My Special Ability is Growing Muscles

~----~

[Kairo Vale]

[Ability: Muscle Genesis]

>Ability to grow and control muscle.

[Rank: E-]

[Stats:]

*Strength: E

*Agility: E-

*Stamina: E-

*Vitality: E-

*Intelligence: F+

*Mana Capacity: E-

>Class: [Warrior lvl. 2]

[Passive Skills:]

>Predatory Instinct.

(Boosts combat reflexes slightly when fighting over resources.)

[Skills:]

>Hypermuscle Creation.

(You can now consciously grow and harden new muscle fibers to enhance strength temporarily. Growth requires mana input and recovery period.)

(Muscle Charge: 5/6)

>Muscle Lock.

(When activated, temporarily harden muscle like armor.)

>Muscle Surge.

(When activated, grants one explosive override of physical limits. Cooldown: 1 day.)

>Monarch's Roar.

(By consciously manipulating the muscles in your throat, your voice has gained unique properties to bypass mental blocks and stimulate your ally's brain waves, triggering a dopamine surge that'll stabilize them, calm them, and make them susceptible to listening to your commands.)

(Allies under the influence of your roar are approximately 30% stronger.)

[NEW! Ability Arts:]

>Flex Surge.

(By compressing and releasing muscle fibers in bursts, you can accelerate for short sprints or evasive maneuvers beyond normal limits.)

(Duration: 3 seconds)

(Cooldown: 1 minute)

[Weapons: Dagger]

…

[System Remark: Just a bit more than a frog now.]

~----~

Staring at the system remark, Kairo's face twitched.

Well, he didn't pay attention to it for long as he focused on the other parts of the system notification. And once he did, he could not help the subtle smile that bloomed across his face.

Kairo still vividly remembered the day of his awakening, how much commotion his awakening caused.

It wasn't a positive commotion though, as the other teenage adults who awakened in Arcanum Nexus made fun of his unusual awakening.

Any other kid his age would have been disoriented when being subjected to that, but Kairo was not. He didn't have the privilege of being disoriented by other people's opinion of him. If he did, he would be long dead by now.

As a slumrat, he was not unused to nobles seeing him as a walking corpse.

He was used to such looks, especially when he snuck into the city to beg for food or steal. It was always the same look, it was always the same whisper, and he learned to filter all the noise out so long he got what he wanted… food.

Afterall, for a slumrat like him, he didn't have any grand ambitions or goal, his ambition everyday was finding food.

So long he found food, everything else was negligible.

That was the typical life of most slumrats like him. In his case though, another thing and the main thing that kept him going apart from food was his sister, Leora.

Even now, she was the reason that kept him going.

The system notification currently before him that he made the right decision by sacrificing everything just to pass the entrance scholarship tournament to get admitted into Nexus Academy.

With that, for the first time in his life, he got access to lectures and knowledge, and to real combat lessons, not the chaotic skirmish in the outskirts.

Yes, growing up in the outskirts built his innate resistance and toughness, it also honed his instincts but his technique was as rusty as it came, not until Nexus Academy. Just 2 weeks in Nexus Academy changed him so much.

And now, he became the second student among 160 freshers to rank up and become an E- Rank Awakened.

Valek followed soon after, making them head and shoulders above the others.

They say friendship grows faster during wartime, well, maybe Kairo was experiencing it because everything changed after that epic battle.

With the C Rank instructors finally back, they first congratulated them on a job well done before telling them to rest while 2 of them returned to lead the supply caravan through the path that they already cleared through the ruined fortress.

Of course, the students didn't quiet manage to defeat all the Undead Orcs and constructs, but the moment that their two leaders were annihilated, the Undead Orc Warlord and the Juggernaut, the others scattered, escaping into deeper parts of the ruined fortress.

"You have 40 minutes to rest before we continue the trek," Captain Helios said before leading 2 other Captains deeper into the ruined fortress to complete the job that the students already started.

They finished carving a path through Blackthorn Keep within a few minutes, but they didn't rush the students as they let them rest and recover.

After such a grueling battle against the Undead Orcs and constructs, not only was the mana capacity of the students low, but they were exhausted both physically and mentally hence the need for rest.

The instructors were generous as after the two Captains who led to bring the supply caravan eventually led them to where the students were, they settled down again as they rewarded the students with an extra round of food.

It was while the fire burned and the meat roasted on it that Adrain looked towards where Kairo sat alongside Mira.

At the moment, the Monster Trio sat close to the fire, recovering in its warmth even as the other students gave them distance out of respect.

After that battle, the 3 of them seemed closer than before, and as Adrain looked at Kairo, he eventually called. "Hey, you can join us, you know?"

"It's warmer here".

Kairo smiled and was about to politely refuse when Mira flashed a grin before hitting him at the back of the head. "Of course, we're coming!" She laughed. "Thank you very much".

Kairo opened his mouth agape, but there was nothing he could do as Mira dragged him there. They ate in silence.

After a few minutes of this, Adrain finally broke the silence as he looked at Kairo.

"Your special ability, it's unique".

Kairo nodded. "I know".

Adrain smiled; Kairo could swear that it was the first time he saw the no. 1 ranked student smile.

"You know, I always looked at you like the others but you've proven to me that you're different from them. You're strong". He said seriously as he looked at Kairo.

"I think your special ability is God grade".

Kairo didn't answer.

Adrain smiled again. "I've never done this before," he looked ahead at the ruin. "But you fascinate me, how about we become friends? Maybe we can even get to spar against each other".

'Eh?' Now it was Kairo's turn to be shocked.

Did Adrain, the no. 1 ranked student, the God of the freshers just ask me to become his friend?

He struggled to wrap his head around the sudden reality.

Adrain chuckled at his reaction. "It's nothing that deep. You fascinate me that's all. Besides, we've fought alongside each other in battle and saved each other, so don't you think we should be closer now?"

Selene nodded. "Adrain is right," she extended her hand towards Kairo. "Nice to meet you Vale, and sorry, I once underestimated you too".

Kairo took her hand, still struggling to rein in his shock. "Nice to meet you too".

"Wow! What of me?" At that moment, Mira interjected, causing the others to smile.

Adrain looked at her. "I saw footage of your fights during the scholarship entrance tournament, you're impressive".

Mira furrowed her brows. "Impressive? That's all you can say?"

Adrain nodded seriously.

She rolled her eyes. "Is this a genius thing or what? You're almost as cluelessly annoying as Kairo".

Kairo stared at her incredulously. "What do you mean?"

At the side, Valek stared at what was transpiring in front of him with a dumfounded look on his face. 'What the… the f*ck!'

'Since when did this…?'

At that moment, a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Hey Valek," Kairo extended a hand. "Since we're making friends now, why don't we be friends too?"

For a moment, Valek froze as he stared at that hand.

But then he snorted in annoyance and looked away, refusing to speak.

Kairo just chuckled, which made the veins in Valek's head crawl as his face twitched.

For the next few minutes, they talked about different topics, deliberating on the 2 weeks that they've spent in Nexus Academy and what they've learned, their electives, and then the mission.

Kairo tried to calculate how long it'll take them before they get to the frontier outpost. And just like that, the great divide of noble and slumrat seemed to have evaporated after just one battle.

Kairo's display of strength was what melted the bubble that the Monster Trio always kept around themselves, keeping others away from them.

It didn't take too long before Captain Helios stood up again.

"It's time, stand up!" His voice bellowed across the 100+ students as they snapped out of their little naps and idle conversations, rising to their feet.

"We're almost at our destination".

"All we need to do is cross the eastern Forest Canopy. After that, we'll arrive at the frontier outpost".

"Get prepared, we'll move in 5 minutes".

"Make sure all your gear is packed and ready to go, and once we move, don't forget to stay alert at all times".

5 minutes later, they moved…

***

[I've been battling severe sickness for the past few days. It's so hard to write due to the headache, so please bear with any drop in quality or mistakes, I'll try to fix them if I get better soon.]