“Look at you, grinning like an idiot,” Mia told him as soon as they went out the classroom. She really didn’t like his current expression that seemed to owe a punch.

If it wasn’t Allen, she would have already kicked his head to give him some sense.

“What are you saying, I’m just happy to see someone I consider a friend in this lifetime.”

“Friend, huh?”

“What do you want to say?”

“Nothing~”

Mia didn’t dive deep again when she saw a few monsters rushing towards them.

“…however, remember if you dare flirt with a girl in front of me. I would put a bullet in your skull”

While saying this, Mia grabbed her rifle and pulled out the magazine. She looked down at the rifle bullets held in place with a clasp.

“Understand?”

Allen was momentarily shocked. He didn’t think a girl like Mia, infamous for being the [ Mad Princess ] would actually say something like this.

He was not an inexperienced man who didn’t know about the relationships between a man and a woman, so being confessed by a woman in a roundabout way isn’t something surprising. But the point was, it came from the infamous [ Mad Princess ] herself, who in the ‘Past’ vowed to kill him.

In the first place, what happened to her ‘Past’ Love? Just because it was now gone, doesn’t mean she would find another one. She wasn’t that loose…

“Ho, I might take that in a very interesting way, you know~” Allen only smiled and didn’t put this matter into his heart.

Maybe he was just misunderstanding.

But Mia’s next words blow this thought to the end of the universe.

“Take it whatever way you want. But never forget; only in this world, I understand you and only in this world you understand me.” Mia nonchalantly said as she started shooting the incoming monsters.

“We are living a very different life compared to other humans in this world. We are different from them.”

Allen, of course, understand what she was saying.

In a sense, what she said make sense. Just like him, she was also a returner.

And in this world, she and he were the only known returner.

“Do you dare to say that? Who knows, there might be another else you know?”

“Then, I will kill them.” Mia’s tone doesn’t seem to be joking. “…Until we’re the only last pair.”

“Don’t you want to kill me?” Once Allen heard that statement from Mia, he was a bit curious.

Although in the ‘Past’ they were close friends before he killed her brother, they were never that intimate. In the first place, they were acquainted, all because of her brother who was Allen’s best friend.

So, where and when the heck did he set up the flag?

“That’s another matter.”

“…do you really like me?” Noticing that she was really serious, Allen started doubting.

Mia stopped shooting and looked at him. On her face was a smile, but this wasn’t a smile made by an innocent girl in love. If her enemies in the ‘Past’ saw it, they would surely think, it was the smile of the lunatic princess. The crazy devil’s smile.

“You are mine. Whether it was Celty or others, they could only stand behind me.”

“But… I never think of you that way.” Allen coldly said those words.

He wasn’t in the mood to think about Love when the world might end tomorrow.

Of course, to talk about his feelings was a different matter! He still had some but that was just the normal male hormone secretion.

No matter what, Mia was a beauty who took the initiative to confess. To say that Allen wasn’t feeling anything in his heart was naturally a lie. He wasn’t a gay or dense protagonist from some anime, so how could he not have any reactions to a beauty!

…but even so,

“I only think of you as a companion. Besides, I don’t have time to waste on those things.”

“I don’t care, you still need to fall for me.” Mia wasn’t listening. She was the type of person who grows up getting everything she wanted.

Something like rejection wouldn’t be enough to give up.

“You’re unreasonable.” Allen could only shrug his shoulder after hearing her reply.

Well, it’s not a bad thing so why not?

Having a beauty wait for you is a man’s ultimate dream. He’s not foolish enough to refuse that.

“As if you didn’t know.”

--- ---

In less than an hour, Allen and Mia killed dozens of monsters; Goblins, Rat Crawler, Lightning Mouse, these monsters that appeared on the first floor and was blocking their way.

And now, finally, they found the last crystal on the first floor.

However, when they reach the classroom, they were greeted by a very gruesome sight.

Not only blood and corpses were littered on the ground but also several naked women lying while weeping. Some even fainted.

Not far away are a group of girls, with clothes still intact and were curled in the corner like a ball.

Seeing this unsightly scene, Allen’s brow twitched.

Gublaaaaa!!! Goblins screamed as soon as they saw Allen and Mia walked nonchalantly in the room.

20 – 30 goblins at the least. Allen thought as he pointed his gun at them.

Bang Bang Bang Bang

Ratatatatatatata

Series of gunshots echoed in the room accompanied by painful cries and women screams.

Allen ignored and walked confidently in the room while shooting. His left hand, holding a military knife, was mercilessly slashing towards the goblins who survive the hail of bullets.

It was a one-sided fight! A massacre from the beginning to the end.

Gbraaaah!!! In the end, only one goblin was left standing. He was huge for a goblin with stones-like muscles on his body. He was wearing a steel armor and a double handed huge battle axe.

Goblin warrior. So a goblin warrior was finally born.

It was still a Lv1 monster but it was much, much stronger than an ordinary Lv1 goblin and was nearing Lv2 monster. Its strength could crush a fist-sized stone to dust in a blink of an eye.

It stared at Allen in hatred.

Allen ignored its gaze and flashed a cocky grin.

Bang! A bullet flashed towards the goblin but it was knocked down by the huge battle axe. Contrary to its size, this goblin was fast.

With that as a signal, both parties; Allen and the goblin dashed towards each other.

Allen raised his knife and gun, while the goblin raised its battle axe.

Ratatatatatata

Gubaah!? The goblin fell, full of holes like a chunk of cheese before it reached Allen.

This caused Allen to stop his movements and looked behind him. There, Mia who was still pointing his rifle in position and was smiling mischievously.

“What was that for?” Allen asked in an annoyed tone. That was his prey!

“You seemed to be so eager but, I don’t want you to always be the one in the spotlight. Don’t forget, I’m also here.” She answered as she leaned her rifle on her shoulder.

Tsk, Allen clicked his tongue as he kicked the goblin’s dead body.

--- ---

After clearing the way, Allen made his way through the crystal and grabbed it.

[ Skill: Skill Replication ]

[ Accept ]

Reading the screen in his front, Allen’s hand trembled. This is it! This was the ability he had to seek for in this school; Skill Replication!

Looking at Allen’s excited expression, Mia asked, “Allen, what kind of crystal is it?”

Allen turned his head to her. “This time it’s mine. I won’t give it to you even if you cry.”

Mia’s brows furrowed but she didn’t say anything and just asked what kind crystal was it.

“It’s an S-crystal.”

“S-crystal?! What ability?”

Allen pressed the Accept word and just like what happened with Mia, the crystal shone a white light but this time, it rushed into Allen’s body.

“Even if you didn’t rush it, I won’t take it from you,” Mia spoke while pouting.

Allen’s action really infuriated her. It was as if saying he didn’t trust her at all.

Allen smiled wryly and honestly answered.

“It’s an ability called [ Skill Replication ]. A C-class ability. It’s one of the crystals I’m looking for in this school.”

[ Skill Replication Lv1

C-class skill

Skill Replication is the ability to copy and intuitively understand the abilities of others through physical contact. The ability donor doesn’t feel anything when their abilities are replicated.

It enables the users to mimic and replicate the powers of others around oneself and replicate the physical and mental attributes of others.

The user can even stack several powers together, which may lead to Power Mixture.

Limitation and Condition:

- Need a physical contact to activate.

- Needed at least 5 seconds of contact.

- Could only try replicating up to 3 times on the same person.

- The user only has at least 5% chance of success in replicating an ability or powers.

- The copied powers and abilities would all return to Lv1.

- Users are unable to choose what powers they get.

- Higher level powers may be more difficult to copy.

- Won’t work on a corpse or things without life (Except undead as they are creatures and considered monsters) ]

“Replication? It sounds cool but why was it only C-class?”

“Simple, because it is an ability with many Limitations and conditions. Besides, it had very low chances of success in replicating skills.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, most of the skills I know don’t have any limitations or conditions to use. Besides, there are some with limitations but they were rank low and considered useless~”

Allen nodded his head in confirmation. But this was fine. Replicating good skills is far better than looking for S-crystals which were very scarce. And who knows, he might be able to acquire good skills in luck.

As a practice, Allen tried touching the goblin warrior and as expected, it never reacted, much less gain anything.

Looking around, they were still goblins in pain and seemed to be in death bed, so he walked towards them.

Failure…

Failure…

Failure…

… …

After four goblins, Allen was greatly disappointed as he didn’t gain anything.

However, after the fifth goblin, finally…

Success!

[ Dexterity (Copied) Lv1

E-Class Skill.

The ability to precisely control movements and muscles of the user, making them unable to be clumsy or fumbling. The user can even move their finger or toes effortlessly, with tendon strain no longer being a problem. ]

Hehehe, Allen laughed hysterically.

That’s right! This is why I wanted this ability~

With a success, Allen tried again, again and again whenever he noticed a Goblin still alive. But after the skill [ Dexterity ], Allen was followed by a series of failures.

But this was fine; at least he managed to increase his skills.

Come on, I am thrilled from becoming strong!

“Allen? Why are you grinning like that?”

“…No, nothing in particular.”

“?”

Seeing Allen’s actions, Mia could only shake her head.

--- ---