Progressive spell

If this skill worked just as he thought, then it might be the most overpowered skill in existence.

ChatJK2… does my Supreme Skill allow me to control mana that is not mine?

[That is correct. You can exert influence over other beings' mana. The level of control you have over their mana will depend on the difference in the mastery of the spell between you and the spellcaster.]

Michael had to admit that the Supreme Skill he had obtained was nothing less than a golden cheat like those powers in anime and fantasy novels.

If he could control anyone's mana, then he could disrupt any spell they were trying to cast, rendering his opponents powerless. Or better yet, he could turn the magic around and let the caster be the target of their own spell.

So this is a Supreme Skill… I'm surprised you're able to make such a strong skill on your own, ChatJK2.

[That is one of the benefits of the software update.]

Does this mean that you can create any kind of spell that I can think of? Can you synthesize everything into a magic spell?

[While synthesizing new spells is possible, it will currently be limited to 3-star magic spells and below. This is because though the information stored in this Magic Library is expansive, there are still a lot of gaps in knowledge.]

[To synthesize new spells above the 3-star level, a new software update is required. Obtaining new information from other sources, such as a Magic Library, will contribute well to the next update.]

Then, ChatJK2 flashed a progress bar in his vision.

[Progress to next update: 0%]

It was as if ChatJK2 was giving him a request. 'Give me more mystic knowledge,' it said.

Of course, Michael was incredibly motivated to do so as well. After all, the stronger his personal AI assistant became, the easier his life would be. Case in point, he had earned a really powerful Supreme Skill this time around. He could only imagine what more he would get in the next update.

Michael made it a priority to find more sources of knowledge in the future.

"Oh, baby… what's happening to you?" Lylia's voice was filled with concern as she noticed Michael absentmindedly staring into the void. She feared that something had gone wrong with him again.

Michael quickly snapped back to reality, pulling his focus away from ChatJK2.

For the first time, he could see it—every particle of mana present in the Tower Master's chamber—so vividly, it was as if his eyes had unlocked a new ability to see them.

Mana looked like microscopic, fuzzy balls, each made out of tiny wiggling strings.

But as he observed the mana around him, he had a distinct feeling that the mana particles were observing him as well. They regarded him with curiosity, as if this was the first time someone had actually looked at them with such clarity.

Then, Michael's eyes were drawn to his mother. Inside her body, he saw it—the intricate crystalline core forming and pulsing with magical energy.

Suddenly, a screen popped up in front of his eyes, detailing her magic qualities.

[Lylia Von Vanderbilt]

[Title: Earthen Witch of the West]

[Magic Talent: S Class]

[Element Mastery: Earth]

[Magic Purity: 90%]

[Mana Quantity: 91,493 mana]

[Realm: 7-star Expert Mage]

So this is what it means to sense all mana in my surroundings… This is incredibly useful.

Realizing that he was still staring at his mother, Michael quickly shook his head and acted normally.

"I'm fine, Mom," he said, forcing a reassuring smile. "I was just trying to get a grip on myself."

Lylia reached out and ruffled his hair in worry. "Don't push yourself too hard, dear."

Meanwhile, Bart turned toward Seberus. "Tower Master, is there any way we can make sure that this won't happen again?"

The 8-star mage hesitated. He was ashamed to say that he was clueless. He couldn't find the answer as to why Michael passed out after touching the Magic Library.

"I don't know why it happened," Serberus admitted. "But I can assure you that there is no threat to Michael's body. I checked his well-being the entire time and saw no signs of degradation in his mental or physical state. It was as if he was merely asleep."

Bart felt relieved upon hearing his words. It was a scary thought to think that Michael would suddenly drop unconscious out of nowhere without an explanation.

"But can we do something to prevent it so that it won't happen again?" Bart asked.

Seberus stroked his long white beard and pondered for a second. Then, he snapped his fingers and conjured an old, tattered brown book. Its pages were yellowed from years of exposure.

"It would be best for Michael to focus on improving his physical health first and foremost," Seberus said. "His magical talents have manifested too early, creating an imbalance in his body that may have caused his sudden unconsciousness."

The Tower Master walked over to Michael and handed the book to Michael.

"This is an Earth magic technique that can help you improve your body by strengthening it with Earth mana, turning it as resilient as the hardest of minerals. With it, you will gain a natural Earth defense in your body, without ever needing to cast a single spell."

"This is a progressive technique, meaning that it will get better as you practice and master it. The magic technique starts as a 1-star spell but has the potential to reach the 9-star level."

Michael received the book, sending a small puff of dust into the air.

"This spell can reach the 9-star level?" Michael asked in wonder.

"Yes," Cerberus confirmed, "but it is quite an outdated practice because it takes a lot of time and commitment for one to reach a reasonably strong defense."

"This was a product of a time when defensive spells were uncommon. Once more emerged that could be cast within a second and didn't need copious amounts of time to practice, this technique became obsolete."

"But that shouldn't concern you. You only need to improve your physical resiliency, so practicing this technique till the second level should be more than enough."

Lylia quickly took the book and nodded to herself, feeling that it was a sufficient Earth technique for Michael to learn.

"As soon as we get home," she said firmly, "I'll help you train so that this will never happen again!"