The Evaluation; The Disappointment

When the captain finally awoke, he had some questions that needed to be answered. 

"What the hell was that skill?"

Not only had the experienced guard never seen that skill before, but it also far surpassed any stunning skill known by the royal guard.

"It's my family's skill", Akuma's response would surely keep the captain guessing.

"Your family?! What kind of family is that?", the captain was confused, any family with a skill that strong would surely be famous. "I knew the saikyo slept around, but still", he joked, despite hoping for a serious answer. 

"The Kuro clan", all the guards immediately understood and regretted asking. Of course they would need a good stunning skill with their curse. 

"Is it innate or acquired?", the captain had to know.

Skills could be split into three categories: innate, acquired, and extra core skills. 

Innate skills were contained within the individual's core, were obtained at birth and another person could only use them if they killed the person and absorbed their core.

Acquired skills were magical skills that could be learnt by anyone, as long as they had a core to draw energy from.

Extra core skills were obtained by absorbing the core of another being such as a monster. In this case, their energy and skills could be used, but the user would need to share their consciousness with that of the absorbed being. 

The captain hoped it would be acquired. 

If it was, then Akuma would be a massive asset to the royal guard, being able to teach them the powerful stunning skill, which would surely make taking prisoners far easier and safer. 

"It is acquired", Akuma knew he had the captain where he wanted him. 

"You wanted an evaluation, right?"

"Yes!", Asaka joyfully answered for him.

"Get the monitor", The captain commanded and the guards rushed to get the tool.

It was a large, handheld rod, made from the crystal core of a monster. 

"With this, we can measure both your energy capacity and your skills."

The core was, by far, the most important organ for anyone interested in combat.

While not everyone had one, the organ would contain a person's skills and act as an energy store to power them, along with a copy of the person's consciousness that would allow them to live on after death. 

Not only humans had cores. Elves, dwarves and all monsters had cores that served the same purpose. Of course, it was illegal to absorb cores that didn't belong to monsters.

Naturally, the amount of energy a person's core could store was a good indicator of one's strength. While additional cores could be absorbed to increase one's energy capacity, it still imposes limits on a person.

The instrument had completed its reading.

"Wow", the guard was truly amazed. "Six hundred"

"Six hundred? That's high", Asaka shouted. "Is that enough to be the saikyo?"

The captain laughed, "No, no, no. The saikyo's is over eight thousand. This kid might barely make S rank if he's lucky. No chance to reach S* rank at all. Sorry, but you'll never make the saikyo."

 Akuma was disappointed, but wasn't going to give up. There was going to be a way. He would just have to find it.