“Hmm, hmm! Anyway, I now have a clear understanding of the baseline buff effect that doesn’t rely on sonic waves. Although the effect is currently weak, it’s not something to worry about. Karvald Austri is still a student, and he has enrolled in my lectures. Ether abilities can definitely be improved with effort.”
Professor Radbisin cleared his throat and launched into a lengthy explanation.
He was quite talkative to begin with, but even considering that, it was obvious he was trying to change the subject.
Instead of pointing that out and embarrassing the professor, I just said, “I look forward to working with you.”
At that, the professor smiled contentedly and asked a new question about buff abilities.
“Is it possible to stack this silent buff multiple times?”
“I tried, but it was impossible.”
“Really? And stacking it with buffs that use sonic waves is also impossible?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, the only difference is whether sonic wave amplification is added or not, but it’s essentially the same ability… Usually, in these cases, if you just push it with the amount of Aether, it solves the problem, you know? Have you ever tried injecting Aether imbued with buff traits, rather than overlaying buffs?”
I hadn’t.
Back when I learned how to handle Aether at the original family of this host body, I was told that even without any technical processing, the buff effect would manifest, but it was so weak that it was inefficient.
Therefore, it was better to properly activate the skill to use it effectively.
‘So I didn’t even try. But now that I think about it, doesn’t that mean the buff is applied somehow, just in a minimal way…?’
Using Aether without processing it into a skill should be considered a less efficient version of the basic buff skill, [Encourage].
If that’s the case, after using the skill silently, injecting Aether directly could compensate for the additional skill multipliers normally gained through sonic waves.
It’s not entirely impossible.
‘What if it’s treated as a separate skill from [Encourage] or [Encouragement]?’
That would be beneficial as well. Just like how [Encourage] and [Encouragement] stack, this could also stack.
Or maybe it’s the same as the [Encourage] skill.
And the maximum effect achievable is the same as when using [Encourage] in silent mode, meaning there might be no actual gain.
But still, it’s absolutely worth trying.
“I’ll try it now.”
Curious about the result, I decided to test it on myself first.
In effect, I pulled the Aether inside my body out and then reinjected it, which, rather than merging with the existing Aether, spread throughout my body to enhance my physical stats.
‘The efficiency is definitely too low. The Aether consumption is enormous.’
It took more than five times the amount of Aether used for applying [Encourage] to a single person to reach the maximum buff effect.
‘Maybe it was just my feeling, but the vitality I sensed in my body when the maximum sonic wave correction was applied seemed about this level.’
“Karvald Austri, how is it?”
Professor Radbisin asked with eyes full of curiosity and expectation, so I injected Aether into his body as well.
He came to the same conclusion as me.
Even when using the basic buff skill silently, by injecting Aether, it seemed possible to reach the maximum stat increase effect.
“But just in case, shall we verify it properly? Let’s test if there’s any difference between applying the buff silently and then injecting Aether, and injecting Aether from the start. Let’s check if both methods can achieve the same stat increases as when the buff is applied while cracking a whip.”
I could already guess the outcome, but scholars apparently aren’t satisfied without a formal verification process.
Professor Radbisin wanted to experiment.
Of course, the test subjects would be the senior research students.
Sensing this, they resisted with logical reasons, but…
“We’re all suffering from muscle pain right now. It’s impossible to provide accurate experimental data for comparison!”
“Yeah, it’s impossible!”
“Even though this isn’t the first or second time we’ve tested, what are you talking about? We obviously consider such variables. So stop worrying and hurry up to use up your recovered stamina.”
Their protests were ignored.
Eventually, the human research students collapsed weakly onto the floor like corpses, and I used the buff skill to temporarily revive them.
Twice.
Using Aether injection alone without even the silent mode [Encourage] skill increased consumption by tenfold.
Anyone perceptive enough would have guessed the results from this point:
Injecting Aether itself is also a way to use the [Encourage] skill.
‘Although it wastes Aether terribly, if making noise is impossible, this is the method to use.’
I hadn’t even started serious trait enhancement training and had only analyzed the traits, yet I was already gaining two benefits:
A trick to simulate stamina recovery by increasing endurance.
And a way to maximize buff effects even when using the [Encourage] skill in silent mode.
‘The downside is that it consumes way too much Aether.’
If I added up all the Aether used so far, it would be equivalent to applying the [Encourage] skill to about forty people.
My Aether was nearly depleted, and my whole body felt drained.
It seems this is the limit of the Aether this body currently holds.
“It looks like you’re entering Aether exhaustion. Let’s push a little more!”
“Ah… nooo…”
“Please, no more…”
While the professor spoke cheerfully without moving from his spot, the two senior research students screamed hoarsely.
Watching them, I even wondered if they weren’t zombies, forcibly revived after death.
No matter how weak, just running a few laps around the classroom shouldn’t reduce them to such a state.
‘So maybe it’s the repeated use of the buff stamina recovery trick?’
“Karvald Austri, you said there’s another buff skill that can stack on top of the basic buff, right? Something related to personal traits.”
“Yes, there is.”
“Then hurry and use it. Think beyond just scraping the water off the floor. Draw out every drop of moisture absorbed into the ground, pulling nonexistent Aether up and unleashing it!”
Professor Radbisin seemed intent on pushing the research forward, as if oblivious to the screams of the students.
Usually, he seems talkative but gentle and kind. However, when it comes to research, he tends to be ruthless.
Definitely not someone I want to consider becoming my research mentor.
“I know that to draw out Sky-Blue Aether, you have to exhaust all your Purple Ethere and continue drawing Aether in a depleted state. But as I explained in the report, that buff skill requires specific conditions. So I can’t use it right now.”
“Oh! Sorry, I got too excited. I didn’t even ask what those conditions were.”
Since such a conversation was happening, it was probably time for me to explain the host body’s personality and the ‘specific conditions.’
But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
‘And why would I?’
‘I have a buff skill that only works on someone tagged as [My OOO] because of my intense possessiveness. How could I possibly say that out loud?’
The reaction would be predictable the moment I said it.
“He’s just like the guy who obsessed over his fiancée. Are you really over it? Or do you plan to obsess secretly now? Or have you found a new target?”
They’d be creeped out and treat me like the person they should never get close to in this world.
“Karvald Austri? Why are you silent?”
“Well… I’m not really sure. Based on the inherited Aether traits and seeing how my family uses their abilities, I noticed that abilities vary slightly according to personality… But I don’t know which of my traits influence my Aether ability… So I haven’t figured out the exact conditions.”
“Not knowing isn’t shameful. So don’t hang your head in shame or avoid eye contact. Lift your head, Karvald Austri.”
I know that, too.
Not knowing isn’t shameful.
What’s truly shameful are the host body’s personality and the activation condition of the [Encouragement] skill.
“Ah, yes… but for the reasons I mentioned, it’s impossible to use the second buff skill.”
“But you can still try, right? You never know—you might have accidentally met the condition.”
Huh?
I raised my head and looked at Professor Radbisin.
Even though he’s helping me grow my ability, he’s not my “mentor.”
If he were “our professor,” it might be different, but calling him “my professor” feels odd. Not the kind of title one would use in a typical teacher-student relationship.
‘What about the senior research students?’
If I became Professor Radbisin’s research student, they’d be my senior colleagues as fellow students.
But for now, “my” isn’t a fitting descriptor.
‘Still, there’s one candidate here who meets the activation condition of [Encouragement].’
That’s the body I possess.
I tried it before, and it worked.
I can’t check the skill window now, but the registered keyword is definitely “My Possessed Body.”
For reference, [Encouragement] is a skill that stacks as many times as the number of applied keywords.
So, just in case, I tried using the skill again with the keyword “My Body,” but nothing happened.
They’re probably treated as the same since both refer to “body.”
‘If I’m the only one the keyword applies to, does that mean I have to run too?’
Skipping the middle steps and going straight to the conclusion: I didn’t have to run.
No, I couldn’t run today.
Even though the buff effect raises endurance and helps with stamina recovery, it doesn’t solve Aether exhaustion.
“Huff…!”
Squeezing out Aether again when it was already depleted left me feeling completely hollow, and my breath caught.
Cold sweat broke out, my head swam, and I felt dizzy.
So I couldn’t even tell the professor that I succeeded in buffing myself.
“Karvald Austri! Don’t faint. It’s hard, but draw out Aether one more time. Since we don’t yet know the properties of Sky-Blue Aether, use it not on people but by layering it onto weapons.”
His voice was calm, though I could sense his tension.
I listened carefully to Professor Radbisin’s instructions and complied.
Gritting my teeth, I resisted the hollow feeling inside me and focused on the sensation of drawing out Aether.
Then I saw it.
Sky-Blue Aether forming on the whip.