Chapter 690 - Researcher
"Alright, next question," Mistra said. "How do you know whether a technique has been performed perfectly or not?"
"We use natural treasures," the warrior answered.
"Oh? What kind?" Mistra asked in interest.
"Wind Blade Seed…"
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Suddenly, over ten different books appeared in the air, which opened and closed at nearly the same time after rapidly shooting through all the pages. Then, several more pages were added to the primary booklet.
The warrior just looked at Mistra with an uncomfortable expression.
On the side, Shang didn\'t react, but he once more was reminded of the sheer difference between the old Dean, George, and a powerful Mage.
Based on what just happened, Shang was sure that Mistra had just searched through several encyclopedias since she probably hadn\'t known what Wind Blade Seeds were, and when she had found her answer, she wrote down a huge hypothesis in less than a second.
She had done all of that in about two seconds.
How long would George have taken?
The gap between a normal warrior that was trying to come up with something and such an experienced Mage Lord was incomprehensible.
No wonder the Temple of Blood\'s team of researchers had simplified the Bloodline Infusion to such a degree that it felt unimportant, simple, and negligible.
The warrior only waited awkwardly.
"Yes?" Mistra asked after a while. "Is that all, or are there more treasures?"
"Well, there\'s also Fire Wave Berry-"
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
"…Grass."
Mistra\'s brows twitched a bit.
SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!
Then, she motioned for the warrior to continue.
The warrior slowly named the next herb, and the entire process was repeated again.
At the side, Shang felt second-hand frustration.
He could imagine how frustrating it must feel for the Mage Lord. Her mind was moving so insanely quickly, but the warrior in front of her was talking extremely slowly and made several long pauses.
Shang guessed that he would have already uttered a couple of passive-aggressive comments by now if he were in Mistra\'s shoes.
Mistra kept asking a couple of general questions regarding the Impose Stage, which took a couple of minutes.
Eventually, she came to her last question.
"And how did you find out about all of this?" she asked.
"I learned all of that from Teacher Nareo," the warrior said. Then, he pointed to a warrior with brown hair who was standing in the group of Impose Stage warriors.
Mistra nodded with a polite smile. "Alright. Thank you for answering all my questions! You may gather your friends and family and enter the Transportation Plate."
The warrior nodded in relief. "No problem."
The warrior left, and Mistra called over the next warrior.
She asked the next warrior very similar questions but skipped the obvious ones this time.
Mistra also asked this warrior to perform his techniques, which she observed very closely.
"And where did you learn all of this from?"
"Teacher Nareo," the warrior answered.
Mistra nodded and let that warrior leave again.
There was nothing surprising about the next Impose Stage warriors.
Almost all of them had learned most of their knowledge from one of three Impose Stage warriors. These three "teachers" were all in the Mid Impose Stage.
"Oh?" Mistra suddenly uttered in surprise as she watched one of the Impose Stage warriors perform their techniques. "That\'s surprising."
"What is?" Duma, the Impose Stage warrior in front of Mistra, asked.
"Your Mana Pathways look very different from everyone else\'s," Mistra said.
This comment took nearly everyone by surprise.
Mana Pathways?
She could actually see their Mana Pathways?!
But how?!
Spirit Senses couldn\'t look into someone\'s body!
Shang had already expected something like this when he had seen Mistra put on glasses. The glasses were probably the reason how she could see the Mana Pathways.
"Yes, that\'s because I changed them," Duma said.
A gleam of curiosity and excitement appeared in Mistra\'s eyes before her booklet started to madly write more pages filled with words.
This time, Mistra stayed silent for nearly ten seconds as her booklet madly kept writing.
Then, it stopped.
"Please continue performing your techniques," Mistra said politely with a wave of her hand.
Duma awkwardly looked at the silently hovering booklet.
It wasn\'t doing anything.
Then, Duma slowly lifted his shield.
DRRRRRRRRRRRR!
And the booklet madly started to write again.
Duma felt even more awkward.
He had literally just lifted his shield, and Mistra wrote down like 20 pages worth of information.
Then, Duma pushed his shield forward.
DRRRRRRRRR!
And the booklet kept writing.
This time, Mistra let Duma perform all of his techniques for nearly 20 minutes, and she even encouraged him to show more.
She wanted to see every last one of his techniques.
"Are these all?" Mistra asked.
"Yes," Duma answered.
And then, something surprising happened.
Mistra frowned. "Are you sure?" she asked with a bit of annoyance and disappointment.
Duma became a bit nervous. "I mean, yes, those are all the techniques I would use in a fight."
"Okay," Mistra said slowly, "but are there techniques that you wouldn\'t use? For example, techniques that feel uncomfortable for your Mana Pathways?"
"Well, there are some," Duma said.
"Perform those as well, please," Mistra said.
"I mean, okay, but please keep in mind that I wouldn\'t use them in a fight," he said.
"Of course," Mistra said with a polite smile.
Then, Duma performed more techniques for ten minutes.
"Alright, that should be enough," Mistra said with a satisfied smile.
Duma nodded and put his weapons away.
"As a thank you, you can have this!" Mistra said as a second booklet came out of her primary booklet.
Duma looked with raised eyebrows at the booklet. "Thanks, but what is that?" he asked.
"I designed a Mana Pathway System that can incorporate all of your techniques. That should help you out a lot."
Silence.
Deafening silence.
"What?!" Duma almost shouted.
"You can go to the Transportation Plate with your friends and family now," Mistra said.
"No, I mean, yes, I mean, wait a second!" Duma stuttered.
Mistra raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"What do you mean you designed a Mana Pathway System?" Duma asked.
"I designed one," Mistra said with a bit of confusion. "I don\'t get the question. You should know what a Mana Pathway System is, right? I mean, you changed your own."
"Yes, I did, but it took me literally over a century to come up with my current one!" Duma almost shouted.
"Yeah, that\'s because you\'re a warrior," Mistra said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I\'ve been a researcher in the Lightning Manor for over 7,000 years. When you know your basics about biology and how power and Mana work, it\'s not too difficult to come up with a Mana Pathway System. Probably even a True Mage or High Mage could do it."
"Now, please, get to the Transportation Plate. I still have other people to interview," Mistra said.
Duma\'s hands were shaking as he looked at the booklet he was holding with a horrified and disbelieving expression.
Eventually, Mistra grew impatient and simply shoved Duma out of the gate with her Spirit Sense.
A small group of other people hurriedly ran after Duma.
"Alright, next!"