Chapter 8 - How to use mana

Sief regarded those pieces of information with raised eyebrows, it was the first time he had any notion of such existence and a slight unease was felt as he saw it specifically referred to his body. 

"Mind? Constitution? Aren't these attributes somewhat vague?" Sief raised an eyebrow and said, "I thought it was purely a physical evaluation." 

"There's a more specific and evaluative form, but it's much more expensive. But it shows the attributes of your equipment as well, after all, you can modify all of them, even the mind. I don't know how this form works, but he managed to read you like an assassin and hit the nail on the head. Quick, with good reflexes, but weak and would take a beating if he got into a fistfight with anyone." Edgar spoke with an excited smile and continued, "Besides, I can start my explanation from here." 

"You said there was another meaning to awakening. I know it happens when we turn 14 and it's the ideal age to become an adventurer." Shortly after, Sief saw Tom approaching to read his attributes, to which the elder did with a surprised look. "But what does this really mean, is there a basis I can follow?" 

Tom listened to the young man and then smiled, saying, "Well, to guide you through the basics, an average adult should have at least 5 in each attribute." He smiled awkwardly and scratched his neck, saying, "I did this evaluation a few years ago for Ed to have a comparison, and I had that average. You're almost twice as fast as me, since I have 6 in Speed. It makes sense since you reached the village before me and had to dress first..." 

"You probably have higher attributes because you do manual labor... but..." Sief looked still confused at the sheet and then to Edgar. "You said this is modifiable... how?" 

"That's where the explanation about awakening begins." Edgar smiled and sighed, saying, "But let's move on, the explanation will be long, so it'll be good if we can continue soon..." 

Sief slightly lowered his eyebrows, but consented, and Tom smiled, touching both their shoulders as he said. 

"Let's not have a longer farewell, that Kujura can also send letters for just one copper coin." Still from his leather backpack, he pulled out another sack, but this time with coins that jingled as he spoke. "Send recurring messages, after all, that's how I'll know you're alive and well. Besides, you can let me know when you come back so I can prepare the party." 

He approached the two and evenly split, 5 copper coins in each of their hands, which Edgar received with a slight smile and then left them in the other hand. 

"I have money, father, he's the one who came to this village naked." With a calm laugh, he stepped away and looked at Sief, who regarded the coins with reluctance. "Go ahead." 

"I can't accept this, I've already received too much." Sief took a step back, but Tom held both his hands and placed the coins, saying, "But it's a guarantee that you'll be grateful and will send letters to me." 

The elder showed a sympathetic smile and laughed, closing Sief's hands that received the coins, and even though the young man still looked hesitant, he returned the sack and stored it in his backpack, nodding his head as he said. 

"I'll send them as soon as I can... all 10... and a little more..." Sief lowered his head as a sign of gratitude and Tom smiled, confirming and concluding. "I'll wait, young Sief. You too, Edgar." 

"Right... Right..." 

The two turned slowly and proceeded along the dirt road. As they passed by the wooden stakes, the villagers waved and bid farewell. 

Sief looked at them, unsure how to react, until Edgar said. 

"Wave and smile, at least for them to remember your face since you won't be staying." 

The swordsman raised his arm and waved to the villagers, who smiled and waved more vigorously, until timidly Sief did the same, still with his head down, and gradually the two left the village. 

In no time, the two were already distant from the village, but surrounded by a large group of monsters, among them goblins, kobolds, and wolves, as well as another larger goblin with a strong green hue. 

Sief and Edgar leaned against each other and upon realizing they were surrounded, Sief sighed, saying. 

"Why are we attracting these creatures again?" He saw a small goblin advance and with a quick draw of his dagger he plunged the weapon into the monster's head, then threw it to the ground, watching the others advance. "And why didn't you explain about the awakening until now?" 

"We're attracting them so they don't go to the village, whether we like it or not, one or two may show up there." Edgar opened a wide, enthusiastic smile, advancing into a group of goblins who, before they could even retreat, were struck by a horizontal cut from Edgar, who dispatched them in sequence while the swordsman continued to smile. "Besides, it's good for you to learn by seeing, so you won't forget." 

"You're a terrible teacher." Sief said, seeing a wolf leap in his direction, which he dodged and quickly stabbed in the neck of the beast that fell lifeless. "Are you really the son of that kind and helpful man?" 

"I'm a swordsman, not a teacher." And upon hearing that, Sief clicked his tongue, but soon the two continued to advance. "And besides, don't you find me likable?" 

With a smile, Edgar advanced against the Kobolds, who jumped to the sides avoiding the heavy blows, but still some were crushed by the blows as he advanced tirelessly. 

Sief also went against the monsters, dodging their blows and counterattacking with deadly thrusts and cuts, until the largest goblin advanced with its club, making the young man furrow his brow as he thought. 

'Why me?' 

The blow came and hit the ground thanks to Sief's jump, who dodged to the side, but then struck, tearing the neck of the monster who roared and spun, striking, but again Sief retreated and dodged the blow, furrowing his brow as he noticed the monster still breathed. 

Seeing the bleeding, the large goblin turned with an irritated look still staring at Sief who sighed, entering again into his advancing posture. 

"This is idiotic." 

With a quick impulse, Sief advanced and the goblin raised its club, but before the blow came, Sief was already close, causing the monster to grunt in terror, and before it could react, Sief plunged the dagger into its forehead, making the goblin's eyes roll back, and in the same position, the monster fell. 

Edgar whistled and when Sief turned, he saw the swordsman with a slight smile on his face, leaning on his sword as if it were a table. 

"Wow, you're tough, huh?" Still smiling, he removed the sword from the ground and placed it in a holder on his back. "You really are the guy for light weapons, despite being skinny, you have plenty of energy." 

"Okay, I get that you wanted to keep monsters away from the village, but if you weren't going to teach me, why did you put on that master posture?" Sief shook his dagger to clean it from blood and then sheathed it. "From what you said, no one taught you, but you know something." 

"As I said, it was better to show than just teach in practice." Edgar pointed to the bodies of the monsters and Sief turned. "Focus your eyes on that big guy there, he must have the most." 

Sief continued to stare without understanding where this was leading, but after a few seconds he noticed a subtle transparent and almost invisible smoke coming out of the monster's body. 

When he saw it, Sief widened his eyes and turned to the other monsters, noticing the same smokes coming out almost invisible to the naked eye, and upon noticing the astonishment, Edgar continued with a smile. 

"Training and killing monsters make you absorb some of the local mana, awakening is nothing more than something changing in you that makes you capable of absorbing it." He continued to smile and crossed his arms. "It's this absorbed mana that makes you a little stronger, your attributes are high because you've been killing monsters since you were young and thanks to killing a big one, you got a little stronger." 

"So... awakening is the ability of your body to absorb mana?" Sief looked at his arms that hadn't changed at all, but he felt lighter and stronger, noticing a subtle difference. "I didn't know that." 

"There's a much more detailed explanation, but you have to ask a mage... they're the ones who like this stuff." He smiled and stretched. "This mana modifies your attributes and can also be used to create abilities, thanks to this, you can surpass a little of the limit your body naturally has. But of course, mana increases the attributes you use the most, a mage wouldn't be able to fight me even if they were absurdly stronger than me... at least I think..." 

Edgar looked away, but noticed that Sief continued to stare at his arms, looking pensive, until the swordsman spoke again. 

"Let's keep killing monsters around here, we'll stay one day in each territory and I'll help you with whatever I can." He adjusted his posture and walked up to Sief. "Let's focus on fortifying you, we're running against time, I have to get to one of the cities visited and you have to go to Dokkel, but we can't leave you weak, after all, you're an assassin, if not even that hobgoblin died with a single blow, it's not the alphas from other regions that will if you stay the way you are." 

"I understand..." He sighed and clenched his fist. "This will guide me to get stronger... after all... if that thing is still there... I need to help..." 

"I know, but more than training and killing monsters, there's one more thing you need to ensure you can face stronger monsters." He crossed his arms with an excited smile and said. "Can you tell me what it is?" 

"Well..." Sief looked at Edgar, seeming pensive, but then raised an eyebrow. "An ability?" 

"Bingo!" He laughed and said. "Before I go, I'll teach you how to make an ability."