Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 108

Tournament

And clearly, it was hard to argue that she lacked the skills to volunteer for something like this.

“What the hell is—”

Before he could finish his sentence, someone’s head snapped backward like it had been broken.

He collapsed immediately, unconscious. It looked like something straight out of a tightly-edited movie scene…

“……”

“……”

As silence slowly settled over the surroundings again, someone caught sight of a small object rolling out next to the fallen person's forehead.

It was probably what knocked him out.

The problem was—

“...A pebble?”

...He had been knocked out by something like that.

It was really just a pebble, the size of a fingertip at best.

“What the hell is this thing—”

Before he could finish, a pebble struck his head as well.

He passed out instantly.

“Hey, are you guys screwing arou—”

Another pebble struck the head of the man trying to speak.

“……”

What followed was a repetition of the same scene. Without anyone getting a word out, a stone would fly in and smack them, dropping them like sick chickens.

Aiden squinted and watched Elisha stand in place, flicking stones one after another.

This was originally a technique called Coin Toss.

It was a trick where nimble-fingered people tossed coins to disrupt their opponent’s timing or draw their attention. But what Elisha was doing now was practically—

‘...A machine gun?’

With just a snap of her wrist, the pebbles shot out like bullets, rattling through the air in rapid fire. It wouldn’t be a stretch to call it that...

Some of them even pierced straight into people’s skin like real throwing weapons.

Amid the chaotic screams—“Ack!”, “Uwah!”, “Kyaaa!”—Alex blurted out in a dazed voice.

“...W-What— Are stones these days being specially modified into weapons or something?”

It was such a ridiculous question, but given the absurdity of the situation, even that sounded like a rational suspicion.

“Oh, these are just regular pebbles. Wanna feel one?”

“……”

As if she’d been waiting for that moment, Elisha flicked a stone over to him.

Alex rolled it around in his hand a few times and muttered with a grimace.

“...It really is just a stone.”

“Right?”

Right as she said that, someone nearby tried to get back up—only for Elisha’s pebble to slam into their thigh.

There was a crack—the kind of sound you wouldn’t be surprised to hear—and the man clutched his broken leg, unable to even scream as he gurgled in agony.

“...Dear god.”

Alex looked horrified—and rightly so—but even Aiden’s expression had turned rigid.

‘...That thing.’

Maybe it was also because he could now see more clearly the source behind Elisha’s display of skill.

‘Physical enhancement…’

It was not a method favored by those who handled divine power.

Of course, enhancing physical abilities through supernatural powers was a basic discipline of any superhuman, and just because someone wielded divine power didn’t mean they couldn’t do it.

Hadn’t Aiden himself achieved it not long ago through the Pontiff’s skill?

It was simply a matter of efficiency. Divine power was far more effective when directly refined into a weaponized form of supernatural power than when used to enhance physical abilities.

Enhancing the body was more in the domain of the Empire’s knights and their qi training techniques.

Still, even divine power could be repurposed if one knew how.

-System Message

▶ Activating ‘Skill: Analysis.’

▶ Displaying target’s information.

In other words—

If it was the same method Aiden used.

‘...A multi-ability user.’

He thought the phrase to himself, like a groan.

A person who could wield multiple supernatural powers, including divine power.

If Elisha could, like him, fuse qi and divine power to enhance physical capabilities, then even divine power could be an extremely efficient means of boosting physical performance.

The colorless flames rising around Elisha’s body, mixed with heat distortions and mist-like haze, supported that theory.

And this—this was the result of her using such an ability.

Everyone present had at least some combat experience. These weren’t the kind of nobodies you could find on any street corner.

Yet she was taking them down effortlessly, with nothing but pebbles tossed from where she stood. Completely at ease.

And Elisha didn’t even seem winded from it.

Soon—

‘She’s much more skilled than me.’

She seemed to have fewer abilities than Aiden did, but her ability to combine and utilize them appeared to be far superior.

As if she’d been using them for a very long time.

“Hmmm—”

By the time she exhaled through her nose with satisfaction,

the only ones still standing were Elisha, Aiden, and Alex.

Looking down at the unconscious royals, unable even to moan, she slowly turned to Aiden.

“I, um, ha-handled it—”

“……”

“S-So then—”

“Hey, hold on a second.”

Elisha, who had just been pulling off such terrifying feats a moment ago, was now squirming awkwardly like a completely different person. Aiden sighed and called out to stop her.

“...At least have a proper conversation before you go. You suddenly show up, suddenly help, and then suddenly disappear—that feels a bit too cold, doesn’t it?”

“Ah, w-well, I just did it on my own, so—”

“I just want to know a little more about you.”

...He could feel Alex, standing beside him, looking at him with a stunned expression.

He mumbled something about “the rumors of him being smooth as silk weren’t exaggerated,” and while Aiden felt like smacking him, he didn’t actually get angry.

‘...That line was intentional to some degree.’

Saying something like that to someone who clearly showed interest in him would almost certainly shift their affection level—whether up or down.

And if any data got recorded in the process, it could serve as a clue toward uncovering her identity.

But—

The system window that appeared next completely defied his expectations.

-System Message

▶ Contacting target ‘-’.

▶ Target already has maximum Affection Level. Affection cannot be increased further!

▶ Special interaction required to copy skills.

▶ A change has occurred in the Main Scenario!

“……”

...What the hell.

Aiden scanned the system window with a bewildered expression.

He had encountered cases before where, instead of copying a skill, he received something else because the target wasn’t compatible—but this was the first time he’d seen a message saying the target already had maximum affection and he couldn’t copy anything.

‘...Even the name doesn’t appear.’

The name “Elisha” was probably an alias. If it had been her real name, it would’ve been listed clearly in the system window.

That could only mean one thing:

This woman was hiding her identity.

Even the system window couldn’t pick it up.

“……”

Elisha looked at him briefly, her eyes wavering—then abruptly turned her head.

Even under the dark night sky, he could clearly see that her face had turned bright red all the way up to her ears.

“Probably d-during the entire succession ceremony, people like that will keep showing up.”

Still flushed, Elisha bowed her head low as she spoke, stammering.

“When that happens, I-I’ll come help you again, like I did just now.”

“...No, I mean—at the very least, I’d like to hear why you’re doing this—”

“I’ll be going now—!”

Before he could get another question out, Elisha left behind only those words and disappeared in a flash.

“……”

“……”

“...Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I just think you’ve got quite the talent.”

“What talent.”

“Do I really have to say it out loud?”

Aiden, who this time didn’t hold back, smacked Alex on the head.

Of course, even while doing that, his mind hadn’t stopped pondering who exactly this person named Elisha might be.

‘...I really don’t know.’

There was nothing he could pin down.

Still, one thing was certain:

She was incredibly unique.

▣

The Grand Sanctuary itself was a massive facility, but since it occupied an entire island, there were plenty of areas where the natural landscape remained untouched.

That made it the perfect place to hold the mock war known as the “Tournament.”

“The event lasts for three days. The royal who forms the largest faction and claims the biggest territory within those three days will be declared the winner. Control over terrain will be marked using flags distributed to each participant—”

Within the dense grasslands, a priest dispatched by the ceremonial committee continued the explanation to the lineup of royal contestants.

All of them wore expressions of boredom.

Given the nature of the event, those with strong backing or a solid foundation outside the Tournament had a clear advantage.

Even those with some level of ambition likely entered the event without any expectation of scoring high—so wide was the gap in pre-existing resources.

And Aiden was no different. Things might’ve been different if Noel or Katya were allowed to participate, but they weren’t eligible for the ritual to begin with, nor had he planned to include them anyway.

Naturally, attendants who came in a support capacity couldn’t take part directly in the succession ceremony. That actually worked in Aiden’s favor.

‘Hope they’re doing okay…’

Noel and Katya were likely carrying out his request—keeping watch over the variables expected to arise within the Grand Sanctuary during the Tournament.

Because something was going to happen here. That much was certain.

“...That concludes the rules of the Tournament. I trust everyone understands.”

While Aiden was lost in thought, the priest wrapped up the explanation.

“And now, here is a special provision decreed by His Holiness the Pontiff.”

“...?”

Everyone’s expressions twisted at the unexpected addition—this wasn’t part of the original schedule.

“I will now read the decree as His Holiness has written it: ‘This is boring as hell, and stale as hell. What’s the point of calling this a Tournament or mock war if it’s just peaceful territory claiming?’”

…The expressions around him only grew more contorted with each sentence.

“So, for this succession ceremony’s Tournament, I’m adding a special rule. Normally, weapons with lethal intent or actual combat are banned, but not this time. This time, it’s completely open rules. Everyone gets an equal chance. No limits—beat each other down however you like.”

“……”

Murmurs of unrest spread throughout the field.

“Oh, and don’t worry. You won’t actually die. If something bad happens, I’ll find a way to revive you.”

“……”

“Of course, my power is limited, so if you do really die, then, well… you’ll really be dead. That’s unfortunate.”

…The murmurs only grew louder.

“And here’s the most important part.”

The priest, grimacing as he continued reading the letter, shut his eyes tightly.

It was as if even he found reading these words to be hellish.

“If someone dies in battle, the land they claimed goes to the one who killed them.”

…This time, even the murmurs disappeared.

“Alright, you got all that?”

“……”

“Now start killing each other.”

…Aiden’s mouth fell open. And he probably wasn’t the only one.

Everyone was likely thinking the same thing.

—This wasn’t just some typical bloodbath waiting to happen.

This was hell in the making.