Chapter 72

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 72

Chapter Title: Sensory Block Lv. 5

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After muffling my footsteps once more and returning to the first floor, I closed the door behind me and sank deep into thought.

'Alensia was fucking incredible...'

Ah, damn it, not that. Other thoughts kept bubbling up. I'll just tuck it away in a corner of my mind...

I examined [Sensory Block], which had finally reached level 5. It had been stuck at level 4 for so long that I figured it must've needed a massive amount of experience. It was a skill I'd steadily used both in the Labyrinth and in daily life.

The issue lay in the message that appeared when the skill leveled up. Normally, skill level-ups came with something like "Achievement unlocked" or "Sufficient experience accumulated." It never blatantly mentioned the [Lust Absorption] skill like this.

The other skills I'd leveled up using [Lust Absorption] experience had only shown generic level-up messages. The fact that it specifically called out [Lust Absorption] only for [Sensory Block]...

'Does [Sensory Block] only level up through [Lust Absorption]?'

It was a reasonable suspicion. Thinking back on when [Sensory Block] had leveled up before—levels 2 and 3 after absorbing from Hiss, level 4 after Miranda, and the very first one after blocking some kind of "sexual sensation" or whatever.

...Who knows. I couldn't find any info on [Lust Absorption] in the library anyway. And no matter how much I pondered, there wasn't much I could do about it. I'm not about to stop using [Sensory Block] or [Lust Absorption]. All I could do was keep using the skills steadily, like always.

Ah, still, I should jot down that system message. Might come in handy if I find related info later.

For now, I'll set aside the connection between [Lust Absorption] and [Sensory Block]...

Time to test out the new effects from this level-up.

I slapped my own cheek hard—no holding back. My mouth burst open, filling with the metallic tang of blood. And throughout, I consciously avoided using [Sensory Block].

'Hmm...'

Even after a slap hard enough to split my mouth, no pain. Seems to be working fine...

That was the condition I'd set for [Sensory Block]. After mulling over uses, I went simple: block pain when inflicted. I hadn't consciously activated it, but the moment my hand hit my cheek, it triggered automatically, numbing the pain.

First application of the new level-up feature. Like a macro—I set conditions for [Sensory Block], and it auto-activates when met. The conditions could be pretty vague too, like "block tongue pain from spicy food" or "block smell from foul odors"—subjective stuff worked fine.

And the other one...

'[Sensory Block]'

I cast it on myself, targeting pain again.

Then I pulled out the club from my inventory—the one for resistance training—and whacked my thigh.

"Guh..."

Pain so intense I had to grit my teeth to stifle the groan. Swallowing it, I grabbed another club beside me and hit the opposite thigh.

"........."

No pain this time. Second application: fine-tune "conditions" and "range" to target specifics, like "block pain from this club."

Perfect. Endless uses sprang to mind just from this. A single level-up, but this alone could change battles entirely.

...Wait, one more check. Adjust "range" for light taps with the club... Yep. That works too.

I wanted to experiment more, but a solo room has limits. Save the rest for later. Vivian's training tomorrow, so I need sleep first.

I headed to the bed in the corner, lay down, and pressed the button by the bedside.

'Duration's longer now, so I can sleep in today...'

I blocked my pain with [Sensory Block], confirmed the wooden training dummy I'd bought after last resistance session was clubbing my body, and drifted off comfortably.

Testing this too. Bought the dummy for [Physical Resistance] training, but the old duration meant I'd wake up from impacts when it wore off.

Recast [Sensory Block] with the condition set. If it chains like this, I can sleep soundly without waking... Zzz...

"Nngh..."

The impact jolted me awake. Did the condition work ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠right?

"Oh..."

Sunlight streamed through the window, and the clock showed exactly the end time I'd set for the skill. It worked? Then stuff like electric shock beds or sleeping amid poison gas might be feasible... Ah, but leaks could annoy neighbors.

I headed to the kitchen to prep breakfast. Alensia came down in comfy loungewear. Not wanting to act weird recalling yesterday, I avoided her face and greeted casually.

"Slept well?"

"Mm. Ian. You're heading to Vivian's training today, right?"

"Yeah. No idea what she'll teach, but I agreed to learn."

"Mm..."

"??"

Uncharacteristic hesitation from Alensia. What? Related to yesterday?

"Be careful, Ian."

"......Careful?"

Careful for training?

"Lady Vivian is awfully capricious. Her skills are beyond question, of course... but she's done things others can't fathom at times. Strange inventions, bizarre experiments..."

"........."

A bit unnerving, but I wouldn't pass up the chance. Beyond lessons, linking with a High Council member was huge.

"Seriously, be careful, Ian."

"........."

Stop scaring me like that.

Getting to Vivian was simple: find a quiet spot, use her crystal orb to call, and she'd sense my location and teleport me.

"Lady Vivian, nice t—"

"Master."

"...Nice to see you, Master."

"Mm."

This space differed from last time's book-filled room. Books surrounded it, but a massive magic circle dominated the center.

Glancing at the floor circle, I asked Vivian, who busily adjusted flowing mana.

"So, what am I learning? Magic, right?"

I'd hoped for magic. She was famous for it, after all.

"No."

"...?"

Not the affirmation I'd expected. She finished adjusting, met my eyes, and said,

"I'm teaching you 'mana' itself."

"Mana itself...?"

"First day, so basics first."

With a flick of her hand, I floated up and landed in the magic circle's center.

"This magic circle?"

"A mana training circle developed at the Magic Tower. I improved it, of course."

She infused mana; the embedded mana stones lit up, and the circle hummed.

"Short explanation: It stimulates your mana circuits to strengthen them and expels bodily impurities."

"Whoa..."

Impressive. Strengthening mana circuits and impurity removal—like the elixir from the guild's secret vault. I'd coveted it then; this was the same effect...

Given her vibe, I'd braced for something risky.

"The longer you endure inside, the tougher your mana circuits and purer your body."

"...Endure?"

Like I might not last.

"Direct stimulation causes intense pain. Unlike normal pain, analgesics don't work. Lose consciousness midway, and your circuits risk damage."

"........."

Risky indeed. Having heard Alensia's ordeal with damaged circuits, I couldn't laugh it off. Vivian smirked faintly.

"Of course, losing consciousness stops it. But gains will be minimal. If you can't handle it, exit quickly."

She infused more mana; the circle blazed.

"...!"

Blue mana seeped into me, stimulating my mana circuits. A pain-like stimulus hit my body.

This... this is...

'... [Sensory Release]?'

Familiar. I'd felt this before—like intense pain from releasing blocked mana sensation.

I assumed my usual stance and began [Mana Breathing].

"Hoo...?"

Different from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pure [Sensory Release]. Then it was just circuit stimulation; now pain wracked my body too, beads of murky sweat forming.

Soon, mana flooded in waves, intensifying the circuit and body strain.

Reflexively, I reached for [Sensory Block] to endure...

'...Is that best?'

Another thought struck. Blocking pain would let me last, and blocking mana stimulus too would keep me in. But sensing ambient mana via [Mana Breathing] and [Mana Detection], slowly absorbing it—blocking it all felt wasteful.

'...[Sensory Block]'

I cast it. Not brute-forcing pain or mana stimulus.

'Specify range, condition.'

Using the level 5 range control. Adjusted condition too.

'Block only sensations above a threshold... Criterion: anything beyond current level.'

I'd puzzled over "range" initially. Not distance—already flexible. It meant sensory intensity range.

Old [Sensory Block] blocked low-to-moderate sensations (say, 1-100 scale: all up to 100). Now, I could spare 1-50, block only 51-100.

And... activate.

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