The Skill Maker

Chapter 5: ­ A jackpot like, Not-a-Jackpot That Seems like a Jackpot (1)

– A jackpot like, Not-a-Jackpot That Seems like a Jackpot (1)

“……”

Having checked the skill window, Hyun Soo’s face scrunched up weirdly.

“Is this system playing with me?”

It had created a random skill like [Fast Calculations] out of nowhere when it was silent when I was praying for it to make a skill.

The fact that a skill was formed was encouraging but the problem was that it was useless when hunting monsters.

Hyun Soo thought of the reaction he got when he wrote ‘quick calculations’ on his résumé.

Would a job such as calculating the damage done to a monster and the deduction in the monster’s energy field as a result of it be necessary when hunting monsters?

There was no reason to be impressed given the fact that instruments existed already to measure the numbers.

“Brother, are you ok? Is there something wrong?”

“Huh? Uh……… It’s nothing.”

His worries, having blown his money and the creation of a strange skill, must have shown on his face even after he had come home that Hyun Ah asked worriedly.

The skill was one thing but the money was such a waste.

However, at this rate, it was clear that Hyun Ah would be too mindful of him that she wouldn’t be able to relax comfortably despite it being a weekend.

“Brother, if you’re tired eat and go rest.”

“Nah, I’m not tired. Are you not tired from studying yourself?”

“Yeah, these days the school food is good so that my stomach’s satisfied and I only need to sit down and study so it’s not even that hard.”

Hyun Ah smiled brightly like everything was alright.

It was obvious she was trying to reassure him.

Hyun Ah seemed to think that it was because of her that Hyun Soo couldn’t go to university and could only work.

That’s why she was always sorry and was constantly mindful of him.

Hyun Soo felt sorry for Hyun Ah being like that.

It was Hyun Ah who had straightened out his crooked self during his school days.

Most likely Hyun Ah was quite scared of her only brother when he began to rebel.

Even then, their parents were too busy working to look after their daughter and most of the time the only one caring for Hyun Ah was Hyun Soo.

But the rebelling of said Hyun Soo was likely to have been a huge shock to the young Hyun Ah.

Anyway, the briefly crooked Hyun Soo got back to his senses.

Hyun Soo had memories of living relatively well off when he was young but for Hyun Ah even that would be faint.

There might not be a big age difference but one or two years means a lot when one is young.

“When brother earns a lot of money, I’ll make sure you can go to the university you want to go to.”

Hyun Soo felt bad for his sister who had once gone through a lot of trouble because of him.

It was during her youth but she wore second-hand uniform that didn’t fit her and didn’t put on even the most common of makeup.

While he had had a period of rebelling but Hyun Ah was a pure and kind sister who had nothing of the kind.

In case it would be hard for her parents and brother, Hyun Ah was one who didn’t make one voice of complaint and tried to do things by herself.

“I wouldn’t have to work as a porter or do odd jobs if I could get a proper skill….”

But he couldn’t figure out the standard of creating a skill.

The only relief was that the newly acquired [Fast Calculations] allowed for another source to cross examine with.

“Now that I think of it when I got [Bead Thread] and [Fast Calculations], I was repeating the actions of the acquired skills both times.”

I was threading beads like crazy when [Bead Thread] was formed, and when [Fast Calculations] was created I was counting money like my life depended on it, trying to look for the missing money.

“Does repeating an action make a skill?”

But if that was the case Hyun Soo should already have numerous skills.

Skills from sleeping to breathing, eating, walking, yawning etc.

There weren’t just one or two actions that was repeated.

There was a point that was suspected.

The awakening of not Generation 1 but of Generation 1.5 who were born dormant, mostly occur either before or after one becomes an adult.

The most credible theory stated that it was because around that age was when the mind and body had developed enough to be able to endure the individual’s awakened ability.

That was why the Secondary Examination was conducted during the period one becomes an adult.

Those that are suitable both awaken and register as a Hunter through the Secondary Exam.

Hyun Soo had turned 20 on his birthday a few months back.

But according to the theory exceptions exist, and Hyun Soo, having awakened late was only now able to get skills.

While it was rare there were cases of awakening without the Secondary Exam after all.

“Brother, are you really alright?”

Lost in my thoughts again.

Hyun Soo quickly smiled and nodded his head.

“I just had something to think about. Your brother’s fine so don’t worry. It’s the weekend so you go and rest. I can eat by myself.”

“Really, Okay?”

Hyun Ah stared at him with a worried face but Hyun Soo pushed her towards her room all the while shouting that he was alright.

I made her worry even though she would be tired from studying.

Doubtful, Hyun Ah obediently went into the room as he pushed. She was worried about her brother but feared that he would not like it if she dug too deep.

While normally he would have assured her so that she wasn’t worried, Hyun Soo had a headache from his own worries.

“Was it because I awakened late that only the actions I repeated after awakening turned into skills?”

Which might mean that by repeating a cutting action with a knife with make something like [Cut] or something similar to it.

“Okay, let’s try it now.”

Hyun Soo headed for the hill in the back of the area.

Hyun Soo replied to Hyun Ah’s asking where he was going with “Just a little walk.” to comfort her.

***

“Is this really playing with me or something?”

What Hyun Soo had acquired from putting back his sleep to dig for 4 hours was zero.

In other words, nothing.

For four hours Hyun Soo played with knives and yet the clear ‘Ding!’ that was supposed to ring didn’t occur.

Not earning anything after having swung until I was out of breath!

The vanity of the hours he had wasted was one thing but with no strength left, Hyun Soo sprawled out on a bench in the resting area of the hill.

The branch he had pretended was a sword rolled on the ground.

“Just what is the condition to make a skill? I can’t do anything with the skills I have at the moment. They might go easy on me being an E-rank but if it’s found out that I have no attack or defence skill whatsoever, I could be kicked out. The reality is that Hunters that are categorised as Assistants are not even accepted as porters.”

No matter how he saw it, he wasn’t major league. To others he was just a Junk Class.

However, he had an almost broken skill called [Skill Make].

He didn’t how to make one or how advanced of a skill he could create but he had a feeling that it would be quite useful if used right.

“Given the fact things like [Bead Thread] and [Fast Calculations] were made, it doesn’t seem like there’s a restriction on the type of skill that can be made. I can only check if an attack skill is made or something.”

In his frustration, he let out a long sigh.

“If it’s impossible to make a major league skill then it really is a bust.”

Then I really will have to carry around a bust for ever.

I won’t be able to work as anything more than a porter or doing odd jobs.

“Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh…………………….”

After letting out another big breath Hyun Soo got up and picked up the stick lying around beside him.

He had swung it around as if it was a sword but in reality it was just a club made from a stick rolling around broken at the tip to make sharp.

Having been passed, Hyun Soo’s evening spent running around had come to an end.

That was also almost forced due to the weird glances the passing public gave in his direction.

Hyun Soo’s Skill Window on [Interface] still only showed the four skills floating before him.