The Coral Tavern had private rooms, which cost more but offered better service.
However, Gauss had only come to eat, so he was not particular about such things.
He found an empty table, sat down, and placed his bag and sword beside him.
Before long, a female server came over with a menu.
Gauss waved his hand grandly and ordered several meat dishes and a jug of fruit juice.
For some reason, he was especially craving meat now.
Speaking of this craving for meat, it had begun a few days ago.
More precisely, it had started after that battle ended.
He guessed that, just like his growth spurt, the increase in his appetite was also caused by having six points of Constitution.
His body's development required a large amount of nutrients, which sounded perfectly reasonable.
While waiting for the food, he focused his mind and opened the Adventurer's Handbook in his mind to check the information inside.
Name: Gauss Strength: 5 (kinetic output such as physical strength, carrying capacity, and explosive power) Agility: 5 (bodily flexibility and dynamic coordination) Constitution: 6 (endurance, physical fitness, trauma recovery, and cardiopulmonary metabolism) Intelligence: 7 (memory, thought, and mental power) Perception: 5 (senses, intuition, and judgment) Charisma: 5 (bearing, appearance, and physique) Skills: 0th Ring Cantrip: Mage Hand Level 2 (15/20) 1st Circle Spell: Magic Missile Level 1 (3/10)
On the Attribute Panel, all his attributes were clearly displayed as numerical values, making them easy to understand at a glance.
As for his skills, Mage Hand had increased by a full five points during that battle.
It had risen from 10/20 to 15/20.
This also supported Gauss's previous conjecture: actual combat was more conducive to increasing skill proficiency.
As for Magic Missile, it was still only Level 1 (3/10).
Those three proficiency points had come from his exceptional performance that time, when he had used Magic Missile to kill the Large Goblin.
Afterward, he had not dared to use this 1st Circle Spell casually during his journey back.
At present, this 1st Circle Spell seemed to have overly high mana requirements.
He was worried that if he practiced on the road and accidentally drained his mana, he would once again fall into a state of mental exhaustion so severe that he could not move. Thus, he had not practiced it at all.
At the moment, he possessed two spells.
Combined with the knowledge about Mages that Gron, the tavern owner, had told him not long ago, he was caught in a dilemma.
To set foot on the path of a professional and formally become a Mage, the first step was to practice one spell to an extremely proficient level.
And he currently possessed two spells.
In fact, both Mage Hand and Magic Missile could serve as the foundation for opening his Professional Path.
What troubled him was which spell he should choose.
In terms of difficulty, Mage Hand was undoubtedly much simpler than Magic Missile.
In fact, according to Gron, the vast majority of Mages used a 0th Ring Cantrip as their first spell when attempting to reach the professional realm.
The advantage of a 0th Ring Cantrip was that the spell itself was relatively easier to access, had a lower learning difficulty, consumed less mana during practice, and allowed more practice attempts within the same amount of time, increasing the chances of advancing to a profession.
However, this ease was only in comparison with 1st Circle Spells.
In reality, magic was a skill with an extremely high threshold. Those without Talent found it exceedingly difficult to master.
It was unlike Sword Skill, Combat Skill, and archery. As long as one was willing to invest time, whether or not one ultimately became a professional, one could at least gain a certain degree of combat power.
Magic was different. Those without Talent often returned disappointed.
This was also why professions such as Mages were welcomed in many adventurer parties. Rarity itself was a resource.
But after listing so many advantages of 0th Ring Cantrips, what benefit was there to using a 1st Circle Spell as the skill with which to attempt advancement?
There was only one.
That was that the 1st Circle Spell would be solidified into a Core Skill. From then on, it would possess greater growth potential, and using it would consume less mana.
That was right. The skill each person used to attempt their Professional Path would be solidified into their Core Skill at the moment they formally condensed their Class Rank.
A professional could master many skills afterward. Taking a Mage as an example, 0th Ring Cantrips and 1st-9th Circle Spells could all be learned gradually, as long as one had sufficient Talent and strength.
But Core Skills were different. They had better growth potential and would continuously increase in power alongside the professional's Class Rank.
Moreover, because the skill was thoroughly solidified, this Core Skill would be easier to use, while consuming less mana.
So, between 0th Ring Mage Hand and 1st Circle Magic Missile as Core Skills, which had better potential and effects?
Naturally, it was Magic Missile.
Mage Hand was merely an auxiliary spell. Even among 0th Ring Cantrips, it belonged to the type with extremely little combat power.
Magic Missile, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. A purely offensive mana spell like this ranked among the most powerful in terms of destructive force even among 1st Circle Spells.
Finally, Core Skills would also influence the types of Talents each professional awakened after obtaining a Class Rank.
For example, if an Archer chose the profession of Ranger, then after formally entering the professional realm and obtaining a Class Rank, she might awaken [Precision], [Eagle Eye], [Divine Power], or others. These Talents varied in quality.
Different Talents granted professionals different bonuses.
If the Core Skill she chose for her profession were Magic Missile, then when she entered the professional realm, the skill's power would far exceed that of an ordinary Mage.
More importantly, a crude offensive spell like Magic Missile would very likely cause her to awaken an exceptionally powerful Innate Talent.
He swallowed.
After thinking it over again and again, he still decided to use Magic Missile to attempt advancement into the Mage profession.
The influence of a Core Skill was simply too great. First of all, the Core Skill itself was a skill that could accompany one throughout an entire professional career, and the Talent it affected would also continue to play a role.
It was difficult for ordinary people to master a 1st Circle Spell without formally condensing a Class Rank. 1st Circle Spells were several times harder than 0th Ring Cantrips, and raising them to a level sufficient for entering the professional realm was even more difficult.
Only a small number of geniuses and those who had achieved sudden enlightenment would choose a 1st Circle Spell as their Core Skill. There were even cases where someone had achieved sudden enlightenment regarding a higher-level skill but ultimately still chose a 0th Ring Cantrip.
In the end, no matter how great the potential was, if one could not enter the professional realm, it was merely a castle in the air.
But Gauss was different. He had the Attribute Panel, which allowed him to clearly know his skill proficiency. Moreover, the data-based format meant that his skills would not deteriorate. As long as he practiced, he could grow stronger.
Overall, 0th Ring Cantrips had the highest compatibility, while 1st Circle Spells were extremely difficult but had great potential. If the spell were 2nd Circle or higher, it could not be used as a Core Skill.
Without condensing a Class Rank, it was fundamentally impossible to cast a 2nd Circle Skill or higher. Even if one truly mastered it, the mana within one's body would be far from sufficient.
Therefore, Gauss did not set his sights too high by wondering whether he could obtain an even higher-level spell.
"If no more suitable skill appears later, then I'll tentatively choose Magic Missile! At most, it'll take a little more time than Mage Hand. In exchange for a stronger Core Skill and Talent, it'll all be worth it."
Gauss pondered for a moment before finally making up his mind.
"So my most urgent task now is to obtain a Wand. Even the most basic Wand can reduce the mana I consume when casting and increase the efficiency of my magic practice."
"That will, in turn, speed up my mastery of Magic Missile and my advancement into the professional realm."
Before you continue