Today, I welcomed a new man to our little get-together. A man who hatched out of a cocoon.
He didn't have eyes or even a hint of humanity. No way to communicate or intelligence to socialise.
Regardless, I welcomed him gratefully.
He would be a great asset to the Elf Liberation force we got going here. A meat shield if not a friend.
"Gggrrrggg..." A strange groan left the creature's mouth. Bright flames covered both hands.
I used a analysis technique I mastered over the year.
Getting a read on this Mimic's true abilities by accessing his Status Window through 'hacking'.
At least, one could call it that.
[Name: ___
Species: Near Perfect Human Mimic
Personal Skills: Ambush, Grapple, Bite, Adhesive
Intrinsic Skills: Detection Resistance, Shapeshifter, Inanimate Stealth, Machina Fire (Passive Space), Material Moulding (Active Earth), Weapon Healing (Passive Metal), Power Sharpening (Active Fire)
Innate Gift: Fire Fists(Fire)]
I clicked on the creature's Species type to check his information. Seeing what 'Near Perfect' meant.
[Species: Near Perfect Human Mimic
Description: All 'Mimic' type Monsters are born tethered to objects. Their original body usually missing a chunk that is supplemented by an external object. This usually being a standard item chest.]
Even though my new 'Status Scan' Skill couldn't bring up stats, I found its abilities to be strong.
Not only did it possess the job specific Skills of a human, it also combined their Gifts into one.
The success in bolstering the original Gift likely came from the twins possessing similar abilities.
Both their 'Fiery Hand' Gifts fused to be 'Fiery Fists'.
"You have good Skills." I patted him on the back, and the creature groaned weirdly again in response.
My eyes looking around to see there was a clearly unusual chunk of the Mimic's body having flesh.
If I combined what I read with game knowledge, it was entirely possible the 'inanimate piece' was flesh.
Talia had taken human flesh to create this Mimic.
No wonder it could do perfectly imitate another.
She likely had some sort of direct control over the Mimic. Able to make it move to her whims.
Unlike Treants, this was a big discovery.
Because from what I knew, Mimics were of shadow.
They had nothing to do with Elves or Treants, so it was possible that Talia was branching out here.
And her experiment was a great success.
I watched as she became much more interested in watching how her experiment proceeded than me.
Which was so unfortunate...
But I got over it. The fun I had in growing my magical abilities had been so great these days.
I was finally ready to take it to the next level.
When Talia left with the Mimic, I went to go train with Simon while revealing all my abilities.
[Personal Skills: Word Enchanter (Uni), Mixed Martial Arts (Physical), Amalgamation Orb (Uni), Manual Enchantment (Uni), Status Scan (System)]
I was hesitant to touch 'Status Scan' because it seemed attuned to the System itself in some way.
However, 'Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)' and 'Manual Enchantment (Uni)' were too incompatible.
At least, that's what I'd heard myself.
"You've learnt how to enchant anything and everything with your Affinities, but 'enchantment' itself is too slow to become a martial art. Moreover, I can tell you're planning something." Simon spoke to me last time while praising understanding of basics.
He told me that my martial arts wasn't complete. It missed something essential in this fantastical world.
Magic...
Until I harmonised my Artes Lines with my Mixed Martial Arts without using the System to combine them, I wouldn't be able to reach a new height. I'd always be stuck at a level just below a 'Magic Style'.
But he was wrong if he thought I had no plans.
Last time, Simon made a point by slicing my Amalgamation Orb in half and overpowering me.
Now wouldn't be the same.
My mind raced and slowed down reality as it processed the System's recorded Skills quickly.
[Would you like to degrade 'Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)'? Doing so will erase the Skill.]
I affirmed my choice in my head while fighting.
Exchanging blows, holds, locks, and throws.
All while adding my signature swagger to go beyond reason and attack with the cruelty of a gangster.
[Success. You have created 'Grapple (Physical)'.]
['Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)' is recorded.]
[Would you like to degrade 'Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)'? Doing so will erase the Skill.]
[Success. You have created 'Strike (Physical)'.]
['Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)' is recorded.]
[Would you like to degrade 'Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)'? Doing so will erase the Skill.]
[Success. You have created 'Hold (Physical)'.]
['Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)' is recorded.]
[Would you like to degrade 'Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)'? Doing so will erase the Skill.]
[Success. You have created 'Throw (Physical)'.]
['Mixed Martial Arts (Physical)' is recorded.]
A swarm of messages were relayed to my brain in the midst of battle. I had created the components of Mixed Martial Arts and sharpened my proficiency in them as separate Skills. The gap started shortening.
My victory was far off, but I was making steps.
Progressing at using Strikes, Grapples, Holds, and Throws while constantly keeping him guessing.
My devoted training to MMA was paying off.
Moreover, I started to use the Amalgamation Orb in the midst of battle to try catching him off-guard.
Simon braced himself when a magic orb pushed him around. I didn't do any damage, but it was enough.
A variety of alerts popped up as Amalgamation Orb was processed into the Skills: 'Mana Circulation', 'Magic Blast', 'Affinity Application', and 'Mana Moulding'. Each component for the greater Skill.
But there was only one I was interested in right now.
'Affinity Application'. It was the Skill of applying an Attribute onto Mana which the user possessed.
Normally, there were nothing other than what worldly Attributes that existed in the world already.
But that didn't mean other properties didn't exist.
And I was about to show that right now.
[Would you like to combine the 'Grapple (Physical)' Skill with 'Affinity Application (Mana)'?]
I affirmed my choice again.
[Success. You have created 'Adhesive Property'.]
I once again recorded Amalgamation Orb and degraded it into Affinity Application to do it again.
This time using 'Strike (Physical)' as a material.
And so on and so on without stopping.
Using both 'Hold (Physical)' and 'Throw (Physical)'.
[Success. You have created 'Concussive Property'.]
[Success. You have created 'Slippery Property'.]
[Success. You have created 'Entangling Property'.]
As the amount of Skills in my arsenal grew, I could see that Simon started looking at me strangely.
"Try this." I threw an orb of Mana at him.
Simon blocked as usual, but now things changed.
The orb expanded into a restraining slime ball that constrained his foot. Adhesively sticking him down.
I charged in to take him off-guard.
...And woke up a few hours later with a bruise on my cheek. It looked like my efforts were in vain.
When will I beat Simon?
I've been working hard all this time, but it looked like I wasn't talented enough to take him down.
"This isn't about talent. You're still doing everything fine." He dared say things like that to my face.
As someone from Earth, I shouldn't be this weak.
People from Otherworlds like me usually had more talent. Skills. More conviction in their heart.
I needed to have that.
The only answer for me being weaker than someone else was a lack of effort. Not trying hard enough.
Wouldn't George be ashamed if he saw me like this?
I should show my best self to others. Strive for more and become someone worth remembering in life.
And obtaining power was the only way to do that.
Yes... Power...
I need more power. My problems will be solved so long as I become a little stronger. A tiny... bit more...
Just a bit more...
.....
....
...
..
.
Both my disciple and student had entered a strange state recently. They begun to talk less and less.
My senses were saying that this wasn't good.
On top of all that, the elven woman called Talia seemed to be looking at me secretly everyday.
I wonder if we knew each other or something.
My memory was vague, but I would've probably known if I'd met this kind of person or not.
Hmmm... Elves... Maybe I did remember something.
But that was from so long ago that I'd probably need to get sober to remember... I didn't want that.
I'd rather die than be sober for even a minute.
I couldn't remember what I was running from sometimes, like now, but I knew it'd hurt me deeply.
That's why I was stubborn.
But maybe if I had sobered up, what happened that day wouldn't have occurred. Maybe... Just maybe...
My eyelids had become unusually heavy after that girl, Talia, did something to the booze fountain.
My memories became messy...
How long had I watched them train together? I can't remember what it was that made them grow cold.
Ah... Cold...
I looked at my hand. Frostbite had turned it blue after being ambushed by my newest disciple.
I'd misjudged her character.
And I misjudged Pal too.
It was true he had his flaws and weaknesses, but he was a sincere man who strived to be better.
I could feel his hard work in each spar we took.
Each time, he'd grow stronger than before.
His talent wasn't something I'd seen before. He was a lot like me in many aspects, and I respected that.
We became so close.
There weren't many words exchanged between us about our circumstances, but we talked with fists.
Becoming closer with each fight.
Each time, I saw different expressions from the child I never knew he could make. Completely open to me.
Not hiding his personality.
I couldn't help growing fond of the young man.
That's why, I must make it known.
My broken hand was used as leverage so I could grasp forward with another. Trying to crawl out.
Pal... PAL!!!
Just as I got to the door, the one to stop me from leaving was no other than the pointy-eared witch.
"You need to rest. That injury will go away with time." Talia coldly and intimately picked me up.
Dragging me back to the alcohol fountain.
"Why...?" I asked her blatantly.
Why?
"I just chose the better hand to deal with. She is strong enough that I chose to break my oath." The memory of that frigid girl who struck me from behind popped up. How her powers froze me.
Even if I had rusted, the only way for someone to affect me was by having a stronger willpower.
That was my only weakness.
For her to have a willpower surpassing me meant that she had experienced more pains than me.
Having broken out of her initial amnesiac stupor and regained memories from a life full of hardships.
Who exactly had I mentored?
My consciousness started to wane once again.
I couldn't properly speak anymore. She'd increased the dosage of what was used to spike my drinks.
My eyes barely looked up to see her.
Talia spoke with a familiar cold tone: "You have a resistance to negative effects, but not positive ones."
Was what she started with, then continued: "The fruit of a Gaidenberry Tree has a restorative effect that needs rest to initiate. Your body is in a worse state than I imagined, so I did my best to heal you."
"Don't... hurt... Don't... hurt..." My slurred voice and tone made her stop me from speaking any further.
"I know your fond of him and all, but like she said before... sacrifices have to be made." Talia spoke.
Not having any pity for my young friend.
She left me alone to fight against the lethargic fatigue that was threatening to take my conscious.
I didn't want to sleep just yet.
Not now... Please... Not now...
A familiar person came through the door for his usual morning routine. His hair a big cotton ball.
I recognised him instantly.
The sight of the person who followed him into the garden made my eyes constrict. 'She' was still there.
Shia had came with him.
Was this our final goodbye?
I didn't bother to say her name. There was only one thing I wanted to say before my consciousness left:
"DODGE." My voice had rang loud and clear.