Second World

He first picked up the talent pill. In the past, he had tried multi-thinking when using the pill to gain his Hundred Synchronous Thoughts. As long as he had a hidden talent, he could bring it to the surface using this pill. He was now thinking about what he should focus on to give this pill the best success chance.

"What talent do you think you still have?" Peniel asked.

Jack was also rather confused. He looked at Grace who had slept. He didn't want to wake her up just to consult with her.

"You have been with me for quite some time, haven't you? What talents do you think I have?" Jack asked Peniel.

"Hm… Let me think. Your simple-mindedness. Your ability to ignore important issues when it is not urgent. Your denseness in understanding romantic gestures…"

Jack rolled her eyes. "Forget it. It's pointless asking you."

Jack stood up and brandished his two swords. When Peniel was confused about what he was trying to do, he started playing with his sword.

"Oh? Are you trying to bring up a talent that is related to your martial art?" Peniel guessed.

Jack nodded. "Yeah. I might not be the best martial artist, but I believe I have the talent for it. I only started late."

Jack continued practicing his sword art. He also meditated in the sword's heart while doing it and incorporated mana manipulation into his every slash.

When he felt like he was ready, he stored one of the swords and held the talent pill in his hand. He then used it.

The talent pill disappeared.

"Huh…?"

"What? Do you fail?" Peniel asked.

Jack sent her an annoyed stare. "You have that little confidence in me?" Jack asked. "I received a talent, but it's not what I expected. Go and see for yourself."

Peniel checked Jack's status page then. A new talent had popped up in his talent list.

*

Mana Affinity (Talent)

Improves user's connection with mana.

*

It was just a simple description. Peniel asked Jack, "Do you feel any different?"

"Yeah… It feels weird," Jack said. "It's as if I'm seeing everything for the first time. It's hard to describe."

"I can sense your feeling, but I can't quite understand it," Peniel said.

Jack closed his eyes and focused on his mana sense. He could now make out every detail in his vicinity even when his eyes were closed. His mana sense had become so sharp he might as well have a three-hundred-sixty-degree perception even without using his eyes.

Not only that, his mana sense range had doubled. He could now detect things from thirty meters away.

He tried to accumulate mana in his hand. It was as easy as breathing. He didn't even need to concentrate. It just happened with a thought. He used Flame Strike with mana manipulation. The flame from his Storm Breaker burst ragingly as he slashed. The flame burst made it seem as if a completely different skill. He was sure if an opponent was hit by this version of Flame Strike, the effect would be completely different than before.

"It's so easy now. Its power has also increased," Jack uttered. "This is better than I hope for."

"Well, I can sense a little mana as well. That slash just now sure felt intense," Peniel remarked. "I wonder if you are at Domon's level now."

"Hehe. Let's put it to the test when we meet that geezer," Jack said with a grin.

"Let's deal with the next one!" Jack exclaimed and came to the Upgrade Cell he had taken out earlier.

He brought his Container of Souls out. There were 1,400,000 souls inside. Eighty percent of it was courtesy of Euphosine. The rest were from the monsters he and Grace hunted during their two weeks journey to the Council of Charites. The players or the night hunters that were killed during Euphosine's game didn't award any souls. Perhaps because the rule of that dimension made sure their souls were recycled back to Euphosine.

He didn't use the souls inside the container yet. He wanted to first see what effect the container has after being upgraded.

Jack brought the Containers of Souls close to the Upgrade Cell. An interface appeared asking if he wanted to upgrade the Containers of Souls. Jack clicked the accept button.

After a series of animations, the Upgrade Cell disappeared, leaving only the Containers of Souls.

"Huh, it doesn't look different," Jack said. When he upgraded his Transformation Box, it transformed into the Transformation Prism. This time, the upgraded item retained its original look.

But then again, upon closer inspection, Jack saw many new detailed inscriptions along the container's surfaces. Jack used his Inspect skill then.

*

Container of Souls (Legendary Artifact)

Collect souls of slain people or monsters.

Uses 1,000 souls to increase the user's basic skill level.

Uses 10,000 souls to increase the user's advanced skill level.

Uses 100,000 souls to increase the user's elite skill level.

Uses 300,000 souls to upgrade a skill's star, only a max-leveled skill can be star upgraded using these souls.

Links to Storm Wind.

Souls collected: 1,400,000

*

The container's functions were mostly still the same. It just added one more function, upgrading the stars of a skill. But even if it was only this one addition, it brought Jack much excitement.

"Yes!" He exclaimed. He hurriedly closed his mouth and looked at Grace, afraid that his yell might wake her up. She was still fast asleep. She must be very tired.

"Yes," Jack said again but softly this time. The star upgrades were the hardest to increase. It took lots of repetition to upgrade a skill by one star. There was no shortcut but to spend the time to use the skills repeatedly. Now, he had the means for that shortcut.

"Cool, right?" Peniel asked.

"You could have just told me from the start what it will upgrade to," Jack said to her.

"But you won't feel as happy as you are now when you find out about it yourself, would you?"

"You got a point there," Jack said.

He stored the Container of Souls. He would use the souls later. He had spoken with Jeanny through messages. Jeanny had copied the technique books he last gave her. He just needed to meet her to get those books. He would use the souls then.

"Ready to sleep now?" Peniel asked.

"One last thing," Jack said and took out the Runestone of Spellcasting. "How many mana cores do you think are needed to copy this runestone?"

"Mm… I say it is no fewer than the Mana Gathering Stone, if not more," Peniel answered.

"Well, let's just fuse with it then," Jack said.