I scrolled back through the list, weighing each option the way I would a weapon laid out on a table.
[Skill Book: Quick Step]
Common – 50 Bronze
Channel mana into your legs to surge forward in a blur of speed. Leaves faint afterimages as you move, making it harder for enemies to track your position. Duration: 2–3 seconds. Cooldown: 10 seconds. Scales with Dexterity and Intelligence.
I'd already seen Sol use it, his form blurring, black mana threads trailing behind him like smoke. To the untrained eye, he might as well have teleported. But it wasn't teleportation; just speed. Anyone could follow him if they had a high enough dexterity and perception. A burst of mana channeled into his legs, every muscle firing at once. Against enemies, it was a clean dodge or a way to close in before they could react.
[Skill Book: Shadow Veil]
Common – 80 Bronze
Channel mana to weave shadows around your body, muffling sound and bending light. In dim areas, the effect creates a cloaking shroud that reduces visibility and presence. Movement speed is reduced by 20% while active. Duration: 10 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Scales with Stealth and Perception.
I smirked faintly as I read it. Shadows bending to cloak you, muffling your sound, twisting light away from your skin. It was just an advanced version of what I'd already trained myself to do. I didn't need shadows to move unseen; I was the shadow. But paired with my natural stealth? It would turn silence into invisibility. Ten seconds could mean slipping a blade under someone's chin without them even knowing I was in the room. The only bad thing is that it reduces movement speed. Hopefully, if it's a high enough level, I will be able to bypass it.
[Skill Book: Spark]
Common – 30 Bronze
Generates a small burst of lighting mana. Effective at close range, the Spark can jolt enemies, causing minor damage and momentary muscle disruption. The stun lasts up to 1-5 seconds, depending on the level difference. Primarily used to interrupt attacks or create an opening in combat. Damage and stun duration increase with Intelligence and skill level. Cooldown: 8 seconds.
That one was simpler. Basic, raw, barely more than a jolt of static dressed up as magic. But sometimes that's all you need. A taser in your hand instead of steel. Close range, a second of paralysis. Just long enough to end someone before they scream or knock them out. Not flashy. Not strong. But practical.
[Skill Book: Mana Bolt]
Common – 30 Bronze
Forms a condensed projectile of raw mana and launches it toward a target. At the base level, the bolt deals moderate damage and travels in a straight line, effective up to 20 meters. With increased Intelligence and skill growth, the bolt's range, speed, and impact force improve, eventually splitting into multiple projectiles at higher ranks. Cooldown: 5 seconds. Particularly effective for harassing enemies from mid-range or disrupting lightly armored foes, but less efficient against heavily armored or shielded targets.
A step up from Spark. Clean, focused damage. Twenty meters wasn't much, but enough to snipe a goblin before it ever got close, or punish something hiding behind its weaker kin.
It wouldn't replace my pistols, not yet, but mana didn't run out of bullets. It could be the backup I'd always wanted—something that didn't jam, didn't need reloading, didn't run dry.
I already saw the description for Iron Will before Nicole and I went to see Nadia. It's a good skill to have, but my willpower is already strong enough for now.
I glanced at our currency, doing the math in my head.
Currency Available
Bronze: 167
Silver: 41
Gold: 0
Twenty people officially in my group—not counting Eli and Henry. That meant each person could get 8 bronze and 2 silver, with 7 bronze and 1 silver left over. Fair split. I'd talk to Nicole later about what to do with the extras, but that was a problem for another time.
Right now, I need to decide what I am getting.
I scrolled through the Beginner's Store again, weighing the choices. In all honesty, they were basic—entry-level spells. But if I had to choose? It came down to Spark or Mana Bolt. Spark was practical—like a taser—but I could already incapacitate someone without frying them. Mana Bolt, though… it was versatile. Clean. Ranged. Something I didn't have outside of bullets.
Decision made, I bought it.
My personal wealth dropped to 78 bronze coins.
The moment I activated the book, knowledge slammed into me—like a new reflex I'd always had but never used. Good news? I didn't have to shout its name like Sol did with Quick Step. Just think it, and it was there.
I closed my eyes, imagining a ball of light forming in front of me. Heat pooled in my chest, threaded up through my arms, and gathered in my palm. When the bolt left my chest tight, like I'd sprinted uphill for a few seconds. Not crippling, but noticeable. My mana must have decreased. When I opened my eyes, a sphere of pale white mana floated at eye level, humming with energy.
I tried to nudge it right. Nothing. Left. Still nothing. It didn't want to drift. But when I turned my head, the sphere shifted with my line of sight like it was tethered to where I was looking. Clunky, but workable.
Time to test.
My gaze fell on a computer tower half-buried in dust against the back wall. Perfect target.
I focused, willed the bolt forward.
Bang!
The bolt shot out like a baseball pitch straight down the line. It smashed through the tower, sending shrapnel clattering across the floor, then punched clean through the drywall behind it. Dust rained from the impact, leaving a smoking hole in the wall.
Fast? Yes. Not instant, but quick enough that if you weren't paying attention—or too close—you'd never react in time. It was like a pitcher throwing from center field to home plate: deadly accurate if you were looking the wrong way.
Strong? That depended on the hit. Drywall was nothing. But the bolt hadn't just dented the tower—it tore it apart and still had enough force to break through. On flesh? A rib cracked. A skull is dented. Hit the right spot, and that was a kill shot.
I let the faint glow fade from my hand, a small smile tugging at my lips.
Not perfect. Not subtle. But strong enough to kill. And in the end, that's all that mattered.
And I couldn't wait to test it on goblins.