Hunter Band

Blink… Blink…

Ash blankly stared at the golden hologram hovering before him.

Just as expected, he had no clue what to do.

Although every button had a neat explanation next to it, he looked at the screen as if it were written in an alien language.

Well, no one could blame him - it was the first time he had encountered such advanced technology.

First he tried to touch the hologram with his finger, only to find that there was no physical substance to interact with. Then he tried to strike the hologram with his sword, but once again, the weapon passed right through it as if it didn't exist.

'What am I supposed to do?'

Placing a palm on his forehead, Ash let out a frustrated sigh.

'How should I even access my Status'

He thought, closing his eyes. He didn't even notice that as soon as the word 'Status' passed through his mind, the hologram changed, displaying a new interface.

It took him another minute to realize the change.

⌜Status Interface⌝

Owner Name: Ash

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Rank: Low Sparkling Grade [ 5,67% ]

Phantoms Killed [ 1 ]

Credits [ 10 ] - You can gain credits by completing quests or killing strong Phantoms.

Vital Condition: Healthy

Light Reserves: 88%

Light Control - An ability that allows the manipulation and control of Light.

Light Ability [ Locked ] - A Light ability that a user gains upon reaching Shimmering Grade.

Light Trait [ Locked ] - A Light trait that a user gains upon reaching Luminary Grade.

??? [ Locked ] - Unknown.

??? [ Locked ] - Unknown.

??? [ Locked ] - Unknown.

Hunter Academy Rank: [ 1788 / 2034 ]

⌞The End⌟

His eyes scavenged the interface, taking in all the information that was displayed before him.

Fortunately, this time he could understand most of the things displayed on the hologram.

The only thing that puzzled him were the three unknown elements listed under Light Ability and Light Trait.

'Why can't I see their names?'

He tried to think of the first hidden element in his mind, hoping to get some kind of reaction from the hologram but the only thing he received was a splitting headache.

Letting out a groan, he decided that it was best to leave the unknown elements for another time. It was obvious that the Hunter Band was not going to give him any hints or answers.

Then, he left his Status interface and accessed the 'Phantom Arts' menu. However, to his dismay, the tab was mostly empty.

⌜Phantom Arts⌝

You have no Phantoms Arts.

To obtain Phantom Arts you can:

➀ Create one. [ Not recommended ]

➁ Learn it from an instructor or mentor.

➂ Purchase it from the Academy Shop.

⌞The End⌟

There was not much to say about that. Ash would be more surprised if he had something other than an empty menu.

'Academy Database'

The next tab he accessed was the Academy Database.

It was like a library with many book icons and names of various subjects and skills. It was a vast repository of knowledge and resources that Ash could access for his studies and training.

⌜Academy Database⌝

History of the World ( I part ) [ History ]

Phantom Autonomy [ Science ]

Light Trait [ Light ] [ Locked ]

Quasar Grade Phantom [ Miscellaneous ] [ Locked ]

...

⌞The End⌟

Of course, some of its books were locked. Presumably, because they contained advanced or restricted information that Ash didn't have access to at his current level.

He picked a few books that interested him and added them to his reading list. It was very simple, all he had to do was think about the book's title and it would be automatically added to his reading list.

Although he wasn't planning to read them now, he would when he had some free time.

⌜Quest Log⌝

Currently, there are no active quests.

⌞The End⌟

Next was the Quest Log Tab, however, it was very similar to the Phantom Arts page - it was basically empty.

Well, that was to be expected. He had only arrived at the academy and already having a quest would be... abnormal.

Ash sighed and closed the interface, realizing that he still had a lot to learn and discover in this new world.

Then, his amber eyes moved towards the 'Academy Shop' tab.

⌜Academy Shop⌝

[ Categories ]

» Artifacts

» Phantom Arts

» Miscellaneous Items

» Training Materials

⌞The End⌟

Chronologically, Ash checked out every single category, but to his dismay, he couldn't buy anything at the moment. He only had 10 credits, after all.

However, a certain item piqued his interest.

Basic Sword Technique Manual ★ [ Phantom Art ] - 100 Credits.

It was his ticket to learning the basics of swordsmanship, but its cost... was prohibitively high for Ash at the moment.

'I'll buy it later...'

Muttering under his breath, he brushed his silver hair out of his face and closed the Shop.

Finally, he had reached the end of the Hunter Band list, there was only the 'AI assistance' left to explore.

Taking in a deep breath, he activated the feature.

Suddenly, a robotic voice echoed in his mind, making him flinch.

[ Welcome, user Ash, to the AI assistance feature. Please ask a question, and I will provide you with relevant information and guidance. ]