After the initial shock faded, Leo forced himself to calm down and continue reading through the rest of his status.
The rest of the information was just basic information.
Still, he didn't dismiss it outright as he continued to study it.
His gaze paused when he noticed the single class skill listed beneath his stats.
One skill right after awakening.
That alone was quite good.
Many awakeners didn't receive a skill immediately. Some had to wait months. Others had to level up or meet certain criteria to unlock their first class skill.
Then there was the blessing.
Soul Anchor.
Leo's eyes lingered there for a moment.
From what he remembered, the Soul Anchor was the medium awakeners used to travel to the Primordial Island. Without it, one couldn't even step foot on that place. It wasn't flashy, but it was essential.
A small smile crept onto his lips.
"Well then," he muttered under his breath. "Let's see what you do."
At his will, more information unfolded before him.
*****
[ Status ]
[ Leonardo Spades ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Age: 19 ]
[ Title: — ]
[ Class: Arcane Scholar ]
[ Level: 1 (0%) ]
---
[ Stats ]
---
[ Strength: 1.5 ]
[ Agility: 1.7 ]
[ Constitution: 2.0 ]
[ Intelligence: 5.6 ]
---
⟣ Attribute Points: 0
---
[ Profession Skill: Analyze ]
[ Skills: — ]
[ Talent: Devourer Node ]
[ Blessing: Soul Anchor ]
---
[ Arcane Scholar ]
Knowledge is the foundation of the universe.
The Arcane Scholar is one who craves it deeply, seeking to unravel the mysteries and essence of the world.
---
[ Analyze ]
Allows the user to analyze objects and their essence, gaining information about them.
The more knowledge gained, the more effective it can be put to use.
---
[ Devourer Node ]
Allows the user to devour the essence of other things, converting it into growth points that can be used to improve oneself.
Current Growth Points: 0
---
*****
Leo read through everything slowly.
And frowned. Repeatedly.
The descriptions were vague. Too vague.
They explained what the abilities did, but not how, not why, and definitely not their limits. It felt less like instructions and more like someone pointing at a locked door and saying, "Figure it out."
Annoying, but not unexpected.
"I guess I'll learn as I go," he muttered.
With a thought, he dismissed the system screen.
Then he sat up.
Testing time.
If there was one thing he could use immediately, it was Analyze.
Without hesitation, he activated the skill, his focus settling on a flower vase resting on a small table near the window.
For a few seconds, nothing happened.
Leo blinked.
Then suddenly, something shifted.
Information flowed into his mind. Not words on a screen, but knowledge itself. The composition of clay. Little bits about the firing process. The difference between decorative pottery and functional ceramics.
It wasn't overwhelming.
It was just as if someone had gently slipped pages of a book into the cracks of his memory and sealed them shut, making them feel like they had always been there.
A notification appeared.
[ Pottery knowledge has increased slightly. ]
[ When sufficient understanding is accumulated, the Pottery skill may be unlocked. ]
Leo froze.
"…What?"
He stared at the vase again, then looked away, then back.
According to what he had learned, skills were the lifeline of awakeners. Everyone knew that. A person's strength, survival, and future were all built on the skills they possessed.
And he had just gained progress toward one by looking at a vase.
Then realization hit.
"…Pottery?"
His expression twisted.
Of all things.
A minor pottery skill?
The excitement drained almost immediately, replaced by mild disappointment. Just a minor skill like pottery, and he hadn't even fully learned it, just little knowledge toward it. Quite disappointing.
He leaned back with a sigh.
If any other awakener heard his thoughts right now, they would probably break into his room just to beat him senseless.
Because Leo didn't understand.
Not yet.
In the Primordial Island, combat wasn't constant. Survival was. Awakeners could be stranded alone for days, weeks, sometimes months. Knowing how to build, craft, repair, and create was often more valuable than knowing how to punch harder.
Skills like pottery, carving, forging, and tailoring weren't useless.
They were lifesavers.
And many awakeners spent years learning them from experts, paying outrageous prices for manuals just to learn those useful skills.
If they knew Leo could gain progress just by glancing at an object…
Gouging his eyes out wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Unaware of all this, Leo continued experimenting.
Tables. Chairs. Lamps. Decorations.
Bits of information trickled in. Wood types. Joinery methods. Basic craftsmanship principles.
But still no new skill.
After several minutes, a sharp pain stabbed behind his eyes.
"Ah—!"
He immediately shut the skill off, groaning as he fell back onto the bed. His vision blurred for a moment before slowly stabilizing.
"…Right. Limits," he muttered, staring at the ceiling.
Overdoing it would probably blind him. Permanently.
Not worth it.
As his breathing steadied, a thought surfaced.
Combat skills.
What if…
If Analyze could extract knowledge from finished objects, could it do the same from techniques? From movements?
If he watched someone perform a combat art, could he learn it?
The answer came quickly.
Of course he could.
At least in theory.
But forcing it now would be stupid. His eyes were already protesting. Pushing further would only end badly.
So he waited.
---
An hour later.
Leo lay on his bed again, tablet propped up in front of him, Analyze active as he stared at the screen.
On the screen was a young awakener standing in a brightly lit dojo.
Shirtless.
Sweat glistened dramatically across his sculpted body, muscles flexing under the lights like they were on contract to blind the audience.
Leo stared blankly.
There was absolutely no reason for the man to be shirtless. Or sweating this much. Or standing at that exact angle.
Yet here they were.
Somewhere out there, the creator of this video had made certain artistic choices. Questionable ones. Deeply intentional ones.
Leo ignored all of it.
Completely.
(Unlike the author. Who was absolutely not jealous.)
The young man smiled brightly at the camera.
"Good day, my wonderful viewers! Welcome back to my Weetube channel. It's your humble host, 2Handsome_B."
He winked.
"Due to popular demand, today I'll be showcasing one of my personal combat skills."
He took a step back and assumed a stance.
"This skill is called Iron Impact. I acquired it after my second advancement."
Leo leaned forward slightly.
"This technique focuses on generating power from the ground, channeling it through the body, and concentrating it into a single point at the moment of impact."
The awakener inhaled, muscles tightening.
"Iron Impact!"
He threw a punch.
The air rippled.
Even through the screen, the force felt real. The space before his fist distorted, as if struck by something unseen.
The man straightened, clearly pleased.
"When performed correctly, Iron Impact can double the damage of a normal strike."
Leo stared.
Brows furrowed.
Nothing happened.
No information. No knowledge. No notification.
He replayed the video.
Again.
Still nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Disappointment settled in.
"So I can't learn combat skills like this…" he murmured.
It made sense. Combat techniques were far more complex than crafting. Maybe they required deeper analysis. Or higher proficiency.
Then something clicked.
Essence.
The description of Analyze hadn't said "images" or "recordings."
It said essence.
To confirm it, Leo pulled up a random pottery video and activated the skill.
Nothing.
That settled it.
He needed to see it in real life.
Leo frowned.
"When am I supposed to—"
The thought cut off.
His eyes widened.
He slowly sat up.
"…I live with an awakener."
Not just any awakener.
A powerful one.
A grin spread across his face.
Without hesitation, Leo climbed out of bed and left his room.
Moments later, he stood before a massive door.
He raised his hand and knocked.
Silence.
Then a voice from within.
"Leo? Is that you?"
"Yes," he replied quickly. "Can I talk to you for a bit?"
"Alright. Wait a moment."
There was some movement inside. Fabric rustling.
The door opened.
His mother stepped out, still wearing the white dress from earlier, her expression calm but curious.
"What is it you want to talk about?" she asked.
Leo met her gaze.
"As a high-rank awakener," he said carefully, "you have combat skills, right?"
She frowned slightly, clearly wondering where this was coming from, but answered anyway.
"Yes. I do."
Leo smiled.
"Great," he said. "Can you show me?"