Today, I was testing something new. Even after all this time, I still have little understanding of the supernatural or the magical aspects of the world I inhabit—aside from knowing that kitsune and fox-women exist. I'm still just a simple human, albeit with a bit of mana that functions differently from others.
At least I managed to secure an entry pass, thanks to my relationship with the golden fox of the Yasaka Shrine—probably. Currently, I'm working on my [Meditation] skill. At its base level, it's simple: you meditate, and your health and mana regeneration double as long as you remain in a meditative state. However, that isn't my primary focus today.
What I really want to do is explore whether something like 'lifeforce' exists and, if so, how I can manipulate it. That's why I'm in an empty dungeon today after using all my mana to level up my manipulation skill. Even though it's not my main focus, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the regeneration bonuses my [Meditation] skill grants.
As I meditated and scanned my body for lifeforce, I found that today marked the third day of this routine. Thanks to my efforts, my [Meditation] skill has reached level 34—almost double what it was last week. It's fascinating to reflect on how 'nerfed' I was before my ninth birthday. With dedicated training, I could probably max out some skills in just a month.
[Meditation Lv34 -> 35]
Another skill level-up! However, this wasn't a straightforward one. While in my meditative state, I felt something moving within me. Following that sensation, I focused on specific areas where it concentrated. After a few minutes, that sensation transformed from vague to clear, revealing an image of a small stream flowing throughout my body in my mind's eye.
[You've obtained the skill: Lifeforce Sense.]
I was elated by this discovery—it was the first supernatural skill I've obtained in this world. Since lifeforce does exist, it means I can now develop my [Chi You]. This martial art, like many others, utilizes an energy called Ki from its original world. Not having something similar would be crippling for its development. While it wouldn't be entirely ineffective, it would certainly slow its growth.
If I use a skill with a level, I can level it up—provided it doesn't come from my Unique skill, [Luxuriae Interminabilis]. However, the ability to level it up does not equate to a normal growth rate. Strictly speaking, not incorporating Ki into my martial art results in a lesser level of power, which in turn affects its growth rate.
After a few hours of concentration, my Lifeforce Sense skill advanced from level 1 to level 13, allowing me to perceive the path this energy traveled, similar to the chakra pathways from Naruto. Now, while under [Meditation], I attempted to control this energy. After several failed attempts, I finally achieved a result: a small amount of energy leaked from the palm of my hand, though it didn't produce any visible effects.
//
You've obtained the skill: Ki Manipulation.
You've obtained the skill: Ki Blast.
You've discovered a different energy source of energy: Ki.
Some of your skills have changed their effects.
//
I acquired two new skills, granting me a different source of energy that is not present in the Hell Difficulty Tutorial setting. I opened my status to check my new energy pool.
[Ki: 156/160 (+1/10min)]
This pool of energy is calculated differently from HP and MP.
- HP is based on Constitution (Con). Every point in Con equals 10 HP and provides a regen of 0.1 per 10 minutes.
- MP is based on both Intelligence (Int) and Wisdom (Wis). Every point in Int equals 10 MP, while every point in Wis adds +0.1 regen per 10 minutes.
- Ki, by contrast, is based on both Con and Wis.. Every point in each grants 5 Ki, with a regen cap of +1 per 10 minutes for every 10 Con.
The skill that changed was [Meditation], which gives me +3 to Ki regeneration. I suspect it will upgrade with the skill level. Given how interesting this is, I decided to forgo sleep and experiment with various techniques to see what results I could achieve.
---
The results with using this energy have been quite promising. First, I found it easier to control, even though my manipulation skill is at a lower level than my mana skill. The effects aren't quite as strong, though.
[Ki Blast] resembles energy blasts from Dragon Ball, but with a significantly shorter range. The attack doesn't extend beyond two meters, and while it's weak, I discovered another application. Because the blasts don't travel far, they retain more power, allowing me to use them effectively on zombies. If I focus solely on close-quarters instead of ranged attacks, these blasts are slightly more potent than my [Mana Arrow] and can seriously disable my enemies if I grapple with them.
It was quite entertaining to grab a limb from a zombie and detach it using the blast. Since it's my Ki, the recoil and rebound effects are almost negligible. The ability to detach limbs from enemies at the cost of about 20 Ki and 1 or 2 HP feels like a perfectly balanced exchange.
I can also channel my Ki into punches and kicks, but it seems less efficient, and I need to find out why.
The most critical discovery, which gave me imaginary nightmares, was another skill: [Ki Circulation]. This skill allows me to speed up the flow of my energy, making me think of phrases like "You dare!?", "Face-slapping," and "Courting death!" However, it's not quite that dramatic.
By accelerating my Ki flow, I can recover HP faster, and it actually works. The downside is that it costs about 10 Ki per minute and only boosts recovery by 10%. To use it requires significant focus. The cost is steep, but as the skill level up, the recovery rate will increase by 10% at each level, meaning my recovery could eventually improve more than tenfold.
Of course, I still have a long way to go to reach that point, as the cost for utilizing it makes progress difficult. However, I remain optimistic, as I have unlimited potential and lifespan thanks to the Essence.
Lastly, while these skills were categorized as general, once I leveled up [Ki Blast] to level 2, they branched into a new skill tree—specifically, a High School DxD skill tree. I expected it to create a Ki skill tree, but since all my Mana-based skills are under the Hell Difficulty Tutorial skill tree, this name should refer to the world or universe I inhabit.
Coincidentally, I found that for 100 Shards each, there are novels, manga, and DVDs related to this universe. I'm not sure if I want to read them.
Nevertheless, I decided to set aside any thoughts that might challenge sanity and exited the dungeon, preparing for the day ahead. After all, it was still a school day.