Ability Stealer

Here's the chapter based on your plot points:

Andrew stared at the man, Qein, with a mixture of confusion and suspicion. "Wait, you said you've killed monsters? How?"

"Traps," Qein said, his tone making it sound obvious. "Traps and a lot of bombs. All kinds of bombs."

Andrew blinked, momentarily thrown off by the fact he was fighting such creatures without any skills, and was successful at it. "Bombs?" he repeated, as though the word itself was foreign to him. "You're blowing them up?"

"Yeah. What, you think I'm wrestling them barehanded?"

Andrew nodded slowly, digesting the information. The mention of traps and explosives also felt strangely out of place in this hostile, primitive environment. "I didn't even think bombs were an option here," he muttered.

Qein raised an eyebrow. "And why not? I have been blowing up your friends, so you should know," he said, pointing to Andrew sharply. "Powers like that don't scream 'normal human,' you know."

Andrew stiffened, his exhaustion making it harder to keep his composure. "I'm not one of them," he said firmly. "My powers are for killing monsters."

He was about to say more, about why he was really here, but his throat seized up suddenly. The words refused to come, as though they were trapped behind some invisible barrier. He coughed once, tried again, but the result was the same.

"What's wrong with you?" Qein asked, frowning.

Andrew ignored him, his mind racing. This didn't happen with Mella, he realized. He'd been able to talk to her freely about his mission. Was it because the system knew she was on his side?

A familiar notification blinked into the corner of his vision, the words clear and cold:

[Only recruits are permitted to know vital information about your role. Sharing details of your purpose or the system with outsiders is prohibited. Knowledge of system-chosen individuals increases the risk of enemy awareness. Proceed with caution.]

Andrew's jaw tightened as he let the message sink in. He wondered what the system even considered a "recruit." He hoped it was obvious and just someone that was a teammate of his like Mella.

For now, he'd have to play this carefully.

He shook his head and met Qein's sharp gaze. "I can't explain everything," Andrew said slowly, "but I'm not the bad guy here. I'm trying to stop the monsters—kill them, just like you."

Qein didn't look convinced. "Why the hell are you here, then?"

Andrew hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I… I got tricked," he said finally. "There are these monster eggs, and if they hatch…" He glanced at Mella, still slumped against the wall, barely conscious. "I need to stop them before it's too late."

Qein's eyes flicked between Andrew and Mella, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he sighed and shook his head. "I'm not sure if to tell if you're bullshitting me or not," he muttered, "but I don't have the luxury of being picky. If you can help me get out of this place, I'll put aside my suspicions for now. "

Andrew nodded. "Do you know any way to escape this cave?"

Qein pointed upwards, like the answer was obvious. "Blow the stone slab off the exit," he said.

Andrew's brow furrowed. "Blow it up?"

"Yeah. It's big, sure, but that just means we need a big explosion."

To his own surprise, Andrew found himself smiling despite the tension. "I like the way you think," he said. "But I'm guessing there is a reason why you haven't escaped yet."

"The issue is I can't reach the slab to plant the explosives. It's too high up, however, you possess these monster abilities, so you have a better shot at getting the bomb on the slab."

Andrew shook his head, his smile fading. "Not like this. My body's wrecked."

Qein frowned at him, then glanced toward Mella. "We can't wait," he said grimly. "Every day, they try to kill me. Last time, they pumped poison gas in here, and I only have one mask left. When poison is dumped here tomorrow, what would you two do?"

Andrew nodded slowly, understanding the urgency. He forced himself to his feet, easing Mella off him and laying her gently on the ground. His legs felt like lead, his muscles screaming in protest with every movement, but he pushed through the pain. "Do you have good vision?" he asked.

Qein raised an eyebrow. "Even with my good vision, I wouldn't be able to see past the darkness. But I have good memory. What do you want to shoot at?"

"The spear stretched across the walls."

"I heard it when it was grinding against the walls, and when it finally stopped. I know exactly where it is."

"You're kidding?"

"No. I tend to use my ears more than my eyes when hunting beasts."

"Well... okay."

Andrew extended his trembling arm, summoning energy into his palm. A swirling vortex of water began to form, the liquid spinning rapidly as it grew denser. He focused, layering the water cannonball with a slippery secretion, the two substances mixing into a glistening, slimy orb.

The effort left him gasping for breath, his hands trembling from the strain. "Help me aim," Andrew said through clenched teeth, holding the rotating sphere steady.

"Alright," he muttered, gripping Andrew's wrist firmly. He moved the arm with precision, adjusting its angle and direction in small increments. "Up… a little left… there," Qein said finally, his voice steady.

Andrew took a deep breath and released the shot.

The water cannonball shot through the air with a sharp hiss, streaking toward the wall. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the faint sound of metal scraping against stone reached their ears, growing louder with each passing second.

Andrew and Qein watched as the lower tip of the spear shifted, groaning faintly. With a scraping sound, it slid down the seam of the walls, leaving a faint, slimy streak. It hit the ground with a metallic clang.

"Not bad," Qein muttered. He went back and picked something off the ground.

The device bristled with wires and pipes.