pick my Primary class.
Congratulations! You have chosen the Primary class - Focused Channeler. In the future, you will be able to upgrade your class or change it for a new one, fitting your actions up until that point within the tutorial.
Another window pops up:
Congratulations! You have acquired your Primary Class:
Focused Channeler (Epic)
Active Skill: Mana Domain - Establishes a limited area where the user has heightened control and influence over the flow of mana, providing various tactical advantages.
Active Skill: Tether - Anchors the user's mana to a specific location, enabling quick return or other location-based effects.
Passive Skills: Mana Reservoir (epic) - Allows the user to slowly and gradually store mana beyond their natural maximum, effectively increasing their total mana pool for subsequent actions.
Bonuses:
Constitution +20
Mana +100
I check my status, and [Mana Surge] and passive Mana Flow (rare) are gone. I expected something like that, but it's also something I need to take into consideration in the future. Right now, I won't feel the loss of [Mana Surge] at all as I've already outgrown the lower-tiered skill. However, I already feel the effect of losing the passive. It's become harder to control my mana, so I dedicate a more significant portion of my [Focus] to it, especially now after my mana increased again — by 100 points from the bonus and 100 more from the attribute upgrade.
At this point, I might have more mana than I can spend. It's already challenging to use it all!
Good!
It also reinforces my decision to not go hunting for a while and to focus on getting my mana under control. Another round of active tempering and improving my constructs will be more helpful than gaining more levels.
Now then, let's see what my newest epic passive does. I send my senses into my body. My mana, which is already at its peak as I haven't used it, doesn't increase. Instead, it feels like there's an additional mana pool that starts slowly filling with my mana.
That pool doesn't take the mana from my main mana pool but absorbs the excess, some leakage, and starts storing it. It's difficult for me to locate it properly. It feels as if it's part of my body, but also as if it's not. The sensation is odd, and I can't even estimate the size of the mana reservoir.
Judging from the passive skill's rarity, which is epic, the reservoir should be significant. Maybe as large as my current mana pool? Maybe a bit larger? It fills slowly, and when I use my mana, the filling of it stops. The mana reservoir continues to fill only after my mana tops up again.
Interesting.
I reach out and use the mana from the reservoir. It's simple as if using my mana normally, and when I stop, it starts filling again.
After spending a few more minutes observing it, I'm still unable to judge the size of the reservoir, but the speed at which it fills is much slower than my own mana regenerating. Maybe it's ten percent or even less of the speed at which my mana regenerates?
It's not as good as I expected, but I might be mistaken about something, so I decide to give it a few more hours to see how large the reservoir is. It better be at least as big as my current pool.
As for the skills, [Mana Domain] excites me the most, and I activate it. Immediately, I feel a strong pull on my mana as the skill takes a decently sized chunk of it, and the reservoir stops filling. But I ignore that and instead focus on the skill.
An area around me, about the size of the room I'm in changes peculiarly. Now, I can percieve the mana my body is leaking, and when I [Focus] on it, even that little bit of mana easily gets pushed back inside my body.
Then I push more of my mana outside my body, and as I start moving it inside the area of the domain I notice how much easier it is. The mana, even though separated from my body is easy to maneuver. While it's currently not as easy as manipulating mana inside my body, the skill definitely feels like that's where it's heading.
The orb I create starts moving as I want it to, and even when it gets further away from my body, it's easy to control, shape, or dissolve it.
I radiate more mana into the area and spend a few more minutes observing the changes. A few times, I also cancel the domain just to compare the difference, and it seems significant.
[Mana Domain] is only at level 1, and yet, my mana within that area is easy to shape even without direct touch.
Interesting. What will become possible when I level it up? Will I be able to affect the mana of my opponents within the domain? Maybe even change my domain a bit?
The best idea comes to me. What if I evolve my [Mana Infusion] into [Infusion] and then infuse the domain with kinetic or thermal energy? And what if I make the area of the domain much larger?
Good, good! I'm already excited. The skill seems to be of a higher tier, so that's promising. I'll play with it more later.
Now then, [Tether]. I activate the skill, and then, following the “feeling” the skill gives me, I create something like an imprint I'm currently not understanding. The imprint stays anchored to the space in front of me, and for a moment, I observe it.
It's an anchor or tether that slowly crumbles as it stays in the air, yet I still feel I can use it. To be sure, I activate my mana again and feed the anchor, and it stops crumbling.
Then I stand up from the armchair and move a bit further away from it. Following the knowledge offered by the skill, I activate it, and the skill takes another sizable chunk of my mana. At the same time, the world around me turns into a blur, and I have a feeling of weightlessness. When it all calms down, I find myself standing on the armchair, right at the place where I left the anchor.