"My name is Farway." He glanced around the lecture hall, making eye contact with nearly every student before continuing.
"Welcome to Skill Theory."
"As all of you were informed yesterday, Midvest Academy operates very differently from what you would consider a normal institution."
A faint smile crossed his face. "Fortunately for those of you who prefer a more traditional style of learning..."
He gestured around the lecture hall. "...today's class is one of the exceptions. We are gathered in a lecture hall. I will explain concepts. I will ask questions. You will answer them. And, if time permits, I will demonstrate a few things. In other words..."
He chuckled. "This is about as ordinary as a class here will ever become." Dante gave a small nod. 'Teach something useful, at least for today'.
Farway folded his hands behind his back. "Before we begin...How many of you are not Mythical-tier? For example, those of you who are Legendary-tier students accompanying your masters, or attendants permitted to attend under academy regulations."
Several hands slowly rose. Farway nodded approvingly. "Good." "I assure you, you're going to learn a great deal. And before any of you begin worrying..."
"No. You are not missing much by sitting in a Mythical-tier lecture instead of a Legendary-tier one." He paused. "The foundations of all skills are nearly identical." His gaze swept across the room. "So...Who can tell me something that Legendary-tier and Mythical-tier skills have in common?"
A hand rose. Dante glanced toward the speaker. A young half-elf woman stood confidently. "All skills require mana." Farway smiled. "Correct."
He nodded. "Anyone else?" Pure Silence followed. Students exchanged uncertain glances, hoping someone else would answer.
Dante stood. "All skills can kill."
'"....." Further silence before ,laughter spread through parts of the classroom.
Farway chuckled. "Technically true. But I was referring to the intrinsic nature of a skill, not the purpose for which it's used."
Dante nodded. "I see. In that case...All skills can level up."
Farway smiled wider. "Exactly." He clasped his hands together. "Those are the two fundamental truths every one of you must understand."
"First...Every skill requires mana and second...Every skill can grow. It doesn't matter whether your skill manipulates fire, space, souls, time, or something stranger. Those two principles never change."
He began pacing slowly. "Without mana...A skill cannot function. And if you fail to understand how a skill grows...It will remain stagnant forever."
He stopped. "So then... What causes a skill to level up?" Several hands immediately shot into the air. Farway pointed toward one student. "It is said repeated usage grants experience. The more one uses a skill and understands it, the more mastery they accumulate."
Farway nodded. "Correct." He pointed elsewhere. "And another?"
A different student stood. "Meditation. Gathering sufficient mana allows skills to develop. Also correct. Farway smiled. "Those are the two primary requirements, particularly within the Legendary-tier."
He looked around the room. "I don't know how many of you possess multiple skills. I know there are some."
He held up a finger. "Two."
Another. "Three."
Then another. "And even four."
The lecture hall erupted.
"Four skills?"
"Seriously?"
"Impossible..."
Farway simply laughed. "No need to figure out who." Dante silently cursed.
'This motherfucker... Don't you dare expose me'.
Farway continued as though nothing had happened. "Remember these two concepts. Skills grow through mastery. You may call it experience. Experience points. Mastery."
"The terminology isn't important. The principle is."
Dante grinned to himself 'Hah. Figured that one out on my own. I'm actually a genius.'
Farway resumed walking. "The second requirement...Mana. No matter how profound your understanding becomes...If your surroundings cannot provide enough mana..."
"Your skill cannot continue evolving."
He looked toward one side of the room. "This is why many exceptionally talented individuals born in mana-deprived regions never reach their full potential. They understand their abilities. They master them. But without sufficient mana..."
"The skill itself cannot evolve." He paused. "It is one of the fundamental laws governing every skill." Farway folded his arms. "Now then...How many of you possess a Legendary-tier skill above Level Ten?"
This time...Only a handful of students cautiously raised their hands. Farway smiled.
"Interesting."
He nodded approvingly. "Those of you who kept your hands down...Good. It is wise not to reveal too much about yourselves. Even if you believe a Legendary-tier skill is insignificant compared to a Mythical-tier one... You'll eventually discover just how wrong that assumption is."
His expression became noticeably more serious. "By the end of this course...You'll understand why possessing even a single lower-tier skill can drastically alter the outcome of a battle."
The room fell completely silent.
Farway continued. "Those of you who have trained a skill beyond Level Ten already know this. From Level Zero to roughly Level Twenty-Four...A skill grows comparatively quickly. Talent. Resources. Frequency of use. Understanding. All of these influence that growth."
He raised a finger. "But...Have any of you ever wondered... Why every major milestone is given a title?" He looked around the room. "Ascended Saint. Sage. True Sage."
"They are not merely honorary names. They represent fundamental transformations."
His voice lowered. "Strictly speaking...The transformation occurs at Level Twenty-Five."
"But for simplicity...We generally refer to the transition beginning around Level Twenty. You enter the realm known as the True Sage."
He allowed the words to settle. "The reason is simple. The quality of mana your skill begins to manipulate changes. It is no longer the same layer of mana used at lower levels. It becomes... fundamentally different."
Dante's eyes widened. At almost the same moment, the System spoke.
[Master...]
Dante answered internally.
'Could this be...?'
[It is highly probable.]
A grin slowly spread across Dante's face.
'So that's why my skills haven't evolved...
The System agreed.
[This may be the missing condition.]
For the first time since the lecture had begun...
Dante leaned forward.
He was finally paying complete attention.