4. Spending Points

Nolan rubbed his chin, deep in thought about the talent he was about to choose.

With only 10,000 Ability Points, his options were limited.

"A sword is so cliché. It's not as cool anymore, or maybe it's just too mainstream," he muttered to himself.

Finally, he clicked on a talent under the skill sub-tab.

Spear Mastery

Description: Grants the wielder mastery of spearmanship, equivalent to ten years of dedicated training. 10,000 AP.

The moment he selected it, a sharp pain shot through his head. Nolan winced as an overwhelming flood of images and sensations crashed into his mind.

In his vision, master spearmen moved with precision, each one wielding their spear with expert technique, as if they were training just for him. Every movement, every thrust and parry, every subtle shift in their stance was seared into his consciousness. Each one used a different style, as though they were passing on their life's knowledge in an instant. It wasn’t just the movements—Nolan could feel the intent behind every strike, the years of practice embedded into each motion.

His eyes glazed over, staring into the distance as the barrage of information stretched on. It felt like he had trained for years—maybe a decade—or perhaps it had only been moments.

Gradually, the images faded, and the pounding in his head subsided. Nolan blinked, returning to reality. He rubbed his temples, trying to process the whirlwind experience. The techniques, once foreign, now felt natural, like second nature. The mastery was so ingrained that forgetting it would be impossible.

After a long moment, he exhaled slowly, a smile creeping across his face.

He had assumed that when he bought the talent, he'd have to train it manually. But it was a relief to know that the moment he exchanged points for the ability, the knowledge was instantly uploaded into his mind—fully learned and ready to be used.

Although he still didn't understand the deeper mechanics of talents and bloodline abilities, this skill acquisition had been an incredibly rewarding experience. It was definitely worth the points.

His initial hesitancy about using all his AP had faded. Now, he felt like he had struck a good deal.

He purchased a set of spears from the system next. After all, what use was spear mastery without a weapon?

Jumonji Yari (Scarlet Spears) D-Rank
Description: The legendary spears of Yukimura Sanada, crafted in the style of the Sengoku period. These iconic weapons are marked by crescent-shaped blades at the head, allowing both thrusting and slashing attacks. The spears glow with a scarlet hue, symbolizing Yukimura's fierce warrior spirit. Designed for combat efficiency, they carry an aggressive, fast-paced style.

EP: 3,000.

With a flash of light, two red-tinted spears materialized before him, dropping softly to the ground. Nolan picked one up, inspecting it closely. It wasn’t too heavy, perfectly balanced for combat. Satisfied, he strapped both spears across his back and nodded.

As he closed the system menu, he resisted the urge to spend more item points, saving them for emergencies. There were plenty of tempting items, but he needed to be cautious. Summoning an anime girl from the system had briefly crossed his mind, but with his limited points, the best he could summon would be an ordinary girl with little use.

"System, are there any maps of the Veridara Great Forest or items like that?" he asked, embarrassed to admit his poor sense of direction.

"Beep! Complete map of Veridara Great Forest, IP 3,000. Confirm?"

Nolan stared at the prompt for a moment. "… Fine, that’s on me for thinking you'd be useful."

With most of his points already spent, he couldn’t afford to waste any more. Every last point was precious, and he had planned to save some for later.

“Well,” he thought, “I’ll just do my own reconnaissance. No way this forest is going to beat me.”

He ventured confidently into the depths of the forest—mere moments earlier referred to as a 'God-forsaken place.' With his spear mastery and his system-backed weapons, Nolan felt invincible. Come what may, he'd be ready to face it.

But he had forgotten one crucial thing: despite his newfound abilities, his level was still a cute, round zero.

"Beep! Warning! Dangerous magical beast detected within a 100-meter radius. Probability of survival in a hostile confrontation: less than 5%. Recommended action: avoid confrontation at all costs."

Nolan's foot froze mid-step, his expression turning blank as the weight of the situation sank in.

"Curse this place!!!"