"Well, that was informative," Lone thought aloud as he put the communication orb back into his Dimensional Storage.

In essence, the guild couldn't really do anything to help except possibly delaying his sentencing if he could contact them and lobby for their aid.

One of the main reasons The Adventurer's Guild was a leading power across the entire continent was because it respected the sovereignty of the kingdoms, empires, and other such ruling bodies it created branches in.

As much as the grand guildmaster protected her adventurers, neither she nor her organisation would bend over backwards to help him as Gilbert had. After all, Lone did illegally learn one of the kingdom's most prized and heavily guarded skills.

He could understand and respect that. He was in the wrong here so he wouldn't hold it against the guild for not spoiling him rotten.

"If only Takers used a skill," Lone lamented. "If they did, I could become one and just literally steal skills instead of copying them at beginner-level-1."

Sadly, as Gilbert had told him, it was an inborn talent. It wasn't a racial skill like Stone's VIsion, Miner's Glory, Eyes of the White Dragon, or Tail Spear. No, it didn't relate to the system at all. Well, ignoring the fact it allowed someone to remove skills, that is.

According to Gilbert, they could remove all of a person's skills if given enough time. Worst of all, the people affected would become unable to relearn the taken skill. It was as if their capacity to learn it got taken just as the skill itself did.

For this reason, Takers, while unable to level or gain skills themselves, were perhaps the most feared and respected group of individuals on the planet.

They even had their own special organisation designed to find, train, and protect all Takers according to Gilbert.

"They're like an empty void since they can't use what they take... At least it isn't an instant process. It takes a good while to slowly suck the skills out of a person. That means I can Mental Destruction them if need be. They should be pretty weak, after all. As if I'm losing my hard work, needless to mention I can't let my unique skills get fucked around with," Lone decided.

With that out of the way, he got off of his cot and cracked his neck.

He would stay here for now, at least until he got to see the Taker that had been tasked with witnessing his trial and removing his skills should it come to that.

Lone wanted to see if he or Soph could identify anything telling about them to avoid Takers in the future. His main thought there being Soph's Mana Sensing.

Perhaps they had something special about them in their magical aura which she could detect. Or maybe they wore an easily recognisable uniform from their organisation.

For now though? For now, he was going to start working on his ideas to improve Ungrounded by himself.

Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 2. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 3. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 7.

Lone got a towel and wiped the sweat from his exposed chest and his head. He then stored the food and water he'd been given today.

With that done, he laid down on his cot and took out his journal and an already inked quill.

'Day 2 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

Gained 2 levels in Ungrounded, only 1 in Pet Mastery.

Couldn't really be bothered grooming Kyuubi seriously since I was busy trying my best to improve Ungrounded. No progress yet, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

Going to try reading a book in the dark to improve Reading Mastery then I'll meditate instead of sleeping. If I go enough nights without rest, I'm hoping I'll get a Sleep Deprivation Resistance skill.'

With his journal entry for the day completed, he got to work with his Reading Mastery and Meditation practice.

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Reading Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 5. Congratulations! The host's active skill [Meditation] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 9. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 4. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 8. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 9. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 10.

'Day 3 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

No headway still with Ungrounded, but even with my insane speed of learning, I'm hopeful. At least I'm gaining levels just by using it. I bet that'll stop when I hit advanced. Probably needs to be used in high-intensity situations then, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Gave Kyuubi the love she deserves. Even had a long chat with Soph while doing it - telepathically, of course. She and Breena are doing well, which is good. They're taking guild quests near the prison to help pay for the inn fees while keeping me in the range of Soph's Mana Sensing. Sucks I'm low on money and can't help, but it is what it is.

Gonna read and meditate again.'

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Reading Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 6. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 5. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 1. Passive Skill: Pet Mastery

A skill that increases the host's ability to properly care for pets by 15% [+10%].

Cost: N/A Mastery: Intermediate Level 1

'Day 4 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

No level in Meditation yesterday, sadly. Not uncommon though. It's a bitch of a skill.

Made a bit of progress today though with Ungrounded which is nice. I'm trying to see if I can ignore the laws of gravity entirely by walking up the walls. I usually fall flat on my face the second I try to stop standing perpendicular. I can do it in fights though like I did against Hamish when I first met him, so I just need to learn how to do it in a peaceful setting. I only fell today after two steps vertically instead of one, so yeah, progress.

Bit disappointed by Pet Mastery, but that skill really is what it says on the tin. Tomorrow I'll get Soph to sneak in my cell and groom Kyuubi for me. I'm also feeling pent up. 4-days is a long fucking time.

Gonna do my night training now.'

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Reading Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 7. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Sex Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 6. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Sex Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 7. Congratulations! The host's active skill [Meditation] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 10. Congratulations! The host's active skill [Meditation] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 1. Active Skill: Meditation

A skill that allows the host to reach a place of zen mentally.

The ability to think rationally when upset or angered is passively 15% [+10%] easier.

Focused thinking while meditating leads to logical conclusions and comprehension of complex matters 15% [+10%] faster.

Cost: 90 SP [-10 SP] per 10 minutes [+5 minutes]. Mastery: Intermediate Level 1

'Day 5 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

Spent pretty much the entire day with Soph, trying our best to indulge and not get caught. Was exciting, but kinda dumb.

Still, call it post-nut clarity or whatever, but I got two levels in Meditation just from using the skill for a couple of hours before writing this.

Man, hard-to-get skills sure are in a league of their own. Just from beginner to intermediate four things improved, unlike the usual two. Maybe it's because it's active? Unlikely since Weapon Block is pretty basic despite being advanced and also an active skill.

Whatever. I'm only now starting to get thirsty and hungry. I think on top of getting an extended lifespan, ranking up makes the need for sleep, hunger, and thirst, decrease. I haven't gone to bed since being locked up but I feel just fine. Anyway, to reading.'

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Reading Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 8. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 6. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 7.

'Day 6 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

Managed five steps up the wall today. I'm this close to reaching the ceiling. Even if this doesn't result in a new subskill or a new ability being added to Ungrounded, it's certainly powerlevelling the fucking thing.

I need to consider this more. Reading in the dark is doing the same for Reading Mastery and I already know combat is miles better than training for battle-related skills.

So, difficulty, or, maybe pushing yourself? Tension? Something makes skills improve faster.

Well, maybe not the skills. Maybe just the person's actual ability and the system is just reflecting that. After all, it's not like without the system the people of Altros would just lose all of their skills.

All they would lose is the boosts from rank ups. This world facilitates magical and wondrous abilities as well as quantitive changes to one's very being - personal rank-ups. That was true before the system came according to my research.

This world is incredibly good at record keeping. It has such comprehensive knowledge of events that happened millions of years ago. Then again, it also 'forgot' about Void. Something to think about, I guess.

... I need to not meditate and write at the same time. I mean, I come up with good ideas but fuck me is it scary. This'll do for today's journal entry.'

Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 2. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Pet Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 3. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 8. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 9. Congratulations! The host's Primal skill [Ungrounded] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 10.

'Day 7 of my imprisonment in Krieg Moor, awaiting my trial.

Made it to the roof, fuck yeah I did! Also fell immediately and slammed face-first onto the floor as if the skill was rejecting me walking upside down.

I wonder why. Maybe because I'm using the skill to ground myself, just to the roof? Still, progress is progress. Should reach advanced rank tomorrow too so its SP cost will go down and I can experiment more.

About the whole 'skills get stronger if you do them under stress' theory/confirmed fact, yeah, trying my best to get every single hair when brushing Kyuubi, perfectly filing her nails, fluffing her tail just right, doing it all with the utmost attention got me sweating and made the skill level twice despite being a rank higher than before.

That all but confirms it. Now, all I need to do is think of a way to make every skill I train more successful.'

Congratulations! The host's active skill [Meditation] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 2. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Reading Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 9. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Hunger Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 9. Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Thirst Resistance] has levelled up! It is now Intermediate Level 6.

"Finally," Lone mumbled as he cracked his neck and readied himself for another day of climbing up the walls.

Just then though, he heard footsteps that didn't match those of the usual guard's. 'Weird that I can recognise his footsteps, but whatever. Now, the real question is, does this person want to talk to me for any serious reason or is it for something trivial? Could be Hamish for all I know. Then again, I likely wouldn't hear his footsteps at all, sneaky fucker that he is.'

Regardless, Lone sat silently on the floor of his cell cross-legged and with his eyes closed. He had to look the part, didn't he? The poor, starving fox who was humbling himself by meditating.

Indeed, there was no wall-walking, pet grooming, reading, nor fornicating fox held within this cell. Only a perfectly proper prisoner.

"... This is what I have to work with?" a tired woman's voice asked. "Well, I've had worse clients, if nothing else. Definitely a looker, if not filthy as all hells and a beastkin."

Lone slowly opened his eyes with a serene expression on his face. Standing in front of him, on the other side of the bars containing him, was a more than well-dressed dwarven woman who was thin and dainty, unlike her peers.

She had glasses sitting atop her slightly crooked nose but otherwise, she looked perfectly normal.

"Hello," he greeted her with a charming smile.

"Hi. Now, here's how things are going to go down. I'm your personal arbiter, okay? Decided on by the greater council. What I say during your trial may spare you from getting executed. So I need you to tell me the truth, and nothing but the truth to make sure this all turns out as favourably for you as possible. My career record is on the line here. Is that understood?" she asked in an authoritative tone.

'... My first ever time getting a lawyer and it's a dwarven woman with an attitude problem. What a world I now live in.' Lone's smile turned into a grin. "Lady, you haven't even told me your name yet."