Scumbag Fate System-Chapter 101: Catching Up (2)

Rika’s words made all of them freeze.

Yor then instantly looked at Reinhard in disbelief.

"Wait, he absorbed a distortion?" Yor’s voice went up an octave. "Like I do?"

"Exactly like you do," Rika confirmed. "That’s what I meant by Void Control."

Yor’s eyes went wide as understanding crashed over her. "You have my ability? Since when? How?"

"I don’t have your ability, but something similar. I think I got it when I helped you gain control over your powers." Reinhard said."The process created a connection that let me gain a version of your Void Sigil."

Sirin looked like her brain was trying to process this. "I’m amazed your body isn’t tearing itself apart." Her expression shifted to concern. "Or is that something you’re hiding from us?"

Her words made everyone pause before giving Reinhard looks. Even Rika and Alice, who already knew about it, narrowed their eyes.

"Don’t worry, my body adapted somehow," Reinhard said simply. "I don’t fully understand it either. But I don’t feel any pain in using them."

Louis leaned forward with intense focus. "Can you demonstrate? I need to see this. And because I feel like you would hide it."

"I want to see too," Yor added quickly. "Especially the Void Sigil."

"And the spatial manipulation," Alice said with a grin. "Show them what you showed me in the training room."

Sirin smiled with a nod. "I have so many questions. Starting with, how long have you had the other Sigils that aren’t the Void one? Did you get them all at once, or was it a gradual process-"

Reinhard held up his hands in mock surrender. "One thing at a time. Yes, I can demonstrate all abilities. But maybe we should—"

"I think you should do it now." Sirin interrupted as she glanced at the others. "They want to make sure you are really alright."

Yor nodded with a worried look. "Please?"

Louis was already leaning in with a grin. "Come on, Reinhard! No point in delaying it, and besides, how do we know this isn’t a trick by you?"

"I don’t Reinhard would lie-"

"Shhh, Rika." Louis covered her mouth with a hand while smiling at Reinhard.

Alice laughed at their excitement. "Told you they’d want proof."

Rika sighed but gave Reinhard an encouraging look after removing Louis’ hand.

"Alright," Reinhard agreed while standing up. "Let me show you what I can do. But I suggest you guys move-"

"Alright on it."

He watched in amusement as all of them worked together to push back the chairs, tables, and objects to the back of the room.

Reinhard stood in the center of the club room while everyone else moved back to give him space. Louis set up strange measurement devices on the table. Sirin held her notebook ready, and Yor watched with worry mixed with curiosity.

Alice grinned with barely contained excitement while Rika smiled encouragingly.

"Which one first?" Reinhard asked.

"Precognition," Sirin said immediately. "That’s the easiest to verify without causing property damage."

"Fair enough." Reinhard closed his eyes briefly, then activated his ability. The familiar sensation washed over him as the next five seconds played out in his vision.

He opened his eyes and spoke calmly. "Louis, in three seconds you’re going to drop your measurement tool because Alice is about to sneeze and startle you."

"What? I’m not going to—" Louis started.

Alice sneezed suddenly and loudly. Louis jumped in surprise, and the tool slipped from his hands. It clattered onto the table exactly as Reinhard had described.

Everyone stared at the dropped tool in silence.

"Well, we did expect that. But to see it fully confirmed." Sirin says lightly.

"How specific can you see?" Yor asked quietly.

"Five seconds ahead," Reinhard explained. "Clear enough to know exactly what people will do and say in that window."

"So just like me?" Rika asked in surprise. "But I always thought I could see better."

"I wouldn’t say mine is better... I just tend to use it at the last few seconds in combat." He said, making her eyes widen before nodding.

"Next one," Alice demanded eagerly. "Show us the spatial manipulation."

Reinhard nodded, then reached out his hand toward empty air. To everyone watching, it looked like he was grabbing nothing.

But then space itself rippled visibly around his fingers.

He grasped something invisible and pulled.

The fabric of reality bent.

The air twisted like he was pulling a curtain aside. Through the warped space, they could see the distorted room beyond as the furniture was being dragged to the side.

"Amazing!" Sirin whispered with a grin.

"He really does have more than one." Louis muttered in shock.

"I agree," Yor muttered in wonder.

Reinhard released his grip, and space snapped back to normal with an almost audible sound.

"What about the Phasing?" Rika asked softly.

"Hmm, sure."

Reinhard then tapped into his Phasing Sigil and moved his hand through Sirin’s face. Her eyes widened as she looked at his intangible hand in wonder before saying.

"It’s similar to my own." Once his hand returned to normal. "I’m guessing you can’t do the entire body?"

"I can’t, but just some parts are good enough."

"That’s true, Sirin made it work for her." Alice said with a grin.

"Now the Void Sigil," Yor said quietly. Her expression had grown more serious. "Please show me you’re not in pain from it."

Reinhard understood her worry.

Yor had struggled for years with her void power, causing her suffering. The idea that he’d taken on a similar burden because of helping her must have been weighing on her conscience.

He held out his hand palm-up. Black-grey energy swirled into existence above his palm. It was a miniature void orb just like Yor could create. The temperature in the room dropped slightly, and the books on nearby shelves rustled as if pulled by an invisible force. The void energy pulsed with dark light.

"It doesn’t hurt," Reinhard said while meeting Yor’s eyes directly. "I have complete control over it. Watch."

He made the orb grow larger and then instantly smaller and then had it swirl around his arm just like how Yor did before.

"It really is like Yor... And he can control it." Sirin’s blue eyes sparkle in delight. "You don’t need to worry, Yor. There are no signs of strain or it affecting him."

Louis held up one of his measurement devices. "The energy signature is nearly identical to Yor’s but... cleaner somehow? More focused?"

"Because I got it after Yor’s power was sealed and controlled," Reinhard explained while dismissing the void orb. "I didn’t inherit the unstable version. I got a controlled one."

Yor’s eyes filled with tears, but she was smiling. "So you’re not suffering because of me. You’re not in pain from the void."

"Not at all," Reinhard confirmed gently. "If anything, having your ability has made me stronger and safer. I can absorb void distortions now without any negative effects."

He then gently tapped her nose. "I can help take off some of the burden on you."

Yor eyes widened before her smile grew.

"That’s what I saw in the library basement," Rika added. "He absorbed that major distortion completely. It was amazing to watch."

Yor wiped her eyes quickly, then laughed. "I was so worried. When I heard you had my power, I thought I’d cursed you somehow."

"Of course not."

Sirin closed her notebook with a decisive snap. "This changes everything about how we operate as a club. Having two people who can absorb void distortions means we can handle larger threats. The precognition gives us tactical advantages in combat. The spatial manipulation offers escape routes and defensive options we never had before."

"Plus, he’s just generally more useful than before," Alice said with a grin. "No offense."

"None taken," Reinhard replied with amusement.

Louis was still staring at his measurements. "I could also create specialized equipment for each of your abilities... Ohh, just thinking about it makes me so excited..." He trailed off while his mind was clearly already designing things.

Yor moved closer to Reinhard and pulled him into a gentle hug. "Thank you for showing us. And for being honest about your abilities."

"You all deserved to know," Reinhard said while returning the embrace. "We’re a team."

"Well, not important secrets anyway," Rika added with a knowing smile.

Alice suddenly jumped to her feet with energy exploding from her. "You know what we should do?!"

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Alright, since we have seen his Sigils. Then the only thing to do now is to test it all out together with a spar!" Alice declared while pumping her fist. "All six of us in the training arena!"

"That’s actually a good idea," Sirin admitted reluctantly. "We need to understand each other’s combat capabilities if we’re going to work together effectively."

"I kind of want to text my Void against Reinhard... And see his limits." Yor said with growing enthusiasm.

Louis nodded eagerly. "And I can test equipment modifications based on what I observe during the sparring!"

Rika giggled in excitement. "This is going to be chaotic."

"The best kind of chaos," Alice said with a huge grin. "Come on! This is today’s mission, club sparring!"

Reinhard looked around at his friends, all of them eager despite having just learned impossible information about him. They weren’t suspicious or mad that he kept this from them for days, but instead happy.

The warmth in his chest intensified. This was what belonging felt like, and trust looked like in action.

"Alright," Reinhard agreed with a smile. "Let’s test what we can do together."