Chapter 25: New Skills

Seojun didn't seem excited by the idea. He sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair. "Souls? Wait, By the way System, how's the forging?" he asked, changing the subject. He had been waiting for a weapon to be completed, and this distraction seemed more appealing than dealing with these dead creatures.

The system responded, [The forging is complete, Host. However, it would be best to take care of these souls first before they vanish.]

Seojun looked at the stingers again, a deeper frown forming on his face.

"Can I even do that? I'm an Animal Whisperer, though..." He paused, clearly uncertain.

[Master, you possess the Infinite System. This allows you to acquire any skill or ability, as long as you learn or adapt to it. Your primary path may have been the Animal Whisperer, but the Infinite System does not restrict you. It expands your potential. Here in the Abyss, it is much faster to level up compared to Earth, where your quests mainly involved helping animals. Here, growth can be achieved through absorbing the energy and skills of various beings.]

Seojun's eyes widened a bit at this explanation. He hadn't fully grasped the extent of the system's abilities. "So, you're saying I can learn anything, as long as I give it a try?"

[Exactly, Master. The potential is limitless.]

Seojun let out a slow breath, still processing the information. It felt strange to him, stepping into a realm where the rules were entirely different. On Earth, he was used to helping, healing, and communicating with animals. Here, things were much more... intense.

He scratched his cheek and muttered, "I don't want to be able to do everything, though. That would be tiring... Just a few things, maybe. Enough to survive here without losing my mind."

[You are in control, Master. You can choose which abilities to absorb, learn and develop. Your path remains your own.]

Seojun nodded slowly, appreciating the system's reassurance. "Alright," he said, more to himself than to anyone else. "Let's see what happens."

With a deep breath, Seojun extended his hand toward the pile, and the air around him began to shift. Huno and Silla watched closely, sensing that something new was about to unfold. As he focused, Seojun could feel the remnants of the stingers' souls, faint but still present.

A series of notifications flashed before Seojun's eyes as he channeled his energy toward the pile of dead stingers.

Suddenly, his vision was filled with a cascade of system notifications.

[System Notification]

Initializing Soul Absorption Protocol...

Analyzing available soul fragments...

Target: 47 Stinger Souls Detected

Processing...

[System Notification]

Calculating Required Mana for Absorption...

Required Mana: 10000MP

Current Mana: 20500 MP

Mana Requirement Met.

[System Notification]

Absorption Commencing...

Absorbing Soul Fragments... 0%... 10%... 30%... 60%...

Seojun could feel his mana flowing out of him like a steady stream, connecting with each stinger corpse. The energy twisted and swirled, forming a spiraling vortex that pulled in the essence of the dead creatures.

[System Notification]

80%... 95%... 100% Complete.

Absorption Successful!

Seojun felt a sudden rush, like a cool breeze passing through his entire body. His eyes widened slightly as he experienced a strange sensation of empowerment and clarity, as if he had just taken a deep breath after holding it for too long. The system continued to display more notifications.

[System Notification]

Analyzing Absorbed Soul Fragments...

Processing Data...

Ding!

[Congratulations, Master! You have acquired the skill: Soul Harvest.]

Skill Type: Necromancy

Rank: S

Description: Consume the souls of fallen enemies to gain their energy. Souls harvested are stored in the "Soulbinding Archive," a personal vault where souls are cataloged as "Phantoms." Souls can be used to replenish health, mana, or temporarily boost stats.

Additionally, Phantoms can be summoned to fight temporarily, with each Phantom possessing a fraction of their original abilities. The potency and strength of the Phantoms increase with the user's level and proficiency.*

Ding!

Skill Acquired Successfully.

[Congratulations Host! You have level up! ]

Seojun blinked, taking in the series of notifications with a mix of surprise and curiosity. He hadn't expected to gain such a skill, but it seemed useful enough. He looked at his hand, contemplating how to use "Soul Harvest" and what its full effects might be. For now, he had other things to consider.

Huno barked excitedly, sensing Seojun's shift in aura. Silla tilted his heads, hissing softly in acknowledgment.

Seojun sighed with a slight smile. "I guess that wasn't so bad after all," he muttered. "System, give me a summary of the new skill."

[System Notification]

Skill: Soul Harvest

Effect: Consumes harvested souls to restore health (HP), replenish mana (MP), or temporarily boost attack and defense stats. Duration of stat boost: 30 seconds per soul. Summon stored Phantoms from the Soulbinding Archive for temporary aid. Summoned Phantoms retain partial abilities and strength of the original entity.

Mana Cost: 0 MP (cost is paid with harvested souls).

Seojun nodded. "Alright, this could be pretty useful in tough situations."

He took a moment to stretch his arms, feeling the residual effects of the mana expenditure.

"I should better test this skill soon. For now, let me check out my items," he muttered to himself. He turned to the system for further instructions.

"System," Seojun called out.

System responded, [Master, you should also consider absorbing the remains of the stingers. To use them effectively, it's best to process the stinger bodies as well. The correct term is 'Material Absorption.' This will allow you to convert the physical remains into a form that can be used to enhance other items or to create new equipment

Seojun frowned and looked at the pile of stinger bodies. "Why should I do that? I don't feel good absorbing their remainings."

[Absorbing the stinger bodies will not only provide you with additional resources but also allow you to enhance your equipment or craft new items. Material Absorption can improve the quality of your gear by using the harvested materials. This is a valuable process, as it can significantly boost your overall effectiveness.]

Seojun scratched his head, trying to piece together the system's advice.

Seojun looked at the pile of stinger bodies and felt a twinge of suspicion. The system's insistence on absorbing the materials felt a bit pushy, but he shook off the feeling and decided to follow through.

"Should I raise my hands like earlier?" Seojun asked, glancing at the system interface.

[Yes, Host.]

Seojun raised his hands and concentrated on the pile of stinger bodies. As he did so, the system began to process the absorption.

[System Notification]

Initializing Material Absorption…

Absorbing stinger bodies…

Material Absorption complete.

Ding!

New Skill Acquired: Basic Voidflame Consumption

Rank S

Description: This skill allows the user to absorb materials and convert them into energy. This basic level will evolve into Voidflame Gluttony with further use and mastery, providing enhanced absorption and energy conversion capabilities.