Ability Acquisition

Juanito was extremely elated upon seeing the string of notifications on his UI. Despite his lack of profound experience when it comes to RPG games, he still has a fundamental understanding of them.

'It basically is a simulation with a heavy emphasis on management and administration.'

With a smug expression on his face, he reminisced about his exploits in his previous life, 'It's not like I'm clueless, I've grinded Farmville day in and day out back in the days. Heh! I was even at the top in Harvestmoon among my friends!'

His haughty demeanor then receded as he went further reading the notifications. He shook away his nonchalant attitude, realizing he isn't playing a game but living his second life.

'Food produce and bakery? Can't say it's bad, in fact, such merchandise is great for start-ups as food, in essence, is at the top of Man's Hierarchal Needs. Meaning, it will certainly sell due to demand.' Juanito analyzed.

'What's more, an accolade actually grants a bonus ability. Negotiation? err..what?!'

As his doubts gradually mounted, he vehemently searched his UI for answers until he tapped his Profile Page open which now showcased a new set of information.

It now displayed his stats like in games which unnerved him to his core. It is as if he was a fictional character or a digital exoskeleton made up of complex virtual expressions.

At the bottom of his heart, he strongly hoped that this transmigration wouldn't eat away his sense of self and blur the meaning of his existence.

[Profile Page:]

Owner: Juanito Bezos

Class: Shopkeeper

Store Grade: Otherworldly Booth

Reputation EXP: 0/1000

Number of Employees: 1/3

Accolades: Rookie Entrepreneur

Abilities: <Negotiation>

Income / day: Undetermined

A shining badge now sat beside his once empty Accolade. The first yet certainly not the last.

[Rookie Entrepreneur] When equipped, has an extremely slim chance to passively activate <Mitigate Adversity> when suffering a misfortune. Cooldown - 30 days

'So an accolade isn't just for show huh..that was kinda unexpected...I thought the ability <Negotiation> was the only boon. To think there's more.."

With his heart in high spirits, he carefully inspected his newfound strength.

[<Mitigate Adversity> A man was busily perusing a newspaper as he almost walked over an open manhole with quite the dangerous depth. Miraculously, a punctured automobile tire out of nowhere rolled towards him at an unimaginable speed as it grazed his shoulders, pushing him an inch away from death.]

Juanito was momentarily at a loss for words upon reading the descriptive function of the ability. "..isn't that kinda OP?" he asked himself, pondered for a while, and continued, "...it's like cheating death but given the abysmal chance of it triggering, I shouldn't factor it into my decisions and bank on it. After all, lady luck was never on my side in my past life..."

As he tossed the somewhat unreliable blessing at the back of his mind, he pumped himself up and then proceeded with the next item on the list.

'Let's see..', as he prodded the system, a brief description of the ability he just acquired appeared before him.

<Negotiation> Augments persuasive ability when engaging in discussions, arguments, or any form of dialogue.

'That's what I'm talking about, an actual ability that does not rely on RNG', Juanito said with a smile.

Although he kinda wished for heaven-defying abilities like Heart-Ripping Stroke or Vaporizing Cobra Breathe, he knew better than to raise his expectations only for reality to slap him squarely on the face.

"At the very least, the ability's usefulness is undeniable. It's not like it's mundane or anything, right..?", Juanito murmured as he tried to soothe the slight disappointment welling in his heart.

And as he was trying to come to terms with reality, a sudden thought came to mind which pushed him to open his inventory.

'There it is…" he internally exclaimed.

Inside was a high-grade vial with transparent protective glass. A crimson liquid glinted like a ruby in it. At a glance, the item was extremely precious beyond compare.

[Class-Exclusive Skill Selection Potion)

Description: An incredibly valuable potion concocted by an ancient mage from the lost era. It was rumored that it was brewed with the philosopher's stone as a catalyst.

Users can freely select an ability based on their current class.

Untradeable. Bound to: Juanito Bezos]

'Not one, but two abilities..has lady luck finally smiled at me!?', he joked nonchalantly before analyzing the contents of the vial.

'By the looks of it, it's pretty rare. I bet the system wouldn't hand out such items casually in the future. I mean, it looks so extraordinary…'

He then carefully removed the potion's lid, extra careful not to break the thin glass and spill its contents. After all, it would be a tragedy akin to a multibillion corporation filing bankruptcy due to the dumbest blunder.

Juanito refrained from having high hopes since the skill was linked to his class [Shopkeeper] which was somewhat underwhelming. He could already envision receiving one related to managing a facility or one that enhances housekeeping skills.

'I might get one related to customer service..ha ha ha' Juanito laughed dryly at the possibility.

As if a drunkard taking a swig, he drank the entirety of the potion, not leaving a single drop behind.

As the mysterious liquid trickled down his throat, a warm sensation suffused every organ in his body. Gradually, the sensation turned into a damning pain that numbed his senses, burning every fiber of his being.

After enduring a nightmare for what seemed like an eternity, the searing pain subsided as he was once again greeted by his trusty UI.

[Initiating Skill Acquisition…]

[Please choose your desired ability below]

<Supervision> - Grants the user absolute grasp of his personnel's location, physical condition, mental state, and the ability to telepathically communicate among his peers. Can only be used within the business' inclusion zone (5 kilometers from the nearest branch).

<Appraisal> - The ability to analyze all manner of objects, extract their data and store all information in a compendium. Ineffective against beings of a higher order than the user.

Juanito intently stared at the screen in an obvious dilemma, 'This is...really tough'

Both options were well within his expectations, possess their own unique attributes, and sadly enough, not geared towards combat.

<Appraisal> was something that's hard to pass. The ability to analyze an object equates to fully grasping the inherent nature of a target to an extent. And when aimed at a living being, one could easily gauge its traits such as strengths and weaknesses. Thus, it was like having an extra layer of protection, and a siren that blares to keep him away from potentially troublesome matters.

On the other hand, <Supervision> does not benefit him directly nor provide immediate returns. In fact, the ability held no meaningful function unless he has a sizeable workforce under his wing. However, in the grand scheme of things, it held great potential - a pseudo omniscient ability.

As Juanito conscientiously deliberated on his decision, he finally made up his mind, 'At this early in the game, <Appraisal> is definitely the safer choice. But...'

[ <Supervision> selected ]

[ Choices made are irreversible. Do you wish to acquire the ability? ]

[ YES / NO ]

'No point overthinking stuff..sigh', was his last thought as he exhaled emptily then mentally tapped 'YES'.

[ Ability <Supervision> acquired ]