## The Regressor's Rise: Stealing Skills from Zero
**Chapter 1: The Weakest Hunter and the Elite Spider**
The world was a different place than it was ten years ago. Portals, shimmering like tears in reality, had appeared, spewing forth grotesque creatures into the world. These 'Dungeons', ranked from E to S in danger level, became humanity's new proving grounds. The 'Awakening' followed, a phenomenon that bestowed superhuman abilities upon half the population.
Haru, however, drew the short straw in this cosmic lottery. While others commanded flames and manipulated gravity, he gained the profoundly underwhelming ability to accelerate plant growth. Nicknamed 'The Sprout', he was the laughingstock of the Hunter community, forever confined to the lowliest of E-rank dungeons.
Today was no exception. Haru found himself trudging through a damp, moss-covered dungeon alongside his team: Lina, the fiery mage; Ken, the agile swordsman; and Mark, the sturdy tank. As his teammates effortlessly dispatched goblins, Haru trailed behind, his rusty sword feeling more like a burden than a weapon.
"Hey, Sprout, you gonna at least try and look busy?" Lina quipped, incinerating a goblin with a flick of her wrist.
Haru sighed, his gaze drawn to a glint of gold nestled within a crevice. A small, ornate box lay half-hidden in the shadows. Intrigued, he retrieved the box, its cool metal strangely comforting against his palm. He slipped it into his pocket, deciding to examine it later.
Their progress was abruptly halted by a tremor that shook the very foundations of the dungeon. From the depths emerged a horrifying sight – a spider the size of a small car, its eight eyes burning with malevolent intent.
"An Elite!" Mark yelled, his voice filled with dread. Elite monsters, anomalies that defied dungeon rank, were infamous for their overwhelming power and cunning.
Panic erupted. Lina's fireballs were mere sparks against the spider's thick carapace, Ken's lightning-fast attacks were easily evaded, and Mark's shield crumpled under a single, monstrous leg. One by one, his teammates fell, leaving Haru alone, frozen in terror.
The spider lunged, its fangs dripping with venom. Haru braced for the end, squeezing his eyes shut. But then… oblivion.
***
He awoke with a gasp, sunlight streaming through the window of his cramped apartment. Disoriented, he checked his phone. The date was the same. Was it all just a horrific dream?
Then, he felt the familiar weight of the box in his pocket. He pulled it out, his fingers tracing its intricate carvings. As he touched it, a translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes.
**[System Initialized]**
**[Skill Acquired: Skill Taker (SSS Rank)]**
**[Description: Permanently copy the skills of others through physical contact. Skill compatibility 100%.]**
Haru stared at the screen, his mind reeling. A system? An SSS-rank skill? It was impossible. Yet, the chilling memory of the spider's fangs, the agonizing fear of death, felt all too real.
He had been given a second chance. This time, he wouldn't be 'The Sprout', the weakest hunter. He would touch, he would copy, he would claim the powers of others as his own. He would rise, becoming an unstoppable force, until he could face the Elite Spider and avenge his fallen comrades.
His journey had just begun.