Two Days Later
The sun was just starting to rise when I reached the construction site, with the typical morning mist hanging over the incomplete structures' skeletal outlines. Two days had gone by since I uncovered my ability to copy skills, and although my improvent was clear, it was still insufficient.
I rotated my shoulders, sensing the well-known heaviness of power embedding itself in my body. The alterations weren't significant, but they were genuine. In the past 48 hours, I acquired two additional skills:
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2) – Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects.
Material Efficiency (Lv. 1) – Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision.
My muscles no longer burned with every load I carried. My movents were more efficient, my stamina stretched farther. I could now haul bags of cent and steel beams with a fraction of the effort it once took. But even with these improvents, sothing gnawed at .
I wasn't progressing fast enough.
The first level-ups had co easily. Endurance Boost, Strategist and Heavy Lifting had both hit Level 2 in a matter of hours. But now? Nothing had budged. It was as if I had hit a wall.
I had analyzed the system for hours, trying to understand why. And eventually, I realized the bitter truth—leveling skills was exponentially harder the higher they got.
Going from Level 1 to 2? A few hours.
Level 2 to 3? At least a week.
Level 3 to 4? Two weeks.
Level 4 to 5? A month.
Level 5 to 6? Half a year.
Level 6 to 7? A full year.
Beyond that, leveling a skill to 8 or 9 was practically impossible without so kind of major event. People didn't just train their way into Level 9 skills—it required sothing more.
Nathan Crowley was living proof of that. His Endurance Boost (Lv. 9) wasn't sothing he trained into. It had either been triggered by so life-changing event or, in rare cases, he had been born with it.
So people were simply born exceptional.
It reminded of a famous historical case—Nikola Tesla.
The man had been born with Blueprint Visualization (Lv. 9), an ability that allowed him to ntally construct blueprints with near-perfect precision before ever touching a piece of paper. That single skill had revolutionized the world, allowing him to create innovations at a speed no ordinary engineer could match.
Level 10 skills?
They existed. But the last ti one was made public was decades ago. The level cap was real, and only a handful of people in history had ever surpassed it.
That realization burned in my mind as I glanced toward the System Interface hovering in my vision.
I was growing. I had copied skills that had taken others years to cultivate. And yet, it still wasn't enough.
Copying skills once every 24 hours was too slow. Leveling them up naturally was even slower. And Destroy was useless until I could find a way to subjugate Nathan.
That left with only one path forward.
Absorb.
Absorb was different from Copy. It didn't just let take a skill—it let learn a job's proficiency. In other words, it gave the skills designed for that job.
I needed to find soone who could teach . Soone who had a skill that would help turn the tide against Nathan.
And I knew exactly who that person was.
Sienna Locke
I spotted her near the site entrance, speaking to a few of the lower-ranked workers. She was tall, maybe 5'10," her fra lean but built with the strength of soone who had spent years in physical labor. Her auburn hair was tied back into a tight ponytail, revealing sharp, angular features.
She was conventionally beautiful, but she also had a presence—a quiet confidence that demanded respect. Unlike the others, she didn't suck up to Nathan. She didn't bully the weaker workers. She stood apart.
Her skills were good. Not as high as Nathan's, but respectable:
Structural Reinforcent (Lv. 4)
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 5)
Precision Engineering (Lv. 4)
Endurance Boost (Lv. 6)
Team Coordination (Lv. 5)
That last skill—Team Coordination—was what I needed.
If I could learn it, I might be able to turn the other workers against Nathan. It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing.
I approached her after her conversation ended. She turned to , raising an eyebrow.
"Vale," she greeted. "Sothing you need?"
I hesitated for a mont before speaking. "I want you to teach ."
That actually caught her off guard.
"Teach you what?"
"How to coordinate with the team," I said simply.
She folded her arms, her gaze scrutinizing. "Why?"
I had expected this. I needed a reason—one that made sense.
"I've had a hard ti," I confessed, maintaining a steady tone. "I realize that I'm not as talented as the rest, but I aim to get better." "I believe that coordinating with the team would be beneficial."
Sienna remained quiet for a long ti. She then let out a sigh while massaging the back of her neck.
"Teaching individuals doesn't ensure they will acquire skills, you realize," she remarked. "Certain individuals practice for years without ever achieving it."
"I know," I said.
She studied again, her hazel eyes searching for sothing.
"...Fine," she finally said. "I'll help you. But don't get your hopes up."
I nodded. I wasn't worried about failure.
Because the mont she started teaching , my System would kick in.
A new notification appeared before .
[System Alert]
Would you like to comnce Absorption of skill Team Coordination (Lv. 5) from Individual Sienna Locke (Construction Worker B-Rank)?
[YES] | [NO]
A slow smirk spread across my face.
I clicked YES.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE]
Na: Reynard Vale
Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)
Job Skills:
Endurance Boost (Lv. 2): Reduces fatigue from manual labor
Strategist (Lv. 2): Improves planning and problem-solving abilities
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2): Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects
Material Efficiency (Lv. 1): Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision
Jobs:
Unskilled Laborer (F)
Special Skill:
Scan, Absorb, Destroy
Cooldown:
Skill Copy (19h 58m Remaining)
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