The laughter from the auditorium still echoed in Sebastian's ears, a phantom sound that refused to die even as he sat in the locker room, staring at the floor.
Most students were celebrating outside, showing off their new lightning bolts or spirit wolves. Sebastian was alone.
"Hey."
A timid voice broke the silence.
Sebastian looked up. It was Biff.
Biff was holding a large, polished wooden spoon. It glowed with a faint, warm light.
"I... uh... I got a D-Grade," Biff said, half-apologetic. "[Comfort Soup Ladle]. It enhances food buffs by 10%."
Sebastian managed a weak smile. "That's great, Biff. Really. You'll be popular with the raiding teams. Everyone needs buffs."
Biff sat down next to him. "Ignore Jax. He's a jerk. Maybe... maybe the dagger has a hidden stat? Or maybe you can polish the rust off?"
Sebastian looked at the weapon in his lap. It was ugly. Truly ugly. Flakes of rust fell onto his trousers just from moving it.
"The System doesn't lie, Biff," Sebastian said hollowly. "F-Grade. Low durability. If I hit a monster with this, it'll shatter. I can't join the Combat Corps. I can't get the stipend."
"What will you do?"
"I don't know."
Sebastian stood up, sliding the jagged dagger into his belt loop. It didn't even come with a sheath. "I'm going home. Elara is waiting."
**
The walk back to the slums was torture. Every screen in the city was replaying the highlights of the ceremony.
He saw Jax's flaming sword over and over again. He saw a girl named Mina who had awakened a Golden Eagle—a majestic Beast Soul that screeched with sonic power.
And then, a small clip in the corner: The Fail of the Year. A zoom-in on Sebastian's rusty dagger.
He pulled his hood up and walked faster.
When he reached the shack, he paused at the door. He could hear Elara coughing inside. It was a deep, wet hacking sound that rattled her chest.
He hated himself. He had promised good news. He was bringing back ash.
He pushed the door open.
Elara was sitting at the table, a bowl of watery broth in front of her. She looked up, her eyes bright with hope.
"Seb! You're back!" She tried to stand, but her prosthetic leg slipped, and she fell back into the chair with a grunt of pain.
Sebastian rushed forward to steady her. "Careful! Auntie, sit down."
She gripped his arm, her eyes searching his face. Then, they traveled down to his waist.
She saw the rusted hunk of metal.
Silence stretched between them. The only sound was the hum of the refrigerator in the corner.
Elara reached out and touched the dagger. Her finger came away with a smear of orange rust.
"It's... a weapon," she said, her voice straining to be cheerful. "A weapon type is good, Seb. Better than a hoe or a quill."
"It's F-Grade, Elara," Sebastian whispered, his voice cracking. "It's scrap. The examiner said it has low durability. I can't hunt with this. I can't join the military. I'm useless."
Tears stung his eyes. He furiously wiped them away. "I'm sorry. I failed you."
Elara's face hardened. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her.
"Listen to me," she said fiercely. "Show me your status."
Sebastian blinked. "What?"
"Show me."
Sebastian projected his holographic status.
┌──────[ Profile ]──────┐
│ Name: Sebastian Vance
│ Talent: Rusty Iron Dagger (F-Grade)
│ Level: Awakened 1
│ Strength: 5
│ Agility: 6
│ Mana: 2
└──────────────────────┘
"Awakened Level 1," Elara said firmly. "You have mana now. You have a foundation."
She pointed to the Cracked Heater Shield in the corner. "Do you see that shield? When I found it in the dungeon twenty years ago, it was D-Grade. People told me to throw it away because it was heavy and the enchantment was weak."
She tapped her chest. "But I used it. I blocked a blow from a Tier-2 Ogre with that 'trash' shield and saved my squad. It cracked, yes. But it held."
She looked deep into his eyes. "A tool is only as useless as the person wielding it. You are a Vance. We don't give up. If the dagger is dull, you sharpen it. If it's rusty, you scour it. Do you understand?"
Sebastian nodded slowly. He didn't believe her—he knew the reality of F-Grade stats—but he couldn't break her heart.
"I understand," he lied.
"Good. Now eat. Tomorrow, we figure out a plan."
**
That night, Sebastian couldn't sleep.
The rain hammered against the tin roof of the shack. He lay in his small room, the Rusty Dagger sitting on the crate he used as a nightstand.
It seemed to mock him in the darkness. An ugly, jagged silhouette.
"Scrap Collector," he muttered Jax's insult into the dark.
He sat up and grabbed the dagger. It was heavy. Unbalanced.
"Why?" he whispered to the universe. "Why give me hope just to crush it?"
He gripped the handle tight. He channeled the tiny wisp of mana he had awakened today into the blade.
Usually, a weapon would glow. Jax's sword had burst into flames.
The Rusty Dagger did nothing. It just absorbed his mana like a black hole.
[Mana: 2/2 -> 0/2]
"Useless," Sebastian hissed. He raised his arm, ready to throw the dagger across the room in a fit of rage.
Flicker.
A blue light illuminated the room.
Sebastian froze. The light wasn't coming from the dagger.
It was coming from the air in front of his eyes.
A text box, different from the standard Academy interface, materialized. It was sharper, more angular.
[DING!]
[System Requirements Met.]
[Host desires power. Host possesses a Growth-Type Vessel (Sealed).]
[System Activated.]
Sebastian lowered his arm, his heart pounding. "System?"
[Welcome to the Infinite Skill Points System.]
[Initializing Newbie Package...]
[Reward Granted: 1,000 Skill Points.]
Sebastian rubbed his eyes. Was he hallucinating? Infinite Skill Points?
A new panel opened.
┌──────[ System Interface ]──────┐
│ User: Sebastian Vance
│ Skill Points: 1,000
│
│ [Skills List]
│ 1. Basic Breathing Technique (Level 1) [+]
│ 2. None
│
│ [Talent Skills]
│ 1. Rusty Edge (Passive) - Locked. Requires Level 5.
└───────────────────────────────┘
Sebastian stared at the number. 1,000.
In the Academy, getting Skill Points was incredibly hard. You had to kill monsters to earn "proficiency," or buy expensive skill books. To upgrade a Basic skill from Level 1 to Level 2 usually took a month of training.
He looked at the [+] sign next to [Basic Breathing Technique].
This was the standard cultivation method taught in school. It allowed Awakeners to absorb ambient mana to increase their level.
"What happens if I press it?"
He reached out with a trembling finger and tapped the [+].
[Cost to upgrade to Level 2: 10 Points.]
[Confirm?]
"Confirm."
[DING!]
[Basic Breathing Technique -> Level 2.]
A sudden rush of cool air flooded his lungs. His head cleared. He felt lighter.
"It works..." Sebastian gasped. "It actually works."
He looked at his remaining points: 990.
A crazy idea formed in his mind.
"System," he whispered. "Max it out."
[Warning: Maxing out a Foundation Skill will induce rapid evolution. Pain imminent. Proceed?]
Sebastian looked at the rusty dagger in his hand. He thought of Elara's cough. He thought of Jax's laughter.
"Do it."
He dumped 500 points into the skill.
The world turned white.