The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist Chapter 5: The First Skill Core
Previously on The Extra Who Shouldn't Exist...
Skill cores appeared infrequently in Etheron's monsters, but those rare instances made them treasures of great worth.
Within these cores lay the concentrated essence of a skill, ready to bestow that power upon anyone who absorbed it.
Graded from F to SSS, skill cores had never revealed anything beyond S rank. Discoveries usually stayed at C-rank or below, whereas B-rank and above came almost solely from boss monsters.
Generations of scholars fiercely argued over SS-rank and SSS-rank skill cores, yet exhaustive searches turned up empty.
Speculation ran wild that such prizes hid only in forbidden dungeons or inside beasts no one had encountered.
Alex ignored all that lore. His eyes locked onto the Shadowfang Leader's carcass, the savage wolf he'd defeated in a savage clash.
Breathing out wearily, he drew his cheap Ether Extraction Dagger, the favored tool among adventurers and scholars for pulling ether cores and rare materials from fallen monsters.
He'd planned merely to harvest fangs and fur, yet chose to gamble on more.
"Alright, old buddy, let's see if you've got anything special for me," he muttered, as he placed the dagger on the beast's chest.
The blade let out a subtle hum upon sensing something unusual. Seconds passed before it buzzed, releasing a petite dark purple crystal from the Shadowfang Leader's innards.
Alex's eyes bulged wide. "No way... did I actually hit the jackpot?"
Beaming with excitement, he grabbed his cheap appraisal device, a basic scanner for everyday enchanted items. He held the crystal to it, and a compact holographic screen sprang into view:
Skill Core Identified
Rank: D
Type: Growth-Type
Skill: Shadow Step
Description: A movement skill derived from the Shadowfang species, allowing the user to momentarily blend into shadows, increasing agility and movement speed in short bursts. The skill has potential for growth, evolving as the user's strength increases.
Alex let out a low whistle. "A growth-type skill core, huh? Those are pretty rare even at lower ranks."
What set growth-type skills apart was their capacity to evolve with suitable nurturing. Ordinary skills remained static after absorption, but growth-type skills could advance, climbing to elite levels if properly developed.
Alex wasted no time, pushing the Shadow Step skill core to his chest. It promptly melted into streams of ether energy, rushing through his veins.
An icy chill raced across his limbs, then faded, replaced by a thrilling sense of weightlessness in his frame.
A gentle tone echoed in his mind, summoning a translucent blue screen before his eyes:
[Status Window]
Name: Alex Dragonheart
Age : 16
Rank: Novice (Peak)
Bloodline: [Unawakened]
Physique: [Unawakened]
Class:
NoneTalent: [Dual-Soul Resonance]
Strength: E
Agility: E+
Endurance: E-
Mana: E
Mana Capacity: E+
Will: B
Charm: B+
Luck: ???
Skills:
[Basic Swordsmanship (F)]
[Basic Mana Control (F)]
[Dodge (F)]
[Shadow Step (D) - Growth Type]
Alex flexed his fists open and shut. A clear lightness infused his body, and he sensed he could trigger the skill on pure instinct with focus.
The fierce struggle against the Shadowfang pack had drained him, but this prize turned exhaustion into triumph.
"Not bad," he murmured, a smile spreading across his face. "Looks like my luck isn't so bad after all."
Celebration would wait. From his pouch came a low-rank healing potion; he popped the cork and swallowed the harsh brew. Warmth bloomed inside, speeding the knit of his lesser injuries.
"Alright... time to find that dungeon."
Buoyed by his refreshed form and fresh skill, Alex headed into the forest's heart, drawn to the ancient ruin lurking ahead.