The Ability Steal System

Meeting A D+ Rank One Eyed Frost Ape

"The target has secured the assistance of the Alexander family, but that shouldn't change anything. Eliminate them all and take down the target at any cost," the leading figure in the purple cloak declared, his tone chilling enough to send shivers down one's spine, they swiftly followed the group.

Meanwhile, the targets were already facing monsters that were easily dispatched. Felix understood that he could gain experience from defeating these creatures, but he sought a challenge that would sharpen his battle intent. Thus, he chose to leave these foes for others, who effortlessly eliminated them without even utilizing their abilities.

The others observed Felix curiously, particularly Pig Face, who regarded him with a smug expression, believing that Felix was trying to be mysterious. Little did he realize that even when Felix behaved normally, he still exuded an air of mystery; it was simply part of who he was.

Connor smiled knowingly, his thoughts drifting to the desire for a worthy opponent. He remained a spectator, watching as the others dispatched the monsters. The group gradually advanced further into the forest, where they faced more formidable monsters.

"That's a F+ rank Winged Flaming Panther; let me take it on," Felix exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He was tired of waiting and eager to gain experience. Upon spotting the monster, he immediately laid claim to it, but before he could act, Pig Face charged forward, brandishing a black sword.

'I'll show you how to act tough,' Pig Face thought wickedly, planning to finish the Panther himself, but he had severely overestimated his abilities, a mistake on his part.

He swung his sword at the panther, visualizing the moment the panther's head would be severed. Contrary to his expectations, the panther dodged effortlessly and lashed out with its claws, which were engulfed in purple flames, aiming for his face. Realizing his attack had failed, he quickly shifted to defense and blocked the strike with his sword.

CRACK

A massive crack emerged on the sword, gradually extending across its surface. A look of disbelief crossed his face as he witnessed the effortless destruction of his F rank sword.

Noticing Pig Face's distraction, the Panther swiftly launched another assault. This time, Pig Face was unable to evade the strike; he raised his hands to shield himself and shut his eyes in anticipation of the impact. When he felt no blow, he opened his eyes to find the panther's claws mere inches from his face, frozen in place. It was then that he noticed the dagger embedded in its skull.

"Ding"

[You have killed an F+ rank two-winged flaming panther and gained 200xp]

[You have levelled up to level 5 and all stats increased by 1 and you have also gained an additional stat point with 400 system points]

“Next time I say it’s mine, it’s mine. Can’t even kill an F+ rank beast, useless,” Felix reprimanded him coldly, then pulled out the dagger that was lodged in the panther’s head.

Meanwhile, Felix felt a surge of excitement inside, even if he didn't outwardly express it.

Why?

He had just gained 200xp and reached level 5, which sparked thrilling scenarios in his mind. He envisioned himself battling an E rank beast, though he was aware that such a creature should not be taken lightly.

The others gazed at Felix in disbelief, but Pig Face looked at him with fear. With a single strike, Felix had dispatched a F+ rank beast, while his own weapon had been shattered in one blow. The difference in their strength was unmistakable, and he now grasped the significance of Connor's words.

"Let's go, there are still more deep inside; we are almost at the center," Connor said, attempting to alleviate the tense atmosphere after Felix extracted the core of the panther and kept it.

They pressed on for hours, dispatching monsters unfortunate enough to cross their path. Whenever they detected a large horde, they swiftly altered their course. Among them, Felix stood out, eliminating any high-ranking monster he recognized with remarkable efficiency.

His actions had indeed yielded results; he was now at level 9, just a bit away from achieving F+ rank. However, he remained unsatisfied, as none of them had utilized their abilities. Knowing they were friends of Connor, he was aware they possessed strong abilities. He needed those abilities to steal and grow stronger.

"Something strange is happening; we have just arrived at the center, yet we've already encountered multiple F+ rank monsters. If this pattern continues, we might actually come across E rank monsters as we venture further," Felix remarked as they reached the heart of the forest. From the beginning, he had been attentive to every minute detail, which allowed him to notice this peculiar phenomenon.

Typically, a F rank forest comprised mainly F rank monsters, with a king of E rank expected to be located at the forest's end. However, it is noteworthy that F+ rank beasts had been encountered in the center of this particular forest.

"Why are you always so paranoid? Of course not," Connor replied with a grin, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"I don't think we can go back," Felix suddenly said in a low voice, his tone shifting significantly.

“Why is that?” Connor inquired, taken aback.

"I think we’re being followed," Felix said softly. He then drew one of his daggers, feigning a casual remark about it while remaining vigilant of their pursuers. He had a good sense of who they were but chose not to voice that information.

"You sensed them too?" The guard asked in disbelief. He wasn't alone; the others had felt it as well, though they were uncertain. However, upon seeing the astonished expressions on each other's faces, they came to the realization that they were indeed correct. They were taken aback that an F rank could perceive it so clearly while they could not.

"What should we do? Should we confront them, or pretend we haven't sensed them and then ambush them?" Pig Face suggested, surprising the others because what he said was actually sensible.

"It seems you’re not as foolish as we thought," Felix remarked with a smile, prompting laughter from the others before they quickly returned to their serious demeanor.

"We’re uncertain of their size, so confronting them directly would be unwise. I propose we set up an ambush," Connor's guard suggested to the others, his recommendation carrying weight, reflecting his seasoned insight.

"I have a plan, and for it to succeed, you need to trust me and act normally," Felix said with a chilling smile.

He approached them cautiously, ensuring he didn’t draw the attention of their concealed watchers. In a low voice, he shared his plan, and they all nodded with sinister smiles, some even chuckling at the wickedness of it. They swiftly turned and moved deeper into the forest, maintaining an air of normalcy.

"Yeah, that's true," Connor's guard, who was also paying attention, concurred with Felix.

"That may be true, but the only reason that would happen is if a treasure has appeared," A guard remarked, his eyes sparkling at the mere thought of treasure.

"If that is the case, then it will be more dangerous if we go deeper; we may actually encounter a horde of E rank monsters," George, the most mysterious among them and the only one who hadn't faced a monster, remarked.

"What? Are you afraid, George?" Pig-face asked with a grin, clearly enjoying the chance to provoke others, but he quickly turned away after catching a menacing glare from George.

"The risk is considerable, yet the potential reward is equally significant. What should we do? Should we retreat or move forward?" Connor inquired with a smile, looking to his friends for their thoughts.

“Did you know about this?” Felix inquired from Connor, his tone laced with suspicion. He sensed that Connor was concealing something, and his reaction appeared less shocked than that of the others.

As they strolled and explored, they noticed an array of fruits and exquisite flowers that emanated vibrant energy. However, just as they began to appreciate the beauty around them, the ground suddenly began to shake violently.

"What is that?" Red asked, his voice trembling as he struggled to maintain his balance, the ground shaking violently beneath him.

"What the..I think it's a...RUN, RUN NOW!" Felix placed his hand on the ground to sense the vibrations, and suddenly his eyes widened as his face turned pale with fear.

Without hesitation, he shouted and pivoted, surging ahead at a speed that was imperceptible to the naked eye, with the others trailing behind, not bothering to inquire about the issue at hand. Only after they had travelled a considerable distance from the rumbling did they stop, turning to Felix in confusion. Without uttering a word, Felix guided them to a tree and gestured ahead into the distance, indicating the source of the rumbling.

"Is that a beast horde? I've never seen such a large one before." Pig Face's expression shifted almost instantly to fear as he spotted a massive dot racing towards them with incredible speed.

"From the aura, the horde appears to consist of F, F+, and E rank beasts, and they are making their way towards the slums. Someone must warn them, or else this could lead to significant destruction," Felix remarked, his gaze fixed on the approaching black dot that was steadily enlarging.

"Yes, and that's exactly what we are going to do. Let's go," Connor said urgently, urging them to leave. This time, his expression had turned serious.

"At the current pace, we won't arrive on time" Felix remarked, stowing his two daggers in his storage ring once more.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" George asked, his brows knitted in confusion.

"Someone needs to stay behind to give the others some time to get the message across," Felix replied earnestly, his eyes reflecting the depth of his message.

"Oh, and who’s foolish enough to sacrifice himself?" Pig Face asked as his guard gave a facepalm at Pig Face's sardonic question.

Felix replied, "I'll stay behind," twisting his palm to cause a stunning bow to materialize that at once drew everyone's attention and projected a terrifying intent of lightning.

"You can't do that; you will only be able to stall them for some time, and even if you do, there is an 80% chance that you will die. Are you ready to take that risk?" Connor's guard inquired; in contrast to the others, he was considering the bigger picture.

"I am...I’ll divert them away from the slums, but you guys also need to get there quick; I'll be leaving now, and by the way, if I don't make it out, it was nice knowing you guys." Felix grinned as his silhouette dimmed and vanished.

"How did he do that?" Frank asked, surprised.

"It doesn't matter; we have to move. Since he has already made up his mind, he should have at least 40% certainty, or he wouldn't have done this. And did you see the bow in his hand? It is at least E rank or maybe even E+ rank; we shouldn't make his sacrifice in vain." Connor let out a sigh and grinned while shaking his head. He then turned and swiftly fled with the others, giving Felix one more smile.

Meanwhile, Felix, having enhanced his ‘Camouflague’ ability with his system points, discreetly left. There were three reasons Felix refused to leave: first, he was wary of leaving when so much experience was coming towards him; second, he had a solid plan in place; and third, he was curious about the treasure and the reason the monsters were attacking.

When the black dot became visible, he nearly turned back and ran away, realizing the enormity of the beast horde. But after gathering his composure, he took aim at the first F rank beast he saw and let go of the arrow, which changed into a tiny lightning bolt. The arrow flew with such incredible speed that the F rank beast was unable to evade it in time, helplessly witnessing the destruction of its head by the projectile.

"Ding"

[You have killed an F rank Dark Furred Groundhog and gained 100xp]

[You have leveled up to level 10 and all stats increased by 1 and you have also gained an additional stat point with 400 system points]

[You have broken some of the shackles binding the human body and have reached the F+ rank, all stats increased by 10, you have unlocked the store feature and gained 5000 system points]

Felix grinned and remarked, "Finally, it feels wonderful to be a F+ rank. I'm curious about the rank I'll attain upon completion. He felt his body getting lighter and his strength increasing.

After moving to a new spot, he nocked another arrow, but then shook his head, seeing that shooting one arrow at a time would not stop anything. He then came up with an idea, and a smile appeared on his face.

"You just mentioned system, that I've enabled the store option, correct? What is the price of an archery skill?” Felix smiled as he inquired, eager to test the potency of a system skill.

[The System Archery skill costs 6000 system points: would you like to buy it?]

“Yes, use the remaining system points to upgrade it.” Felix grinned and answered, if he had taken more time to comprehend what the system told him, he would have cursed it for robbing him.

Felix experienced a surge of energy after obtaining the skill and the upgrade. He suddenly felt as though all of his prior bow usage had been extremely rudimentary; it was as though he had become an expert with the bow.

With a slight wave of his hand, six arrows appeared, which he nocked. He then aimed them skyward and fired, immediately nocking another six arrows, which he fired once more before moving to a new spot.

When he was finished, the system kept alerting him that every target he had shot had been instantaneously killed.

"Ding"

[You have killed an F rank One Eyed White Furred Rabid Dog and gained 100xp with 200 system points]

[You have killed an F rank Two Headed Frost Eagle and gained 100xp with 200 system points]

[You have killed an F rank Winged Purple Panther and gained 100x....]

After reading 12 of those messages, he looked at his experience bar and saw that he needed just a few more to reach level 11. So, he kept using his attack and retreat tactics until every F rank beast was eliminated. At this point, he had effectively blocked the path of the horde of beasts, but now he was expected to face over a hundred F+ and E ranks.

Upon witnessing this picture, one could be at a loss for words. Despite the fact that at least 200 bodies lay scattered around, a close examination would reveal that each victim had been slain by a single arrow that struck their vital organs. Felix's ability to blend in with his surroundings was a major asset.

He had levelled up to 15 at this point, earning 20,000xp, which was half of the F+ rank. However, this was only the first part of his plan; he deactivated his camouflage ability and was immediately discovered by F+ ranks who had been looking for whatever was killing their friends. When they eventually found him, they rushed in a stampede, but he was ready, having also turned and directed them in a particular route; yet, because they were too consumed with getting revenge, they were blind to the fact that they had been taken off course.

**********************************************************

"We have to make a new plan, the target managed to get away, we failed the mission, wait, what in the...." The purple cloaked leader of the assassins angrily declared, because they had been preoccupied with the beast horde, they were unaware of their targets' escape. They suddenly noticed someone running towards them. It wasn't until he was only a few meters away from them that they finally realised he was the target.

"Why is he coming towards us?" The leader pondered, finding it peculiar that he would walk into their trap alone. Yet, it was of little consequence, as he was by himself.

"Capture him if you can, or otherwise kill him," The leader shouted as they rushed towards him. However, they had only taken a few steps when they noticed the smile on his face, and an unsettling feeling washed over him, but it was too late.

Felix vanished, and in his wake, a massive horde of monsters emerged. These creatures had pursued the human for so long that their fury had escalated to new heights. Just as they were on the verge of catching him, he suddenly disappeared. However, in front of them stood a small group of humans, so the monsters chose to unleash their wrath upon them. Initially, the assassins fought valiantly against the onslaught, but ultimately, they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of foes and met their demise.

Meanwhile, the main culprit stood on a tree not far from the location, a cold smile on his face. He had witnessed everything and was ready to begin farming once again when all the monsters suddenly paused, as if gripped by fear.

“What’s happening?” Felix wondered in disbelief; he couldn’t grasp the situation, but in the next instant, clarity struck him.

All he felt was an overwhelming, bone-crushing pressure that suddenly enveloped him, followed by the emergence of a colossal ape figure. Felix found himself reminded of King Kong by the ape, yet he

was not inclined to entertain that thought; his gaze remained steadfastly on the creature.

When he realized that this enormous ape was a D+ rank One-Eyed Frost Ape—and not just any D+ level, but one of the strongest D+ rank beasts—his eyes narrowed.

Why?

They shared a tenuous bloodline with the Ancient Frost Ape, whose status was unknown.

As he contemplated his escape, the Ape turned its gaze toward him with a single eye. The instant their eyes met, he felt an overwhelming loss of control over his body. In that very moment, all the monsters surged toward him, causing Felix's heart to race. It appeared he had made a grave mistake.

was not inclined to entertain that thought; his gaze remained steadfastly on the creature.

When he realized that this enormous ape was a D+ rank One-Eyed Frost Ape—and not just any D+ level, but one of the strongest D+ rank beasts—his eyes narrowed.

Why?

They shared a tenuous bloodline with the Ancient Frost Ape, whose status was unknown.

As he contemplated his escape, the Ape turned its gaze toward him with a single eye. The instant their eyes met, he felt an overwhelming loss of control over his body. In that very moment, all the monsters surged toward him, causing Felix's heart to race. It appeared he had made a grave mistake.