Chapter 59 Explorer Club's Activity I

"Fvck!"

I almost experienced death.

A few days ago, I had a spar with Ember. Which was actually just a trap so I could use [Retrocognition] on her.

But, I'd never thought that…

That her mind was full of countless information, memories, experiences, etc.

I was overwhelmed by her never-ending consciousness, that my own consciousness almost got trapped inside because of how long I was searching for past memories.

So you see…

I was sitting on a bench in the park, and in my hand was a rock that I had picked up from the ground.

There was a difference when using [Retrocognition] on living creatures with consciousness and those without consciousness or non-living object.

When I used [Retrocognition] on Ember, it was like diving into a deep, murky sea. Her mind was full of countless thoughts and memories, some recent and some from long ago. I had to be careful not to get lost in the maze of her consciousness, and to stay focused so that my consciousness won't get swayed while trying to conserve my mana.

That was exhausting, I could only stay inside her consciousness for like 20 seconds before I had to cancel my skill. Because if I did not cancel it, my physical body would run out of mana and my skill would get force-cancel by itself then I had to experience a mana depletion state again.

Yuck, I don't want that.

But with the rock in my hand, the experience with [Retrocognition] was different.

As I closed my eyes and focused my mana to use the skill, I could feel the rough surface of the rock against my palm.

In an instant, I was transported back in time, to the past hours when the rock was still lying on the ground.

I could see the events that had occurred around the rock during that time — who had stepped over it, what other objects were near it, and any other events that had occurred in its immediate vicinity.

The experience was less complex and less exhaustive than using the [Retrocognition] to explore the memories of a living creature with consciousness, as the rock did not have its own thoughts or emotions to contribute to the experience.

'Nonetheless, it could still be a useful tool for me in certain situations.'

It would be really useful in case I wanted to know the object or some place's history. This would allow me to gain insight into the events that had occurred in a specific location.

'That is that, but I feel like Ember's consciousness is way bigger and more complex than other people's.'

I also tried using it against my classmate, but the experience was less complex than Ember's and yet still harder than the non-living object.

'Maybe she has a blessing that expands her brain's storage like Specter?'

I took out a bottle containing blue liquid from my Storage Cube.

'Something like [Brain Overdrive] perhaps?'

Pulling off the cap with my thumb, I drank a quarter of the bottle of the blue liquid called Mana Potion.

"Fwah–!"

The potion tasted sweet at first but it gradually becoming bitter. I had to drink water to subside the bitterness.

'This is troubling…'

No. I don't complain about how the potion tasted bitter. But, it was something else that troubled me.

I checked the skill's information.

===

[Retrocognition]

Type: Active

The users will enter a state of trance upon activation of the skill. Allowing them to see into their target's past.

※ However it will be dangerous if the user's mental capacity is low when using the skill.

※ Mana consumed depends on how far the user sees the past of their target.

===

I was troubled by this. The fact that it not only used up a lot of mana but also needed me to have a good mental stat was a problem.

My mental stat was at <F->, and I didn't know how to raise it as I never thought about it.

Lux was able to raise his mental stat through the Odyssey system's reward and a time skip that I did not write very well.

Right now, I was clueless about how to raise it. Maybe a meditation? It might work, but I needed a quieter place than my dorm.

A place that dense with magical energy was better, so I could simultaneously raise my mental and magic stats.

Another option was an ancient ruin or site. Those places were condensed of magical energy. Which was another reason why I decided to join Explorer Club in the end.

Ancient ruin was a term used to describe remnants of ancient civilizations or cultures that had long since disappeared.

Those places were not limited to the lost civilizations and cultures of Earth, but also other worlds or dimensions, which had somehow manifested on Earth but only partially. These ruins were like physical dungeons, but they were devoid of monsters or other hostile creatures.

Despite the lack of danger, ancient ruins and sites were highly sought after by everyone. This was because they were often containing artifacts and treasures that held great value and power.

Though that was the case for the unexplored ruins and sites alike, as those which had been explored had no artifacts and treasures left as they had been hoarded.

Ring–!

"Hmm?"

My Nova Watch vibrated on my wrist.

Checking on it, I had messages coming from the Explorer Club's group chat.

— Han Jihan: "Hello first-year students!"

— Student A: "Hello senior."

— Student B: "Hi, senior!"

— Student C: "Good morning, senior! How are you?!"

"Oh?"

— Han Jihan: "Hi, Hello, I'm feeling good today!"

— Han Jihan: "Tomorrow, we will have our first official activity for our new members! [Ancient Ruin Visit Announcement.pdf]"

— Han Jihan: "Please look at the file I sent. If there's any question, just ask here, okay?!"

I downloaded the file and opened it immediately, it read:

===

Dear members of the Explorer Club,

We are excited to announce an upcoming visit to an ancient ruin located in the Himalayas.

Our visit will take place tomorrow, and we will be departing from our meeting point at 10:00 AM. We will be traveling by bus to the location and will then be exploring the ruin on foot.

Please note that this is a physically demanding activity and may not be suitable for all members. It is important that you bring appropriate warm clothing, footwear, and equipment for the trip, including water and snacks.

As always, safety is our top priority, and we will be providing all necessary safety gear and first aid equipment. However, it is important that you follow all safety instructions and remain vigilant at all times.

If you have any questions or concerns about the trip, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to address any questions or concerns that you may have.

We hope that you will join us on this exciting journey and look forward to exploring the ancient ruin together.

Best regards,

The Explorer Club

Han Jihan

===

I smirked as soon as I finished reading the announcement.

"It's finally here."

…

"Zio! Over here!"

Once I arrived at the Wolf realm's warp gate which was supposed to be our meeting point, Lux greeted me with enthusiasm.

"Oh, Lux, you're here."

I cast a glance at the crowd, trying to spot Lumi among them.

"Where is Lumi?" I said.

When I said that, someone patted my back.

"Behind you~"

Along with a soft wind that brushed my ears which made me flinched.

"Wha–?!"

I turned around to see Lumi, who had just arrived, and playfully blew into my ear.

My eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

I'd never thought that she would do this kind of mischievous thing. This was a very out of character coming from her.

Well, not really, she would sometimes be playful and mischievous, but that was in the future. Right now, she was supposed to be a stoic and stern though friendly character.

"Haha, what's with that face? You look like you just saw a ghost."

The only time she would act like this at her age was when she was under pressure and stressed out, but what's got her looking so stressed now?

"Come, the seniors are calling us out."

Then, she walked past us without sparing a glance behind after that. She placed her hands behind her, fidgeting her fingers. That too, was a subtle movement that she usually made when she was stressed out.

Lux patted my shoulder.

"Let's go, Zio."

Shaking my head, I nodded at Lux.

"Right."

As I walked, my mind was occupied because of Lumi's behavior. What could make her look like that?

Nervous because of today's occasion? As if. If she was nervous, she wouldn't never make it as the Nova Corps' heir and become the richest woman in the world in the future.

'What could it be?'

We joined the rest of the Explorer Club members and entered the warp gate after a brief explanation given by the seniors.

'Well, whatever that is, I hope it won't interfere with my plan for this occasion.'