Kaito's silver eyes swept across the ruined landscape. His mind spun rapidly, analyzing every possibility. The mission was specific: "Use electricity to kill 5 Goblins." But it never said he had to generate the electricity himself.
From behind the rubble of a collapsed classroom, he spotted it, a live electrical cable, stripped of insulation and sparking blue arcs, dangling from a nearly toppled pole. Its sizzling end touched a puddle on the ground. Not far from it, an old iron rod, perhaps once part of a flagpole, lay discarded.
That's it.
Carefully, avoiding the gaze of prowling goblins, Kaito crawled toward the rod. He seized it, it was heavy, but manageable. Holding his breath, he pressed its end toward the crackling cable.
ZZZZZT!
The iron surged with power, sparks dancing across its length. His hands trembled violently, static prickling his skin, the metallic scent of ozone burning his nose. It wasn't [Lightning Strike], not elegant like Kenji's skill, but it was still electricity.
A group of three goblins was busy tearing apart a fallen victim.
Perfect.
With the charged rod in hand, Kaito hunched low and sprinted toward them. The first goblin snarled, turning to charge. With a motion like casting a fishing line, Kaito slammed the sparking rod into the blood-soaked puddle before its feet.
ZZZRRAPP!
The electrified water exploded with crackling fury. The goblin shrieked, convulsing violently before collapsing into a charred heap. The other two, too stupid to understand the danger, stomped straight into the puddle, writhing in agony before meeting the same fate.
The stench of scorched flesh filled the air.
〈3/5 Goblins killed using electricity.〉
Kaito's breath caught. It worked!
He yanked the rod free, sparks still leaping across its length. Scanning the battlefield, he spotted two goblins scrambling up the ruins toward a group of terrified students.
Not on my watch.
With all his strength, he hurled the electrified rod like a spear. It clattered into another puddle just beneath the climbing goblins.
PLUNG! ZZZZT!
Two strangled screams. Then silence.
〈5/5 Goblins killed using electricity.〉
〈Copy Mission [Lightning Strike] SUCCESS!〉
Kaito's chest heaved, sweat pouring down his temples. His arms ached from strain, but a flood of relief surged through him as a new system window appeared.
〈Selecting skill to copy…〉
Before his eyes, icons spun like a slot machine: a lightning bolt ([Lightning Strike]), a running figure ([Sprint]), and a keen eye ([Keen Eye]). His heart pounded. He remembered the warning: "At Level 1, the copied result is randomized."
The spin slowed… past [Sprint]… past [Keen Eye]… and finally stopped at—
〈Congratulations! You have acquired: [Lightning Strike] Lv. 1!〉
"Yes!" Kaito hissed under his breath, fist pumping the air. He did it. He finally had an offensive skill.
He quickly opened his status.
· Skills:
· [Copy Paste] [Unique] Lv. 01
· [Lightning Strike] Lv. 01
Kaito stretched out his hand and focused. A tiny spark leapt between his fingertips, no larger than the flame of a lighter. Weak, but real, born from his own body.
He tilted his gaze toward the sky, where those merciless angels surely still watched. Their message was clear: survive or die.
But now Kaito had more than just [Copy Paste]. He had proof that cunning mattered just as much as brute force.
In this cruel new world, his wits, and his unique skill, might just be the deadliest weapon of all.
He was no longer a victim.
He was a player.
And the game of survival had only just begun.
Kaito stared at his status screen, small sparks of electricity flickering at his fingertips. He had done it, for the first time since "The Rupture," he felt a glimpse of control over his own fate.
But the satisfaction didn't last long. Something was off.
[Lightning Strike]. [Sprint]. [Keen Eye].
Three skill icons had appeared when he copied Kenji.
"…Three?" Kaito muttered, frowning. "That… shouldn't be possible."
The Angels had made it clear: Every human would only receive one Unique Skill. That was the law of this new world. Yet what he had just seen completely broke that law.
Kenji didn't have one.
He had three.
Kaito's heartbeat quickened. What does this mean?
He had to confirm it.
Carefully, Kaito moved through the ruins. The screams of goblins and the clash of battle echoed in the distance, but his focus was fixed on one thing: finding Kenji.
It didn't take long. Near the shattered schoolyard, Kaito spotted him. Kenji stood tall among a few surviving students, his entire posture radiating confidence, almost arrogance. Sparks of lightning still danced in his hand, while his two friends, Shouji and Aya, stood at his side.
Kaito pressed his back against a broken wall, watching.
"…You saw it yourselves, right?" Kenji's voice was smug, dripping with pride. "I didn't just get one skill. The Angels gave me three."
Shouji's jaw dropped. "T-three?! How? We all only got one!"
Kenji smirked, his gaze sharp with superiority. "Because I'm different. I was chosen. The Chosen. The Angel told me I was destined to lead this server. And with this power, who could possibly stand against me?"
Aya bit her lip, hesitant. "But… if others find out, won't they get jealous? They might even target you…"
"Hah." Kenji scoffed, flicking his hand. A streak of lightning cracked the ground at his feet. "Let them try. With [Sprint], I'm faster than anyone. With [Keen Eye], I can read every move. And with [Lightning Strike]…" His eyes narrowed, madness sparking beneath them. "…I can end anyone with a single blow."
Kaito felt chills run down his spine. It was true then, Kenji wasn't just another player. He was someone different. Someone special.
The Chosen.
But what did that actually mean? The Angels' rules were supposed to be absolute. Yet here was someone who had been given more than the rest. Either the rules could be broken… or they had never been fair to begin with.
Kaito clenched his fist. [Copy Paste] might look weak, but because of it, he could see the cracks in the system. He knew something no one else did: Kenji had more than one skill. And that knowledge alone could become a weapon far more dangerous than lightning.
In the distance, the system's cold voice echoed again, piercing every survivor's mind.
〈Warning: Time remaining for Quest "Initial Purification" — 17:42:55〉
Kaito held his breath. Time was running out.
But one thing was clear now, in this new world, goblins weren't the only threat. Other humans could be just as dangerous. Some had been given "privileges" by the Angels. And Kenji was one of them.
If Kenji is The Chosen… then I will be the one to steal his destiny.