Ace stared in disbelief at the three shining white balls above his head, a mix of wonder and self-doubt swirling within him. He muttered to himself, "Am I a genius or just plain trash?"
Unable to contain his curiosity, Ace approached Nik, his voice filled with uncertainty. "Nik, do you have any idea why we're standing in this line?"
Nik turned to Ace with a knowing smile. "Once you have a talent awakened, they'll insert a chip inside our bodies. It'll help us measure our strange energy levels, absorb it, and determine our talents."
Ace's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That sounds incredible. Is there any way to increase our talents?"
Nik nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Indeed, there is. A person can enhance their talent twice in their lifetime, but this only applies to talents ranked under A. However, the medicines required for such enhancements are incredibly rare and hard to come by. Most people prefer to keep them for themselves, considering them priceless."
Nik Said. "U won't need them, bro."
Ace frowned, contemplating Nik's words. "Why do you say that I won't need them, Nik?"
Nik grinned mischievously. "You'll find out soon enough, bro."
Ace's frustration with Nik's cryptic response continued to simmer, but he decided to keep his thoughts to himself as he waited for his turn. The line moved swiftly, and soon Ace found himself in front of the doctors who were administering injections and conducting examinations.
He braced himself as the doctor approached, prepared for the unfamiliar sensation of the injection. After receiving it, he was instructed to return after an hour for the effects to manifest.
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Ace watched the clock impatiently, the minutes ticking away slowly. As the hour finally passed, he returned to the doctors, who directed him to state "status" to initiate the check of his talent and strange energy volume.
As soon as he uttered the word, a display appeared before him, showing the amount of strange energy he could absorb daily. Ace's eyes widened in disbelief; it read "9 strains per day." He was dumbfounded. E-rank talents were supposed to absorb only one strain per day. Did this mean he had the potential of a B-rank talent?
He immediately sought clarification from the doctors, who explained that every skill he possessed was three times more potent. With three E-level talents, each with an increased absorption rate, the total reached nine strains per day.
Ace's mind raced as he realized the implications of his unique abilities. Perhaps Nik had been right, and he didn't need to increase his talent. His triple E-level talents already set him apart from the norm, and he was eager to explore the possibilities they offered in his journey to become a formidable Beast Tamer.
After checking his talents—Fusion, Copy/Paste, and Inventory—Ace delved into their details. Fusion allowed him to combine objects under E-rank items, with success increasing the more he used it, although it required strange energy to operate. Copy/Paste granted him the incredible ability to duplicate and replicate anything under E-rank, also powered by strange energy. Lastly, Inventory allowed him to store items without needing energy to access it, although it required energy to stop time within the inventory.
What truly intrigued Ace were the mysterious notations at the bottom of each talent description: "Talent grows as you use this skill, until SSS Rank." His heart raced with excitement as he thought to himself, I think I have a "gold finger."
Filled with newfound determination, Ace grabbed a stack of E-level books for warrior and mage cultivation. He knew that with his triple E-level talents, he had a unique advantage that could help him ascend to greatness in the world of talents and monsters.
With the day's awakening behind him, Ace hurried home. Allie had already returned long before him, and he couldn't wait to tell her about his remarkable talents and the potential he saw in them. The journey ahead was bound to be filled with challenges, but with his extraordinary abilities and a burning desire to succeed, Ace was ready to carve out his place in this world of talents and beasts.