Chapter 44: Everyone Makes Mistakes

Julius awkwardly scratched his head. If he was being honest, he had a feeling that there were some pretty cool evolved skills for [Mana Manipulation]. For a while, he had stubbornly maintained his stance that [Mana Manipulation] was a crutch skill. However, as time went by and he was exposed to more skills he started to realize the fault in his thinking.

If that was the case then he could argue every skill was a crutch. They might not be as integral to magic as [Mana Manipulation], but they would still be a standardized application of mana or ability. He didn’t let [Firebolt] stop him from changing its shape although the skill fought him the entire, so why did it have to be the same with [Mana Manipulation]?

No doubt not having the skill enabled him to improve his mana control to this point. It forced him to put in thousands of hours experimenting with mana, time he might not have put into it if he had the skill to rely on. He was confident he had a better intrinsic feel for mana than most people his age.

However, now that he had improved his control without the skill he could see how much having the skill would increase his fighting prowess. Even after getting stronger, manipulating mana was still a difficult task. It took considerable concentration to precisely use it during a fight and the skill would help him with that.

He still believed that if he had the skill back then, it would have been a crutch. But he could confidently say that wasn’t the case now.

Not having [Mana Manipulation] might have allowed Julius the freedom and opportunity to experiment with [Firebolt] and other skills in such unique ways and he believed that was the main reason why he was offered [Arcane Construct]. But he was seriously considering taking it now. He still had three open skill slots and could always remove it if it wasn’t worth it, but he wanted to at least see if it made a difference. Julius didn’t doubt Declan when he said there were some impressive evolutions at the rare rank.

Declan just observed Julius as he was silent for a while and Orus was looking at Julius as well. Finally, Orus laughed and asked, “What? Did you already evolve it to rare as well?” At this point, Orus wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the boy had also gotten a rare [Mana Manipulation] skill.

Julius shook his head, “I don’t have a rare [Mana Manipulation] skill.”

Smiling at him, Orus said reassuringly, “That’s okay, having even one is a mark of pride at Tier 1. So what’s the long face for?”

Julius didn’t have to answer because Declan interrupted them. “No. You did not,” Declan said in a disappointed and resigned tone.

I think he knows. Julius winced to himself.

“Maybe…” Julius said quietly.

Julius saw Declan put his face into his hands as if he couldn’t believe he had heard something so dumb. Declan lifted his head out of his palms and asked a simple question, “Why?”

“I thought it was a good idea at the time,” Julius explained. “Also in hindsight, I would make the same choice again.”

Orus was looking between the two of them in confusion. “Would you two like to let me know what you guys are talking about?”

“He doesn’t have a [Mana Manipulation] skill.”

“Say again?”

“You heard me,” Declan said.

“I don’t think I did. I must have not cleaned my ears this morning, could you repeat that?” Orus stubbornly asked.

“I don’t have [Mana Manipulation],” Julius finally said loudly.

He was barely able to get out the last word when Orus slapped Julius across the back of the head. “You idiot,” Orus insulted Julius.

Julius rubbed the back of his head. He was sure Orus only hit him that hard because he knew Julius had a healing skill.

“In my defense, it was a good decision at the time.”

“Do you know how many idiots forgo the skill thinking that they can either not be restricted by it or save themselves a slot by not choosing [Mana Manipulation]?” Orus asked Julius. “Too many and each time they just waste time practicing for many times longer for the same results than if they just took the damn skill. Most of them are idiots or fantasizing children. I didn’t think you were both.”

Julius turned red from embarrassment, Orus wasn’t exactly off the mark either. Orus didn’t stop scolding him, “How did any of the people raising or training you not tell you about this?” Julius thought Orus was a big softie, but it seemed that he also had a temper when it came to certain things.

“It’s not that big of a deal. I am telling you the truth when I say I would make the same choice again. Currently, I am pretty good at controlling mana without the support of a skill and if I get one now I feel like it would benefit me a lot,” Julius defended himself getting frustrated at their judgmental tones.

Orus gently whacked him again, “No shit, it would benefit you a lot.”

“Stop that! It kinda hurts” Julius told Orus.

“You know what hurts? Seeing such a talented kid like yourself literally cut your own hand off,” Orus threw back at him. “You have such potential, you were able to keep up with Declan of all people even if he was holding back, but then I hear that you don’t even have [Mana Manipulation].”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Julius was getting annoyed, it didn’t seem like they understood where he was coming from. But if they wouldn’t listen then maybe he could show them.

He tuned out Orus’s yapping and focused deeply, activating [Savage Dance] and [Fighter’s Will]. He wouldn’t create anything powerful or destructive, he wanted to display the sheer finesse he managed to achieve through his own efforts and without a skill.