Chapter 32: Conversation with the system
[The Player has used the unique Copycat skill, he can copy the following skills or techniques:
Fire Control.
Fire Creation.
Fire clones.
Solar Fire.
Fire without limits.
Golden Steps.
Perfect Mana Control.
Total Fire Manipulation
Embracing heat
...]
In front of Nova's face, the screen with Ivelisse's skill list was still floating, showing her variety of abilities.
The list was still awake from 'Hugging Heat', demonstrating more skills, but Nova focused on the first Abilities, as under his perspective they looked more interesting.
'They're going to perform the last challenge shortly... Should I choose already?' thought Nova, undecided.
According to his calculations, the last challenge should last around 8 minutes, since the last challenge is combats. If they make it through 4, it would be three bouts, semifinal and finals type.
Thinking about it, the combats are fast, most of them, so choosing skills now wouldn't be crazy or wasted.
'But... What if a variable happens,' Nova thought of all possible probabilities, even the worst.
Without his earrings, he was very intelligent, almost four times more than the average person, now with the Earrings, it wasn't crazy to say he was a prodigy.
Thinking of every probability in a matter of seconds was no effort at all for Nova, who encountered several problems.
What if a battle is prolonged by someone going on the defensive?
What if everyone is stupid and finishes the intelligence challenge in several minutes or even hours?
What if the masked idiots wanted to play with the recruits some more?
Various probabilities went back and forth in Nova's mind, which was currently in chaos.
Well, that was before an idea popped out of his head as if a light bulb had just glowed brightly in a golden hue above his head.
'Eureka!!!', shouted Nova mentally, his eyes glowing.
'System,' he called with glee. 'If I can only copy skills for a time limit of ten minutes... Can I also choose skills for a time limit of ten minutes?', asked Nova expectantly.
At Nova's question, the system fell silent, not because what he just said sounded ridiculous, but....
It's true!
If the system had a physical body, it would currently be with its mouth open, pinching itself to confirm if what it said was real.
[How did you know?], the system asked in confusion.
Nova simply chuckled a little, amused by the comment and the system's surprised yet confused tone.
'How did I know,' he repeated the question mentally. 'It's simple, no one said there was a time limit to choose the skill, I simply used that mistake and as a logic, if I have only ten minutes to use it, I must also have a considerable amount to choose from, even so I didn't think it would be exactly 10 minutes the time to choose... It's a blessing!'
Nova was ecstatic, he had just discovered a secret of the ability and something that would at least benefit him. After all, he had thought he had a very short time limit to choose from.
But besides a secret of his ability, something else was far more important.
'And you... Why didn't you want to help me? Why didn't you say this from the beginning?' asked Nova mentally.
At this question, the system again fell silent.
He just discovered so many things just by thinking for a few seconds, could it be that the earrings give him powers?
[Ahem, Player, you must think of me, this poor system can only watch you and can't live life like the others, obviously I want your safety, but I also want some excitement and for things to get hard for her so I can get a little excited, is that wrong?], Replied the System with a tone that sounded like she was being hurt.
At this response, Nova couldn't help but roll his eyes.
The System was too shameless!
Just plain shameless!
Needless to say, he was upset, but he quickly calmed down, he now had more control over his emotions and thanks to the increased intelligence of the earrings, controlling his emotions was much easier.
Showing his serene face again, Nova believed and at the same time not in his words.
It had logic that the system lacked emotion, after all, Nova noticed that the system was much more human than a machine, but in matters of life and death the system should always be for him and in this case, it was not so.
He remembered the words of the system when it asked him for the location of where he was back then when he was in the wheat field.
'The system mentioned something about not being authorized to disclose that information, didn't it,' Nova recalled, mentally cutting off communication with the system so he could have privacy over his thoughts.
He clearly remembered it saying something about it not being authorized originally, he also remembered it had mentioned that it would be one of the few times it would help him.
Nova's eyes grew colder, and he had no one's help, though possibly not someone's puppet, would he be the object of amusement for the system?
This thought made the veins bulge out of his body, he was now... Very annoyed!
If I could hit the system, I'd already beat him half to death.
Kill him completely? No, Nova still needed his help, but teaching him a lesson was crucial.
He didn't have a physical form of revenge, but he did have a psychological one, he hid his pure evil grin.
He didn't want to horrify the beautiful lady on the other side of the empty seats, Ivelisse, so his face was always serene and calm, waiting for the other recruits.
'Hey, system, I think it's time to speak clearly.'
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