Translator: Pluto Editor: Vermillion
The tall woman in the mirror chamber lowered her head. A shadow hid her face, making it impossible to tell what her current expression was. The two people in the chamber stood still without saying a word as tension filled the air. Geran heard a mumbling voice from his opponent. He had to focus very hard before he could hear her quiet mutter.
“That owner…” the bloodied woman slowly lifted up her head to look at him. As she spoke, her cold amber eyes were surprisingly calm. “What did you do to him?”
After Geran heard Lin Sanjiu’s question, he showed an expression which could only belong to Hei Zeji. Geran had a bland characterless face so when he made that expression it created a strong juxtaposition.
“Don’t worry about others, you only need to die,” Geran said with a smirk. As his demeanor, movements, and aura slowly became more and more like Hei Zeji, he always grew tired of saying too much despite being seemingly eager to talk just moments ago.
Lin Sanjiu remained silent as she watched Geran. Right now, she needed more information about his [Empty-handed Kleptomaniac]. If she fought “Hei Zeji” head-on without any information, her chance of winning—even in her best condition—was slim. To make things worse, she was already exhausted and had wounds all over her body.
“Really?” Lin Sanjiu sneered intentionally after thinking for a while. She decided to delay him with words. “I know the owner. Unfortunately, he told me that his active skill still can’t be used for fighting. How are you going to kill me?”
Almost all Growth-types faced the same problem, their main active skills were usually not suitable for battle.
Geran wasn’t surprised when he heard what she said. His expression barely changed and he even seemed a little pleased. At the same time, his intimidating and dangerous aura grew stronger.
Lin Sanjiu’s heart sank. She originally thought that her opponent’s Special Item could steal a person’s ability like that [Rob the Poor to feed the Rich box]. With infinite apocalyptic worlds, it wasn’t strange if there were different Special Items with the same effects.
However, based on her observation, Hei Zeji’s evolved abilities probably weren’t the only things that Geran stole from that man. When Lin Sanjiu gave it more thought, she remembered that Geran used the term “fighting ability” rather than “evolved ability”. When she considered this with the change in his temperament, her expression changed as she bit her lower lip.
Geran lifted the corner of his lips when he saw her expression change. A humorless smile appeared on his face.
[Empty-handed Kleptomaniac]
After this item appeared, there were no longer any more stories about legendary thefts. You can steal a person’s cash, items, and skills. However, how could this compete with the ability to steal a person’s entire “operating system”? Well, this item allows you to do so.
If every human is a computer, it can be said that our souls, capabilities, personalities, and memories… etc are part of our operating system. Without an “operating system”, a human is merely an unthinking, breathing lump of flesh.
Instructions: The user has to activate [Empty-handed Kleptomaniac] beforehand and hide it in his hand. Once the user touches the target’s body with the box, the target’s personality, combat capabilities, skills, etc. (elements of their self) would be transferred and kept until the user required it.
Note: There are only three empty slots in [Empty-handed Kleptomaniac]. At any point in time, the user can only keep a maximum of three combat systems. After a combat system had been collected, it can only be used thrice. After that, it will disappear from the box.
Friendly hint: After a person loses their combat system, the original owner would show signs of catatonia, dementia or loss of consciousness. Please check the local laws before using this item. The user is solely responsible for the proper and legal use of this item.
“Well, I can get the core essence of a person.” As Geran spoke, he stepped forward. The effect from his [Empty-handed Kleptomaniac] was very obvious. With a single step, Hei Zeji’s intimidating and overbearing aura filled the entire room. Even Lin Sanjiu couldn’t stop herself from shuddering.
“Just treat this as if you’re going to be killed by your friend,” Geran smiled, showing his white teeth.
Lin Sanjiu was pale as she stood motionlessly. Her body was covered with blast wounds. She could feel herself trembling but she didn’t know if it was because she was weak or because she was too taken aback.
If she had to fight Hei Zeji, there was no way she could win.
After all, her current fighting techniques and observational skills were all taught by him.
“Goodbye,” Geran smirked. Then, he suddenly disappeared.
Evidently, Hei Zeji had never used the full extent of his strength whenever he fought with Lin Sanjiu. Geran did not use any Special Items. When he jumped, his movement was so fast that Lin Sanjiu couldn’t even see him. When he reappeared within her vision, he was already high above her head.
A black vortex several times the size of the one Queen Margaret threw at her whirred loudly as it appeared out of nowhere. The gigantic vortex spun rapidly above Lin Sanjiu’s head. It generated such a strong air current that the pieces of flesh and dead bodies on the floor started spinning with it. Lin Sanjiu could barely open her eyes and could hardly keep her balance.
When Lin Sanjiu received a similar blow from Queen Margaret, albeit at a small scale, she was already badly injured. If she was hit directly by this…
Before Lin Sanjiu could complete her though, Geran suddenly pulled back his arms. The moment he suddenly pulled back that black-hole-like vortex, it was as if he had drawn away a few million tonnes of normal atmospheric air as if a person was inhaling and then quickly exhaling all that air. The unraveling vortex hit Lin Sanjiu directly.
Lin Sanjiu seemed so weak and pathetic amidst the strong currents of the horrifying vortex.
Unexpectedly, the possibility of breaking any mirrors was the least of Lin Sanjiu’s concerns. Considering the torrential airflow that was released by the vortex, none of the mirrors in the chamber were intact. The mirrors were instantly pulverized into silver dust. It was as if everything in the chamber had been placed into a high-speed blender and someone had switched it on.
Lin Sanjiu only manage to curl her body. After she struggled for a moment, she was swallowed by the chaos.
Geran stood alone in the middle of the mirror chamber. He closed his eyes as he sensed the flow of every cubic air around him. After some time, when all the silvery powder reverted back to their original form, he spotted a body lying motionlessly on the floor near one of the mirror walls. It was Lin Sanjiu.
The [Ability Polishing Agent] that Lin Sanjiu used to illuminate the chamber rolled out from her limp fingers. The bottle rocked a little as silver light filled half the room. Geran gave Lin Sanjiu a cursory glance before he let out a dry laugh with a mix of irritation and relief.
“Getting rid of these people was easier than I thought,” he said to himself softly. He had no interest whatsoever in Lin Sanjiu’s “torchlight”. As he spoke, he tapped his watch, and a black square-shaped shadow fell from the face of his watch and into his palm. That was his [Empty-handed Kleptomaniac]. He placed Hei Zeji’s combat system back into the box very carefully. After that, Geran let out a long sigh and he returned to its usual collected, mild-mannered self. He tried to adjust his spectacles out of habit but he wasn’t wearing them. Geran shook his head and laughed. He looked up and surveyed his surroundings.
“I’m the only survivor now. I am the victor,” he shouted. He was trying to summon the announcer. “Shouldn’t I get the grand prize?”
There was complete silence. Suddenly, he heard someone clapping loudly. He looked up and saw a dignified-looking person with a simple smile. That person clapped his hands as he slowly walked out from one of the mirrors.
The person had a masculine briskness in his movement but also a slender feminine body. It was difficult to determine his gender. Regardless of his gender, Ji Shanqing was beautiful.
Geran was taken aback by his sudden appearance. Wary, Geran immediately took a few steps back. However, when the person spoke with his unique and supple voice, Geran was relieved. That was undoubtedly the voice that informed them about the final royale battle.
“Congratulations! Congratulations!” Ji Shanqing beamed as he spoke. He did not even look once at Lin Sanjiu’s body. “How should I address you?”
“You can call me G.”
“Oh, Mr. G! Indeed, you have defeated all the other players. You are the winner of the final pitstop station. Congratulations!”
Geran didn’t need to hear all these unnecessary courtesy. He smiled at Ji Shanqing impatiently and quickly asked, “Can I collect the grand prize now? What is the grand prize?”
“Of course. That’s not a problem,” Ji Shanqing replied cheerfully and quickly took out a piece of paper and a pen. “Please wait a while. I must finish writing on this piece of paper. It will turn into the grand prize once you hold it.”
Geran nodded promptly. As he stared at that ordinary-looking paper, the eagerness in his gaze grew.
“The content of the grand prize is simple.” Ji Shanqing explained while he scribbled on the paper with his pen. Every now and then, he would even pause for a bit. “You can tell me what you want or something that you wish would happen. Whatever it is, once I write it down on this piece of paper and hand it to you, the content of the paper will become reality. So, Mr. G—”
“I want to gain the final form of my Growth-type development!” Geran interjected. He was getting more and more excited. He was so excited that even a few veins started appearing on his forehead. It was difficult to tell if his smile represented his excitement or crazy fanaticism. It was apparent from the way he said those words that he had repeated that to himself many times before. “I know that the benefit of being a Growth-type isn’t just that our overall body constitution would improve a bit each time we leveled up! Why is our main active ability so weak? How much potential must they hold such that they have to be restricted in such a manner? I know that it is impossible to gauge the incredible potential of a Growth-type. It’s unimaginable… I want to gain that final form!”
“Final form…” Ji Shanqing nodded with a serious look on his face. He added a few words on the paper. When Geran stopped to breath, Ji Shanqing read out the words he wrote, “Starry Carnival Amusement Park hereby rewards the grand prize to G… What’s your name, sir?”
“Geran!”
Geran had never introduced his name with such enthusiasm before.
Ji Shanqing put down the paper and the pen. He crooked his head and flashed a nice, innocent smile at Geran.
“So, you’re Geran…”
As he spoke with his pure, untainted voice, the mirror chamber suddenly darkened a little.
As Geran was so delighted, he did not notice the mirror behind him. A group of shadowy figures had gathered in the mirror behind him. Each of them looked like him, but they were of different sizes and shapes. They stepped out of the mirror, one after the other, without making a single sound.
At that moment, Geran’s full focus was on Ji Shanqing’s hand. His heart pounded so loudly that even Ji Shanqing could hear it. Ji Shanqing handed the paper to Geran with a smile, “Here. This is your grand prize.”
Geran took the piece of paper swiftly from Ji Shanqing’s hand. Even though Geran wasn’t usually this skilled, he took the paper from Ji Shanqing’s hand with lightning speed. He did this with pinpoint accuracy and with a good strength control.
After he saw the paper, he looked up with puzzled eyes. It was as if he momentarily couldn’t process the situation before him.
Ji Shanqing crooked his head and gave him a sympathetic smile. It was only then that Geran tore his eyes away from the paper unwillingly and looked at the mirror behind Ji Shanqing.
Through the reflection, he saw another exact replica of himself. The replica placed its hand on his shoulder.
“Geran.”
Geran heard his own voice.
An almost non-human cry erupted in the room abruptly. Ji Shanqing lowered his eyes as if he found that too pitiful. After a few seconds, he spoke as if he was talking to someone, “Is it done? Now, you can bring him away.”
A group of “Gerans” nodded their heads. After that, they held both his arms and dragged Geran toward the mirror. The original Geran had a vacuous expression on his face and a pair of soulless eyes. He stumbled as the replicas dragged him. Just when Ji Shanqing was about to leave this mirror chamber with the group of “Gerans”, all of them suddenly stopped.
“What’s wr—” he frowned.
Before he could finish his question, he saw the blood-covered person blocking the group of “Gerans”. The person couldn’t even stand straight. There were numerous wounds all over her body. Two amber eyes peered from the bloodied figure, “You’re not bringing him anywhere.”
