… So, did that mean there was a ranking system for techniques?
This time, even Olivia didn't give him a definite answer.
And so, Christian found himself once again circling back to his original problem; his slow progress.
Luckily, this time, she also gave him a solution.
… That if one couldn't change internal factors like age or the technique itself, then they should rely on external ones.
Like the environment… Something his system was already helping him with.
And he honestly doubted there was any place better than the one his system was offering.
… Or through consuming some natural treasure, or a precious medicine—something like a pill brewed with the help of alchemy.
It wasn't exactly new information for Christian… But the question remained, from where would he even get those?
Even with Eva's previous connections intact, getting such things was impossible, after all.
As for the other methods in his mind, that also involved getting help from Iris, they still need more time to be carried out.
As for the other methods in his mind, methods that involved getting help from Iris, they still needed more time before they could be carried out.
… And so, Christian was forced to be satisfied with his current situation, and progression speed.
Even then, there was a question he couldn't shake.
He had already found the answer himself, but that didn't stop his doubts.
Why was the amount of Essence he was gaining so much higher than the increase in his Constitution?
He naturally understood that it was an Essence technique after all, so of course it would focus more on Essence.
But going … Christian felt like his Essence would reach a hundred, while his Constitution barely reached thirty.
The gap between them was growing wider.
So, was this simply due to the current power system he was using?
With other systems focusing more on Constitution, maybe?
All the other power systems he'd discovered were more or less the same in this regard. They focused heavily on Essence, and seemed to ignore Constitution to varying degrees.
Suddenly, he remembered a unique power system.
One he still wasn't sure could even be called a full-fledged, independent system.
And in that moment, Christian wavered in his judgment.
But in the end, knowing there was something more important for now.
He moved his gaze away from his attributes.
And turned it to his skills.
To his AI Creation, and General Programming skills.
Christian stared at them for some time, before finally making his decision.
Previously, he had only wanted to replace one of them, and continue researching the other.
Aside from how, even now, when they were still not even at the Expert tier, he felt he was already several years ahead of the current technological development on this planet. And for what he had in mind in the coming few years… just this much was probably enough.
Christian felt that the other two subjects he had in mind were still more important.
One of these skills would naturally be changed to research making a humanoid robot.
But the other one. That was the main reason he had changed his decision.
It was for the Essence Manipulation skill.
Why did he suddenly become interested in it, when he previously believed that if it was something that would naturally come along with the advancement of his strength, then there would probably be no need to pursue it separately?
It was because of one possibility that came to his mind, now that he had the Mortal Flawless Body skill.
It was the same possibility that had first come to him when Olivia told him he could just take the help of external factors if he wasn't satisfied with his advancing speed…
But at the time, he dismissed it.
He feared he would fail, and felt that it wasn't the right time, there were more important matters after all.
But now, after mastering the Breath of the Shadow Blade technique, and even beginning to research its sequence… which, as it turned out, was harder than he initially thought.
Once again, just the start of his research seemed easy, but completing this technique, it would still take some time, it seemed.
Even so, through that research, he came to gain some understanding of what an Essence technique was.
And analyzing his current situation. He felt the possibility of succeeding in what he had in mind… was actually pretty high.
Then why didn't he wait until he finished researching the Talent Detecting Technique first?
Because he felt that would be too late!
The Mortal Talent Detecting Technique skill was still at level three, after all.
And the speed of his research was even slowing down.
So, learning Essence Manipulation on its own, would not only open new doors, it would also accelerate his research on the Talent Detecting Technique.
And that was very important.
Because right now… it was just too slow.
… Having already made his decision to replace both the AI Creation and Programming skills as soon as they advanced to the Expert tier,
Christian gave a final glance at his status window, intending to close it.
But then, he suddenly noticed the Concealment Technique… and the percentage of its level.
… Thirty-two. Compared to the previous twenty when he had removed the skill from the third Idle slot, it wasn't much.
But this increase… it was from his own, very real hard work. And he couldn't help but feel a faint sense of achievement because of it every time he looks at it.
Did he really start working hard on something?
He hadn't devoted his time to fully research this skill on his own. But, playing with his abilities when he was bored, and especially after he came to understand the shadow element more deeply due to the Breath of the Shadow Blade technique naturally ended up helping him make new discoveries regarding this skill.