Lucian walked through the dense forest, his spear gripped tightly in his hand. His slimes slithered alongside him, ready to assist at a moment's notice.
Hunting had become a routine part of his life. Though he mainly relied on his slime army, he had recently started practicing with a spear, honing his combat skills.
Today, however, something unexpected was about to happen.
Lucian's eyes locked onto his prey—a Razorback Tiger, a vicious creature with sharp tusks and tough hide.
"Sticky Slimes, restrain it!"
The Sticky Slimes shot out their gooey substance, trapping the boar's legs. It roared and struggled, but before it could break free,
Lucian lunged forward, driving his spear into its throat.
The creature let out a final shriek before collapsing.
As he pulled his weapon free, something glowed within the corpse.
A Monster Core.
It was a small, pulsating orb embedded deep in the boar's chest. He had found cores before, but this one felt different.
Holding it in his hand, a strange memory surfaced in his mind.
Flashes of images—not his own. A grand forge, an ancient scholar, a god-like craftsman shaping something beyond human understanding.
Then, suddenly—
A realization.
"What if…" Lucian muttered, his fingers tightening around the core.
What if humans could have their own version of a Monster Core?
A core that would allow them to control magic better, just like monsters.
The idea ignited something deep within him.
Lucian returned to his ranch immediately, his mind racing.
Using his new Space Manipulation, he teleported back and began experimenting.
He studied the Monster Core, breaking it down, analyzing its structure.
Then, after hours of work, using his own mana, he compressed and refined a new core—
A Mana Core.
Unlike a Monster Core, which was naturally formed inside magical beasts, the Mana Core was artificial—created by his own hands.
It pulsed with energy, perfectly attuned to its user.
Lucian slowly pressed it against his own chest, letting his mana flow through it—
And then—
[You have been granted the Unique Skill: Researcher.]
The moment the voice of the world spoke, Lucian felt a shift in his mind.
His Parallel Mind Processing and Thought Acceleration were absorbed into his new skill. His thoughts became faster, sharper, more efficient.
A new sub-skill appeared—
[Inspiration] – Enhances creativity, allowing Lucian to calculate possibilities beyond normal comprehension.
His entire intelligence had evolved and hus research ability have improve.
The Mana Core in his hands was proof of what he had accomplished.
Unbeknownst to him. If this knowledge spread, humans, elves, dwarves—every non-monster race—could become far stronger than ever before.