<h4>Chapter 8: The Incident’s Aftermath</h4>


    After he got closer, the soldier put his hand on Hans'' shoulder, which surprised the young boy as he turned around with teary eyes, only then did Hans finally return to his senses.


    His parentsy unconscious on the ground, and now it was his responsibility to take care of them, just as he had relied on them for the past fourteen years.


    Hundreds of thousands of people shared Hans'' family''s fate.


    The monster''s finalment before disappearing between the waves was a curse.


    For high-ranking awakened, the cry instilled fear, momentarily paralyzing them while the low-ranking awakened fell into slumber for a brief moment.


    But for the unawakened victims, it manifested as a cruel fate, giving them one of the few incurable illnesses remaining on the: Endless Slumber.


    In hopes of finding a solution, the government pouredrge amounts of funds into researching the curse and even sought aid from the rank one priest from Europe. Yet, all efforts were in vain, and soon the people stuck in aa became secondary concerns to deal withter.


    After the attack on Manhattan, millions of people were injured and the hospitals were flooded. And so, in search of a better hospital for his family members, Hans arrived in Chicago, only to be stunned by the exorbitant hospital fees for three beds which he had never been informed of before.


    But with no alternative, he searched for someone to help him with selling their home and car before starting to live in a modest suburban apartment in Chicago.


    Unable to afford to pay for the rest of his studies while also needing to sustain himself, Hans dropped out at 16 and started to work, prolonging the inevitable depletion of money in the hope that his family would wake up.


    However, as he turned 17, his hopes were crushed and he almost resigned after knowing that his family might never return.


    Among the countless people who had been the victim of the curse, not even one had woken up during the past three years, forcing many families to give the authorization to pull the plug due to theck of funds.


    His heart, however, was still reluctant to ept that.


    He had no friends, no family, and no money, nothing.


    He was all alone, with no support whatsoever, and there was no other way for him to continue, so Hans toiled as a delivery man.


    With that, six more months passed by until the money obtained from selling the house was depleted, and Hans was forced to take a loan from second-hand sources.


    Not knowing what to do, he worked like a dog, almost sixteen hours a day, but in the span of just half a year, both the money from the loans and his work wasn''t enough anymore.


    Approaching his eighteenth birthday, imagining his family members being evicted from the hospital and letting them die on the streets was thest thing he wanted.


    Resigned to despair, Hans took a decision.


    On the night before his birthday, he bought a couple of beer bottles home.


    After one final night, he nned to throw himself under a car knowing that thepensation received from his death was enough to keep his parents alive for a couple more months.


    During the night of his 18th birthday in the empty apartment, Hans sat on the dirty moquette, surrounded by beer bottles, all still closed.


    He picked up the first one and opened it using another as a bottle opener before slowly sipping from it.


    It was the first alcohol he ever tasted, and his reaction was not positive, "Ugh, it tastes like shit! How do people even like this?"


    He hoped that for hisst night, alcohol could at least help him wash away some of his feelings and troubles, bringing him some sce. Yet, each sip brought additional bitterness.


    But he still drank.


    Bottle after bottle, the regrets started to hit him as hard as trucks


    Out of cowardice, he had decided not to visit his family, afraid of facing them after taking the decision.


    All the time he had wasted on his phone, or watching TV, if only he had spent that time with his loving family instead.


    Right now even if he were to only receive a word of response from them, he would''ve dly given all he had.


    But he couldn''t.


    Amidst tears and swirling regrets, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol until his head started spinning.


    During all that chaos, his eyes brimmed with hope as a window appeared in front of his eyes.


    [ You have awakened as the unknown ss: Knowledge Se...].


    _____


    Present, back to Hans'' apartment...


    While still lying on the bed, the young man suddenly opened his eyes and stood up while his chest heaved up and down as he gasped for breath.


    His body had turned sweaty, making him think that he had just woken up from a nightmare.


    But soon, Hans calmed himself down and picked up his phone...


    Two days had passed since he started his advancement.


    Raising his chin, he finally took a look at something he wanted to check.


    [ Congrattions on advancing from a Tier 1 mage to a Tier 2 mage.]


    [ You have gained 25 wisdom points and your affinity and control over mana have increased.]


    [ Due to the effect of being a true mage, you have gained an additional 25 wisdom points; both, your affinity and control over mana have greatly increased.]


    [ Due to the effect of {Almighty Knowledge}, all your other stats have been raised by 5.]


    [ Due to the resistance disyed during the test, you have been gifted with a new skill:?( Strong Mind) (passive)]


    [ Current Status:]


    [ Name: Hans


    Age: 18


    ss: Knowledge Seeker (UNKNOWN)


    Title: None


    Level: 23


    Strength: 33


    Dexterity: 33


    Endurance: 33


    Wisdom: 331


    ss skills:


    {Knowledge Hunger}


    {Almighty Knowledge}


    {Piercing Gaze}


    Normal Skills:


    {Fireball}(Tier-0)


    {Fire Veil}(Tier-1)


    {Stealth}(Tier-1)


    {Strong Mind (passive) (NEW!)


    Description: Your mind is resistant to mental attacks and your will is firm.


    Effects: You will not be harmed by any low-rank illusionist spells, your mind power will recover faster.}


    Evaluation: A tier 2 mage with otherworldly control and affinity over manapared to peers with the same level.


    Current rank: mid Rank-D.]


    "Huuu," Hans let out a breath of relief.


    "I guess I did it, to think that the second test would be to rewatch your suffering while forming a circle.... it''s truly a diabolical challenge.''


    Failing to create a circle would result in one''s mana being sealed for quite a considerable period. And even upon its return, the practitioner will take time to return to their peak levels before trying to advance again.


    The main reason why the ones in the higher ranks were reluctant to advance was because of the vulnerability it would entail if they were to fail.


    Now that the world revolves around awakened abilities, it wouldn''t be surprising if someone were to hire assassins to eliminate those in power, akin to political maneuvers.


    For Hans, advancement only brought him relief.


    "Now? What should I do? I guess money is my priority. Hospital bills need to be settled and I also have to pay back what I have taken as a loan. Considering the high interest rates... it is likely nearing two hundred thousand. So I better get moving fast."


    "Working as a hunter in the gates would promise good earnings, but I shouldn''t reveal my talent as a mage just yet.


    There is fiercepetition between hunters and if I were to cross paths with a powerful one, it could endanger my family.


    So until I''m strong enough to the point where no one would even dare to provoke me, I mustn''t reveal the fact that I am a mage."


    While he thought all this, one question remained, "There is one problem though, how should I hide that I am a mage?"


    "Mages can detect each other''s circles if they were at the same level and those higher-ranking mages wouldn''t even need to take a nce to notice my secret."


    "Maybe I should craft a skill to conceal it."


    With that in mind, Hans spent the next two days locked in his room, immersing himself in researching a way to hide his circles, until he did it.


    But when he realized that his mastery over mana was way too low to retract itpletely inside him without letting a single particle spill out of his body, Hans devised a different tactic.


    He modified his stealth skill and created a sphere of concealment around his heart and circles.


    The theory was straightforward, but executing it required a lot of time and dedication.


    After he was done, a message greeted him once again.


    [ Due to the study and improvement on the skill {Stealth}, the skill rank has advanced:?Tier 1—-> Tier 3]


    {Skill Name: Stealth (Tier-3)


    Active Effect: You will be able to conceal yourself with ayer of mana, making your breathing, smell, and sound difficult to detect. Consumes mana every second.


    Passive Effect: Enhances attack damage by 30% when ambushing an oblivious enemy. Your mana circles remain hidden, detectable only by those with a powerful observation skill or mages who are two or more tiers above you.}


    Proud of his creation, Hans was very happy that his hard work gave the required results.