Frank sat at the edge of the bed, rolling his shoulders as he stretched. The lingering ache in his muscles had finally faded. He clenched and unclenched his fists, testing his grip. Strength coursed through his limbs, an unfamiliar yet exhilarating sensation. Across the room, Elias stirred, his groggy eyes blinking open to find the entire team gathered around Frank.
"Oh, hey guys," Elias mumbled, rubbing his face. "Why's everyone staring?"
Kaido crossed his arms. "We were just about to ask Frank a very important question."
Joel smirked, resting his chin on his fist. "Yeah, Frank, how the hell did you pull that off?"
Frank exhaled through his nose and looked down. "Well, uhh... I dunno," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Kinda just followed my instincts, to be honest."
Raymond narrowed his eyes. "Instincts? That's it?"
Frank shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, yeah. When the thing lunged at me, I just... moved. Didn't really think much about it. You ever get that feeling? Like, your body just knows what to do?"
Tayla squinted at him. "That's a pretty convenient answer, don't you think?"
"It's the truth." Frank held up his hands. "Nothing fancy. Just good ol' survival instinct."
Elias, still waking up, gave Frank a lingering glance but didn't press further. Frank noticed that look—the same one Elias had given him the night before when he muttered that cryptic line. You see them too, don't you?
The team exchanged glances, seemingly accepting Frank's explanation, though some still looked skeptical.
---
After freshening up—an actual bath, to Frank's delight—they made their way to the village chief's house. The village buzzed with energy, people stopping them to offer thanks, gifts, and words of admiration. Frank found it overwhelming. He wasn't used to being seen as some kind of hero.
Inside the chief's home, the elderly man greeted them with a relieved smile. "You have done this village a great service. That creature... had it continued its rampage, we would have been lost."
Raymond nodded. "We were just doing our job, Chief. But we have reason to believe that beast wasn't normal."
The chief's expression darkened. "Yes, we have heard whispers of... unusual creatures appearing in the outskirts. If this is the beginning of something larger, the kingdom must be warned."
As the conversation carried on, Frank's mind wandered back to the night before. The sheer fright he had felt in that battle... it wasn't just from the beast. It was from something deeper—the moment he had watched someone die for the first time. The villager, torn apart in an instant. That horror was burned into his mind. It wasn't just fear, it was realization. He was in a world where death was commonplace.
"Frank?" Elias nudged him. "You okay?"
Frank shook himself out of his thoughts. "Yeah. Just... thinking."
Elias nodded, as if understanding more than Frank was letting on. "Yeah... me too."
---
Later that night, as they sat around the inn's common area, Frank turned to Elias. "Hey. Earlier, you said something weird. You see them too, don't you? What did you mean by that?"
Elias hesitated before sighing. "I've started seeing them. The numbers. The skills. It's like... my eyes just read people now. I don't even have to use an Appraisal Stone."
Frank blinked. "Wait, what?"
Elias nodded. "Yeah. When I look at someone, their skills just... appear in my head. Like a stat screen or something."
Frank frowned. "...That sounds familiar."
Elias raised a brow. "Oh?"
Frank leaned forward. "I think I've been doing the same thing. But I didn't even realize it."
"How do you mean?"
Frank rubbed his chin. "Remember when I fought Raymond? When I used Reciprocate? I copied his skill, right? But I never really thought about how I did it. But thinking back... I was looking at him. I was staring at him. And then... it just happened."
Elias leaned back. "So, you're saying that just by looking at someone, you can copy their skills?"
Frank grimaced. "I don't know, man. It's weird. I never activated anything."
Elias snorted. "Maybe you're just a natural-born thief."
Frank rolled his eyes. "Great, now I'm a walking scam artist. Just what I needed."
The two chuckled, but Frank's mind was racing. There was more to this than just instinct or luck.
---
As they made their way back to the guild, the cheers of the villagers still fresh in their ears, Frank suddenly heard a voice.
Frank Onclave. Seems like you survived the battle with the mutated beast.
He froze. The voice echoed in his head, but no one else reacted. It was in his mind.
The lady in white...
Frank swallowed. Who... who are you?
You are learning, but you are still unaware of the true nature of your abilities.
His heart pounded. What do you mean?
Your skill, Reciprocate—it does not merely copy. It replicates an entire skill set when activated. It is why, when you stared at Raymond, you copied his warrior skills without knowing it.
Frank's breath hitched. That's... that's insane.
And it is only the beginning.
Frank's head spun. He barely registered their arrival back at the guild. He was deep in thought when Tayla sidled up to him, smirking.
"You look lost in thought, luggage boy."
Frank groaned. "Really? We're still doing that nickname?"
Tayla tapped her chin. "Maybe. I could think of something worse."
"Oh, please do. My self-esteem isn't low enough yet."
She laughed. "Alright, alright. Just don't stand around looking so serious all the time. You're gonna get wrinkles."
Frank rolled his eyes. "Noted."
Before he could process anything else, the guild members swarmed them, bombarding Raymond with questions about Frank's absurd skill growth. Frank took a step back, watching as Raymond struggled to explain. He smirked.
"Yeah, you handle that, big guy. I'll just be over here, enjoying my peace."
As he leaned against the bar, his thoughts drifted back to the mysterious woman's words. Only the beginning, huh? He exhaled, staring up at the ceiling.
"What the hell are you really making me play at?" he muttered to himself.
---
Far away, in a dimly lit stronghold, a figure sat on an ornate chair. The room was a blend of elegance and strangeness, the architecture almost surreal. The figure's features were obscured, except for one thing—their glowing eyes emitting a sinister aura.
They stared into the distance, a knowing smirk playing on their lips.
The game had only just begun.