Chapter 9: Little Mastery
’Looking for a chameleon?’
Mateo shook his head.
He preferred heading to the city center.
The library was still his destination.
Not without reason—there were training rooms there, even though each room was shared by many people.
Mateo joined them, sitting in an empty spot.
There was no more Energy from the Heaven Path Soul, forcing him to rely on himself even just to increase his Spiritual Energy.
But he had the Primordial Life Body. A body-type talent meant he could absorb Spiritual Energy faster.
This was something he had never done before. He wanted to see how fast his absorption actually was.
He still remembered the System’s instructions—using his mind to push his body into absorbing Spiritual Energy.
The moment he did it, his eyes closed automatically.
He could feel Spiritual Energy entering his body through his pores, flowing into his blood before merging with his body.
This process was something he could clearly feel—unlike before, when it simply appeared within him.
(Your current Spiritual Energy absorption speed is 1 point per 10 seconds!)
A System notification appeared.
It was actually the same as the automatic Spiritual Energy from his soul.
The difference was—this time, he had to work for it.
In one hour, that would be 360.
Even though he had to sit with his eyes closed—yet not asleep—Mateo enjoyed the calmness of the process.
Besides, there was a sense of comfort each time Spiritual Energy merged with his body.
That comfort came from knowing his strength was increasing little by little.
Then, he tried to understand Life Power Armor.
If he had to compare it, it was like data—data that already existed in his mind, which he could recall while in this world.
However, remembering the data didn’t mean understanding it.
His task was to comprehend it.
The more he understood, the more mastery he gained.
It didn’t feel that difficult, but it took time to process—like solving a math problem where you know the formula, but still need time to apply it.
Constant thinking was the key, and Mateo didn’t enjoy this process as much as absorbing Spiritual Energy.
He shook his head before deciding to focus solely on absorption for now.
Splitting focus would only slow him down—better to do things one at a time.
Since he enjoyed the process, time passed quickly.
One hour felt too short.
Two hours. Three hours. Four hours.
He kept absorbing Spiritual Energy.
After five hours, he finally opened his eyes, tired of keeping them closed.
[Magic Realm: Initiate]
[Spiritual Energy: 6,190 / 10,000] +1,800
[Spiritual Energy Accumulation: 7,190] ×3
DING!
(You have absorbed 1,800 Spiritual Energy through your own effort without any external aid. You have earned 18 System Points!)
[System Point: 28] +18
So doing this also rewarded him with System Points.
’How much Heaven Path Soul Energy would I get if I exchanged my System Points?’
He wondered.
The System had said that System Points could be exchanged for improvements in anything within himself.
Spiritual Energy, Codex mastery, or techniques—these were the main ones.
So logically, Heaven Path Soul Energy should count as well.
’System, convert all my System Points into Heaven Path Soul Energy,’ Mateo commanded mentally.
DING!
(You have exchanged 28 System Points for 2.80 Heaven Path Soul Energy!)
[System Point: 0]
[Soul:]
Heaven Path Soul > 2.81 (SSS Class Soul) +2.80
The result was ten times less efficient, but Mateo didn’t mind.
After obtaining the energy, he immediately wished for mastery of Life Power Armor.
DING!
(You have gained 7.5% mastery of Life Power Armor at the cost of 2.81 Energy!)
[Soul:]
Heaven Path Soul > 0 (SSS Class Soul)
[Codex Magica:]
Life Power Armor > 7.5% (S Class Codex Magica)
Another notification appeared.
His Heaven Path Soul Energy was instantly depleted—but he gained mastery.
Even at just 7.5%, the difference was clear.
He could feel that he could now form Life Power Armor on both of his hands.
It functioned as a storage of Life Element reserves—allowing him to release far more than his body alone could produce.
More importantly, it was an incredibly tough defense with rapid regeneration and the ability to absorb an opponent’s vitality upon direct contact.
50% mastery was what Mateo needed to fully utilize the armor.
"So it’s already night..."
He looked outside.
The sky had darkened, but the small city wasn’t dim.
They used crystals that emitted light brighter than lamps.
Compared to Earth, day and night here lasted much longer.
Mateo stepped into the library courtyard. It was quieter now, with no noticeable activity.
But he saw William again, pacing back and forth with a restless expression.
Mateo wasn’t sure if he was in trouble again.
"William..." Mateo called as he approached.
That alone nearly made William jump in shock.
"Ehm... Mateo..."
"What’s wrong with you?" Mateo asked.
At just that question, William scratched his long hair, looking even more uneasy.
"What should I do, Mateo... Alex wants to kill me here," he said.
"Kill you? Why?"
"I haven’t paid my debt... and he knows I just got money."
"Then what did you use the money for?"
"I-It’s..." William became awkward. "It’s gone... I accidentally gambled it away online. Mateo, can you lend me 1,000 dollars?"
Mateo, "..."
