Ajax felt a deep sense of accomplishment as he looked towards the Academy. Despite still being welcome to come in as his position had been that of a teaching assistant instead of a student Ajax knew that he probably won’t be coming by all that often unless it was to scour the library for something specific.

Looking back at the life he spent on Earth and the one he spent here they felt like almost mirrors of themselves. Whereas his life on Earth had started with him breezing through school without a care in the world before tragedy struck and the end of his highschool and college days had been rough.

Here his early life was spent always alone and training as his mature mind and young body didn’t match properly for him to have a normal childhood. That all go fixed as his days in the academy had provided for him the college life experience he had missed out on during his time back on Earth.

He was now ready to take the next step as his life moved forward, he had a loving family that was counting on him, friends he could rely on, mentors he was hoping to one day surpass. His days at the Academy had ended with him even having a girlfriend.

The relationship between him and Lexi had an awkward start to say the least. Both of them had been dancing around each other whenever they interacted following their return from the Empire. Ajax out of concern for his status and ability to maneuver in the political landscape and Lexi because this was the first she had any such feelings towards another person.

Who knows how long their little drama would have played out for if it hadn’t been for Anna putting an end to at the start of their third year after Ajax returned from his first trip delving into the kingdom’s less favorable dungeons. That wasn’t to say that it had been smooth sailing from that point onward.

While Ajax and Lexi had started being comfortable moving forward with their relationship into courting, Lexi’s overprotective grandfather was not all that on board with the idea. It also didn’t help that Ajax was spending at least two afternoons a week working with the man as they tried to further the research on magnetic mana.

It had taken Duke Manashaper most of the third year to accept the relationship between the two fully but Ajax’s respectful attitude and their attendance as a courting couple to the few parties Ajax did attend outside his training schedule meant that most of the nobility had accepted their courting.

Despite his more active social life, most of Ajax’s time had still been spent training and studying. Most of his family's gold income was spent on the same thing if he was honest, between the boosters who joined him for delves every summer and the few stat potions he needed that he couldn’t yet create himself Ajax was a bottomless pit. His status sheet however showed all the work that he had put into it.

Name : Ajax

Level :51

Experience : 16790/133000

Traits: Divine Witness, Baron

Health: 3400/3400

Mana: 3430/3430

Stamina : 2630/2630

Vitality : 340

Strength :298

Endurance :263

Dexterity : 298

Intellect : 343

Wisdom : 343

Mind : 343

Perception : 262

Stat Points : 0

Skills :

Common :[Mathematics Lvl 35] [Stealth Lvl 51][Drawing Lvl 40][Athleticism Lvl 50] [Running Lvl 50][Reading Lvl 30][Writing Lvl 30][Cooking Lvl 40][Sewing Lvl 22] [Cleaning Lvl 28][Haggling Lvl 25][Gardening Lvl 40][Axes Lvl 65][Hammers Lvl 65 [Deception Lvl 41][Sword Lvl 65][Shield Lvl 65][Bow Lvl 65][Spear Lvl 60][Throwing Lvl 50][Persuasion Lvl 35][Unarmed Combat Lvl 50][Knives Lvl 60][Skinning Lvl 51][Tanning Lvl 23][Dismantle Lvl 55][Climbing Lvl 42][Tracking Lvl 47][Heat Resistance Lvl 35] [Poison Resistance Lvl 41][Pain Resistance Lvl 39][Trapping Lvl 31][Cold Resistance Lvl 31][Conversationalist Lvl 15] Uncommon :[Meditation Lvl 67][Sense Mana Lvl 67][Expel Mana Lvl 68][Sprinting Lvl 50][Mining Lvl 35][Lumberjack Lvl 21][Smelting Lvl 20][Blacksmithing Lvl 15] [Chanting Lvl 12][Mana Farming Lvl 42][Increase Price Lvl 16][Lower Price Lvl 18][Danger Sense Lvl 47][Leatherworking Lvl 29][Alchemy Lvl 58][Mana Milling Lvl 49][Precise Cut Lvl 53][Precise Blow Lvl 53][Judge Threat Lvl 45][ Piercing Shot Lvl 52] [Berserker Lvl 27][Cooperation Lvl 39][Berserker Style Lvl 25][Unnatural Balance Lvl 19][Feigned Interest Lvl 13][Illusion Resistance Lvl 10][Focused Aim Lvl 15] Rare : [Manipulate Mana Lvl 55][Water Aspect Mana Lvl 54][Fire Aspect Mana Lvl 54] [Air Aspect Mana Lvl 54][Earth Aspect Mana Lvl 54][Inject Mana Lvl 50][Spot Weakness Lvl 41][Residue Recognition Lvl 31] [Light Aspect Mana Lvl 54][Shadow Aspect Mana Lvl 54][Mana Skin Lvl 40][Teamwork Lvl 34][Beekeeping Trailblazer Lvl 21][Curse Resistance Lvl 25][Dungeon Crafter Lvl 40][Battlemage Style Lvl 29] [Impervious Senses Lvl 11][Alchemist’s Examination Lvl 31][Stabilize Mixture Lvl 19][Mass Production Lvl 12][Magnetic Aspect Mana Lvl 15] Epic : [Mana Augmentation Lvl 45][Mana Conjuration Lvl 41][Lightning Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Metal Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Ice Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Magma Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Holy Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Void Aspect Mana Lvl 41][Curse Slash Lvl 29] Legendary : [Mana Syphon Lvl 37][Enigma Lvl 25][Inspector’s eye Lvl 21]

New :

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Magnetic Aspect Mana 0 -> 15

Upgrades:

Mathematics 30 -> 35

Stealth 40 -> 51

Drawing 35 -> 40

Athleticism 40 -> 50

Running 40 -> 50

Reading 24 -> 30

Writing 24 ->30

Cooking 30 ->40

Sewing 20 -> 22

Cleaning 20 -> 28

Haggling 23 -> 25

Gardening 30 -> 40

Axes 48 -> 65

Hammers 48 -> 65

Sword 48 -> 65

Shield 48 -> 65

Bow 48 -> 65

Spear 46 -> 60

Throwing 38 -> 50

Unarmed Combat 38 -> 50

Knives 46 -> 60

Persuasion 23 -> 35

Deception 31 -> 41

Skinning 40 -> 51

Tanning 20 -> 23

Dismantle 44 -> 55

Climbing 31 -> 42

Tracking 35 -> 47

Trapping 26 -> 31

Heat Resistance 23 -> 35

Poison Resistance 29 -> 41

Pain Resistance 28 -> 39

Cold Resistance 20 -> 31

Conversationalist 9 -> 15

Meditation 52 -> 67

Sense Mana 52 ->67

Expel Mana 52 -> 68

Sprinting 40 -> 50

Mining 21 -> 35

Lumberjack 10 -> 21

Smelting 15 -> 20

Blacksmithing 10 -> 15

Chanting 11 -> 12

Mana Farming 31 -> 42

Increase Price 15 -> 16

Lower Price 15 -> 18

Danger Sense 35 -> 47

Leatherworking 25 -> 29

Alchemy 45 -> 58

Mana Milling 35 -> 49

Precise Cut 40 -> 53

Precise Blow 40 -> 53

Piercing Shot 40 -> 52

Judge threat 34 -> 45

Berserker 20 -> 27

Cooperation 30 -> 39

Berserker Style 20 -> 25

Unnatural Balance 3 -> 19

Feigned Interest 1 -> 13

Illusion Resistance 1 -> 10

Focused aim 2 -> 15

Manipulate Mana 45 -> 55

Water Aspect Mana 46 -> 54

Fire Aspect Mana 46 ->54

Air Aspect Mana 46 -> 54

Earth Aspect Mana 46 ->54

Light Aspect Mana 46 -> 54

Shadow Aspect Mana 46 -> 54

Inject Mana 45 -> 50

Spot Weakness 33 ->41

Residue Recognition 23 -> 31

Mana Skin 28 -> 40

Teamwork 23 -> 34

Beekeeping Trailblazer 9 -> 21

Curse Resistance 19 -> 25

Dungeon Crafter 23 -> 40

Battlemage Style 11 -> 29

Impervious senses 3 -> 11

Alchemist's Examination 15 ->31

Stabilize Mixture 5 -> 19

Mass Production 3 -> 12

Mana Augmentation 36 -> 45

Mana Conjuration 31 -> 41

Lightning Aspect Mana 29 -> 41

Metal Aspect Mana 29 -> 41

Ice Aspect Mana 29 -> 41

Magma Aspect Mana 29 -> 41

Holy Aspect Mana 27 -> 40

Void Aspect Mana 27 -> 40

Curse Slash 13 -> 29

Mana Syphon 30 -> 37

Enigma 15 -> 25

Inspector’s Eye 1 -> 21

Each and every one of his skills had seen some measure of growth throughout the last few years. His focus on combat and alchemy could clearly be seen however as most other crafting skills had barely moved. His gathering skills had all seen some growth as he would always make sure to gather anything that the dungeon provided him on his delves.

His combat skills however were the true winners. Despite the clear difference in the quality of his physical skills and his magic ones both saw tremendous growth over the past few years. His biggest achievement by far however had been the year and a half he had spent pushing [Manipulate Mana] and each of his rare Mana Aspects past the level fifty barrier.

Unlike [Mana Syphon] that presented many different upgrades his Rare skills initially presented none, it took a lot of hard work to get [Manipulate Mana] to upgrade, increasing the amount of influence his intent had on how any spell he cast reacted. The mana aspects were all easier to upgrade as continued use eventually allowed all of them to get the increased potency upgrade that somewhat made up for the weakness that was inherent to his casting style. This change had actually made it so his Rare affinities actually packed more of a punch than his Epic ones until they would even the playing field. And both [Inject Mana] and [Enigma] were stuck on that same wall.

Looking again at his raw stats Ajax noticed that his distribution had finally started to show as his Vitality, Mind, Intellect and Wisdom pulled ahead of the rest they were getting four points every time he leveled. Strength and Dexterity were sitting middle of the pack as they received three points for every level. His potion stats of Endurance and Perception were down at the bottom.

Throughout the last few years Ajax had made sure to push each dungeon as far as he could, managing to gain the bonus from any floor where the mini-bosses were level one hundred or lower. This resulted in him clearing an extra twenty-four floors spread across the kingdom’s five dungeons.

The final floors of each of the dungeons still sent shivers through Ajax when he thought about those battles. Each time he had taken enough boosting potions that in the aftermath of the fight his [Poison Resistance] got a good workout trying to oppose the weakness period that followed the boost.

“Are you ready, son?” Ajax heard his father ask.

“All packed.” Ajax confirmed as he showed off the spacial ring.

Unlike their short delve trip to the Empire this next outing would be made by a much larger group. The king himself was going to spectate the tournament and many people would be joining the massive envoy into Republic lands. Ajax’s sister and grandparents were coming with him leaving his mother and Alana back home to keep everything running smoothly.

A few different noble houses were sending entire retinues in support of the nine tournament participants. Unlike the previous short trip this expedition was expected to last more than six months, it not only included the tournament but also Ajax’s delve into the Republic’s main two dungeons.

“You best get going then, Lexi is probably already waiting for you.” his father said.

Much to both Ajax’s and Lexi’s joy Duke Manashaper would be staying behind to run the Academy, as such the couple would be left with much less stern supervision on this trip and they were both looking to get more in that an hour or two stolen away here and there.

Ajax hugged his father before he left but as he moved to pull away he felt his father squeeze a little harder. “Do your best in the tournament but don’t risk your life, the prizes aren’t worth it.”

Ajax knew what he meant, despite the tournament being a more friendly way to distribute resources during a time of war deaths during it were common.

“I’ll be careful, I promise.” Ajax said as he left his family estate.