Adventurer of Many Professions

Raymond took it all in, a mixture of excitement and nerves pulsing through him. This was where adventurers of all races and ages gathered, sharing stories, forming teams, and embarking on quests to make their mark on the world.

As he stepped closer to the entrance, a group of adventurers passed by him, chatting and laughing. One of them, a human in worn leather armor and distinctive yellow gloves, caught his attention. Suddenly, a blue panel appeared before his eyes, glowing softly with words that only he could see:

"Learnable skill detected: Bone Crushing!"

Raymond's pulse quickened as he read the message. A skill he could learn? The thought filled him with both excitement and curiosity.

As Raymond stared at the panel, he felt a surge of excitement pulse through him. "Learnable Skill Detected: Bone Crusher! [Fighter]" flashed before his eyes, and he could barely contain his grin.

Skills! The real game-changer in the world of the awakened. Skills were the true mark of power, the dividing line between an average awakened and a formidable one. The ability to wield skills gave awakened individuals an undeniable edge, enabling them to perform extraordinary feats.

Raymond's mind drifted back to the night Freya had snuck up behind him without a sound, startling him. She had revealed afterward that her stealthy approach had been thanks to her skill, "Stealth." She'd patiently answered his endless questions about skills, their significance, and how one could acquire them. The answer, as he learned, was that skills couldn't simply be taught or granted, they had to be understood, often discovered in the heat of battle, sparked by instinct or sheer insight.

Freya had explained it simply: "Even if someone tries to teach you, the ability to learn the skill depends on your own talent and understanding. Some people just grasp it naturally, while others never do."

It was rare to see someone with more than two or three skills in their lifetime. Skills were deeply personal, manifesting differently depending on an individual's strengths and style of combat. Some people's first skills were exceptionally powerful because they aligned perfectly with their innate abilities.

Raymond had digested all this information carefully, knowing the wisdom Freya shared might come in handy one day. Now, as he read the words "Bone Crusher" on his panel, he felt his heart leap. The realization dawned on him that his panel wasn't just for tracking his awakening progress, it could also help him learn skills!

He noticed the words "[Fighter]" beside "Bone Crusher." It clicked instantly. "This skill must be a fighter-specific skill," he muttered, his excitement growing. "Since I'm a fighter, I can learn it. That explains why I didn't see any other skills yesterday when I was around other adventurers. Their skills must've been for different classes."

Just as he processed this, another line on the panel caught his eye: "Bone Crusher – Learning consumes skill points: 1."

"Skill points?" Raymond mumbled, puzzled. He hadn't seen anything about skill points before. Curious, he glanced back at his personal information panel, noticing a new line:

- Name: Raymond Kelton

- Age: 15

- Magic Value: 100.3 / 100.3

- Occupation: Fighter

- Skills: None

- Skill Points: 0, Cumulative Value: 0%

- Awakenable Professions: …

- Learnable Skill: Bone Crusher [Fighter], learning cost: 1 skill point

"So, the skill points column appeared because I found a learnable skill… But what's this 'Cumulative Value'?" Raymond wondered aloud, frowning as he studied the panel. It made sense that reaching 100% might grant him a skill point, but there were no hints on how to raise this value.

"Guess I'll have to figure that part out on my own," he muttered, slightly deflated but still determined.

He then noticed another subtle change; his magic value had increased slightly since yesterday. It was at 100.1 before, and now it had risen to 100.3. Magic was the lifeblood of the awakened, the invisible force that empowered them beyond ordinary limits. It wasn't just a number; it was a measure of strength, endurance, and growth.

He glanced around, catching his breath, the weight of this new potential settling on him. Becoming an adventurer, learning skills, and mastering magic felt like puzzle pieces clicking into place. Though he couldn't see the whole picture yet, he knew he was closer to understanding his path.

Raymond had learned a critical insight: skills were powered by his magic. Skills were essentially techniques for channeling one's magic in specific ways, creating unique effects and powers depending on the technique. More powerful skills demanded more magic, which made a person's magic reserves essential for any awakened.

"If I get the chance," he thought to himself, "I'll need to find someone who knows how to increase magic power." He recalled the dwarf craftsman at the weapon shop, who had mentioned that most newly awakened adventurers started with a magic value around a hundred. That seemed to be the baseline for new awakeners.

Since he still lacked any skill points, Raymond had to put "Bone Crushing" on hold for now. Setting that thought aside, he entered the Adventurer's Guild Hall, where the air was filled with chatter and the clink of armor. Adventurers were gathered around a series of bulletin boards that were marked with levels: "White Porcelain," "Black Iron," "Bronze," "Silver," "Gold," "Platinum," "Hero," and "Brave."

He realized these were the ranks for adventurers, and each board displayed quests available to each level. As he watched, adventurers would scan the postings, select one by removing the letter, and head to the counter to register it.

Curiously, the two highest-ranking boards, "Hero" and "Brave," were completely empty. Not a single commission was posted on them.

"No commissions for heroes or braves?" he mused, slightly surprised. It only added to the mystique of those higher ranks. But he reminded himself that his priority today was to register as an adventurer, not get lost in curiosity.

As he wandered through the hall toward the registration desk, his panel flashed twice, notifying him of new learnable skills:

"Learnable skill detected: Iron Elbow! [Fighter], learning cost: 1 skill point."

"Learnable skill detected: Whirlwind Kick! [Fighter], learning cost: 2 skill points."

Raymond's eyes brightened when he saw "Whirlwind Kick" cost two skill points instead of one. "So, Whirlwind Kick must be more powerful than Bone Crusher or Iron Elbow," he guessed, feeling a thrill at the thought of learning it someday.

"Hello, are you here to register as an adventurer?" A gentle voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see the clerk at the registration desk smiling at him, waiting patiently.

"Ah, yes." Raymond closed his panel and turned his attention back to her. As he stepped forward, he noticed that the previous registrant walked away with a small white badge about the size of a thumb, presumably marking his rank.

"Could I see your professional logo, please?" she asked politely.

The clerk had a calm, friendly presence, dressed in a white shirt and a red vest, giving her a comforting, older-sister look. Raymond felt his nerves relax. He removed his glove, showing her the "Fighter" symbol imprinted on the back of his hand; a mark given only to the awakened.

"Thank you," she said with a nod, confirming his status as awakened.

"Do you know how to read and write?" she asked, holding a warm expression.

"Yes, I do," Raymond replied.

"Great. Please fill out this form, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask me." She handed him a sheet titled Adventurer's Record.

He scanned the fields on the sheet: name, gender, age, address, hair color, weight, occupation, skills, spells, and… 'divine arts?'

Raymond blinked, surprised at the term. 'Divine arts?' He hadn't come across it before. He glanced up at the clerk, his curiosity piqued.

She caught his expression and explained with a smile, "Divine arts are abilities unique to those blessed by the divine. They're quite rare and usually granted only to those with a close connection to the temple. If you're blessed with divine arts they are for priest, you'd know."

Raymond nodded, feeling a mix of relief and curiosity. He wasn't yet concerned about divine arts, but it was good to know for the future. After a few moments, he finished filling out the form and handed it back.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild, Raymond." The clerk stamped his form and handed him a small white badge, signifying his rank.