Ed recovered a reasonable amount of his fatigue after resting for nearly an hour. He didn't want to waste any more time resting. Letting the swordsman go would reveal his ability to gather and command the other mobs which if given enough time is a huge threat. The humans on the outside would likely try to exterminate him as soon as possible.
His health had yet to recover as the strike was quite deadly but he couldn't really do anything about it. He could only lament how his stylish robe had been ruined.
'And I don't have any other robes...'
Ed wondered if perhaps the lich had spare robes. Although he never really paid attention to it before it was quite spotless for an undead.
He put the thought aside and stood up. He saw one of the old wooden desks that had been put aside before the battle. He picked up his book off the ground and dragged a chair over to the desk.
He sat down placed the book down on the desk. The dim lighting made it a bit hard to read but as an undead Ed had a decent amount of night vision. Plus it was unlikely that he would become shortsighted from this. Just as he was about to open the book...
[A trespasser has left the dungeon, deciding penalty...]
[All rewards will be confiscated.]
[Champion has failed to meet expectations, a harsher penalty is in order]
[Champion will be subjected to pain]
'WHAT?!?' Ed was just about ready to protest when he felt jolting pain.
'This wasn't what you said would happen!' He could only protest in his mind as he tried his best to withstand the pain. He had only signed up to give away the rewards not to be subjected to pain!
The pain stopped after what seemed like 20 seconds, it lasted much longer than before. Ed could only gnash his teeth in anger and suck it up. He couldn't harm the dungeon in any way, at least he didn't know how to yet.
Although he was still angry, he needed to get stronger so he opened up the book on mana. Ed read the contents attentively for a while before he more or less understood the crux of things.
Mana can be described as the power of nature. All living things could theoretically harness mana as long as it was in line with their affinity. Ed however was not a living thing. Why is that important? Because it meant he had no affinity to the natural elements of mana.
Just because he didn't have the affinity it didn't mean he couldn't use those elements. After all even the lich was able to manipulate the earth. That is where the mana core comes in. It allows Ed to use mana regardless of the fact that he is technically dead. He would simply have to transform his core into one with an affinity to his chosen element.
There are two possible ways to do it. The main one is to absorb the natural elements into your core. If you wanted to focus on water magic you would absorb the water elements found in water. If you want to use fire magic you would have to absorb the fire elements of well... fire. The other way was to get the energy inserted directly into your core by another magician. The lich could help him if he decided to follow in his footsteps.
The problem was which one should he choose! Even if he canceled out all of the elements he couldn't get due to the setting it was still a tough choice!
Ed couldn't just catch them all either, if he put opposing energies inside of his mana core it would most likely break. At that point, he could only kill himself and hope that when he respawns the core would still be intact. It wasn't impossible if the energies maintained a balance but for most that was not a risk worth taking!
That was why undead monsters would usually control unnatural elements such as death. Could you be any more in tune with death when you are a walking corpse? Of course not! The unnatural power over death was basically tailored made for the undead. They treated the other element as a simple plus.
Ed was very tempted to pick elements that could balance each other out but he wasn't sure if he could get those types of elements in the dungeon. So he had to settle for a simple plus.
'The lich's earth element isn't a bad choice'
It could improve his defensive skills and be used in tandem with a skeleton army. He would need to be more careful if he chose something more destructive and offensive.
'If I could I would pick water but I feel it just might be easier to find a source of water in a desert than here'
All of the water in the dungeon was either entirely negligible or dirty to the point that you would need to ask yourself if it could still be considered water. Ed's only reason for that was to directly counter the fire swordsman but all things considered it wasn't a gamble worth taking.
'If he doesn't even come back then I'd be a laughing stock' Of course only he could ridicule himself if that time came.
Fire was a decent choice among the viable choices available in the dungeon.
'Fight fire with fire'
Ed was at a loss on what to do. He really just wanted to cram all of the possible elements into his core at that point.
'Decision making was never my forte' The hardest choice he ever had to make was which new game to buy with his measly allowance.
'Wait a moment...'
Ed almost had an epiphany at that point.
'Can I assimilate elements?'
It was a bit of stretch as the description only mentioned items and skills but realistically would it mention something like elements?
'The system is very vague when it wants to' He still had no idea how to use thought manifestation.
After much deliberation, Ed made a choice.
'I will go with the earth element'
The earth element was one of the few elements he could find inside the dungeon and would still prove useful in a variety of scenarios. Not only that but the lich could help simplify the process.
'I shouldn't waste so much time just choosing an element either'
He wasted precious time doing nothing over such a simple issue. Ed grabbed the book and got up from his desk. He needed the lich's assistance.
'The first option needs me to be adept at mana control' Ed was obviously lacking in that area.
Ed pushed open the heavy gate and was met with darkness. He walked in and after a short while the lights were turned on.
"Why are you back so soon?" The lich asked in its hoarse voice.
'I am done reading and understanding the book, I need your help'
The lich was ever so slightly shocked by the news. He was done? It was reasonable to have read the book in its entirety but to claim you understand it, you must be a genius or liar!
"If you do understand it you should be able to make your mana fluctuate" The lich said as it looked on inquisitively.
The book not only explained what mana was and how it worked but also how to manipulate it. His elementless mana could still be used to reinforce body parts or send basic signals. These spells are aptly labeled as entry level skills, they only rely on mana manipulation. These basic spells don't require chants or motions to cast.
The lich asked for something much easier however, he was simply asking Ed to make the mana in his core move. After reading the basics and having a decent grasp on them the aspiring magician should be able to do at least that much with ease.
Ed was naturally not lying. Using his deduction skill along with his own intelligence he was able to quickly understand the theory behind spell casting and mana application.
Ed removed his slashed robe and revealed his mana core. He then tried to move the mana in it around. The mana in his core shifted back and forth like waves.
The movement was so easy that Ed started to have doubts on whether this was all it took for the lich to help him.
'You are not going to ask for a basic spell or something?' Ed hadn't practiced any but he was still sure he could master one within just 10 minutes if the lich were to ask.
"This much is good enough. Come closer"
Ed was starting to doubt the lich's teaching capabilities but acquiesced nonetheless. He stood in front of the lich who placed his palm near his core.
"I take it you are sure about learning this element?" The lich didn't immediately start as be needed confirmation.
Ed simply nodded while hoping the process wasn't painful. The core wasn't attached to him in the first place, it just kind of floated there.
The lich started to release energy with the power of the earth from its palm and towards Ed's core. The transparent glass core started to take on a dirtier look as the earth element made the core its home. The core shone a brown hue for a couple of seconds before quickly diminishing.
To Ed's surprise the process was pretty quick. His liquid like clear mana was turned brown and the core had a similar brown hue. That was all it took.
'Is it possible to just empty my core of any mana and then add another element then?'
It was just too easy! Maybe it was because of the memories of his previous life but Ed wasn't entirely satisfied.
'Wasn't this supposed to be really cool looking?' All he got was a brown light that quickly disappeared!
The lich seemed to notice Ed's conundrum and thus answered his question.
"The amount of mana you posses is simply too small." The lich then waved its hand dismissively.
Ed was a bit dumbfounded.
'You are not going to teach me any spells?'
A few hands shot up from the ground each holding basic spellbooks.
"Return once you've mastered these books"
Ed had no choice but to grab the books and leave. He headed towards the exit and looked back towards the lich who had no intention of seeing him out.
'This wasn't how master-disciple relationships worked in my head'
Could he even consider him a master? At this point, the lich was nothing more than a library Ed walked away begrudgingly.