“Cain-san! Step forward.”
“Yes!”
I replied energetically to the priest’s words and stepped forward.
“Your Skill Aptitude is… pfft, heheh… it’s, G.”
“H-huh?”
“Next, your Original Skill is, ‘Skill Duplication’.”
“Y-yes…”
The silent space was instantly broken as someone burst into laughter, and soon everyone around me was roaring with it.
“G, seriously? lol You’re totally hopeless!”
“Ugh, how pathetic. I wonder what he’s going to do with his life now?”
“Well, at least you made a world record, lol.”
Every word they threw at me was mocking. Surrounded by what felt like enemies on all sides, I pitied the me from an hour ago, who had been filled with anticipation.
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April 10th.
Today is my birthday, Cain’s birthday.
When I think of birthdays, I imagine cake, presents, and parties.
However, for people in this world, the 12th birthday is associated with something else.
The ‘Aptitude Ceremony’.
It’s a ritual that everyone undergoes when they turn 12.
People possess Skills.
Most of them are acquired through self-improvement.
For example, the simplest one is:
‘Physical Enhancement’.
This Skill can increase all of one’s physical abilities by 1.
It’s quite easy to obtain, requiring only the defeat of a single monster.
Higher-ranked Skills have a greater increase in power, but the acquisition conditions are also more stringent.
However, those considered high-ranking, B-rank or higher, are rare to begin with.
Whether or not one can acquire Skills is determined by their Skill Aptitude.
Skills are ranked in nine tiers, from SSS to F.
SSS: Skills that only gods are permitted to possess.
SS: Skills that the strongest Demon Lord of the past is said to have possessed.
S: Skills of Heroes and Sages.
A: Skills possessed by those generally called geniuses.
B: Skills that those with decent talent can possess.
C: Skills that are reasonably useful.
D: Skills that ordinary people can acquire with effort.
E: Skills that are easily acquired.
F: Skills that are easily acquired and not very useful.
On the other hand, Skill Aptitude is ranked from S to F.
It is said that one can acquire Skills up to two ranks higher than their own Skill Aptitude with effort.
And then there are the Original Skills, which one possesses from birth.
These don’t have ranks, and some of them are incredibly powerful.
Although they are called Original Skills, it seems that there are quite a few people who possess the same Skills.
Skill Aptitude and Original Skills.
These two things are revealed during the ‘Aptitude Ceremony’.
In other words, it’s no exaggeration to say that one’s life changes on the day they turn 12.
I walked to the church with a spring in my step.
Inside the church, there were about a dozen onlookers.
These were adventurers who hoped to recruit those with high Skill Aptitude or useful Original Skills into their parties.
“Cain-sama, we will now begin the ‘Aptitude Ceremony’. Please wait a little longer until the priest arrives.”
“Y-yes.”
My voice cracked from nervousness.
After about ten minutes, a long-bearded old man arrived.
“Now, we will begin the ‘Aptitude Ceremony’.”
“Cain-san! Step forward.”
“Yes!”
I replied energetically to the priest’s words and stepped forward…