Chapter 14: Focus and Mana
Focus: 29.7
Mana: 28.1
Constitution : 8.8
Elemental Affinity: Pyro, Lumen, Umbra.
Several shimmering colors danced across the surface of the crystal ball, and a brief message popped into Sein’s mind. Chart your course back to the origins of this substance at n0v^lbin
This was not Sein’s first time using the public crystal ball of the academy, so he knew where to focus his thoughts.
“So, my focus has increased by 3.7 points, my mana by 2.6 points, and my constitution by 1.2 points, huh?” Sein thought to himself.
A little over half a month ago, Sein had checked his focus and mana levels in the library before venturing out into the Giant Saltwater Crocodile’s territory.
Back then, his stats were:
Focus: 26
Mana: 25.5
Constitution: 7.6
For a junior initiate like Sein, these numbers were impressive. It was no wonder he had the confidence to take on such a dangerous quest which involved confronting a Giant Saltwater Crocodile.
The minimum requirement the Black Magic Academy had for an intermediate initiate was for their focus to reach 30 points. Sein’s current focus was 29.7 points. This meant that he was just a step away from reaching that milestone.
Mana was closely linked to a mage’s focus. It was a type of basic energy stored in a mage’s body. When Sein cast a spell, he would have to use his focus to harness the mana within him to unleash the spell.
The minotaur guards stationed outside Mystralora City were no exception. While these guards possessed impressive physiques and strength, they remained susceptible when confronted with magic.
Even the minotaur captain Sein had encountered at the city gates might not be able to withstand the corrosive acid of Sein’s Acid Wand.
In the end, wisdom outshone brute strength.
“Faye once mentioned that being exposed to dangerous situations can stimulate the growth of focus, which in turn increases mana,” Sein reflected.
It had taken him nearly a decade to increase his focus from 11 to 26 points. Yet in less than a month, his focus had improved by 3 points. That was likely due to his mentor’s guidance, Faye’s assistance, and the battles he had faced recently.
It was no wonder the renowned initiates of the Black Magic Academy all boasted impressive records.
Sein’s reputation, built on the corpses of Elrik and Jack, was pretty impressive among most junior and intermediate initiates. Yet, his achievements were nothing compared to senior initiates who dominated the academy’s upper echelons.
Many elite senior initiates held records of defeating high-level monsters with their own hands.
However, these senior initiates were entirely separated from the ordinary junior and intermediate initiates in the academy. They were rarely seen in public classes or even on the academy grounds.
Considering the current situations of Leena, Faye and Zorro, it was not hard for Sein to deduce that these senior initiates were either occupied with their own research or out on perilous quests assigned by the academy.
Besides, most of the knowledge taught in public classes was elementary and no longer of interest to the senior initiates.
Additionally, nearly every senior initiate was apprenticed to a full-fledged mage. If they were interested in acquiring specific knowledge, they could always approach their mentors directly.
Thus, public classes primarily catered to junior and intermediate initiates.
Even so, only about 20% of the attendees were intermediate initiates. This was due to the smaller number of intermediate initiates compared to junior initiates in the population of the academy.
Furthermore, the majority of intermediate initiates had already acquired most of the fundamental knowledge taught in public classes.
For most intermediate initiates, their daily routine involved raising their focus as quickly as possible and accumulating academy merit points to obtain new spell models. Additionally, they also undertook quests issued by full-fledged mages, in hopes to gain their recognition and possibly secure an apprenticeship.
Had Sein not been accepted as an apprentice by Master Morsidor, this might have been his daily life for the foreseeable future.