Elias stared at the orange screen floating before him as he reviewed his current status.
[Status]
[Name: Elias Crimson]
[Rank: Warrior]
[Affection Rate: 1]
[Talent: Unbreakable Will (A)]
[Physical Constitution: Three-Star Harmonic Dragon Physique (Sealed)]
[Weapon: Sword]
[Weapon Mastery: Sword — Adept V]
[Weapon Aura: Unobtained]
[Mana Aptitude: B]
[Mana Affinity: Wind (D), Earth (D)]
[Mana Circle: None]
[Spiritual Aptitude: None]
[Spiritual Affinity: None]
[Spiritual Stars: None]
[Stats]
[Strength/Constitution: 20]
[Speed/Agility: 17]
[Stamina/Endurance: 19]
[Perception/Comprehension: 10]
[Mana/Spirit: 6]
[Stat Points: 110]
[Skills]
[Slash (F)]
[Stab (F)]
[Swing (F)]
[Parry (F)]
[Enhanced Mana Enhancement (B)]
[Shadow Ghost Poison Resistance (A)]
[Mental Whisper (C)]
[Tyrannical Giant’s Immovable Stance (S)]
[Masterful Hands (S)]
Elias’s gaze lingered on the two newly acquired skills.
He had received plenty of rewards from the system since it had appeared, but the two S-grade skills stood out considerably more than the others.
He focused his attention on the first one.
A new window appeared.
[Tyrannical Giant’s Immovable Stance]
[Grade: S]
[A giant king’s formidable battle stance that draws Earth Mana directly from the ground, anchoring the user to the earth and making their body virtually immovable. The stronger the opponent’s power, the greater the amount of Earth Mana the stance absorbs, allowing the user to withstand increasingly powerful attacks without being pushed back.]
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"So it’s a defensive skill..." he mumbled.
The description was short, but its potential was obvious.
The stronger his opponent was, the more earth mana the skill would absorb from the ground, meaning that his ability to resist powerful attacks would increase alongside the strength of his opponent.
Elias’s gaze shifted toward the second skill.
[Masterful Hands]
[Grade: S]
[Hands possessing extraordinary precision, dexterity, and control, allowing the user to perform physical tasks, intricate crafts, delicate work, or musical instruments with exceptional skill and accuracy.]
Elias stared at the description for several seconds. Then his lips slowly curled upward.
"This is sick..." he mumbled.
An S-grade defensive skill and another S-grade skill that granted him extraordinary control over his hands were both valuable, although he wasn’t entirely sure how useful Masterful Hands would become in combat.
Still, the possibilities were far greater than simply wielding a sword.
If the skill truly gave him expert control over physical work and crafts, there were probably countless things he could eventually use it for.
Elias shifted his attention toward the 110 Stat Points displayed beneath his status.
His expression became slightly more serious.
One hundred and ten points was an enormous amount, especially compared to the few points he had received from the system before, but that didn’t mean he could spend them recklessly.
He had already experienced the difference that only five Stat Points could make when he had fought Stella.
Adding a large number of points at once would dramatically increase his physical abilities, but his body and mind still needed time to adapt to those changes.
If he suddenly increased his strength, speed, perception, and other attributes by a massive amount, his movements would become unstable, and he would need weeks of training before he could properly control his new power.
There was no reason to rush.
He had already spent years being weak.
A few more weeks of gradual improvement wouldn’t hurt.
"I’ll increase them slowly," Elias said quietly.
He focused on his stats and added five points to Stamina/Endurance.
[Stamina/Endurance: 19 → 24]
He then added another five points to Perception/Comprehension.
[Perception/Comprehension: 10 → 15]
The moment the points were assigned, Elias felt a subtle change spread throughout his body.
His breathing became steadier, and the exhaustion he had accumulated from the previous day’s training seemed to fade slightly.
At the same time, his senses sharpened.
The faint rustling of curtains became clearer, and he could hear the subtle movement of servants somewhere beyond the bedroom door.
Elias remained still for a moment as he adjusted to the improvement.
"That’s much better," he mumbled.
His eyes shifted toward the Mana/Spirit stat.
He considered increasing it, but eventually shook his head.
There was no point in increasing mana or spirit when he didn’t even know a single spell.
Normally, Warriors began learning zero-star magic once they reached the appropriate stage. Unlike higher-level spells, zero-star magic could be used without forming a mana circle in the third eye, which made it especially useful for Warriors.
Many swordsmen learned a few simple spells specifically to catch their opponents off guard.
A sudden gust of wind could disrupt an enemy’s balance, while a small burst of earth magic could interfere with their footing.
Elias, however, knew none of them.
"I should probably learn some spells soon," he muttered.
He didn’t want to become completely dependent on his sword.
With his Wind and Earth affinities, there should be several useful zero-star spells available to him, although he would have to find someone capable of teaching him.
Elias glanced toward the sleeping figure on the larger bed.
Natasha remained asleep, her breathing quiet and steady as pale morning light slipped through the curtains and fell onto her beautiful figure, which was only enhanced by the burn marks across her body.
He lowered his voice and whispered, "I’ll figure that out later."
A knock suddenly sounded against the door.
Knock. Knock.
Elias turned his head toward the entrance.
"My lord, you have to attend the new city lord’s inauguration ceremony today," Benjamin said from outside.
Elias glanced toward the sleeping Natasha before looking down at himself.
He was still wearing his training clothes.
He replied as he stood from the bed, "I haven’t forgotten. You don’t have to remind me."
He walked toward the wardrobe and began removing his training outfit.
He placed his clothes aside and said, "Also, prepare the bath and food for Monica. I will depart after feeding her."
"As you wish, my lord," Benjamin replied.
Elias heard his footsteps gradually disappear down the corridor.
He turned toward the bathroom and walked inside.
After finishing the bath, he walked out and picked a refined crimson noble coat embroidered with subtle gold patterns, with a crisp black shirt, fitted trousers, and polished black boots.