Listening attentively to Warp's explanation about Spirituality, Sonny grasped the main points and summed them up like this:
His Soul Power surpassed that of the Saints, thanks to his superior Fire Dew.
Because of this, his 'Uniqueness' had manifested, granting him the ability to hear people's thoughts.
However, this didn't mean his Uniqueness was limited to mere mind reading, it might evolve and reveal its true nature in the future.
This was the summary of the explanation Warp had given to him.
At present, the young Sleeper stood inside the Hunting Guild Association, surrounded by Hunters of various Levels. In this situation, could he sense the thoughts of those far above him? Or rather, more accurately, could he control this ability at will right now?
'Let's try it out.'
Should be the same way as using skills, right?
To put that theory to the test, Sonny closed his eyes, focusing his intent to sense the thoughts of those around him. Seconds passed, then minutes, but nothing happened. Gritting his teeth, he pushed deeper, searching for that golden thread of the mysterious unique power hidden within his soul.
A few moments later, he felt something stirring.
'Yes, yes, a little further…'
Feeling like he was on the verge of success, Sonny tightened his focus, sinking into an even deeper state of concentration. The sensation grew stronger, closer, until he was certain he had it.
However,
Pfffffrrrrtttt—!
Too bad. The only thing that emerged was a massive fart escaping from his butt.
'Shit...!'
Consumed by panic, Sonny's eyes snapped open as he frantically scanned the area, terrified someone had noticed his moment of disgrace with an expression that screamed: Guilty!
Fortunately, no one seemed to have heard the not-so-silent betrayal.
How could his own body betray him so brutally in such an intense moment of concentration?
Just what kind of tragedy would have emerged if someone heard that fart and discovered he was the source?
Worst case scenario, he could simply deny it and accuse someone else. However, if one of them happened to possess some lie detecting ability then he would be completely screwed!
'Don't think about that. No one heard you. You're safe...'
A little relieved, Sonny released the breath he had inadvertently been holding this entire time.
Much to his misfortune, however, there was one person he knew all too well who had witnessed his holy blunder from start to finish.
[Pfff—]
A stifled sound burst from his smartphone and in the next moment, it erupted into full-blown laughter.
Sonny's face turned pale.
Slowly, as if dreading what he'd see, he lowered his gaze to the screen of his smartphone.
Sure enough, Warp's chibi figure filled the display, rolling around, kicking her feet, laughing her heart out.
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Oh... oh my god...! You actually—PFFFT—!]
Warp's voice cracked between wheezes. It almost looked like her entire body was convulsing.
'Stop laughing, goddamn it…!' Sonny hissed in a low voice, clenching his teeth as he tried to keep his expression neutral. The last thing he needed was for the Hunters nearby to glance his way.
But Warp wouldn't let it rest.
[You looked so serious, Master! Like some enlightened sage unlocking the secrets of the universe—] another snort, [—and then BWAAAH! The only thing you unlocked was your own damn fart!]
His face flushed crimson. 'Warp… I swear to god…!'
[Ahhh, my stomach hurts—! This is the best thing I've seen all week!]
Warp wiped imaginary tears from her chibi face.
[Hah... Master, you really thought you could just switch it on like a skill? Your Uniqueness doesn't work that way. It's not system-regulated. It's soul-deep. You need to attune to it, not force it. And definitely not while you're clenching like that. No wonder your body protested!]
Sonny quickly muted his so-called digital assistant, unable to handle her relentless teasing anymore. His heart rapidly pounded inside his chest, half from embarrassment and half from the lingering fear that someone had noticed and was just pretending not to.
Taking a deep breath, he tried to center himself.
'Okay… okay... Since that didn't work, I'll try again at a later date. For now, let's focus on the matter at hand.'
One of his goals was already complete, which was successfully registering as a Hunter and officially being recorded as a Sleeper on place. Now, all that remained was to purchase a skill tome and some gear in preparation for his upcoming challenge: the Tower of Darkness.
He had big plans, after all, and he certainly wouldn't accomplish any of them if he kept lingering around.
Sweeping his gaze around and confirming that no one was looking his way, Sonny hurriedly made a tactical retreat before anyone could trace the dropped 'smell bomb' back to him.
Right on cue, a group of nearby Hunters caught a whiff of the foul stench and immediately pinched their noses in disgust.
† †
A few minutes later, after being directed by one of the Guild Association officials, Sonny arrived in front of a black door. He took a deep breath, straightened his posture, and put on a serious expression.
Then, he raised his right hand and knocked twice.
Knock! Knock!
He paused, waiting. Moments later, there was movement on the other side. Someone peered through the door's keyhole and eyed him.
"How may I help you?"
Clearing his throat, Sonny replied with a calm, expressionless face.
"I heard this is the room for the Skill Archive. I just registered as a Level 0 Hunter and I wish to purchase a few skill tomes," he showed the man his Hunter card, proving his identity.
There was a brief silence.
Then, the unseen man closed the keyhole and unlocked the door.
"Please, right this way."
Sonny nodded and stepped inside. As he entered, the Guild Association official quietly closed the door behind him, locked it with a soft click, and approached.
With a warm smile, the man extended his hand.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Thomas Cross, the one in charge of matters concerning the Skill Archive."
"I'm Sonny Redgrave," he replied, shaking the offered hand.
Gripping the opportunity, Sonny examined the man before him.
Thomas had short, blond hair, neatly combed back, and flawless skin that seemed almost radiant. His posture was perfectly straight, lending him an air of refinement. Dressed in the black suit standard for Hunting Guild Association officials, his appearance felt even sharper, elegant and composed. He looked to be in his late twenties, but his presence made him seem older.
Actually, this was the second time Sonny had encountered someone with the pale skin as him. The first had been Anna Cross, Chief of the Monitoring Division, who'd visited him in the hospital after he woke up. Both shared that same striking, luminous complexion, whereas Sonny's own paleness could only be described as slightly sickly and healthy.
Wait, Anna Cross...
''Are they related? They have the samame last name and hair colour too... it can't be a coincidence.'
Should he voice it out? No, that's not what he came here for.
Instead, Sonny shifted his attention to the room around him. The high ceiling above was painted with a vivid image, though he couldn't quite place it, nothing familiar came to mind.
The room itself was vast with walls adorned with intricate patterns and draped in heavy curtains. Area rugs lay across the polished marble floor, and the high windows let in slants of light that touched the rich, upholstered furniture made of dark oak. The marble gleamed, so perfectly polished that the lights above reflected cleanly off its surface, reminding Sonny of a still lake catching the sun's rays.
Whoever had cleaned it had done so with real care, God bless that worker's dedication!
"Oh my... This is certainly a sight you don't see everyday. But this is not the Skill Archive, I assume?"
Thomas seemed baffled.
"Of course not! If this was the location of the Skill Archive, then it would defeat the point of keeping it hidden. Thankfully, the Guild Association is not that incompetent!"
Calming down and regaining his composure, he cleared his throat and spoke out.
"Cough! Cough! Speaking of which, why don't you take a seat while I make a few preparations? I'll be back shortly."
"...Okay then?"
After taking his details, Thomas promptly left the room without another word. Meanwhile, Sonny sank into the sofa, letting his body relax as he waited in silence.
Every minute that fellow was away stretched on like hours.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before Thomas returned, holding a crimson card in hand.
"Take this and follow me," Thomas said, handing over the card before turning on his heel.
Without a word, Sonny Redgrave followed him. The two made their way to an underground section of the facility.
As they walked, Sonny couldn't help but admire the hallway, lined with paintings, designer pieces, and artistic décor that made the place feel more like a sanctuary for the filthy rich than an association base.
Before long, they stopped in front of a massive safe door. Two bodyguards stood on either side, dressed in sharp black suits and sunglasses, their hands clasped neatly behind their backs. The pressure they exuded told Sonny they were no ordinary guards — likely Level 3 Veterans, or perhaps even Level 2 Slayers. Truly, they were quite crazy.
Well, considering this was the Skill Archive, the place where the Association stored their precious skill tomes, such security was only natural.
Tap! Tap!
Thomas suddenly came to a halt.
"...."
Naturally, Sonny stopped as well, puzzled by the abrupt pause. Before he could ask, Thomas turned to face him and spoke with a solemn voice.
"Before we continue, there's something I need to make clear first."
"...Yes?"
"You might not know this since you're new, but Skills are extremely rare, far rarer than the materials we collect from the Tower to craft Gears."
"...."
"Because of that, the Association can't freely distribute certain grades of Skills. It would be a burden even for us. In other words, as a Level 0, the Skills available for you to purchase will be limited from G-rank up to E-rank. Even if you have the money for higher ranks, anything above E will be off-limits."
"...."
Listening carefully, Sonny quickly caught on to what Thomas was trying to say.
Indeed, what he said was true. Just like how Monster Cores could be extracted upon a creature's death, there was also a chance of finding a gemstone containing a skill within.
And from there, these gemstones could then be converted into forms that allowed Hunters to instantly acquire the skill.
That particular form was known as a 'Skill Tome.'
However, this was where the real problem kicked in. You see, considering the chances of finding a gemstone were ridiculously, unreasonably lower than just extracting cores from slain Hell Beasts, those who were lucky enough to find them, would go to great lengths to claim and secure them by any means.
Even the Association was no exception. So, the real question was: would they willingly hand over something they fought so hard to obtain to someone with little power or status?
Simply put, as a useless Level 0, he wasn't worth the risk. They couldn't afford to give him skills of immense value.
Hypothetically, even if he had the money to purchase the so-called high-grade skills that were priced so ridiculously high due to their rarity, would he even be able to learn them? The answer was yes, but only if he had good compatibility with the skill in question. Without it, learning such a skill would be nearly impossible.
This was the harsh reality that had crushed many Hunters.
They spent their hard-earned money on expensive skills, only to discover they couldn't use them, turning their investment into a devastating loss.
From the perspective of the Hunting Guild Association, selling a skill that someone couldn't learn would make them look incompetent at best, fraudulent at worst. And the risk of this happening only skyrocketed when Hunters tried to acquire skills above their current level.
In the end, the Association was simply looking out for both his interests and their own. This was likely the case for all starting Level 0 Hunters.
"With that, I'll wait outside. Once you've chosen the skills you want, you can pay for them using transfer, cash or card, whichever works best for you."
Having said his piece, Thomas stepped aside, gesturing for Sonny to enter the vault.
"Stand there."
One of the guards pointed to a marked spot in front of the door.
– Voom!
Obeying, Sonny stepped onto the spot. At once, his entire body was bathed in red light.
– Ding! Ding!
"Alright, you're clear," the guard confirmed.
– Beep!
– Krrrrrr...
With a swipe of the card, a green light flashed, and the heavy vault door groaned open with a deep rumble.
"Alright, have fun, freshling," Thomas called out with a lazy wave. He leaned against the wall and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, only to be met with sharp glares from the guards.
"If you want to smoke, do it outside the building!"
"Tch… you guys are no fun at all. Can't even let a guy have a smoke, huh?" Thomas grumbled, flashing a smile filled with bitterness.