4. Skills

[Status]

Name: Jack

Species: Human

Age: 18

Class: Combat/Support

Rarity: Mythic

Strength: 3

Agility: 4

Durability: 2

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom: 10

Mana: 100/100

Insects: N/A

Skills: 1

"Jack, is it a combat class?" The booming voice once more sounded from all around.

"Ummmm, I think so? It says Combat and Support so probably?"

"That is very interesting. What is the name and rarity of your system?"

"It said that it was the Sovereign of Insects System and Mythic"

"Are you certain that it is Mythic?" The voice questioned as the crowd burst into a cacophony of whispers and conversations. There was one that Jack heard which put his mind into a whir.

"That is the fourth just at this location, we might have a chance to -"

"Yes I am sure" Jack said with certainty. There was no point lying, he had heard that they used a lie detector skill during the questioning and also, with a class he could use to kill monsters, what reason did he have to lie. 

"That is a new one indeed. Because of the rating we are going to put you as a combat class and you will be sent to a Combat Academy, however, if your performance is not up to the standard of your peers then you will be placed into a support academy. Now go so we can carry on." 

Jack bowed before the crowd in a surprising change of character as emotions of pure happiness coursed through his body before he turned and started to leave. The blue lights around dimmed slightly as Jack hurriedly got out of the hall. A massive grin appeared on his face as walked towards the exit.

"I can kill those bastards"

Jack did not walk out of the hall. He burst out like a beast unleashed and sprinted to the park. Adrenaline coursed through his body and he barely felt any strain as he ran. He was just too happy.

Thoughts of destroying abyssal monsters with his own body raced through his head, a way to avenge his parents had finally appeared and he was not going to let anything stop him. Even if he had to face billions of monsters he would kill every last one if it meant that no one would suffer like he did. 

About 5 minutes of running later, he found himself in the park. Green mana visibly floated around and seemed to caress his body as he walked. Now that he was a Manifester, he was able to see the mana he was most attuned to in places where it would be concentrated the most. Much like if someone with a darkness affinity could see a different depth of darkness in real darkness, in the park, Jack could see nature mana floating about and attaching itself to every living thing. The grass was somehow greener, the animals louder and the air fresher. It was an amazing day.

It didn't take long for Jack to reach his friends at the bench who were all waiting in silence on the bench. They all looked at him and his demeanor was that of an extremely depressed teen as he shuffled to the bench and sat down. His hands rested on his head and he sighed, letting out all the teenage angst he could muster. Even a tear came to his typically bright face. They had only ever seen Jack like this once, when his parents were killed by an Abyssal beast and it scared them. If he returned to how he was back then they had no clue how to get the usual bright Jack back.

All of his friends rushed to hug him and their bodies engulfed his. They knew that no matter what, he had always desired to fight against the beasts that took his parents from him, and from their perspectives that could no longer be the case. They believed his dreams and desires could never be fulfilled which filled them with sadness akin to losing a relative. Each of them looked as depressed as he did when they pulled away.

In that moment, Jack felt so loved it almost hurt his heart to trick them, but seeing their faces when he told them the truth was bound to be worth it.

"It's alright if you don't want to tell us, but what did you get" Alice said as she rubbed his arm in consolation.

"Mate, I'm sorry for making the waste management joke earlier" Leo said apologetically.

Jack breathed a massive sigh as he lent back, letting his head hang over the back of the bench.

"I got a combat class"

"WHAT THE FUCK YOU TWAT/BITCH/BELLEND" Each of them screamed at Jack as they pounced on him, gently hitting him all over.

Despite the punches hurled his way, Jack chuckled as he noticed that each of them had massive grins on their faces despite the supposed anguish they felt at his trick. After a minute or two of wrestling that really just felt like familial love, they all sat back and laughed.

"Fuck that is amazing. It would suck balls if you didn't get a combat class." Leo said as he stared into the treeline.

"How eloquently put" James said through a smile as he sat on the green grass around the bench. The remnants of last week's party were still there in the fire they had set which they now relit. Each of their phones were blowing up with messages from parents asking how it went, but none of them cared. They wanted to share the information with each other before anyone else.

"Believe it or not Jack, we were actually waiting for you to get back before we said anything about our systems so, its time to spill, though we did all get combat. Also people are gonna join us later for a cheeky party at Leo's if you are up for it." Alice said.

"Yep, parents away for the weekend to level up so got the place free. Our whole year and another school are coming so it should be fun. But skills are prohibited, don't wanna trash the place." Leo nodded.

"Sounds good, but first, systems." Jack stated.

"I'll go first. Guys. It is amazing. When I manifested it, there were oohs and aaahs all over. I got a mythic class!" James proudly announced, expecting his friends all to show him the true and proper respect he deserved.

"Same"

"Same"

"Same" 

"What the fuck guys. Making me feel less special." James sulked.

"Yeah same, I thought I was cool" Both Jack and Leo agreed

"Guys, do you know how insane this actually is. For nearly 50 years, there hasn't been a single mythic combat class and now all four of us have one. Like the probability of that is ridiculous." Alice said.

"Yeah buuuut, we have always been special let's be real. I wouldn't expect anything less, that's why I didn't really worry about today." Leo said, dismissing the concern.

"What do you mean special?" Jack said.

"Bro are you dumb, we are the only people in our school that are actually allowed to skip lessons because of how well we achieve. With the exception of you because you have never even tried with the fighting classes we are all bloody naturals at combat and all the other lessons are focused on either things applicable to combat, like maths and stuff, or directly applied to learning about monsters. Have any of you actually ever gotten less than 100 on any of the exams we do?" Leo replied.

"He actually makes a good point" Said James.

"When you put it that way it does kinda make sense."

"Right, now that the questioning of our abilities is over, what did everyone get?" Leo said, rubbing his hands together expectantly.

"Since I started I may as well finish, I got the Sovereign of the Sun System with two skills right now, one that heals me at varying rates depending on the amount of sunlight available and one that allows me to summon sun mana around a weapon to increase damage" James said as he looked over his status to make sure he was correct in what he said.

Alice, Jack and Leo all oohed and ahhed in reverence of how cool James' system was which made him feel better after finding out he wasn't as special as he thought.

"Okay me next. My System is called the Sovereign of Jest System, and its pretty cool. I have two skills, one gives me the chance to influence of the mind of others to make them laugh uncontrollably, and the other lets me create a big balloon mallet that is stronger than steel. I may have tested it out on the way here and it is freakin awesome, plus I got this amazing head of hair." Leo said as he summoned a mallet the same size as himself made of brightly colored balloons. It looked insanely fragile but when he tried to bite through the balloon there was no give on the material at all.

"HAHAHA that is perfect for you I cant lie, you don't take anything seriously" James roared in laughter and both Alice and Jack chuckled in agreement.

"Har har very funny, I'll have you know, I actually take things very seriously. For example, I drink very seriously, I fuck very seriously and I play video games very seriously as well." Leo said, folding his arms in indignation.

"By the way, what is going on with the hair?" Jack asked.

"To be honest, I have no idea, the second my system manifested it just grew out of my head. Finally, my years of baldness are no more!" Leo said as he struck a triumphant pose.

"I have actually heard of physical transformations as a result of system awakenings, but most have an actual use. Like Earth Shaker, when he manifested his system, his torso turned entirely into stone, except for his organs of course. My parents say its probably a result of how mana changes our bodies as it absorbs it" James argued.

"Meh who cares how I got it, what matters is that now I'm fuckin sexyyyyy! Though we always knew that. Come on Alice, what did you get?"

"Well, I got the Sovereign of Darkness System and I also have two skills. One lets me completely shroud myself in darkness, which I am assuming, after it levels up a bit, will make me impossible to see. But right now only lets me become harder to see in shadows and dark areas. And the other allows me to consume the shadows of other things and people to temporarily boost my speed and strength." Alice said with a proud smile.

"Wooahhh so dark and edgy, you're so cool Alice. When I grow up I hope to be able to imitate even a fraction of how mysterious you are" Leo cooed with fake awe.

"Shut your mouth" Alice said as she pushed him off the bench.

"Ugh, dark, mysterious, and mean, my type of woman" Leo chuckled whilst lying on the floor.

"Sod off, we all know you go for any woman that will take you" James bantered.

"Hey come on, you all know how amazing I am with the ladies" Leo said through a pout.

"Yeah amazing at scaring them away" Alice said through a grin. Her dark, edgy, mysterious and mean personality coming through.

"Well you guys are lucky, I only have one skill. Oh wait, I don't even know what it is. Gimme a sec."

"Hurry up ya melt"

Jack mentally opened his status by thinking the word and tapped on the Skill section. Before him lay the information of his skill.

[Protector Lv 1]

Your body is a haven for all insect kind. Within your stomach holds a spatial space where insects can live. All those either eaten or willingly enter into the space are instantly tamed by you and joined to your system.

Can hold one species of insect.

0/1 queen

0/500 queened insects

Active/Passive

"huh. My skill is kinda weird. It says that I can hold insects in my stomach" Jack said with confusion.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA you freak. Your power just lets you eat bugs! Probably cause you love your bugs so much. Told you it would be the death of ya" Leo burst into laughter.

"Hmmm, what the hell type of skill is that." James said. "It doesn't make sense for a mythic class to not only have a single skill but also one that seemingly has no real effect on combat."

"Yeah James is right, Jack activate it. Maybe it has a special effect that is not in the description" Alice agreed.

Both Alice and James had a serious tone as they stated their concerns. So Jack could do nothing but oblige.

Mentally compelling the skill to activate, he noticed a shift in the mana inside him. All of a sudden it started leaking into the surroundings and weaving around everything within a 10 meter radius whilst also flowing back into Jack.