Chapter 16 The Price Of Power

I poured some of the Mana Active I had into the Magic Scroll.

The Magic Scroll in my hand reacted immediately. A bright light immediately came out. When the Magic Scroll reacts with my Mana, a magic circle appears above it.

[Magic Detection - Active.]

[The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing responds to the activation of detection-type magic.]

[Do you want to restructure The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing based on Magic Detection?]

[Yes/No.]

A long message suddenly landed before my eyes. I scanned the system messages one after another. Then I replied, "Yes."

After I answered, the World System responded.

[You have agreed to the skill restructuring.]

[Restructuring in progress.]

[....]

[The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing has been successfully restructured into the Hear of Everything Skill.]

[Hear Of Everything Skill.

Description:

When the skill is active, you can detect magic power using your sense of hearing.]

My eyes opened slightly at the shocking system message.

From the skill description delivered by the World System, it seemed to be a formidable skill.

But, before I could celebrate happiness, the system message that appeared next made me shrug.

[Since Magic Detection comes from a Magic Scroll, the restructuring results are only temporary.]

[You can only have the Hear of Everything Skill for one day. After that, the skill will return to The Five Sense Skill - Sense of Hearing.]

Well, I ignored the disappointment I felt. I'd better try my new skill right away.

[Hear of Everything Skill - Active.]

My sense of hearing suddenly became sharper. The effect of enhancing normal hearing is still there and is even more markedly increased. Beyond several tens of meters. My head feels a little dizzy.

But, more than anything, I could hear the sound of something strange. It's weird because I can't describe the sound I hear.

I seemed to be able to hear the sound of ultrasonic waves. Is this how dolphins and bats communicate?

For some reason, I could understand that what I heard was a voice coming from some magical energy.

I closed my eyes and focused on detecting where the voice was coming from.

In the next few seconds, I immediately knew where the voice was coming from. I looked up at the top of a building, that's where the voice came from.

But, if you stare at the place where the source of the magical energy sound came from, you won't be able to see anything.

"Don't you want to reveal yourself?"

No answer came to answer my question.

I had to do something. I took the sword that belonged to one of the thugs I defeated. Then I threw the sword towards the source of the magical energy sound coming from the roof of a building.

The sword flew fast. Aiming into empty air. However, when the sword reached the roof of a building, it immediately bounced and fell to the ground, as if someone had blocked the sword.

"Ara~ you can actually detect me, can't you?"

The voice of someone I was aiming for resounded. The voice came from the roof of a building. After he finished speaking, a black-robed figure suddenly appeared out of thin air.

Then the black-robed figure plunged downwards. He landed right in front of me. The eyes behind the black robes he was wearing looked straight into mine.

Even so, I still didn't do anything. I wasn't prepared to attack nor was I prepared to defend. I just stared straight at the sharp eyes behind the black hood he was wearing.

Stealth ability and a figure wearing a black robe. He was someone Baron Warwick had met before, namely Ghost Face.

"Eh? You're not afraid of me?"

He asked while tilting his head. For some reason, her voice resembled that of a girl. The voice did not match the mysterious style attached to it.

Also, I didn't detect the slightest malicious intent emanating from her. So I wasn't too wary.

As if she was feeling relieved, she lowered her shoulders. She looked down as if in thought. A few moments later, she lifted her face, which was under the hood of the robe, which I still couldn't see, then she asked me.

"By the way, you were able to find me using the Magic Scroll?"

"That's how it is."

"But I heard you don't have a Mana Core. Is that true?"

"Right."

"Then why were you able to activate the Magic Scroll?"

"...."

"The point is, you can use Mana without a Mana Core? Isn't that impossible?"

"Not really."

She pondered for a moment. Moments later, a light flashed above her head, as if she had remembered something. Then she asked me again.

"I've read in ancient literature that those who can use Mana without possessing a Mana Core will suffer all over, are you too?"

"..."

I didn't respond.

Somehow I can imagine a sparkling eye that is under the hood of the black robe she is wearing. Though I couldn't see her face or even her expression.

I felt as if I was being pushed around by the aggressive nature she was displaying. So I nodded inadvertently at the question she asked.

That's true. Even now, there is a price I have to pay when using Mana. Either when activating magic skills or something else.

The price was a pain that radiated through my body. The pain arose as the Magic Circuit started pumping Mana throughout my body.

But, since I'm used to such pain, I don't react much.

If I had to describe how the pain looked, it would probably be the same as when a needle pierces the internal organs in your body.

Maybe, if you're the one experiencing such pain, maybe you'll pass out immediately. I was the same way the first time I experienced it. But somehow, over time I got used to it.

"Heee~ I see. You must have suffered a lot, huh."

She stretched out her white hand.

Her outstretched white hand suddenly took me by surprise, but she suddenly patted my head lightly as if she was comforting a grieving child.

Oh, shit.

I'm too busy getting carried away with the flow of conversation. Aren't we too close to talk to each other and ask questions like this?

"Tsk!"

I clicked my tongue. Then I brushed off her hand that was patting my head. While looking at her, I said to her.

"By the way, I thought that you were the boss of the people who attacked me. But it looks like you aren't."

"Ehehe~ you're smart. I did receive an order from your father to immobilize you, but I didn't accept it. Also, I will prove that I'm not their boss."

She says she will prove my assumption.

Then she walked slowly towards the nine people I had defeated. The nine people were still screaming, with a few already fainting. Some crawl to escape.

It happened in the blink of an eye. She immediately approached them one by one.

She clawed them to death instantly with her white hand. The claws she has are very sharp. The nine people could only surrender.

Even though she was clawing with her long, sharp nails, I could see that her hands weren't covered in blood at all.

'She's strong.' That's the feeling I got when I saw her kill them. She seems to be playing around while killing them.

Was that meant to prove that she wasn't my enemy? Even though they will also die of blood loss, even if they are not killed. Well, at least this way, I don't have to get my hands dirty.

"Wait. Don't kill that person."

I stopped her just as she was about to kill their boss, the one with the Black Box Organization mark.

She stopped, did what I said, then walked close to me. And then, I said to her.

"Instead of discussing that matter, wouldn't it be better if you reveal your identity?"

"Ehehehe~ I'll tell you later, not now."

She circled around before finally disappearing once again. Yes, she just left after saying goodbye.

Before she left earlier, she had told me that I had to return home as soon as possible. She said something interesting was going to happen.

Truly, even though the attitude she gave was the same as that of a child playing around, the abilities she possessed were truly not small.

Sigh~

If I were an ordinary person, I wouldn't be able to feel the power she has. But since I have experience meeting and facing strong people, I can gauge their strengths a little.

"Then, I have to interrogate that thug boss, I guess."

I looked at the boss thug lying on the ground.