Sovereign of the Ashes

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.

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.

Based on Sein’s understanding and the observations he made within the Black Magic Academy, the esteemed full-fledged black mages seemed to be more concerned about the numerical values of focus over mana.

In fact, the criteria for promotion through the initiate ranks were primarily determined by the numerical values of focus. Of course, that did not mean that mana was not important.

At the very least, Sein believed that both focus and mana were equally important for the growth of a mage.

For instance, Sein would need to expend 10 points from both his focus and mana to cast a regular Minor Fireball spell. If he wanted to cast an enhanced version of the Minor Fireball spell, like the one he used to defeat the Giant Saltwater Crocodile, he would need to expend 10 points of focus and 15 points of mana.

In short, expending more mana points would increase the potency of the unleashed magic spell.

Of course, the two Minor Fireball spells were slightly different.

The original version was standard knowledge Sein acquired from the public library by spending his academy merit points. The enhanced version, however, was the result of Sein’s independent research, drawing from the knowledge of the pyro element and the insights he gained while assisting Leena in her experiments.

The research of magic spells was not something that could be completed overnight.

Sein’s enhanced Minor Fireball spell could not even be considered a novelty. To the other full-fledged black mages, it was only a small trick that involved a subtle modification in the spell’s structure, enabling it to hold a greater amount of mana and thus increasing its destructive power.

Even so, such a small trick was the result of nearly three years of dedicated work. It was also this very spell that set Sein apart from his fellow junior initiates.

As for “constitution”, the final numerical value shown in the crystal ball, it was often ignored by most people.

According to the mages who taught elemental basics in public classes, the constitution of an ordinary human male in his prime was usually in the range of 5 to 7 points.

Sein, at the mere age of sixteen years old, had already surpassed that average with 8.8 points for constitution. This might be attributed to the breathing technique he had mastered since childhood.

A constitution of 10 points was the threshold that set individuals apart from the average human. Among the minotaurs in Mystralora City, who were known for their impressive physiques, it was common for their constitution to exceed 10 points. This made them strong enough to contend with low-level magic beasts.

Jack, whom Sein had defeated, was a musclehead who excelled in close combat. Sein suspected that his constitution might have exceeded 15 or even 20 points.

On top of that, he was adept at Pyro Elemental Enchantment. It was no wonder he was confident enough to consider Leena as his rival.

Sadly, brute force was no match for magic.

The corrosive acid of Sein’s Acid Wand easily melted through Jack’s tough muscles, turning them into a gruesome mess.

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.