My Infinite Cultivation System-Chapter 97: Copying talents

Gilbert’s face shifted through several expressions before settling on something between concern and resignation. His brows drew together, creating deep lines across his forehead that hadn’t been there moments before.

"Is that so? When will Master enter the Prime Sanctuary again?" His voice carried a weight that belied his youthful appearance.

Seraphina’s expression darkened, her usual composure giving way to something rawer. She crossed her arms, the silken fabric of her sleeves rustling softly in the still air. "Don’t know, but you know the situation there." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. "We are just the servants of those higher level bastards. Master probably wouldn’t enter until he gained some sort of treasure, something to give him a fighting chance against them."

The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable, a sharp edge that cut through the quiet courtyard. Gilbert remained silent, his jaw tightening as he absorbed her words. He understood all too well. Every disciple knew the humiliation their master endured, they endured themselves as well, the constant struggle against those who saw themselves as superior simply because they had climbed the ranks earlier.

"Hello, Second Sister. How have you been?"

The new voice cut through the tension like a blade through silk. A young man stepped into view, his movements fluid and unhurried. Cassius had always possessed an almost preternatural grace, the kind that came from decades of refinement.

"Hello, Cassius. Long time no see." Seraphina’s features softened slightly at the sight of her junior brother.

"Hello, Third Brother." Gilbert offered a respectful nod.

"Hello, Seventh Brother." Cassius returned the greeting with equal formality before his gaze drifted toward the center of the courtyard where Alex stood motionless before the statues.

More presence appeared. Remond, the fifth disciple, emerged from the shadowed path to the east. His robes were slightly disheveled, as if he had rushed to arrive. Varian, the fourth disciple, appeared from the opposite direction, his piercing eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.

Only Maximus, the eldest, was absent, though his presence was always felt in the careful order that governed their gatherings.

"Second Sister, do you think he can pass Master’s test?" Gilbert’s gaze never left Alex’s still form. "Or do you think he would choose one of us?"

Seraphina’s lips curved into a smile that held neither mockery nor certainty. "Let’s see. I am also curious about him. The Universal Will should be explaining the trial to him now."

The six disciples fell silent, their collective attention fixed on the young man who stood among the ancient statues as if he belonged there.

---

Alex stood infront of the statues. The statues surrounded him, each carved from materials that seemed to drink in the ambient light. His eyes moved slowly from one to another, lingering on each masterwork of stone and magic.

The voice that spoke to him was neither loud nor soft. It simply was, like the knowledge had always existed within his mind and was only now being uncovered.

[You may choose one statue. Once you make your choice, the corresponding trial will begin. However, if you choose Merlin, you must pass all six other trials before challenging his.]

Alex’s gaze settled on the central figure. Merlin the Sage stood depicted in mid-stride, one hand raised as if commanding the very fabric of reality. The craftsmanship was extraordinary, every fold of his robes, every line of his face, spoke of immense power tempered by centuries of wisdom.

He began walking toward Merlin’s statue. The path before him seemed to lengthen and contract with each step, as if reality itself was acknowledging his choice. He had no intention of settling for less. The lesser trials might grant him passage, but they would not grant him what he truly sought.

Beyond the immediate goal of becoming Merlin’s disciple, something else drove him forward. A theory that had been forming since he first learned of these statues. A possibility that could reshape everything for him.

He stopped before Merlin’s statue, close enough now to see the impossibly fine details etched into the stone. Without hesitation, he reached out and pressed his palm against the cold surface.

"Copy," he whispered, closing his eyes.

The world behind his eyelids exploded into light.

[Ding! You have copied the non-elemental talent "Telekinesis."]

[Ding! Your Telekinesis has been upgraded to Genesis Grade.]

The change hit him like a physical force. Something deep within his soul, something he hadn’t even known was bound, shattered. Chains he had never seen fell away, and in their absence, his consciousness expanded outward like water breaking through a dam.

He felt the world differently now. The air around him had weight, had texture, had presence. Every mote of dust, every particle of light, every molecule of oxygen that passed his lips responded to his will in ways they never had before.

He checked his external talents immediately, his heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum.

[External Talents: (10/5120)] 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

A grin split his face. Over five thousand slots. The sheer capacity was staggering. His mind, which had once strained to maintain control over a handful of objects, now felt like it could encompass mountains.

But he was far from finished.

He moved to the next statue, his steps lighter, his purpose clearer. The second figure depicted a warrior in flowing robes, one hand extended toward the heavens. Alex touched the stone.

"Copy."

[Ding! Host already possesses a superior version of this talent. Do you wish to sacrifice three slots and copy it to a new slot? No additional benefits will be granted.]

"Yes," he breathed.

[Ding! You have copied the Eternal Level talent Telekinesis.]

Three slots vanished from his capacity, but he felt no loss. This was merely a step in a larger design.

He repeated the process twice more, sacrificing a total of nine slots for copies of talents that were, on their own, far beneath what he now possessed. Each touch of cold stone sent ripples through his consciousness, each copied talent a piece of a greater whole he was constructing.

[Ding! You possess three similar talents. Do you wish to merge them?]

His smile widened. This was the moment he had been working toward.

"Yes."

[Ding! You have gained a Genesis Grade Telekinesis talent.]

Three statues remained.

---

"What is he doing?" Seraphina’s voice cut through the disciples’ silent observation. Her face had gone through several shades of disbelief before settling on something approaching scandalized horror. "Is he a pervert? Why is he touching our statues with that creepy smile?"

Cassius tilted his head, his brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "I don’t know. But he certainly looks ambiguous."

The six supreme masters of the universe, beings who had witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of stars, the machinations of gods and the folly of mortals, had just silently, unanimously, mentally labeled their potential new junior brother a pervert.

Alex remained blissfully unaware of the reputation he was building.

He moved to the fourth statue, his hand finding the stone with practiced ease. Another copy. Another sacrifice of slots. Another piece of the puzzle.

[Ding! You have gained a Genesis Grade Telekinesis talent.]

The power within him shifted, settled, then surged. Three Genesis Grade talents now coexisted within his soul, each a masterpiece of cosmic architecture, each straining against the limits of his mortal frame.

[Ding! You possess three Genesis Grade talents. Do you wish to merge them?]