SSS-Ranked Skill in a New Filthy World

Roman didn't feel anything. The moment Neia cast the spell, a small notification appeared in front of his eyes.

[Sleep]

[Effect Negated]

Just like before, he stood straight and looked down at her. She was waiting for Roman to fall, but he simply didn't.

"It didn't work," he said calmly.

Neia's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands. "Wow! That was a high-tier spell! I'm sure if I didn't touch you, it might not be as effective, but I touched you, and it still didn't work; your magic resistance is way too strong!"

Roman raised an eyebrow. "So can I tell you what I want?"

Neia nodded slowly, still staring at him like he was a puzzle she wanted to solve. "Alright, what do you want?"

"I want you to teach me Mana control or try to reach me, anyone that works," Roman spoke.

"Wait... isn't that the most basic thing you should know as a mage? How do you have high magic resistance, and you don't know basic Mana control," Neia asked.

"Wait...you also don't know how your magic resistance is this high; maybe you're blessed by the divine being, hahaha." She laughed, and Roman chuckled, but that was truly the case.

The ability he got was from the other goddess, and she might not be the divine being of this world, but she's a divine being in her own world.

"Okay, Mana control is the most basic thing you learn, most people learn Mana control even before the awakening ceremony, without Mana control, you won't be able to regulate your spell and end up using too much power on a simple spell"

'So that's what happened during the awakening ceremony; no wonder my fireball was that big; it used up my entire Mana...I know there's going to teach Mana control, but it's good to get ahead since I'm sure everyone in the academy has mastered this'

"For example, the illusion I used on you was also regulated, once I cast mind control on my instructor and it worked, but I passed out after some seconds"

"Your instructor is stronger than you" Roman spoke.

"Yes, when facing stronger opponents, you'll have to cast stronger spells, or you won't be able to land a single hit, so Mana control, let's go," Neia spoke as she walked into the library, and Roman followed her behind.

They both sat down at a quiet corner of the library. Neia jumped up onto her chair and sat cross-legged like a kid about to tell a story.

"First things first," she said, "close your eyes."

Roman was also seated and he closed his eyes.

"Now breathe slowly. Try to feel your Mana. It should feel like a small current inside your body—like heat or a soft hum, it differs, just try to feel it"

Roman sat quietly. The room was still. After a few seconds, he furrowed his brows.

"I can't feel anything" Roman spoke as he opened his eyes.

Even though he was occupying someone's body, magic or Mana wasn't something he was used to, he was able to cast spells because the knowledge of how to cast it was in his head.

Just like his memories, he remembered them but he didn't live them.

Neia leaned forward on her chair, watching Roman with a serious look. She was just wondering how he still wasn't familiar with Mana control and was allowed into the academy.

"Okay, I have an idea"

She reached out her hand. "Give me your hand."

Roman didn't hesitate and stretched his hands, and as soon as she grabbed it, he saw a smile forming on her lips, which she quickly hid and cleared her throat.

"Mana isn't just power," she said. "It's part of you. It listens to you if you're calm and focused. I'm going to guide my Mana into you—just a little—so you can feel what it's like."

Roman nodded and closed his eyes again.

Neia closed hers too, her expression calm, but inside, she was beyond happy.

'I'm touching his hands; I haven't touched a male's hands before; it's so soft, almost delicate... I'm sure he's never worked a day in his life, focus'

Neia finally focused on what she was doing and infused a bit of her Mana into Roman's body.

Roman suddenly felt it—like a faint warmth flowing into him, like someone had lit a small flame in his chest. The warmth spread slowly, crawling up his hands

"Can you feel that?" she whispered.

Roman's voice was quiet. "Yeah… it's warm. It's moving."

"That's Mana. That's what it feels like. Now focus on it. Don't try to control it yet—just feel it."

Roman stayed still, breathing slowly. The warmth continued to move—through his chest, up his arm, and then back down. It was smooth and calm, like a river flowing inside him.

"Good," Neia said. "Now try to copy that feeling. Use your own Mana this time. Draw Mana from your Mana core; it's right in the center of your chest," Neia spoke as she pulled her hands away.

Roman kept his eyes closed and focused on the warmth that he felt just now. He memorized the way it felt—soft, calm, and steady.

'From the center of my chest… my Mana core...I still don't get it, wait...this feeling, I've felt it when I cast an illusion spell against the princess'

Roman continued taking deep breaths and suddenly, he felt it.

A tiny flicker of warmth, like a heartbeat made of heat. It was weak, but it was there.

"I think… I feel it," Roman muttered

Neia's eyes were already opened, and a bright smile formed on her face.

Roman nodded slowly, still focused. "It's not strong, but I can definitely feel my Mana core"

"Good! Now, try to move it to your hand," she said. "Don't force it. Just guide it. Like how you'd move water in a cup."

Roman took another breath. He imagined the warmth moving down from his chest, through his shoulder, then his arm, and finally to his hand.

'It's working, just like that, now to my hands and...shit' Roman spoke as he saw words come up in front of him.

[Fireball]

Immediately, Roman stretched both of his hands up as a fireball blasted out of his hands, pushing him backward on the chair he was on; even Neia was shocked as the fireball was shot at the ceiling.

*THUD!*

Roman landed with a thud and immediately opened his eyes; unlike last time, the fireball wasn't as big, and he wasn't knocked out.

"So that's Mana control" Roman muttered with a smile on his face as he looked at the ceiling.

"That's not Mana control; that's spellcasting; what have you done to the ceiling? How would I explain this?" Neia spoke as Roman stood up.

The fireball left a burnt mark on the ceiling so it was obvious.

Roman brushed himself off and looked up at the scorch mark on the ceiling.

"Well, technically, the spell was controlled," he said with a straight face.

Neia stared at him, her jaw slightly open. "That's not the point!"

Roman casually walked over to the chair he'd been launched from and set it upright. "Look, no one checks the ceiling in a library. They come here for books, not to look around."

Neia folded her arms. "You blasted a fireball in the library, there were books around, what if you had hit one of them"

He pointed upward. "Barely a fireball, and the most important thing is I controlled it, it's a good start"

Neia narrowed her eyes. "No one cast a spell when learning Mana control"

"Sorry," Roman spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, thanks for the lesson. I'll… practice more. Somewhere with fewer flammable surfaces."

"I'm always in the library if you need my help, and practice in the training ground"

"Thanks, you're a good teacher, would it be weird if I kissed you... I'm sure it'll be weird, bye" Roman spoke as he walked away.

'Why would it be weird? Should I tell him? I'm sure he's going to come back; the academy doesn't teach spell casting or Mana control till the second week; he'll be back,' Neia mumbled with a smile on her face.

Roman finally got out of the academy and sighed in relief.

'If it wasn't for the system I would have shot the fireball at myself, my mind went to casting spells, I'll try it again, just not today'

The night was already here as darkness was slowing setting in; Roman could still see well as he made his way back to his dorm, passing the training ground and seeing a figure there training with a sword.

Roman looked at the figure as he walked by, the academy grounds were empty as everyone was settling in their rooms and getting to know their roommates.

Roman arrived in front of his room, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. In front of him, Ava was changing her clothes.