The Fractured Mage

Chapter 5 - Magic System(Part 3)

Oh, wow. Ignoring and setting aside the questions marks, the rest of my stats aren't bad at all...my Maximum Ether Output is well above the human average of 10. And the average for all four physical stats are about 15, so I'm well above average with those too.

My durability is especially high, interesting. Gotta say, wouldn't have guessed that's the case since my body is kinda scrawny and slender, guess I'm more sturdily built than I thought.

It does make sense that my numbers are above average though, since my Ascended Tier is unlocked. That said, my Agility and Speed stats are a bit low for an Ascended Mage, while my Strength stat is just about a fraction below average.

It also makes sense that my Power Level isn't showing up and displays '???' instead, just like with my Ether Capacity stat. After all, since Ether Capacity is the main factor in calculating Power Level, and my Ether Capacity isn't showing up, it's only natural that my Power Level can't be calculated.

I should also mention that, regarding the average values of these stats that I brought up, it's the average of ALL humans, which obviously includes everyday civilians, people who make minimal use of their Magic, which brings down the average.

People like that will generally have their Maximum Ether Output stat and most, if not all, of their physical stats in single digits, while their Ether Capacity is unlikely to exceed a value of 100.

The maximum value you can raise your stats to while only having your Basic Tier unlocked is capped at 25, which increases to an ceiling of 50 with the Ascended Tier, and the uppermost limit for humans when it comes to their physical stats is 100, though it's extremely rare for a person to max out those stats.

Even Apex Mages generally struggle to get their stat values above 80. The same applies to Ether Capacity as well. People who neglect training in the use of their Magic will have Ether Capacities of under 100 throughout their lives, which brings down the overall average for humans to approximately 200.

Naturally, none of these values are fixed, physical stats can be increased by training, or can also be boosted by acquiring certain Traits. Ether Capacity increases gradually the more you use your Magic, same with Maximum Ether Output.

That said, the vast majority of people will eventually hit a wall and find their stats capped after a certain point, only a small handful of people throughout history have had the potential to max out any of their stats, let alone all of them.

A person's Class can also play a role in how far their can increase their stats, along with their physical condition. For instance, a person with a naturally strong bone structure may be capable of increasing their Strength stat more than someone born with a frail body.

Also, I specified humans in regards to these stats because some of the other races in the world have higher upper limits, most notably Demons, and more specifically their evolved forms, Archdemons, who possess double the potential that humans do, in numerical terms.

Well, anyway, I think I'm done here, I've gone through all my stats, Arts and Traits, there's nothing else I can achieve by staying in here. Plus, I really want to test out the abilities of my Ascended Tier, Ether Mage.

Alright, to exit my subconscious, I need to simply to focus on my Magic System display and then select the exit option at the bottom right corner of the screen...

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I opened my eyes and let out a slow exhale, relaxing my body as I stretched my limbs out with a sigh.

"Oh, you're back...I imagine you have some questions about your Class?" Ifeus greeted me with a wry smile.

"Not just my Class, but also regarding my Ether Capacity. Oh, but let me guess, you're not gonna tell me, are you? You've got all the answers but aren't going to give me any of them, what a pain in the ass," I replied dryly.

Alright, let's get a feel for this Ether Materialization Art, along with the Ether Modelling and Ether Emission Arts that follow it...

"I'm sorry, but I really can't say...but I wouldn't worry about your Ether Capacity if I were you. I won't get into the specifics of why there's no numerical value displayed, but basically, you have so much Ether that your Magic System can't quantify it. Maybe someday, I'll elaborate further...but not for the foreseeable future.

I will tell you this much, though...until you're strong enough to properly defend yourself, you should only use your Basic Tier, Brawler, abilities in front of others. Your Class and Ascended Tier are completely unheard of as far as the vast majority of people are concerned, so it's best to keep it hidden, at least for the time being.

However, don't neglect your Ascended Tier abilities, train in secret with your Ether Mage powers, I'll help you however I can with that. Tell no one about your Class, got it? You won't have to hide it forever, but at your current level as a Mage, it's too dangerous to reveal. That's all I can say for now, so-...oh, you're already trying it out," He remarked, as I formed a blue sphere of energy over my palm.

W-woah, this feels...powerful. And it's also...strangely easy. It feels like my body knows what to do, like I've done this before...

"It's kinda tricky, since the process of doing this requires using more than one Art...I'm using Ether Materialization and Ether Modelling, probably shouldn't fire this out inside the room, so I guess I'll have to test out Ether Emission later," I muttered to myself in fascination, as I increased the output while focusing on maintaining the spherical shape.

Yeah, this definitely feels like it packs quite a punch. But, more than anything, it feels so...so familiar...