Alex's breath caught as the skills interface materialized before him, far more detailed than anything he'd seen from the system before. Four distinct entries filled his vision, each one more unsettling than the last.
**[SKILLS]**
**Adept Eyes**
*Type: Passive / Insight*
*Rank: Unknown*
*System Classification: Utility – Passive*
*Acquisition: Innate System Gift (auto-enabled post-Awakening)*
*Description: "Allows the user to view surface-level data of people, objects, and awakened abilities at a glance. Displays name, rank, and ability type. Reveals weapon grade and awakening status."*
Alex's breath caught as understanding dawned. The strange ability he'd been experiencing—seeing information about people and objects—it wasn't just a side effect of his awakening. It was an actual system skill. What he'd assumed was simply enhanced perception was actually a classified ability with "unknown" rank. The implications were staggering.
**Phantom Step**
*Type: Movement / Illusion*
*Rank: Unknown*
*System Classification: Passive–Active Hybrid*
*Requirements: -15 Stamina*
*Description: "The user's body flickers briefly from the visible spectrum while in motion, leaving behind a delayed 'afterimage' or echo. This phantom distracts opponents and misleads targeting abilities, making it appear as though the user is in two places at once."*
A movement skill that created illusions. Alex's tactical mind immediately began calculating applications. In combat, the ability to appear in multiple places simultaneously would be invaluable. Even the stamina cost was reasonable.
**Essence Drain**
*Type: Passive (with latent Active potential)*
*Rank: Unknown*
*System Classification: Linked to core ability: Mimicry*
*Availability: Locked*
*Description: "The user absorbs ambient Essence from external sources—including magical residue, weakened foes, unstable artifacts, and environmental sources. The stolen essence is stored within the user's core."*
Locked. Alex stared at the skill, his mind racing. 'This has to be connected to my astronomical essence count. Over eighteen million essence couldn't have come from nowhere. Have I somehow been passively draining essence since my awakening?' The thought was both thrilling and terrifying.
**Combat Echo**
*Type: Passive*
*Rank: ??*
*System Tag: Synergizes with Mimicry*
*Description: "The user instinctively mirrors and records the physical techniques of enemies during combat. Movements, weapon styles, and martial flows are echoed and stored temporarily, allowing rapid adaptation and counterplay in real time."*
*Functionality:*
*Passive Effect (Unlocked): During physical combat, the user's body unconsciously begins to mirror their opponent's movements. Muscle memory adapts in real-time, absorbing the subtle nuances of enemy technique—the weight distribution of their stance, the rhythm of their breathing, the micro-expressions that telegraph their next strike. This instinctive mimicry grows stronger with extended engagement, allowing the user to predict and counter increasingly complex attack patterns.*
*Combat Bonuses:*
*+15% increased dodge or parry chance after 10 seconds of engagement*
*+10% damage if mimicking their style with a similar weapon*
*Slight predictive edge against repeated attacks*
*Note: Echo fades after a few hours unless consciously trained with.*
Alex sat back, overwhelmed. 'These aren't just abilities—they're a complete combat system. Adept Eyes would let me analyze opponents instantly. Combat Echo would let me adapt to their fighting style in real-time. Phantom Step would keep me mobile and unpredictable. And once I unlock Essence Drain...'
"You're doing it again," Gareth observed without looking up from his parchment. "That vacant stare. It's honestly a bit unsettling."
Alex blinked, forcing himself back to the present. "Sorry. Just... thinking about the ceremony."
"You've already said that twice this morning." Gareth's pen paused on the parchment, and he glanced up with raised eyebrows. "Stop sounding like a broken record. You seem different today. More... I don't know, focused? Like you're seeing something the rest of us can't."
'Focused.' That was one way to put it. Alex stood and moved to the window, curiosity driving him to test something. He focused on Gareth, wondering if Adept Eyes would reveal his second ability that Damien had mentioned. Almost immediately, text appeared above his roommate's head:
*[Gareth Thorne ]*
*[Rank: B]*
*[Primary Ability: Earth Manipulation]*
*[Secondary Ability: Clone Creation - Rank A]*
*[Status: Dual-Awakened]*
There it was. Alex felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the confirmation of what Damien had told him. Gareth's cloning ability was ranked A—a full tier above his earth manipulation. The "Secondary Ability" designation confirmed this was the hidden skill that only a few people knew about.
'No wonder he's so composed and observant. With the ability to create clones, Gareth could be watching and learning from multiple perspectives simultaneously.'
"I should get ready," Alex said, turning away from the window. "The ceremony is this afternoon."
"Indeed." Gareth finally looked up, his earth-brown eyes meeting Alex's directly. "Whatever happened to you yesterday, Kael... be careful today. The Academy doesn't like anomalies. And right now, you're giving off some serious anomaly vibes."
Alex nodded, studying his roommate's expression. 'Gareth knows more than he's letting on, but there's genuine concern beneath his usual pragmatic exterior.'
As Alex gathered his things, his mind raced through possibilities. 'The reclassification ceremony would be my first real test of concealment. With Adept Eyes active, I'll be able to see everyone's abilities instantly. The temptation to use that knowledge will be overwhelming.'
'But I have to be subtle. Too much insight would raise questions. Too little would make me seem weak.'
'The Academy is full of awakened students, each one a potential source of abilities for my Mimicry. All I need is skin-to-skin contact, and I can begin building my collection.'
Alex caught sight of himself in the mirror again, noting how his white hair seemed to shimmer in the morning light. 'Whatever the system has done to me, it's fundamentally changed me. The question is whether I can control that change long enough to survive what's coming.'
'One thing is certain: today's ceremony will be far more interesting than anyone expects.'
"Gareth," Alex said as he reached the door. "Thank you. For not calling for help last night."
His roommate's expression remained steady. "Like I said, you weren't dying. And some things are better handled privately."
Alex nodded and stepped into the hallway, his enhanced senses immediately picking up information about passing students. Names, ranks, abilities—all of it flowing through his consciousness like a river of tactical intelligence.
'The Academy corridors have never felt so full of opportunity. And danger.'
As he walked toward the dining hall, Alex's mind was already working through the challenges ahead. 'The reclassification ceremony will test my ability to appear harmless while hiding my true nature. But first, I need to understand exactly what I've become.'
'The system has given me the tools to survive in a world that has already killed me once. Now I have to learn how to use them without revealing their true scope.'
'Today, I'll begin testing those limits—one careful touch at a time.'