"Well, I think it would be best to work on the new offensive skill first, But from your experiences in experimenting with skills, What did it feel like as you changed your mana blast?"
"Huh..." Lucian found it hard to grasp the concept of manipulating his mana, he could have it flow as he pleased, but to shape something untangable seemed hard to grasp, just like the wind. He would do his best to create something new though, just from a different approach to what he anticipated at the start.
Lucian Focus: 25 - 27 = -2
Using Mana Flow and Mana Wave, Lucian would be able to gather the Mana in his hands. Condensing the mana into a more focused, concentrated form. When launched from himself, he felt the flow of mana from this somewhat condensed, comet like blast. Lucian then discovered that, with the flow of mana from the blast to himself would still be connected, he could use his internal focus to essentially control the attack with his mind and body. When it hit his intended Ren, with his Mana Armor active as he used the Duel function of their power, Lucian would discover also that upon impact of the blast that the flow would still be there for just a split second, enough so that he could send a second surge through towards the target.
Unfortunately since it was a trial run and an experiment the Lucian could not create the second surge fast enough, but Lucian discovered that it could be done.
Two new windows appeared before him.
A Skill has been created through a Special Action. By applying the flow of mana to a blast of it, the ability to create a mana blast with multiple attacks using the flow of Mana from the user to the launched attack, Chained Mana Surge, has been created.
Chained Mana Surge (Level 1: 0/100) (Active: 15 MP + 7 MP): You launch a more powerful, condensed surge of Mana towards your opponent that takes on a comet like shape. Upon the blast hitting the target the target takes 1 ~ 12 + 25% Focus Score in damage. By sending an additional small surge of mana through the flow of mana from the user to the blast you can hit them with an additional attack, 1~ 6 + 10% Focus Score Damage. Currently you can send up to 1 additional surge through the trail of the blast. You may also curve the trajectory of this blast a small bit to hit targets that might be behind a light bit of cover as well. To Level Up: Use Chained Mana Surge. Hit an Enemy with Chained Mana Surge. Defeat an Enemy with Chained Mana Surge.
"Thanks, that seemed to work nicely," Clicking away the windows as the appeared, informing him of his new skill. "And thanks as well for using your armour, I have an idea to make my own as well, but with a bit of a natural twist." He took of his glasses to give them a quick shine as he tried to relax before creating his next skill. "...Say Ren, have you ever been overseas before?" His face going slightly red as he inquired, he tied to hide this by having his hand infront as he faked to examine his glasses. "I'm just wondering is all." He then got into a stance before giving his other idea a test run.
Lucian Focus: 2 (Critical!)
Lucian would be able to flow the mana around him, spinning it around him as though it were the wind, forming a sort of revolving shield around him. Of course it was puny and small since creating something big right now during experimentation would drain his mana in a second. Focusing on the feeling of the wind around him as well Lucian would feel his current protection from the wind assisting this as some of the wind that was invisibly surrounding him became one with this small, spinning shield of mana. Thanks to his Spirit Channeling Skill his own spirit could connect with the wind here automatically as he focused, making the wind and his current mana flow one for a slight surge of spinning mana that looked more like an azure wind.
After that somewhat intense rush was over as it only lasted for just a few long moments, as it was starting to drain Lucian's MP dry, two new Windows appeared.
A Skill has been created through a Special Action. By connecting with the wind and creating a spinning barrier of mana and wind around himself, the ability to create a revolving, protective shield of Mana and winds, Mana Whirlwind Shield, has been created.
Mana Whirlwind Shield (Level 1: 0/100) (Active: 70 / 35 MP): Using a combination of channeling your spirit and the flow of mana you can create a whirling shield of wind and mana around you. If you have some blessings of wind upon you already this Skill costs 35 MP to use. The shield spinning close to your body absorbs an amount of damage that you would take equal to your 25% of your Focus Score and the spinning of the shield's mana and winds within it weakens all blows to it by 10% due to the spinning deflecting them away partially. With no blessings of wind currently active you connect to the wind yourself when using this skill, which takes alot more energy and thus costs 70 MP to use and the shield only absorbs an amount of damage equal to 20% of your Focus Score and weakens all blows only by 5%. The shield lasts for one minute before automatically dissipating. To Level Up: Use Mana Whirlwind Shield, Have the Shield absorb damage, have the shield get broken.
After it finished, he let out a deep sigh of relief, that was easier than I imagined, yet harder than I thought it would be. Clicking his windows away, Lucian was well pleased with what he had learened. "Did you want to test anything out before Mike comes?"
Ren felt the blast hit him, his armor luckily reducing a good amount of the damage so it didn't really do a whole lot anyway, Ren watching as Lucian seemed to touch a few windows. "That blast certainly did feel different from your regular Mana Wave Skill." With Ren's ability to manipulate Mana he could sense it as well and sort of sensed a connection between Lucian and the blast, but it was not necessarily a tangible one, but more of a metaphysical one. It was quite strange at how all of these skills for using Mana could be so different yet they seemed so similar.
Then came a question of whether or not Ren had been overseas, which enlisted a raised eyebrow from Ren. "Yea, my parents used to take me to all different sorts of places for work. I even stayed in America for a few years when I was somewhat younger so I know a bit of English. I never really liked it there though, especially the strange parties that they took me to for whatever their job was, which is something to this day that I don't know anything about or even care about in the slightest." A simple response as Ren checked his own Skill window, nodding as he saw that MP Armor had gained a slight bit of EXP from blocking that attack.
After that he watched Lucian create something that was quite a bit more impressive. A swirling shield of azure colored winds, or so that's how it looked in its infantile stages. Ren knew that once a skill was created it would look much different than it did in the experimental stages, so the shield would probably be alot more solid than it was now, something like Ren's own Mana Shield Skill but also something that was alot more intricate.
Then he heard Lucian asking him if he wanted to test anything, and he nodded. "I would like to test out Eldritch Flame, see if I can't empower my own Mana skills with it since it seems to be sort of a rudimentary Skill right now. You should probably put that Shield of yours back up, that way you can get some EXP for it while I test out my new thing."
Ren would wait for Lucian to put up his Mana Whirlwind Shield. When he used the Skill the shield was now a complete small dome over him like most Mana shields were in games. While it didn't appear to be actively rotating and spinning, wind could be seen every now and again rotating around the shield, as if the spinning was more of an invisible thing rather than a flashy affect. So it was definitely spinning, but not in a manner that was entirely visible.
Ren focused, deciding to start with a simple mana skill.
"Mana Bolt." He formed the bolt in his hand and began to focus upon its Mana.
"Eldritch Flame." Now a greenish, blackish flame formed in his other hand, Ren gritting his teeth a small bit as it was very hot and looked somewhat hard to control. He began to focus more, trying to merge the flame's Mana with the Mana of the Mana Bolt.
Ren Focus: 38 - 38 Focus = 0
Ren seemed to get it, although with a bit more difficulty than normal as he would feel as though perhaps pure focus wasn't the best way to control this fire. Regardless he managed to get what he was going for. The blue mana bolt now burned with that greenish-blackish flame as Ren then launched it towards Lucian, the bolt impacting dead on since it was easy to hit a target that wasn't really trying to dodge.
The shield managed to hold up against the bolt for just a moment, but was effectively shattered by its strength, the fiery mana bolt slamming into Lucian. Needless to say the bolt hurt alot. The impact of the bolt itself was mostly nulled by the shield, but the dark fiery power it carried burned. Unfortunately Lucian wasn't quick enough to dodge the flame so he found himself on fire quite quickly, the flame burning really hot and hurting quite a bit. This made Ren's eyes widen as in a bit of a panic he aimed his hand towards Lucian. This was the other thing he wanted to test, but he didn't think he'd get to test it so quickly as the fire was chipping away at Lucian's HP. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why Saito said that agility was important.
"Force Siphon!" From what the Skill's description told him, Force Siphon could be used to siphon life force or spiritual force, Mana, from targets. He figured if it could siphon mana from living targets, then maybe it could drain the power of other people's powers if he used the Mana of Force Siphon to try and grasp and drain the Mana or power of a different ability. In this case, Ren was aiming for the Eldritch Flame that was currently burning Lucian.
Ren Focus: 22 - 38 Focus = -14
Despite it being a bit more difficult to control a dark power with just pure focus as it probably required a few different things, manipulating its Mana to grasp the Mana of the flame he created was pretty well executed. As he used the force siphon a dark, yellowish glow went from his hands and grasped onto the flame, seeming to literally suck the power right out of it, ceasing its burning and returning some of the Mana to Ren, who quickly ran over to him. "That got... a bit out of hand... are you alright?" Ren put his hand on Lucian.
"First Aid" Was what Ren said after putting his hand upon Lucian's arm. After waiting six seconds a green glow would wash over Lucian as some of the damage was healed. In total, Lucian had taken 38 Damage from all of that, but his Mana Whirlwind Shield did go up another Level. 21 HP was healed by Ren's usage of First Aid, which also took away a good bit of the pain.
He took a few steps back, sighing some, now feeling somewhat awkward after nearly accidentally roasting Lucian alive, so he wanted to move the conversation on from that point as he began to think of one more thing to test before Mike showed up as he looked at some new windows that appeared for him. While looking at the new windows, Ren decided to ask Lucian a question. "So... what about you? Have you been overseas before?"
hot...Hot...HOT!! Lucian was desperately trying to put out the flames that had covered his body, but the magical flames would not be subdued by normal means, He felt his life points dropping as the flames continued to lick away at his body, he wasn't burning up, but the pain was like no other. If not for Ren's other skill, Lucian was certain he would have died then and there. His body still feeling the pains of flames before Ren used a healing skill on him, which soothed the pain till it was all but gone.
"Okay...Lets not do that again, it wasn't fun." Lucian now understood why, in some games, when you are lit on fire, you run around like a fool and don't do anything else, "and to answer your question, pretty much the same as you, My parents had a job that took us all over, we ended up moving around a lot, and having to make appearances at special meetings or dinners." He patted off the arms of his shirt, it had no visible sign of damage from the magical flames gladly. "So, anything else you wanted to try? Hopefully not involving dark fire." He let out a weak chuckle.
"Yea. Even if we are in the middle of the duel, which means we can't kill one another right now, using that skill on anyone but an enemy is dangerous..." Ren also felt a bit strange as it had drained a little bit of his own HP when he used it, but he kept that a secret for now. As Ren also heard that Lucian had been overseas he nodded, a little surprised that they had a similar set of circumstances. "You ever go to America? Aside from anime conventions, its not all that great...don't see why people say foreigners are better." After reading over a window one more time he closed it with a swipe of his hand, looking towards Lucian.
"Use that Mana Whirlwind Skill again, I want to test something with a new Skill I just received. We can rest a bit to recover both our MP and HP after I try this out while we wait for Mike to show up." Ren waited for Lucian to use the skill once again, Ren aiming at the shield. He remembered the feeling of draining the power of the Eldrtich Flame with Force Siphon. He wondered if he could use his new Power Siphon skill to grab the power of the shield, but instead of absorbing it, using it on himself. He knew it would be difficult, but it was worth a shot.
"Power Siphon!" That same dark, yellowish glow from before moved from Ren's hands, aiming for the shield.
Ren Focus: 0 (Critical!)
The absorbing was easy, as that was part of the skill. He managed to absorb 21 MP from the Shield, which was 60% of its strength. Instead of absorbing the MP of it back into himself though he focused on it instead when it came to him, holding it in hand. He could feel the strength of the shield in the MP as he stopped and held it in his hands. It was a bit difficult to control the dark power of the Skill, but perhaps since the Skill Lucian used was made of purely mana with wind, it seemed... easier to control for some reason. Focusing now he raised his hand above himself and unleashed the power of the Mana he had taken control of, a noticibly weaker version of Lucian's Mana Whirlwind Shield forming around him for just a few moments.
Unfortunately, as this was only a trial run, it was too weak to stay around for long, but Ren felt like he easily obtained how to use it and grasp it, maybe even do other things with the power of other abilities. Ren noticed a window appearing for him and he read it, as well as two more, which he soon closed. "Anyway, we should wait to regain our MP and HP before Mike shows up since we'll need them for grinding..." As they waited, he looked towards Lucian, deciding to ask him a question. "What did your parents do and what kind of parties did you attend?" As they talked about this, something seemed familiar to Ren and he didn't know why, so he was a bit curious, but just guessed that whatever the familiar feeling he had was just a sort of a thing about them having a similar past.
"I have been to America a few times with my family, it wasn't bad, and it wasn't great. Also went to Europe a few times as well, it was great to walk through places that games and stories are based off of, kind of made me feel like a character in one of them, humorous as now we are." Lucian smirked, then got his shield ready for Ren's next move.
Afterwards they talked for a while whilst regaining mana and health and waiting for Mike to show up. "What my parents did? I'm not entirely sure. I think it had something to do with marketing or research. They never really talked much about it with me, and even now they are pretty hush about it." He shrugged, "As to the parties, they were more formal than anything, all the adults would gather in their groups and discuss things about work, and how they balanced work with normal life, meanwhile all the 'kids' got lumped together regardless of our age or interests. Most of us having common ground, but not really talking much. I usually just played on my GameGuy Colour." Lucian looked back on those memories fondly, nice place, fairly busy, yet being entranced in his games.
"I remember something like that including this one other person who was strange. I don't really remember much though as I was younger at the time I usually just kept to myself as well and played games or sat in the corner, not really liking them because I was always..." Ren stopped though as Mike finally showed up in the Pseudospace, Ren looking over at him.
"I guess its just us three then. We can just grind Zombies for now as I am mainly focusing on Skill grinding and since they are weaker we may not get as much EXP from them but they are good for grinding skills because they are slow. We will get some EXP on them." Ren had his ID Create high enough to make Wisp ID, but he didn't know what they are and wasn't sure if fighting an enemy he knew nothing about was a good idea as of yet.
"Is everyone ready?"