In all honesty, I felt ready. I had the mask, I had the job, and everything in my mind was aligned to walk into the evaluation center and get an astronaut gig on the spot. The Mr. Angel persona was perfect—serene, mysterious, and cool as hell. I even imagined the cameras would flash as I marched in, the world watching as I began my journey to the stars.
But something was off.
I reached for the list of skills in my system, ready to check if I had them, the skills I needed to soar into space. I browsed through it quickly, but my heart sank as I scrolled past the usual list from my Constructing Worker skills to my Firefighter skill to even my Detective skills... But there was nothing. No astronaut skills.
Nothing that resembled the kind of expertise needed to even sit in a spaceship, let alone navigate it through the vast void.
I was staring at a blank slate. No Astrophysics Understanding. No Space Navigation. No Celestial Mechanics. Hell, not even the basic knowledge of operating a spacecraft was listed.
I scrolled harder, desperately clicking through every folder and notification, expecting—no, demanding—something to show up. But nothing came. I wasn't even sure if my system was glitching. Maybe it was just some oversight.
I didn't think I was the only one with a gap , right? So I opened the database, searching for any other cases of individuals who hadn't received skills for their designated profession.
Nothing. It was like I was the only one.
What the hell was going on?
I went deeper. I started running through articles, skimming through forums. Surely someone else had experienced this before. But the more I read, the more my confusion grew. It was like being hit with a brick wall. No one, no one had gone through something . Everyone who got a job in any field whatsoever received skills. It was a guaranteed default. The sole exception was when I was an F-Rank Unskilled Laborer. I didn't have skills back then, but why did my C-Rank Astronaut job not have any?
The thought gnawed at me, and I rubbed my temples. But then, as I scanned a philosophical article about the nature of skills, one line caught my attention. It was a theory, something about people rejecting their skills. It was never proven because skills were supposed to come randomly or through task completion. But the article mentioned that it was possible—possible—to reject them. It was just so rare that no one really had the data on it.
And then, just like that, it clicked.
I looked back at my detective skills and zeroed in on Instinct—level 7. I had leveled it far enough that it could do more than just guide me to the right conclusions or help me avoid danger. It could've been blocking the astronaut skills from even reaching me. In essence, my instincts could've been rejecting the entire system's attempt to give me anything because I did not deem it beneficial.
I ran my hand over my face. By technicality it made sense. However, I struggled to understand why my instincts were basically telling me to not go to the evaluation center immediately.....
I stood there for a moment, stunned at the realization. That was it, wasn't it? Normally, I'd go to some evaluation center, have a couple of tests run, and they'd assign me an astronaut's job who knows where based on my performance. But because I didn't have those skills yet, I couldn't be evaluated. And that left a gap—one I was now realizing was giving me time.
Time to join a hiring process and find a better location for my job.
I quickly pulled up the news section on my phone, my eyes scanning the latest headlines. And there it was.
NASA announces open hiring process for astronauts in one month, due to recent setbacks.
I grinned. My instincts had known exactly what they were doing. Had I received those skills I would have been running toward an evaluation center that would assign me a job in the middle of nowhere. Instead, I now have the chance to enter the real hiring process, where I could be integrated in one of the greatest space programs on earth.
The catch? I needed to prepare.
I stepped outside Camille's office, but before I could even process everything, I pulled out my phone and began searching for some footage to help me learn. Neil Armstrong. Apollo 11. The moon landing.
I wanted to understand everything. But as I tried to activate my Scan ability on the footage, I hit another snag.
Error! Target cannot be selected by the ability Scan!
Maybe I had to be there in person? Maybe I could only scan living beings? Or maybe I just couldn't scan decades-old footage. Whatever it was, it wasn't happening.
I also didn't have any keys which would allow me to gain skills, nor was there an individual that I could use Destroy on to take their skills from them.
So I was left with the one ability I had that might help me. Absorb.
It was a method faster than Scan, but it required a source to learn from. It had worked when I learned Team Coordination from Sienna, and I hoped it would work now. The only problem was that I had no idea how it would work for books.
I kissed Camille goodbye on the cheek, the angel mask securely in place. I didn't need anyone to know that the Reynard Vale was in search of astronaut skills.
I went to a massive library downtown, hoping to lose myself in rows upon rows of books about astrophysics and space travel. The whole time, I could feel eyes on me. My mask was attracting attention, no surprise there, especially with the popularity of Mr. Fox and Mr. Dust. But I wasn't here for fame. I wasn't here for them to admire me. I was here for knowledge.
I didn't care what people thought. My eyes locked onto the astrophysics section immediately. I walked with purpose, heading straight for a dusty book that looked like it held everything I'd need to know. As soon as I touched it, I felt the familiar prompt to Absorb.
Would you like to commence Absorption of skill Astrophysics Understanding from target book: Stellar Mechanics: A Comprehensive Guide to the Cosmos?
I didn't hesitate, clicking [Yes]
The process began, and as much as I tried to prepare myself, I felt my stomach sink. Two hours.
I blinked as I watched the book's contents swirl inside my mind, working their way through the absorption process. While it allowed me to level up skills unlike Scan, the skills leveled up incredibly slowly. It looked like books weren't that efficient at all.
Astrophysics Understanding (Lv. 2) – Boosts comprehension of celestial mechanics, cosmic phenomena, and space weather, aiding scientific research and navigation.
At this rate, I'd be lucky to get it to Level 4 by the time the hiring process started.
I contemplated whether I should just gather a bunch of low-level skills across all subjects. It would take a lot of time, but at least I'd be diverse in my knowledge.
Then I heard it. Noise. Loud voices, laughter. A crowd.
I moved closer, curiosity piqued, until I saw what was happening. A section of the library had turned into a practice ground. People were gathered, watching some sort of competition related to NASA's upcoming hiring process. It was a mock challenge. A training exercise.
I watched the crowd for a moment, then glanced back at the book in my hands. The math, the science, the research—it could wait.
Because Mr. Angel was about to make his debut.
Name:Mr. Angel (Reynard Vale, Mr. Fox, Mr. Dust)
Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)
Construction Worker Portfolio (A-Rank):
Endurance Boost (Lv. 10)
Heavy Lifting (Lv. 8)
Material Efficiency (Lv. 5)
Team Coordination (Lv. 6)
Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 7)
Precision Engineering (Lv. 6)
Fast Assembly (Lv. 2)
On-Sight Adaptability (Lv. 2)
Workforce Command (Lv. 2)
Rope Handling Mastery (Lv. 5)
Firefighter Portfolio (A-Rank):
Advanced Rescue Mastery (Lv. 8)
Fire Suppression (Lv. 3)
Heat Resistance (Lv. 3)
Command Presence (Lv. 8)
Advanced Hazard Assessment (Lv. 7)
Thermal Perception (Lv. 6)
Endurance Mastery (Lv. 7)
Detective Portfolio (S-Rank):
Interrogation (Lv. 6)
Psychological Insight (Lv. 5)
Strategist (Lv. 4) – Improves planning and problem-solving abilities
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lv. 1) - Enhances physical proficiency in unarmed combat, improving speed, strength, and the ability to anticipate and counter attacks.
Astrophysics Understanding (Lv. 2) – Boosts comprehension of celestial mechanics, cosmic phenomena, and space weather, aiding scientific research and navigation.
Construction Worker (A-Rank) — Active in Portfolio
Firefighter (A-Rank) — Active in Portfolio
Detective (S-Rank) — Active in Portfolio
Scan, Absorb, Destroy, Database
Skill Copy (Ready for Use)