The final scroll was different. Unlike the previous scrolls, which had clear, weapon-like instructions, this one felt like advice for someone who survived by luck and needed a better plan.
It had three simple, non-dramatic skills, grouped under one seal. The first section had a plain title.
Skill: Absorption Efficiency
Category: Intake Optimization
Nodes: 7
The goal was to get more usable mana from external sources like crystals and the environment. This meant less waste and fewer impurities, especially important in places where mana is scarce.
Ivor stared at it. He'd wasted many crystals just to finish one node, all because he didn't want the worst residue in his core. If a skill could cut waste, his careful method would become efficient. He could then grow without having to choose between fast growth and better results.
Then he looked at the node cost again.
Seven.
