Sito looked confused. "What do you mean? If we want to go back later, can't you just prepare the ritual again? Or is this a 'we don't have enough resources' situation?"
The princess sighed heavily, her eyes drifting to the moon, then to the monstrous silhouette. Before settling back on us.
"One of the underwater kingdoms—Mera—discovered the summoning circle at the bottom of the ocean, where the lost continent once lay. Along with it, they found rare mana stones—ones that harness space and time magic. They powered the ritual that summoned you here... and could've sent you back to the exact moment you left. But—there were only enough stones for two trips one to bring you here, and one to send you home.
We believe more of these stones lie embedded in the ruins of the lost continent… which is now fused with the moon. But even if we could reach it, the creature orbiting it makes any attempt suicidal."
She paused, studying us. I met her deep blue eyes, trying to process the weight of what she'd just said. Sito didn't look at her. He stared up at the sky.
'He's gonna choose to go home. There's no way he's staying after hearing that.'
The princess continued, her voice softer, as though she believed she'd finally gotten through to us.
"So you have one chance. One chance to go home with your friends—to return to your families and your peaceful world."
I didn't blink. "I'm still staying."
She didn't seem surprised. Like she'd expected that. Like it wasn't me she was trying to convince.
"Did you even think about what she just said?" Sito snapped. "I thought if we didn't like this place, we could wait a week and be sent back. Now she's saying there's no way back—and look at that thing!" He pointed skyward. "That moon behind it? It looks like someone tried to patch it together with dirt, bubble gum, and duct tape. That thing could destroy this world whenever it wants."
I didn't respond. I just looked at Talia.
It wasn't me she was trying to convince. It was him.
"Fucking listen!" Sito yelled. "Joe and Omar might be right. This is insane."
My expression darkened. "Then in six days, go the fuck home. Did I ever try to convince anyone to stay? I said I was staying. Not us. Me. No one's keeping you here."
Sito cursed under his breath, turned, and stormed off.
I looked back at Talia. "You got what you wanted, I guess."
"Not entirely," she said. "If you're so determined to stay, then prove it. Tell me your status so we can prepare you for what's ahead."
I sighed. "My title is called Summoned Scum. Its effects are—"
She burst out laughing.
I stared blankly as she laughed for a full minute before catching her breath.
"Wait, your title is literally Scum? And you still think you're fit for this world? You're really an idiot. Go on, Scum—tell me what it does."
I explained Infamy, Survivor's Edge, Stigma of the Outsider.
"So… you're going to level twice as slow as everyone else, no one's going to like you, and your one good effect is basically useless because if you're under 25% HP, you're already halfway dead."
"If I'm solo, my XP gain won't be affected."
"If you ever find yourself outside the castle walls alone… run. And don't stop running, because if you don't—you'll die."
She shook her head. "Keep going."
I listed my attributes, skills, and traits.
"Below-average stats. Comparable to a child. Probably because you come from a world without mana. That no level cap bit—that's interesting. It implies my people do have one. As far as I know, no one's ever reached it. Getting new skills every 25 levels is incredible—most people get them every 50. So you'll have twice as many by the time you reach their level. And your skills… are interesting. Show me."
"How do I activate them?"
"Call out the skill you want to use."
I grimaced. Great. It's one of those kinds of worlds.
I pointed my hand toward the ground, fingers together like a karate chop. "Voidcut."
Immediately, I felt a pull in my chest—cold and calm, like diving into a pool on a hot day. The energy surged to points of my fingers.
A cut tore through the ground—fourteen inches long, three inches wide. No wind. No flash. Just the dry, cracking sound of stone splitting.
I stared at the gash and smiled.
Talia said nothing, eyes fixed on the mark.
"Again," she said. "But don't speak. Recreate the feeling of the mana moving through your body."
I turned to another spot, willed the mana to move, guided it to my finger, and released.
This time, the cut was smaller. Still instant—just weaker.
"Next skill. Use it on me."
I can't lie—I was excited. Maybe this would bring her to her knees. Maybe she'd finally respect me.
I raised my palm toward her. "Gravity Bind."
This mana felt different—not cold, but heavy. Not physically or emotionally. Just… weighted.
The energy rushed to my hand and spread across my palm. A ripple burst forth and slammed into the princess.
She didn't move. Didn't even blink. Only her pants responded—tightening slightly around the boots.
The spell ended.
"Again. Don't speak it."
I tried once more. Raised my palm. Focused. But something was off.
Talia vanished right before the mana left my hand.
Where she'd stood, the ground cracked—dozens of small cuts etched into the stone.
"I should have warned you. That's my fault."
I turned. She was beside me.
"Time to go over the basics," she said, raising two fingers. "You have two mana affinities, but only one mana pool. To cast silently, you must replicate the mana's movement as if you'd spoken the spell. You also need to recreate the feeling of the affinity. It's not automatic. What do your affinities feel like?"
"Space feels cold and calm, like cooling down after overheating. Gravity feels… heavy. Just heavy."
"Good. You subconsciously used Space before—probably the one you're most attuned to. Try again. This time, channel the weight."
She stepped in front of me.
I guided the mana to my palm, focusing on that heavy feeling. The cold vanished. The weight surged outward.
Less pressure than before, but there all the same.
She nodded.
"Good. At least you're not completely hopeless."