Shi Yu could hear it: although Shen Bai looked composed, he was excited too.
Your desire to recruit is no weaker than Captain Liu Yiyi's... Shen Bai.
Huo Qiuliang, beside them, had also noticed Shen Bai's rare excitement and silently thought this to himself.
But Shen Bai no longer wanted to concern himself with any of that.
"Let me introduce myself to everyone again."
Shen Bai straightened up, returning to his serious demeanor. He spoke solemnly.
"Shen Bai, deputy captain of 597 'Snow Cedar.' The Tailor's inheritance: Seventh Art: 'Mending the Broken.'
The Tailor's inheritance excels at sewing and alterations, initially on a physical level, and later on a more mind-driven one.
On the path of this inheritance, I focus more on 'cutting.'
Cutting apart what exists, cutting through what is entangled. I lean toward separating things rather than bringing them together."
An inheritance's focus...
Shi Yu had heard Shen Bai and the others mention it many times already, but it had never felt very tangible until Shen Bai's introduction.
Shi Yu remembered Shen Bai's effortless snip at the hospital that morning.
The sound of that snip seemed to have seeped into his memory. Whenever he recalled it, he would hear it.
He had to admit that Shen Bai was indeed good at explaining things clearly and concisely. Just a few sentences gave Shi Yu a rough understanding of his power.
After Shen Bai finished, he gently nudged Liu Yiyi with his elbow, signaling that it was her turn.
Liu Yiyi understood. She took a small step forward, and a surge of heat flashed around her.
"Liu Yiyi, captain of 597 'Snow Cedar.' The Smelting inheritance: Sixth Art: 'Casting.'"
The Sixth Art...!
Shi Yu was a little startled. He knew Liu Yiyi was strong, but he had thought her abilities were simply better suited to combat. He had not expected her to have already reached the Sixth Art, equivalent to the fifth tier...
She was already halfway along the path of this inheritance!
Liu Yiyi was very satisfied with the boys' expressions before her. Looking at Hu Zihao's shocked face, she continued:
"The Smelting inheritance allows forging and reforging. It is an inheritance of fire and heat. We reshape the hardest steel and hone the most fragile objects until they are hard.
I focus on 'heat,' specializing in manipulating temperature and flame to melt things down."
With that, Liu Yiyi snapped her fingers as if showing off.
Snap!
A bright burst of sparks flashed from between them and vanished.
"Damn, that's cool..."
Hu Zihao exclaimed from his seat, then tugged at Shi Yu's arm and said:
"Damn, that's so cool. Can you make sparks like that too?"
Shi Yu kicked Hu Zihao's leg, signaling for him to settle down.
Once Liu Yiyi and Shen Bai had finished their introductions, they ignored Hu Zihao's muttering and looked at Han He together.
They were all Heirs, so they wanted to hear from Han He first.
"Oh! I forgot to tell you!"
Before Han He could speak, Liu Yiyi suddenly exclaimed, then turned and leaned close to Shen Bai's ear.
"We struck gold. He was already at the Ninth Art when he awakened. He might not be sure of his focus yet."
Shen Bai froze for a moment, then turned to look at Han He.
Han He heard what Liu Yiyi said and nodded, but stood up anyway.
"Han He. The Hunter's inheritance: Ninth Art: 'Wolf Fang.'
The Hunter's inheritance is close to nature. It allows us to draw upon the power of the wild and the power of nature... and temper our own will.
I... might focus on 'preparation,' but I'm not sure yet. I'm used to stockpiling materials, gathering information, and waiting for the right moment."
Shen Bai and Liu Yiyi exchanged a look and nodded together. Then Liu Yiyi led the applause.
"That's good, that's good. You can figure that out gradually later. Your situation is special, so there's no rush."
Han He nodded and sat down without another word.
Shi Yu glanced at Han He beside him and thought:
Han He's focus doesn't seem to fit him either, but it also seems very reasonable... He does like to have everything ready before acting.
Shi Yu remembered Han He's animal bags of all sizes, his pocketful of ritual materials, and his meticulous preparations, and thought it made sense for his focus to be preparation.
After Liu Yiyi finished speaking, she turned to Huo Qiuliang.
"Come on, Xiao Liang, your turn. Si Ying isn't here today, and I happen to have a good idea for a couple of days from now, so I won't reveal Si Ying's abilities. You go first."
Huo Qiuliang came over when he heard her, but doubts began stirring in his mind.
What good idea does Yiyi have... I have a bad feeling about this.
His thoughts did not keep Huo Qiuliang from speaking. He walked to the front and stood still.
"Huo Qiuliang, member of 597 'Snow Cedar.'
The Thin Moon Staircase: Second Tier: 'Deep Well.'
My Staircase is very unusual. Even its names are muddled and unclear. My first tier was called 'White Gauze.'
I can cause cognitive distortions in people or intelligent creatures. I can also stir other people's curiosity, or place a power that causes unease on something unknown, making people instinctively stay away.
So I don't have much direct combat ability. I'll be counting on you all to look after me in future fights. If you overlook me for even a moment, I might kick the bucket."
Huo Qiuliang sounded very timid, but Shi Yu, who had already witnessed his abilities, did not believe his performance in the slightest.
Oh, give me a break... It'd be good enough if you didn't run circles around everyone else. Kick the bucket, my ass.
Huo Qiuliang caught Shi Yu's look of utter disbelief, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He thought:
Come on, man. I'm your senior, at least. Show me a little respect.
But then he spotted Hu Zihao beside him. That guy wore an expression of "Damn, that's amazing!" no matter whose abilities were being introduced, and was now looking at him with envy.
Mm-hmm~ This big guy is much easier on the eyes. So much more innocent than Shi Yu.
Thinking this, Huo Qiuliang stepped back a little and said:
"All right, that's about it. If you want a demonstration, we'll have to go somewhere else. There are still plenty of ordinary people here."
Liu Yiyi nodded and said:
"Right. The most direct way to understand an ability is to experience it firsthand. We'll find another place to practice some other day, and then you'll know."
Then Liu Yiyi turned her gaze toward Shi Yu and Hu Zihao.
"Let's hear it, you Gifted."
Before you continue