The Copy Mage

"I wonder what kind of skill that boy will choose" mumbled the old man as he sat behind the front counter of the library and watched Damian run down the corridor.

Rushing towards the students that had all began to search through the skills, Damian found that he was in a large room that had many bookshelves and he could see small green jade slips on the shelves.

"Where should I begin" mumbled Damian to himself, overwhelmed by the sheer number of copies that the Academy had been able to produce over the near hundred years that it had been formed.

Looking around he saw all kinds of different skills, but most of them were fist skills of the F:9 Rank that were the most common.

Each time Damian would lift a jade slip he would need to stream energy into it for the skill manual description and beginning pages to appear before him within his mind.

After around half an hour of checking all kinds of skills, Damian felt his head aching after the large amount of mental power he had used to continuously looking into so many jade slips and could also feel that he had used a lot of energy.

"I think this must be that skill" observed Damian as he lifted up the Ferret Steps that reminded him of what his friends had described that Trevor had used.

It was an F:5 ranked skill that was quite good and as Damian was pondering on choosing the skill he received a scolding within his mind.

[Don't you dare take that skill that has such minimal effects] screamed Utsusu within his mind, making Damian throw it back onto the shelf.

After another 20 minutes, Damian was beginning to lose the hope of finding a suitable skill for himself as he saw others leave with skills within their hands.

Damian was hoping to find the Tiger Fist Skill that he saw Trevor use, but was disappointed when Utsusu told him it was an E:9 Rank Skill.

"You have 5 minutes left as students may only spend an hour to choose a skill" announced a voice that resounded throughout the room filled with F Rank skills.

Most F Rank Skills were useless to Damian how had taught himself multiple fundamental skills for his flame Soul Spirit, but he still didn't want to waste the opportunity of being able to gain an F Rank skill.

[Utsusu, what should I choose] asked Damian helplessly.

{Calm down, even if you miss out on the opportunity there is no need to worry as most the skills are rubbish and are weak copies. You should try and look for any original versions of skills} advised Utsusu, who looked down on all the jade slips that were merely weak copies of weak skills in his eyes.

The jade slips had the engraver's interpretation of the skill and couldn't achieve the same intent, precision, mastery and skill as the original maker of the skill manual.

With Utsusu's advise and 5 minutes left, Damian frantically rushed around the large room and weaved between the large shelves, looking for physical and original versions of skills.

In the corner of the large hall-like room, Damian found a bookshelf that didn't have any jade slips and had actual books on it.

"I found it" exclaimed Damian as he hurriedly and excitedly rushed towards it.

As he did so, others within the room that saw him began to laugh and ridicule Damian between themselves.

"Look at that idiot, I thought he might be a new talent, but he is going towards the waste skills that are useless and unranked" they ridiculed.

Damian hearing them laughing at him was embarrassed and angry, and was beginning to think about turning back and picking a random jade slip.

{Quickly go through the books and don't listen to anybody that will only hinder you} stated Utsusu, knocking the thought of turning back.

Reaching the bookshelf, he picked up a book at random, and flicking through the skill manual he saw that it was mostly empty and worn out, with most of the writing being rubbed away.

"I can't understand anything" muttered Damian as he threw the book back onto the bookshelf and took another one.

Flicking through it in the same way, most of the writing and images were also rubbed out and it seemed to be a basic fist skill, that would have been F:9 Rank anyway, from what Damian could see.

[Utsusu are you sure about these skills] asked Damian who was beginning to worry and felt that he had missed out an opportunity to gain a skill.

{Keep searching, you are bound to find a hidden treasure in this pile of discarded skills. And even if you don't, most F Rank skills are unworthy of you and you already have many fundamental skills for your flame Soul Spirit} reassured Utsusu.

With Utsusu reassurance, Damian felt slightly better as he continued to flick through the dozens of discarded skill manuals.

"You have a minute to leave the F Rank Skill Library, otherwise you will lose contribution points and will suffer consequences" announced a voice that resounded through the hall.

The library seemed to have a rule, that one could only stay within the Skill Library for an hour, which despite sounding like a lot of time, was not enough to go through even a hundredth of the skills and you need to be very lucky or prepared to be able to find a suitable skill within that hour.

"Damn it" uttered Damian furiously, as in a last bid to find something picked up another discarded skill.

It had a completely black cover that was worn out and unlike the other skills, and the writing was rubbed out and in a weird language that Damian didn't understand.

Just as Damian was about to throw the skill manual away in frustration, Utsusu suddenly jumped up within his mind.

{Wait, keep it, it may be the hidden treasure I was hoping for} screamed Utsusu within his mind.

Hearing Utsusu's words and with only seconds left within the library, Damian had no choice but to choose it and ran out of the F Rank Skil Library with the worn-out skill manual within his hand.