Duncan heaved a sigh of relief as he checked his inventory.

=== Inventory (1/1) ===

- 1x [★★★★☆ Khufu Style] Boomerang Manual

==================

The vial of blood had been a last-ditch effort, but it had paid off brilliantly. Duncan had known that his inventory required physical contact with an object to store it. But, with this info came an interesting question. What constituted "physical contact" exactly?

When he typically employed his inventory, he made contact with objects using his hands. This raised a question: did an item need to be in direct contact with his skin cells to be stored in his inventory? As it happened, the power accepted anything that could be regarded as an extension of Duncan's body. For instance, if something came into contact with his blood, it would technically be touching a part of Duncan.

However, Duncan had to act swiftly; as his blood started to dry and dilute, it would cease to be considered a part of his body. To word it in a more mystical manner, the blood needed to maintain its vitality to remain connected to Duncan. If Duncan did not act fast enough, the connection to his blood would be severed.

Summoning the four-star manual into his hand, Duncan concentrated on the blood in the storage room. In the highly advanced world of Bastion of Humanity, retrieving Duncan's DNA from the blood he had left behind would be a straightforward process.

Fortunately, Duncan's inventory was the perfect janitor. As he collected the blood cells in his inventory, he carefully dispensed it into the toilet. Once all the blood had been removed from the storage area, Duncan gave the toilet a resounding flush. With the evidence washed away, no DNA would link Duncan to the crime anymore.

Content with his efforts, he shifted his focus to the four-star manual in his hands. The urge to immediately delve into the boomerang art was tempting, but he had other priorities right now. Most importantly, he had to escape the auction house before security took notice him.

Slipping the manual back into his inventory, he exited the bathroom and reentered the auction room. The auction house was in shambles by now, as people scrambled towards the exits, desperate to escape the periodic mana explosions from the malfunctioning Mana Condenser.

Looking at the scene, Duncan realized he hadn't turned off the Mana Disruptor yet.

[Aether Tech, Mana Disruptor (ON/OFF)]

With a click, Duncan deactivated the Mana Disruptor, simultaneously halting the Mana Condensers explosions. Recognizing that this was the opportune moment to make his exit, he joined the fleeing crowd, exiting the building. Before leaving, he made a point to retrieve his duffel bag containing the Mana Disruptor. He couldn't afford the risk of it being discovered and traced back to him.

----------------------------------------

Returning to his dormitory, Duncan casually flung the duffel bag aside, before flopping onto his soft bed. He lay there, gazing vacantly at the ceiling, mentally replaying the events of the night. Although Duncan had successfully acquired the four-star manual, he had come far too close to failure.

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The overreliance on knowledge from the novel had fostered a sense of arrogance within him. If he didn't have the inventory acting as a crutch, his plans to secure the manual would have fallen into disarray. This lesson would have to be a reminder that his naivety would lead to consequences. He would have to gradually change his mindset. When changes began occurring to the plot, relying on the novel would only slow down his adaptability.

With a sigh, he extended his hand into the air, retrieving the boomerang manual. As he observed the exterior, he recalled the various methods for acquiring weapon arts detailed in the novel. The tattered book he now held firmly belonged to the "inheritance" category.

Inheritances, Duncan recalled, were weapon arts uniquely crafted with an individual's mana imprint. Upon activation, these techniques would seamlessly transfer their knowledge directly into the practitioner's mind. Such legacies were often established to preserve and hand down these skills to future generations.

The specific weapon art he now possessed was known as the [Khufu Style], an art originating from an ancient boomerang master in Egypt. Egypt was long gone in this world, so it was safe to assume that the style had its roots in the early days of mana's arrival on Earth.

The primary drawback of inheritances was that they could be utilized only once. Upon inheritance, the original owner's mana imprint was erased. Ordinarily, this was a disadvantage, but for Duncan, it was perfect.

Since no one knew the details of the [Khufu Style], they wouldn't realize what art he was utilizing. The auction house would surely keep an eye out for any four-star boomerang arts being used, so this would help keep Duncan under the radar.

Duncan couldn't suppress his eager anticipation to find out the details of the weapon art. The [Khufu Style] was never brought up again after the auction scene, so not even Duncan knew what secrets the art held.

Upon opening the manual, Duncan felt his head go dizzy as his eyes began to droop. Instantaneously, a flood of information poured into Duncan's brain. The rush of data was akin to a searing brand, penetrating into the deepest recesses of his subconscious, embedding the weapon art into his very soul.

Suppressing a scream, Duncan fought to maintain consciousness until the transfer was complete. Each passing moment felt like an eternity as his mind was flooded with images and diagrams. His [Photographic Memory] skill compounded the torture, ensuring that every word remained etched in his fragile psyche.

After around 10 minutes of agonizing pain, the torrent of information slowed down before ceasing entirely. Duncan lay on his bed, still experiencing a lingering ache in his head. "The novel mentioned inheritances being painful, but reading about it and experiencing it are completely different."

He spent a few moments letting his mind recover before sitting up once more. As he delved into the details of the weapon art, he couldn't help but be astounded by its capabilities.

===Status===

Name: Duncan Linrad

Rank : G

Strength : G-

Agility : G

Dexterity : G+

Stamina : G-

Intelligence : G

Mana Capacity : G-

Charm : F-

--> Affliction :

[Tinnitus]

--> Profession :

[Unconventional Weaponmaster Lv. 1]

--> Weapon Arts :

[★★★★☆ Khufu Style] (Minor Comprehension)

Boomerang art invented by desert marauder Nour Zhufu. A four-star art that focuses on manipulating the senses, and deceiving the mind. Through full mastery, this art reaches a level where it can persuade an opponent they have won when they are already dead.

--> Skills :

[(E-) Rank: Photographic Memory]

============

The four-star weapon art definitely live up to the hype. Duncan couldn't help but grin as he understood the essence of the art. The [Khufu Style] was an art that specialized in illusion magic!