The other humans nodded in understanding. However, Andre asked a question with a raised eyebrow.
"What's stopping others from coming over and farming those items themselves? Surely, they would be far more efficient doing that than us."
Felicia smiled and folded her arms. "You would be correct. However, our 'Earth Server' will be blocked from foreign access for the first 20 years. Only after that period of time will a newly indicted species be regarded as having graduated from a fledgling to a basic member of the IUAS. Once the position of Prime Representative defaults to the strongest among us, other species will negotiate with that person about the right to farm our server."
This unsettled the group, as they were not sure how much progress they could make against the rest of the universe in 20 years.
"Does that also mean that for the length of this duration we'll be unable to leave our 'Earth Server' to enter Essence or any of the other species' planetary servers?" A shadowy form asked, surprising everyone. The shadow disappeared to reveal a handsome man with a good height who resembled Castlevania's Dracula, yet far younger and less chiseled.
"Name's Connor Baines, and that was my Ability. Since we're all in the same boat, let me share the details of my Ability with you all." The fellow offered, clicking on something in the air, before a prompt screen appeared before everyone simultaneously.
[Connor Baines wants to send you some details. Accept? Y/N.]
"Whoa, how did you do that?" The youngest of the group, Xela Stone, asked. She was a dainty little teenage girl wearing a frilly white dress with a long yellow skirt. On her head was a bowtie that bound her silver hair, and her strange gray eyes shone with vibrancy.
"The Selie AI taught me when I asked her about an explanation on how to use the system menus. It may be barebones, but it is fully responsive to your thoughts and queries. You can basically have it do anything that a smartphone can do." Connor explained.
Everyone was happy to receive that insight, and they all quickly accepted the details he had sent out.
[Shadow World - Element Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to control all shadows within his sensory range, and can traverse through any shadow they can perceive. This also includes the shadows of third parties and non-living items.
At the F-Stage, the owner can only open 3 shadow portals at once.]
"Heyyy, that's pretty good!" Henry Jasek exclaimed.
"Hmm. Since we're sharing, I will oblige." A 6''4' tall muscular man with a deeply tanned skin tone stated in a very deep voice.
[Levi Thane wants to send you some details. Accept? Y/N.]
The group shared looks and checked. Since he was sharing of his own accord, they would surely satisfy their curiosity.
[Liquid Manipulation - Element Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to control all forms of liquid within his sensory range. This also includes metallic liquids like mercury and organic liquids like blood.
At the F-Stage, the owner can only barely control a fistful of the various liquids in the universe.]
"OP… this guy's a fucking bloodbender." Andre Gregg muttered in horror.
Connor Baines blinked then gazed at Levi Thane who remained unmoved. "Brother, I promise never to become your enemy."
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Levi Thane nodded. "I don't fancy being your enemy either, since I cannot control blood or any liquid that I cannot sense. Should we fight and your shadows, I would be the one fucked."
"Wow, all you guys are so cool. Let me show mine!" Xela offered excitedly.
The same prompt came again and everyone chose yes without hestiating this time.
[Divine Life - Reality Manipulation Type]
[Grade: EX || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to grant a second life to any recently deceased who have activated their connection to the AR World of Essence. The owner can also bring anyone from any injured or ill state back into the prime instantly.
At the F-Stage, the owner can heal a maximum of 50 times and revive 1 person a day.]
The whole room went silent as everyone gazed at the young girl who was seemingly awaiting some praises. Even Damon was opening and closing his mouth like a stranded fish. He had thought his Abilities to be broken, but this girl could actually cheat death!
Damon and Felicia sucked in deep breaths and shared a look. This made things far worse, since every one and their mother would covet this girl to death. The wars that would be launched over her favor would be terrifying.
After the first 20 years, when most of their rights and protections as a new species would be removed, everyone would descend like locusts to capture her. On the flip side, the Universe Will would never allow her to be abused when she could make more of a difference towards the spelunking of the Chaos Realm.
Henry Jasek smiled and whipped out a lollipop. "Little girl, would you like to follow me to my van? I have plenty of candy!"
The rest of them broke into laughter while Xela rolled her eyes. "That's so 2000's, old man. Don't you have tiktok or instagram?"
"O-Old man…?" Henry muttered with a pale face, clutching his chest in pain as he stumbled backward.
The rest grimaced and backed away from him, not wanting to be lumped into the 'old' category.
Henry's face became red with dismay and despair at being abandoned, and he roared: "If I'm so old, how come I'm so powerful?"
[Ability Replication - Ability Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SSS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to adopt the same Ability as anyone within sensory range. The strength of the Ability is based on the current Stage of the owner, and reflects the full power of the copied Ability.
At the F-Stage, the owner can only maintain a copied Ability for 1 hour.]
"Hmm, not bad, old man. Try and copy my Ability." Xela prodded with her tongue stuck out.
"Hmph, easy-peasy." Henry snorted, then focused on Xela. He then showed a look of surprise.
"Huh, I actually can't! It says I can't copy Abilities above my Grade!" Henry exclaimed with shock.
The eyes of Damon and Felicia flashed with relief. Even though they may look harmonious now, neither one liked the idea of Henry, or someone else with that type of Ability, to be able to copy any one of their Abilities.
"If that's the case, then the same should be valid for my Ability." Ektor Castro pointed out while stroking his mustache, before sharing his details.
[Ability Destruction - Ability Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SSS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to disable the abilities of anyone within sensory range. The strength of the Ability is based on the current Stage of the owner, and negates the entirety of the targeted Ability.
At the F-Stage, the owner can only disable an Ability for 1 hour.]
"Wow, its almost like we're twins or sumn." Henry joked while smacking Ektor's back.
"Well, what about you guys? Anyone else want to share? Just do it all at once so we can browse them at the same time." Henry suggested jovially as he turned to the rest.
The others shared a look and nodded. They simultaneously sent their Abilities and Damon parsed through them. He highlighted the very important and powerful ones to keep note of.
There was the Mental Manipulation belonging to a finely-dressed gentleman called Nicholas Spencley.
[Mental Manipulation - Element Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SSS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to control all psychic energies and sentient mind powers within his eyesight and sensory range. This also includes the minds of any sentient being as well as semi-sentient beings.
At the F-Stage, the owner can only barely control a fistful of psychic energy in the universe.]
With this, as far as Damon could tell, Nicholas could actually use all forms of psychic Abilities, as well as harness the actual energy that was theorized by scientists, which was Psion Energy. What exactly he could do though, was not clearly defined and would have to be seen.
Then, there was the Anti-Ability Domain belonging to Kane, a fellow with a mohawk, dressed in a biker jacket, leather pants and spiked boots.
[Anti-Ability Domain - Area Manipulation Type]
[Grade: SSS || Stage: F]
[Effect: The owner of this Ability has the power to suppress all Abilities of all types by a certain percentage. The strength of the Ability is based on the current Stage of the owner, and the Ability reduction is dependent on the Ability's Grade vs the target Ability's Grade as well as the Ability's Stage vs the target Ability's Stage.]
This was different from the Ability Destruction that Ektor possessed. Ektor disabled an Ability completely and for a certain period of time. However, he could not affect Ex-Grade Abilities which seemed to be the main difference between him and Kane.
Kane's Ability could suppress all Abilities, just that the value of how much it was suppressed was dependent on some quick maths.