NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: First Extraction
‘Hmm, interesting.’ Kai pondered over his abilities. ‘My current powers won’t really help... or will they? Can my torch tail or fire claw melt the ice?’
[No.]
‘Hmm, what about this plus sign and the conditions to unlock higher tiers?’
[Origin Extraction is a unique ability that will help you gain countless skills, but the process is complex. Errors can damage your soul, so the system automates the process to prevent any mishaps, using up energy accordingly. Essentially, every unlock requires skill points. To unlock higher-tier skills, you need at least 60% of the previous tier's skills unlocked.]
‘Fair.’
Kai didn't get an immediate solution from the system, but he had a clearer idea of his next move. ‘It’s based on my luck, though.’ He asked the system, ‘The thing touching my arm... does it have a soul core or shard?’
[Scanning...]
[Unknown soul shard found.]
A familiar ding sounded.
[A quest has been issued.]
[Quest: First Extraction]
[Description: Devour and extract the unknown soul shard. It might contain the ability to escape the ice that threatens you.]
[Reward: 5 Skill Points]
[Time Limit: 01:56:59]
‘Neat. Also, can you automate this scanning? Like, whenever I’m in contact with or near something, can you scan it automatically and give me these quests? Isn’t that standard for systems?’
[As per the information in the database, there’s only one system in the celestial expanse.]
‘...’
[The system can scan automatically, but this will require 1 skill point per day.]
‘Yeah, do it.’
[Affirmative.]
Kai could still move his eyelashes, so he closed his eyes and focused. The song outside was a bit annoying, but with his past life experiences in meditation, he quickly regained his calm.
Miros were indeed peculiar creatures. Most of the time, they had their faces and arms dipped in lava, either eating or drinking magma—not through their mouths, but through their hands. They were too lazy to bother opening their mouths.
Instead, they had magical totems on their palms that acted as their primary means of feeding. These totems could teleport the food directly into their stomachs.
‘This is where that Devouring Mark Movement comes in. I can move the totem anywhere on my body. Truly freaky.’
Kai really didn’t want to devour the thing touching his arm but he had no choice… he took a few deep breaths and used the skill.
[-2 Mana.]
He felt a connection with the totem, it felt like a starved child sulking in a corner. It moved lethargically but on reaching its destination, it became excited and started devouring.
Contrary to his expectations, as his sharp imaginary teeth dug into the frozen flesh, it immediately melted, sending a rich and savory taste like the finest roasted meat. The taste was so good it made him crave more with every bite.
[Congratulations!]
[You have completed the quest ‘First Extraction’.]
[+5 Skill Points]
[+10 Mana]
[+20 HP]
[Soul Shard(s) Extracted: Ashborn]
[A fractured soul shard of an unknown drifter. It carries the power of smoldering ash, filled with the remnants of a lost flame.]
‘Ash…?’ His hopes went up. ‘Show me what skills it has.’
[Soul Shard: Ashborn]
[Rank: Red Star]
[Acquired Skills:]
- Tier 1: None
- Tier 2: None
[Locked Skills:]
- Tier 1: Ash Devil
- Tier 2: ??? (Conditions not met.)
‘Can I configure how you show me the notifications? As in directly show me the information about the new shard or core I devour.’
[Affirmative.]
‘Good, now back to this shard… hmm…’
Unlike before, the skill in the locked section was in green color, implying that he had the required skill points.
Kai first asked about its details.
[Skill Name: Ash Devil]
[Description: The body temporarily disintegrates into ash, allowing movement through the air or terrain while evading all physical damage. In this form, physical attacks cannot be used.]
[Skill Points Required: 4]
Kai couldn’t believe his luck and immediately said, ‘Yeah, unlock it.’
[Unlocking a tier 1 skill ‘Ash Devil’.]
[-4 Skill Points]
[‘Ash Devil’ Unlocked.]
Kai didn't notice much change in his body, but since the system had mentioned his soul earlier, he shrugged it off—well, he would have if he could actually move.
‘Okay, how much mana will it consome?’
[Fifteen.]
‘I don’t have much mana. So I only have one try to escape from the ice and then from this place.’
He should have been in the ice cave, but instead, he found himself in a room, which meant someone had likely taken him as a trophy. It was best to leave the place as soon as possible.
‘Alright then.’
He used his new skill for the first time.
[Ash Devil]
[-15 Mana]
[Time Remaining: 00:14:58]
Kai didn’t feel the funny or weird sensations he expected, instead he felt a sense of weightlessness, just like when one is floating in a comfortable, warm water.
[Congratulations!]
[You have completed the side quest ‘Escape From the Ice’.]
[+3 Skill Points]
The constriction around him was no more, and his point of view changed. The whole room seemed to become much bigger in his view.
‘Okay, now.’ The ash monster wiggled. ‘How the hell should I move?’
[Imagine yourself swimming ahead.]
‘Let’s try it.’
Kai imagined the whole room filled with water and started kicking his imaginary limbs to propel himself ahead—it worked.
The ash devil slithered forward, its form wiggling in an unsettling manner. It paused and turned to look at the ice, where a grotesque skeleton was trapped.
The skeleton's jaw was half-broken and gaping, as if it had been screaming when it was frozen. Kai quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to look at the disturbing sight, ignoring how he was the one who just devoured this thing.
The ash devil glanced up at the wooden roof, then scanned the countless drawers around the room, noticing some strange, moving insignia on them.
‘I’m guessing that’s a lock… or more like a defense mechanism.’
[Affirmative.]
‘It’s better to avoid it then. I wish I could devour them, though; that would be a great boost to my skill points.’
As he continued to move forward, something on the right caught his attention—a mouse, staring at him with confusion.
‘What…? Oh, it’s also frozen. And there are more animals behind it. System, can I eat them in this state?’
[Yes.]
A faint red light pulsed through the ash devil, reflecting Kai’s excitement. He moved ahead eagerly, ready to claim his next delicious meal—no, his next set of skill points.