"It should be this place," Rain said to himself, staring at the unassuming motel.

  He took out his vape from his denim jacket and placed it on his lips, inhaling deeply.

  A sweet vapor filled his mouth and lungs before he exhaled quickly.

  "Sweet as always," he thought as he walked to room 05 on the ground floor.

  Rain knocked three times, paused for a few moments, then knocked four more times.

  It was a simple knock code to let them know it was him.

  The door slowly opened.

  In the dim light spilling from the room, a silhouette of a slender woman with an hourglass figure greeted Rain.

  "Took you a while," she said lazily, stepping aside to let him in and locking the door behind him.

  "Sorry, Claire... I had to deliver something before coming here," Rain replied.

  He watched her walk toward the double bed.

  The soft glow of the bedside lamp illuminated her figure—bright green eyes, straight blond hair cascading down her back, a voluptuous chest barely concealed by her bathrobe, and wide, motherly hips hinting at someone who had already brought new life into the world.

  But the most striking feature was her pointed ears. She was a half-elf.

  "I left the skill book you wanted near the TV... but you know what to do first," Claire said seductively, undoing her bathrobe.

  The garment slid off her shoulders, falling to the floor, revealing her 100 cm H-cup breasts, 60 cm waist, and 93 cm hips in the dim light.

  "You're still a slut, Claire," Rain remarked, his voice devoid of lust, as he unbuttoned his jacket to reveal a simple white T-shirt, black jeans, and a prominent bulge.

  "You don't get to complain after fucking me with that thing," she retorted, lying on the bed.

  "Fine, fine," Rain muttered, exasperated, as he approached the bed and began undressing. He left on his white shirt and boxers until the last moment, climbing onto the bed and finally removing them.

  Positioning himself, Rain spread Claire's legs open. Under the dim light, her entrance glistened with wetness.

  Clearly, she had been playing with herself while waiting for him. Rain smirked slightly.

  Without a second thought, he guided his hard, erect manhood to her wet slit, slowly penetrating her and stretching her apart as he sank deeper.

  "Damn, tight as always," Rain murmured, unable to hold back the comment.

  Leaning forward, he kissed her gently, the touch deepening as their tongues danced together passionately.

  Claire didn’t resist but responded with equal fervor.

  As their kiss deepened, Rain began to move his hips, thrusting slowly but firmly into her. Claire wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as they embraced tightly.

  Rain maintained a steady, deep rhythm. They savored each other's presence, letting time flow unhurriedly. There was no rush; only the pure enjoyment of the moment.

  They continued to kiss, pausing only briefly for air before resuming.

  As Rain's climax neared, the building sensation spurred him to thrust faster. Claire didn’t protest—instead, she encouraged him, digging her nails into his back and pulling him closer as his movements became rougher.

  Both reached their first climax together, an explosion of primal desire igniting between them.

  Rain didn’t stop or pull out. He continued thrusting, riding through another orgasm with her.

  Eventually, they lost count of how many times they came. The bed grew damp from sweat and other fluids.

  Finally, exhausted after countless orgasms, Claire cuddled close to Rain. Together, they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

  ***

  In a world of magic and technology, where the boundary between fantasy and reality is blurred, the existence of demi-humans is the norm.

  Half-humans and half-elves are treated no differently from humans. Centaurs are celebrated athletes, and catgirls or werewolves coexist as equals. It’s a world where magic thrives alongside advanced technology.

  In this world lives Rain Maxwell, a man born with a body full of curses, his life reduced to being nothing more than a tool.

  "Rain... why don't you visit our son and daughter for once?" Claire asked casually as she dressed in the motel room.

  "And get beat up by your husband?" Rain replied quickly, recognizing her teasing tone.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  He continued, "Besides, I think they're better off with your husband as their father figure. Who would want their dad to be a deadbeat, low-rank Ascendance like me?"

  Rain sat on the bedside, pulling out his e-cig. He took a deep drag before exhaling slowly, the vapor dissipating into the dimly lit room.

  "You should treat him well. It's rare to find a good husband like him. Even knowing they're not his own blood, he loves them so much," Rain sighed deeply.

  Claire scowled at him briefly before smirking. "Yeah, yeah, enough praising my husband. It's not like I wanted this situation either. Mana crystals have become ridiculously expensive, and I need them to maintain my body. You know as well as anyone that elves—or those with elven blood—need a constant mana supply to survive outside the Tree of Life. Otherwise, we suffer mana withdrawal... and trust me, it feels like being burned alive while still breathing. You should already know that."

  Rain nodded in understanding, well aware of Claire's household circumstances.

  While she was relatively wealthy, it wasn’t enough to afford a constant supply of mana crystals without strain. Both she and her husband were mid-rank Ascendants, earning decent money through dungeon diving, but it wasn’t enough for the life Claire had always dreamed of—living near the Tree of Life.

  Unfortunately, the housing market there was chaotic, with prices rising each year. Claire found herself chasing a moving goalpost. In an effort to save money on mana crystals, she resorted to older methods—absorbing mana through blood, breast milk, or semen from individuals with high-quality mana reserves.

  Why such perverse methods? No one really knew. Simpler techniques, like pressing a palm to transfer mana, were much less effective. Only 20% of mana successfully transferred this way; the rest dispersed into the air. The more intimate methods, while unconventional, proved significantly more efficient.

  Rain, despite being a low-rank, common-class Ascendant, was uniquely gifted.

  He possessed pure, high-quality mana in vast quantities, akin to a living, walking mana crystal. Hospitals and others in need frequently purchased his blood. And for his semen? Being a gigolo was an easy solution.

  His small, frail build, fair skin, and androgynous, youthful looks made him particularly appealing to women with dominant traits—and to some men. His abundant mana reserves enhanced his appeal, making it easier for him to sell his body.

  But Claire was different.

  She wasn’t one of his clients. She was his childhood friend, ex-girlfriend, and even ex-fiancée.

  Their romantic feelings had long since dulled, replaced by a tacit agreement to help each other when needed, regardless of their respective relationships.

  "Don’t forget that [Tamer] skill book. It wasn’t easy to get. I had to call in a lot of favors from my elven connections," Claire said as she finished dressing and prepared to leave.

  "Take care of yourself, Rain."

  "Thanks, Claire. You too," Rain replied as she stepped out of the motel room.

  He sighed, grabbing his clothes, dress up quickly, and grab the [Tamer] skill book.

  "Time to visit the Ascendance guild," he thought to himself before heading out.

  ***

  A towering structure came into view, its design a unique blend of medieval castle aesthetics and modern architectural elements. It stood out in the heart of the city, serving as both a landmark and a beacon for new Ascendants.

  Rain arrived at the Ascendance Guild during lunchtime. As expected, the queue was as long as ever, regardless of the hour.

  He pulled out his e-cig, taking a deep drag before exhaling slowly. "Time to queue, then," he thought, resigned to the inevitable wait.

  After three grueling hours of boredom, it was finally Rain's turn. He walked briskly to the receptionist counter, holding his numbered ticket.

  "May I have your ID card and the purpose of your visit?" the receptionist asked in a cheerful tone, their robotic smile betraying the exhaustion of a service worker’s life.

  Rain handed over his Ascendance ID card. "I’m here to learn a skill from a skill book I have," he replied.

  The receptionist scanned the card and nodded. "Ah, Ascendant Rain. Of course. The service fee will be 1,000 Union Dollars."

  'Fucking bloodsuckers,' Rain thought, his eye twitching as he suppressed a curse. He already knew how expensive the fee would be but couldn’t help the frustration.

  This wasn’t Rain’s first time using the Ascendance Guild’s services to learn a skill. Previously, he had acquired the [Appraisal] skill through a skill book he purchased. When he’d first encountered the steep fee, he’d been humiliated by his inability to pay. Luckily, an old friend working at the guild had covered the shortfall in exchange for a favor.

  Today, however, Rain was prepared. He handed over his debit card, confident in his savings.

  But a loud beep from the machine shattered his confidence.

  "Uhm... it seems your balance is insufficient, Sir Rain," the receptionist said, an awkward smile creeping onto their face.

  "What?!" Rain exclaimed, his voice rising in shock. "It should be enough! I checked before coming here—it had 1,010 in it!"

  The receptionist double-checked, their expression turning apologetic. "I’m sorry, Sir Rain, but it seems I misquoted the service fee. This is your second time learning a skill, and the fee for repeat sessions is 2,000 Union Dollars. It becomes more expensive as additional skills are harder to imprint. The data from your ID card confirms this is your second time."

  "WHAT?!" Rain shouted again, his disbelief palpable. "No one told me the fee increases! I don’t remember anything about this!"

  "It’s a recent change," the receptionist explained with a helpless smile. "About two months ago, actually. It was implemented due to the high number of Ascendants and the rising costs in the economy."

  Rain buried his face in his hands, letting out a long, loud sigh. Every part of him wanted to scream, but he restrained himself.

  Left with no other choice, he turned to a desperate solution. "Can you call Remillia? She works here... I think I’ll need her help to cover the remaining fee," he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation.

  The receptionist hesitated before nodding. "I’ll call her, but it may take some time since I don’t know her personally. Please wait for 10 to 15 minutes," they said before heading to the office area to make the call.

  Fifteen minutes later, the receptionist returned, confirming that Rain’s procedure could move forward. He led Rain down a long hallway deeper into the guild, stopping at one of the chambers.

  "Please wait inside. A magician will arrive in 5 to 10 minutes to help you learn the skill from your book," the receptionist said with a small bow before leaving Rain alone.

  Rain stepped inside and sat down, the faint tension of the past few hours finally beginning to ebb away.

  ***

  Thankfully, Rain didn’t have to wait long. Just a few minutes later, someone entered the magic chamber.

  Rain turned to look at the entrance and immediately frowned before quickly replacing it with a bright, cheerful smile.

  "It’s been a while, Remillia," Rain greeted warmly.

  The woman who entered smiled back at him, her expression radiant. But with her pale white skin, crimson-red eyes, and rose-colored hair, her presence sent a chill down Rain’s spine.

  "Been a while, too, Rain," Remillia replied, her voice as enchanting as a siren’s song. "And also, you should call me Guild Master here."

  Her words carried a subtle edge, and Rain knew better than to dismiss it. Behind that alluring voice lay a predator cloaked in a veil of civility.

  Remillia’s small figure matched Rain’s, and her youthful appearance mirrored his own. However, the faint deathly aura surrounding her, combined with the subtle scent of blood masked by her rosy perfume, betrayed her true nature. She was a Vampire bloodline.

  "I’m here to help you learn your skill," Remillia continued, "and, of course, to discuss your payment of 1,000 Union Dollars."

  She snapped her fingers, and the door behind her closed with an ominous thud. The temperature in the room dropped, and Rain couldn’t suppress a shiver.

  "Uhm… I’ll pay it back later, I promise," Rain stammered. "Also, it should only be 990 since I had 1,010 earlier in my bank."

  Remillia smirked, clearly amused. She stepped closer, causing Rain to instinctively step back.

  "Come on, Rain... It’s not like I’m going to bite you..." she said, her voice trailing off before she added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Well... actually, I am going to bite you."

  She grinned, baring sharp fangs that gleamed under the dim light.

  "Wait, wait, wait! Let me learn the skill first, and then we can talk about repayment—or biting!" Rain protested, raising his arms defensively.

  "Fine," Remillia said with an exaggerated sigh. "Give me the skill book and stand in the center of the magic circle." She stopped just inches away from him, her smirk lingering.

  Rain quickly pulled a red book from his denim jacket and handed it over. It was a Tamer skill book, a low-rank skill allowing the user to tame magical creatures in the wild or dungeons.

  Remillia took the book, inspecting it with mild interest. "A low-rank Tamer skill? You’re really using your last skill slot for this?" she asked, casting a skeptical glance at Rain.

  Rain smiled helplessly and nodded. "I’ve been planning this for a long time. Don’t worry about it—it’s the skill I need. For us Common-class, low-rank Ascendants, we’re only allowed three skill slots, so every choice has to be carefully strategized. Not like you, with your High-class Epic rank and ten skill slots," he added, a hint of jealousy slipping into his tone.

  Remillia sighed and nodded. "Fair enough. Let’s get on with it."

  Rain stepped into the center of the magic circle as Remillia moved to its edge.

  She began chanting in a runic language, her voice resonating with ancient power. The magic circle beneath Rain started to glow with a soft blue hue.

  Remillia opened the Tamer skill book, and the words inside lifted off the pages, floating in the air before spiraling down into Rain’s body.

  A strange sensation coursed through him as knowledge of runic magic imprinted itself into his mind, like memories he hadn’t known he possessed.

  The process didn’t take long—only about 15 minutes. When it was over, the once vibrant skill book lay in Remillia’s hands, now blank and empty.

  Rain staggered slightly, kneeling on the floor as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Shaking his head to clear it, he immediately accessed his status with the rune display in his mind.

  STATUS

  [Rain Maxwell]

  [Level: 16]

  [Class: Common]

  [Rank: Low-Mid]

  SKILLS

  [F][Enhancement][High-Low][85]

  [F][Appraisal][Low-High][25]

  [F][Tamer][Low-Low][1]

  Skill Descriptions:

  [F][Enhancement]:

  Allows the user to enhance anything within their touch. Enhancement results depend on the user’s skill level and mana quality. Current maximum enhancement: 170x the base material or status. F-class status: limited to miscellaneous-class enhancements.

  [F][Appraisal]:

  Allows the user to probe the status of items or creatures. Can appraise creatures up to 1 level above the user and all lower-level creatures. F-class status: limited to names and classifications.

  [F][Tamer]:

  Allows the user to tame magical creatures. Maximum creatures tamed: 5. F-class status: limited to low-rank creatures of common class, below the user’s level.

  "Finally... after a decade of hard work," Rain said softly, smiling as he stared at his modest stats.