Nixxin sat cross-legged on the living room sofa, his console clutched in his hands, thumbs flying over the buttons. The game on the screen was intense, but his attention kept drifting. He glanced at his grandfather, who was quietly sipping coffee in his favorite armchair, steam curling up from the mug. After a pause, Nixxin asked, "Grandpa, have you ever been envious of someone?"
His grandfather set the mug down and took another slow sip. "Envy," he said, his voice calm, "is something everyone has felt at least once. The difference is that most people are too afraid to admit it, even to themselves, let alone to someone else."
Nixxin groaned as his character died on the screen. "So how did you deal with it?"
His grandfather gestured toward the console. "Look at your character," he said. "He has three skills. Do you think he ever wished he had others? Do you think he needed them to succeed?"
Nixxin frowned, staring at the virtual avatar. He did not fully understand what his grandfather meant. Was it really about skills? Was it really enough to just accept what he had? His mind wandered. Drei had a copy ability. Kael wielded Wrath. Oniu could heal, buff, and nerf opponents. And him? Did he need a flashy, unique skill to keep up with them, or was there something else at play?
Before he could think further, his grandfather rose and went outside to get something from a restaurant. Nixxin, still clutching the controller, received a buzz on his phone. A text from Util flashed on the screen:
"Hey man, I have a leaked enemy for you. You're selected as Team 18 in Sector One. Your first match is against Team 17. Make sure you defeat them and move to the upper bracket."
Nixxin quickly hearted the message and replied, "Thanks, I'll watch their scrims to study their moves."
Another bubble popped up immediately: "Also, you're in the same sector as Team 9 and Team 7. Be careful. You might face them soon."
Nixxin leaned back and tried to focus on the console again, but the tension in his chest made him restless. The door opened, and Uncle Welp stepped in carrying a sandwich.
"Nixxin, do you want to learn new skills?" Uncle Welp asked, almost casually.
Nixxin twisted around to look at him, surprised. "How did you know?"
Uncle Welp shrugged, setting the sandwich down. "I know things for some reason," he said, "but you don't need a skill yet. You don't even understand what you truly need."
Nixxin glanced at his reflection in the glass table in front of the sofa. "But I feel like I need something unique, something that will let me match everyone else's abilities."
Uncle Welp put the sandwich in the toaster. "You think you need it because you say so," he said. "Look at the people around you. Everyone is good at something. You are unique not because of a single special skill, but because of many simple skills you can use in different ways. That is your advantage."
Nixxin frowned, struggling to understand. "What are you talking about? How do you know that I feel the need to fight with a special skill?"
Uncle Welp hesitated, caught off guard. He muttered something under his breath and walked away, leaving the sandwich to toast.
Later, Nixxin walked along the edge of the sea, trying to clear his mind. A man approached him, someone he did not recognize. Nixxin turned sharply, squinting at the stranger. "Who are you?"
The man raised his hands, smiling nervously. "Oh, my name is Aeolous. I'm one of your opponents in the scrim."
Nixxin studied him carefully, then pulled out a small tracking device, confirming his identity. "You really are Aeolous. What are you doing here?"
Aeolous pointed toward a small boat bobbing on the waves. "I was a fisherman before I ever thought about entering school. There was no reason for me to go before."
Aeolous sat on the fence in front of them, legs dangling. "Have you ever envied students who could go to school even if they didn't have to?"
Suddenly, he lost his balance. "Whoa! Man, watch out!" Nixxin reached to steady him, but Aeolous' foot got caught between the metal bars. He slowly regained his balance and sat upright again. "In the past, yes, I envied them. But now, not anymore. I have more freedom. If you have something, you are bound to it. If you have nothing, you are free, though that freedom can cost you. I once got lost at sea, but the air guided me back."
Nixxin nodded, feeling the weight of the words, but he needed to leave. He waved goodbye. Aeolous waved back, but then slipped and fell toward the water.
Without thinking, Nixxin jumped in. Aeolous flailed, free like a bird, trying to control the wind but failing. He could fly in spirit, perhaps, but not swim. Nixxin, though he could not fly, could manipulate the direction of the water. He swam toward Aeolous and grabbed him. "What the hell, man? If you can't swim, why did you do that?"
Aeolous laughed, dripping with seawater. "Because I am free. I knew someone would save me. See, there are people jumping in to help, and many more watching. That is freedom. My brother taught me that no one will ever help you, but I know now. I have done this hundreds of times. It feels like being bound, yet it is my choice."
Nixxin carried him back to shore, thoughts racing. For the first time, he understood what his grandfather and uncle had tried to teach him. Unique skills were not about flashy powers, but about understanding one's own abilities and using them in ways others could not predict. Aeolous had freedom, and Nixxin had versatility. Both were strong in their own ways.
As they reached the sand, Aeolous coughed and laughed. "You can't be a bird, you can't control the air, and you can't fly, but you can do things I cannot. You are unique in yourself, Nixxin."
Nixxin smiled faintly. "How the fuck, everyone knows what I feel" feeling a new determination. Perhaps envy was inevitable, but understanding oneself, that was a choice. And he was ready to make his.