Chapter 6: Skill reveal

In that moment, a wave of energy surged into Haru's body, contorting his face in pain. Cold sweat formed, and his body began to shake uncontrollably. A rush of power coursed through him, making him feel as if he were on fire.

"The sensation you're experiencing is called mana overload," Becker began to explain. "In this world, mana is the essence of life, and right now, you're being flooded with an excessive amount of mine."

Three seconds passed, and the agony only grew stronger. Haru could feel his body shaking, his muscles tensing as he struggled to endure the mana's wrath. He tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth but gritted his teeth and held on.

Becker watched as Haru struggled to endure the mana overload, his expression impassive.

"Every living being is born with the ability to generate mana, which originates from the heart," he continued. "From there, mana flows through the body, supporting growth and sustaining life. This is its basic function. However, for intellectual beings, we've discovered a way to control the flow of mana and direct it through a predetermined path. We call this path the mana circuit. It allows a person to direct their mana to the outside world, either generating aura or materializing it as magic."

Becker's gaze returned to Haru, who had fallen to his knees but still refused to let go of Becker's hand. "As a newly summoned human, you likely have no idea the path your mana circuit takes. Because of that, the mana now entering your body has no clue where to go and is instead attacking your body like an enemy, targeting your internal organs."

As Becker finished his explanation, an additional three seconds had passed. It had only been six seconds, and yet, Haru already looked like he was ready to keel over. Still, his grip was tight.

Becker frowned. "I admire your resilience, but you should think about what you're trying to prove. I know you're in pain. Your body is screaming for you to let go. It probably feels like everything is burning inside, and your organs feel like they're being torn to shreds. You should listen to it because if they burst, there won't be time for regrets after."

The guild members watched as Haru continued to endure the mana overload, their expressions filled with concern. They had found him arrogant and audacious, but that didn't mean they wanted to see him come to harm. After all, who among them hadn't been a little cocky when they first started?

The receptionist looked to Becker, her eyes filled with worry. "He's going to die for real," she muttered.

But Becker's expression remained resolute. "I'm not holding him against his will. He can let go at any time. He needs to learn what's more important to him: his life or his ego."

Eight seconds. Haru retched, his complexion deathly pale. It was likely that Becker made the ten-second challenge because he never expected Haru to make it this far. To reach ten seconds as someone who never opened their mana circuits was a death wish.

As the seconds ticked by, the guild members began to whisper among themselves. They couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Haru, a young man willing to risk everything for his dreams. They knew that if he could endure this, he would make for an excellent adventurer.

Nine... Ten...

Haru collapsed, yet his hand remained in contact with Becker's. Becker sighed. "Even now... I've seen the will of your adventurer's spirit, and it is great. But why did you waste it like this?" Just as he was about to pull his mana back, he found himself unable to do so.

"What's going on?"

He suddenly realized he no longer had control over the flow of his mana, which continued to pour into Haru. An unsettling sensation washed over Becker as he struggled to regain control. The crowd murmured, sensing something was amiss.

Haru, who had collapsed, suddenly rose back up. Wiping away the liquid from his mouth, he looked at Becker with a smirk. "Sorry for making a mess. It took a little bit to find my mana circuit."

"Your… mana circuit? You're not really telling me you found it just now?" Becker's words hung in the air for all to hear.

Mana circuits were complex and intricate, often taking years of training and dedication to fully understand and control. They were like finding a path among countless possibilities, and no two mana circuits were alike as they were defined from the moment a person is born.

For those serious about mastering their mana circuits, the journey often began at a young age. Early training involved sensing their own mana, an elusive and unpredictable force, and learning to direct it along the correct paths. This process required immense concentration, patience, and a deep understanding of one's own body and mind. It was not uncommon for beginners to spend years just learning to feel their mana, let alone control it with any precision.

Certain beings had a natural affinity for magic, making the process somewhat easier for them. These individuals could sense and manipulate their mana with greater ease, often completing their mana circuits more quickly than others.

But even with all his knowledge and experience, Becker couldn't comprehend what was unfolding before his eyes. His own mana circuit was currently connected to Haru's, despite Haru being a recent summon who knew nothing of their world. Somehow, Haru had managed to locate the exit point of his mana circuit and link it to Becker's, allowing him to control the flow of mana and direct it into his own circuit.

'He couldn't have found it so quickly without already knowing where his mana circuit was. Are the Summoned really capable of such a thing?!' Becker was going insane trying to figure out what was happening.

Mana circuits should be opened starting from the area of the heart and gradually expanded, allowing the mana to flow naturally. This method ensures a controlled and harmonious activation, aligning with the body's natural energy flow. However, Haru was brute-forcing his mana circuit open from the opposite end, akin to trying to force open a tightly sealed gate from the wrong side. This approach was more like breaking through a dam to release water rather than opening sluice gates slowly. The pain from such a forceful and unnatural method should have been unimaginable, yet Haru showed no signs of distress.

The crowd fell silent, anxiously watching the unfolding events. While they couldn't see what was happening internally, they had witnessed Haru, who had collapsed moments ago, now standing comfortably with a smile on his face as if nothing had happened. All they knew was that Becker had acknowledged Haru had found his mana circuit, and now they could only wait to see if he could endure until the twenty-second mark.

Haru focused intently on controlling the flow of mana through his mana circuit. This was not part of his original plan. In his previous life, Becker was unknown to him. While he was familiar with the Adventurers' Guild, the guild leader back then was someone else and had offered only limited help to the Summoned. He had expected to encounter that same guild leader, but instead, Becker had emerged.

Moreover, Becker's challenge was unexpected. Guild challenges typically involved displays of physical prowess, such as enduring attacks or dodging blows. Haru's previous life had honed his combat skills, and he had expected to impress Becker with his prowess. However, he had not anticipated a challenge centered around mana manipulation.

'My original plan was to open up my circuits fully in a month's time, but you presented such an opportunity to me. I'll be sure to thank you for this opportunity later.' Internally, he was practically licking his lips at the stroke of good fortune.

What Haru was attempting now was a method unique to him, leveraging his prior knowledge of his mana circuit's location. Even with this knowledge, connecting one's mana circuit to another's was akin to trying to touch the two ends of a needle together. It required an extraordinary level of precision of someone who has practiced for years.

As he linked his circuits to Becker's, mana surged into his body, and he took immediate control of it. Haru's mastery over mana allowed him to adjust the flow rate, carefully directing it into his channels while simultaneously reinforcing and clearing them out. It was meant to be a delicate process but he was doing several jobs at once. He was basically excavating a deep hole while laying down the foundations to support tunnels at the same time, a task that even seasoned magic users would struggle with, let alone even attempt.

Haru sensed the mana passing the halfway point to his heart as the countdown continued.

"Seventeen!"

"Eighteen!"

"Nineteen!"

The crowd's cheers grew louder as the timer neared the twenty-second mark. Becker twitched in disbelief, his eyes fixed on the boy who defied all expectations and logic.

"Twenty!"

"He did it!" one of the guild members shouted.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe my eyes! He survived twenty seconds of mana overload. Is he even human?"

"It's because he's a Summoned! They have to be different. Damn, it's like having a cheat!"

The receptionist breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn't want to see someone die today. However, as she turned, she realized neither Haru nor Becker had let go of each other's hands.

"Guild Leader?" she called out.

Cold sweat dripped from Becker's brow, his hand trembling slightly as he pulled away from Haru's grasp with effort, giving a wry smile. "You're quite insistent, aren't you?"

Haru looked momentarily disappointed, muttering, "Just a bit more..." Quickly recovering his demeanor, Haru chuckled. "Thanks for taking it easy on me!"

"Taking it easy? You were going to wring me dry! Are all the Summoned as formidable as you? No wonder the kingdom summoned all of you," Becker retorted with a snort.

Haru shrugged nonchalantly. "About our deal..."

"Fine," Becker conceded. He turned to the receptionist and instructed, "Tanna, fetch the Skill Revealing Scroll."

Blinking in confusion at the exchange between Haru and Becker, Tanna nodded and retrieved an ornate wooden box. Opening it, she revealed the Skill Revealing Scroll nestled within.

Becker carefully unfurled the scroll and spoke in an ancient language, activating its magic. He then directed it towards Haru.

Haru was bathed in a brilliant light, and as it faded, the names of two skills hovered above his head. One read [World Knowledge] and the other [Minus Strength].

"He has two skills!" Tanna exclaimed, surprised. The crowd quickly erupted in chatter. It was already rare for the Skill Revealing Scroll to show even one innate skill, but revealing two was exceedingly rare.

No one in the guild had seen these skills before, and they were curious about their effects. Haru, however, knew exactly what they were. Not only were they his old skills, but [World Knowledge] displayed their descriptions right in front of him.

World Knowledge(Skill)

Description: Capable of providing varying degrees of information regarding anything within the world.

Level: 1

Potential: Incalculable

Minus Strength(Skill)

Description: Apply a de-buff on any living creature, reducing their strength by 15% for a short time.

Level: 1

Potential: B

For the Summoned, all skills start at level 1 and can be improved through continuous usage and understanding. However, there is a fundamental difference between the skills of the Summoned and those developed by the natural-born inhabitants of Kladin. The unique skills that the Summoned possess can level up with use, while those learned or inherited cannot. As these skills level up, they have the potential to evolve and offer additional perks, becoming greater than before. This ability to grow and adapt makes the skills of the Summoned incredibly powerful.

The potential of a skill dictates how far it can grow and evolve. The theoretical highest grade, known as S potential, means that at its highest level, a skill could be world-shattering in its effects.

Comparatively, skills born innately or learned through skill books by the natural-born inhabitants of Kladin come with a significant drawback. Like magic, skills are a manifestation of mana filtered through the laws of this world, meaning natural-born skills will never break these fundamental laws. Skills are largely formed by the path one's mana circuit takes. For instance, one person could have the [Analyze] skill, while another could have the [Imbue Flame] skill. However, upon awakening a skill, it essentially locks in that pattern, and the user will only ever be able to use that skill, thereby forgoing magic.

For most, this is a scenario they are willing to accept, as forgoing magic does not mean they stop being able to transfer mana through their body, and they can still utilize and train their aura.

Mages remain a profession that only the top geniuses can fully master, while any bumbling idiot can use a skill. Though, unless you are extraordinarily talented, many would choose to use skills in exchange for the future use of magic. Some skills are so overpowered that they completely outclass any mid-class learned magic, making the user instantly famous, scouted, and able to live a comfortable life. To many, this risk is worth taking.

That being said, valuable skills weren't exactly cheap, and if you were a seasoned combatant, fighting using your own aura was already good enough. You wouldn’t find many close quarters combatants using skills either, as most considered such skills a crutch.

In general, for an adventuring party, there might be a single person who had a skill, often an auxiliary skill, used more for support.

You would really only find Nobles with unique skills and that was often just to show off.

In his previous life, Haru had kept the true potential of his [World Knowledge] skill to himself. It was more due to no one else having an incalculable potential and him not wanting to stand out. With an incalculable potential, it had the ability to transcend the logic of the world. Unfortunately, he had never been able to reach that level before.

Becker's eyes widened as he read the names of Haru's skills. "[World Knowledge], [Minus Strength]... I've never heard of these skills before. From the names themselves, I can guess what they might do, but..." He turned to Haru, "We won't know until you test them out. Try your skills on me."

Acting out the part, Haru looked bug-eyed and asked, "Are you sure? I don't know how these skills might affect you."

"Haha, after being so cocky and greedy before, you're only now showing concern for others? Don't worry, I'm pretty strong. I can handle anything you throw at me!"

Haru hesitated for a moment before nodding. He focused on Becker and activated his first skill, [World Knowledge]. Information appeared before Haru's eyes...

Name: Becker Zoller(Alias) / Race: Hidden (insufficient level) / Occupation: Guild Leader of the Crown City Branch / Age: 34

Haru immediately furrowed his brow. 'Hidden? Why is he hiding his race? And an alias... It seems there's more to this guild leader than I thought. I'll have to be more careful with him.'

Starting out at level 1, the information Haru received from his skill left much to be desired, but for now, it was enough. Haru continued his act, eyes widening in surprise as he spoke, "Your full name is Becker Zoller, guild leader of the Crown City branch, age 34."

Becker rubbed his chin, intrigued. "Interesting. It gives my name, occupation, and age. It's similar to the skill [Analyze]. Does it say anything else?"

Haru shook his head. "No, that's all it reveals."

Becker stroked his chin, considering. "In that case, it's a bit weaker than [Analyze], which can also reveal strengths and weaknesses. That being said, [Analyze] is a very rare skill, and having this [World Knowledge] means you can identify both objects and people. We have a lot of gathering quests that would benefit from such a skill."

Haru nodded, but a sense of intrigue and apprehension lingered. 'I'll need to keep an eye on this guild leader. There's definitely more to him than meets the eye.'

"Alright, hit me with your next one."

Haru nodded and activated his second skill.

The effect was immediate. Becker's muscles began to weaken, and his movements became sluggish.

Becker's eyes widened in shock as he realized what was happening. He tried to resist, but it was no use. ‘I can't dispel it?’ Genuine shock appeared on his face. However, the effect only lasted a couple of seconds before dissipating.

Becker turned to Haru, who was now gasping for air. He looked at him strangely, lost in stunned silence.

Seeing the look on Becker's face, Tanna turned to him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Th-That skill, it..." Becker's words caught in his throat as he remembered the entire guild hall was paying attention. He turned to Haru and Tanna. "We'll talk inside."

"What, you're not going to tell us?!" the crowd protested.

"BOOOOOOO!"

"Guild leader is unfair!"

There was quite a bit of whining, but Becker didn't feel like playing. He headed into his main office, followed by Tanna and Haru.

Inside, he immediately activated a device which erected a barrier to close off sound to the outside. Only then did he finally feel safe to talk.