Storing Abilities

"How do you use this thing?"

Fang Yuan fiddled with the watch-shaped Star Power storage device for a while, but couldn't figure out how to use it.

"It works pretty much like a Star Power battery. On the touchscreen controls, slide to green to store power and red to release it. If it lights up yellow, that means there isn't much stored Star Power left," Han Youwei briefly explained.

Fang Yuan slid the interface control to green, then fed Star Power containing "Advanced Agility Enhancement" into the Star Power watch.

After storing roughly enough to sustain the ability for ten minutes, the Star Power watch was full.

"It doesn't seem to hold much Star Power."

"Right. This technology is still at the laboratory stage, so its storage capacity really is tiny, about a tenth of a Star Power battery's. That's why I called it a toy," Han Youwei said, putting down her spoon.

Fang Yuan reached out and smiled. "Come on, let me hold your hand."

Han Youwei froze and asked a little nervously, "What for?"

She hadn't expected Fang Yuan to suddenly make a request like that. It was too abrupt.

She couldn't quite accept such a presumptuous request.

Besides, they were in the school cafeteria, surrounded by students. If their classmates saw them, it would definitely be awkward.

Fang Yuan grinned. "Want to try getting shocked by your own 'Static Electricity Control'?"

"Can we try that? I've used it on myself before. When I use 'Static Electricity Control,' my Star Power produces an effect that insulates me from static electricity. I can't shock myself," Han Youwei explained.

"I'll shock you," Fang Yuan said with a smile.

"You know 'Static Electricity Control'?" Han Youwei looked somewhat puzzled.

"Let's give it a try. Just touch fingertips, like E.T. the alien. A light touch is all it takes." Fang Yuan held out a finger.

Han Youwei wasn't sure what Fang Yuan intended to do, but she still extended a finger and lightly touched his.

The instant their fingers touched.

Fang Yuan first copied her "Static Electricity Control," then immediately used it.

An electric current traveled along his finger and surged into Han Youwei's body.

"Ah!"

Han Youwei gave a very quiet cry of surprise, and her body trembled. She immediately felt numb all over, and her arm dropped limply onto the table.

This lasted about a second before the numbness in her body slowly faded.

She let out a heavy breath and said, "So that's what getting shocked feels like. It really does leave you tingling all over, without any strength at all."

"That's why this ability is so powerful. Just touch your opponent once, and the fight is over. One or two seconds of paralysis is enough to kill them dozens of times." Fang Yuan offered the ability a little praise.

"But how do you know 'Static Electricity Control'?"

Han Youwei was very curious. She had clearly felt that the energy just now was "Static Electricity Control."

"That's a secret."

Fang Yuan gave a mysterious smile, then pressed his finger against the Star Power watch and slid the interface control to red.

The Star Power stored in the watch began flowing out.

This Star Power had been transformed by "Advanced Agility Enhancement" and contained the characteristics of the enhancement ability.

Fang Yuan made contact with this Star Power, then used "Superpower Mimicry" to copy it.

A stream of Superpower Mimicry Star Power flowed out of his body, copied the ability, then flowed back inside.

Fang Yuan immediately checked his attribute panel.

He saw that the Star Slot Trait field had changed back to "Advanced Agility Enhancement."

A satisfied smile involuntarily appeared on his face.

This watch-shaped Star Power storage device really could preserve abilities.

Its small total Star Power capacity didn't matter. What Fang Yuan wanted to store wasn't Star Power, but abilities, so he had no capacity requirements.

To other Awakened, this thing was a toy.

To Fang Yuan, however, it was a divine artifact.

If there was anything less than perfect about it, it was that it could only store one ability.

Besides that, there was another headache: this thing belonged to Han Youwei, not him.

Borrowing it wasn't a long-term solution either.

Fang Yuan thought for a moment, then asked, "About how much does this Star Power watch cost?"

"I'm not sure of the exact amount, but I've heard that at this stage, it costs dozens of times as much as a Star Power battery to make." Han Youwei picked up her juice and slowly sipped through the straw.

Fang Yuan couldn't help swallowing when he heard that answer.

Even the lowest-capacity Star Power battery in the Star Power Mall cost fifty thousand.

That meant this lousy watch would cost at least a million.

Everyone said pursuing martial arts consumed enormous resources, but this was far too enormous.

After considering it, Fang Yuan asked, "Um... I'd like to borrow it for a few more days, if that's convenient. Whenever you need the watch, just tell me, and I'll return it right away."

"The Star Power capacity is too small to be much use. It's just a toy. If you want it, you can have it," Han Youwei said, unconcerned.

Fang Yuan really wanted to say thank you, but accepting something worth over a million for nothing was a bit much.

"Then how about this? I'll count it as a rental. Whenever you need a sparring partner to test your abilities and Star Power martial techniques, come find me. I won't charge you for the sessions."

"Really? Then does this gold-medal coach of mine operate twenty-four hours a day?" Han Youwei looked delighted, her eyes sparkling.

"Twenty-four hours is no problem for me. I'm just afraid you couldn't manage it."

Fang Yuan knew her family was very strict. Whenever they sparred at the martial arts school, they never stayed past nine at the latest.

"Then it's a deal."

"All right, it's a deal."

"I'll head home now, then. See you tomorrow." Han Youwei stood up and waved, gathered her textbooks in her arms, and headed downstairs with light steps, looking very buoyant.

Fang Yuan continued fiddling with the Star Power watch's screen, checking its other functions.

At the same time, he praised himself inwardly: Fang Yuan, you're truly shameless. Renting something worth a million for just a few lessons-how did you come up with a way to freeload like that?

After leaving the cafeteria.

Fang Yuan wandered around campus, using Iris Data to check the abilities of the students passing by.

At present, roughly ten percent of the world's population were Awakened.

As a key high school, Donghai No. 1 High School admitted students whose grades were never poor. Those taking the martial arts track were basically all Awakened, so the proportion of Awakened was relatively high.

At Donghai No. 1 High School, one in every three students was Awakened.

Meanwhile, most students taking the academic track stayed in their classrooms, buried in practice questions.

Most of those training on the athletic field were taking the martial arts track.

So as Fang Yuan walked around the athletic field, he could see all kinds of abilities at a glance.

Before long, he found a student with the "Night Walker" ability.

At night and in dim environments, releasing Star Power to cover the surface of the body provided a powerful concealment effect.

This ability's effect was stronger than "Chameleon Concealment."

Fang Yuan walked over, touched the student, and copied "Night Walker."

Then he entered the library, found a book, and slowly leafed through it as he waited for night to fall.