Arthur's gaze shifted from the artifacts to the remaining skill books.
Two of them pulsed with an oppressive pressure.
S-rank.
His breath slowed as he picked up the first skill book.
The moment his fingers touched it, a system window unfolded before his eyes.
════════════════════════════
[ Skill Description ]
════════════════════════════
Omnicognition (S-Rank)
Description:
The user's cognition is greatly accelerated, allowing them to process multiple thoughts, scenarios, and outcomes within milliseconds.
• Focus and concentration are drastically increased
• Learning capacity is massively enhanced
• All senses are heightened, improving reflexes and reaction time
• Automatically activates when the user's life is in danger
Duration: 15 minutes
Cooldown: 6 hours
════════════════════════════
Arthur's eyes widened slightly.
"…That's insane."
He picked up the second S-rank core.
Another window opened.
════════════════════════════
[ Skill Description ]
════════════════════════════
Language (S-Rank)
Description:
Words are not sounds, nor are they symbols.
They are intent given shape, meaning given breath.
To hear is to know.
To know is to speak.
════════════════════════════
Arthur frowned.
"…Language?"
He tilted his head.
"For such a simple name and such a vague description… it's ranked S?"
He shook his head slowly.
"…Whatever. S-rank skills are never useless."
A wide grin spread across his face.
He continued sorting.
Next—an A-rank skill core.
════════════════════════════
[ Skill Description ]
════════════════════════════
Berserk (A-Rank)
Description:
A state that forces the body and mind beyond their natural limits, unleashing overwhelming power through sheer instinct and will.
Effect:
• All physical and mental stats increased by 500%
• Pain greatly reduced
• Reactions, focus, and aggression sharply enhanced.
Duration: 30 minutes
Cooldown: 3 hours
════════════════════════════
Arthur exhaled sharply.
"…Perfect."
Then came the B-rank skills.
════════════════════════════
[ Skill Description ]
════════════════════════════
Blink (B-Rank)
Description:
Instantly swap positions with a chosen target within 50 meters.
Rules:
• Target must be in line of sight
• Works on living or non-living targets
Uses: 2
Cooldown: 5 minutes after both uses
════════════════════════════
And the last one—
════════════════════════════
[ Skill Description ]
════════════════════════════
Shadow Veil (B-Rank)
Description:
By channeling surrounding shadows, the user shrouds their presence, making detection extremely difficult.
• Greatly reduces detection probability
• Enhances stealth and movement within darkness
════════════════════════════
Arthur grinned widely as he read the descriptions. Normally, Awakeners would spend hundreds of millions—sometimes even billions—for skills like these.
He didn't hesitate.
Mana surged from his core as he poured it into the skill books.
One by one, the books shattered into motes of light.
The particles spiraled, sank into his skin, and vanished inside his body.
Heat surged.
His senses sharpened.
Blue notifications flooded his vision.
[ Skill Acquired: Omnicognition (S-Rank) ]
[ Skill Acquired: Language (S-Rank) ]
[ Skill Acquired: Berserk (A-Rank) ]
[ Skill Acquired: Blink (B-Rank) ]
[ Skill Acquired: Shadow Veil (B-Rank) ]
Arthur exhaled slowly.
"…Show me my status window."
The screen reformed.
════════════════════════════
[ STATUS ]
════════════════════════════
Name : Arthur
Race : Human
Class : None
Rank : F
Potential : F
Talent : Imperfect Imitation (F-Rank)
Level : 50
EXP : 141,000 / 134,000
(Note: Potential threshold reached. Continued EXP accumulation will not result in level increases.)
────────────────────────────
[ ATTRIBUTES ]
────────────────────────────
Strength : 16 -> 24
Agility : 9 -> 15
Durability : 20 -> 25
Intelligence : 70 -> 72
Will : 15 -> 20
Charm : 80
Luck : 14
────────────────────────────
Attribute Points : 180 + 210 + 20 = 410
────────────────────────────
[ INNATE ABILITIES ]
• Photographic Memory
• Boxing
────────────────────────────
[ Skills ]
• Omnicognition (S-Rank)
• Language (S-Rank)
• Berserk (A-Rank)
• Blink (B-Rank)
• Shadow Veil (B-Rank)
════════════════════════════
Remark:
(Even if you somehow improved, you would still be trash—just slightly less worthless trash.)
════════════════════════════
Arthur stared at the screen.
Level 50.
Rank F.
Overflowing EXP he couldn't use yet.
Hundreds of unspent attribute points.
And skills that would make veterans bleed with envy.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"My stats have improved slightly by breaking through to F-rank."
"Not bad for a start, even if they don't make much difference yet."
He clenched his fist.
His excitement only grew.
Arthur's excitement didn't fade.
If anything, it grew stronger as his eyes lingered on the remaining attribute points.
But then—
His gaze drifted upward.
To the line he hated the most.
Potential: F.
His lips twisted.
"…Tch."
He clicked his tongue softly.
"My potential is going to block my growth forever, huh."
He leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
"If I don't do something about my potential… I'll eventually hit a wall no matter how much EXP I hoard."
A sigh escaped him.
"…I'll think about that later."
He rolled his shoulders and straightened.
"Right now—"
"I've got attribute points to spend."
He glanced at the number.
"I have 410 attribute points."
Arthur cracked his knuckles.
"Let's distribute them."
The system responded instantly.
[ Attributes define the foundation of your existence. ]
[ Strength governs raw physical power, striking force, lifting capacity, and damage output. ]
[ Agility governs speed, reflexes, coordination, balance, and movement efficiency. ]
[ Durability governs toughness, stamina, endurance, resistance to damage, and recovery rate. ]
[ Will governs mental resilience, pain tolerance, focus under pressure, and resistance to fear, control, and corruption. ]
[ Intelligence affects learning speed, Mana control, spell formulation, and analytical thinking, but cannot replace talent, experience, or compatibility. ]
[ Charm affects how easily you influence others—how persuasive, likable, intimidating, or naturally commanding you seem, and how people instinctively react to your presence.]
[ Luck governs probability manipulation, chance-based outcomes, survival in unlikely situations, and rare opportunities. ]
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Good."
He didn't hesitate.
"Add eighty points to Strength."
[ Strength increased by +80. ]
A surge of heat flooded his arms and shoulders.
His muscles tightened, growing denser and heavier, as if forged from steel.
Arthur clenched his fist.
The air cracked faintly.
A smile tugged at his lips.
"Add one hundred points to Agility."
[ Agility increased by +100. ]
The world sharpened.
His balance adjusted instantly, his body feeling lighter, faster, more responsive.
It felt like he could move in any direction the moment he decided to.
"Add eighty points to Durability."
[ Durability increased by +80. ]
A deep, grounding sensation spread through his chest and core.
His breathing became steadier.
His heartbeat stronger.
Fatigue felt… distant.
"Add fifty points to Will."
[ Will increased by +50. ]
A calm heaviness settled in his mind.
Pain dulled.
Fear lost its edge.
His thoughts became firm and unshakable.
"And add fifty points to Intelligence."
[ Intelligence increased by +50. ]
For a split second, his vision blurred—
Then clarity flooded in.
Connections formed effortlessly.
Thoughts aligned.
Patterns became obvious.
Arthur exhaled slowly.
"Now… add thirty points to Charm."
[ Charm increased by +30. ]
A strange warmth spread through his chest and throat.
His posture straightened unconsciously.
Even his breathing felt more confident, more commanding.
"And twenty points to Luck."
[ Luck increased by +20. ]
There was no immediate sensation.
But Arthur felt it anyway.
Like the world had tilted—just slightly—in his favor.
"…Show my status window again."
════════════════════════════
[ STATUS ]
════════════════════════════
Name : Arthur
Race : Human
Class : None
Rank : F
Potential : F
Talent : Imperfect Imitation (F-Rank)
Level : 50
EXP : 141,000 / 134,000
(Note: Potential threshold reached. Continued EXP accumulation will not result in level increases.)
────────────────────────────
[ ATTRIBUTES ]
────────────────────────────
Strength : 104
Agility : 115
Durability : 105
Intelligence : 122
Will : 70
Charm : 110
Luck : 34
────────────────────────────
Attribute Points : 0
────────────────────────────
[ INNATE ABILITIES ]
• Photographic Memory
• Boxing
────────────────────────────
[ Skills ]
• Omnicognition (S-Rank)
• Language (S-Rank)
• Berserk (A-Rank)
• Blink (B-Rank)
• Shadow Veil (B-Rank)
════════════════════════════
Remark:
(Even if you somehow improved, you would still be trash—just slightly less worthless trash.)
════════════════════════════
Arthur flexed his fingers.
Then his arms.
Then his legs.
Power answered instantly.
His body felt dense yet agile.
Every breath felt deeper.
Every movement smoother.
His senses sharper.
"…Now this," he said quietly, "is perfect."
A faint smile spread across his face.
"At least now I'm a decent fighter."
The system replied, its tone lighter than usual.
[ Don't worry, Host. This is just the start for us. There is much more to come. ]
Arthur snorted.
"Getting cocky already, huh?"
[ No. Just happy that we managed to secure a decent start. ]
Arthur chuckled.
"…Yeah. You're right about that."
He stretched and stood up.
"I'll start working out from tomorrow. And I'll take missions too."
He paused.
"After signing up to the Awakener's Association."
"And we'll have to be careful so others don't find out about us."
[ Duly noted, my good sir. ]
Arthur laughed softly.
Looking toward the artifacts, he said,
"We still haven't explored what types of artifacts we have or what they do, but I'm pretty tired now, so let's look at them later."
[ As you wish. ]
Later that night—
Arthur ordered food to his room.
He ate until his body felt warm and satisfied.
Then he lay down.
And slept.
But at that time, in his excitement, Arthur didn't know he had made a big mistake by increasing a certain attribute he shouldn't have…
──────────
Meanwhile—
Aaron sat on the bed in the neighboring room, phone pressed tightly to his ear.
He dialed.
Again.
No connection.
Again.
Nothing.
His fingers trembled as he tried another number.
This time—
The call connected.
"H-Hello?" Aaron said quickly. "It's me—Aaron. I was kidnapped… sold… enslaved—"
His voice broke.
"But someone saved me. A man named Arthur. He rescued me and brought me to Arcania."
Silence.
Then Aaron described everything that happened to him all this while.
After he finished.
A sharp inhale came from the other side.
A female voice answered, steady but trembling beneath the surface.
"Stay where you are," she said in a serious tone. "Do not move."
Her tone hardened.
"I am coming to pick you up. Right now."