Ability Limitations

I'm supposed to take first place in Moen University's physics department?

Seeing the burning look in Deng Yin's eyes, Ron realized he wasn't joking...

He truly believed Ron had that ability.

Then... could I achieve that goal?

That was Moen University! The strictest of Ideal City's Three Great Academies...

Only the most elite among Ideal City's eleven billion people had a chance to set foot in Moen University.

Ron had no doubt that he had such a chance, but taking first place in the physics department among all those elites—

Wasn't that biting off a little more than he could chew?

As Ron pondered, Kevin, rubbing his ass, sidled over and whispered in Ron's ear:

"Bro, you really have to agree to this... Don't let the way the teacher keeps beating me fool you. He's absolutely the best professor in all of Ideal City!"

As he spoke, a faint hint of pride entered his voice:

"Back when the teacher was still a professor at Moen University, he was the most authoritative figure in the physics department—

Even though he was living under an assumed name and teaching at a cram school in District C now, his teaching skills haven't declined. A genius like you needs a good teacher like him!"

A former Moen University professor?

That was another huge advantage for him...

Ron could not help but feel reassured.

Besides, he had planned to attend one of the Three Great Academies anyway.

Since Moen University had been fully funded by the Moen Municipal Government, it suited commoners like him better than the other two academies.

After graduating from Moen University, there was a good chance he could enter the Patrol Bureau directly, or even join Moen City Hall and embark on a political career.

If he could become first in the physics department along the way, his future would surely be even broader... so why not?

What Deng Yin had said did not even count as a demand. It was merely a reward!

He clearly had something else he needed Ron to do...

After thinking for a moment, Ron looked seriously at Deng Yin, who was quietly waiting for his reply.

"I can agree to that... but making me first in the physics department can't be your actual goal, can it?"

He probed:

"What exactly do you want me to do?"

Deng Yin shook his head. "You really are smart... but that matter is not something you can understand at your current level."

"Only the person ranked first in the physics department is qualified to do it. I see potential in you, but you may not have the ability to seize that opportunity.

"When you truly become number one, I'll tell you what you need to do."

As he spoke, he patted Ron's shoulder reassuringly, his tone earnest.

"But don't worry. This will definitely not be a bad thing for you. It may even be an opportunity to rise to the top in a single step.

"It could let you obtain Authority when you ordinarily shouldn't be able to... but that is a matter for later."

"Right now, the most important thing is proving that you can do it, isn't it?"

So... they were all rewards.

Then there was no reason to refuse.

A smile tugged at Ron's lips, but he merely replied calmly.

"Of course... as long as you can teach me how to control my superpower."

If he could control [Vector Manipulation], then even compared to all the geniuses in Ideal City, Ron would unquestionably rank among the most gifted—

Failure was impossible for him!

"Good, good, good!" Deng Yin laughed. "I need students as confident as you!"

As he spoke, he paced toward the training hall's basement.

"Come with me... We'll need some more advanced equipment for the next stage of training."

More advanced equipment?

Ron was stunned. He had assumed that AR helmet was already a fairly advanced ability-training device in Ideal City...

He had not expected the training hall to be hiding something even more useful.

He hurried after Deng Yin down the stairs, only to find an incredibly heavy steel door standing in the basement!

It looked just like a vault door, sealing whatever lay behind it tightly away...

Ron and Kevin watched eagerly as Deng Yin went through several identity verifications. More than ten minutes later, he finally opened the basement's extremely heavy door.

Behind it stood precision instruments that Ron did not recognize at all. It seemed to be a laboratory Deng Yin had hidden beneath the training hall.

...Did this really not count as an illegal construction project?

Ron curiously examined the equipment. Soon, he saw Deng Yin search through a secured cabinet before taking out a silver-white collar.

"Here, put this on."

Ron accepted the collar. It was entirely silver-white, with an interface on the inside clearly meant to connect to a brain-computer interface.

Other than that, the collar was seamless. Only a single indicator light was embedded along its edge, dim and unlit.

"This is an Ability Limiter...

"It used to be a restraint device the Patrol Bureau used on dangerous superpowered criminals. Civilian restrictions were lifted recently, and I only managed to get this civilian version through my connections in the bureau."

He explained, "Your current Ability Model can no longer be handled through ordinary means.

"To keep you alive and ensure that you can control this ability, we must limit your power."

Deng Yin pointed toward a pure white chamber large enough for a person to lie inside.

"Put it on properly, then enter the Fully Immersive Pod. I'll adjust your ability restriction parameters and let you try controlling it in Virtual Reality."

So I was cosplaying as a serious criminal now?

Fine... maybe the Patrol Bureau really would arrest me someday. I might as well get a taste of it first.

Ron put on the Ability Limiter, connected it to his personal brain-computer interface, and lay down in the Immersion Pod according to the instructions.

"Bzzzz—"

The pod door slowly closed. A stream of cold air blew across Ron's face, and drowsiness immediately washed over him as he slowly closed his eyes.

The next moment, he "woke up" from a blank white void.

"You have entered Virtual Reality. Everything around you, including yourself, is now nothing but simulated data."

Deng Yin's voice came from beside his ear.

"I've currently restricted fifty percent of your output... Try using your ability at full force and see whether you can control it."

As Deng Yin finished speaking, several rocks suddenly dropped into the blank space before Ron. They were clearly test objects Deng Yin had arranged.

Ron tried simply distorting gravity. The rocks rose into the air, then immediately began moving erratically.

Ron's ability instantly overloaded and spiraled out of control...

Yet he did not feel the same pain he had felt in reality. The rampage of his ability quickly came to a halt.

"You felt that, didn't you?" Deng Yin's voice drifted down from above. "Because this is full immersion, everything about you is simulated data."

"So... even an uncontrollable ability cannot damage your Personal Reality."

"However," he changed tack, "for that very reason, your Personal Reality will not grow from using your ability in the simulation."

"But that isn't what you need most right now...

"Once you can control your ability to a certain extent, your Personal Reality will quickly rise to the same level as your computational power."

I see...

But in that case, once his ability was restricted to a strength Ron could control, would he be able to use [Vector Manipulation] safely in reality too?

"Fifty percent doesn't work. Hmm... I adjusted the restriction parameters again. Try using your ability once more."

Time passed in a blur.

After testing several levels of adjustment, Ron kept feeling his ability being restricted and weakened—

The gravity that had once been within easy reach was almost completely blocked off.

Electromagnetic fields, light... all kinds of "vectors" had become impossible to reach.

Ron picked up a pebble from the ground and lightly tossed it forward...

Whoosh!

The pebble shot out at bullet-like speed and shattered into powder against the ground in the distance.

His ability had now been restricted to this extent.

—He could only control the momentum of objects he touched to a certain degree, and his maximum output was no more powerful than firing this pebble with the force of a handgun.

But even Vector Manipulation restricted to Lv.1 was still Vector Manipulation.

That level of output far surpassed his Lv.1 Telekinesis!

"All right, it's finally adjusted. I didn't expect your ability to be even stronger than I imagined..."

Deng Yin's exhaustion was obvious even from his voice. He opened the Fully Immersive Pod and woke Ron from his sleep.

"Your ability has now been restricted to just one percent... Feel it for yourself."

Ron stood up and followed Deng Yin's instructions, attempting to control the flow of air.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

A breeze sprang up from nowhere, then was clenched into Ron's palm as he closed his fist.

No stabbing pain. No dizziness.

His mind was crystal clear.

Although this was far, far weaker than that [Vector Manipulation] which had made it seem as though everything was under his control...

Ron felt better than ever before.

Because this power was now truly held in his palm—

Complete control.

"All right, stop immersing yourself in your ability... That's enough for today."

Deng Yin removed his glasses, obvious fatigue showing on his face as he led Ron and Kevin out of the basement.

The sun was setting.

Only then did Ron realize that an entire afternoon had passed in Virtual Reality.

It was almost time for the dinner he had arranged with An Hui...

People were gradually beginning to fill the training hall. Cram-school students and coaches started their training, and when they saw the three of them emerge, they greeted them with slight respect.

"Come here every afternoon from now on...

"Although we've solved the hardest part—restricting your ability—if your Personal Reality is only Lv.1, you still may not get into Moen University."

Deng Yin saw Ron to the door, a trace of seriousness in his eyes.

"I'll train you in the strictest way possible to help you improve your Personal Reality and computational power... You'd better be prepared."

Strict? Training?

A small flicker of excitement appeared on Ron's face.

He might hesitate or fear other things, but if it was only studying and training...

Then he would prove the worth of his reputation as a master of grinding.

"I'm ready at all times, Teacher."

"I hope you truly are prepared..."

Deng Yin shook his head and went back inside, leaning on his cane.

Standing at the entrance to the training hall, Ron looked at the Silver-White Collar locked around his neck and could not help finding it novel.

Who would have thought that restricting [Vector Manipulation] was the way for him to keep moving forward?

There really were hidden experts among ordinary people...

Still, wearing this thing made him feel a little like a fugitive. He should cover it up.

Ron raised his collar to hide the device. He had just called a car using the address An Hui had given him when he heard footsteps behind him.

Turning around, he found Kevin following him out with a smile.

"So, my future junior, isn't what the teacher gave you pretty great?"

Ron instinctively answered modestly.

"It is indeed pretty good... but I may not actually get into Moen University. Senior Brother Kevin is flattering me too much."

Kevin immediately retorted, "You're already the old man's student, my fellow disciple. You can't look down on yourself!

"If you ask me, with your ability, getting into Moen University will be easy. Taking first place will be easy too. No one can stop you."

Can we stop making things up so casually?

Ron could not help giving a wry smile.

"How could it be that easy? Geniuses across all of Ideal City are competing for a chance to attend one of the Three Great Academies...

"In District D, over a hundred million students take the College Entrance Exam every year. Yet only a few hundred get into the Three Great Academies. Why should I be one of those one-in-ten-million talents?

"And why should I take first place in a department among those talents?"

Kevin chuckled.

"That's the difficulty in District D, not the difficulty everywhere.

"District A and District B have regional bonus points. They get two or three hundred extra points on the College Entrance Exam out of thin air...

"Do you really think those people with regional bonuses, taking separate District A and District B papers, count as geniuses?

"I'm not denying that you're nervous right now, because I was the same as you. I was nervous during the College Entrance Exam too, afraid that sleeping through three years of high school would affect my grades.

"But I still got into Moen University easily, and then I found that aside from a few true geniuses, nearly everyone else had gotten in through bonus points... Otherwise, where do you think my top-ten ranking came from?"

As he spoke, he suddenly sighed.

"If my senior sister hadn't arranged for me to help a junior sister she'd just met today, I could have taken you straight to the school and shown you just how useless those people are..."

What a coincidence.

Even if you had been free today, I already had dinner plans with Huihui. Was I supposed to ditch her and tour Moen University with you?

Ron grumbled inwardly, but he put on an awkward yet polite smile.

"It's fine, Senior Brother Kevin. There'll be plenty of chances later... Ah, my car's here. How about we talk next time?"

Kevin grabbed the car door:

"Hey, don't rush off. Add me as a friend first... I may not have much, but I've got plenty of time. If you ever want to visit Moen University, just hit me up!"

Ron sighed helplessly and added Kevin as a friend before finally closing the car door.

Honestly...

He really wasn't good at dealing with people like Kevin.

Kevin was far too familiar, to the point that it made Ron somewhat resistant.

Still...

Ron turned around and looked at Kevin, who was enthusiastically waving at him from behind the car.

Having a senior like that didn't seem too bad, either.

Not long after.

The hovering rideshare quickly delivered him to his destination.

Ron paid the fare with some heartache. Looking at the obviously upscale restaurant before him, he couldn't help clicking his tongue.

Good grief... eating at a restaurant like this in District C?

Wouldn't a single meal cost nearly a thousand Credit Points?

Huihui's life had really improved. She could even afford to book a table at a place like this...

Following the address, Ron found the private room. When he pushed open the door, he didn't see An Hui inside. Instead, another girl was sitting there.

She wore a school uniform that had been washed until it had faded somewhat. Her hair was a little messy, and she wore round glasses as she flipped through a thick book.

The instant Ron saw her, a trace of respect rose in his heart.

There was no other reason.

It was simply because a blood-red crescent moon had been stitched onto that faded school uniform.

That was Moen University's emblem.

Hearing Ron open the door, she raised her head in confusion...

The moment she saw Ron, the confusion on her face vanished, replaced by vigilance and a slight hostility—

"You're Huihui's 'friend' who failed to awaken superpowers and still owes hundreds of thousands of Credit Points in loans?"

She put heavy emphasis on the word "friend," making no effort to conceal her hostility.

...Why was she hostile toward me?

Ron looked at this Moen University senior in confusion as she stared at him seriously.

"Huihui is worried that you'll never awaken your abilities, won't be able to earn money, and won't be able to repay the educational loan from the megacorporation, so she asked me to help...

"I do have a way to help you, and I'm willing to lend you a hand—but while Huihui isn't here, I need to tell you something seriously."

She warned him,

"I've seen plenty of people like you... Don't think that just because your friend got into one of the Three Great Academies, you can latch onto her and suck her dry.

"Her scholarship can only cover her tuition. She doesn't have money to lend you to pay off your debts."

Hearing that, Ron immediately understood why this senior was hostile toward him.

...So she was standing up for Huihui.

Ron couldn't help laughing.

I've become a vampire now?