Varocia : From Gamer to Mentor

They eventually left the Ascension Tower, the fading BGM left Olgan a bit disheartened. It brought him a sense of relaxation, reminiscent of the safe zones like towns in his Earth's games.

Olex expressed his eagerness to escort them back personally, a suggestion Edith readily accepted. There was no reason to refuse; the more they tried to conceal something, the more suspicion it would raise, potentially leading to a forceful "interrogation."

Olgan followed to Edith's judgment. After all, she and Lenna were locals, while he was merely an outsider. It was wiser to let those familiar with the world decide how best to tackle local issues. An outsider unfamiliar with the internal structure of the Blazane Empire could easily complicate matters instead of resolving them.

Wasn't it always the case in many stories? The main plot often unfolded because the protagonist caused it, and then regretting their actions before ultimately taking responsibility in the final arc.

Olgan wanted no part in that kind of hassle.

Soon, they returned to find Lenna waiting patiently for them. She nodded at Olgan but remained silent.

As they prepared to depart, Olex handed Edith a new Communication Device.

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Back to the way they came from, now with Olex in tow, the sun gradually dipped toward the horizon. Originally, they had planned to exploit and grind [Berserk] for Edith, but with Olex's presence, it would not be convenience to do so anymore.

While Edith wanted to share insights about [Rage] to the world, there was no need to divulge the quick 'exploit' method Olgan had taught her for grinding the EXP. They preferred to keep such groundbreaking knowledge to themselves.

As the moon began to rise, they set up camp, adding another tent for Olex to rest in.

Gathered around the campfire for dinner, Olgan noticed Olex wore a sour expression. He had followed them, hoping to learn about the Berserker Class, but his efforts yielded little satisfaction.

After finishing another sumptuous steak dinner, Edith called Olgan while Lenna prepared for the first night shift. She would switch duties with Olex later.

"Alright, I'll teach you how to learn basic elemental control," she said with a warm smile.

Olgan focused, paying serious attention.

"There are two methods. The first is a brute-force approach—skipping the basics to learn the element directly. I advise against it."

"And the other method?"

Edith smiled and sat down, crossing her legs in a meditating posture, "The other method is to learn how to control mana, or your MP. This will make it easier to learn magic-related skill in the future, but it may take a longer time than the bruteforce method before you could learn the basic elemental control."

So a shortcut and a longterm one... the choice is obvious. Olgan thought for a moment before replying: "Alright, please teach me how to control mana."

Edith paused, then said hesitantly, "Actually, since you've unintentionally invested a lot of your Attribute Points into SPR, you might find it easier to sense mana."

Olgan raised an eyebrow, momentarily confused, but the realization dawned on him. So, SPR could enhance my ability to perceive mana? But if that were the case, wouldn’t everyone allocate points to it? Perhaps its effectiveness was mainly tied to its Potential while the total SPR play a minor role? What an unusual attribute..

He considered another unsettling thought. Was Edith lying to mislead Olex? Why was having high SPR Potential such a source of interest for others?

Pushing these thoughts to the corner of his mind for now, he played along and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I still regret that a bit. But maybe it's a blessing in disguise now that I want to learn how to control mana."

Edith settled onto the soft grass, patting the ground beside her. "Come meditate with me," she said, her calm demeanor inviting.

"I'll release my mana using [Basic Mana Control]. Close your eyes, empty your mind, and use your senses to feel my mana. Let the Voice of the World guide you..."

He followed her instructions, sinking into a cross-legged position beside her. The world around him faded as he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The earthy scent of the grass filled his nostrils. He focused on quieting his thoughts, letting the distractions slip away.

As he meditated, he became aware of the gentle rustling of leaves, the distant chirping of birds rushing back to their nests, and the rhythmic of his breath. He slowly let the sounds dissolve, creating an emptiness in his mind.

As Edith began to release her mana, he felt it slowly seeping into his body but was rejected by something inside. He restrained his instinctual impulse to reject her mana, concentrated on this sensation, letting it flow into him.

He reached out with his mind and spirit, or rather his sensitively high SPR, trying to grasp the essence of her mana. It felt alive—fluid yet chaotic and aggressive, shifting in hues of blue and red. He pictured it swirling around him, a comforting yet piercing presence that caused no harm.

In this serene moment, he allowed Edith's mana to flow through him, merging with his own mana. He could sense its rhythm. It brought clarity and a profound connection to the world around him, guiding by the gibberish yet understandable Voice of the World.

As he sat in silence, he felt a gentle stirring of power. He opened himself fully to the experience, surrendering to the flow, and for a brief moment, he felt essence of his own mana and control it. The world faded away, and it was just him and the vibrant pulse of his own calm and soothing mana.

Suddenly, he heard the Voice of the World once again.

[You have learned Basic Mana Control]

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Skill: Basic Mana Control (Passive)

Level: 1 (00.00% EXP)

Description: Basic Mana Control is a foundational skill that allows you to efficiently manage and manipulate your mana, increasing your mana regenearation. Additionally, it increases your chances of acquiring fundamental magic-related skills and boosts its EXP gains, setting the stage for your growth as a powerful mage.

Mana Regeneration: +1 per 30 seconds.

Magic-related Skill EXP gains: +10%

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Edith sensed something and opened her eyes, a look of disbelief crossing her face. "I guess your high SPR isn't just for show, huh? That's faster than I learned when I was in the Novice Class. Oh, by the way, the Novice Class has a hidden passive that increases the chance of learning any skills available at that level. The fact that you learned [Basic Mana Control] this quickly even after becoming a Mentor is unbelievable."

There's a setting like that? He's surprised.

"Why didn't you tell me that before?" he asked.

Edith’s cheeks flushed a deep red as she fidgeted with her fingers, "Uh... I forgot. Please forgive me; it’s not every day I encounter someone with amnesia…"

"It’s okay," he replied with a reassuring smile, not minding it too much.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have rushed my 1st Ascension. Staying at the Novice Class to acquire as many Skills as possible would have been wiser. That way, I would have more options in choosing my Classes... The thought lingered in his mind, a twinge of regret gnawing at him. However, he still has a Class Reset Scroll in his Inventory, but that would mean the Legendary Class would appear before his eyes once again.

Although caught in a dilemma, he realized there was no use dwelling on what had already passed. He resolved to reevaluate his choices when the time came for his 2nd Ascension.

Olgan mulled over her earlier words about how fast he learned this skill before offering an explanation. "My quick learning might be due to your mana."

"My mana?" Edith asked, confused and intrigued.

"Yes. Your mana combines gentleness and aggression, which helps me sense it more quickly when it interacts with my own dormant mana."

She listened intently, then closed her eyes to sense her mana once again. Moments later, she opened her eyes, surprised. "You're right… this is a Berserker's mana. 'Chaos' is probably the best way to describe it."

"You've never checked your own mana before?"

She pouted slightly. "I never considered my mana could change its nature like this. Most mana is pure. Although I've heard of Corrupted Mana, this is the first time I've encountered... uh, let's call it Chaotic Mana. Not to mention it's my own."

Olgan chuckled. "It seems your path ahead will be filled with chaos."

Edith returned the chuckle, saying, "Poor Lenna will be working overtime again."

They both laughed, the sound ringing softly through the quiet night.

Olex, listening from a distance, couldn't help but smile at their youthfulness. Meanwhile, Lenna, on guard duty, cast a puzzled glance in their direction, unaware of the reason behind the laughing between them.