SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 37: The Hall Where Futures Are Measured

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The Hall Where Futures Are Measured

A few heads lifted and tired eyes sharpened when the explorer mentioned the destination.

The Explorers Guild.

Even in the slums, that name carried weight.

Arthur rose with the others, slipping his empty bowl into a crate before adjusting the strap of his pouch. His body still ached and his muscles felt thick and heavy, yet the dull edge of exhaustion had softened enough for him to move and think without fighting himself.

They followed the explorer through stone corridors that gradually widened until the passage opened into a massive interior complex carved directly into the bedrock beneath Grimwatch.

Torches lined the walls, and pale blue crystals embedded into metal brackets provided steady light. People moved everywhere.

Explorers in different armor styles passed by. Merchants pushed small carts stacked with goods. Apprentices carried crates of supplies between sections.

Arthur’s gaze wandered as they walked.

To the left stretched a long row of counters where weapons were displayed behind reinforced glass. Swords, spears, axes, and daggers lined the racks. Some looked like ordinary steel, while others carried faint runic glows.

Beyond that stood armor frames displaying leather sets, chainmail, and mixed composite gear reinforced with monster hide. Further in, a wide hall was covered in layered notice boards filled with parchment.

Mission postings.

Kill requests.

Escort contracts.

Dungeon scouting assignments.

Another section housed alchemy stalls with bottles stacked neatly in racks. Red tinted health potions, blue mana restoratives, stabilization draughts, and antidotes filled the shelves.

Farther back, artifact booths sat behind thick barriers where strange objects floated slowly inside containment fields. Rings, crystals, broken relic fragments, mana compasses, and detection lenses drifted in slow rotations.

Arthur quietly took mental notes.

Weapons.

Missions.

Potions.

Artifacts.

Near the far wall, exchange counters handled monster materials and payments, explorers handing over parts in return for coin or guild credit.

This place was an ecosystem.

A complete economic loop built around killing monsters.

He liked it.

Efficiency always appealed to him.

Beside him, a young man whispered, barely containing his amazement. "So much stuff..."

Arthur replied softly, "And we can’t touch any of it yet."

The man grimaced, then nodded. "Yet."

Arthur nodded as well.

That word mattered.

They passed through several branching corridors before stopping in front of wide double doors marked by a simple metal plaque.

ASSESSMENT HALL.

The doors opened.

A wave of pressure rolled outward.

Not physical.

Not quite mana alone either.

It felt like stepping into a space filled with predators who had learned to wear human skin.

The hall was enormous. Tiered seating rose along the sides, while a wide open floor stretched toward a raised platform at the far end where several figures were already seated.

Arthur felt his skin tighten slightly.

Around him, awakeners reacted instinctively. Some straightened their backs. Some swallowed. Some clenched their fists. A few took shallow breaths, fighting the urge to step back.

Arthur remained still.

Yet the pressure was real. Crude. Unrefined intimidation.

They’re testing reactions.

He lifted his chin slightly, keeping his expression calm. Not defiant, not submissive.

In his past life, he had stood before executives who crushed entire departments with a glance. He had sat in rooms where one wrong sentence ended lives.

Compared to that, this felt like a reminder.

Strong, yes.

Dangerous, yes.

But simple.

The awakeners were guided toward rows of benches arranged in the center of the hall. They sat, some stiff, some awkward, and some trying very hard not to look terrified.

Arthur sat with his back straight, hands resting loosely on his thighs.

On the raised platform, Captain Veylor stepped forward.

This time, he did not hide his presence.

Mana rolled off him in slow, heavy waves. Dense but controlled.

The difference was obvious.

Earlier, he had been an escort for the wounded survivors. Now he stood as the captain in charge. Authority followed him naturally.

Behind him sat several others. Men and women in varied armor styles. Some leaned back casually while others sat rigidly.

All of them radiated strength.

Arthur counted quickly.

Not everyone was present. Two seats remained empty.

Likely commanders currently deployed.

Veylor gestured.

"Division commanders present."

He began pointing.

"Third Division Commander Halvek."

A broad-shouldered man with scarred knuckles nodded once.

"Second Division Commander Mira."

A sharp-eyed woman with short silver hair offered a faint smile.

"Fourth Division Commander Rask."

A tall man whose armor looked more like layered bone than metal inclined his head.

Behind each commander stood several squad captains. Younger, less oppressive, but still dangerous.

Arthur stored the information quietly.

Faces.

Positions.

Hierarchy.

It was going to be useful later.

Veylor did not waste time.

"You already received basic explanations," he said. "This hall exists to determine where you begin, not where you end."

His gaze swept across the awakeners.

"Some of you will start low. Some slightly higher. None of you start high enough to matter."

He said it without sugarcoating.

"Talent reading comes first. After that, placement follows."

A few people shifted nervously.

Veylor turned toward the side.

"Bring out the machine."

Two guild technicians rolled forward a waist-high metal device mounted on thick wheels. It resembled a tall crystal pillar encased in steel framing, with a shallow handprint indentation near the center. Runes glowed faintly along its surface.

Arthur leaned forward slightly.

Mana conductivity sensor.

Likely measuring flow rate, purity, stability, and volume dispersion.

Veylor faced the awakeners again.

"You will line up. One by one. Place your hand. Push mana. Do not force it. If you force it, you get inaccurate readings. Anyone who tampers will be removed."

Silence filled the hall.

The weight of the moment settled slowly.

Paths were forming. Some people would rise faster. Some slower. Some might never rise at all.

Arthur was curious as well.

Where will this place me?

Not because he cared about the label, but because he wanted to understand how far outside the curve he already was.

Veylor raised his hand.

"Form the line."

The awakeners stood.

Chairs scraped softly.

A single-file line formed beside the machine.

Arthur took his place somewhere near the middle. He rolled his shoulders once, loosening tight muscles as he thought.

Whatever the result, it doesn’t change my path.

Only my starting lane.

Ahead of him, a young woman rubbed her palms together nervously.

Behind him, a boy muttered prayers under his breath.

The assessment was about to begin.