SSS-Class Profession: The Path to Mastery

Two Days Later

The sun was just starting to rise when I reached the construction site, with the typical morning mist hanging over the incomplete structures' skeletal outlines. Two days had gone by since I uncovered my ability to copy skills, and although my improvement was clear, it was still insufficient.

I rotated my shoulders, sensing the well-known heaviness of power embedding itself in my body. The alterations weren't significant, but they were genuine. In the past 48 hours, I acquired two additional skills:

Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2) – Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects.

Material Efficiency (Lv. 1) – Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision.

My muscles no longer burned with every load I carried. My movements were more efficient, my stamina stretched farther. I could now haul bags of cement and steel beams with a fraction of the effort it once took. But even with these improvements, something gnawed at me.

I wasn't progressing fast enough.

The first level-ups had come easily. Endurance Boost, Strategist and Heavy Lifting had both hit Level 2 in a matter of hours. But now? Nothing had budged. It was as if I had hit a wall.

I had analyzed the system for hours, trying to understand why. And eventually, I realized the bitter truth—leveling skills was exponentially harder the higher they got.

Going from Level 1 to 2? A few hours.

Level 2 to 3? At least a week.

Level 3 to 4? Two weeks.

Level 4 to 5? A month.

Level 5 to 6? Half a year.

Level 6 to 7? A full year.

Beyond that, leveling a skill to 8 or 9 was practically impossible without some kind of major event. People didn't just train their way into Level 9 skills—it required something more.

Nathan Crowley was living proof of that. His Endurance Boost (Lv. 9) wasn't something he trained into. It had either been triggered by some life-changing event or, in rare cases, he had been born with it.

Some people were simply born exceptional.

It reminded me of a famous historical case—Nikola Tesla.

The man had been born with Blueprint Visualization (Lv. 9), an ability that allowed him to mentally construct blueprints with near-perfect precision before ever touching a piece of paper. That single skill had revolutionized the world, allowing him to create innovations at a speed no ordinary engineer could match.

Level 10 skills?

They existed. But the last time one was made public was decades ago. The level cap was real, and only a handful of people in history had ever surpassed it.

That realization burned in my mind as I glanced toward the System Interface hovering in my vision.

I was growing. I had copied skills that had taken others years to cultivate. And yet, it still wasn't enough.

Copying skills once every 24 hours was too slow. Leveling them up naturally was even slower. And Destroy was useless until I could find a way to subjugate Nathan.

That left me with only one path forward.

Absorb.

Absorb was different from Copy. It didn't just let me take a skill—it let me learn a job's proficiency. In other words, it gave me the skills designed for that job.

I needed to find someone who could teach me. Someone who had a skill that would help me turn the tide against Nathan.

And I knew exactly who that person was.

Sienna Locke

I spotted her near the site entrance, speaking to a few of the lower-ranked workers. She was tall, maybe 5'10," her frame lean but built with the strength of someone who had spent years in physical labor. Her auburn hair was tied back into a tight ponytail, revealing sharp, angular features.

She was conventionally beautiful, but she also had a presence—a quiet confidence that demanded respect. Unlike the others, she didn't suck up to Nathan. She didn't bully the weaker workers. She stood apart.

Her skills were good. Not as high as Nathan's, but respectable:

Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 4)

Heavy Lifting (Lv. 5)

Precision Engineering (Lv. 4)

Endurance Boost (Lv. 6)

Team Coordination (Lv. 5)

That last skill—Team Coordination—was what I needed.

If I could learn it, I might be able to turn the other workers against Nathan. It was a long shot, but it was better than nothing.

I approached her after her conversation ended. She turned to me, raising an eyebrow.

"Vale," she greeted. "Something you need?"

I hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I want you to teach me."

That actually caught her off guard.

"Teach you what?"

"How to coordinate with the team," I said simply.

She folded her arms, her gaze scrutinizing. "Why?"

I had expected this. I needed a reason—one that made sense.

"I've had a hard time," I confessed, maintaining a steady tone. "I realize that I'm not as talented as the rest, but I aim to get better." "I believe that coordinating with the team would be beneficial."

Sienna remained quiet for a long time. She then let out a sigh while massaging the back of her neck.

"Teaching individuals doesn't ensure they will acquire skills, you realize," she remarked. "Certain individuals practice for years without ever achieving it."

"I know," I said.

She studied me again, her hazel eyes searching for something.

"...Fine," she finally said. "I'll help you. But don't get your hopes up."

I nodded. I wasn't worried about failure.

Because the moment she started teaching me, my System would kick in.

A new notification appeared before me.

[System Alert]

Would you like to commence Absorption of skill Team Coordination (Lv. 5) from Individual Sienna Locke (Construction Worker B-Rank)?

[YES] | [NO]

A slow smirk spread across my face.

I clicked YES.

[SYSTEM INTERFACE]

Name: Reynard Vale

Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)

Job Skills:

Endurance Boost (Lv. 2): Reduces fatigue from manual labor

Strategist (Lv. 2): Improves planning and problem-solving abilities

Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2): Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects

Material Efficiency (Lv. 1): Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision

Jobs:

Unskilled Laborer (F)

Special Skill:

Scan, Absorb, Destroy

Cooldown:

Skill Copy (19h 58m Remaining)