Chapter 104: At The Top
Down below, Alvin didn't betray Linfel's confidence in him. He got to the 900km mark, feeling tired. However, Alvin was with the first ones and still the only Level Three Magus in that group. Of course, we can't discount the Maguses and Familiars who resolved to climb together while using the Master Familiar Connection. They have both Magic Energy Pools, so they have a higher amount to use.
Alvin ignored those duos at Level Three and looked up, and there was no doubt the same drones and wind would continue. If anything, the number of attacks increased, and the wind got stronger. "Better recover fully this time before continuing," he murmured to himself.
Milia wasn't too far behind. She had just got to the 850km mark and was still good to go. She was right about the sudden changes in the positions. Several Maguses and familiars duos who were ahead of her were taken by surprise and ended up falling. Thanks to that, Milia was once again within the top 600 of those climbing while connected.
*Zul...*
Linfel heard the sound of the barrier moving, quickly looking in that direction. There, a Level Four Familiar passed through the barrier, landing on a corner. "Yo-you..." The Familiar was almost without Magic Energy. "H-How did you make it to the top s-so fast? You are only Level Three... Even if you have a great output, that fact doesn't change...
or it shouldn't, at least."
Linfel smiled. "Well, Magic Energy output isn't really my specialty. The thing I'm truly good at is Magic Energy Control. Naturally, I know how to use it efficiently, much more than you guys, at least."
Linfel then pointed at the screen where you could watch the others climbing still. "Take a look at them, Maguses and Familiars. Just like you and me, they are all very young. All their training was about increasing their level and combat power. Magic Control was also included in the menu, but how many of them really paid proper attention to it?
How many do you know to have worked on their Magic Energy Conservation, Circulation, and Efficiency? These three factors are hard to train and, above all, boring and slow. Such things are usually learned much later in life. I, on the other hand, didn't neglect it even once. It is that simple."
Linfel wasn't lying. Even though he wasn't really a Familiar and had his advantages, he truly took his training seriously. He had to... Otherwise, he felt like Horan would appear out of nowhere and kick his core like he always did when Linfel performed poorly. Horan was definitely dead by now when you consider the time that had passed. Yet, Linfel wouldn't leave it to chance.
The Familiar was surprised with the answer. Indeed, he is young; all familiars in this test are. One's level was always everything; the rest simply followed. He had to admit that he truly didn't put too much effort into such attributes. "So I was wrong all along..."
Linfel smiled. "What's your name, friend."
"You can call me Hebego," the Familiar answered.
Linfel quickly checked his MCOM and found Hegebo. He was ranked 79th in the Magic Energy Output test. Yet, he was the second to arrive after Linfel.
"I'm Linfel," he continued. "There is no need for you to worry. Those attributes can be trained later, and your approach isn't completely wrong. Having more Magic Energy and a higher level will make your life easier. Still, because you will be starting later, it will be harder to gain the new feeling of these attributes.
If I were you, I would ignore your leveling Training for at least a few months, best for a year or two, and focus completely on these three points. The later you wait to master them, the harder it will be. Leveling, on the other hand, will never change."
"Well said!" Suddenly, a man entered the room, followed by a few Maguses and Familiars. He looked at Linfel, feeling satisfied. "We don't actually make it public knowledge, but our Ventis Sect does focus a lot on these points. Magic Conservation, Circulation, and Efficiency. It is all part of one's Magic Energy Control.
All our new disciples are prohibited from leveling for the next two years in the Sect. Of course, it only goes for disciples from planets like this one. There are plenty of planets that already understand Linfel's point and focus on them from a young age."
The man then stopped in front of Linfel. "Hello there, I'm Glien, one of the organizers."
Linfel smiled back. "Hello, senior Glien. It is nice to meet you."
Glien nodded, and his attention turned to the barrier separating the station from the void. "Anyway, I only came here because it should be about time the Familiars start arriving. The Maguses shouldn't be too far behind. I will also be explaining the next test once this one is over."
As soon as he finished saying those words, another two Familiars went through the barrier. They, too, seemed tired and without Magic Energy, so they quickly started to absorb the Magic Energy inside the Station.
Glien watched with a happy expression while his subordinates checked on the Familiars. If something went wrong, the Ventis Sect disciples would help these Familiars or the Maguses later.
Time continued to pass, and 21 hours went by since the start of the second test. Only now did the first Magus traverse the barrier, which didn't surprise anyone. Familiars would have an easier time climbing; that was already a fact. That's why the test was separated between the Maguses and Familiars.
More Maguses and Familiars continued to enter the Station, but their numbers were a far cry from the ones who started the test. Finally, thirty minutes later, Alvin got through the barrier, collapsing on the ground. He was the first lone Level Three Magus to make it to the Station.
Linfel came to check on him and could tell Alvin was just tired and deprived of Magic Energy. "Not bad, not bad at all. I counted the Maguses, and you were the 41st to arrive at the top of our Elevator. Well, taking all the Elevators around the world into consideration, you were 487th. That is still inside the top 5% you mentioned you would achieve, so congratulations."
Alvin bitterly smiled. "All that training, especially the boring ones, paid off, it seems."
Alvin then sat in a corner and looked at the barrier. "Do you know how Milia is doing?"
Linfel nodded. "She just left the Mini Station at the 950km mark. She is taking her time to climb the rest of the elevator now. That is the right approach. She probably checked her MCOM every time she stopped by the Mini Stations, so Milia should know she and Nori are well within the top 1000 Master Familiar duos."
Another hour and twenty minutes were gone. Finally, another duo entered the barrier, catching Alvin and Linfel's attention. Naturally, it was Milia, landing on the ground with several injuries on her body. Nothing out of the norm since the drones attacked all the way to the top. Alvin wasn't much better when he arrived, either. They weren't anything serious.
The disciples of the Ventis Sect quickly treated her and Nori while Linfel and Alvin approached.
Seeing Linfel and Alvin there, Milia forced a smile. "You were right, Linfel. My best chance was indeed with Nori by my side."
Linfel nodded. "Congratulations."