My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 5 5: Turns Out, I Had a Talent Panel Too

Steve eyed me with narrowed gaze, full of intrigue. "Generator?"

"Yes, Generator," I confirmed.

He cocked his head slightly.

"So… what does it do?"

"I have no idea," I confessed.

"There's no description, just the name Generator 1 and something called Essence 0/5."

Steve's brow furrowed.

"That's strange. There ought to be some explanation. Are you meant to discover it on your own?"

I lifted my shoulders in a shrug.

"I suppose that's the case."

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, judging by the name, it seems connected to creating something. And that 'Essence' part? Likely the fuel it uses."

"Yeah, that's my thought as well. But the big mystery is, what do I use to fill the Essence? And when it's full… what comes after?" I remarked.

"Should we give it a try?" I suggested, buzzing with excitement.

"No, no, no," Steve quickly shook his hands in denial.

"Billion, I've got to pack my things, notify my parents, and handle loads of stuff. You tackle this alone and update me afterward, alright?"

I grinned slyly.

"Sure thing. I bet your lazy self will just crash for half the day."

He let out a scoff.

"And?"

I shook my head while snatching my bag and moving toward the exit.

"Catch you tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't explode before that happens," he shouted after me.

A chuckle escaped me as I went out the door.

I hopped on my bike and raced toward home. My place sat in a quieter, richer neighborhood—far more secluded than Steve's.

Before long, I pulled into my driveway, gliding right into the garage.

My house stood as a spacious two-story bungalow surrounded by ample room. It featured a personal garden, a fitness area, and a pool—opulent touches that rang hollow without the family who'd once brought life to these walls.

I turned the key and entered the house.

For several seconds, I lingered in the living room, absorbing the silence. My eyes wandered to the right wall, where a grand family portrait hung.

I approached and halted before it.

My grandmother, Elena Ironhart, occupied a chair, cradling a playful seven-year-old version of me on her knee as I pulled silly expressions.

Standing behind her was my father, Julius Ironhart, dressed in his complete special forces gear… with green eyes, brown locks, and a subtle yet proud grin.

Next to him, my mother, Chloe Ironhart, posed upright in her special forces attire, her lengthy black hair flowing down her back, her deep eyes fixed on me even through the canvas.

They'd crossed paths during training, sparked romance, and forged a shared existence.

Ten years back, I lost them. Ever since, it was only Grandma and I.

Tears had welled up in my eyes without me noticing.

I swallowed hard and mustered a smile.

"Hey, Dad. Mom." My tone stayed soft. "Your boy has finally awakened."

I let out a long breath, my mouth curving into a smirk.

"I topped my class in graduation, just like you, Mom. I'll join the special forces as well. Grandma and Steve keep things steady, so… everything's been manageable."

I inched nearer, clenching my hands into fists.

"And rest easy. I'll liberate your souls from those Eternal scum soon. I've trained relentlessly. Really relentlessly."

"I've got a talent now, too. So hold on for me."

I offered a brief nod of respect, then pivoted and marched directly to the gym.

My gym formed a lengthy, boxy room, vast enough for twenty folks to work out without crowding.

I'd stocked it with all the gear necessary to drive my stats past ordinary bounds.

Once in my training gear, I began loosening up. Naturally, I included squats. Squats ruled supreme.

Satisfied with my prep, I summoned my status window, eyeing it once more to catch any hint about my talent I might have overlooked.

"Alright, time to uncover your secrets, Generator the First."

I concentrated more intensely—suddenly.

The display shifted.

A fresh interface hovered before me, labeled Talent.

"Holy hell," I whispered, my eyes bulging in astonishment.

[Talent]

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Talent Name: Generator

Function: Generates Essence from absorbed energy

Level: 1

Essence: 0/5 units

Level Up Requirement: 100 units of Essence generated

Progress: 0/100

Talent Upgrade Requirement: Talent Level 5

Generator Activation Command: Requires voice command

Recharge Sources: Any form of energy

Abilities:-

Essence Transfer – Can transfer stored Essence to an attribute. After use, 10% of the transferred Essence unit remains as a permanent boost

Essence Infusion – Can infuse stored Essence.

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The newly appeared interface floated right in my view, and I pored over each line. My pulse raced while I absorbed the details.

My stare zeroed in on the function description right away.

A storm of feelings washed over my face: astonishment, disbelief, eagerness, and sheer exhilaration.

Typically, handling essence demanded advanced skills and experience, yet here I was, able to produce it independently. That changed everything.

I shifted focus to the abilities list and examined Essence Transfer. I scanned the words again, and once more, my grip tightening on my hand. This… this was unbelievable. Permanent stat gains just from employing my talent? Every fight, every smart Essence deployment, would amplify my power—not merely via standard growth, but far surpassing it.

I breathed out steadily, reining in the smile fighting to break free.

Next, my attention fell on the following skill: Essence Infusion.

Build up Essence, create more, and channel it into strikes. No fuss, pure force ready to deploy. Straightforward. Effective.

Plus, the talent itself could advance in levels.

My eyes darted to the Level Up Requirement: 100 units of Essence produced.

I mentally calculated it fast. Capping at five units per cycle, I'd require a minimum of twenty complete fills to advance. Not overwhelming. Steady generation would get me there.

Yet what truly gripped me was the—

Talent Upgrade Requirement: Talent Level 5.

Thus, upon reaching Level 5 with Generator, an evolution to a mightier form awaited.

Man, that fired me up. Into what could Generator transform?

Thoughts swirled wildly in my mind, but I cleared them with a head shake.

Now I fixed on the pulsing Essence Activation Command entry, stroking my chin. It called for simplicity. Unforgettable. Yet not embarrassing if uttered amid a crowd.

Several ideas flashed through my thoughts.

"Go Boom? Nah, that implied self-destruction.

Activate? Way too plain.

Juice Me Up? Nope—definitely not."

Sudden inspiration struck.

"Power Up."

Short. Bold. And it carried the perfect vibe. I smiled and locked it in mentally. The flashing words on the display updated.

Essence Activation Command: Power Up!

Perfect.

That settled, I closed the interface. The glowing words shimmered briefly before vanishing, returning me to solitude in the gym. Now, the only step remaining was to experiment with this talent.

And I planned to dive right in.