The day the cooldown on Divine Copy finally ended, Jin Park felt it as a quiet hum in the back of his mind, a silent click as a complex lock disengaged. His "divine reading" ability returned, and the world snapped into even sharper focus. He could once again perceive the intricate details of the people around him, their talents and skills laid bare before him. It was time.
His target was Ren. His stage was the academy library.
The library at Zenith was a colossal structure, a sanctuary of knowledge that was part ancient cathedral and part futuristic data hub. Jin Park navigated its quiet halls, his Imperceptible talent making him just another student searching for a book. He found Ren in his usual spot: a secluded carrel in the restricted section on metaphysical theories, surrounded by towering stacks of ancient, leather-bound tomes.
The quiet first-year was completely absorbed, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to decipher a particularly dense passage of text.
Jin Park didn't approach immediately. He first went to an unused public terminal and loaded the data chip containing the Archmage's commentary scroll he had purchased. He then walked towards Ren's carrel, his expression one of polite, academic curiosity. He held the data chip in his hand, a physical prop for the performance he was about to give.
"Excuse me," Jin Park began, his voice pitched just loud enough to break Ren's concentration without startling him.
Ren looked up, his eyes blinking, slowly refocusing on the world outside his books. He saw Jin Park and his posture immediately became wary, a subtle tension entering his shoulders. He was not used to being approached.
"You're Ren, correct?" Jin Park continued, offering a small, disarming smile. "My name is Jin Park. I hope I'm not disturbing your research."
"...No," Ren said hesitantly, though his body language clearly said otherwise. "Can I help you?"
"Actually, I was hoping I could help you," Jin Park said. He glanced at the ancient tome on Ren's desk. "That's the 'Codex of Mana Entropy,' isn't it? I've been studying it myself. A fascinating, if frustrating, piece of work. The original author's logic is... circular."
Ren's eyes widened. No one else, especially not a Chef, had ever shown any interest, let alone understanding, of his obscure field of study. "You... you study mana theory?"
"In my own way," Jin Park replied, tapping his temple. "A chef must understand how energy—heat, mana, life force—flows through their ingredients. It's a different application of the same principles." He extended the data chip. "I recently acquired a companion scroll to the Codex. Commentaries from Archmage Lyra. I believe she was the only one to ever truly decipher this chapter. I thought it might be of use to you."
Ren stared at the data chip as if it were a holy relic. Archmage Lyra's commentaries were the stuff of legend among theorists, thought to be lost for centuries. For him, it was a key that could unlock months, perhaps years, of frustrating dead ends. The desire and academic hunger in his eyes completely overwhelmed his natural caution.
"Why?" Ren asked, his voice a whisper. "Why would you give this to me?"
This was the crucial moment. Muyeong had prepared his answer carefully. "Because I, too, am an artist, Ren," he said, his voice sincere. "And I believe art should be shared. Besides, I have a request. My latest research involves creating a dish that can temporarily 'calm' the violent mana in certain monster ingredients. I believe your talent for disrupting mana flow could provide the insight I need. Perhaps, in exchange for this data, you would be willing to consult with me on my project? At my lab?"
It was the perfect bait. He wasn't just giving a gift; he was offering a collaboration, a partnership between two "artists" who could learn from each other. He was validating Ren's own unique and often misunderstood abilities.
Ren hesitated for only a second before his academic passion won out completely. "Yes," he said, his voice filled with an eagerness that bordered on reverence. "Absolutely. I would be honored to."
He reached out and took the data chip from Jin Park's hand.
As their fingers brushed, Muyeong's world lit up with golden light.
[Physical Contact Confirmed. Divine Copy Activated.]
[Target: Ren, Prime Division]
[Copying Talent... Confirmed.]
[Talent Acquired: Mana Disruptor (Unique) - Lv. 1]
> Description: A passive talent. Allows you to perceive and interfere with the flow of mana outside your own body, disrupting skill activations and weakening hostile spells.
[Copying Skill... Confirmed.]
[Skill Acquired: Mana Drain (Rare) - Lv. 1]
> Description: An active skill. Creates a conduit to a target, siphoning a small amount of their mana and adding it to your own. Requires sustained focus and physical touch to initiate.
[Cooldown Initiated. Time Remaining: 30 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes.]
The transfer was instantaneous. A new, complex understanding of the very fabric of mana settled into his mind. He now possessed the insidious ability to unravel his opponents' power before they could even use it.
"Excellent," Jin Park said, his smile never wavering. "My lab is Suite #7 in the Spire. Feel free to stop by anytime tomorrow afternoon. I look forward to our discussion."
He gave a slight bow and walked away, leaving a stunned and ecstatic Ren clutching the data chip.
Muyeong left the library, his face a calm, neutral mask. His Divine Copy was back on cooldown, his divine sight now blind for another month. But it didn't matter.
The trap had been laid. The bait had been taken. And the prize was already his. He had turned a simple theft into a mutually beneficial academic partnership. He now had a direct, legitimate reason to interact with Ren, to study his abilities up close under the guise of "collaboration."
He walked back to his lab, the gears of his mind already turning, calculating how to best integrate his new, disruptive powers into his growing arsenal. The chef had just acquired a tool that would allow him to spoil his enemies' recipes before they even left the kitchen.