Chapter 149
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 149
Chapter Title: Inspecting Captive Skills
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I quickly closed in on the bastard who'd thrown the bomb at me and shattered his leg, just like I'd done to the others.
"Arghhh!"
Unable to react to my movements at all, his leg snapped in an unnatural direction. He collapsed screaming, and with that, I'd successfully subdued all four.
"Well then, shall we get to work?"
I dragged all four of them into one spot and knelt down to meet their eyes at eye level.
"P-Please spare me! No, I beg you, spare my life!"
"We don't have anything... Not a single coin..."
"Fuck... What the hell is going on..."
Trembling in terror at what I might do to them, they clasped their hands together and begged desperately. It was almost pitiful.
Not that begging would change a damn thing.
"Shut up and show me your status windows."
"Huh?"
"Are you deaf? I said show me your status windows. Do that, and I'll let you live."
The guys who'd been pleading for their lives just moments ago stared at me in stunned silence upon hearing my offer.
They were probably too baffled to process it.
If our positions were reversed, even I'd be suspicious of some ploy.
"Y-You're really saying you'll let us go if we show you our status windows?"
"That's right. I always keep my promises, so relax. Though I get why a stranger like me might be hard to trust."
All four heard my proposal, but none of them could hide their disbelief.
Still haven't grasped the situation, huh?
"You do realize I could kill you all anytime I wanted, right? Or have you already forgotten who just smashed your legs in one hit?"
"Th-That's true, but..."
"And was my request that unreasonable? All you have to do is show me your status window. I'll let you go if you do. It's that simple."
But seeing them still eyeing me with suspicion, I sighed and stood up.
Then I pulled the Reaper Blade from my Subspace.
"If you can't even do this much, then no choice. Die."
As I slowly raised the Reaper Blade overhead, the bomb-thrower—who seemed to be their leader—shot his hand up in a panic.
"W-Wait! Okay, fine. I'll show you my status window like you said."
Hearing that, I lowered the Reaper Blade.
"There we go. Now share it quick."
The bomb guy made a resigned face but shared his status window with me anyway.
Status windows held all sorts of info like names and stats, but none of that mattered to me.
What I needed was skill data, pure and simple.
To successfully steal a skill, one key requirement was knowing its exact name and effects.
If not for crap like that, it'd be a broken cheat skill with no limits.
To view someone else's skills, you had to go through their status window—and you couldn't view those without permission.
So fulfilling the prerequisites for skill theft wasn't exactly a walk in the park.
I could force it with threats like now, but only because the situation allowed it. In a real pinch, it'd be impossible.
Man, if there was a skill to peek at others' status windows, that'd be perfect.
Might be useless to most, but paired with skill theft, it'd create insane synergy for me.
Every Awakener I meet would have their skills exposed, and I'd snag the good ones.
Something like that probably exists somewhere. I'll find it eventually.
For now, let's check this guy's skills.
Having the Weapon Crafter trait made sense for his bomb-making skill.
And there it was.
[Incendiary Melter Grenade Manufacturing Lv. 2]
- Produces a bomb that triggers a superheated explosion upon detonation, melting all nearby objects.
- Higher skill levels reduce coin cost for crafting.
- Crafting Cost: 1,000 Coins
A skill to make bombs for 1,000 coins...
Couldn't test the blast power yet, but a skill like this would have tons of uses.
Wonder if I can steal it?
Something told me no.
I tried using Skill Theft on Incendiary Melter Grenade Manufacturing anyway, and sure enough—a system message popped up.
[Skill Theft failed.]
[This skill can only be stolen by those with the Weapon Crafter trait.]
Figures.
It didn't say so in the description, but anyone could tell it was Weapon Crafter exclusive. My hunch was spot on.
Another downside to Skill Theft: you could only steal skills you yourself could learn.
The name/effect prerequisite? Manageable with some digging.
But this? Fundamentally impossible for me.
As a Technician, the system locked me to related skills only. No way around trait-specific ones.
"Aw, too bad."
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it. You're free to go wherever. Who's next?"
Couldn't snag the bomb skill, but kidnapping him by force wouldn't help anyway. Let him scamper off.
If he came back for revenge later, all the better.
He'd bring better gear and skills to pull it off.
I'd just take those instead.
Like catching a small fish in fishing, then tossing it back to grow bigger before the real catch.
The bomb guy eyed me warily as he inched backward on the ground.
Clearly worried I'd stab him in the back. But I really planned to let him go, promise or not.
As he slunk farther away, the remaining three snapped to attention and thrust their hands up.
"Mine's here too!"
"You can look at my status window!"
Desperate to live, they flailed like fish flung onto dry land.
"I'll check myself. Just share access and stay quiet."
I scowled a bit, and the three clammed up.
With the noise gone, time to browse leisurely.
First up: a cooking skill.
[Mana Amplification Cooking Lv. 1]
- Crafts dishes that boost the consumer's mana capacity.
- Higher levels increase the boost amount.
- Mana Increase: 1.1x
Useless to me, but not bad overall.
Awakeners burn mana on skills, so extra capacity is always welcome.
Plus, you gotta eat anyway, so it's a nice bonus.
Too bad it's for Cooks only.
I had the orb for Cook trait, but no Farmer trait meant no dice for me.
Pass. Next.
This one let you share mana.
[Mana Sharing Lv. 5]
- Shares a percentage of your mana with a target.
- Transferring 100 mana yields 50 to the target.
- Higher levels improve the ratio.
Solid skill.
I use Demonic Energy anyway, so no qualms about handing off mana.
I only tap mana for crafting—never in fights.
Best part: it's a universal skill, no trait restrictions.
Meaning? Stealable.
Mine now. Last guy's turn: teleport skill.
[Blink Lv. 3]
- Instantly teleports, ignoring obstacles within range.
- Higher levels extend max distance.
- Max Distance: 1.3m
Nice one.
Black Magic has similar tricks, so not essential.
But those guzzle Demonic Energy, and I hate wasting it on basic teleports—especially when bigger uses might come.
This skill? No Demonic Energy cost.
Also universal. Perfect.
Two skills. Bon appétit~