Prelude
“If you don’t use it, you lose it. This is the most common knowledge known to us humans.” The teacher began, already I could feel the tension building in my head, as I would have to again force myself to sit through yet another lecture on this world’s odd logic.
The first time I heard the explanations of this world, I was in awe. For this world had one thing that I could only dream about in my past life, namely I had the ultimate of head starts. First, I had a healthy body, and above all I was born into a prestigious if slightly dubious family of rich backstabbing royals. I guess, you kind of have to pick your poisons when it comes to wealth, and well apparently, part of how our family first achieved, and now proceeded to keep their power was through ruthless back stabbings and betrayals.
At first the money was great, as it meant I had access to tutors and instructors who helped me learn faster, which actually was a thing in this world.
“In this world, skills are everything,” the instructor continues his lecture, pulling me out of my own personal thoughts about finally being able to graduate and advance in this world. “You want to get stronger, find a Skill that boosts Strength upon leveling and practice, practice, practice. Now what are some basic skills people could use to increase their strength?”
“The Basic Strengthening and Positive Movement Skill!” One student called out without raising their hand.
The teacher just shook his head in admonition, that is when a second student raises their hand to get called upon.
“The basic Running, Speed and Sprinting Skill!” The second called upon student answered.
“Very good, now you are calling these skills basic, but is that their actual name?”
“No, they are actually called Common skills.”
“Good, now what does a common skill mean?” The teacher continued to ask upon students in the classroom.
“Common skills consist of seven possible evolutions, each of which can only be achieved after ten total levels. Each evolution, achieved after 10 levels gained is met with a one-point completion bonus. Allowing for 1.1 Attributes to be gained per cap.” A student who was clearly working on their Scholar badge stated.
A Scholar was an Uncommon skill that focused on users providing as accurate and succinct of answers as possible. At one point I was tempted to take up the Scholar Skill, but I ultimately dismissed it, as I didn’t have enough free skill slots to justify getting it over a more needed skill, like the aforementioned Running Skill.
“Now these are all types of what skills?”
“Physical Skills.” The class responded in unison.
“Okay, and what is the second main category of skills?”
“Mental Skills.” The class again answered as one, their voice getting into a singular drone of annoyance.
“Good, now what is the main difference between Physical Skills and Mental Skills?” The teacher asked.
“One requires you to focus on Physical Attributes like Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina, while Mental Skills focus on Perception and Intelligence.” A student responded.
“That is correct, but not quite what I am looking for here. Has anyone been able to identify the key differences between leveling speeds of Physical Skills versus Mental Skills?” The teacher asked.
With that question there was a pause as many students suddenly took on confused faces.
Seeing that no one seemed to know, I just grimaced as I wondered if I was the only one who had noticed this phenomenon. Despite there being countless blogs on advanced teaching forums devoted to this very topic. While there were many ideas, I was able to definitively prove a few of them correct.
“Ms. DiVoratore?” The teacher asked, apparently seeing that I was one of the few students who didn’t have a completely glassy look to their eyes at the moment.
Sigh.
Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to speak what I had found to be true during my time here. “The primary difference between physical and mental skills, other than the noted Attributes associated is the time quotient.”
“Time Quotient?” The Teacher pressed on, not letting me off with that partial answer.
“Yes, the time quotient, or number of hours needed to complete each level that is being tested. Take for instance Running, it begins first with Standing, where every ten hours that you stand you gain a level. From there, it goes onto step taking, where every ten hours you take at least one step, you gain a level. And so on, until you finally max out each of these tiny evolutions with an Evolution and Cap bonus. Once you complete the seven hundred hours of physical activities, you complete your Skill and are marked with the ability to have it removed.”
“Oh, and is that the same for Mental skills?”
Rolling my eyes, I answer. “No, mental skills take twice as long to level. Often requiring twenty hours of effort to complete one level. Making each evolution require on average 140 hours of dedicated learning to achieve before acquiring the noted evolution cap bonuses.”
I know why he is calling on me, as I have already MAXED out my Common school related academic and physical education related Skills.
“And what happens when you MAX out a Skill?” The teacher asks.
“It just sits there, staring at you, telling you it can be Removed without any issues,” I reply dryly.
Chuckle.
“Yes, the Skill will sit there, until either you come of age and can remove and add new Skills as needed, or by someone who has Achieved a Master Educator Skill. A Skill that every principal is required to have in order to be assigned the role of principal.” The teacher continued.
Translation, I was stuck with my current skills for the moment as all but one Uncommon skill had been MAXED out and were ready for removal without any issues.
Just thinking about being forced to wait, I mentally pause and pull up my basic Skills and Attributes page. This is the same page that everyone of my teachers have automatic access to, along with anyone who I have a personal trust with.
All of the above skills, along with my base of 5 Attributes everyone gets (earned at a rate of 1 every two years until year 10), resulted in the cumulative readout below.
These are the Attributes that everyone can see, as these are based on my standard skills that are visible to anyone and factor in my innate starting 5 Attribute points. However, the above does not account for the most important Skills.
“Now we can all only have five basic Skills at any one time, but aren’t there certain Skills that can put us over the noted Five Skill Max?”
“Class skills?”
“Yes, Class skills can put us over, but I’m thinking more about what some of you might already have?” The Teacher asked.
“Oh, there are bloodline skills,” the same Scholar Student answers, no doubt adding more time to his skill leveling progress as he continues to speak in a know-it-all manner, though in this case I can’t hate him too much as I would do the same had I equipped the same Skill. “Where the bloodline generally consists of two components, those being the Unawakened Bloodline Skill, which everyone who expresses the bloodline has. Then there is the Awakened Bloodline Skill, which only manifests after the bloodline has been fully activated within the individual, and generally only after the Unawakened Bloodline Skill has been maxed out.”
“Very good, now what are signs of someone with an awakened bloodline?” The teacher begins.
Sigh.
Again, I sigh, as I am no doubt the easiest to notice, and identify. Mainly because everyone knows that I both manifested my family’s bloodline early, and then managed to awaken at an exceptionally early age.
“You mean like creepy purple eyes, with shock white hair?” Veronica, the nastiest female I have ever had the displeasure of meeting in two lifetimes cuts in.
“Actually, Ms. DiVoratore’s violet eyes are the sign that she manifested the bloodline. Her shock white hair is a sign that she has fully awakened her bloodline’s power, making her formidable and stands as a clear warning sign to anyone wishing to challenge her.” The teacher spoke, calling out my clear physical changes that I have manifested as a sign of my awakening.
“Ohh, spooky,” Veronica continues, again another dig at me and my family as we are known as Ghost hunters. Mainly for our Bloodline Skills.
As these Skills are Bloodline skills there are no evolutionary bonuses, but the way this is fixed is by having a major Completion bonus for completing all 100 levels of Soul Sight. Allegedly there is a similar type multiplier bonus where a person who completed all 200 levels of Soul Devourer would receive a bonus of 100 Attribute points, but no one has achieved this, at least not for the past few millennia.
Still even with my Bloodline Skill being level 78, a mark that is exceptional given how long I have been considered to be Awakened, it doesn’t seem to matter to most as it is only gained from going into graveyards and forbidden wastelands and fighting back the angry spirits that still occupy the lands. Sometimes a powerful Classer will die, requiring one of the other Awakened Family members to go and publicly remove the wayward ghost, but mostly we are unseen at the border lands. Fighting back to regain the lost lands inch by inch.
A process that gets us first right to sell the newly converted fringe lands, which is a way we have managed to maintain our Family’s power and prestige, but many do not like our methods. That and our obvious otherworldly appearances make most people frightened to even look at us. This normally would be enough to keep even the most crazed haters quiet. But unfortunately, I have been mostly disowned by my family.
“Now, who can tell us the final Skill that is unique to each and everyone of us, the Skill you could call your personal mission in life?” The teacher presses.
“You mean like Trashy personal skills?” Veronica quips, while giving me a side-long glare.
More laughter.
Hearing her continue to make snide remarks at my expense, the other students all chuckle lightly, though some have the decency to try to look embarrassed.
“Ms. Smoulders, I will warn you to stop antagonizing other students, particularly those that are stronger than you.” The teacher cut in, silencing the laughter, before continuing on with his lecture topics. “Though you are correct, the final Skill anyone can get is what is referred to as the Personal Skill. Now this can be anything from a Common Skill, to Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Relic, or even a Unique Skill. Now can anyone tell me what separates Personal Skills from any other type?”
“There is no level limit, and no Cap bonuses for Evolutions, as the Personal Skill is considered stagnant and therefor will not evolve,” that same Scholar Student answers.
Hearing the Scholar student talk, I can only thank every lucky star I have that I didn’t choose that as one of my five basic skills. Mainly because I would likely be even more hated than I already am, if I had also chosen that annoying skill. Not that the Skill itself is annoying, but that the user of that Skill often come across as arrogant and pretentious, possibly an unforeseen side effect of the skill. Just as my Soulsight skill causes me to have purple eyes, so too the Scholar Skill might make you slightly more annoying.
“Correct, Mr. Kinsington. So if there is no level limit and no chance of evolution to a Personal Skill, what is the purpose of noting the quality of the Skill to begin with?” Our Teacher continued.
“Because the rarity rating determines the rate at advancement. Common skills will only offer a bonus of .01. Uncommon .02, and so on until Relics, which will get a .06 bonus.” The Scholar, Mr. Sean Kinsington replied.
“Now you noted all of the standard Skills that theoretically anyone could get, but is there another category?” The Teacher asked.
“You mean a uniquely Trash skill? Yeah, we know who that is,” Veronica Smoulders again quipped.
More chuckles.
Seeming to ignore the comment Sean cut in and answered, “yes, there is a category of Skills noted as Unique that provides on Average .07 increase per Attribute, but that is mostly speculation as there are so few Unique skills knowns.”
Very good, and once again the entire class is referring to me, and why I am currently in the process of being disinherited by my family. Mainly due to my Unique Personal Skill that quite frankly blows all of my other skills, even my two Bloodline Skills out of the water.
See, they are right that an apparent base of .07 Attribute increases are noted per level, but that isn’t the limit as I get 0.1 Mana per level as well. Making mana, one of the hardest Attributes to increase without a specialized Magic class as nearly impossible. Better still, it kind of plays into my personal passion of getting rid of waste and debris and making the world a better place. A skill that is particularly needed in this world as apparently there was a war some time ago that caused society to mostly collapse. With only the system being society’s salvation for surviving to this point.
My actual Attributes with Personal and Bloodline Skills factored in (Visible only to me, and certain advanced Diviners).
Given my overall progress, I can’t say I regret anything to this point. Being on my second life, I have to consider myself fairly blessed. Despite being on the verge of being kicked out of a royal family, I can’t say I regret anything to this point. Particularly as I am pretty sure I am ready for whatever the world throws at me.
In fact, the only reason why the DiVoratore family hasn’t thrown me out just yet, despite being a public embarrassment due to my unending need to get rid of trash and clutter, is that it would be easier to let me graduate at this point. That or forced emancipation, where I can begin adding and removing Skills on my own, even if they are not completed or fully finished.
That said, my family is likely going to miss out on the most important thing, my Class assignment, and the last true form of recognition I need to be considered a full adult.
