Like.
After confirming that the creature had stopped breathing, Iris cheered.
“Yahoo! We defeated it!”
“Oh my, really! That was amazing. Just like your name, you’re an angel of judgment, Angel Girl!”
“Haha.”
Rainbow Girl examined the Queen Spider and raised both hands in joy.
Several message notifications rang in Iris’s ears.
It seemed like she had gained several levels all at once from defeating the boss-level Queen Spider.
She decided to check the results later and picked up the two pieces of loot dropped by the spider: a “Bundle of Spider Silk” and “One Giant Spider Leg.”
Iris held out the giant spider leg to Rainbow Girl.
“Here, Rainbow Girl. You should take this.”
“Oh… Can I really have it? You did all the fighting, Angel Girl.”
Rainbow Girl hesitated and asked with a voice barely louder than a whisper.
Iris replied sincerely.
“No, your buffs played a huge role. Thanks to them, the battle went much more smoothly. Without them, I can’t say for sure we would’ve won. It was a close one this time…”
“Even so…”
“Please, take it. I only need to send one to the exchange anyway. I think we got two pieces of loot because we fought together.”
It was true.
Thanks to Rainbow Girl’s buffs, Iris had grown much stronger, and the Queen Spider had been taken down before it could even fight back properly.
Even if there had been only one item, splitting it in half would’ve been fair.
When Iris gestured again for her to accept it, Rainbow Girl shyly put the item in her bag.
“Thank you. If you insist…”
“Whew, that was one tough enemy.”
Iris stuck out her tongue as she looked at the Queen Spider.
After checking to see if it had dropped anything else, the two of them left the dead-end spider lair.
Having come back from the brink of death, Rainbow Girl beamed as if the world looked more beautiful.
“Thank you again. If it weren’t for you, Angel Girl, I would’ve died for sure. Shall we head out now?”
“Well, I still haven’t completed the mission to defeat 30 spiders…”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Taking down the Queen Spider counts as completing the 30-spider mission.”
“Really? How do you know that?”
Iris brightened up but also looked puzzled at how Rainbow Girl knew such a detail.
Rainbow Girl scratched the back of her neck and blushed.
“Ah… I’ve been here several times. I know this spider cave inside and out.”
“Really? Why have you come here so many times?”
Iris had taken on increasingly difficult missions as she got stronger, so she couldn’t imagine why Rainbow Girl would keep returning to the same spot.
At the question, Rainbow Girl’s face turned even redder.
“Well… You probably don’t realize, but with my stats, this place is the best I can manage. Harder missions are too much, and this is the limit where I can still make decent money and survive.”
“Ah…”
“I only awakened buff-type abilities, so… It might not seem like much, but it’s better than being a regular person. I didn’t expect the Queen Spider to show up today. If you hadn’t been here, things could’ve gone really badly.”
A silence followed.
Iris bit her lip in discomfort.
She had unintentionally touched on a sensitive topic.
Even though Rainbow Girl had awakened powers—something everyone dreamed of—the fact that they were buff-focused and had limited growth potential must have weighed heavily on her.
‘In this world, heroes don’t really stick together. Unless you meet the right teammates…?’
But that was no easy task.
Most powered individuals operated anonymously through the Hero App, and in Gyodam City—a villain’s paradise rife with betrayal—today’s ally could be tomorrow’s enemy.
Even Iris, though tempted by Rainbow Girl’s abilities, wasn’t inclined to exchange contact info.
She might seem nice now, but who knew what threat she could pose later?
‘Wait… I don’t need a teammate, but that buff ability is really tempting. Can’t I somehow obtain it?’
Iris suddenly stopped and turned to look at Rainbow Girl.
She felt a pang of guilt but was determined to persuade her to share her ability—she wasn’t stealing it, just learning.
And it was all for the future peace of Gyodam City, right?
“I truly think your ability is amazing, Rainbow Girl. It shines even more when you’re with other heroes.”
“R-Really? But right now…”
“Yes. It’s incredible. It just hasn’t been properly recognized yet. Anyone would want your ability.”
“Well, that’s true… Pairing my buffs with powerful offensive skills like yours would be perfect.”
Exactly.
That’s what I’m talking about.
Seeing Rainbow Girl still downcast made Iris feel even more guilty, but she kept telling herself it was just learning.
“So, I was wondering…”
“Yes?”
“Could you teach me one of your skills?”
“Huh? I don’t think that’s possible…”
Rainbow Girl looked surprised and tilted her head.
Of course.
All known research stated that powers were awakened, not taught.
There weren’t even speculative YouTube videos on copying someone else’s skill.
But Iris possessed a rare, unknown ability that let her learn others’ skills.
Swallowing the secret, she continued calmly.
“Just seeing it once is enough. Who knows, maybe I’ll awaken something similar after.”
“Oh… Right. I’ve heard that sometimes people gain new powers unexpectedly even after their first awakening. If that’s what you’re hoping for… then sure, I’ll show you.”
“Thank you.”
“I don’t know if you’ll really be able to learn it, but… you saved my life. It’s the least I can do.”
Got it.
As soon as Rainbow Girl agreed, the message Iris had been hoping for appeared before her eyes.
You’ve obtained permission from the target.
Depending on compatibility, you may acquire Rainbow Girl’s skills after being taught.
‘Yes. Now I can learn it. Let’s see what skills she has.’
Just imagining the buffs sent waves of dopamine through her brain.
Trying not to look too excited, Iris managed her expression and naturally placed her hand on Rainbow Girl’s shoulder to view her status.
Thanks to her upgraded skill, the information appeared instantly.
[Scan Result]
Rainbow Girl LV.30
[Owned Skills]
Alarm LV.17
Running LV.20
Punching LV.15
Dance of the Death Blade LV.1
Stone Throw LV.7
Savage Sword Dance LV.1
[Buff Skills]
Offering LV.21
Cat’s Gratitude LV.17
Feeling Better LV.22
Rise, My Strength LV.15
Rainbow’s Blessing LV.19
Light of the Curse LV.20
[Status]
Moved / Embarrassed / Discouraged
‘Wow, she really does have a lot of buff skills. Must’ve had them since her awakening. Huh? What’s with all those offensive skills at the top she’s never used?’
Iris narrowed her eyes.
The skills clearly sounded deadly, but none were used.
Judging by the level (all at 1), Rainbow Girl probably hadn’t used them even once.
Since she couldn’t reveal she had access to the status window, Iris gently patted her on the shoulder and asked,
“You’ll definitely gain offensive skills eventually. But in the meantime… have you tried experimenting a bit? There might be skills you don’t realize you have.”
“Could that really be…?”
Rainbow Girl bowed her head.
She must’ve tried and failed many times, losing all hope.
Iris, frustrated, tried her best to help Rainbow Girl uncover her hidden skills.
“There’s someone I know—a hero—who discovered a new skill only after switching weapons and testing things out. Maybe try that?”
“R-Really? There’s someone like that?”
“Yeah. Just in case, try testing different things. Like a sword, maybe… or a blade…”
As soon as she held a sword or blade, Rainbow Girl would likely awaken a hidden ability.
Rainbow Girl tapped her lips with a finger, hesitating.
“I’ve never tried… I’m too scared to even hold one. I don’t use kitchen knives either, in case I cut myself while cooking.”
“Oh! That’s great news. If you’ve never held one, there’s an even greater chance you have a hidden ability related to it!”
“I’m not so sure…”
As expected.
Even though it wasn’t her own skill, Iris was frustrated to know it was going unused.
Rainbow Girl’s discouragement only made it worse.
Desperate, Iris grabbed her hand tightly.