SSS-Ranked Skill in a New Filthy World

Roman dug his fingers into the sand, his arms trembling. Every muscle in his body screamed as he tried to push himself up.

'I have to do something… come on, move…!'

The problem was he couldn't even muster any strength, it felt like the more he tried, the more her Mana pushed against his body, and she was asleep.

'I don't think this is a contest of strength, but I can't possibly overpower her with Mana, then what the hell am I supposed to do'

Roman's breath came out ragged. His heart pounded so hard it hurt. Every time he tried to lift himself, the invisible pressure doubled.

He clenched his jaw, closing his eyes.

Then an idea hit him.

'Wait… maybe it's Mana itself. If her Mana is pushing me down… what if I use my own Mana, I can't possibly overpower her but I can wrap my Mana around my body like a shield, same thing Ava did to stop my spell?'

Roman focused, his chest burning as he pushed Mana out from his core. Slowly, shakily, he pushed it toward his hands.

The moment his Mana touched his body, the pressure felt lighter—but just a little and he could move it.

'That's it… I have to cover my whole body with Mana'

After a while of trying Roman wanted to give up.

It was harder than he thought. His Mana slipped around like water, refusing to stay on his skin, and the process of wrapping it around his body was easier said than done.

His arms trembled, and the Mana scattered, making the pressure return full force.

Roman grunted, sweat dripping into his eyes. He tried again.

Pushing Mana out from his chest… moving it to his shoulders, down his arms, over his back. It kept slipping off, like trying to wrap himself in a cloak made of fog.

His breathing got heavier, and the burning in his chest turned into pain. But he didn't stop.

Again and again, he tried. Each time, it slipped off. But each time, he understood it better, he was slowly getting the hang of it, how the Mana moved, how it felt against his skin.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Roman managed to keep it there—thin, barely enough, but enough to coat his skin.

And just like that, the crushing weight pressing him down felt lighter. Not gone, but weaker.

Roman's eyes opened, breath coming fast, his chest was still burning but slowly, shaking, he pushed himself up from the sand, his arms barely holding him.

'It worked… my Mana against hers. Not to overpower it, but to push back just enough…'

His lips curled into a weak, tired smile.

'Now… I just have to keep it up… and move forward.'

The moment Roman took the first step he fell to one knee, the pressure was getting stronger, Roman struggled and stood up taking another step.

The weight pushing him down felt heavier than before, Roman gritted his teeth, forcing himself back to feet, his legs trembling.

'Just go on. even if it's slow.'

He moved his Mana once more, wrapping it around his body like a thin armor sheath. His breathing grew harsh, sweat pouring down his face and blocking his eyes, but he did not stop.

The whole process felt like he was running a fucking marathon.

A step. His foot sunk deeper into the sand, and the force hammered harder.

Another step. His eyes teared for a moment, but he recovered himself, swallowing the pain, this was why she said he was going to suffer, this was just the first training and she hadn't even taught him anything.

'She wasn't joking… the more I get close, the more it intensifies…'

Roman's heart pounded in his chest, his Mana ablaze, Roman couldn't even believe he was doing what he was, just last night he was struggling to feel his Mana and now he was controlling it.

"His legs felt like blocks of rocks, but he forced them to move.".

Gradually, he edged forward, sometimes collapsing onto his knees, sometimes able to break his fall with shaking arms before crashing onto the floor.

Each time he fell, he pushed himself up again, wrapping himself in his Mana so that the crushing pressure wouldn't flatten him.

He lifted his head to see Victoria, stretched out upon the bed, eyes closed as if nothing were happening.

Roman smiled weakly. 'She's actually sleeping through this…'

The farther he came, the harder it was to breathe. His chest tightened, his Mana faltered more and more, and each time it did, the weight came crashing down on him, nearly sending him prone on the ground.

Roman's body wasbeyond weak, his muscles screaming, Mana core pounding—but he would not stop.

Step by step.

He moved again, knees shaking, hand digging into the sand in a bid for leverage. The weightless weight was a mountain on his shoulders, yet his Mana held—just barely.

Roman grunted, beads of sweat rolling off his jaw, and edged another step.

The closer he got, he couldn't even stand anymore, he was on the ground crawling towards Victoria and just like that her legs was in front of him.

Roman stretched his hands and finally touched her foot with one of his hands, the moment he touched her the pressure vanished immediately and Roman fell to the ground.

Panting heavily Roman laid on the ground as Victoria stood up.

"Finally, it's almost been an hour, so you're getting the hang of Mana control, now for the next step"

"What? Next step...I can't do anything, you have to give me time to rest, I can't stand up" Roman spoke and Victoria placed her hand on his head.

The next moment his felt rejuvenated, his Mana replenish and suddenly he could stand up.

"I refilled your Mana now stand up, for the next test I want to test your magical prowess so I'll know what to train you on, you can cast the fireball spell right, I'll create targets and I want you to shoot them down" Victoria spoke.

"Go over there, this would test your spell casting speed, and try not to use a lot of Mana, you don't need to destroy the target, just shoot your spell towards them, also stand over there, don't move, you can turn around but don't move"

Roman stood up, even though his Mana was refilled, he was still tired as he walked and stood at the spot she pointed.

Victoria placed her hands on the ground and in front of Roman a black shadow formed in the shape of a human and immediately Roman shot his spell towards it.

[Fireball]

His reaction was quick and he used enough Mana to reach the target, the spell was a little bigger than when he shot it towards Ava.

Victoria's eyes stayed half-closed, but her voice was clear. "Good. Now, don't let your guard down—more are coming."

Roman barely had time to breathe. Another black shadow rose from the sand, this time to his left.

[Fireball]

Roman spun and fired. The fireball shot out, hitting the target dead center. His chest burned a bit, Mana draining faster than he liked.

"Faster," Victoria's voice echoed, calm but firm.

Another target appeared, this one behind him. Roman turned, his feet planted, and fired again. The flame spell struck, but this time it was smaller—he hadn't pushed enough Mana in his hurry.

The target faded away, and another rose instantly, this time far to his right. Roman's arms felt heavy, but he forced his hand to rise.

[Fireball]

A fireball flew, barely hitting the edge of the target.

"Don't get sloppy, Roman," Victoria called. "Mana control means balance—speed and power together. Again."

Roman clenched his teeth.

More shadows rose, one after the other—sometimes two at once. Roman's breathing turned ragged.

[Fireball]

[Fireball]

He shot spells quickly, Mana pouring from his chest to his hand. His aim slipped now and then, but he corrected fast, pushing himself harder.

Each time, the targets appeared in different spots: high above, low to the ground, sometimes right behind him.

Roman felt his Mana burning faster than he liked. His chest ached with each spell, but he didn't stop.

[Fireball]

His reaction was getting better—he noticed it, he also noticed he could control the amount of Mana he wa putting in the spell.

Even as exhaustion bit at him, his hands moved quicker, the spell circle forming in his mind faster each time, some time he didn't even have to think of the spell circle.

Victoria raised the difficulty. Shadows appeared and vanished faster, forcing Roman to spin on the spot, sometimes nearly tripping over his own feet.

One target rose behind him, and before he turned fully, Roman cast blindly.

[Fireball]

The spell struck, surprising even him. His lips curled into a tired smirk.

Another target, then another. Roman kept firing, his arms shaking now. His Mana was draining quicker than before, each spell smaller than the last, but he still forced them out.

Victoria watched, her expression calm but sharp.

'How is he this fast at casting spells, I didn't think he was this fast'