Alden remained in the cave for the next few days.
He spent his time alternating between refining his core and meditating on how to improve his skills even further. [Haste], [Shield], and [Dark Tentacles] had stuck with him from the moment he first left the Sanctuary. They were integral to his survival during the invasion. However, now that he had ranked up and become more adept, Alden couldn't help but feel his skill arsenal was beginning to look a little lacklustre.
Sure, [Haste] and [Shield] were decent techniques to have. They were extremely simple to use, and a large part of what made them so effective. But now that he was facing stronger foes - evidenced by his battle against the Dark Brood and the Dark Elf - Alden needed something more elaborate.
Something that delved deeper into the realm of the mystical. Something capable of giving him an edge when things began to look grim and the odds of his survival fell.
Still, it wasn't as if it was all bad.
If viewed under a certain lens, the two skills were certainly a solid foundation to have.
Now, it was just about building on from there.
Munching on a dry ration, Alden racked his brain, wondering how he could enhance these two Skills further. [Dark Tentacles] didn't require any modification as it was a utility-type skill, so it still had plenty of use, even if his strength slowly outgrew its need as time passed.
'[Haste] enhances my speed and reflexes. Perhaps the next step is to focus its application on only one of my limbs, instead of my whole body?'
Alden thought the idea held some promise, but it was still a tad too basic for his liking.
He felt it would be quite ineffective as well. Or at least, there wasn't much practical scope for its implementation.
'Maybe if I delay the activation of [Haste], store some energy and let it accumulate, and then release it in a ferocious burst?'
Now, Alden sensed he was getting somewhere. Compressed energy would undoubtedly be more powerful than its simpler counterpart, which meant a potential for greater speed, as well as greater force. Both great things to have during combat.
The only issue was that he couldn't know for certain how feasible the idea was. Maybe it had a hidden drawback? Maybe it wouldn't work? Maybe it would cause one of his legs to explode in a mess of bloody gore simply because it was unable to contain the pressed energy?
Alden couldn't- and wouldn't - know unless he actually tried it in battle.
He was quite reluctant to do so, though.
The young man shook his head.
'That's for future me to worry about. Right now, I need to focus on the present.'
Namely, how to increase his overall combat effectiveness.
…And one such facet was a sturdier defense.
Alden turned his attention towards [Shield].
Idly, he rubbed his chin, sinking deep into thought.
An icy breeze tickled his skin, ruffling his dirty white hair.
He didn't pay much attention to that, though, too absorbed in his own thoughts.
'[Shield] prevents projectiles and other attacks from reaching me by creating a barrier. However, it's main weakness is that it is too static. Also, once deployed, I can't change its position.'
As simple as the barrier was, its drawbacks were quite problematic.
Alden had to deploy more than one shield if he wanted to cover every possible angle of attack. And while the Skill didn't require that much mana, extensive use still drained him. It would be much more efficient if the magic barrier could respond to his will. It would also save him precious time, something which could not be ignored in a high-stakes battle.
Alden wanted to improve the mobility of his Skill, and by extension, the mobility of his defense. He wasn't really sure how to achieve that, though. Rubbing his temple, the young man racked his brain. His attention roved towards his Magic Class, specifically the boon he had received after unlocking its second stage.
The ability to manifest tangible, solid decay was very useful. Theoretically, he could shape it into anything, such that the scope of its application appeared almost limitless. The only thing weighing it down was the potency of his abyssal energy - corresponding directly to his rank and purity of mana -, and how familiar he was with whatever it was he was fashioning. Now that he could form a shield of decay, though, his defensive Skill had lost a lot of its importance, bordering on the precipice of becoming obsolete.
So, to stop that from happening, why couldn't he merge the two together?
Alden's gaze sharpened as his posture slowly straightened.
An invisible barrier of decay would certainly be very nice.
However, he didn't have to stop there, did he?
What stopped him from applying what he learned on a bigger scale?
For example, instead of stopping short at just a barrier, he could create an invisible 'field' of decay that surrounded his whole figure, eroding anything that entered within a certain radius of him.
A slow, manic grin marred Alden's face.
His mind lit up with countless possibilities, each one better than the last.
The young man forcefully clamped down on his excitement. There was nothing to guarantee he would be alive to see his idea come to fruition, anyway. In this frozen wasteland, he couldn't afford to start getting ahead of himself. Alden needed to take each moment as it came, slowly building his power, hoping that was enough. And while the Inheritance would help a lot in that regard - increasing his confidence in not only surviving but thriving as well -, he still had to locate that mysterious art.
Which promised its own set of problems and difficulties.
Alden sighed, mentally counting his remaining supplies.
It would last him for another day at most.
He should have stocked up on more supplies. Granted, he had planned on only briefly exploring the Glacial Belt before the discussion with his future self had happened. A small scowl flashed across the young man's countenance at the thought of his older self - an individual shrouded in countless mysteries.
Still, it wasn't as if heading back now was the end of the world.
Alden wanted to increase his skill arsenal, anyway, so a return to the Sanctuary was inevitable.
'Probably better I don't bite off more than I can chew.'
There was a chance he could venture too deep in this wasteland and fail to make it back out alive.
Alden released a light sigh and shook his head.
With his course of action now set, he stroked the little phoenix sleeping on his lap.
Alden shifted his gaze to the entrance of the cave. A fierce blizzard raged outside, its warbled cry resembling an eerie, ghostly wail. Flakes of snow slipped into the cavern, bringing with it an icy chill. Alden glanced towards Ignia, and then toward the snowstorm again.
His gaze turned thoughtful, contemplative.
Eventually, the young man came to a decision and slowly stood up, a mask of iron determination settling on his face. Alden would brave this frozen wasteland and all its icy horrors once more. Only, this time…
He would traverse it alone.