Chapter 109: New Talent — Host: Noah Carter Age: 28 Shop Level: 2 Daily Revenue: $135,0001 Current Assets: $315,240.21 Shop Points: 1010 Attributes: Strength: 20, Vitality: 4, Intelligence: 20, Agility: 20 Skills: Swordsmanship(Level 6), Mana Control (Level 5), Surviving on Ramen (Level 3), Cooking (Level 2), Programming (Level 2), Gaming (Level 2), Finance (Level 1), Wind Manipulation(Level 1) — Daily revenue jumped to one hundred thirty-five thousand dollars. Noah stared at his status screen, still processing the transformation. His idle income now included a tier 5 wind orb alongside Demonica Moonburgh. Time to test what Wind Manipulation Level 1 actually accomplishes. Standing in his expanded shop, surrounded by the gentle glow of the sun and the star plants, Noah raised his hand and focused on the new skill. The wind essence within his mana channels responded with eager cooperation. A gentle breeze stirred around his fingers, lifting strands of hair softly. The sensation was intoxicating. The wind forces were now obeying his conscious will. It works. The basic control felt natural rather than forced, like flexing a muscle he’d always possessed but never knew how to use. Wind currents swirled around his palm, creating very tiny whirlwinds that dissipated at his command. Level 1 has basic capabilities, but at least it’s something. Noah experimented with different applications, discovering the skill’s current limitations through testing. He could generate breezes strong enough to cool his face or rustle papers, but nothing approaching combat effectiveness. Baby steps. Every master started somewhere. Focusing more intently, he managed to create a small vortex at his fingertip. He could make wind currents spiral like a microscopic tornado. The effect lasted several seconds before his concentration wavered and the pattern collapsed. I can make a small tornado; that’s a promising start. The practice continued as Noah explored every aspect of his first elemental affinity. Wind responded to emotional states as much as conscious direction, swirling faster and other things. He discovered he could influence air temperature slightly, creating pockets of cooler atmosphere through accelerated circulation. Not enough for practical cooling, but it proved that there was massive potential waiting to be unlocked. An hour passed in experimentation as Noah pushed Level 1 Wind Manipulation toward its absolute limits. Each successful technique built confidence while revealing pathways for future applications. It’s getting more responsive. The skill’s developing faster than I expected. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶 The breakthrough came during an attempt to maintain the multiple small vortexes simultaneously. Instead of controlling each one separately, Noah let his awareness expand to encompass all the air currents at once. Suddenly, the entire shop filled with coordinated atmospheric movement. Gentle breezes circulated in perfect harmony, creating an environment that felt alive with elemental energy. [Your Wind Manipulation skill has levelled up to Level 2!] Level 2 already. That was fast! I expected it to take days to increase its level. At level 2, Noah could generate stronger currents, maintain effects longer, and execute multiple techniques without mental strain. Noah’s smile widened as he tested it. Wait! Maybe I could improve it further by using the wind orb. It does have the wind element after all, maybe I could learn a few things. The thought sent excitement coursing down his spine like lightning through copper wire. If his theory proved correct, he might skyrocket through skill levels faster than he had imagined possible. Time to find out if tier 5 orbs make better teachers than meditation alone. Noah retrieved the Wind Orb from his storage ring, feeling its contained power pulse against his palms. The orb’s surface seemed to respond to his elemental affinity, swirling wind moving faster as his mana touched its edges. Here goes everything. He channelled his wind manipulation directly into the artefact, feeling his consciousness merge with the concentrated elemental essence contained within. This is incredible. Noah thought, a huge smile plastered across his face. Knowledge flooded his brain like a dam bursting. It wasn’t techniques or applications, but a fundamental understanding of wind itself. How air molecules danced through space, how temperature differences created pressure variations, how currents formed and dissipated according to natural laws. It’s teaching me the physics of wind manipulation rather than just magical techniques. Noah’s comprehension deepened as the orb shared secrets that most wind mages spent decades discovering through trial and error. He began understanding wind not as a force to be controlled, but as a living system to be harmonised with. Wind doesn’t want to be commanded. It wants to be guided along paths it already prefers to travel. The revelation changed his entire approach. Instead of forcing air currents into unnatural patterns, Noah learned to read existing flows and redirect them with minimal energy expenditure. Maximum effect through minimum intervention. You have to work with the wind, not against it. His consciousness expanded to encompass the shop’s entire atmospheric environment. Every breath from the Demonica plants, every thermal current from the lighting, every draft through the doorway, all became visible as interconnected streams of moving air. It’s like seeing a three-dimensional map of invisible rivers. Noah began conducting these aerial rivers with growing experience. Gentle nudges at key points created domino effects throughout the space, transforming chaotic air movement into proper circulation. One small change here creates larger changes there. The orb’s teachings revealed how masters achieved seemingly impossible effects through understanding of leverage points. A tiny vortex in the right location could redirect massive air masses with elegant efficiency. It’s not about power. It’s about knowledge. [Your Wind Manipulation skill has levelled up to Level 3!] Level 3 already! Half an hour of orb-assisted training versus what would have probably taken days of conventional practice. The advancement brought enhanced sensitivity to air currents and expanded control range. Noah could now influence wind patterns throughout his entire shop rather than just the immediate vicinity. Let’s see how far this can go. He dove deeper into the orb’s concentrated wisdom, his consciousness merging more completely with elemental essence. The orb revealed advanced concepts that challenged his understanding of physical reality. Daily revenue is always in $. However, depending on Noah’s choice, he could have the equivalence, such as the wind orb, or the demonica for the tea and bread price. So his current Idle Income is Demonica Moonburgh + Wind Orb.