Chapter 11: Getting Stronger [1]
[Mana Water]
Rare liquid resource.
"Can you see this too?"
"Y-yes."
Lionel replied slowly.
His gaze was fixed on the purple pond ahead.
Unlike earlier, when he observed it cautiously, he now showed significant interest.
This was all thanks to the identification skill.
By staring at something within a certain range for a while, a person could access information about it.
The only drawback of this skill is that it cannot be used on intelligent races not dominated by monster blood.
Apart from that, its utility could be considered invaluable.
Its ability to grow alongside one's knowledge adds to its value.
Typically, the identification skill provides basic information about the object being observed. However, the remarkable aspect of the skill is that if the observer already possesses knowledge about the object, the skill enhances and displays that information as needed.
Lionel should have received a basic summary of the mana water in the pond.
Mine was slightly more comprehensive.
[Mana Water]
Liquid imbued with mana. An epic-grade resource.
In the tower, there are five commonly recognized grades.
These grades, from lowest to highest, are common, rare, epic, legendary, and divine.
The fact that the mana water before us was graded as epic indicated its considerable value.
'It's even more precious than I thought.'
In the tower, many things are graded, including mana water, which is a magical resource.
Essentially, this means that not all mana water is equal simply because it shares the same name.
To put it simply, it's akin to certain fruits on Earth: despite being the same type of fruit, their value can differ based on factors like rarity, cultivation method, and origin.
Mana water is graded and valued based on the amount of mana infused into the liquid.
Even a common grade of mana water holds significant value due to its rarity. While monster blood is another source of mana, it's often incomparable to mana water.
Discovering that the mana water before us was of epic grade came as a surprise to me.
This detail wasn't mentioned in the novel, confirming that my thought process wasn't wrong.
Despite having knowledge of future events, I'm not omniscient.
Anything could happen beyond my foresight, so I must proceed cautiously in the tower.
Nevertheless, I was pleased with this revelation. As long as it worked in my favour, I didn't mind events unfolding beyond my knowledge.
Knowing the value of the purple pond in front of me, a part of me even felt it was a waste.
However, that feeling was only fleeting.
What truly excited me was the prospect of how much stronger I would become after soaking in the pond.
"Let's get closer," I suggested, and Lionel, no longer cautious of the pond, nodded and followed.
As we approached, a cold breeze, surprisingly not chilling, brushed past us.
It felt refreshing, and Lionel and I couldn't resist taking a deep breath.
Somehow, the chilly air filled me with a sense of strength.
'Hmm? Is this mana?'
Lionel and I soon reached the pond.
I placed my shield on the ground and bent low, slowly placing my hand into the pond.
"Hey!"
A cold yet refreshing sensation immediately hit me.
Turning to Lionel, I made an exaggerated expression on my face.
"T-this?" I stammered, feigning surprise.
"What happened?!"
Lionel questioned in panic, about to come closer to withdraw my hand from the pond.
I raised my other hand and gestured for him to stop.
With an 'excited' voice, I spoke.
"My stats just rose!"
"Really?!"
Lionel questioned in disbelief.
Though he didn't know much about the tower, I knew he had some knowledge about stats by now and how challenging it was to raise them.
Simply putting a hand in a strange pond and having one's stats suddenly increase would be hard for him to believe.
Of course, my stats didn't actually rise.
Even for something as magical as epic grade mana water, instantaneously boosting my stats with simple contact would be nearly impossible.
However, there was a reason I told this lie.
"My stats really did rise!"
Another lie effortlessly slipped from my lips.
"Really?" He subconsciously questioned again.
However, this time, I could see the disbelief on Lionel's face being replaced with interest.
He bent beside me and cautiously mimicked my action of dipping his hand into the pond.
He waited.
A few seconds passed, and Lionel spoke again.
"Did your stats really rise?"
Perhaps realising he had doubted me, he quickly added, "I'm not doubting you. Please don't misunderstand. It's just that my stats still remain the same. Well, apart from mana. It raised by a single number."
His voice sounded a little sad.
"Is something wrong?"
Hearing him innocently question me like this made me want to plant a fist in his face.
'What do you mean is something wrong?!'
'My hand has stayed in the mana water longer than yours and nothing happened.'
'I know I lied, but still!'
I wanted to vent at this monster, but I managed to control myself.
'I can't be bothered. Perhaps this is a realm of genius I can't relate to. The author himself called Lionel a monster several times in the novel.'
Donning a contemplative expression on my face, I responded to Lionel.
"I'm not sure what's wrong. My stats did rise and are still doing so."
For some reason, saying this made my chest hurt.
Lying did not feel so good.
Watching Lionel grow further downcast, I spoke again, faking an uncertain tone.
"M-maybe we should try submerging ourselves in the pond and see if something happens?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Renewed
Renewed Happy New Week!
What did y'all have for breakfast today?
I ate motivational videos on YouTube to start my day T_T
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone