“First problem,” Syraviel said. “Given our strength and strategic threat, akashic fields are designed to be extremely sensitive to anyone past the Eternal level, divinity or not. Lisaseron is the only other Divinity we have with close to passable stealth. In fact, only with the bonuses from my Innate will she be able to remain undetected for extended periods of time. Second problem, even with our stealth, there are going to be critical areas Void and I can't go into because of our divinity will be detected. For the most part we'll travel together, but you three will separate when the situation requires it.”
“By ourselves?” Alicia asked. “I don't know... won't that be really dangerous? Those 'critical areas' aren't just going to have anti-goddess defences, right? Can we really do that on our own?”
“Don't worry, the three of you together have a good composition for the kind of things you'll need to do. Alicia, you have defense nullification to damage tough enemies or constructs, Diana has a foundation in formation magic to help navigate and bypass magical barriers and Jack will be able to stall enemies and heal you up in case things go wrong.”
“Wait, I'm the healer?” Jack asked.
“Your Innate is perfect for it,” Syraviel said. “Regeneration applies to healing magic and a few other utility spells not just your own recovery.”
“Oh...” he said, deflated. “I'm going to be a healer...”
“You should rejoice, Jack,”Lisaseron said. “The Weaver told us of your lust for battle. Did she misspeak?”
“No, I want to fight.”
“More healing means you may fight for longer,” Lisaseron said. “The utility of a healer will also allow you to participate in large scale battles beyond your current combat strength. You should not look down on such a path. Healers who don't stay far in the back are constantly focused. You'll see plenty of action.”
Syraviel gave the young man a sly grin.
“Healing isn't just good for the battlefield either,” she said. “There are many...other uses I think you would be interested in. I'd be happy to help teach you some of those... applications of healing. Lisaseron would too.”
Jack's eyes widened. A faint blush appeared on Lisaseron's face. The goddess swallowed slightly. She looked at Jack, giving him a polite smile.
“Shadow, you should not tease the poor boy,” Lisaseron said. “Jack, I will first teach you how to properly use mana and cast with maximal efficiency and work on building your resistances. From there, I will also instruct you on the support magic, combat healing and assist you in correcting defects in your fighting style.”
“Did you hear that?” Syraviel asked. “She didn't deny being interested.”
“Syraviel, please,” Lisaseron said.
“Sorry,” she said. “You know how it is dealing with a mortal body and desires.”
Syraviel gave Jack a wink. Jack felt his mouth dry up, as his member started to strain against his tunic. Syraviel's eyes locked onto it immediately, giving the boy a small grin. Jack turned to Lisaseron and saw her looking at his erection. She realized he caught her staring and looked him in the eyes before her gaze dropped back down to his manhood again. Lisaseron licked her lips.
Alicia shifted uncomfortably, watching the Goddesses flirting with Jack. She tried to shake it off but just the thought of them having their way with him riled her up. She shook her head. It's just the bond messing with me, she thought. Don't think about it.
“Uh oh,” Syraviel said. “I think I made someone jealous.”
Alicia's cheeks heated up.
“I'm not-”
“Shh, hush sweetheart,” Syraviel said. “We can do some extra nighttime training with you too.”
“I-I prefer boys,” Alicia squeaked. “And I'm saving myself for marriage!”
“Saving yourself?” Syraviel asked. “So that's what you were doing earlier with Jack?”
Alicia's brain stopped for a second, even Diana wincing when she heard that.
“That was-”
“Shadow, you are teasing them too much,”Lisaseron said. “Jack, Alicia, despite your relative inexperience, we would very much like for you to join us on our mission. Jack, you appear very... eager, thankfully. What say you, Alicia?”
“Lisaseron, you told Jack all the things you were going to train him in. What about me? What do I get to learn?”
Lisaseron smiled, gesturing towards Syraviel. The girl narrowed her eyes at the petite Goddess.
“I'm wounded, Alicia,” Syraviel said. “The promise of fun times with me weren't enough to convince you? How about this? The Weaver mentioned you were quite dedicated to the sword. I could show you a thing or two.”
Alicia's eyes immediately brightened.
“Really?” The girl asked.
“I'm much better with long daggers, my weapon of preference. But I'm not bad with swords either,”Syraviel said.
“That doesn't sound like as good of a training plan as Jack's.”
Syraviel placed her finger on her cheek, thinking for a moment.
“We'll start with fighting first,” the Goddess said. “Your swordsmanship will be the core of our training but alone it's not enough. All your bonus damage comes from critical strikes, which means you need to serious train your perception and accuracy further than most swordfighters. And of course, since you also have good synergy with inflicting status effects, it'd be a waste if we didn't train that either. That'll be secondary, of course, but I'll teach you how to leverage status effects to their full potential and get you started with ones that would fit best with your style. Lastly, we'll do some basic work on your soul too, I'm sure it's been extremely unpleasant. Interested?"
Alicia nodded eagerly.
“Of course, I'm sure both of you understand what us teaching you means,” Syraviel said. “Not everyone can get lessons from a Goddess. I'll only teach you if you come with us. Jack? Alicia? What do you want to do?”
“I'm in,”Jack said.
“Wonderful,” she said. “Alicia?”
Alicia hesitated, letting out a sigh.
“It's not like I can separate from Jack anyways,” she said. “Besides, I'd like to see how my swordsmanship holds up to a Goddess.”
“You already know my answer,” Diana said. “You already brought me here. What's one more world hop?”
Syraviel smiled.
“Excellent.”
She found two branches on the ground, and warped their shapes with dark mana until they took the form of practice swords. She tossed one to Alicia, pointing the other at the girl.
“Let's get started then, Alicia. Don't hold back. Void, try to leave some of the boy for me!”
Lisaseron ignored her, giving Jack a light smile as he walked over to the formation Diana and her were working on. Lisaseron looked over a rune Diana had just inscribed.
“The auxiliary stabilizing glyph is fine,” Lisaseron said. “But I'd like to see you try and achieve the result the proper way, with better timing of your mana infusions instead of with more elbow grease.”
Diana nodded seriously, examining her own work again.
“Come, Jack,” Lisaseron said. “You mentioned earlier, you'd defeated Alicia twice. Are you willing to let Alicia bridge the distance between you?”
“Hell no,” he said.
He looked back at Alicia squaring off against Syraviel, the girl scoffed. A quiet flame sparked within him. There's no way I'm letting this cocky, masochist nerd look down me, he thought.
Lisaseron nodded, still working on the formation.
“Excellent,” she said. “I can see you have fought many battles for a young man. Your aura and the shape of your Innate speaks to a young man with dedication, discipline and maybe even introspection. This is reflected in your remarkable progression. Your body and mind are well suited for the rigors of combat. Even your Innate is thoroughly developed, nearing Rank Two, despite your previous lack of knowledge on Innates. This allows me to focus your training on mana and resistances for the time being. Come here.”
Jack walked over to the formation Lisaseron was setting up. Her hands blurred with mind numbing speed, yet he could feel the unmistakable clarity and precision she wielded with each stroke she made. She paused working on the formation, zoomed over to him and set up a miniature formation in front of him, zooming back to continue working on her formation before he could even comment.
“This is a basic mana infusion formation. Before doing magic, we have to start with the basics. This is the best way to learn Mana Detection. Put your hands on it. Feel the power within. It is going to hurt but you cannot shy away from it. Lean into the feeling.”
Jack felt a slight threat coming from the formation but ignored it, doing as he was instructed.
The mana shocked him. The power surging into his hands was cold and clean but it burned. His forearms trembled, his breath coming fast and hard as he pushed aside the pain to focus on the surge of mana.
New skill learned! Mana Detection Level 1!
Feel the Primal Force of the Universe.
Slightly increase awareness of mana per level.
Slightly increase understanding of mana quantity, potency and intent per level.
“I got it,” he panted.
“Good,” she said. “Keep your hands on it until you get Magic Resistance. Then I want you to expel the mana through your hands. Don't let your health drop below half. This will take a few tries.”
Health, Jack wondered. Show health?
Health: 120/125
He nodded, keeping his hands on the equivalent of a magical electric fence. His nerve endings burned. His heart beat fast and slow, changing erratically, the mana warping his bodily functions.
Health: 98/125
Received Mana Burn(Moderate)
He screamed in pain.
New skill learned! Pain Resistance Level 1!
Life hurts.
Minimally decrease intensity of pain felt per level.
Slightly decrease chance of pain to inflict status conditions per level.
Slightly increase clarity and awareness when experiencing pain per level.
He pushed his hands harder into the formation, gritting his teeth as he felt the mana surging into him increase.
Health: 56/125
She called it magic resistance, he thought. I just have to resist it right? Resist. Resist. Resist resist resist resist resist resist resist-
New skill learned! Magic Resistance Lvl 1!
Burned by the breath of the universe, you don't flinch away.
Slightly decrease damage taken from magic per level.
Minimally increase mana absorbed from magics you comprehend per level.
He pushed against the mana boiling in his arms, willing it out. He could feel the strength of his desire pushing against the mana like he was pushing a spiked ball.
Pain Resistance Lvl 1→Pain Resistance Lvl 2
Received Mana Burn(Severe)
He steeled his will pushing harder. Slowly, mana stopped entering his body through the formation. A trickle of the built up mana left his arms, the flow growing as he screamed. His arms emptied of mana.
New skill learned! Mana Manipulation Lvl 1!
Mana bends to your will.
Slightly increase control when manipulating mana per level
Slightly decrease magic damage taken while manipulating mana per level.
He grinned, lifting his hands off the formation.
Health: 17/125
He faltered a bit but he shrugged his shoulders. He felt like an overused rag, squeezed out of water too many times but that couldn't take the grin off his face.
“I believe I said stop at half health,” Lisaseron said. “Do you take issue following my instructions, Jack?”
“Sorry, got carried away,” he said. “It's kinda' cool seeing all the skills you get.”
“It is satisfying to gain strength,” she said. “But I must insist you follow my directions precisely.”
“Sorry- I'll-”
Lisaseron leaned over him, silencing the boy with a finger against his lips. Her mouth brushed against his ear.
“I like diligent young men who work hard and listen well,” she whispered. “Train properly and you will find I am not averse to... rewarding good performance.”
Jack gulped.
“Yes, Ma'am.”
Lisaseron patted his head.
“Good. Now it is time for you to recover,” she said. “Close your eyes and focus on drawing strength from deep within, from the world around, anywhere you can find it. We are going to try and accelerate your learning with regards to the Meditation skill.”
Jack closed his eyes, savoring the break before he focused on Lisaseron's instruction.
Meanwhile, Alicia found Syraviel's sword at her throat again. The girl gaped at the Goddess's obscene level of skill. Syraviel wasn't using her passive or stealth at all. In fact, Alicia even had a significant reach and weight advantage on the Goddess but she couldn't press it.
“I thought you said swords weren't your specialty?” Alicia asked.
“They aren't,” Syraviel said. “As you can tell, I'm a bit rusty. I should've finished three moves sooner.”
Alicia's face twitched. She stepped back and changed her stance. She charged in with tight slashes against the woman while minimizing any of her tells or ticks. Syraviel effortlessly parried, reading every feint and movement until she slid past Alicia's guard, stopping her sword an inch before the girl's stomach.
“Not bad for your age,” Syraviel said. “You got some talent with the blade. You might be able to force me to use my stealth in a few hundred years.”
The girl's mouth twisted as she checked her notifications.
New Skill gained! Blade Mastery Lvl 1!
Your blade is a lever which can move the world.
Slightly increased maneuverability, damage and speed when using edged weapons per level.
“One thing before we start again. You still have your faith distributions on default. Change them to focus more on the blade and agility. It will increase your skill gains if you offer more faith to those skilled in a particular area. Did Jack not tell you to do this? It seems like he's already set his. I'd recommend the Duelist and the Scout as they do both quite well. You can choose anyone you think might help for the third.”
Alicia shot Jack a dirty look before nodding.
Faith Distribution Changed.
Selected: Remoredan, The Everseeking Scout for 25%
Selected: Eckhlart, The Overturning Duelist for 25%
Selected: Syraviel, The Shadow of Desolation for 25%
Syraviel raised an eyebrow, unable to hold back her smile.
“Alright, you cheeky little brat,” she said. “Thanks for the faith. My swordsmanship isn't much but let me help show you how far you have to go with the blade. Come.”
Alicia charged the woman again.
Jack sat still, trying to draw upon more power to recover like Lisaseron said. It didn't seem to be working. He felt Lisaseron hovering him again.
“Again,” she said. “I cannot emphasize how important Meditation is. This is a crucial skill for those aspiring to reach our level and it also synergizes very well with your Innate. Naturally it is not easy to learn, use or advance. If you learned it within a week, it would be considered very fast. Which is why you'll be training resistances at the same time. Say 'ahh', please.”
Jack gulped, doing as he was told. A few drops of stinging liquid poured into his mouth.
Received Numbness(Moderate) .
Received Electrocuted(Minor)
Received Uncoordinated(Moderate)
Jack coughed, feeling his tongue swelling and his throat begin to seize up.
“Swallow it Jack,” Lisaseron said. “That is thunder nettle extract, excellent for lightning, magic and poison resistance.”
Jack eyes popped open, staring at the Goddess as if betrayed.
“Calm yourself, young Jack,” she said. “Do not think you will be allowed to die during my training. Now focus. I expect you to ignore the discomfort and focus on learning Meditation. A proper warrior can utilize meditation at will. I have seen The Ascendant Brawler, meditating with maximal efficiency while half-frozen, besieged with arrows and his arm torn halfway off. If you aren't able to reach that level then maybe the path of a backline healer is more suited for you. There is no shame in that. The Wellspring of Salvation and The Ascendant Fatesnatcher fulfill that role and are tremendously important to us.”
Jack growled.
“I cahn haddle ith,” Jack said, barely able to move his swollen tongue. “I'm gonna' beat shid upb.”
“Indeed,” Lisaseron said. “In that case, have some Heartfire tea.”
Jack's insides began to burn as he felt the scorching liquid pour down his throat.
Health 8/125
Received Hyperthermia(Moderate)
Received Burned(Moderate)
Lisaseron's hand pulsed with swirling deep purple mana. Jack felt his fading life force stabilize and increase slightly.
“Do not worry, you are safe in my hands. We have finished all the preparations necessary for the portal,” she said. “Once you finish with those two, I will administer tincture of Void Lily and one of my favorite snacks, Frostmint Licorice.”
He felt the Goddess lean next to his ear again.
“While I have you sitting here,” she said. “Let me help... motivate you more about the skills you're learning.”
Lisaseron cleared her throat.
“Meditation may be performed during lovemaking to increase your performance. Men with a high enough Meditation skill often find themselves able to ejaculate many more times than before. Flame elemental are one the most beautiful races on Licirmon and if you have a fire resistance over one hundred and fifty you may- ahem- physically court them. Succubi are...”
Diana listened in while she recovered her mana, scandalized but intrigued.
“Your Innate is perfect for it,” Syraviel said. “Regeneration applies to healing magic and a few other utility spells not just your own recovery.”
Monk Paladin? Cool.
which means you need to serious train your perception and accuracy further than most swordfighters.
seriously or especially*
He felt Lisaseron hovering him again.
over*
TFTC!
Thanks for the chapter