The next morning, Vash slowly opened his eyes. Sunlight had already begun entering through the small window beside his bed. For a few seconds, he remained still, trying to remember what had happened the night before. Then the strange circular wheel covered with incomprehensible symbols came back to his mind, followed by the name of the new ability he had unlocked.
Deep Analysis.
Vash sat up and immediately opened the system interface.
"System, about Deep Analysis... how exactly does it work?"
[Deep Analysis requires information to be analyzed.]
[After successful analysis, the information can be stored.]
[Stored information provides a 10% Learning Efficiency Bonus when the host studies the same or related information.]
Vash nodded slowly. So the ability wasn't going to simply place knowledge into his head. He still needed to study the information first.
He looked around his small room. There wasn't much space. His bed was pushed against one wall, and beside it stood a small table covered with books, notebooks, and a few old papers. Vash reached toward the table and picked up one of the previous-year question papers his grandparents had gathered for his assessment preparation.
He looked through the pages until he found a question that had confused him during his earlier studies.
"This one."
Vash placed the paper on the small table and read the question carefully.
Nothing happened.
He frowned.
"Deep Analysis."
Still nothing.
Vash stared at the question again. He realized that he was simply looking at the words instead of actually trying to understand them. He began reading the question from the beginning, separating the information in his mind and thinking about what it was actually asking.
The moment he genuinely focused on the information, something changed.
[Deep Analysis Activated.]
Vash's eyes widened.
The question in front of him didn't change physically, but the way he understood it did. The complicated wording seemed to separate itself in his mind. The important information became clear, while the unnecessary details seemed to fade into the background. He could suddenly see what the question was asking and how the different pieces of information were connected.
"So that's what it means..."
Vash read the question again.
This time, it felt simple.
He quickly worked through the answer and then looked at the explanation printed below it.
His answer was correct.
Vash stared at the paper for several seconds before a smile slowly appeared on his face.
"This is amazing."
He tried another question.
Then another.
Each time he properly analyzed the information, the same effect appeared. The information became easier to understand, and because he understood the reasoning behind it, remembering the answer became much easier.
Vash's excitement grew.
He wasn't memorizing answers.
He was understanding them.
And once he understood something, remembering it became far easier.
He suddenly realized how useful Deep Analysis could become in the future. It wasn't limited to textbooks. He could analyze cooking techniques, business information, ingredients, processes, and countless other things.
But then another thought entered his mind.
Vash looked at the system.
He still had fifty System Points left.
"System, what can I do with the remaining fifty points?"
The interface changed.
[AVAILABLE SYSTEM OPTIONS]
[1. Ability Draw]
Cost: 50 System Points
[2. System Upgrade]
Current System Level: 1
Required System Points: 100
Current System Points: 50
Status: Insufficient Points
Vash stared at the two choices.
System Level 2 immediately caught his attention.
If upgrading the system could unlock new functions, then it would probably be much more valuable than a single ability.
But there was one problem.
He didn't have enough points.
Even if he completed his daily tasks, the assessment was tomorrow.
He couldn't reach one hundred points in time.
His eyes moved toward the first option.
Ability Draw.
Fifty points.
Exactly everything he had left.
Vash hesitated.
There was no guarantee that the ability he received would help him with the assessment. It could be something completely unrelated to studying.
He had already seen how useful Deep Analysis was.
Maybe he should save the points.
But tomorrow was the assessment.
Vash looked at the pile of textbooks beside him. He had covered only fifty-two percent of the two years of material. Deep Analysis had helped tremendously, but there was still a large amount of material he hadn't mastered.
He clenched his fist.
"I can't wait for Level 2."
His eyes returned to Ability Draw.
"If I get something useful, it might help."
Vash took a breath.
"System, activate Ability Draw."
[Confirmation Required.]
[50 System Points will be consumed.]
[Proceed?]
Vash didn't hesitate this time.
"Yes."
The system interface disappeared.
A strange circular wheel appeared in front of him once again. The same incomprehensible symbols covered its outer ring, but this time there was something different. The wheel began rotating faster and faster.
Vash watched silently.
The symbols blurred together.
Then the wheel suddenly stopped.
A single line appeared.
[Ability Acquired.]
[Pattern Recognition]
Vash blinked.
"Pattern Recognition?"
He waited for something else to appear.
Nothing did.
He opened the description.
[Pattern Recognition]
Description: Improves the host's ability to identify recurring patterns, relationships, sequences, and connections within observed information.
Vash stared at the description.
His excitement slowly disappeared.
"That's it?"
He had spent all fifty of his remaining System Points.
And this was what he got.
Pattern Recognition.
It wasn't a combat ability.
It wasn't a powerful physical enhancement.
It wasn't even directly related to studying.
Vash sighed.
"Of all the abilities I could have gotten..."
He looked at the clock.
There was no time to complain.
Tomorrow was the assessment.
Vash put the question paper aside and picked up his textbook again.
He still had studying to do.
The ability might not help him at all.
Or perhaps...
Vash shook his head.
"Forget it."
He returned to his studies.
He didn't know it yet, but the ability he had just called useless would soon prove to be far more valuable than he expected.