Chapter 3: Goal
Ember was extremely keen when he accepted the skill, not because he feared he had chosen the wrong one. He noted that each time he gained a skill, a strange current would course through him. The skills were probably something more complex than mana, but he was almost certain mana was involved somewhere.
So he concentrated entirely on Mana Sense to perceive anything extraordinary. To his dismay, the sensation was too ethereal and instantaneous. Before he could even glimpse it, it disappeared somewhere into his body.
Ember was not too disappointed, as a similar feeling did coalesce whenever he gained a point in a skill. He would have multiple chances to detect it.
Anyhow, with the new skill, he would have more opportunities to peek at the mysteries. On that note, he had not chosen Language Acquisition.
There were two reasons why he had picked Meditation over it. Firstly, Ember did not believe Language Acquisition would magically help him understand everything once he got the skill, despite mana being part of the equation. He would have to level it up to the third or fourth step, perhaps even further, to understand day-to-day words.
Secondly, he refused to believe he could not learn the common tongue without a skill. Although his experience was meagre, Ember could tell that skills were not unfathomable. The common ones definitely were not, but they did augment whatever they were meant for.
He had no clue whether they could make someone unintelligent into a genius, though that was not his concern.
By his estimate, it would have taken at least three or four months for him to get Language Acquisition to a level where he could understand the local language. And in that time, he would probably be able to meet the requirements for advancing his race.
Another reason for choosing Meditation had been its calming effect and how it resonated with his mind. All his other skills—be it Active Recall, Focus, or especially Mana Sense—required a high amount of mental energy. So if Meditation could rejuvenate his mind more quickly, would that not mean he would have more time and energy to work with?