Daniel stared in disbelief at the floating screen before him. “What in Kizla's name is this?” he muttered, letting out a string of curses involving the goddess of harvest. He had never heard of the Abyssal Noble System during his lectures or in the books he read in the library. As he stared at the screen, he absentmindedly pinched his slightly crooked nose, a reminder of when his brother Mark pushed him down the stairs at the estate a few years ago.

Name: Daniel Mios

Rank: Squire

Credits: 10

Actions:

[Daily Reward] [!]

[Upgrade System]

[Quests] [!]

[Store]

Daniel hesitated for a moment. The room was silent, except for the faint discussions in the hallway outside the infirmary. His mind was filled with worries. “What if it summons a demon, or this makes me a sacrifice for the Veiled Serpent Cult?” Daniel muttered under his breath.

Yet, the curiosity of what might happen tugged at him. After a brief internal struggle, he succumbed to his curiosity and pressed the daily reward button.

[+5 Credits]

After dismissing the notification, Daniel observed his credits had risen to a total of 15. His brows furrowed in curiosity as he contemplated their meaning. The 'Quests' button had seized his attention. With a flicker of anticipation, he opened it. The screen shifted, and a single quest emerged:

[Cast Abyssal Bolt: 10x]

[Progress: 10%]

[Reward: ???]

….

Daniel finally arrived at his dorm room after a long day at the infirmary. He was finally released after the nurse finished healing him. She explained that they refrained from using extensive healing magic, fearing it might harm his magic pathways since they couldn't be sure whether he had awakened. Daniel told them he had awakened. But his mana pathways were still weak after the lightning had struck him, so the healing process took quite a while before it was finished.

After he was healed, he noticed that his mana pathways were stronger than before. On his way back to his room, he tried to cast another Abyssal bolt and noticed that the casting process was noticeably faster.

Arriving at his room, he hung his coat on the hook by the door and spotted a bag with his partly burned school uniform in the trash can. Fortunately, Alex had left spare clothes for him at the infirmary. As Daniel settled in, he noticed a letter addressed to “Daniel,” in Alex's handwriting, lying on his desk.

The letter was brief, just a few sentences informing him that Alex had left and would return in a week.

Daniel carefully tucked the letter back into its envelope before placing it inside his drawer. He then sat down at the desk. With a sigh, he shifted his attention to the task at hand.

“Let's see what this system is about,” he thought to himself. With determination in his eyes, he opened the system and opened the quest menu.

[Cast Abyssal Bolt: 10x]

[Progress: 20%]

[Reward: ????]

He then opened the upgrade system menu and a new screen opened in front of his eyes:

[Requirements to rank up to Abyssal Knight:]

* 130 Credits

* 8 Abyssal Wisps

Daniel recalled that Wisps were intricate manifestations of ethereal energy, often used for advanced magical applications like autopiloting airships. While they were commonly used for such practices, creating them was no easy task, usually requiring a skilled mage to invest significant time and energy.

However, the mention of Abyssal Wisps puzzled Daniel. Throughout his studies and lectures, they talked about elemental wisps but never about anything related to Abyssal Energy. He found himself wondering how he could fulfil this requirement when he lacked the know-how to create an Abyssal Wisp.

He then moved on to the store, but it was grayed out and gave him an error message. He decided to complete the quest first to see what reward he would receive.

After a while, he instinctively knew that due to his skill improving he didn't need to perform the full incantation of the spell but only the last part. This surprised him since Most mages needed months of practice to achieve such mastery over a spell like this.

“Come forth, bolt of the abyss.” As he finished the chant, a dark, purple bolt hovered above the palm of his hand. After a few moments, he decided to cut the mana supply and cancel the bolt. As the spell disappeared from his palm, a notification popped up.

[QUEST COMPLETED!]

[DETECTING NEARBY MONARCH RING]

[RING SEVERELY DAMAGED!]

As the notification popped up, he noticed a faint glow coming from underneath his shirt. Shocked, he lifted the necklace with his family’s ring on it from under his shirt.

[Reward: Do you wish to repair the ring?]

[Yes/No]

Daniel took a moment to process the information. “What is a monarch ring?” he thought out loud.

After a short moment of contemplation, he decided to accept the request. As soon as he accepted the request, the ring disappeared from the necklace, and a new pop-up appeared.

[Not enough resources to complete repair; partial repair possible]

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

[Time until finished: 01:13:59]

Since it would take a while before the ring was finished, Daniel decided to open his journal and write down what he learned so far about the system and the magic spells he could cast, something he had picked up during his stay at the academy. It helped him visualize the data and organize his thoughts.

With each sentence, the amount of questions he had grew, yet so did the questions in his mind. Determined to capture these fleeting thoughts, he swiftly flipped to the next blank page of his journal, the inked quill scratching softly in the dim light of the setting sun outside.

Just as he penned his latest question about the system, a sharp knock echoed through the wooden door. Daniel instinctively put the journal away, protecting his secret in fear that if anyone found out about it, they might even see him as a cultist. He closed the book, placed it inside the drawer, and locked it away, then made his way to the door.

As he opened the door, Valery, Shadewood's assistant, stood before him. Their eyes met, and she quickly said, “Shadewood is requesting you in his office; he mentioned that you should bring the study materials.”

Before Daniel could reply to Valery, she walked away from his dorm room. He quickly grabbed the book and egg and put them in his backpack before heading out to Shadewood’s office.

….

“Before we begin, Daniel, how are you doing, have you fully recovered from the incident?”

“I appreciate your concern, Professor. I'm doing well, thank you,” Daniel replied.

“That's indeed wonderful to hear,” Professor Shadewood said, his eyes showing a mixture of relief and astonishment. “I must confess, Daniel, I'm shocked that you’re completely fine in such a short time. The lightning bolt was immensely potent. It managed to breach the enchantments protecting the building and shattered my personal magic shield. Most Tier 3 magic casters struggle to accomplish such a feat. But I digress, let us continue,” the professor continued while offering Daniel a cup of tea. Daniel accepted the offer, and the professor began pouring the cups, filling the room with a flowery scent. The tea, a blend of lemon and lavender helped soothe Daniel's nerves.

"Have you made any progress with the book in the meantime, Daniel?"

“I haven't had the time yet, Professor, but I brought the book with me,” Daniel replied. As he finished his sentence, he reached into his backpack, retrieving the book and carefully placing it on the table before him.

“And it still won't open?”

“No,” Daniel said, a hint of frustration in his voice. "I tried it before coming here, but it still remains shut."

“Well, what is your mana stat after awakening, Daniel? We could try to inject your mana into the book and see if that could be the key to unlocking it.”

Daniel promptly responded to the question, detailing his mana stat had risen to 17 after awakening. Professor Shadewood nodded and was surprised, but he quickly continued, telling him to assume a lotus position on the ground just like the last time. With the book cradled in his hands, Daniel focused, ready to follow Shadewood's instructions after he had closed the blinds.

“Just like last time,” the professor’s voice resonated in the quiet room, “Daniel, focus on the mana core above your stomach. Guide it slowly through your body, your arms, and eventually into the book. Don't rush it; take your time.”

At first, it took a short moment before Daniel could feel the subtle pulse of his mana core. He was taken aback by the change. His mana core, once minuscule like a few grains of sand, had grown a tiny bit larger, although still faint to the eye.

As he guided the mana through the intricate pathways within his body, he noticed a subtle transformation in his mana channels. They had expanded, albeit slightly.

Daniel continued to concentrate on guiding the mana from his core, letting it flow through his body like a gentle stream. He closed his eyes, visualizing the pathways, tracing the energy's journey. Before his awakening, his mana felt sluggish, but now it moved freely through his body.

As the mana travelled through his arms and into the book, he felt a peculiar sensation, a subtle pull, as if the book was thirsty, eagerly consuming the energy he provided.

The book seemed to come alive in his hands. It pulsed with energy, shimmering with a slight purple glow as it absorbed the mana he channelled into it. The room, once dimly lit now glowed with the book's aura, casting patterns of light and shadow on the walls.

The process was mesmerizing. Daniel continued to channel his mana slowly, feeling a strange kinship with the book. It was as if the book recognized him, accepted him, and welcomed his energy with open pages.

Just as Daniel's mana was about to run out, the book began to vibrate and shine, radiating a bright purple hue.

Daniel looked astonished as the book's glow intensified, casting a radiant purple light illuminating his face. The brilliance reached a point where it was almost blinding, causing discomfort to Daniel's eyes, and the flow of energy he channelled into it came to an abrupt halt.

Daniel's heart raced with excitement. The book seemed to come alive in his hands, floating up from his lap until it hovered at eye level. Slowly, it opened to the first page.

He squinted, his eyes fixed on the strange scribbles that adorned the book's first page. He strained his mind, attempting to decipher the mysterious symbols etched across the ancient parchment. The characters seemed to dance before his eyes, twisting and turning, refusing to reveal their secrets.

Frustration welled up within him as he struggled to make sense of the odd text. Yet, amidst the confusion, he could vaguely grasp a few recognizable shapes, a semblance of understanding flickering in the depths of his consciousness. Some of the symbols appeared familiar, like fragments of a forgotten language echoing through the corridors of his mind.

“This must be the effect of [Eldritch Knowledge],” Daniel thought to himself “But my level is too low, I can probably read it if my level is high enough.”

Just as he was about to delve deeper into the text, he heard a soft cough coming from behind him. Startled, Daniel's focus was disrupted, causing the book to fall down and land on his lap.

As he turned to face the source of the interruption, Daniel locked eyes with Shadewood. The tall and imposing man stood to Daniel's left, his keen eyes fixed on the ancient tome resting in Daniel's lap.

"This is interesting, Daniel," Professor Shadewood remarked, his voice deep and resonant. "Can you read the contents?"

Daniel hesitated for a moment before responding, his words careful. “I can feel a faint understanding, Professor, but it's as if the knowledge is just beyond my grasp,” he admitted, his voice tinged with frustration. “The words resonate within me, but I can't comprehend their meaning yet. It's like trying to recall a dream after waking up; the fragments are there, but they slip away before I can grasp them fully.”

“That's an all-too-familiar feeling, Daniel. Did you receive a language skill after your awakening?” the professor asked, observing the student who was now standing “Please take a seat while I open the curtains” he added.

When the professor returned and sat down on the couch opposite him, he said, "I have indeed received a language skill from my awakening, but I don't know how to increase its level.”

The professor started chuckling softly before he spoke up: “When I unlocked my first tier two class, I also received a language skill and didn't know what to do with it.” While the professor continued speaking, he poured himself another cup of tea. “Do you want another cup, Daniel? It's a blend from the Espian Raj.”

“No, thank you. I still haven’t finished my previous cup, but how did you manage to increase your language skills, professor?”

“Ah, yes, sorry, I was getting sidetracked. When the book opened and revealed its contents, the pages were blank for me. But judging by your reaction to the book, it must have been filled with words for you. Some artefacts have this function that only designated users can read their contents. We could try to bypass this, but there's a significant risk involved; the book could be destroyed and will be lost forever.” the professor quickly continued. “But increasing the level of a language skill is pretty simple actually; you just need to read, and practice the said language.”

Daniel replied with a quick nod.

“You must have noticed that for the Thaetan language, you didn't receive a skill. This is because Thaetan is what's known as a common language; these languages don't power their words with mana very well. Most ancient languages do have the property to influence mana with words, but even then, some languages fit better for a certain type of spell. For instance, when a mage or a mage-adjacent class casts a fire spell while chanting in Nifelheim, it would take a longer period of time than if they were to use Ignisian — granted if they do not rely on a skill such as [Silent Casting] or [Instant Casting]. I have asked the council multiple times to add this type of information to the pre-awakening curriculum, but sadly, they declined since this will also be taught during the first year of regular lectures.” the professor followed up.

“But let me continue. Take, for instance, the chant required to complete the [Fire Bolt] skill you received during your awakening, When you try to cast it in our language it might take you a few minutes to fully cast it, but if you used a different language like a spirit language or Ignisian, you could cast it in a few seconds. Thankfully, the Unseen Ones assist us in this matter, the more you master the spell the less chanting you need to do. Although I, along with other professors, recommend learning the language in its entirety, rest assured, I'll be teaching that to you during the first year.”

Daniel was shocked to learn that Shadewood knew what skills he possessed. “Professor Shadewood, how do you know about the skills I have acquired?”

Before Daniel could finish his question, the professor started chuckling softly. “Daniel,” he said, his tone slightly amused, “when you venture into the outside world, I recommend getting an artefact like my glasses. They can read people's statuses, although mine has its limitations and can mostly discern someone's class and a few of their skills. It's a useful tool, especially when you're unsure whom to trust during adventures in dungeons or explorations of ruins. Having insight into others' abilities and strengths can prove invaluable in those situations.” as the professor finished his sentence he looked at his left arm and started rubbing it with a sad expression,

“You see, Daniel, when you’re going on an adventure, exploration or even when you’re dealing with people, understanding others' capabilities can mean the difference between life and death. It's not just about trust, it's about survival. People may wear masks, especially in dangerous places like dungeons or ancient ruins. With the right artefact, you can unveil those masks and make more informed decisions. Just remember, knowledge is a powerful ally” The professor's gaze shifted back to Daniel, his eyes carrying a weight of experience and sadness.

“But I'm getting sidetracked again,” the professor continued, his voice returning to its usual tone. “To improve the level of any language skill, you can do these things: read, write, speak, or listen to the language you want to enhance. You can even acquire other languages this way, though it's a rare and lengthy process. For efficiency, you're better off buying a skill book or finding one yourself from a dungeon. I have seen colleagues trying without it for years before they acquired the language skill,” he added

“Okay, I will practice by reading the book every day, but professor, do you know another book about the abyssal language I could read?” Daniel inquired.

The professor froze, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes at the mention of Abyssal. “Abyssal? So we didn't spend all those years in vain.” Shadewood began explaining that he and his colleagues had spent years searching for any hints about the language after they found records in the ruins of an ancient civilisation that hinted that it would be one of the most potent magical languages

Shadewood walked over to his desk and grabbed a small dark wooden box out of one of the drawers “Before you leave, take this.”