Despite the searing pain that pulsed through his body, Roy remained stoic and composed. His face contorted with the effort of suppressing his agony, but he managed to force out a laugh, "You don't need to worry about me. I am fine." His voice was unyielding, carrying only a faint hint of strain that hinted at the torment he was enduring.
This level of pain wasn't enough to bend his back or force him to break his character.
Shadowless thought that he was cool. In his eyes, a man who could bear pain with a smile was worthy of admiration.
The pain throbbing in Roy's mind and surging throughout his body ebbed away when the transfer of knowledge and power was completed. He was left gasping for breath, but he soon calmed down and wiped the sweat on his forehead with the back of his palm.
After lowering his eyes, he saw strange things floating around him. His eyes squinted as he focused on them.
"I am able to see hydrogen and oxygen molecules?"
His jaw dropped as he realized what was happening.
According to the knowledge he had just gained about the Water Manipulation Skill, it was an ability that allowed him to see and interact with the very molecules that made up the essence of water.
With a flick of his wrist, he merged hydrogen and oxygen molecules, creating water out of thin air.
"This skill... is too amazing! It's also simple to use!"
He marveled at the simplicity and beauty of the process - merging two hydrogen molecules with one oxygen molecule created a single drop of water while merging thousands of molecules would result in the immediate creation of a powerful wave that could smash apart a boulder.
As he experimented with his new power, Roy couldn't help but imagine the possibilities. 'What if I merged a hundred thousand hydrogen molecules with two hundred thousand oxygen molecules? Would I be able to create an entire river that could flood entire towns and cities?'
The sheer magnitude of his power was staggering, but he quickly realized that it came with a hefty.
His Water Manipulation Skill was similar to the innate power of water celestials and female sirens, but it was a magic spell that required an exorbitant amount of mana to activate. The cost of creating a single drop of water was ten units of mana - a small fortune that would leave a novice mage drained after just a few uses.
"Why does it cost so much to create a drop of water? I can create a bullet and one-shot a low-level magical beast with that amount of mana. I knew it was too good to be true, but this is plainly ridiculous," Roy cursed the absurdity of the skill.
Roy's disappointment was palpable as he realized that he could only create a single mighty wave of water with his ten thousand units of mana - a feat that would leave him completely depleted.
Though it should be mentioned that he could use the same amount of mana to control a body of water as big as a lake, but only for a few seconds, thanks to his new skill, it was a tempting thought, but he knew that he needed to be near a water source to make it work.
"It's hard to exhibit the full power of this skill unless I am fighting next to a river or close to an ocean. But if I am, I might be able to suppress just about anyone."
Despite his frustration, Roy couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at the very possibilities that lay ahead. The thought of what he could achieve with his new power was both exhilarating and terrifying.
If he was fighting a master that couldn't defeat, he just needed to bait them to a terrain with a lot of water, and then it would be easy for him to beat them black and blue.
"So it comes with an extra perk."
After scanning himself, Roy discovered that in addition to creating and controlling water, he had gained minor water resistance, rendering him impervious to any water magic below the second level.
Water magic spells of levels 2 and 3 were now only mildly effective against him, thanks to the resistance he had developed with the appearance of the Water Manipulation Skill.
"The water resistance perk is passive. I don't need to make an effort to dodge the attack of a level 1 water-type mage." Roy said thoughtfully.
"Master," Shadowless said with admiration in his voice. "I congratulate you on achieving a new type of power. With the Water Manipulation Skill now at your command, you have become even more formidable."
Shadowless and Roy shared a deeply spiritual bond. He was able to sense his changes as they were mentally connected.
"Yeah. That's right."
Roy looked at his first shadow with a sense of pride.
He knew that the Water Manipulation Skill was a game-changer, one that could make him unstoppable in any conflict that happens in an environment similar to the one he was currently in.
"I'm done dissecting it!" Delilah's voice came from ahead.
"Coming!" Roy responded to her promptly, making his way toward her.
His First Shadow loomed behind him, silent and unobtrusive, waiting to be commanded by Roy.
"Return to the shadows," Roy instructed Shadowless,
"As you wish."
Without a hint of protest, Shadowless complied with his wishes, dissolving into a puddle of darkness and going inside Roy's shadow like a ghost.
"What items did you extract from the beast?" Roy stopped behind her and asked her what she had found.
"Many things." Delilah turned to him, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she revealed four items, each one unique in its own right. "I don't know what these two do, but maybe you will know." She had cleaned them, along with her hands, in the gushing waters of the river, letting their stains of blood and grime be washed away.
