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The Skill Sculpture

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Chapter 1 - The Empty Screen

The year was 2325, and the world had long been reshaped by the appearance of the dungeons and towers. A century ago, on January 18th, 2025, the first tower rose from the earth, its massive form casting a shadow over the world. With it, the dungeons emerged, and with the dungeons, came a transformation unlike any the world had ever seen. People began to gain unique abilities on their 18th birthday — powers that could range from mundane to godlike, all determined by a mysterious system that only the individual could see.

Everyone dreamed of power. Everyone awaited the moment when the system would grant them a gift — a chance to shape their future. From the moment you turned 18, the world watched, waiting to see if you would be someone who could rise above the rest.

But for Vishu, the world had just become even more confusing.

---

Vishu sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the small digital clock on his nightstand. The numbers read 10:59 AM.

Today was his 18th birthday.

And yet, the weight in his chest was heavier than it had ever been before. The birthday excitement, the anticipation that every other person in the city seemed to be basking in, was lost on him. The sounds of celebration and cheer came from the street below, but for Vishu, they were nothing more than background noise.

His thoughts were spiraling in every direction. The day everyone had warned him about was finally here — the day the system would decide what kind of person he would be for the rest of his life.

It had been the same for everyone. As long as you were born before the 18th of January, you would receive your ability on your 18th birthday. No one could avoid it. It was a universal truth. The screen would appear, showing the ability you had gained. It was as simple as that.

Or at least, that's what everyone said.

But what if his ability wasn't anything special? What if he wasn't like the heroes everyone talked about? Vishu had seen them — the warriors with powers that made them almost invincible, the healers who could save lives with just a touch, and the mages who could control the elements themselves. His friends, his family, everyone had received their abilities and were already on their way to great futures.

Vishu? He was just a regular kid from a middle-class family, with no great ambition, no desire to become a hero. He had spent most of his life helping his parents manage the small shop they ran in the market, working long hours just to get by. His life had always been ordinary, and he had always been content with it. But today… today was different.

Still, the thought of getting nothing — that was the part that gnawed at him.

The clock struck 11:00 AM.

A soft hum filled the air, and Vishu's heart raced. He looked down at his wrist, where the familiar mark of his 18th birthday had appeared — a small rune-like symbol, glowing faintly in the morning light.

Without thinking, he closed his eyes, holding his breath.

And then, just like that, a soft light appeared before him, floating in the air like a holographic projection.

He opened his eyes. The screen flickered once, then stayed still. It was a blank canvas, nothing on it but the dark background.

Nothing.

Vishu's breath hitched in his chest. The blank screen seemed to stare back at him, cold and indifferent. He blinked, trying to make sense of it, but no matter how hard he focused, nothing changed. The emptiness before him felt suffocating, like it was slowly swallowing him whole.

Confusion spread like wildfire in his mind. His fingers trembled as he reached out to touch the screen, but it didn't respond. There were no abilities. No skills. Not even a name or a title. The blankness swallowed it all.

---

His mind spun in chaos.

What was this? What did it mean? He had been waiting his entire life for this moment, the moment when the world would finally recognize him for what he was. But now… nothing. Just a screen that showed no sign of life. The same blank space that had always been there.

Anger.

Vishu's fist clenched, the sudden surge of frustration coursing through his veins. Was this some kind of cruel joke? Why would the system fail him? Was it punishment for something he didn't even know he'd done?

He gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing, his emotions reaching a boiling point. He had always been told that everyone had an ability, that no one was left behind. Yet here he was, staring at nothingness.

Sadness.

A heavy weight settled in his chest. His entire life had been about the promise of this moment. His friends, his family, they all had their powers — their futures, their paths in life, paved in front of them. And now… what did he have? A blank screen that showed no sign of him having any worth.

Sorrow.

He looked out the window, watching the city come alive. The world was so vibrant with the potential of its people, and yet, here he was, an anomaly. Nothing. No ability. No power. Nothing to look forward to, nothing to offer.

Confusion.

Was there something wrong with him? Maybe the system would reveal his ability later. Or maybe this was some kind of glitch, a momentary hiccup in the flow of things. He looked back at the screen, almost hoping it would change, that it would finally fill with something, anything.

But no.

The blankness remained.

---

Vishu felt the room closing in on him, the emptiness pressing in on his chest. His fingers trembled as he wiped his eyes, though he hadn't even realized he was crying.

The door to his room creaked open, and his mother's voice filled the silence. "Vishu, are you okay?"

He wiped his face hastily, trying to hide the tears. "I'm fine," he managed, his voice shaking.

His mother stepped inside, concern clouding her features as she saw the blank screen hovering before him. "What's… what's wrong?"

Vishu didn't respond immediately. He couldn't. How could he explain this? How could he explain that, after all these years of waiting, he was left with nothing?

His mother gently touched his shoulder. "Vishu… your ability will come. Sometimes, the system just takes time. It's not always immediate."

But Vishu knew — no one else had ever seen this. No one had ever been left with an empty screen. This was beyond anything he'd ever heard of.

No, his ability wasn't coming. It had already arrived.

And it was nothing.