The apocalypse: I can copy any talent

he Weakest Tal

ove the city at 3:

already the j

psed against the shelter wall. "That's it? You

nker. Every single one stared at the fad

led from the back. "Copy som

n't a

lit open. A monster made of teeth and too many joints crawled out

m on the way in. Panic

ent Detected -

ssful - Effic

1/3 Oc

dead cop's aim. M

He'd Awakened Iron Skin two hours ago and already appointed himself king o

ally how perc

e laughed.

ay against the wall, Copy-boy. Don

-

is Zha

house inventory clerk with

d rolled actual talents. Iron Skin. Fireball. Enhanced Speed. O

st Status - T

nt Slots

Marksmans

ncreases with training, re

o if I just believe hard en

sment. Though phrased wi

the sidearm. "Y

istening. It is my

then that I ha

-

g started an

'd had plenty of that. T

from the outer checkpoint, fear cutting through every

ross his forearms in visible grey plates. He shouldered past slo

ead man's pisto

t I was useless felt more dangerous than ru

-

kpoint w

dogs-all wrong angles and too many teeth. They

!" someon

e mid-lunge. It shrieked backwa

t. Young. Maybe twenty. Her hands still glowed

ov

h ten percent of a talent that belonge

re

houlder instead of the skull. It shri

stupid," the fire-girl b

ain in ten

s-1 Mutant's aggression. Reckless.

eature

Enhanced Speed. I had ten percent o

completely. Second cau

to a stop close enough that I s

le

mewhere behind me, annoyed I was s

nt lucky."

o hard I nearly

ciency Increased - Mar

. Host demonstrated willingne

at the

ift opened, something other th

goes

. Up close she looked younger, dark hair in a hasty knot, ha

ed and go

ile it was trying to kill you." She raised an eyebrow. "I'

"Compliments go to

wed-like she wasn't sure she was allowed to l

en percent of a good talent, growing every time you use it, sounds

hought of

ent in this shelter with no theoretical ceiling. Recommend

o?" I m

ha

Talking

-

called an emergency

r in the main hall. Exhausted. Scare

"Three more have opened across the city in the last two hours. This isn't

omeone near the ba

count the exits, count the threats. My eyes landed on

r civilian. Watching the crowd with flat calculation,

es fou

nd longer than anyon

Osei continued. "Combat capacity first. I wa

rried, smirk thrown in my direction. "Copy-boy's running

ppled throu

re I could answer, the

ough the laughter without effort. "And climbing. Marksmans

ughter

ulating something behind her eyes. "Compound that over a hundred fights. A thous

o recorded upper limi

Something in my face must

ened-into something that looked less

from me. "I'd like to requisitio

" Osei frowned. "We need comb

the only person in this room whose power has no ceiling. Everyone

e hall w

ed from mockery to something far more unsettling-the particul

rest Detected. Recommend Ho

epped off the crate and walked toward me through

d curdled into something that

g to do with the monsters outside, that

New Quest A

Scouting T

Talent sources. Increased s

n politics detecte

nough that I could see the faint scars al

ard scouts. You come with me, you'll see mor

f I sa

y. "Because you just realized your power

asn't

something that looked like fear. The mighty Iron Skin us

om across the room.

ssion said. *Be

Decision

Bo Hai. Looked at the cracked c

aid. "When

smile wide

it-and I followed, because staying

lter's survivors w

watched the weakest Awakened

m knew what

o the tutorial, Host

-

of Ch