Mastering Skills

As Takeru slithered up the tree with ease. He felt as though he had forgotten something. He pondered a bit about what it could be until he heard that strange bell again.

He tilted his head up. Yes! I remember! The system... I didn't finish looking through it, but how do I open that window again?

Maybe... System open! As soon as he thought those words, the large blackish, transparent screen appeared before him once again.

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Personal Information:

Name: ________ ________

Age: 1 year

Race: Mythical snake

Species: Snake

Rank: Not acquired

Swipe left to see stats and skills...

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What?! I don't have a name? And what the hell is a Mythical Snake?! I'll need to look into that... I think I can use those information scrolls I got... if I ever figure out how to open the ring. He thought as he looked at the ring surrounding his tail, which was curled around a tree branch, before using his tongue to swipe left.

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Status:

Body: 22

Mana: 28

Intelligence: 29

Skills:

Common: Thermal Vision, Sense Detail, Target

Rare: Complete Function, Venom, Fast Strike

Legendary: Mana Eater, Adaptation

Talent:

Quick Learner, Motion Detect

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Takeru sat with wide eyes glued to the system window. Isn't this a bit... too much? Or is it normal to have eight skills?

And two of them are legendary skills. Doesn't that mean I'm stronger than I thought?

No! Takeru, don't get ahead of yourself. These skills are all useless if I don't know how to use them. He thought, resting his head on the branch.

Closing his eyes, he heard that ding noise again. He quickly lifted his lids only to see that a smaller screen had appeared in front of the larger one.

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Bonus Tip

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In the blink of an eye, both screens completely vanished, floating into the sky like dust particles. Some even went into Takeru's eyes, causing them to burn.

He winced. Dust? Really? Was that even necessary?!

Takeru thought as he violently flickered his itching eye, but one thing he didn't notice was that the color of his scales flickered white—only for a split second.

After the itchiness subsided and he regained his composure, something caught his eye—a ray of light shining from above in front of him. He turned his head upward and saw an opening just big enough for him to fit through, revealing a blue sky.

A grin formed on his face. Outside, finally! I don't have to be trapped in this cave anymore... but. Then the grin on his face disappeared. I don't know what's waiting for me out there. If a little snake like me were to... No! I can't get depressed over something like that. I just need to learn my skills. If I can completely master them, I'll have a high chance of surviving.

He knew what he had to do next, and he started with the skill he had somehow used earlier—Thermal Vision.

I just need to think of the skill. Let's try it.

Thermal Vision.

As soon as he thought the skill's name, he saw orange outlines in the distance where he came from.

"Probably the plague," he thought, having named the rats that.

Strangely enough, he quickly understood the skill and its limits, as if all the information regarding it flowed into his head like a gentle stream.

Was this my talent's doing? That reminds me, wasn't being a quick learner the talent I had in my previous life? Did it somehow get transferred over with my soul?

He did find that realization strange but didn't linger on it and continued to test his skills. Next, he would try Sense Detail.

Upon activation, his hearing improved to the point that he was able to hear the squeaking of the rats in the distance. Not only that, but the skill also allowed him to feel movement through vibrations, although its effect radius was small.

As he tested out more and more of his skills, the days went by in the blink of an eye. With the sun rising and setting, he kept count of how long it had been since he arrived in Majestiar by marking the tree with lines using the ring on his tail.

After Takeru completed testing the last skill, he made a fourth mark on the tree. He had completely mastered all his skills, even pairing what would work well together.

Finally finished, but I still need to test it out on a living animal.

He used Thermal Vision to look into the distance. A sinister smile formed on his face as he saw a single orange outline across the lake.

And I think I've found the perfect target. His tongue flickered outside his mouth.

He got ready to hunt, sneakily and quietly slithering down the tree, circling around its trunk until he safely arrived at the bottom.

He blinked once before narrowing his eyes. The rat was just in range.

He used Sense Detail, pairing it with Thermal Vision.

This was the ultimate combination he had come up with. If he were to describe himself now, he would be a silent killer.

He knew where the rat was at all times—even if he wasn't looking at it.

He slithered towards the lake before entering it. His movements on the water surface were fluid—no noise, just silent ripples, just as he had practiced the past few days.

The last four days, Takeru didn't just master his skills—he mastered complete control over his body. He started to feel as though it was the body he was born with, showcasing that as he seamlessly moved across the water, arriving on the other side.

His eyes were locked on the rat.

Fast Strike!

Before the rat even sensed the danger, it was already too late. Takeru launched himself forward like a bullet heading toward a bullseye. With complete precision, he aimed at the rat's neck.

Venom!

As the rat squeaked and squirmed, struggling to escape his jaws, he injected venom into its neck, killing it instantly.

Takeru held its limp and motionless body in his mouth with a sense of pride. He felt as though the hard work he had gone through the past few days was worth it.

Without a single doubt, he extended his jaw further, gulping the rat down in one go as its body instantly degenerated inside his stomach.

Hahaha... haha, yes!

Step.

That felt like a great hunt!

Step. Step.

No unnecessary movement. If I had a class in a game, I would definitely be an assassin...

In an instant Takeru froze. Someone—or something—was behind him.

Whoosh!

A sharp gust of wind sliced past him.

No! Fast Strike!

Takeru quickly used his skill in an unconventional way to lunge his body forward, dodging the incoming attack from behind. The wind the attack generated grazed his back, causing a small red cut.

He quickly turned his head around.

His eyes narrowed.

So it's you again... Don't worry! This time, I'll be the one hunting you!