Blankly staring at Ruby as she offers me to stay the night, I felt a very rare moment of speechlessness. Her crimson eyes glimmered with curiosity as she tilted her head slightly, breaking the silence.
"What? Why did you go silent?" she asked, her voice soft yet tinged with amusement.
"Nothing," I muttered, averting my eyes.
The silence again stretched on. Finally, Ruby broke it with her sudden thought.
"Oh, that reminds me," she said, reaching into her [Dimension ring]. A small black box materialized in her hand as she extended it toward me.
'What's this?" I asked curiously, taking the box from her.
"It's a Skill Monitor," Ruby explained, her tone well maintained. "The one you got from the Hero Association is probably broken, so I got you a new one. This is the latest model on the market, and the company even claims it can display skill's side effects."
A [Skill Monitor]. I had this device before, when I was working for Hero Association—A tool designed by humans to analyze and display an individual's possessed skills. But the fact that Ruby had gone out of her way to get me one raised question that I wasn't sure I wanted to ask.
I opened the box, and found a transparent lens inside, similar to a contact lens. Upon closer inspection, I noticed tiny Nano-computers inscribed along its edges, glinting faintly under the light.
"Go on, try it," Ruby urged, leaning forward slightly with a bright smile.
I hesitated for a moment, then carefully placed the lens on my right eye. A slight tingling sensation ran through my eye as I infused it with a small amount of my [Essence] to activate it.
Immediately, a large holographic screen appeared in front of me, visible only to my eye.
================================
> [Distortion]: Can eliminate Essence within a 10 km radius.
Side effect: Makes wielder aggressive and violent.
>[Elemental View]: Can sense almost everything within a 50 km radius.
Side effect: Using for more than 10 minutes causes extreme fatigue.
>[Quantum Manipulation]: Complete control over quantum outcomes.
Side effect: Instant death.
>[Immortality]: Makes wielder immortal.
Side effect: ???
============================
I stared at the screen, my expression dumbfounded. This was far beyond what my previous skill monitor could display. Not only did it list all my skills, but it also revealed their side effects.
'Amazing.'
But two skills, however, caught my attention the most.
[Immortality]... It was unreal seeing it listed so plainly, yet its side effect was marked with a "???"—a mystery even to this device.
And then there was [Quantum Manipulation]. My heart raced as I read its description. The ability to control quantum outcomes... It sounded invincible. But the side effect—instant death—was a stark reminder of its dangerous cost.
And that's the only reason, why I never dared to use it. Not once. The risk was far too great.
But still, what are the odds of possessing [Immortality] alongside [Quantum Manipulation].
Suddenly a thought raised in my mind—a hypothesis I had just come up with. If my theory was correct, then these two skills together could become something unimaginable.
"Found anything interesting?" Ruby's voice broke through my thoughts.
I blinked, the holographic screen disappearing as I turned to her. "Yeah," I said, my voice calm despite the possibilities brewing in my mind. "This is... definitely better than the old one."
Ruby smiled. "I thought you'd like it. Consider it a thank-you gift."
"For what?"
"For all the care you gave me," she said leaning towards me as her tone dropping slightly. "And for what you're about to do."
Her words hung in the air.
I glanced back at the box, my mind still racing for all the previous thoughts. Placing the Skill Monitor into my [Dimension Ring], I looked at Ruby and gave her a nod of gratitude.
"Thank you very much," I said, standing up from the seat. "But I've to go now."
"Can't you stay, just for today. "
"Maybe some other time, after this whole Glory situation is taken care of."
Her expression faltered slightly, her face giving a hint of sadness. "Fine," she said, her voice quieter than before.
Without another word, I turned and left the building, walking swiftly until I was outside the Nova Academy campus.
As soon as I passed the gates, I broke into a run, passing through the quiet streets of Frostvile City until I reached a silent shadowed back alley. My breathing was ragged, not from the exhaustion, but from the storm of thoughts and excitement in my mind.
I scanned my surroundings, ensuring no one was watching.
Satisfied, I reached into my [Dimension Ring] and pulled out my black katana. Its blade gleamed faintly under the moonlight.
I stared at the weapon in my hand, my heart was pounding in a chaotic mix of nervousness and excitement.
'If my theory is correct...'
I gripped the katana tightly and made a small cut on my thumb. A bead of blood formed, dripping onto the ground.
I waited, my eyes fixed on my hand, but nothing happened.
Clenching my hand, I tried again, this time cutting deeper. Blood flowed freely, staining the blade red– but still, there was no change.
I tried again, this time cutting even deeper, but still, there was no change.
Disappointment.
My earlier hope was slipping away, leaving behind a hollow ache in my chest.
'If only it were true...'
Just as I was about to let go of the katana and abandon the idea, Ruby's face flashed in my mind. That brief moment, her sobbing face. The image struck something deep inside me.
"No," I muttered, gritted my teeth. "I haven't tried everything yet."
Without giving myself time to hesitate, I took a deep breath, placing the blade over my thumb again, and with one swift motion, I severed it entirely.
A hot wave of pain tore through my hand as blood sprayed out in a violent gush. I bit my lips hard, suppressing my scream, my body trembling from the intensity of the agony. I stared at the missing thumb, hoping that this would be enough.
One minute passed.
Then two.
Five.
Ten minutes passed.
Nothing.
"Still Not enough?!" I snarled, clenching my teeth, my patience resolved.
I positioned the katana against my arm. I swung the blade downward, severing my arm just below the elbow.
"AAAGGGHHH!!"
The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt before. It was as if my very soul had been ripped apart. Blood erupted in torrents, painting the alley walls in an unpleasant display. My veins jutted out, throbbing as they spilled out their contents. Torn muscles twitched unevenly, and shards of exposed bone glistened, jutting out like jagged spears.
I fell to my knees, the world around me spinning as the life drained from my body. My vision blurred, and just as I thought I might black out, a familiar voice echoed in my mind.
"[Requirement Satisfied.]"
The voice was my own, but stripped of any emotion, warmth, and life like a mechanical echo.
"[Checking credibility...]"
"[Success.]"
"[Granting Authority...]"
"[Success.]"
"AAAAAGGGGHHH!!!!!!"
The pain intensified, becoming something otherworldly. It wasn't just physical anymore, it tore through my mind and soul, shaking me to my very core.
I could feel something shifting within me.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, it halted. The pain. vanished, the voice silenced, leaving only me and silent ally.
I looked down at my hand, I froze, I couldn't believe what I am witnessing .
My fingers were back, fully intact. My arm, severed moments ago, was completely restored. There were no wounds, no scars-no evidence of anything that had happened at all.
I stood to my feet, my body trembling as confusion raced through me. "What... was that? Authority?" I murmured, my voice barely audible.
Without wasting a second, I pulled out the [Skill Monitor] and placed it over my eye. The holographic display lit up, and what I saw turned my blood cold.
============================
> [Distortion]: Can eliminate Essence within a 10 km radius.
Side effect: Makes wielder aggressive and violent.
>[Elemental View]: Can sense almost everything within a 50 km radius.
Side effect: Using for more than 10 minutes causes extreme fatigue.
[Quantum Manipulation]: Complete (Authority) over the quantum outcomes.
Side effects: [None].
[Immortality]: Makes wielder immortal (fused).
Side effects: ???
==============================
For a moment, I was shocked, I could do nothing but stare at the screen, my vary own deduction hitting me down like a tidal wave. And then, something inside me broke.
"Ha... haha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
A laugh escaped my lips, low and guttural at first, but quickly escalating into something wild, unhinged. I threw my head back, my body bended as I laughed maniacally, my voice echoing through the empty alley.
"This... This changes everything!" I shouted, clutching my katana tightly.
The power coursing me now. was unlike anything I had ever known. This wasn't just any turning point. It was a complete rewriting of the rules.
From this moment on – my life, my very existence, everything had changed.
The world has no idea what was coming.
End of Chapter