Vincent stared at the translucent blue interface floating before his eyes, wondering whether the injuries he had suffered during the fight had finally caused him to start hallucinating.
[Multiple abilities detected.]
[Please select one ability to Assimilate.]
He blinked several times, but the mysterious words remained exactly where they were. Even when he turned his head, the interface followed his vision, hovering in front of him as though it had somehow become attached to his eyes.
What the hell is this?
Vincent instinctively reached toward the floating screen, only for his fingers to pass straight through it.
The strange phenomenon left him momentarily speechless, but before he could investigate further, the sound of hurried footsteps brought his attention back to his surroundings.
"Someone call the medical department! Derek’s unconscious!" one of the employees shouted, rushing toward the fallen Hero while several others gathered around the training platform.
Vincent immediately remembered where he was.
Derek remained sprawled across the floor, his previously arrogant expression replaced by an unconscious grimace. Several Heroes were examining his condition, while others stared at Vincent with expressions ranging from disbelief to outright hostility.
"Vincent! What the hell have you done?!" a middle-aged Hero demanded, pushing through the gathering crowd. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused?"
Vincent looked at the man before glancing toward Derek’s unconscious body. His entire body ached, and every breath sent another wave of pain through his abdomen. Nevertheless, he managed to straighten himself.
"He attacked me first," Vincent replied, his voice hoarse from exhaustion. "Everyone here saw what happened. I was defending myself."
The middle-aged Hero frowned, clearly dissatisfied with his explanation. "Whatever happened, you should have reported it to management instead of fighting him! Derek is a licensed Hero, and you’ve just assaulted him in front of dozens of witnesses!"
Vincent almost laughed at the absurdity of the accusation. Derek had slapped him, thrown him against equipment, and attempted to crush him with an amplified attack, yet somehow Vincent was the one being treated like a criminal.
"I’ll explain everything to management when they ask," Vincent answered, suppressing his anger as he stepped away from the platform. "Right now, I need medical attention."
Without waiting for permission, he pushed through the crowd and headed toward the exit. Several employees watched him leave, but nobody attempted to stop him.
By the time Vincent reached the corridor, his legs were trembling so badly that he had to lean against the wall for support.
Damn it. I really pushed myself too far.
His Flux Energy had been completely exhausted during the fight, leaving his muscles aching and his movements sluggish. Worse still, the pain radiating from his abdomen suggested that Derek’s earlier punch had caused more damage than he initially realized.
Yet despite his miserable condition, Vincent couldn’t suppress the faint smile appearing on his face.
He had finally beaten that bastard.
After years of enduring Derek’s humiliation, he had actually knocked the arrogant Hero unconscious.
Unfortunately, the consequences would probably be waiting for him tomorrow.
Vincent made his way to the agency’s medical department, where a healer examined his injuries and treated the worst of the damage. Although the treatment relieved much of his pain, his exhausted Flux Energy would require time to recover naturally.
Afterward, he collected his belongings from the employee locker room and left the building.
Outside, the afternoon streets were bustling with activity. Enormous advertisements featuring famous Heroes covered the surrounding buildings, while pedestrians moved between shops and transportation stations without paying him any attention.
Vincent stopped briefly outside the agency’s entrance and looked back at the towering structure.
For years, he had dreamed of someday becoming one of the Heroes whose photographs decorated its walls.
Now, he wasn’t even certain whether he would still have a job tomorrow.
Shaking his head, Vincent turned away and headed home.
Nearly an hour later, Vincent finally arrived at his apartment.
It was a modest one-bedroom residence located in an aging residential building, far removed from the luxurious neighborhoods where successful Heroes usually lived. The furniture was inexpensive, the kitchen was barely large enough for one person, and the monthly rent consumed a considerable portion of his salary.
Nevertheless, it was his home.
After locking the door, Vincent dropped his bag beside the couch and collapsed onto the cushions with an exhausted sigh.
"Now then..." he muttered, rubbing his temples as he recalled the strange notifications from earlier. "Let’s find out whether I’ve finally gone crazy."
Almost immediately, the translucent interface reappeared before his eyes.
[Villain Assimilation System]
[Welcome, Host Vincent Crowe.]
Vincent straightened abruptly, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
"So it wasn’t a hallucination," he whispered, staring at the glowing words.
[Correct.]
[The Villain Assimilation System has successfully awakened following the fulfillment of its qualification condition.]
[The Host has personally defeated an individual classified as a Villain.]
Vincent frowned as he recalled Derek lying unconscious on the training platform.
"But Derek is a licensed Hero," he questioned aloud. "How can someone recognized by the Hero Association be considered a Villain?"
[The System’s classification of Villains operates independently of the Hero Association’s official classifications.]
[An individual’s Hero License, public reputation, or professional affiliation does not determine their classification by the System.]
Vincent leaned backward, considering the explanation carefully.
In other words, the System didn’t necessarily consider someone a Hero simply because the Hero Association had issued them a license.
That was certainly interesting.
However, another question immediately occurred to him.
"Then what exactly makes someone a Villain according to you?" Vincent asked, narrowing his eyes at the floating interface.
[The System’s Villain classification criteria are currently unavailable.]
Vincent stared at the response for several seconds before releasing a helpless sigh.
"Of course they are."
Although he found the lack of explanation frustrating, he decided not to dwell on it. There were far more important questions that needed answering.
"Alright, then. What exactly can you do?"
[The Villain Assimilation System allows the Host to acquire supernatural abilities from defeated Villains.]
[Each qualifying victory grants the Host an opportunity to select one available supernatural ability for assimilation.]
[Assimilated abilities become part of the Host’s own supernatural capabilities.]
Vincent’s eyes widened. He slowly sat upright, rereading the notifications to ensure he hadn’t misunderstood anything.
"Wait a minute. Are you saying I can actually obtain another person’s superpower?"
[Correct.]
Vincent felt his heartbeat accelerate.
Every Superhuman possessed an innate supernatural ability awakened through their Energy Signature.
Although abilities could develop and become stronger through training, obtaining an entirely different innate superpower was considered impossible under ordinary circumstances.
Yet the mysterious System was claiming that he could accomplish precisely that.
[ Do the Host wish to open the Status Window ]
"Yes, show me my Status Window," Vincent nodded, eager to understand what had happened to him.
A new interface immediately appeared.
[Status Window]
Name: Vincent Crowe
Age: 22
Species: Human (Superhuman)
Superhuman Rank: Rank 1
[Attributes]
Strength: 9
Agility: 9
Endurance: 11
Vitality: 10
Perception: 12
[Energy]
Flux Energy: 3/20
[Superpowers]
Innate Superpower: Physical Reinforcement
Assimilated Superpowers: None
Vincent carefully examined the information displayed before him.
His attributes were unimpressive, although that hardly surprised him. Even among Rank 1 Superhumans, his physical capabilities had always been considered below average.
What caught his attention was the Flux Energy value.
"Three out of twenty?" Vincent murmured, remembering how completely exhausted he had been after the fight.
[Flux Energy gradually recovers through natural regeneration.]
[Maximum Flux Energy: 20/20.]
He nodded thoughtfully before turning his attention toward the empty Assimilated Superpowers section.
"So how do I obtain Derek’s ability?"
[One unclaimed Assimilation opportunity detected.]
[Defeated Villain: Derek Blackthorne.]
[Displaying available supernatural abilities.]
The interface changed, revealing a short list of abilities obtained from Derek’s supernatural profile.
[Available Abilities]
[1. Impact Amplification]
[2. Enhanced Impact Resistance]
[Please select one ability to Assimilate.]
Vincent stared at the options with growing excitement.
He immediately recognized Impact Amplification as the powerful combat ability Derek had used against him. The second option appeared to be a supplementary supernatural trait that improved resistance against physical impacts.
Both were useful, but Vincent barely needed to consider his decision.
"Impact Amplification," he declared firmly, selecting the first option.
[Selection confirmed.]
[Beginning Ability Assimilation...]
The moment the notification appeared, an unfamiliar sensation spread throughout Vincent’s body.
It wasn’t painful, but it felt as though something invisible was moving beneath his skin, flowing through his muscles and settling deep within his body.
Vincent gripped the edge of the couch, watching in astonishment as faint crimson light briefly flickered across his fingers.
Several seconds later, the sensation disappeared.
[Assimilation successful.]
[Impact Amplification has been permanently acquired.]
Vincent immediately reopened his Status Window.
[Superpowers]
Innate Superpower: Physical Reinforcement
Assimilated Superpower: Impact Amplification
He stared at the new entry for a long moment.
It was real.
He now possessed two supernatural abilities.
Vincent slowly raised his right hand, examining his fingers with an expression of disbelief. Only a few hours earlier, he had been the weakest employee in the agency, someone whose pathetic Energy Signature made him the target of endless ridicule.
Now, everything had changed.
If he could obtain another ability simply by defeating a Villain, then what would happen after ten victories? Twenty? A hundred?
The possibilities were almost frightening.
However, Vincent quickly suppressed his excitement.
There was still one thing he needed to confirm.
He rose from the couch and approached an old training pad hanging against the wall. He had purchased it years earlier to practice his punches, although his limited strength had rarely allowed him to make much progress.
Taking a deep breath, Vincent raised his fist and focused on the unfamiliar power now residing within his body.
"Impact Amplification," he whispered.
Immediately, a faint crimson glow enveloped his knuckles.
Vincent’s eyes widened.
He could feel it. A completely different supernatural power was responding to his command.
Suppressing his excitement, he stepped forward and delivered a cautious punch toward the training pad.
Bang!
The reinforced pad slammed violently against the wall, its supporting bracket cracking beneath the unexpected force.
Vincent stumbled backward, staring at the damaged equipment in absolute disbelief.
His punch had been several times stronger than anything he had ever produced with Physical Reinforcement alone.
A broad smile slowly spread across his face.
"It actually works..." Vincent whispered, looking down at his trembling fist.
For the first time since awakening as a Superhuman, he felt that his future might genuinely be different.
And this was only his first assimilation.