The true power of his [Average] attribute was being shown right in front of him. The power to be average at everything(possible), even skills that he didn't know before, as well as skills typically reserved for the elite of the elite.
"Oh, I didn't think about that. That's...actually a really beneficial thing to have, it's a shame I probably won't be able to improve on skills though..."
He would gaze upon the cube in front of him before trying out something a little bit more challenging.
The energy in front of him would start to shift, forming into into shape of a flowing ring, mimicking the one his master had created.
It was noticeably less potent, but it was definitely the same structure as the one he had seen before.
Meanwhile, Kaelus was sipping tea while watching his student play with shapes with an interested smile on his face.
'Hey! This is serious stuff!'
Afterwards, he would carefully grab onto the colorless ring of energy he had created. Surprisingly, it didn't feel like it had any weight at all. He would copy his master's movements and lightly tap the air, in the same direction as Kaelus did. A small shockwave would be created by the glass-like air shattering, causing a sonic boom that would severely injure the eardrum of an average human.
At this time, he would hear his master's chuckle behind him.
"When did he get there?"
"Heh, it seems you're more talented than I thought, my dear student. Didn't you say one of your attributes forces you to be mediocre at everything? It seems it has more than one usage after all."
He would briefly pause and smile, and as William rotated around to lock eyes with his master, Kaelus would continue speaking.
"Since it seems you have the basics installed by nature, this will be a whole lot easier for us."
"You know how I said the qi used by cultivators was just another name for Ingenuity? Well, there exists a much better name for Ingenuity, one that represents the true scale of it's power."
"The Aspect of Infinity."
"Like the leaves of a grand elder tree, the number of raindrops in a storm, and the hopes and dreams of humanity. Greater than the mind could comprehend."
As Kaelus said this, a stunning manifestation of a small storm, composed of azure blue raindrops and a miniaturized elder tree with vibrant, lush green leaves, appeared behind him. Giving the dark underground research facility a glowing sense of life.
"Ingenuity at its core is colorless, and yet it contains every color. By itself, it can't do much, but with others to assist, they can push each other to infinity."
Kaelus would then dismiss the Ingenuity constructs and walk towards one of the research tables in the far back of the Institute while waving William off behind him.
"Class is over for today. I need to work on some things; you can take a break."
William would nod calmly before heading back up the long staircase, muttering random thoughts to himself along the way. Today had been a long day, and with him only having a couple of weeks left at most, he should feel rather anxious. But he didn't.
Sitting down on his favorite armchair, he would start to think to himself. Just....about it all.
It had only been a few days since he returned from the world of The Odyssey, but in those few days, he had done more than in the last six years of his life.
He would chuckle to himself drearily while smiling calmly. He had once read in a book that a smile was a powerful tool. A tool to hide one's emotions, a mask of sorts, that can avoid suspicion, so he decided to start practicing it.
'But what good is a mask when the person behind it is as lifeless as itself?'
At this moment, a small wriggling shadow would break free from the shackles of William's coat. The Moonmouse Xiao Wei.
William would gently hold Xiao Wei in his hand, using his other one to pet them lightly.
This was the first time he had ever had a pet of his own; his parents always forbade it, probably because they knew he was too lazy to take care of it on his own, and his siblings were busy with their own work. Probably also because he lacked basic empathy for anyone and everyone.
Because of his horrible attention span, his mind would then start to wander.
'Hey, just because it's true, doesn't mean that it's right, Mr. Narrator! Where was I again...'
"I wonder what the bench guy's deal was...a blank anecdote...I suppose I'm not the only one with a weird anecdote; Although mine is covered in the same incomprehensible text that the Library uses, his seems more symbolic. Which is good. I prefer staying out of the spotlight anyway! And weird powers like these scream protagonist material!"
'Instead of being the main character, I'll be the side character of the world's story. While still being the main character of my own! Somewhere out there are the enemies I'll have to fight in the future, who knows how powerful they may be. But I will not buckle or yield under the cruelty of this world, I will achieve my goals of a normal life, even if it means becoming the most supernatural being in this world!'
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After a brief existential monologue, William would get up from hs chair and search for a nice book to read.
However, instead of a book, he found something else interesting.
A new poster was on the wall, probably placed by Kaelus when William wasn't watching.
[8th Annual Verifier Multilingual Writing Competition]
[Details: Write an essay about the topic 'Regret' or 'Love', you may not use the word regret or love inside of it. Deadline: November 25th.]
[Prizes:
1st Place: 500 Loreld, and a secret bonus prize!
2nd Place: 5000 Loreld
3rd Place 2500 Loreld
'A secret prize worth atleast 4500 Loreld.....Heh, as the Reader of Lore, this is right up my alley! Besides the fact that I don't know how to write!'
He would grab some sheets of paper and a pen, aswell as a translator device to send the text into the Library system, which acted as a middle man to send to the tournament organizer.
'Shi Tieshen, Zhou Shuren! I pray for your blessings! Grant me the ability to write an essay befitting the gods of lingustics!'
Then, he began to write.
-
Tick Tock Tick Tock
The clock ticks in reverse as my past memories resurface in my mind, that day taught me a lesson others may never realize in their lives, that no matter what life and the people around you will move on, so you have to aswell, even if moving on means leaving part of yourself behind. That the present that you find so insufferable, will become the paradise you can only dream about, but never return to....