CHAPTER 350: BEST OPTION

His [Skills and Abilities] now looked quite different compared to before.

He had finally leveled up the majority of his skills, and the result was right in front of his eyes. The progress wasn’t just on the system tabs, he could feel it within himself also, newly increased strength coursing through his veins.

Of course, this hadn’t come for free.

His skill points, which had once been towering over a thousand, had now fallen drastically.

The glowing number in the corner of the tab, [Skill Points: 121], was almost mocking in its scarcity compared to what he had before.

A faint pang hit his chest as he stared at the low number, and his lips pressed into a thin line. That mountain of skill points had felt like a comforting reserve, a safety net he could always rely on. Now, that net was gone.

Still, he couldn’t deny the trade had been worth it overall.

His eyes softened slightly, and he leaned back against the bed, exhaling.

Ever since his evolution into a Manaless Mage, the system itself had shifted in his favor.

Leveling up a skill with skill points required only ten points, regardless of the skill’s previous level.

However, he had too many skills, so even with the 1351 skill points he previously had, they weren’t enough to level up the skills to his satisfaction.

His eyes scanned over the endless skills that filled the window, and he felt that familiar weight in his chest again.

Even if it only cost him ten points per upgrade, the sheer quantity meant he bled through his points at a ridiculous rate.

Originally, he had planned to focus all his training on Energy Manipulation.

That way, he would be able to manually refine his skills through actual practice rather than throwing points into leveling up everything.

It had seemed more efficient, more long-term. But in the end, he had discarded that plan.

Because as much as he wanted to focus on training his energy, the truth was brutally simple: leveling up his skills was still one of the fastest ways for him to grow stronger.

And in this world, in his position, strength wasn’t something he could delay.

With the system backing him, with his skills reaching higher levels at his command, he could instantly soar in strength in ways that normal effort could never achieve.

His lips curled again, this time sharper, almost amused. The path he walked was dangerous, but with this kind of power, he was no longer the boy that people could dismiss as a forgotten, abandoned loner. He was different now—and the skills glowing in front of him were proof of that.

Another reason Harry had discarded the idea of relying solely on training his Energy Manipulation was simple—he didn’t have enough time.

Every second that ticked away was a reminder of the looming threat, a shadow that stretched wider and darker with each passing day.

The dark guild was already stirring, their schemes spreading silently through the world, and behind them stood the true menace—the demons.

Harry’s eyes darkened as the thought crossed his mind. He had to get stronger a lot faster. No matter what he personally preferred, no matter how much he would have liked to take his time and refine himself steadily, the reality was far harsher. The demons weren’t going to wait.

Despite how much he longed to focus purely on mastering his energy, time simply wouldn’t allow it.

He couldn’t tell when the demons would descend on Earth, but one thing he was absolutely certain of was that, as he was now, he was no match for the Demon Lord.

That single truth gnawed at him relentlessly, as undeniable as the beating of his own heart. Facing the Demon Lord now would be nothing short of suicide.

But at least, with his new set of skills, he wasn’t the same person he had been before he’d leveled them up. He was much stronger—undeniably so.

He tapped his finger against the glowing tab, eyes narrowing in particular on one skill.

[Accelerate].

Before, it had been useful, granting him an extra push in speed and reaction time, but it was nowhere near what it was now.

At level ten, it boosted his abilities by a whopping 350 points compared to the meager 150 it used to provide. The difference was staggering. That skill alone could now tip the scales in his favor in fights that might have otherwise been beyond him.

Of course, he hadn’t leveled everything evenly. He had been careful, deliberate, making sure to focus on certain skills rather than spreading his points too thin. And the result was worth it.

His eyes lingered on another skill, and perhaps the most important one of all: [Energy Manipulation – Level 13].

This was one of the skills he had poured his attention into, and the growth was obvious.

Controlling his energy now felt like second nature. He could draw it out from his body without the strain that once weighed on him, shaping it with precision and intent.

What had previously felt like wrestling against a wild, raging current now flowed as smoothly as water cupped in his palms.

Forming shapes out of his energy, something that used to demand almost every ounce of his concentration, had become as easy as breathing.

The sense of control thrilled him—it was progress he could truly feel, not just numbers on a screen.

And it wasn’t just that. He had also leveled up his [Battle Arts], bringing the two techniques he possessed—Dual Sword Mastery and Dagger Mastery—up to level five each.

It might not sound as flashy as his manipulation abilities, but the difference in combat was undeniable.

His movements were sure to get sharper, more fluid, and his strikes carried a precision that hadn’t been there before.

But among all of this progress, there was still one skill that stood above the rest in his mind—one that filled him with a little satisfaction every time his eyes landed on it.

[Memory Manipulation – Level 10].

Of everything he had developed, this was currently the one that pleased him the most, as it was what he needed for his upcoming plans.