Innate Talent

"...I suppose we should prepare a washbasin."

Rebecca muttered to herself as she watched Hwang Jae-min slowly walk toward the ten mannequins from a safe distance.

Why suddenly mention a washbasin? Simple.

'We can't have the sacred Battlefield Sanctuary getting soiled with vomit.'

Before diving into serious training, Rebecca had told Jae-min this much.

Right now, with his mind on edge and just starting to sense the nature of wind, was the perfect state for achieving enlightenment.

It wasn't a lie.

She had just deliberately omitted the part about 'having to get beaten and roll around until you puke.'

'Hwang Jae-min knows full well that it's no easy feat anyway.'

It was training to awaken a new sensation he'd never felt in his life.

He wasn't naive enough to think it would go as he wished.

So she hadn't bothered saying it out loud.

No need to dampen his spirits before even starting.

'...Roughly half a day of nonstop abuse should let him vaguely sense the existence of .'

It was a prediction based on the skill test from three days ago.

, the skill that foresaw enemies' malice-tainted actions early.

It was no exaggeration to call it an outrageously unreasonable skill that defied common sense.

Even just vaguely sensing its existence after half a day of investment would be an enormous gain for such a cheat skill.

For Jae-min to faintly recognize the awakening of .

That was Rebecca's ultimate goal for today's training.

With the signal to begin, three mannequins gripping weapons charged at Jae-min simultaneously.

Startled, Jae-min stepped back to create distance from the mannequins.

But Rebecca knew.

Those three were decoys to shield the archer mannequin loading arrows in the rear.

If had awakened, Jae-min would have foreseen it early and prepared.

'But since Hwang Jae-min hasn't reached that realm yet, he'll inevitably take the arrow—'

Rebecca's calm observation was cut short.

Jae-min, kicking off the ground, suddenly acted strangely in midair.

"...Hm?"

His shoulder twitched abruptly, and he hastily reached out into empty space.

At the same time, Rebecca's eyes flashed toward the archer mannequin.

The archer had just finished nocking and was about to release the bowstring.

Meanwhile.

Jae-min's hand, extended into the air, took on a shape as if grasping something.

"Eh...?"

Like snatching a fast-flying projectile mid-flight.

The moment Rebecca realized it.

"No, wait a second."

Her gritted lips parted slightly.

"Ack!"

The follow-up arrow from the archer struck Jae-min's forehead dead-on.

Rebecca felt a psychological shock nearly as intense hit her head.

'...Before the three decoy mannequins could even scatter, he acted as if catching the arrow.'

The archer mannequin shouldn't have been visible in Jae-min's field of view at all.

Yet he reacted and moved as if he'd seen the arrow barreling right at his nose.

The implication was all too clear.

"...Did he awaken on the first try?"

Half a day.

A coldly objective calculation without a shred of emotion.

But the scene she'd just witnessed proved it wrong.

"......"

For the first time since her creation, the homunculus faced an incomprehensible situation and lost her words.

"It's so easy that now I'm dazed in an easy way...."

Lying flat on the ground, I stared blankly at the skill window and chuckled.

My body was covered in mud right now.

If not for the sanctuary's system instantly healing wounds, I'd probably be full of injuries too.

"The skill acquisition was successful, but... it still feels pretty immature."

After the acquisition alert, I'd sparred with the ten mannequins over and over.

But unlike the first ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time, didn't activate reliably.

Out of ten attacks, I only predicted two or three successfully.

"The low activation rate must be because proficiency is only at 1."

It's nowhere near enough for real combat.

I need to raise the activation rate to at least 50%.

New goals keep popping up, and my heart won't stop racing.

...Separate from that, I'm exhausted to death right now.

"Anyway, we succeeded in acquiring the skill today, so all that's left is grinding proficiency from now on. So... this son thinks we should call today's training here, but what's Mother's opinion... Wait, why no response since earlier?"

I've been rambling like a madman alone.

So embarrassing.

"Uh, yeah...?"

Why's she suddenly so excited?

"Why? ...It just happened all of a sudden."

"...12 hours?"

It took me five minutes.

Well, yeah.

I'd gone in today mentally prepared to die.

Thinking back, succeeding so easily was indeed mysterious.

That's when Rebecca's voice cut in.

"Unleashing capabilities that defy common sense."

Her footsteps clicked as she approached and stood rigidly beside my sprawled form.

"That's what we call talent."

"Talent... Well, I won't deny it."

I'm not bragging with a high nose right now.

It's just a system fact.

"Mom gave me a talent boost before with Bloodline Can't Lie."

"The talent I'm referring to now is separate from Bloodline Can't Lie."

"...Separate?"

I started to ask what that meant, then paused.

Thinking about it, Bloodline Can't Lie only boosted proficiency in martial arts and abilities.

In other words, it explosively enhanced handling 'what you already have.'

But embodying a 'new sensation you never had before' is a whole different issue, right...?

Bloodline Can't Lie can't apply ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to skills you don't possess.

You need something to apply it to.

So, my awakening of far faster than Rebecca or Mom expected was...

"Talent... you say?"

"Yes. Not some artificial talent created by a skill. I'm talking about your innate aptitude."

Oh, right.

'The info said something like performance depends on the target's receptivity.'

...Huh?

Does that mean I'm...

"Was I a talent freak from birth?"

"Please refrain from crude slang, but... anyway. Yes. Isn't it common sense? Inheriting 'Legend' DNA without talent would be a cosmic error."

Both stared at me like I was weird, but I felt like the one rejected by common sense.

"...I thought I had no talent until now. That's why I stayed F-rank forever in my previous life..."

"You simply lived unaware of your talent and never had a chance to awaken it, so the misunderstanding is understandable."

"Haha..."

Even lying down, my legs trembled.

What the hell.

Then in my previous life, there was no need to self-loathe like that.

I hadn't inherited even a speck of Mom and Dad's talent.

I was a hopeless case.

No reason to sigh and wallow in self-pity my whole life.

"Bloodline Can't Lie merely shortened that process."

"......"

Living with inflated self-esteem is now a thing of the past.

Post-regression, I'm incomparably stronger and recognized by many.

But their words weren't meaningless to me.

I'd occasionally felt inferiority like without Bloodline Can't Lie, I'd be nothing—

Now, that burden's lifted. Feels refreshing.

'I was always meant to succeed.'

As I smiled silently, Rebecca suddenly extended her hand.

Grab it to stand?

"Ah, I can get up my—"

"No. You've achieved the goal, so you must receive your reward."

"Huh? ...Oh!"

I'd unconsciously seen itself as the reward and overlooked it.

The real reward was separate.

"Phase 1 curriculum: Pass. Congratulations, Hwang Jae-min."

"Then..."

"Yes. As promised, I'll grant you shop points."

Cheat skill acquired, free stats as bonus!

If I had a bit more energy, I'd yell in joy.

But anyway.

What's the connection between shop points and holding hands?

"Remotely, it's via intent like before, but face-to-face, it's hand-to-hand."

"Aha."

Guess I follow suit.

Not awkward holding a woman's hand unless you're hopeless.

I lightly ignored Mom's joke that wouldn't land.

But I stared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at Rebecca's hand without grabbing it.

Not because of Mom's mental attack(?).

Rebecca tilted her head at my hesitation.

"Why?"

"I'll take it later."

Surprised by the unexpected reply, she eyed me questioningly.

Nothing big.

"I'm not satisfied yet."

Better to raise proficiency a bit more first.

Paang-!

Mom-lookalike mannequins charging murderously at me is pure horror no matter how many times I see it.

I gripped my twin swords, eyes fixed on the mannequin zooming like a beam, body shivering.

Whoosh-!

In a blink, it closed in, swinging twin swords laden with killing intent.

But I knew this wasn't reality—yet—but an imminent illusion.

'Even can't 100% predict complex barrages with countless trajectories.'

Fluid yet intricate sword paths.

Can't overtrust every 'line' in my vision.

enables near-precognitive prediction, not true precognition.

'Must judge instantly which line is correct.'

Luckily, few lines narrow choices.

Like multiple choice: easier than true/false, higher hit rate.

'Yesterday it was a tangled mess like yarn...'

Now, flows intuitively visible at a glance.

Just trust instinct and body.

I filtered out some of the incoming lines.

Twisted body away from the ones I deemed true.

Buwoong!

Seemed my gut was right; twin swords sliced empty space where I'd dodged.

A welcome message appeared.

"Yes!"

I clenched my fist in triumph.

After awakening, three days of mad grinding.

Proficiency from '1' to '4' now.

"Isn't this true Bloodline Can't Lie power?"

Innate talent plus skill boost—proficiency skyrockets.

As I hummed happily, Rebecca approached.

"Time-wise, Phase 1 here? Proficiency 4 far exceeds combat-ready."

"Think so?"

-Swish.

As I replied, she extended her hand.

This time, I grabbed it wordlessly.

Warmth filled my body.

I released, quickly summoning status.

"......"

"Planned 50, but your attitude earned 30 extra."

When shocked speechless, words fail—this is it.

...Gotta buy calming pills later.

'Distribute evenly.'

As an all-rounder, no need to dump into one stat.

20 points each, +100 total!

Now, After results?

"Insane..."

All stats perfectly broke 500.

Status too dazzling to open eyes fully.

"Shop points will keep coming steadily. If you keep up the home training."

"Ah..."

"Maybe even more."

Seeing my moved face, Rebecca smirked.

Like a tamer domesticating ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a zoo beast.

And I,

"Let's start the next curriculum right away."

Honestly, I had no choice but to be tamed.