Global Abyss: My Skills Can Enhance Infinitely Chapter 3: Talent

Above the plaza, situated before an ancient statue, a gathering of over two hundred youths stood with varied expressions on their faces. Having reached their eighteenth year, they were all present for the momentous occasion of awakening their innate talents.

These young people were outfitted in a diverse array of clothing, yet despite the stylistic differences, every one of them hauled a heavy backpack. Many were further equipped with an assortment of firearms, blades, and ammunition.

A few individuals were even swaddled in thick, padded coats despite the oppressive heat, trails of sweat visible on their brows as they stubbornly refused to disrobe, casting an unsettling and peculiar spectacle.

At the front of the group, Uncle Hu stood before the statue, gesturing with a rugged, mechanical prosthetic limb while delivering an impassioned proclamation.

"From the very second you drew your first breath, you were born into a massive debt to the corporation! The very air inflating your lungs, the soil beneath your feet, the sustenance you digest—all of these are gracious gifts bestowed upon you by the corporation!"

"It is only through the steadfast protection of the corporation that you have survived until this day! Now, the corporation is presenting you with a unique opportunity to reshape your own destiny..."

Within the crowd, Tao Yu, still clad in his thick padded coat and burdened by a twenty-kilogram rucksack while clutching an assault rifle reminiscent of an AK, found his face betraying a look of profound boredom.

Though he understood this was simply part of Uncle Hu's duties, he had never imagined such manipulative rhetoric could be delivered with such unbridled intensity. Judging by the fervent reactions of some around him, it was clear that plenty of them were swallowing his words whole.

Every one of these two hundred individuals celebrated their eighteenth birthday on this very day, peers who shared the same birth month and date.

Tao Yu, who had arrived in the company of Uncle Hu, had gained a grasp on the fact that the majority of these two hundred youths were, like himself, locals from the Outer City.

A select portion of these Outer City dwellers had secured spots in the security forces or were the offspring of lower-level leaders possessing combat capabilities.

Economic disparities were easily identified by looking at their gear: Tao Yu, with his aging assault rifle, was solidly in the middle of the pack, whereas many of his counterparts carried nothing more than shotguns, crude homemade firearms, or occasionally just sharpened steel pipes.

Then, there were the six or seven individuals hailing from the Inner City, purposefully maintaining distance on the opposite side of the square.

Fully kitted out in advanced combat uniforms, tactical packs, body armor, or complete exoskeleton suits—with three having already undergone mechanical limb augmentation—they stood in stark contrast to the others.

Standing apart from the main ranks behind Uncle Hu were a man and a woman whose nonchalant demeanor made them all the more extraordinary.

They stood outside the formal formation, adorned in skin-tight, high-tech combat suits reminiscent of the gear seen in 'Battle Royale' films. The disparity between them and the youths in their heavy cotton coats was as vast as a chasm.

Judging by their shared, striking features and identical birth date, they were surely twins born to prominent figures from the elite Floating City.

"...Furthermore, consider today your lucky day, you mud-leggers. A rare chance to encounter high-ranking figures you would otherwise never have the privilege of meeting has arrived at your doorstep."

"Once you enter the Abyss, make every effort to locate Young Master Sun and Miss Sun. Even a trivial favor from them could prove invaluable for the rest of your lives. Throughout the expedition, you are to obey their directives without question. Is that understood?"

Uncle Hu’s voice boomed with heavy authority, leaving no room for dissent.

"Understood!"

The assembly was clearly riled up, just as Uncle Hu had intended. This might be their singular chance in life to rub shoulders with the elite, and even those from the Inner City were visibly moved.

However, Tao Yu remained unmoved, largely because Uncle Hu had issued explicit, private instructions to avoid them at all costs—to steer entirely clear of them!

While shadowing such prominent figures might offer potential windfalls, the inherent dangers were far too great.

These scions of influential families were born with superb natural gifts and had been coddled since birth with nutrient formulas and specialized skill training; paired with their superior equipment and the Yuan Force passed down by their clans, they began existence at a level others could only dream of reaching after a lifetime of labor.

While ordinary folk were focused solely on survival, these two would certainly be chasing greater treasures, likely requiring expendable cannon fodder to scout out the most lethal threats.

The riches might be vast, but the price of admission was paid in blood!

No matter the size of the potential reward, it was utterly worthless if you lacked the life to enjoy it.

The same logic applied to the heavily armed Inner City youths; although they possessed fewer advantages than the aristocrats, the risks remained immense, thus they too were to be avoided whenever possible.

Conversely, it might be safer to align with the children of minor Outer City commanders. Uncle Hu had already facilitated introductions with a few, and while they might not offer direct salvation, they were at least open to sticking together for mutual warmth.

Above all, one had to demonstrate personal merit to be treated as an equal; if you lacked the strength, you had better learn your place.

In this reality, there is no such thing as unconditional charity, even in the case of Uncle Hu, whose support was built upon years of mutual reliance and established rapport.

Were it not for his long period of regression following his injury, his family might have claimed more than mere vassal status despite their blood relation.

"...Very well, the time is nearly upon you. Although you are aware of what is required, I must reiterate once more: your primary objective over the next fortnight is to survive!"

"The will of the world typically deposits you in safer World Fragments early on. Once there, you must utilize the radio to locate the corporation's rally point, as only those who successfully arrive are considered qualified to persist in the Abyss!"

Following his final words, Uncle Hu raised a hand. Simultaneously, a hazy blue flame of void energy flickered into existence at the base of the massive Floating City suspended far above.

A beam of brilliance erupted from the flame, striking the old statue whose features had long since weathered away. In the blink of an eye, a radiant glow engulfed the square, and every eighteen-year-old present vanished completely.

As the light dispersed, the smile on Uncle Hu’s face vanished, his posture turning rigid the moment he glanced back at the statue.

Across the once-faceless visage of the statue, a faint cobalt glimmer surged, coalescing into a minor orb of light that was instantly absorbed by the monolith.

Uncle Hu promptly snatched up his walkie-talkie, breaking into a cold sweat as he whispered, "Captain Ze Chuan! There has been an anomalous fluctuation during the teleportation; the regional binding failed to complete! A new coordinate has manifested!"

Everyone is granted a gift upon turning eighteen, and in theory, the location is irrelevant. The gathered youths had met here to channel the Flame of Civilization to anchor their arrival, ensuring the new arrivals wouldn't land too far from the corporate stronghold.

But the feedback from the teleportation suggested a critical failure...

The Abyssal Rift holds an infinite number of World Fragments; a minor error in displacement could equate to drifting across countless fragments. Relying solely on one's own power to trek through the Abyss meant they might perish long before ever reaching the rally point!

While such anomalies were rare, they had occurred previously. Had it been merely the common folk from the Outer City, or even a few Inner City youths, it could be dismissed as simple misfortune—they would have to survive by their own grit.

But this time, the children of high-ranking officials from the Floating City were involved—the stakes had shifted dramatically!

Regardless, the teleportation event was concluded, and nothing could be altered. The only available action was to log the coordinates of the abnormal region so that future arrivals might anchor closer to that location.

...Yueh~

A wave of intense nausea washed over Tao Yu, leaving him struggling to keep his dinner down.

Furthermore, the suffocation caused by his padded jacket meant that his very first move upon landing—even before checking for the gifts promised by the world’s will—was to draw a small-caliber pistol with one hand while shucking off his heavy pack to shed the constricting layers of cotton.

He had donned the padded coat because while regional landings were generally anchored, the conditions in the Abyss could shift in a heartbeat, and there was a very real chance of being dropped into a sub-zero icy wasteland.

If one arrived too thinly dressed, they might succumb to the elements before even finding the time to layer up—while this was a matter of sheer probability, it was a gamble he refused to make.

Now, however, tossing the coat aside was a relief.

He discarded the heavy jacket, revealing a suit of cowhide armor meticulously crafted by his mother.

With his pistol secured in a chest holster and his chipped, gleaming AK-style rifle gripped firmly in his hand, he quickly attached a bayonet before scanning his immediate surroundings.

The illumination was dim, yet slivers of filtered light managed to pierce through the dense forest canopy above. The pungent scent of damp earth and decay, the thick trunks of trees, soft layers of rot, and sprawling gnarled roots pointed to a humid rainforest ecosystem.

His perception had noticeably sharpened, clearly an effect of his inherent talents, a promising sign.

Every scrap of survival logic he had accumulated over eighteen years surfaced in his mind. In a rainforest, the primary concern, aside from the supernatural beasts birthed by the World Fragments, was the presence of venomous insects!

He moved swiftly to cinch his cuffs and pant legs tight, while simultaneously pulling a veiled straw hat from his pack and donning it. Tao Yu then produced a vial of repellent, dabbing it onto several strategic points.

Only after these precautions did he steady his rifle, keeping his guard up while he began to examine the changes within himself.

The will of the world had seamlessly implanted vital information into his mind, appearing not as text but as innate knowledge. As Tao Yu focused on these concepts, he found himself utterly floored.

His cheat had arrived!

Talent one: [Dynamic Vision] (B-), granting enhanced tracking ability and a superior aptitude for learning visual and perception-based skills, alongside a modest boost to his Dexterity and reflexes.

Without a doubt, this talent was inherited from his lineage and was intrinsic to his constitution. It was a solid foundation, and upon focusing, he could sense the sphere of this talent within him.

Yet, when contrasted with the blinding, golden aura of his second talent, it paled into insignificance!

In this world, individuals might possess multiple talents or acquire others as they age, though such things were usually reserved for the elite. However, Tao Yu now possessed a second, truly unique gift!

Talent two: [Divinity] (MAX++??), sourced from an Outer God of the Void??

Known Ability one: [One Proof Forever Proof], ensuring that any gains earned through training remain permanent, and enabling full regeneration of injuries by burning Yuan Force or consuming biological sustenance.

(This applies to skills requiring cultivation to enhance, like the Heavenly Demon Dismantling Technique, though it merely speeds up recovery post-facto and doesn't allow one to exploit system errors.)

Known Ability two: [Mental Immunity], granting total resistance to psychic or soul-based influence and attacks.

Known Ability three: [Deification], allowing for the consumption of Yuan Force to further empower existing abilities, where using these empowered versions draws on the user's physical and mental stamina relative to the output of the ability.