Galatic Overlord:I Can Copy Other's Ability

"Huh…"

"What happened to you two?" Lia gasped in shock the moment she spotted them.

Her eyes widened as she noticed Hex's left eye swollen black and Dein rubbing the side of his head like he had been struck by a hammer.

From the next table, someone chuckled. "Miss asked you to practice, not to have a life-threatening war."

"I can't believe there are idiots who take this too seriously."

Mocking voices erupted one after another but Hex and Dein ignored it.

Nor do they care.

Hex touched around his eye, wincing at the sharp sting. The dark bruise made him look like he had a panda's eye. Dein gripped the small horn at the top of his head and glared straight at Hex, who glared right back.

The memory of what had happened minutes ago still clung in the air.

They were supposed to be sparring, but without warning, Dein had attacked at full speed.

Hex could have used his booster ability to dodge, but he had chosen not to. The result was a punch so hard it left his eye swollen shut. Amanda had stepped in immediately, chopping Dein on the shoulder with enough force to make him stumble.

However,Dein still had no idea why he had been punished.

It wasn't his fault that his partner was just a weak guy.

"It's you who attacked me first," Dein muttered, still rubbing his head.

Hex snorted. "How was I supposed to know you'd throw something that strong without asking?"

"How was I supposed to know you can't dodge a simple hit without your powers?" Dein shot back.

"You could have just asked me."

"Would you have told me?" Dein's brows rose as he leaned forward.

Hex frowned, then shrugged. "If you asked sincerely, yes."

Dein froze, his eyes going wide. Hex almost choked on his drink seeing the look on his face.

"What's with that expression? Is this the first time you've had a friend?"

Dein stayed quiet. His eyes softened for a moment, then he quickly looked away. The expression on his face was complicated, carrying something heavier than words.

Lia let out a long sigh as she pulled out a small container of ointment from her pouch. "Enough, you two. Let me heal you before your bickering gets worse."

"No thanks," Hex muttered quickly.

"Absolutely not," Dein added at the same time. Both spoke fast as if afraid of being punished for breaking a rule.

Lia's lips curved into a soft smile. "Don't worry. I have permission to use my ability for healing."

She placed her small, delicate hands first over Hex's swollen eye. A gentle warmth spread across his face, followed by a soft green glow that seeped into his skin. The throbbing ache faded little by little until the pain completely disappeared. She then shifted to Dein, whose injury healed instantly with the same green light.

Hex pressed his fingers lightly over his eye, surprised to feel no pain. "Thank you, Lia. I owe you one."

"Me too," Dein added, his tone quieter.

Lia sighed and gave them both a pointed look. "Can you stop putting calculations in everything? Just accept the help."

They nodded sheepishly and focused back on their trays of food. The cafeteria around them was filled with voices and clatter of cutlery. Long rows of tables stretched out, with cadets eating in groups. The smell of cooked meat and spices lingered in the air.

Hex's tray was stacked with food. A plate of grilled chicken breast seasoned with herbs, a bowl of steamed vegetables with carrots and broccoli, a heap of mashed potatoes drizzled with sauce, and a side of mixed fruit salad with apple slices and berries.

Dein had chosen a steak cooked rare, alongside boiled eggs, brown rice, and roasted beans. Lia had a lighter meal of fish fillet with lemon, a bowl of soup, and fresh bread rolls.

As they ate, Hex spoke up suddenly. "My ability is to copy."

Dein stopped chewing. His fork hovered in the air. He gave Hex a bewildered look. "Copy?"

Hex nodded. "Yes."

Dein leaned back slightly, rubbing his chin. "If I remember right, the amount of power someone can copy and how long they can use it depends on their rank."

Hex's eyes lit up. "You know about it?"

"I've only read about it. I don't know anyone with it."

"I do," Lia chimed in. Her spoon paused above her soup. "There was a man I met once. He had a B-rank copy ability. He could copy two abilities at once and use them as much as he wanted for a full day after which he couldn't use it.But he couldn't copy anything stronger than B rank."

Hex swallowed and spoke carefully. "I can copy two abilities. I can use them three times." He didn't mention the rest.

Dein whistled under his breath. "That's… tough. Not simple to manage." His gaze sharpened as if weighing Hex's words.

Hex noticed Dein's silence stretched out. He and Lia both sneaked glances at him until Dein sighed.

"Mine is Spatial Force Manipulation. For now, just think of it as something higher than B rank."

Hex's heart skipped. The way Dein said it made it sound far beyond what he admitted. He looked calm, but Hex's mind raced. "From the name, it sounds like a strong ability."

"It is," Dein replied, leaving it at that.

Hex leaned back in his seat. His thoughts burned quietly. From the way Dein spoke, his rank had to be close to S or even higher. That meant one day, if he freed up a slot, he might be able to copy it. But the question was how long he could hold it.

He pushed those thoughts down and forced a smile as the three of them ate in the busy cafeteria.

.....

After the meal, Hex decided to visit the detention centre.

It had only been a few weeks since training started, yet the place was already called hell by cadets. Being caught by the guards and dragged here was said to be worse than a nightmare.

Hex didn't come because he wanted to.

He came because he wanted to know about the investigation and what happened after the incident. He still didn't know which block those guys were from or who they were, but he made sure to remember their faces.

As soon as he reached the central area, the sounds hit him.

"AAAHHHHHH!"

"UHUHHHHHH!"

"OIIINNNKKK!"

"Stop screaming like a pig, you sick bastard!"