Dustin took the lead and took others in the corner.
"Here, I'll firs go and show you my unique skill."
Dustin stepped forward with a confident smirk on his lips. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when they opened, a faint, shimmering aura pulsed around his hands.
extending his palm in front of others, a small, intricate mechanism of gears and springs materialized in the air, spinning silently before dissolving into thin air.
"Whoa! What was that?" Rohan exclaimed, his eyes open in surprise.
"That's my skill, 'Gear Craft'," Dustin explained, a proud tone in his voice.
"I can instantly construct simple mechanical devices from raw energy." He explained, "The more complex the device, the more energy it consumes, but it's perfect for traps, or making a temporary defensive or offensive gear."
"That's incredible, Dustin!" Aaliyah cheered, genuinely impressed by his unique skill. "Imagine the possibilities in a mini-game!"
Then Fiona stepped up next, a quiet smile on her face, "My turn, then. Mine is a bit more… different than what Dustin has."
She raised her hand, and the air around it seemed to ripple, then a faint, then, a small, vibrant flower bloomed instantly in her palm, its petals unfurling in a delicate dance before withering away just as quickly.
"Whoa, Fiona, that's beautiful!" Hana gasped, leaning closer, "What is it?" She felt disappointment when the flower instantly vanished in front of her eyes.
"It's 'Nature's Bloom'," Fiona explained, her voice soft. "I can manipulate plant life on a small scale, accelerating growth, or even creating temporary illusions using natural elements. It's not for direct combat, but it's excellent for reconnaissance or creating distractions."
Dustin with a smile, goes for a hug in front of everyone, "Baby, that's perfect for what we needed in our team."
"That's so cool, Fiona! You could make us camouflaged!" Alex exclaimed, his mind he has already cleared the first mini-game.
Then with a grin, Alex stepped forward. "Alright, my turn! Mine's pretty straightforward, but effective."
He clenched his fist, and a faint, almost invisible spark appeared around his knuckles, taking a invisible shape into what looked like ,gauntlets. He punched the air, and a small, almost imperceptible gust of wind shot forward, rustling a few leaves on a nearby bush.
"Was that… wind around your hand?" Rohan asked, a little confused.
"It's 'Gale Fists'," Alex clarified, a with voice loud as right now, he was the only one with pure offensive unique skill.
"I can channel wind around my hands to enhance my close combat. It's enough to give my punches more force, and I feel like I can smash few heads with just my punch alone."
"That's actually really useful, Alex! You got what you would have wished for," Ray spoke from behind but his tone was lacking confidence as it trailed off.
Aaliyah then stepped up, her eyes met with others, "I have this, 'Hidden eyes'." She closed her eyes, then opened it, and for a brief moment, her iris seemed to glow with a faint, golden light.
She then pointed towards a distant, crumbling wall. "See that crack, about halfway up, near the third window from the left? There's a loose brick there."
Everyone squinted, trying to see what she was pointing at. After a moment, Rohan, with his naturally good eyesight, finally spotted it. "Oh, wow! You're right! I can barely see it!"
"It enhances my perception," Aaliyah explained. "I can see what normal eyes might not and even track faint trails. It's great for scouting and finding hidden paths."
"That's amazing, Aaliyah! We'll never miss anything with you around," Hana praised, impressed by the utility of the skill.
Rohan, ever the earnest one, shuffled his feet. "Mine's not as flashy as yours, guys, but it's helpful, I think." He held out his hand, and a faint, warm glow emanated from it.
He placed it on a small, withered plant, and slowly, almost imperceptibly, the plant began to regain some of its colors.
"What is that, Rohan? A healing skill?" Aaliyah asked, leaning in.
"It's 'Quick Heal'," Rohan said, a slight blush on his cheeks. "I can… accelerate natural healing. It's slow, but it works."
"Rohan, that's not 'not flashy', that's incredible!" Alex exclaimed, realizing the importance of his power. "You could heal us in a pinch!"
Finally, it was Hana's turn. She took a deep breath, a confident, almost mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Alright, prepare to be amazed." She extended her hand, and the air around it shimmered with an intense, vibrant blue light.
From her palm, a small, perfectly formed orb of crackling wind energy materialized, hovering for a moment before she flicked her wrist, sending it zipping silently into the ruined building nearby. A faint thump echoed from within.
"What was that?!" Alex practically shouted, his jaw dropping.
"That, is 'Elemental beast'," Hana said, a triumphant smile on her face. "It's a pure energy beast. Not super powerful yet, but it's fast, silent, and I can control its trajectory to a degree. Perfect for taking out small threats or triggering traps from a distance."
"Hana, that's a direct combat skill!" Dustin exclaimed, his previous confidence momentarily overshadowed by surprise. "That's incredibly useful!"
Then, as they all finished, their gaze landed on Ray, who was having second thoughts. He was embarrassed to even speak, but then Dustin was the one who spoke.
"What are you waiting for, Ray? Show us what you've got." Dustin said, holding Fiona's waist.
"I believe you're hiding something special, show us, buddy." Alex called out, eager to see what unique skill Ray had.
Ray was truly nervous. He knew this wasn't going to be a good decision, but did he have any choice? Well, no.
Still, with a smile, he spoke. "Mine isn't something special. It's… it's called 'Scavenger One'." He spoke and waited for their reaction.
For a few seconds, everyone was silent, then, "Pffft…" Alex was the first one to break the silence.
"Don't tell me you've awakened the garbage collecting skill?" Even while speaking, he was laughing as it became harder to control.
Others were the same. Dustin, with a proud chuckle, looked at him with a mocking smile, while Fiona didn't look towards him, but there was relief on her face. Maybe she felt happy that she left him for a greater good.
Aaliyah had disgust on her face, while Rohan made a poker face. He could feel Ray's emotions, so he didn't laugh at him like the others.
Hana, on the other hand, had a sad face. Now she realized why Ray had been so silent since they met. 'Maybe this was the reason he was disturbed since we met,' she thought.
"Ray? How is this possible, HAHAHA. Imagine we're all trying to clear the mini-game with our abilities, and our Ray is picking trash from behind," Alex couldn't stop himself from imagining things.
Asliyah then added, "Maybe we should find another teammate." She was straightforward, and being Fiona's close friend, she had always hated Ray.
She was even the reason why Fiona ghosted Ray.
Then, to take the lead once more, Dustin spoke. "His weak skills don't matter. He is our friend, so basically we'll take him with us." But there was a mocking tone in his voice.
Ray, on the other hand, felt like punching Alex and Dustin. One was mocking him openly, and the other was taking shots from behind.