"Get rid of it."
Andeen said firmly, her tone leaving no room for any additions or refusals. The look in her eyes was enough to tell anyone that she was very serious, more serious than she had ever been.
The doctor just stared at her in silence, his eyes narrowed and darkened at the same time when she repeated it. Her request was unexpected.
Even Cashel had nothing to say about it, simply because he was confused and stunned at the same time.
He picked up his tab and tucked it under his arm before speaking. "Andeen, that is impossible. And even if it is possible, you’re asking me to remove the mana within his body that is practically keeping him alive."
Cashel’s eyes widened, just as he was about to say something, Andeen tightened her grip, making him shut up instantly.
"I don’t understand. He has been doing perfectly fine without awakening, energy or mana. Why can’t you get rid of it?"
The doctor sighed heavily, "Look, during the month he had been suppressing the awakening process, his body had already broken down and reformed to match his rank." He looked at Cashel. "That is why you bled like that, and why your hearing and sight seem strange..."
Cashel nodded, but when he glanced at Andeen, who had suddenly gone silent, he frowned slightly.
Her face had gone pale, and the usual rosy tint on her cheeks had turned blue, giving her a dreadfully terrified look.
He carefully lifted his hands and took her hands that were firmly gripping his shoulder, squeezing them gently.
When she snapped out of whatever state she was in, she turned to him slowly, and almost instantly her gaze softened.
Cashel smiled, "What’s wrong? Won’t it be a good thing if I awaken? I won’t get hurt by anything... mostly." He smiled again. "You don’t have to worry about anything."
The doctor nodded, "He’s right. He has an easy eighty percent chance of surviving anything. It’s a good thing."
Andeen remained silent, she took her bottom lip into her mouth and bit hard on it before speaking. "But that means he’d have to enter dungeons. W-what if..."
"Why don’t we get his rank measured first? Then we can decide if he’ll be able to enter dungeons or work within the city," the doctor suggested. It didn’t take long for Andeen to agree. "And we’ll have to get him registered with the Awakener Organisation, unless you want him to register under you in the military."
"I see..."
"Come with me. Let’s get the papers ready and inform the organisation."
Andeen nodded again, she kissed Cashel one last time and exited the room, with the doctor following close behind with a warm smile.
Once they were gone, Cashel’s expression turned blank. He leaned back into the bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
He was still trying to understand what was going on and the fact that he had awakened was even more absurd.
’But why? I don’t work for any organisation and I’m from another world, beside, I am perfectly fine working for...’
He trailed off, suddenly recalling something else.
If he registered as an Awakener, maybe he could take up Andeen’s field work considering her condition. That way he wouldn’t have to worry about her being sent into dungeons.
He thought deeply about this, but there was one problem: he had no idea what his rank was.
Annoyed, he shut his eyes and decided to relax for the meantime and decided; once he was certain he wasn’t feeling any pain later, he’d worry about that.
After what felt like hours, the doctor returned, pushing a huge machine on a cart into the room, only to find Cashel standing by the window staring down at the city with a blank expression on his face.
He pushed the cart over to the window, finally getting Cashel to turn around, then he stepped back.
"We need to measure your rank, so get on it."
Cashel raised a brow, he glanced towards the door, then back at the doctor. "Where is she?"
"Oh... she was summoned to the main headquarters. Is there an issue?"
Cashel hesitated, he then shook his head and exhaled.
The doctor explained exactly what he was to do, which he did without hesitation. He placed his right palm against the crystal ball, stood on the silver scale, and put his other hand into what resembled a cylinder.
Numbers and lights flickered across the screen at the top and the doctor moved from his spot to Cashel’s side to take notes.
However, the readings flickered twice before fading into one single word.
[Error]
The doctor froze, his hands hovering above his tab. He looked at Cashel, who was seemingly unaware of what he saw, then frowned.
He ran the scan from the beginning again, and the same thing happened.
It tried again.
[Error.]
The machine beeped louder, and suddenly the crystal ball shattered, covering the room briefly in a bright light before silence finally settled.
The doctor was speechless. He stared in disbelief, completely unaffected by the fact that the machine had been destroyed, but by what was displayed.
"This... has never happened..." he muttered. "Since I awakened and started working here....."
’Thank God.’
Cashel unceremoniously stepped off the machine, equally stunned but relieved. He turned to face the doctor and asked, "Is that a good or a bad thing?"
The doctor looked at him. He scanned Cashel from head to toe before finally smiling. "It’s a good thing, but it would be bad for your wife."
Cashel already knew what it meant and that was enough to conclude everything was bad and it killed his joy. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "What exactly is it?"
"Well... your mana levels are incredibly high, higher than I’ve ever seen, considering the fact that a high-grade crystal ball was shattered like that." He paused for a moment and then smirked. "As for your rank, you’re between S and SSS."
Before Cashel could express how he felt about that which was negative to be honest, the blue screen from earlier appeared. This time, it was perfectly clear.
[System Initialization Complete]
[Congratulations, Player Cashel Altar.]
[Threshold Required to Awaken: Complete]
[Class Breakdown]
Base /Origin: Hitman/Fighter/Assasin.
Rank: (Sealed)
Status: Permanent
Traits: (Unfold)
Note: Real-world lethality operating independently of System mana.
Primary System Class: Support (Mythic Class: Gacha Patrn/Lucky Keeper)
Status: Fluid / Dynamic (Evolves & Rerolls via Gacha Pulls)
Traits: 10,000× Credit Conversion and Investment, Temporary Class Slots, Sharing and investment permitted.
[System Target & Constraints]
Primary Target Registered: Andeen Altar (Spouse)
10,000× Return System: Activated
Synchronization: 0%
[System Directive & Restrictions]
1. The Patron’s Duty: All permanent stat boosts, high-tier skill books, and strategic buffs purchased through the Gacha Shop can only be transferred to Primary Target: Andeen Altar.
2. Returns & Investment
Rewards earned by your registered partner are converted into Credits.
Credits can be spent to:
• Buy temporary powers for yourself.
• Buy permanent upgrades for your partner.
• Exchange rewards through the Gacha Shop.
2. Temporary Power: Player’s personal System classes and ability enhancements drawn from the Gacha are temporary and time-bound.
3. Environmental Conflict/Dungeon Restriction: Warning! System mana within Dungeons directly opposes Player’s frequency. Entering Dungeons results in severe stat degradation and skill backfires. Absolute lethality is restricted to the Outside World. (Fold)
[Would you like to begin the Tutorial?]
Cashel blinked once he had finished reading through the entire thing. It was actually real. His doubt had been cleared, and he truly had awakened.
He looked at the doctor, who just stared at him in anticipation, as though already knowing that Cashel had seen his rank himself, waiting patiently for what he would say.
Cashel looked back at the screen, then back at the doctor with a knowing look, then he smiled.
"You don’t mind keeping this away from her, right?"
The doctor smiled as well. "Only for the right price! Let’s get you discharged so we can proceed with the registration."
"Haha. Thank you so much."