My Cheat Skill Lets Me Copy Powers....But only if i kill-Chapter 16: Strength And Weakness

Chapter 15: Strength and Weakness

The morning air was cool and crisp, yet Renji felt off.

Ever since he gained Heal, something wasn't right.

His body wasn't just tired—it felt drained

At first, he thought it was normal exhaustion. But then, as he sat in his room at the inn, testing his new skill, he realized something far worse.

His mana was disappearing.

And he had no idea why.

Renji sat on the edge of the bed, Elara and Lena sitting nearby, watching him with concern.

He activated Heal, focusing on a small cut on his arm. A soft golden glow surrounded his palm, and within seconds, the wound sealed.

But then—

His breath shortened.

His vision blurred for a second.

A dull headache throbbed in the back of his skull.

Renji exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Lena frowned. "You don't look good."

Elara's ears twitched. "Is it the magic?"

Renji didn't answer immediately. He focused, watching for any system notifications.

Then—

A blue prompt appeared.

[Skill Level Up: Heal → Heal (Lv.2)]

Effect: Increased efficiency. Mana consumption slightly reduced.

Renji blinked. My skill can rank up?

He clenched his fist, focusing again. Using a skill repeatedly must improve it.

But something still didn't make sense.

Why was his mana only draining now?

He had been using Phantom Step, Predator's Instinct, and Shadow Cloak for days, yet he had never once felt this mana exhaustion.

So why was Heal different?

Elara leaned closer. "Did something change?"

Renji nodded. "Yeah... my skill ranked up."

Lena blinked. "Wait, skills can rank up?"

"Apparently."

But that wasn't the only thing.

As he tested Phantom Step, Shadow Cloak, and Dual Strike, his mana kept dropping.

It was like a reservoir slowly draining, and for the first time, he felt it.

Then—

Another notification appeared.

[System Notification]

! You have gained enough experience to level up.

Rank Increased: Level 5→ Level 6

Then, his stats updated.

[Status Update]

Name: Renji Kurozawa

Race: Human

Level: 5→ 6

Class: None

HP: 150 → 180 (+30)

MP: 80 → 130 (+50)

Strength: 22 → 26 (+4) [New Stat Unlocked]

Agility: 30 → 34 (+4) [New Stat Unlocked]

Endurance: 18 → 22 (+4) [New Stat Unlocked]

Mana Control: 0 → 5 (+5) [New Stat Unlocked]

Skills:

• Predator's Instinct (Lv.1) – Enhanced reaction speed, spatial awareness, and combat adaptability.

• Phantom Step (Lv.2) – Allows brief bursts of ghost-like movement, improving speed and evasion.

• Shadow Cloak (Lv.1) – Grants brief invisibility in darkness.

• Dual Strike (Lv.1) – Enables consecutive strikes in rapid succession.

• Heal (Lv.2) – Allows healing of non-fatal wounds. Mana consumption slightly reduced.

• Quickdraw (Lv.1) – Enhances the speed and efficiency of drawing weapons.

• Bloodhound's Sense (Lv.1) – Heightened awareness of enemy movements, blood trails, and emotional intent.

• Item Box (Lv.1) – Grants access to personal storage outside physical space.

New Stat Discovered: Mana Control

Renji's eyes narrowed as he noticed the new stat.

Mana Control: 0 → 5

Before now, he had never even seen mana in his stats.

So this is why I'm draining so fast.

His mana had been leaking out uncontrollably every time he used his skills. But now...

Now, he could start to regulate it.

Later that afternoon, Renji sat in the Guild's record room, flipping through documents about the Demon Army.

He needed to know—

Was the threat real? Was it worth getting involved?

The reports were grim.

• The Demon Generals were tearing through human cities.

• The Kingdom of Veydris was losing ground.

• Rumors said that a Demon Lord might rise soon.

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Renji frowned. So the situation really is bad.

But was it his problem?

His gut told him to stay out of it.

But another part of him knew... if the Demon Army kept spreading, it would eventually reach Veydris.

And by then, he needed to be ready.

Renji led Elara and Lena to an open training ground near the city walls.

"If you want to stay in my party, you need to get stronger," he told them.

Elara and Lena nodded firmly.

Sparring began.

• Elara focused on defense, using her small shield and dagger for quick counters.

• Lena fought more aggressively, using her sword with wide, reckless swings.

Renji corrected them both.

"You can't just swing wildly," he told Lena, blocking her attack. "Read your opponent. Watch their stance."

Lena gritted her teeth. "Right."

Meanwhile, Elara blocked his attack perfectly, countering with a quick stab.

Renji smirked. "Not bad."

After an hour, they were panting, exhausted, but smiling.

Lena grinned. "We're getting better!"

Elara wiped her brow. "Thank you for training us, Renji."

Renji nodded. They were improving.

Slowly but surely.

That evening, Renji found Kiera sitting alone near the Guild, flipping a dagger between her fingers.

"Finally decided to talk to me?" she muttered.

Renji leaned against the wall beside her. "Figured I owed you some time. Been busy with the girls."

Kiera scoffed. "Yeah. I noticed."

There was a hint of irritation in her tone.

Renji smirked. "Jealous?"

Kiera's ears twitched aggressively. "Pfft. Of course not."

She threw the dagger into the air, caught it effortlessly. "Just thought we were partners."

Renji exhaled. "We are."

Kiera's tail flicked. "Then don't forget it."

She gave him a side glance, her golden eyes unreadable.

"...But thanks for stopping by, I guess."

Renji smirked. "Anytime."

That night, back at the inn, Renji sat by the window, staring at the moonlit sky.

He still felt off.

The mana drain wasn't stopping.

Ever since he got Heal, he had been losing energy faster than normal.

Then—

His vision blurred.

His body swayed, heat rushing to his head.

He clenched the table, trying to steady himself, but his limbs felt heavy.

Then—

"Renji?"

Elara and Lena had just entered the room, their eyes immediately widening.

"Renji, you're sweating..." Elara hurried to his side.

Lena touched his forehead. "You're burning up!"

Renji tried to speak—

But then everything went dark.