All eyes were on Rey.
As he stood before Adonis and the head guard who held the Truthseeker, an air of tension wrapped around him.
Faces in the crowd held a mix of curiosity and uncertainty—or the lack thereof—everyone with various expectations.
And then, breaking the silence…
"How many Skills do you have, and what are their names?" Adonis asked calmly.
He had automatically taken the role of proctor, and no one dared complain considering how honest he had been with everyone about his powers.
And how extraordinary those powers were.
Rey replied firmly, "I have just one Skill, named [Doppel]."
A murmur swept through his classmates, hushed gasps and whispers tinged with surprise.
The sheer surprise arose from the absurdity of someone bearing an F-Tier Class possessing a single Skill.
The astonishment lingered in the air, palpable among those gathered.
"Pffft!"
"N-no way!"
"This is even worse than I expected."
Some didn't even bother hiding their chuckles any longer. Those who thought they had it bad, thanks to only having a few decent Skills, and perhaps an average Class, felt extremely relieved to see someone worse off than them.
This too was part of life.
But a sudden voice cut through the mockery.
"Everyone, please be silent. I will not allow you to speak about one of our classmates like that!" He proclaimed firmly, his tone commanding attention
It instantly caused an absolute lull among the murmurs and snickers.
The voice was Adonis', and he had a deep frown of disapproval on his face.
"Rey is one of us. You are all judging him without even knowing his full capabilities. Even if he is weak or average, he doesn't deserve to be looked down on. We are all in this together!"
As Adonis continued, the arrogant and condescending gazes began to fade. The faces of the students fell, regret settling in for those involved in the indirect bullying.
"Remember what Seraph said. We need to look out for one other. So please… let's stop this."
No one said anything, but the sheer silence and the penitent expressions that everyone had already displayed how much Adonis had moved them.
"Don't let their words bother you, Rey. Your Skill or Class doesn't define you; you're still one of us," Adonis reassured, a tap on Rey's shoulder accompanied by his trademark smile.
That reassuring, confident but relatable smile that only Adonis could give.
"Thanks, Adonis. Means a lot," Rey responded with a tired yet grateful smile, acknowledging the support.
With the whole commotion resolved, it was finally time to resume the interview.
"What can your Skill do? What Tier is it? Give us a demonstration."
No one displayed any mockery towards Rey, but the curiosity on their faces could not be hidden.
Everyone wanted to know!
"Alright, here goes," Rey announced, drawing in a deep breath.
He closed his eyes briefly before slowly reopening them, raising his right hand as well.
~GLUP~
Suddenly, Rey's body morphed into the claw of a colossal crab.
The transformation was vivid, complete with a brown exoskeleton and two formidable, snapping pincers—resembling a crab's unmistakable features.
"This Skill lets me shape a part of my body into something I've seen before. It's a B-Tier Skill," Rey explained, his matter-of-fact tone matching the unassuming nature of an average boy.
"I-I see…" It seemed even Adonis was stunned by this revelation.
He must have expected Rey to have a super OP Skill as his single Skill, but apparently, B-Tier was the best he could do.
Adonis glanced at the Truthseeker, and apparently, Rey was telling the truth.
"Can it mimic the special attributes of those you transform into, or...?" Adonis inquired.
"Just their physical traits. That's why it's only B-Tier," Rey replied.
"I see. It sounds similar to Justin's Skill..."
Justin Baker had previously showcased his ability to transform into anything he'd seen before, much like Rey's power.
However, unlike Rey, his [Mimic] Skill allowed him to transform his entire body in addition to the partial transformation. That made it a much stronger Skill.
Still, they could both only mimic the physical attributes and not the special qualities—like Skills or Classes—which made them both B-Tier Skills.
"Alright then. Looks like you're telling the truth." Adonis maintained his smile and nodded.
If he was disappointed, then the Hero was doing a good job of hiding it.
Others, however, struggled to conceal their reactions.
Expressions of disbelief and faintly amused grins slipped through, though no one dared voice their thoughts.
"You may return."
"Thank you." Rey reverted his hand to its original form and stepped down from the stage, resuming his earlier position with folded hands and attentive eyes.
He needed to observe the next student's presentation.
As the next student prepared to showcase her abilities, Rey kept his focus, eager to witness their demonstration.
Amidst the ongoing exhibition, a hushed whisper reached Rey's ears from the adjacent side.
"Hey, I saw your exhibition, and I thought that was a pretty cool ability," the voice whispered.
Despite the suddenness, Rey remained unfazed, his attention fixed on the showcase.
"I was wondering if—"
Before the speaker could finish, Rey interjected, "I'm sorry, but could we talk later? I'm occupied right now," without sparing a glance in their direction.
Rey's focus remained fixed on the ongoing presentation, his curiosity undiminished by the interruption.
"Oh, okay," came the subdued response.
Rey vaguely registered the fading footsteps, assuming the person had left, as he continued to immerse himself in the unfolding exhibition.
For him, nothing mattered more at that moment than the display before him.
"Haaa" Rey let out a heavy sigh.
'I was rude, wasn't I? That wasn't my intention, but... I can't afford any distractions right now.'
Even before Rey's turn, he'd meticulously observed each of his classmates' exhibitions.
That resolve remained unshaken.
'I have to see them all.'
Why?
To Rey, the answer was straightforward—it was due to his Skill, [Doppel].
'I made everyone believe it's just a B-Tier Skill when it's so much more.'
His success at deceiving everyone was due to his attentive observation during the display of Skills. Understanding the intricacies of each Skill he saw was fundamental to his own.
That was the essence of his unique ability.
[Skill Details]
[Doppel]
Tier: SSS
Ability: Allows the user to mimic the nature of any ability that exists as long as he has seen it once; down to the appearance and quality of what he mimics.
Number Of Abilities Obtained: 75
[Limit Count: 75/100]
'I've acquired the Skills of over twenty of my classmates,' Rey realized, a sense of quiet satisfaction creeping in.
His strategy had been cunningly simple—he'd absorbed Justin's Skill and led others to believe his own ability mirrored it, disclosing the Tier of the Skill he was currently showcasing.
That way, he wasn't particularly lying.
'At this rate, I'll have all their Skills,' Rey contemplated, a hint of anticipation coloring his thoughts.
And the beauty of it all?
No one would know.
*
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Thanks for reading!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
I know there hasn't been any action yet, but just be a little more patient.
