SSS SKILL: DUPLICATE

Chapter 4: Trial

Edgar opened his eyes and saw a room full of medieval European styles. He observes his body, and it feels like the real world. The trial is a virtual world that tests the abilities of the hyperbeing.

There are clues on how to pass the trial. Clues are connected to a god. The god that kept the divine core and skills at the gate of inheritance. The divine core and skills are only inherited when a hyperbeing passes the trial. The gate will disappear when the trial failed, and then it will appear in another Tier 3 broken world. A very rare trial appeared recently on earth. No gods exist in that virtual world. No challenger had ever passed it. No one knows how to pass it.

"Ahhh!" Edgar feels a headache from the sudden gush of memories in his head.

This world is called Aurora. It is a beautiful world with five continents and many auroras caused by magic particles. Elves live in southern continent. Demi-humans live together with humans in Eastern continent. Central continent is where most humans live. There are ice continents in north and south.

The kingdom being ruled by Edgar is located in the south eastern region of the central continent.

Edgar's kingdom is called the Baynard Kingdom. There are two kingdoms on its northern border: the Ru kingdom in the northwest and the Fran kingdom in the northeast. North of Ru and Fran is a powerful empire called the Maginev Empire. The Empire is at war with its neighboring powerful country in the west, called the Morowind Empire.

The royal family that rules the Baynard kingdom is the Flameworth family. Van Flameworth is the current Regent King, the character given to Edgar.

"There is no information on god in Van's memory. Damn! Is this the trial that no one has ever passed?! No! It is too early to conclude that. I should research first before making a conclusion,"thought Edgar. He frowns while exploring the memory of Van, and then his mind is suddenly struck by lightning. He saw a video of runesmithing. Although it only shows the beginning, the method is the same in Van's memory. The runes are the same! The knowledge in this world is real!

"No matter what kind of trial, I will not let go of this massive opportunity to learn. I will study magic, aura, and runesmith. I can let others study potions. I just need to know the process and formula. This world is a big treasure trove of knowledge!" thought Edgar. He is so excited to learn from this world, and then he feels confused.

Hyperbeings can have two sources of power: aura and magic. Aura is graded from level one to level four. Magicians are graded on how many circles they have on their mana core.

Poison Lord is a third-level aura master and 6th-circle magician. Death God is a third peak level aura master and 8th circle magician, the highest stage in magic in the world and considered a demigod level.

Edgar feels confused because if the knowledge in the Gate of Inheritance is real, why is knowledge on magic, aura, potion making, and runesmithing not spread to the whole world? They subconsciously thought that it was just an illusion. If you defeat the enemy, then you will inherit skills. They thought that their knowledge of potions and runesmiths came from their own studies.

"Damn! The top is monopolizing knowledge! It is probably an open secret to them!" Edgar grits his teeth and grips his fist as he realizes it.

''Why are we, at the bottom, not given a chance to learn?! Why?" asked Edgar in his mind. He remembers how powerless he was when his parents were protecting them. He remembers how they desperately protected them against the beast. They fought the beast as ordinary parents who were just protecting their children. Edgar cries while remembering how his parents sacrificed themselves five years ago.

Edgar wiped his tears, and then his eyes look determined. He will find the answer, but the knowledge of aura and magic must spread to the bottom—to the people like them who are powerless against the magic beast and lawless hyperbeings!

Edgar continues to explore the knowledge of Van on magic.

Cultivating magic requires meditation techniques. The better the meditation technique, the faster mana is absorbed from the air or from mana stones. The better the aptitude of the body, the faster and more mana is absorbed. The best meditation techniques could reach the 8th circle of magic.

The meditation technique includes how to form a mana core and a magic circle on the core. When the capacity of the mana core is saturated, another circle can form, which improves the capacity of the mana core. The rune in each circle is different. The rune of the second circle is different from the first circle, and so on. The best meditation techniques have complete details of runes from the 1st circle to the 8th circle.

Forming the runes of a higher circle is not easy for everybody. Some stay in the second circle forever due to their aptitude for magic.

Van had magic, but Edgar must start from scratch. There is a clear method in Van's memory on how to establish a magic core in the sea of consciousness, an instruction from Flame Art Meditation. Edgar closes his eyes, then follows the instructions in Van's memory. Blue mana is gathering and rotating in his sea of consciousness.

TNNNG! A blue mana core appears.

"Success!" thought Edgar. He feels happy.He has been dreaming for a long time to possess magical ability. Next, he built his first magic circle on his mana core. Edgar easily did it because Van repeatedly trained them. The steps are very clear. It only requires concentration, which Edgar does not lack.

Edgar further explores Van's memory of magic. Magic is cast through magic circles. There is a faster way to cast magic: rune skills. Magic skills can be formed into magic rune skills in the sea of consciousness. The magic rune that appears inside the magic circle when casting a skill is the rune that can be formed in the sea of consciousness.

Edgar tried to form his first magic rune in his sea of consciousness. Runes are slowly forming in his sea of consciousness. A mistake is made on a rune, and then it bursts. Edgar repeatedly tried, but he quickly got exhausted. Forming runes in the sea of consciousness requires mental energy and mana.

Edgar went to a drawer and took mana and stamina potions. Mana, stamina, and health recovery potions only recover 5%, but some countries in Aurora are 2% more effective. On Earth, they only recover 4%.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Edgar is startled by the sudden knock from the door.

"Your Highness, may I come in?" asked a maid. Edgar hesitates because he has not adjusted yet to Van's character. Van is a lazy and debaucherous prince. People might notice that he is a different person, but he has already prepared a logical reason.

"Yes," replied Edgar. The maid came in while trembling and staring at the ground, afraid of being molested by the prince. She looks 16 years old, cute, has blue hair, and has well-developed body.

"Y-your highness, y-your food is ready!" The cute little maid is stuttering. She did not even dare look at Edgar.

Edgar is not surprised to see the maid feeling afraid of him since Van was always looking at her with a lecherous gaze.

"Alright, you can get out now," replied Edgar. The little maid is surprised to hear a calm reply from the prince. In the past, Van would always talk like a pervert to her, but today she did not hear any lecherous remarks. The little maid looks at the prince, and then her heart skips a beat. Red hair, handsome face, and eyes are not the usual eyes of a pervert but pure and calm. Eyes are the window of the soul.

"What is it?" asked Edgar to the little maid who is staring at him.

"N-nothing, your highness." The maid looks flustered, and her face is blushing. She immediately retreated and went out of the room. Edgar smiles at the silliness of the maid.

"Her name is Elena. She's been the maid of Van for 2 years. The king chose her because she is smart. Van did not force himself on Elena because he is afraid of the king. She might be a good candidate for secretary," thought Edgar. He smiles as he remembers the silliness of the little maid earlier. He changed his clothes and went to the dining room. Elena is waiting for him there.

"Elena, call the prime minister later to the study room after I eat. Also, find a craftsman that can be trusted, then bring him to me." ordered Edgar.

"Yes, your highness!" answered Elena.She is surprised by his sudden change, but for her, it is better than staying as a debauchery prince.

After eating, Edgar went to his study room and waited for the prime minister to arrive.

When he was exploring the memory of Van, he saw a plant that could earn a lot of money to solve the kingdom's plight. A powerful kingdom is what he needs to carry out his plan. Money is a powerful tool that drives a kingdom's prosperity.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in." Edgar looks at the prime minister who came in. He is trusted by the King. He looks nearly 70 years old and very exhausted. Based on Van's memory, this is an old man who tirelessly worked for the kingdom. He is a minister who can be trusted.

"Your highness, did you ask someone to bring me here?" asked Albert. He was surprised when he heard that the prince took the initiative to have a meeting with him since this is the first time that it has happened since the prince became a regent king one month ago. Albert notices the changes in Van and is surprised at first, but quickly regains his composure. He is an old man with so much experience that only a few could make him lose his calm.

"Sit first. We will have a long conversation," said Edgar while smiling at Albert. He respects this minister. Albert sits and looks confused. He doesn't know how he will have a long conversation since he knows that most knowledge of Van is about women!

"Do you know Franbeans?" Edgar asked the minister. Franbeans are called soybeans on Earth. It is called franbeans because it originated in the kingdom of Fran.

"Franbeans? The fodder of livestock? We have stocks, but livestock does not like it. Livestock only eat it when there is no other food. Why are you asking, your highness?" Asked Albert.

"Franbeans can make us earn a lot of gold," answered Edgar. Albert stood up and looks shocked. He can't believe what he heard. Franbeans that are treated as cheap as grass could have so much value in gold. Albert stares at Edgar, hoping that he isn't joking because the kingdom desperately needs money.

"How will you earn gold from Franbeans, your highness?" asked Albert. He loses his composure.

Edgar smiled at the shocked old man, then answered his question.

"Oil!"