The sensation of newfound strength, long absent, coursed through Adam.
He stretched, acclimating to the surge of power.
Especially the mana.
With 28 points of mana, he could finally cast fourth-tier spells!
Previously, he'd upgraded Warm to the fourth tier, but his meager mana pool had rendered it unusable.
Now, that problem was solved.
Magic Swordsman!
Adam recalled that someone in the Great Tomb of Nazarick also held this class.
After a moment's thought, he pinpointed who: Bellriver, one of the 41 Supreme Beings.
Bellriver, a grotesque heteromorphic entity covered in mouths, with a body of piled flesh and four arms wielding two staves and two swords, was a magic warrior.
Yet, among the 41 Supreme Beings, Bellriver's strength was second-tier, relying on exceptional player skill and positioning to shine in group battles.
This highlighted the Magic Swordsman's mediocrity, its lack of specialized abilities making it a lackluster class.
In YGGDRASIL, this was unavoidable.
With only 100 levels, focusing on warrior skills left magic as a mere auxiliary.
But for Adam, this wasn't an issue. The Genius class's versatility compensated for it.
His vivid memory of Bellriver stemmed from a grim detail.
Among the 41 Supreme Beings, Bellriver was the only one confirmed to have died in reality, not naturally, but assassinated after uncovering dangerous secrets about a global mega-corporation in the Overlord world.
That left a lasting impression.
Bending down, Adam lifted the plump rabbit. His sword flashed, slicing its belly open, spilling bloody entrails.
Mugu, waiting eagerly, scrambled over, gathering the organs and devouring them ravenously.
"Warm."
A red glow flickered, consuming 1 mana point as Adam cast the 0th-tier Warm.
The rabbit's fur singed under the intense heat, curling and shrinking. Within moments, the fur turned to ash and sloughed off.
In just a minute, the rabbit was fully roasted, exuding a steaming aroma.
Adam cleaned it briefly, then leaned against a sturdy tree trunk to eat, a precaution against sneak attacks.
Though his current strength made threats in the forest's outskirts unlikely, he never let his guard down.
Without seasoning, the roasted rabbit tasted mediocre.
Picking at the tenderer bits, Adam tossed the remaining half to Mugu, who'd been watching hungrily.
As Mugu gleefully gnawed at the rabbit, Adam's gaze was impassive.
By his old world's customs, he'd let the goblin eat its fill before killing it.
With the Genius class now at the required level, there was no reason to linger in the Great Forest of Tob.
"No rush. Eat slowly." Adam said, a rare faint smile crossing his face.
"Thank you, mmm, lord." Mugu mumbled, mouth stuffed, voice muffled.
Adam shifted his attention from Mugu, slipping one hand into his pocket and lifting his iron sword with the other.
Now was a good time to test the Mana Infusion passive.
With a thought, he felt his mana flow toward the sword.
Instantly!
A translucent, faintly radiant layer of mana enveloped the blade's surface.
"It's not just adding a magical attribute. The sharpness seems enhanced too." Adam noted, his eyes brightening.
Crack!
Suddenly!
A faint crack appeared on the sword's surface. Before Adam could react, the crack spread rapidly.
Within two breaths, the entire blade was webbed with fractures!
With a soft snap, the sword shattered into irregular fragments, scattering across the ground under Adam's stunned gaze.
"What the…"
Adam stared at the broken hilt, dumbfounded.
"Lord, what happened?" Mugu asked, looking up in confusion at the noise.
Adam waved dismissively, studying the fragments, lost in thought.
"Couldn't withstand Mana Infusion's power?"
Quickly, he retrieved a mithril dagger from his item box and infused it with mana.
This time, no shattering occurred.
"As expected, it's a material issue." Adam concluded. "Only special metals like mithril, orichalcum, or adamantite, which conduct mana, can handle Mana Infusion."
"Wasted a perfectly good sword."
Understanding the cause, he pulled another from his item box.
He hadn't anticipated Mana Infusion being so demanding, requiring specific materials!
In the game, such restrictions likely didn't exist.
In this real world, the ability was far more refined.
"It's essentially a technique to forcibly channel mana into a weapon." Adam mused.
Wait!
Refined?
A spark ignited in Adam's mind.
Since this was reality, Mana Infusion shouldn't be limited to enchanting equipment, as it was in the game.
Raising his palm, Adam focused, guiding his mana to gather in his hand.
Moments later, translucent magical energy, glowing faintly blue, materialized in his palm!
"That's more like it!" Adam exclaimed. "This isn't a game but a real power system. Mana shouldn't be confined to limited applications!"
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
Next, he retrieved the alchemical solution he'd previously set aside.
Crafting standard healing potions required combining magic and herbs, a principle that applied to alchemical solutions too.
Until now, Adam lacked the means to enhance them, but Mana Infusion opened new possibilities.
He held the water skin containing the inferior alchemical solution made from Strangle Spider venom sacs.
"Mana Infusion!"
Adam channeled his mana, slowly infusing it into the solution.
The murky, foul-smelling liquid began to shimmer faintly with mana's glow.
It was working!
Adam's eyes lit up, and he continued pouring mana in.
1 mana point!
2 mana points!
…
4 mana points!
5 mana points!
As mana flowed, the turbid, odorous solution grew clearer, its color shifting toward blue.
After expending 5 mana points, equivalent to a first-tier spell, the solution turned fully blue, crystal-clear and vibrant.
The once-full water skin now held only a third of its original volume.
Close inspection revealed a subtle blue sheen within the solution.
"Item Appraisal!" Adam cast quickly.
…
[Item: Magical Alchemical Solution (Paralysis Potion)]
[Rank: Lowest Tier]
[Description: Induces a "Paralysis" Status effect on the target, lasting 10 minutes. (Potion effects degrade after 30 days.)]
…
Staring at the solution, Adam's face lit with surprise and delight.
It actually worked.
"Potion-makers could likely use Mana Infusion too, but issues like herb combinations and dosages remain unavoidable." He mused. "Alchemy is far more straightforward."
Thrilled, Adam focused again, channeling more mana into the water skin.
He wanted to see what further changes the solution would undergo!
***
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