Galatic Overlord:I Can Copy Other's Ability

The next day, as Hex walked into the training hall, he instantly felt the weight of everyone's gaze on him. Dozens of eyes turned his way at once. He froze for a second, his expression stiff, and then forced out an awkward smile, trying to look as if nothing was wrong.

"Who knew being with you would attract so much attention?" Dein muttered beside him, clicking his tongue.

Hex sighed. "It's not my fault."

Before either of them could say more, a sharp gust of wind cut through the hall.

SWISH!

A figure moved so fast it left behind faint afterimages in the air. Hex barely had time to react before he felt a light but firm knock on his back. He spun around quickly, eyes wide.

Standing at the center of the room now was Instructor Amanda. Her calm yet piercing gaze was locked onto him.

"You clearly put up a good fight," she said, her voice carrying over the restless whispers of the students.

Hex rubbed the back of his neck. "Ma'am, I was beaten…"

"I've seen the footage, kid," Amanda interrupted. "You were on the winning side until they started using their power. Don't undersell yourself."

Her words were steady and firm, leaving no room for argument. Hex nodded slowly, though inside his head was buzzing. He glanced at Dein, who only whistled innocently, pretending he had nothing to do with the attention Hex was getting.

'Great. I'm just at MI 30. Now everyone's going to think I'm some higher-level freak,' Hex thought, feeling a dull throb building in his head.

Amanda clapped her hands once, drawing the room's attention away from him. Her voice rose with command.

"Today," she began, "I will teach you about movement techniques."

The chatter faded, and silence settled across the group.

"The real essence of combat lies in how you move," Amanda explained. "Power, strength, speed… all of those are important. But none of it matters if you can't position yourself, if you can't avoid the enemy's strike, or if you can't find the right angle to attack. Unless you have the ability to snipe someone from far away, you will always need movement."

Her tone was sharp, but not harsh. It was the kind that demanded respect and attention.

"Every fighter has to learn to control their body first," she continued. "But beyond that, you must learn to guide your body with energy. Cosmic energy flows through all of us. Most of you know how to summon it in bursts. Some of you can strengthen your limbs with it. But movement is where energy turns into instinct. It's where you stop just reacting and start controlling the pace of a battle."

The room was utterly still, all eyes fixed on her. Amanda raised her wrist and tapped her sleek black watch. It flickered to life, projecting faint glowing trails in the air that mimicked footsteps and shifting lines of motion.

"You all have a basic movement technique installed in your watches," she said. "Today, I'll show you the core of it. Then you will practice with your partners. Watch closely."

With that, Amanda stepped forward.

Her movement was smooth, almost too smooth. She glided across the training floor, her figure flickering in and out like she was skipping frames of reality. One moment she was standing still. The next, she was behind a training dummy, her hand pressed against its back. She pushed off lightly and was suddenly on the other side of the hall.

Amazingly,her steps were so light that it didn't leave a mark.

"Notice the shift," she said. "It is not about running fast. It is about channeling energy into the right place at the right time. My steps are light, but my center is firm. My energy pulls me forward while my body follows. If you move only your legs, you will stumble. If you move only your energy, you will lose control. Balance both."

She demonstrated again, weaving through three glowing targets the watch projected into the air. She moved like a blur, barely disturbing the air, her presence flickering between them.

"This is what I mean," she explained calmly. "Your goal is not speed alone. Your goal is precision. A fighter who controls their movement controls the fight."

Amanda stopped at the center again. She clapped her hands once more.

"Now pair up," she ordered. "Watch your partner, copy the technique, and learn by practice. You will not master it today, but you will start to feel the difference."

Students shuffled quickly, forming pairs. Hex turned toward Dein, who already nodded at him as if they had agreed beforehand.

The two moved to an open space at the far side of the hall. They both dropped into a stance, facing each other.

Hex adjusted his footing, his face serious. "Let's begin."

Dein smirked faintly, lowering his shoulders in readiness. "Alright. Show me what you've got."

The two locked eyes, their focus sharpening. Around them, the sound of shuffling steps and bursts of movement filled the hall as the rest of the class tried to copy Amanda's technique.

Hex tightened his fists and took a deep breath.

Hex stood still for a moment, trying to recall exactly how Amanda had moved. He replayed the image in his mind, then slowly stepped forward, shifting his feet to the left. He tilted his center, convinced he was moving the right way. But the next instant, his balance gave out.

THUD!

He almost fell face-first but caught himself with his hand on the floor. He got back up quickly, brushing the dust off. His eyes swept around the hall and saw that he was not alone. Many other cadets had also slipped and crashed. Some sat clutching their ankles or knees.

"Ahhhh, my leg!" one shouted.

"Shit, that hurts!" another groaned.

"Damn…" a third muttered as he rubbed his side.

Amanda's sharp eyes scanned the room. "Why are you all so eager?" she said firmly. "First follow the steps and get a feel for it. Walk through it slowly. Do not rush straight to using energy. If you ignore your body's center and angle, you will keep slipping like this."

Hex exhaled, nodding slightly to himself. He turned toward Dein, who looked completely unbothered, arms folded as if this was boring to him.

"Aren't you going to try first?" Hex asked, breathing hard.

"I have already learnt some," Dein replied flatly.

"..."

As expected from nove de rich.