[Basic Spearmanship – Level 3]

[Mace Mastery Learned – Level 1]

After seeing the string of notifications on his notification panel, Alec felt a surge of satisfaction, he watched as Titan blasted the Tier 1 zombie’s head apart with ease, he finally understood how weapon mastery awakened: through consistent use in real battle. Repetition was the key.

In the case of spearmanship, Alec believed their rapid progress was due to the sheer number of golems using spears simultaneously, that collective experience gave them an edge over Titan, who was the only one using the mace, however now that Titan had unlocked Mace Mastery, all he needed was time and repetition to grow it even stronger.

To test his theory, Alec used out of the remaining 40 mana he had just recovered to create two new spears, this time focusing more on boosting both strength and agility in his mind while he created them, as he was about to enhance them further, Arthur approached.

“Can I have one of those?” Arthur asked, eyeing the spears.

Without hesitation, Alec shut him down. 

“Craft your own or remember to buy one next time. I’m not handing these out.”

He didn’t want his stone weapons falling into the wrong hands, or worse, exposing their true quality. 

In fact, he considered outright claiming that only he or his golems could use them, just in case its effects came out and his clan pressured him into becoming their blacksmith; however Alec was thinking too much about such low leveled weapons because of his cautious nature.

Arthur, understanding the message, muttered,

“Well, not all of us can manipulate earth elements like you, our control is lacking.”

Alec didn’t flinch. 

“Good. Then don’t ask again, these weapons drain my mana. And frankly, if you knew we were heading to a battlefield, I don’t see how you thought it was okay to show up empty-handed. You’re too comfortable trusting others with your life.”

After that blunt reprimand, Arthur stepped back as Titan had returned.

The pressure Titan exuded was stifling, and Arthur wisely avoided eye contact with it, as he didn’t want to find out what would happen if Titan thought he was a threat to Alec.

Still, a pang of jealousy stirred in his chest when he saw Alec calmly hand one of the newly crafted spears to Titan.

“God, he already has that scary weapon,” Arthur muttered inwardly, baffled by Alec’s decision to switch Titan’s weapon mid-battle.

But then again, no one in the family truly understood Alec’s thought process, they admired him for his undeniable talent, not because they could predict his moves.

As soon as Titan saw Alec offering the spear, he strapped his mace to his back, where it seamlessly fused with his body as though returning to a sheath, giving the illusion of a sword being sheathed, the younger generation watched in awe as Titan effortlessly spun the spear in his hand, it was instantly clear to them that he seems even better with the spear.

“Can you see that? It’s like Alec himself is a spear master,” Knight commented to Agnes.

“And how do you know that?” Agnes asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s hard, like near impossible—to transfer a technique like that you don’t know to a golem,” Knight explained. 

“Given Alec’s golem crafting level, he must’ve passed on his own spear knowledge to them.”

“Why do you know so much about golems?” Agnes asked, glancing at him.

“My sister is a golem Mage too you know, and I’ve picked up quite a few things watching her,” Knight replied casually.

“Look—he’s joining the fun,” Agnes said with a grin, nudging Knight playfully before nodding toward Alec’s direction.

Now armed with the last spear, Alec felt a strange string of information rush into his mind flooded with knowledge of spear techniques he had never studied, just holding the weapon made it feel like he had been training with it his whole life.

He was tempted to let out a cry of excitement, but his high mental fortitude kept him grounded. 

Instead, he quietly cast a spell on himself, to protect himself and not get overly confident.

[< Tier 1 Spell – Rock Armour >]

A magic circle bloomed beneath him, and a rugged suit of stone armour formed around his body, enhancing his already impressive frame.

Using his precise mana control, Alec began refining the armour’s structure, molding it to his form until it perfectly fit him—covering every inch except his head and hands.

[Rock Armour]

Level: 5 (...)

+10 Endurance

+4 Speed

+1 Strength

Durability: 25/25

Alec wasn’t particularly surprised by the way he developed the spell, he had been rigorously training with every Tier 1 spell he had in his arsenal.

He spent hours refining each one by casting them over and over again, stopping only when his mana was depleted, then meditating to restore it before continuing, the cycle was brutal—an exhausting regimen most of the younger generation would have abandoned in frustration. 

But Alec endured all because he knew something different, each drop of sweat pushed him closer to another level in his mastery of the spell, a mastery level only he could see thanks to the system.

“Damn it, why did I brag about my Rock Armour to him?” Arthur muttered, kicking himself mentally as he saw how good Alec’s stone skin spell looked. 

“His looks better, fits better, and is even stronger.”

He couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang of envy, the ability to perfectly mold armour to one’s body was something even Tier 2 mages struggled to do even because it requires deep mana control and precision. 

Yet here was Alec, doing it effortlessly at the Tier 1 Mage realm.

“Clear a path!” Alec shouted.

The seven Tier 0 golems, mechanical in both movement and obedience, shifted formation, as they allowed a lone zombie to rush towards Alec, it was lured by the faint scent of blood of the living coming from Alec.

But before it could get close, Alec moved instinctively.

With a single, precise thrust, his spear pierced straight through the zombie’s skull, the motion was smooth, practiced, and efficient. 

He didn’t even flinch.

The archers, watching from behind, exchanged uneasy glances, his stillness after the kill made them wonder if something was wrong.

They couldn’t tell that Alec wasn’t stunned, he was savouring the moment. 

The feeling of the spear sliding through the zombie’s head, the thrill of battle, the rush of power, it exhilarated him.

[Spearmanship Level Up: Level 4]

[+10 Experience Points Earned]

[+5 System Points Earned]

[Status Tab]

Name: Alec Gordons

Race: Human

Level: 3

Tier: 1 (Low Tier)

EXP till next level: 328 / 500

[Attributes]

Strength: 9+

Agility: 11+

Endurance: 8+

Mana: 19 / 100

Affinity: Earth (High+), Fire (High+)

Available Points: 3

System Points: 86

“Ah… this battlefield shall become my stepping stone,” Alec said, a grin creeping across his face as a strange power pulsed through him.

He couldn’t help but realize that the intense battles here were pushing his growth far beyond what two weeks of meditation had ever accomplished.