My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 22: Training [2]

"Let me teach you instead."

Osmund took a step back as he looked at him.

"You need to understand classes to know your enemies’ weakness." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Eeden turned toward him fully this time, brows furrowing.

"...You want to give me a lecture?"

Osmund nodded, gesturing towards the shelf. "Pick up your weapon and attack me."

Eeden didn’t think twice before he picked up the axe-chain.

He wrapped the chain around his palm and threw the axe at his father’s face.

Osmund stood calmly, placing one hand behind him as he raised his right hand.

Klank!!

The axe lodged itself on the ground, Osmund placing his leg over the chain before Eden could pull it back.

"Did you see what I did?" Osmund asked, looking at Eden.

’...I gave my all in the strike.’

Eeden grumpily thought, looking back at him.

"....You changed the trajectory of the blade with your hand," Eden spoke. "You coated your hand with mana."

Osmund smiled slightly as he showed his hand glowing gently.

"Classes," he began, "are the foundations. They decide how you grow, what you excel at, and what you can’t do no matter how hard you try."

He waved his hand, mana leaving a residue behind it.

"Each of these paths branches into dozens and dozens of sub-classes, but they all have one thing in common... the way of using mana."

He smiled and let go of the weapon that Eden quickly pulled back.

"All classes can be classified into six basic classes... Warrior, Mage, Ranger, Healer, Artisan, and Shadow."

Osmund continued as he picked up a small stick from the ground.

"But there are only two ways of using mana: channeling and infusing."

Eeden tilted his head as Osmund placed one hand behind his back.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Warrior, Ranger, and Shadow," he said, putting the stick in front of him that glowed with mana. "They infuse or coat mana, be it their own body or other objects."

He gestured for Eden to attack him with his other hand.

Eeden frowned but didn’t let go of the chance to learn.

He picked up another axe-chain and rushed towards Osmund while dual wielding.

He swung the first one low, aiming for Osmund’s leg, but the old man simply tilted his body, letting it pass by inches.

The second axe came from above, but Osmund didn’t dodge.

He tapped the axe-head with the stick.

Tink!

And the weapon instantly lost momentum, falling to the side like someone cut its strength in half.

Eden’s eyes widened. "What—?!"

Osmund spoke calmly while still moving, stick in one hand, the other still behind his back:

"That is mana infusing."

Eeden stepped back, looking at him.

"You infused mana into the stick?" Eden asked, looking at him.

Osmund nodded. "Yes, infusing is the act of moving mana continuously through an object, artifact, or body part. Unlike channeling, it does not store power, instead it circulates it."

He pointed the stick at Eden like a sword.

"Channeling focuses on control, and infusing focuses on force."

To demonstrate, he lightly tapped the ground with the stick again—

BOOM!

A small shockwave burst outward, cracking the dirt beneath them.

Eden flinched. "...That was a stick."

Osmund smiled proudly. "And I am a warrior-class user. My mana infuses objects by instinct."

He twirled the stick once and held it like a sword again.

"That is the difference between someone born with a class and someone who has mastered one."

Eeden rubbed his chin as he stared at the stick. "So, mages channel mana and warriors infuse it?"

"Yes," Osmund nodded. "A mage channels mana into spells, formations, or runes. They do not coat objects but let mana flow into shaping reality."

"My father used to say," he tapped the stick,

"Channeling is precision, and infusing is impact."

Eeden nodded his head as he mumbled, "I see."

Osmund looked at him with a smile. "Do you know what your class’ foundation is?"

’Sana?’

[<Warrior.>]

"Warrior," Eden replied. "Its foundation belongs to the warrior class."

Osmund raised the stick again.

"Good. Attack me once more, but this time... try to infuse mana into your entire weapon."

Eeden frowned. "How?"

"Trust your instincts," Osmund said. "It will guide you."

Eeden clicked his tongue, gripped both chain-axes tighter... and let mana pour from his hand.

The handle of the axe vibrated in his hand, mana coating around it.

[<Careful. Infusing too much may cause the weapon to break.>]

’I know.’

The heat was evident in his palm from the mana.

Osmund’s eyes lit up faintly. "...Good. Now swing."

Eden stepped forward, veins bulging on his arms.

He spun both axes and launched them forward in a crossing strike.

The twin blades whistled through the air like flying metal.

Osmund moved this time.

He waved his stick and the mana around it solidified like a whip for a second.

His stick flicked once, and both axes were deflected mid-flight, without touching Eden.

The chains snapped back to his hands, buzzing from the force behind Osmund.

Osmund chuckled as he saw his son stare at him.

"That," he said, "is why an experienced warrior can defeat a strong apprentice, and why a mage who understands flow can kill a brute who only understands force."

"Wait, wait," Eden quickly chimed in. "I don’t understand."

"What?"

"How did you do that?" Eden asked. "Throwing my weapons—"

"I redirected your mana," he said. "Instead of overpowering it."

"...You can do that?" Eden looked at him in confusion.

"No, most people aren’t strong enough to do so," he said, shaking his head. "I am just built different."

Eden rolled his eyes at his blatant narcissism, but he couldn’t deny it.

The man was much stronger than he seemed to appear.

’...Anyway, I still need to have a better understanding of my talents.’

Osmund stepped closer and tapped Eden’s wrist with the stick.

"Imagine punching a wall. That’s infusion."

Then he tapped Eden’s elbow.

"Now imagine guiding the punch so the impact slides away instead of landing... that’s channeling."

Eden blinked. "...So you didn’t block me. You... made my strike useless?"

"Yes," Osmund confirmed. "Because power means nothing if it never lands."

Eden slowly lowered his weapons, gears turning in his head.

"So if I want to fight someone stronger than me—"

"You don’t need to be stronger," Osmund cut in. "You just need to make their strength miss."

"...And if I am stronger?"

Osmund smiled brightly.

"Then you crush them before they can think."

Eden stared at him for a moment... then sighed deeply.

"...Why does every lesson you give sound like advice for murder?"

"Because that’s what combat is," Osmund replied bluntly. "You fight to kill, not to show off."

Eden rubbed his face. "I thought I could handle things without killing anyone."

"That," Osmund said, "is the thinking of a boy who hasn’t bled yet."

"...."

Eden didn’t say anything as he didn’t have any reply to his words.

Osmund lowered the stick, throwing it away.

"I want you to see the world as it is," Osmund spoke gently. "...And the world, my boy, is a really nasty place."

He placed his hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly.

"Your talent will make you strong, Eden, but only your decisions will make you survive."

He tapped Eden’s forehead with a finger. "Have some rest."

Osmund turned around and began walking away, leaving him alone.

≤The art of redirecting mana, that’s really special.≥

Seraph’s voice echoed in his mind, making him look up.

"You know about it?"

≤Yes, only the most talented warriors can use them.≥

’...I see.’

Eden nodded his head as he began to walk as well.

’Though he never told me much about other classes.’

≤Warrior, Ranger, and Shadow use infusing. Healer, Artisan, and Mage use channeling.≥

"I guessed that much."

Eden mumbled, returning to his room.

"Though, I wonder how long it will take to use both of them."

Eden, having five different classes, had the foundation of using both ways of mana.

Though he still needed a mana technique to grow his reserves.

’...Mother said she will give me the best one after the mission.’

If one starts using a mana technique then it’s really hard to change to a different one.

Knowing that, Eden decided to wait a while so he can try using his Gacha System to get a better one.

’...I really hope I can get a high-ranking technique.’

Eden sighed as he opened the door of his room.

Only to find his personal maid sitting on his bed.