Capítulo 9: The instructors are quite weird
Sorry for the delay, writing things for University; that was why I took a break from a few things... Also... Monster Hunter and Re: Fantazio...
This chapter is 14K words long. I wanted to divide him and post it long ago but since it was better as one continuous set of words, I opted not to preserve the "flow".
Images will have to wait though.
Enjoy.
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While the sun dusked in the distance, at the very top of the Central church, a man watched the sky with a pensive glare, soon being approached by another to join him in his observations…
"How was it?" He asked without turning back or going into small talk, looking down at the streets and gardens below
"... According to our agents scattered around the Palace. A fifth of the summoned jumped into skill training and Hunting in the surrounding forest without much hesitation..."
"A fifth went to explore and learn more about the world. This percentage includes those who remained in the rooms training their skills."
The man could see them, the people walking around in plain sight…
"15% are confused about what to do out of this situation, wandering around aimlessly."
"Sometimes they train, sometimes they just go on a walk. Seemingly conflicted about their current situation and are still trying to take everything in."
"These are better numbers than I expected. It means a little over half seem to possess initiative and courage. But this could also be due to the influence of others… Move on."
"Understood... Around a third currently have given up, lacking hope. It seems their mentality has taken quite a strong impact… I'm afraid they won't be recovering anytime soon."
"They stayed in their rooms and are currently breaking down as we talk. Albeit by now, some grew tired of crying and joined the previous sections, either going on to train or just wandering about the garden."
"A few, however… Joined the next section."
"A third? Maybe we've given them too much freedom… But if they can't take this much, I doubt they'll take in the rest… But given that some have shown initiative tells that not all of them are a lost cause."
"What about the rest?"
"These last few have been put on surveillance. About 4% have currently lost all hope and are on the verge of mental breakdown and potentially even… Suicide."
"The reasons for the latter may be diverse. Some think this is a dream and others "don't want to suffer"..."
"What?"
From the man's expression, it was clear he couldn't understand why such a thing was even possible.
Has he done something wrong? He approached them gently, offering so many things to help, and yet…
"The mentality of those from another world was bound to be difficult to decipher."
"We still don't know where they took that from, but we speculate there's precedent from their Culture and society. As mentioned before, the agents are ensuring none die."
"Good, if they do anything rash just knock them out so they can calm down a little but even that may be too much. We don't want to feed into their delusions and fears."
"Understood."
"Hm... What about the remaining 6%?"
"... We can't say very much… I have dedicated this number to those whose actions are not founded on any logical reason yet still seem have some sort of purpose, most likely related to their "roles" assigned to them or some more personal reason."
"Give me an example."
"There is a girl who spent her entire day in her room, painting. She was completely calm, and throughout the day, she only asked for different kinds of paint from the dormitory workers."
"Having painted nothing but a single landscape, she has shown no concern for anything besides her necessities. I'd say she's the calmest of everyone… Or maybe the closest to breaking down…"
"Another boy also went to the old library and has been reading complex yet meaningless books since morning. I predict he must be looking to increase his language skills or something else entirely."
"Another girl climbed one of the hills close to the garden and spent most of her time enjoying the wind. Just that, nothing else."
"... The old library, huh… Hadn't expected that place to pop up… Sigh… What about their information? How much did you acquire?"
With the sun vanishing on the horizon, the man finally turned around, revealing his face!
A red beard as clear as the evening sky! It was none other than the King!... Or maybe that was the expected outcome…
"On that front… This summoning has been one of the easiest in history!" Lupio replied as he smiled slightly
"Almost all summoned have shown their skills and abilities so far. They seem to have no sense of fear that their info is being leaked with every word they utter."
"We even got more than we wanted. They seem to love talking with each other. This allowed us to get a lot of info on their personalities and hobbies. It'll hopefully help in understanding their mannerisms."
"But as always, some have been rather cautious, keeping their information hidden at all times. Or rather, their abilities are proven too secretive to be documented with mere observation."
"Uhum, good work… What about those fit for the task?..."
Lupio adjusted his glasses, replying soon after:
"After watching them for an entire day, around three dozen have been selected."
"Three dozen?... That should be enough for now… I hope it is enough…"
"Let's aim for fifty by the end of the month. We need all of the strength we can get… For both their sake and ours."
"Yes, your Majesty."
"There is only one problem… Some have gone quite… Violent. Conflicts have become quite frequent. A few have gone… A bit over the line."
"Any casualties?"
"Nothing of the sort. Any severe injuries have been taken care of by our staff already. We're more than able to deal with this."
"Then it's fine. Just don't let them get over the line frequently… Mark everyone that has shown such behavior, I'll pay attention to them personally to see how we should deal with them."
"Understood."
"As for the affected… Some are expected to be stronger than others, so let the stronger get stronger. The rest… We can help the weak, but not forever. We aren't their nannies."
"The weak will die out there… So it's best if we separate them while we still can. No matter how weak and useless one of them is. A live one is still better than a dead one."
"After all... The war is drawing close…"
'Those dawn old people… After 400 years of hard"earned peace, they decided to act!'
/CRACK!/
The king cracked his knuckles, causing an air wave so intense that some of the trees far below lost their leaves.
"Can you believe it, Lupio? A thousand years and they have yet to give up on it."
"For a thousand years, those bastards have been envious of our national relic, and now, after so long, they found a way to mass summon Heroes as well!"
"What was meant to be an era of peace has turned into an era of little issues so numerous I can't sleep properly without dreaming of them."
"Worse is that now they've finally dropped their masks, openly suppressing our Kingdom… No, our race."
"Before, the little integrity we had protected those living outside of our borders, but now… It has become their shackles… I fear for those we cannot protect. It is not their fault to have been born outside."
"..."
"Those people have no shame. After everything we have done… How can they sleep soundly?" He asked with a frown as he put his hands behind his back
"800 years ago… Wasn't that enough for them?! The wars we fought and the people we lost! The world was died red!... No! It still is to this day!"
"If that wasn't enough, then what about 300 years ago?! What did they do to maintain the peace of the continent?!... Nothing. They did nothing."
"There are voices of solidarity, but they're far too weak before the loud ones. How can they hold such malevolence for things that happened way before that?..."
"... Even when we conceded our territory to appease their demands, what did we gain? Nothing! Instead, they've asked for more again and again…"
"They act as if it was a given! As if their territories had been theirs from the start. Yet it was our ancestors who fought for them… Was it all in vain?"
"Your majesty…"
"Humph. I'm getting old, Lupio. Wandering about these meaningless things."
"Could this be the pent-up resentment from 800 years ago?... We spared them that day… We showed them compassion… But received nothing but contempt in return."
"My ancestors believed that to create a better future for all, we must first believe and help each other. So we did."
"... Was this what they envisioned? Don't those old elves and dwarfs remember those events?..."
"I'm coming to believe that they won't rest until our race is fully exterminated… Just like 1000 years ago."
Having decided something in silence, the King looked at the Royal ring in his right index finger, putting his hand over it as he looked back at the High Noble.
"Listen to me Lupio. I am giving you permission to make use of the Royal vault. Don't hold back, use every resource that you can."
"We need to train these boys and girls into capable and functioning members of our Kingdom… No… Our race."
"Otherwise, we may as well end up exterminated from the West continent itself."
"Don't let those fools' delusions elude you. They believe it'll never come to such a thing but history often repeats itself… And far too many times at that."
"..."
Lupio stared into the ground, his expression stiff. He was even sweating a little as he thought about what to say.
"... Sigh… We live too little. Some of those pesky Elves are over a thousand years of age. It's no wonder they still hold such hatred when the ones on top are like that."
"They were here ever since the Kingdom was established. If the records are even half as true as they claim they are… Sigh."
The kings eyes sharpened, flashing with dangerous light…
'If only I could exterminate them all in one swoop…'
"Cough… Ahem. It's not like we're without blame…" He said as he coughed awkwardly
"... Your majesty… Be sure that I, Skypos Lupio Hyl will do my best to fulfill your ambitions!"
'His majesty is going through some difficult times… It's no wonder given everything passed onto him.'
'Although our Kingdom showed great support for the races in its first two hundred years of its existence. It didn't take long for the dynasty to be corrupted and become what it was until his grandfather's generation.'
'Two hundred years of good deeds... Destroyed by eight hundred of foolish decisions.'
'Even though many tried their best to put us back on track... It wasn't enough. A single failure was enough.'
'Ten years of good deeds are nothing in front of one mistake. It has always been like thaat.'
"... Ambitions… Is it too much to ask to have a peaceful reign?"
'… My father tried his best to correct the mistakes of my grandfather. And just when the kingdom was recovering… Sigh.'
'Grandfather wasn't a bad king, but if he wasn't so stiff and afraid of change, than what happened with the previous Heroes wouldn't…'
/Silence…/
Both stayed there in silence for a few minutes.
"... Is there anything else Lupio?"
"Yes. There is one last thing. Take a look at this…"
Lupio took out a rather surprising item from within a highly decorated box… A cellphone!
"What is this Lupio? Some sort of metallic brick?"
"This is a "smartphone". It seems to be an item that helps them in their day-to-day life. Although reports on its purpose and function were varied. I believe it's a highly customizable item that serves whatever purpose its owners decide."
"Hum… Why did you bring it to my attention? Something like this is better given to the research heads down there than me. I know nothing about this."
"It's because of its functions. I believe this direction of technology could…"
…
Later… While Lupio left to tend to his duties, the king turned back to look at the night sky, curiosity in his eyes:
"... Technology… Is this the type of world you all came from? Yet you all seem so used to magic…"
"Intriguing."
His thoughts settled, the king turned around and left the Church as well.
He also had his own responsibilities to take care of after all.
…
Sunlight shone through a crack in the window. It was the start of a brand new day, their second day in this exotic alien world.
/Chirp chirp…/
Birds sang in the distance, flowers bloomed with the rising sun…
It was time to wake up.
/Open…/
Philip's eyes opened exactly at six. Waking early had become a habit of his after his time in the memories.
There, he often went on for days without sleep, fueled solely by the trance of beast blood, Philip would sleep late and wake early, resting whenever possible even if a few minutes at a time…
To help him wake up, he took a short cold shower and drank some tea his little friends prepared for him.
In the nightmares, without anyone to rely on but himself, those little guys would always follow and help. Overtime, he came to rely on them for such little things… Even though he knew it was best not to.
Regardless, this would be a hard habit to lose.
"Yaawwnn… My head's heavy, and my eyes hurt…"
Philip reached for his head, but as soon as he did so, he realized something odd.
He touched his arms, feeling their bulkiness. He frowned.
"Hm? My body... Is it different from before?"
'I'm a bit more muscular…What happened?'
"Could it be... My Status?
'Is my body adapting to my altered Status?... Back in the memory, my body was different from reality.'
'To survive, I trained heavily and developed strong muscles and multiple reflexes to deal with all kinds of sudden experiences… But when I left the memory, my body returned to its original blad state… Although my physical strength remained the same due to my Secondary Status.'
'I thought it would take quite a lot of effort to go back to how I used to be, but…'
"It seems my body will return to that state naturally… I don't know if I like that."
'There's a certain charm to working hard to achieve a goal. Especially when I know every single step of that process; Here, it's hard to say where my efforts end and the System shenanigans begin.'
Philip brushed his teeth and checked his appearance. With everything ready and dandy, he left his room.
He was in no hurry to go anywhere as it was currently 6:20 A.m. He wouldn't be surprised if he were the only one awake among the summoned.
"We are scheduled to go to training at eight… I don't know how heavy it will be but I don't care… I'm hungry."
'I barely ate anything yesterday. This body at least.'
/Creak…/
Leaving his room. Philip stepped into the hallway… It was relatively silent as he expected.
/Creeak/
Until a door opened to his right, stopping him in his tracks.
"Hey. Philip, you up?"
From the side, someone immediately called him as the door opened.
It was Roy leaving his room, wearing the same old-style clothes as him.
Philip knew this couldn't be a coincidence but he thought little of it, turning to greet him:
"I see you also received these clothes. You look like my grandpa in his younger days. No wonder you are so ugly…"
Roy scoffed, throwing the greeting right back at Philip:
"At least you know you are ugly."
/Chuckle…/
"Anyway. I'm surprised you actually woke up this early, Roy."
"Just an old habit of mine… My house was always far from school and as the older sibling, someone had to bring the kids to school in my parents' place as they went to work in the morning. I'm used to this." He said with a shrug as he closed the door behind him
/Growl…/
Seeing Philip reach for his stomach, Roy smiled lightly, feeling slightly faint due to hunger.
He took a step forward, tapping his shoulder as he walked past Philip:
"I guess you are just as hungry as me... Let's not waste any more time."
"Lead the way."
…
/Step… Step… Step/
However… As they reached the end of the corridor, right before the stairs leading to the third floor… They saw a person slowly limping in their direction.
It was a boy, bloodied and dirty. His legs trembling as if he was going to fall at any moment…
"G"g"g"GHOST!"
Roy was the first to exclaim as he stepped back. Almost pushing Philip before him…
"... Sigh. It's not a fucking ghost Roy…"
Rolling his eyes but keeping his guard up, Philip ran to the hurt man's side.
"..."
"..."
For a moment, their eyes locked, and for the little they did, it was enough to make Philip feel the immense anger contained inside the man.
Like a cloud of smoke drifting above the sea, this man carried behind him a tapestry of heavy emotions, tainting the surroundings with every step.
Being as sensitive to these changes as he was, Philip felt great discomfort being around him… But at the same time, he felt grief.
It was odd, he wasn't meant to feel that… But then it came to him… That those feelings weren't his.
Emotional Mass Control. The ability to influence others ever slightly… But was it a one way street?
Grief wasn't a negative emotion per se. And as something he rarely felt. The moment he experienced it… The feeling became rather vivid. Yet still beyond the need of his Trait's activation.
It was the very thing Philip had been wary of ever since he noticed this weakness. The fact that he still knew too little about Mind Fort's limits and conditions for its activation…
Regardless, something had happened to this poor guy. But before he could do or say anything, the man lost consciousness.
""...""
Philip and Roy exchanged gazes, thinking the same thing. Together, they moved the man towards his room.
…
/Thud…/
"Huff!... Now my clothes are all dirty…"
"Hm… He's severely bruised, but that's not the issue here… Slashes and bite marks… This man has been to the forest."
'And quite deep at that. The most I saw as I went to the library were a few odd critters. But even if bigger, they wouldn't do much to you unless you provoked them.'
'What did he face to get like this? A bear?... But since he's here, it means he survived that encounter… But it doesn't look like it was an accident. Hard for it to be one anyway, given our conditions. Which just makes this situation stranger.'
'Would those guards let him get injured? I doubt they would brush past any of us entering a dangerous area alone, not only for the chance of injuries but for the chance of us trying to escape.'
'Strangely enough, he feels a little familiar, but I can't quite tell why… Another side effect of the nightmare, I can barely even remember what I was doing yesterday before I was thrown there. Even with my boosted memory.'
Roy jokingly complained while Philip checked the man's injuries, noticing most were already closed.
Noticing there wasn't much else to do, he took out a small green bottle with a clear liquid inside and fed it to the man.
"What's that?"
"A medicinal item that came with my Class. Despite his wounds, he's doing rather fine so this much should be enough for now." Philip replied as he closed the man's jaw…
/Grasp!/
That was when the man suddenly trembled, grabbing Philip's wrist rather heavily.
"Who are you?! Where am... Huh? I-Is that you, Philip?"
"Hum?... You are… Petter?"
"Petter! H-How? Why are you all hurt?"
Philip finally remembered who this man was. One of his colleagues from uni!
For Petter, it had been but a day since they met. For Philip, it had been over a year. And given his trashed appearance, it was no wonder he didn't recognize him at first.
"Haaaa... I really messed things up this time… Don't worry too much. It's my own personal thing… But what did you feed me? It tastes like garlic…"
"Erm… It's just some medicine from my Class; it'll help you patch up quickly."
'Besides… You don't want to know what this is made out of…'
"Thanks… I need it."
"... Hey… So… You know…"
Roy was rather embarrassed since he couldn't find a way to enter the conversation.
"... Who are you?"
"Sigh… Petter, this is Roy. A… Friend of mine."
"And Roy, this is Petter, a colleague from another Class."
'Petter didn't major in Electronics like me, but due to the low number of people in each Class, we would occasionally meet and talk since professors would often mix majors together to ease their work.'
'And aside from meeting in a few classes and playing online together, we didn't really do much aside from eating together occasionally.'
'But Petter used to be a skinny man… This guy seems… Slightly fit, to say the least.'
'He has this sharp look in his eyes. I've seen this before… Like those beasts… A tiny beast but one nonetheless.'
"Anyhow… Petter. What happened to you, man?"
"... It's nothing much. Really... I can do this on my own, trust me. I am being serious this time." He said as he closed his eyes slowly, thinking about something else
"..."
'This guy… He's terrible at lying.'
'Petter always said the same thing every time he showed hurt to Class. He kept to himself and was quite the introvert, leaving as soon as the professor called it a day.'
'His mental state is in disarray, and his injuries aren't solely from beasts… Unless a bear used him as a sandbag.'
'It seems his regrets followed him here…'
Philip thought about what he should do, but after a while, he sighed lightly, deciding to leave his troubles for him to solve.
However, this didn't mean he would be letting his friend solve everything by himself. It was clear they both had priorities and that Petter was trying to solve his own issues just like he was.
If he was trying to solve things alone. Then Philip wouldn't get in his way, not when he looked like that. But he would be keeping an eye open.
"... Alright then, you'll pull it off, won't you?"
"What do you think?" Petter replied with a light smile, or tried to as his lips were swollen and red
"... If you need some help. Just call. Although I'm unsure what could be troubling you, I'm not that incapable. I've changed too."
"..."
Those words meant a lot to Petter. They told quite a bit, especially given what he experienced.
/Tap…/
Philip turned around, tapping on Roy's shoulder as he walked to the door.
"You can use the shower in the back and I have some spare clothes in the wardrobe, you know the deal. They can shrink so size doesn't matter."
"... Thanks, man."
"Roy and I will be going first to the cafeteria. As for you, you should rest a little before following. Even if it hurts, you need to eat something… Although you can ask the maids to bring you some food. I imagine they'll do it if you ask that of them." Philip said as he pondered a little
"That said, you owe me one…"
"Don't… Don't say that… I… Haaaa… I fucking hate that word… But I will."
"I will pay you two a few drinks on any of these days… If that has any meaning now since everything's free."
"..."
'… Petter is… Going out of his way to pay us drinks? Damn… Whatever happened, changed him on a fundamental level.'
Petter had never spent money on anything that wasn't absolutely necessary… But as he said before, it wasn't like money meant anything now…
At least not for them.
/GROWL/
Roy's stomach growled in protest. They were getting late.
"... I guess this is enough for now. I will be fine for now. See you two later."
With a simple nod of acknowledgement, the trio parted ways, with Roy and Philip making their way to the cafeteria while Petter stayed behind, watching them leave with a heavy gaze.
"Huff... It seems I still have some people who still care about me here… I am not going to forget that. But that bastard comes first…"
/Growl…/
"Urg… My stomach… What did that guy feed me?"
[DING]
[Your wounds have been healed under the effects of Iosefka's Perfected Blood Vial]
[The carefully refined blood enhances the weak links of your muscles, slightly raising your strength]
"Hu?... Haaa… T-The what now?... Blood?... No wonder it tastes so darned bad."
Petter cringed, but soon shook his head, clutching to his stomach.
"To give me such a precious thing… Looks like I do owe you a little."
'I can feel the energy returning to me. Philip wasn't lying, I'll be fine in no time.'
'But before I go down… I need a shower.'
…
/Later…/
"We're here."
The cafeteria was a rather large house right in front of the male dorm wing of the Palace. It had a completely different architectural style, most likely because it was built in a completely different era as to the Adrius Palace.
'There's quite a few people around. I thought most would end up missing it due to the circumstances but it seems that won't be the case.'
"Good morning masters, what can I get for you two?"
As they entered the cafeteria, from their right, a beautiful maid approached them.
Philip hade seen her before cleaning the hallways with a few others.
It wasn't that surprising. You can't have a different staff for each building in this place. Even more when you consider that these people don't seem like your usual maids and butlers. They had clearly received a lot of individual training.
Slightly embarrassed, Roy was the first to speak while Philip was distracted by the environment:
"First… A seat would be good."
"Follow me then." She said with grace as she turned around
Under the maid's guidance, Philip and Roy sat at a table in the corner of the room, and after ordering their food, it was time to talk'
"What do you think we are going to do today?"
"... Are you really asking me that? It was written on those little booklets."
"Sheesh, I just wanted to make some small talk…"
/Silence…/
For a few seconds, Philip looked around as he inspected everyone in the cafeteria, but Roy couldn't remain in silence for too long, saying:
"... They will probably ask for our abilities and other information…"
"After all, they summoned us, so they will certainly look to get information on us… In fact, they probably already are." He said as he whispered to Philip, trying to act mysterious
"Isn't that normal?... That's not what I am worried about."
Roy snickered, smirking slightly as he crossed his arms.
"Hum? What could worry my strong bodyguard?"
"... You just answered me."
"We were suddenly thrown into this world and received many strange abilities… What if someone loses control of themselves? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't like to be blown away in the middle of the night while I sleep."
"This is worse than giving a gun to a kid. Even if they don't intend to, what if they do something that blasts half of the Palace?"
"Damn… I hadn't thought about that before… Can we change the subject? Talk about less pressing things like our hobbies or something?..."
"... Right. I do have a question."
"Yeah? Ask away."
"Why's everyone so damn weird? I thought your school had dressing codes."
"Ah, that? Well…"
…
They talked for a few more minutes before Philip changed the subject:
"So, changing topics, I would like to use your…"
Before he could finish his sentence, one of the maids opened the door and walked outside the kitchen, a silver tray in hand.
"..."
While Philip couldn't see her approaching them, Roy could, immediately noticing Philip's acute senses.
'Did he hear her coming from so far away? What the hell… Wouldn't that mean he can hear everyone at all times?'
"Excuse me, here it is M'lords… I hope you all enjoy it!"
"Thank you."
"Thanks."
With a simple nod of acknowledgment from both of them, she bowed in reply and left to serve the others…
"... They were pretty fast. How long was it? 5 minutes? Maybe a bit less... But erm…"
"Is it just me or are these eggs… Why are they purple?" Roy asked in disgust as he frowned at the food
/Poke…/
Roy kept touching his food with visible disgust. His eyelids twitching at the sight of the alien food.
"Just eat it. You probably won't find better food anywhere else from this world's standard. So you better get used to their customs."
As he said that, Philip devoured the eggs all at once before drinking a green juice on the side.
"Besides, this is under the Royal family… If you can't be pleased with food fed to royals… You might as well starve."
'This is sweet… Somehow, it doesn't feel that good anymore. That darned dream destroyed my palate.'
That said… Philip ate everything on his plate in the blink of an eye, switching to the next one… It looked like a bunch of frog eggs in jelly… He ate it without hesitation.
"... It's not that… The food smells good. I was just shocked…"
Seeing Philip eat it all without complaint gave Roy some courage, so after staring at his food for a bit longer, he raised his fork, ready to take his first bite… Only to lift his head and notice Philip had already finished another plate.
'... Does he not care at all?!... Well, if he is eating with such voracity, then it means this must be good, right?'
'I… I won't get sick from this will I?...'
Roy looked at his plate… The purple meshed eggs, strange "cakes'' and other unknown objects.
'It can't be that bad?...'
/Chomp!/
"This is?!"
'DELICIOUS!'
Roy went into a frenzy. The food tasted good and felt even better in his mouth.
Philip looked at the scene and thought:
'… He looks like a man who starved for a week.'
Not like he could say much… Given he was ready to ask for more.
…
Roy wasn't the only one who found the food "alien"... Everyone who came into the cafeteria thought the same.
After an hour, the place became filled with people. Some didn't even eat the food. Preferring to starve than to eat this "disgusting" food.
Disgusting wasn't the right word. Like Roy, some were worried about the potential side effects of consuming such unusual food.
Allergies, pathogens, and worse… Even if one hadn't paid much attention to class, thinking of the possible ramifications of this interaction wasn't hard.
Nonetheless… It was eating and having a stomachache or… Starving.
…
/Later…/
/Chomp…/
"... So, just as we planned, I will use my skill to find this item you are looking for as soon as its cooldown has finished. How about that?"
"... So your skill truly has a 24-hour cooldown time… Make sure to have enough for me at the end of the week." Philip replied as he stretched his neck
'I'm full…'
"!! Aren't you too much?! I am already giving you three out of my seven weekly uses! Not counting those other conditions of yours."
"At least be a little sad about me!"
/Chuckle/
Philip laughed lightly as Roy complained.
"Calm down. You're not losing much anyway. Since regardless of what you're peering into, in the end, the one who uses the ability is you."
"Besides, you should try keeping your voice down. I don't think others would appreciate someone who can peer into their future… Or even their personal matters."
"I..."
Roy ended up closing his eyes and stuffing himself with another cake on the side.
"Hm…"
'Before, his Skill was a little vague. But even if vague, anything is better than nothing.'
'I have an issue with him learning more about my intentions, but even then, there's not much I can do to prevent him from doing so anyway.'
'His Skill does seem to have the condition of him having to touch me. But who's to say he wasn't lying or if it was a one off thing? Letting my guard down with just this much is too dangerous.'
'Now, for what truly matters, yesterday, I read about thirteen books over twelve hours. I did break the rules of being outside the Palace but… So far there's been no punishment. This doesn't mean I'll do it again. I was caught up in the reading and lost track of time.'
'Those who excel will be given privileges. Maybe this exemption of the rules was one such case. But I don't want to give them a reason to bother me.'
'Anyhow. Even if I were to read a book every hour… It would still be hard to keep up with the time limit and read all the books in the phantom library. Much less comprehend them.'
'I doubt I'd be able to spend as much time as I did yesterday in the library every day. And even if I cut on sleep like I did today. That'll bite me over time.'
'... It's hard to do but not an impossible feat to accomplish. There are about 140 books for me to read… That's around seven books per day. And counting the time it takes me to get there and return… I'd have to spare at least seven hours every day to read them.'
'Even if the messengers can copy them, I can't count on achieving the conditions by reading copied works.'
'The books are thick and very boring. And the worst part about all of this is their contents… They are mostly documentation of overly particular events. Not useful for anything at all.'
"... What are you thinking about?"
"... Time."
"Say… Are you going yo eat that?"
"... It's all yours…"
"Great!..."
"..."
'Looks like someone adapted rather quickly…'
…
/Later…/
Time passed, and when it was just shy of eight o clock, a group of knights entered the cafeteria and escorted them all towards the training grounds… One of the many training grounds.
A large building with a dome-shaped ceiling. It looked rather modern, but upon closer inspection, I saw that it wasn't at all.
The feeling of familiarity wasn't odd, after all…
"Hm…"
'This place looks like a gymnasium.' Philip thought as he looked around
He raised his left hand, pulling a small watch from his pocket.
/Tic tac tic…/
'And… It's eight.'
/Swoooum!!/
At that moment, a blue light pillar manifested in the middle of the room like a geiser erupting in the earth.
From within, a muscular man holding a large spear stepped out. Frowning as his forehead tensed.
"Urg… I hate portals…"
/CLANK!/
He knocked the bottom of his spear with the ground, attracting the attention of everyone in the room.
"Is everyone here? I hope so because I am not going to repeat myself!"
His voice was thunderous, it echoed around the training area, assaulting their eardrums.
He was like a drill sergeant. His words were short, heavy, impactful, and above all, he had no respect for any of them at all.
"Urg! Why is he screaming so loud, man?… My poor ears…"
Roy wasn't the only one affected by the reverberating echoes of the man's words. Everyone around them reacted badly to his voice, from old to young.
"..."
Meanwhile, Philip showed no reaction at all. He was more than used to screams.
Even a rat would scream back in the nightmares…
"To better your comprehension, we shall be using terms you are most used with. If there is anything you aren't understanding, point it out later after we are done talking." The man said as he scoffed out loud, taking a step forward as he climbed onto a small platform precisely laid before the portal, giving everyone the chance to look at him
"Tche! Move aside! I can't see him!" Someone behind Philip exclaimed as he felt a hand on his back
"Hm?"
Philip turned around to see a small girl half his height. And when their eyes met, the girl immediately frowned as she said:
"What is it?!"
"... Nothing." He said as he held his smirk
He stepped aside, letting the girl pass by.
'The small ones are always feisty huh…' He thought with a light smile as he watched the girl push others around as she carved through the crowd… Or try to at least
"... My name is Edmund Huhuf! 1st Rank General of the Army. And I am here today to guide and help you all in training your "gifts"!"
(Image)
Edmund raised his hand as he stepped aside, saying:
"But I am not here alone!"
From the blue portal, three more people stepped out:
"I shall be introducing them from left to right!"
"Eriny Guyk! 7Th tier Archmage from the Academy of Mystics!"
"It's a pleasure~..." She said with a light smile as she adjusted her hair
Eriny was around 1.80 M tall. Having long dark green hair and impressive boobs.
Her long robe wasn't enough to hide her assets, and with her sensual voice, being the very definition of a sexy witch, half of the boys in the room were already entranced by her appearance, much to some of the girl's displeasure.
(Image)
"Next, Paupa Tione! Head scholar of the Tower of Knowledge!"
"Cough… Can you talk in a lower tone? My old ears are about to burst…" He said lightly as he reached for his ears
Paupa was a very charismatic old man. His eyes were green and bright while his hair was fully white, reaching all the way to the ground.
He had a nicely trimmed mustache, and he held a large book under his armpit as his back hunched slightly.
(Image)
"... And lastly..."
But before he could finish…
"Berinou Gargo, Sky-Rank adventurer…"
A woman with a fierce look.
Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd, and aside from a few individuals, she seemed highly displeased with what she was seeing.
"Tsk. It seems I am going to have some trouble. Look at how skinny those kids are."
Berinou's personality was just as direct as her clothes.
She wears a tight tank top and cut-out shorts. If one looks from the right angle, one can even see her panties. She clearly doesn't care if others look at her… Which many did. In particular, the many boys in the room.
With a pair that size being squished by her clothes… It's quite the sight. Her hair is dark, and her skin is also slightly tanned.
"Quite the baddie, isn't she?" Roy asked as he scratched his chin
"..."
'Even if she is, don't say that out loud…'
Philip knew she had heard him, given her eyes turned to them for a split moment…
"... Humph… Do you want to do the rest?" He asked as he crossed his arms
"I'm not paid to talk." She replied as she smirked
"..."
The General looked at the Adventurer with a sharp gaze but dropped whatever was on his mind soon after, turning to the Heroes before him:
"Presentations finished, let's begin." He said as he tapped his foot on the ground, causing a small altar stand to rise from the platform
He took a small piece of paper from the altar, taking a few glances at it whenever he talked:
"For the next month, we will be your teachers in everything from common knowledge to more advanced fields such as mathematics."
He looked at everyone before placing his paper down, saying:
"I know you have many questions, but you can keep them, for I'll not be answering any for now."
"First things first, we need to properly classify each of you, and that's because we are looking to create a better learning environment for you all… Or something along those lines." He said with a scoff as he shook his head
"So let me go over how we'll be doing that:"
A large holographic image appeared behind him. It showed four images: a sword, shield, book, and a box filled with various items.
"We will be dividing you all into four categories."
"Offense, Defense, Support, and everyone else."
"If you believe you have a class suited for combat, follow miss Gargo." He said as he took a pen from his shirt, writing something down on a booklet by the Altar
"Pfft! Miss… I am as much of a miss as you are a gentleman, Huhuf."
"##!!... Your point has been taken, mercenary…"
"Mercenary? I'm a bit more than that…" She added with a light smile as she shrugged
"..."
Seeing this made both Paupa and Eriny cover their ears…
"STOP.INTERRUPTING.ME!"
/TREMBLE!/
His thunderous voice echoed in the room, shaking its every crevice.
/Thud…/
Some of the weaker-willed kids even fell on the ground unconscious.
"Urg…"
"You okay?"
"I think my heart skipped a beat… What about you?"
Roy had to use his shoulder to avoid falling on the ground.
Seeing Philip remain in place as if nothing happened was quite a shock. He wondered if there was a secret to resist this man's loud words.
"My ears are ringing a little."
"Just a little?..."
"My… You should be mindful of your surroundings~..."
Meanwhile, Eriny stepped forward, taking a small wand from her waist and pointing it above everyone.
/PLINK!/
A large, gray magic circle appeared above them, and slowly, the pain in most people's ears faded as some of the students got up. Slightly dazed.
"..."
'There was a strange power embedded into his voice. It wasn't about sound alone… Otherwise, some being dazed would be the least of our problems right now.'
'Not to say the windows, they're fine.'
'Everyone's emotions are in disarray. This is a little annoying. How do I turn this off?... There's much to learn.' He thought as he looked around in contemplation
Magic and the Supernatural, Mental Power and Reality. It took a lot of work to keep track of everything, especially when he couldn't even fathom a fifth of the changes within his body.
"Huff… That's it, I am forever deaf now…" Paupa said as he sighed out loud
"..."
'I feel sorry for the old man…'
…
Around a minute later, everything went back to normal.
"... Ahem… Let's hope this doesn't happen again." Huhuf said as he cleared his throat
His voice was calmer and gentler. Having calmed down quite considerably.
Whatever those two talked with him in the past minute had greatly calmed him. If only there hadn't been that strange barrier blocking his senses…
"Hum…"
'Magic is such an interesting thing… Assuming that was magic.'
'I've only read about it in the books so this would be my first time seeing it.'
'I can't say if what the Maids and some of the workers were doing around the Palace was magic, but I'll assume it was.'
"Now… Where were we?... Right. Class distribution…"
"As I was saying… If you believe you have a "Class" suited for combat, follow her." He said as he pointed at Gargo
"If you believe you're more suited for Defense, I will be your teacher."
"If Support is what you think suits you best, then go with Eriny."
"If you believe your specialty doesn't fall into the three classifications, Tione shall be your mentor."
"Usually, one works in tandem with their Role… But blindly following a set path doesn't always lead to success. Discipline can do wonders, but without creative thought, we're nothing but machines, repeating the same routine over and over again."
"At any moment, if you believe you aren't suited for any of the courses, then you are free to change classes. We are here to help, not to limit your potential."
"..."
'That's some nice advice. I didn't think this guy was up for it.'
/Step step step…/
When Huhuf finished talking, Alfus entered the gymnasium with a smooth marble orb in hand.
Without saying much, he gave the orb to Edmund and went to the back of the crowd where he remained in pure silence besides Lingy.
Speaking of her, Philip was quite baffled.
In no moment had he realized her approach. It was as if she had materialized from nowhere…
/Greet…/
Noticing his gaze, she greeted him gently by waving her hand, causing Philip to reply with a light nod.
"?"
Seeing this, Roy smiled in understanding as he made a trendy "model face" expression.
"..."
Unfortunately, Philip did not react at all…
No, he did react… His expression grew colder.
"... This will be the last thing for today."
"In my hands, I have a "Ranking" Orb. What is a Ranking Orb? It's pretty simple:"
"There is only one use for this orb. It is used to measure the rank of a Class."
"How does it work? That's not for me to explain."
"I can~..."
"Not now!"
"... Anyhow, until tomorrow, this Orb will remain in this room for anyone who wishes to measure their Class' potential. We are not forcing you into doing it, but it would surely help our job if you did."
"And above all, do not feel overwhelmed by the results of the Orb. We're here to provoke growth, not halt it."
"The same can be said for the contrary. Don't be cocky, that's the last think you'll ever do out there."
That said, he silently placed the orb on another pedestal, this time, one made of hard stone.
"So that was its use… I wondered why there was a pedestal in the middle of the training room…" Roy muttered out loud as he scratched his chin
"Don't you think that's fishy?" He asked as he turned to Philip
"... Do we have a choice?"
"..."
Roy did not reply, but briefly, his eyes flashed with light…
"For some context, Paupa Tione will now give a very brief introduction to ranks."
"Eh? Wach'a say Huhuf? My ears' ringing from your screaming…"
"... Sigh. Can you help him a little, Guyk?" Huhuf asked as he reached from his collar
"Yes~" She replied gently as she stepped next to Tione
/Whispers…/
She whispered something in a shallow tone. Causing a pair of triangular projections to enter the old man's ears...
"... Hm?... Phew… The ringing is gone."
"Huh? It's my turn?"
Huhuf approached him, saying a few words before stepping aside, letting Paupa take his place.
"Cough! As Huhuf said, "Roles" usually have a Rank associated with them. But so is the nature of men, classifying everything they come across…"
"They are also referred to by many names across many Cultures and research circles, some officialized in the Empire and beyond, others… Not so much."
"For the sake of contextualization, I will use several in this presentation."
"Roles... How they are made and why they exist is a complex subject and something from the distant past discussed until today. So, let's leave that to the scholars for now."
"What about Ranks?... Normally, a higher rank correlates to higher potential. But this is only sometimes the case."
"Nevertheless, it's much easier to assume people with a higher potential will achieve more than someone with a lower potential."
"But what exactly constitutes… "Potential"?... It is a metric. An amalgamation of… Parameters. Put together by scientific bodies over the centuries to evaluate the success rate a Role will achieve in society."
"Relying on this metric can often lead to misjudgment, but ignoring it may be equally if not more foolish, as Potential isn't entirely a manmade creation but something intrinsic to the world at large. Just like how some excel in certain subjects more than others."
"Think of a sapling that will eventually grow into a tree. This is your Class…" He said as he opened his book, gesturing with his other hand and causing sparks of light to ignite and gather in the shape of a growing tree…
"Now think of a treehouse… This is your 'strength'…"
"You can have the best Tools, be the best Architect and Carpenter while carrying on with the best techniques available... But the tree can only sustain a certain amount of weight… The treehouse can only be so tall as its roots are deep."
"In this case, potential refers to how tall and strong the sapling can theoretically grow. It is the base that shall sustain everything you'll eventually build. Your little treehouse…"
"Although you can make the tree stronger and taller… Maybe even add support to it. That can be challenging depending on its stage of development."
"Difficult, expensive, time-consuming, a shore… By the time you realize, in your endless pursuit of progress… You've grown old."
""...""
"Happy and well-cared Trees grow better and more robust than neglected Trees, but some species are still stronger than others."
"No matter how much you try… you can't turn a bush into a mighty Oak… Not if you aren't ready to push yourself to your limits."
"Let's use the Orb as an example."
"We divide Ranks into eight categories. However, there are records of special Ranks in history. But let's leave those out of this conversation to keep it short."
"Those being, from the lowest to highest: White, Gray, Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Orange, and Red."
"You can increase the Rank of Class through a series of complicated procedures, primarily unique to your particular Class… But without putting in the effort, you won't go anywhere."
"... Most of the time, even that won't be enough…"
"It isn't easy to increase from White to Gray. Many stay in that Rank for decades trying… Much less increasing from Orange to Red… Cough…"
"But in the end, some still manage to do that, like the legend of the Fisher who went from a White Class, all the way to a Red Class anomaly… But times were different then."
"As I said, there are many discussions about why Ranks exist and are the way they are… I hope we can discuss this later… /Chukle/… Now… Back to you, army kid… Cough!"
In a light coughing fit, Paupa stepped away from the altar, letting Huhuf speak once more:
"... Next! Most of you should have received Class supplies, right?"
"It's normal for a summoned person to gain a Tool and some clothes as part of their "awakening"… It's okay if you want to keep some things private, but be aware we cannot provide assistance in things we're unaware of. Don't blame yourself later for your own decisions…"
Once again, before he could finish…
/Shake!/
""?!""
"Sigh, this is taking too fucking long "Huhu". I will be direct! Just take out the stuff you have been hiding!" Gargo said loudly as she stepped on the ground, shattering the stone and making the entire place tremble once more
"..."
'She is more of a beast than a Human…' Philip thought as he felt the vibrations travel across his body
"Gargo…"
Huhuf, on the other hand, was on the verge of exploding due to how red he looked.
/Tap…/
Paupa touched Huhuf's shoulder from the side, shaking his head as he tried to calm the man. And in the end, he stopped.
With nothing else to say it was time to test their potential…
/Silence…/
But no one stepped forward.
… It was pure silence… Everyone was somewhat afraid and skeptical of this situation.
No one wanted to take a step forward and become the center of attention, so they looked at each other silently, thinking of who would be the first to step forward…
Be it willingly or not.
Philip thought about stepping forward. After all, regardless of what happened here, they would eventually learn of his "potential" anyway…
But in the end, he stopped. After all…
/Step/
Someone had beaten him to it.
Some courageous soul decided to walk under the spotlight, taking a step forward:
"Well… If no one volunteers, we'll be here all day. Besides, I don't have anything to hide anyway." Dae said as he walked through the crowd, approaching the instructors with a strong stride
"HAHA! FINALLY! Someone with some balls! And quite cute… Nah. I am not into young boys." Gargo said as she scratched her chin
"..."
Dae was momentarily intimidated by her presence…
"Sigh… You are scaring the young ones, Lady Gargo." Palpa said as he sighed out loud
"... Young man, don't be afraid, she doesn't bite…"
"Heh…"
"A-Ahem… Show us your Class… No. Just put your hand over…"
But before he could finish, the young man clasped his hands together, and from a ray of shimmering light, a sword manifested in the air.
He took hold of the sword, putting it before his chest as he inspected it, saying:
"My class is called Legendary Hero… I didn't gain anything else other than this sword. This is everything I have to show."
"I believe its based on a myth from my world and it goes by a well know name, Excalibur."
"! Damn…"
"Oh?"
Philip and Roy marveled at the boy's powers. And so did many others…
/Chatter…/
As whispers ran uncontrolled, Dae continued:
"... Just like me, the sword also has Stats and Skills. Being an entity in itself…"
"As for my Skills, I started with a little. Although most have changed recently as I experimented with it… They are, Heroic spirit Lv1; Mythical strike Lv0; Swordsmanship Lv6; Command Lv3; Empower Lv0; Soul Sword Lv0; Comradeship Lv2; Challenger Lv0; Monster Slayer Lv0; Charge Lv0…"
He went on to list ten more Skills…
""...""
"... As for the ones on my sword, they are…"
He listed even more Skills...
"... And that's all." He said with a light smile as he sheathed Excalibur with his right palm, causing it to disperse into speckles of light
"I don't know why I became like this, but maybe it's because I played many RPGs back home. I wonder if my hobbies ended up becoming reality…"
"..."
'Right, talk about hobbies becoming a reality…' Philip thought in silence as his eyebrows twitched
"While I know this number may be pretty low, I will do my best to improve! Oh! I was quite rude. My name is Dae Kyoung. A pleasure to meet you all." He said as he bowed to the four instructors
"... Quite the respectful boy, aren't you?..." Tione said with a light smile as he patted Dae's head
"He's a bit more than that…" Huhuf said as he closed his eyes in deep thought
"Hooo… I finally understand those sayings now… And I thought I had seen everything." Gargo said as she sighed out loud
"Hum…"
/Silence…/
Meanwhile, everyone else stood in shock. Most of them at least.
Some people were mouth-opened because of the immense skills this man just listed. Others were just stunned because of his courage.
To those who could understand what it meant to have a Skill, the sheer number of Skills he manifested… Almost surpassed Philip.
The only reason it didn't was because Philip once had many miscellaneous Skills he ended up throwing away.
'This kid is quite brave… With this much potential… It's to the point others would fear him. Forget envying him.'
'But at the same time, this much prowess can't be concealed. Revealing himself now can be taken as a show of trust and even subordination. But he'll become a monster someday… Unless this world is worse than I thought.'
'If everyone's skills began at Level 0 or as a representation of their actual abilities back on Earth, having multiple high-level Skills shows how capable he was.'
'It's a little embarrassing comparing the previous me to him…'
'Anyhow, I wonder what his intention truly is… If he has any.'
'He could try to use them to grow stronger and ditch them later if necessary… Although I doubt anyone would be able to play the Crown.'
'This isn't their first time dealing with Heroes; it's their tenth if everything they say is to be believed. I'm sure they have already gone over everything anyone here could ever plot.'
'I would prefer if I didn't have to keep my guard up and be suspicious all the time, but the world is harsh. For one to eat, another has to be food.'
'I only have a life to spare, and a single mistake is all it takes… No one remembers the losers...'
'And this Empire has stood in a highly aggressive world for a thousand years… They won't stumble as easily. Anyone who thinks otherwise isn't putting too much thought into it.'
"... Ahem! You sure have potential kid!"
Berinou was initially stunned at Dae's potential, but her expression soon eased, returning to how it was before.
"Would you like to test your Class Rank?"
"Yes!"
He approached the Orb, and for a moment, Dae felt great fear, the same as before but magnified beyond even that.
It took him a lot not to step back in fear. He couldn't stop now, he had to act first. Be the beacon so others can follow.
This was the path he had chosen.
With a deep expression and some momentary hesitation, Dae placed his hands into the Orb.
/Shinnng!/
The Orb shinned in resplendent light.
"..."
Everyone's eyes were focused on the light emanating from the Orb. But Philip looked beyond it.
He noticed Dae's expression from beginning to end, how he went from fear to visual excitement and eventually... Shock.
An unimaginably deep shock momentarily took over his face, causing him almost to stop what he was doing…
He looked around the place briefly before focusing back on the Orb.
His face went from confusion to happiness, then anger and… Something else Philip couldn't quite tell before going back into excitement as if nothing had changed…
'What happened?... Something's off… He's faking it.'
There was nothing he could say to prove that, but his instincts were telling him it was fake.
Most of the audience didn't notice his expression due to the light and distance, but Philip saw it all too perfectly thanks to his angle and sharp sight.
As for the instructors, they were far too focused on the Orb to notice anything. Maybe someone in the audience saw his shift in demeanor, but they wouldn't think much of it.
This was, after all, quite the unusual situation…
/Puc!/
The Orb suddenly stopped shinning, remaining still.
"Did… Did it break?" Dae asked as he touched his head in confusion
"..."
Huhuf's expression became tense for a moment as he turned to Tione.
Without even looking back at the general, he grabbed the Orb and examined it. Shaking his head in the process.
"The Orb is fully operational, it just didn't manage to fully grasp his Class' potential. Congratulations."
/Tap…/
"Work hard, boy." He said as he walked past Dae with a light smile
/Aplause…/
Although most were confused, they still clapped their hands. Philip included.
"It seems you have a promising future ahead… But remember everyone, your potential is created by your hands alone. TAKE IT!" Berinou said as she raised her hand
Her words spoken and everyone rilled up, willing to experience it as well, Huhuf said:
"If there is anyone who still wants to take the test please take a step forward…"
/Move…/
This time, a large crowd of people moved forward.
Like sheep following a dog, how predictable…
"... That guy… Is he the "Hero" of these types of stories?" Roy asked as he turned to Philip
"Who knows?… Would that make us Side characters?"
"They say we're the main characters of our stories, but I feel like his' is too overbearing… That's depressing, man…"
"That aside, aren't you going to take the test?"
"Why should I? As the buffed man said, I make my own potential. There is no need to use it. What about you?"
"Hm… Why not? I'm going."
"Of course you're not… Wait what?!"
While Roy was left behind confused, Philip joined the others as he waited for his turn.'
Roy soon came behind him and asked:
"Just why? I thought you were the mysterious type of guy?"
"Hum? Isn't it obvious? Just look around you."
Roy looked at his surroundings and noticed that of the 100+ people, 90% were already in the queue to use the Orb.
"If you don't want to attract attention… Guess what? Staying still is only going to make you stand out."
'Although that wasn't my only reason… I'm a bit curious about this Orb as well. I think it's hiding something, and I want to find it out.'
'Even if nothing happens, because of my Skill, I can gain as many Classes as I want. Something that would be of immense difficulty to others, is pretty simple to me.'
'So whatever information appears in there is better for me than others. Understanding my own Class' traits, especially how the System views it, is the priority… After all, I still have to find out how to activate Gamerverse again.'
'After the Nightmare, I tried to use it again after a few hours, but nothing happened, and even now, a day later, it shows no reaction.'
'Maybe it has a long cooldown of multiple days to even months… Or something more secretive.'
'Regardless, waiting for something to happen isn't my style, and I've been wondering how an Old Hunter would compare to some of these people.'
"Hum?"
Philip turned his head around because, for a split second, he felt a "Killing intent" being aimed at him.
"Something wrong?"
"... No."
But at this moment, Philip noticed Petter entering the Gymnasium.
'So it was him. If he's like that…'
Philip quickly connected the dots.
Meanwhile, Petter noticed his gaze and gave him a thumbs up, smiling ever slightly as he crossed his arms, joining the crowd.
Philip replied with a thumb's up of his own turning to face the podium again.
'It's good he is alright. I didn't expect conflicts on the first day, but it's not something out of this world.'
'From his reaction, it looks like those troublemakers are around. One more thing to keep an open eye for.'
After this minor event, they remained quiet, waiting for their turn.
Slowly, everyone began relaxing, playing with their skills as they talked lightly with one another.
Philip saw many lights flash around as people ran around the place together with many magical and supernatural abilities one after the other.
/Swoosh…/
/Shaa!/
"?"
'What is this?...'
"A fly? They have those here too, huh?" Roy asked out loud as he swiped his hand around
"It's not a fly, it's a…"
/Land…/
A small creature landed on Philip's shoulder, looking at Roy as she stuck her tongue out to mock him.
"What the… They have fairies here, too?"
"Likely part of someone's Class." Philip replied as he looked at the fairy
She was pretty tiny, being about the size of his palm.
Her eyes were completely blue, and her skin was white. She wore a green dress and had a pair of antennae on her head. Overall, she was charming and unassuming.
"It's quite odd… Has someone awakened as a Disney Princess or something?"
"... I wouldn't rule that possibility out…" Philip said with a light smile as he watched the fairy jump from his shoulder
She flew onto his forehead, placing hers onto his. And after a moment of silence, she flew away in shock and fear.
His expression changing, he was about to catch her when… She hugged him.
Crying slightly, the fairy held his forehead, and both he and Roy felt… Odd.
"What did you do to her, man?"
"Did you see me do anything?"
"... Maybe you're just so ugly she's taking pity on you?"
"Say that again."
"The sun's quite nice today." Roy replied as he looked at the ceiling
/Scoff…/
As Philip scoffed, the fairy let go of his forehead, flying away slowly as she circled his head.
When she was done, she placed her hands on his forehead again, and a light shone momentarily from between her fingertips.
[DING]
[You've been blessed by a fairy]
"?"
Before he could contemplate over this strange occurrence, the fairy flew away, vanishing soon after.
"That was weird… There are so many odd abilities out there."
"... That's what worries me the most."
Philip looked around as he pondered over what happened. But it was but the start.
"Hey, do you have any cool abilities to show off? I feel left out in this crowd…" Roy said as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly
"You wouldn't want to know."
"That doesn't sound good… How bad can it even be?"
"... Do you want to sleep well tonight or do you want to have a nightmare?"
"Forget I asked."
""...""
…
/Time passed, and half an hour later, it was his turn…/
Philip stepped into the podium with his hands in his pockets…
"Ara ara… What a charming young man~..."
"Ho?... I like you. Wanna have some drinks later?" Berinou asked as she smirked at Philip
"..."
'Lady! Aren't you a little bit too open?'
"Let's get on with this! We're barely halfway through this."
Philip silently agreed with the muscular guy on this…
"Place your hands in the Orb. Don't worry about squishing it, it's stronger than you think." Tione said as he tapped on the orb with his finger
Philip did not reply, puting his hands on the Orb without hesitation.
[DING]
[An artificial ***** is currently gauging your Class maximum potential]
[Your ***** Is too low]
[***** Is currently calculating the potential of your Class, Old Hunter]
'Exactly what I wanted… But why is it censored? Didn't the others doubt this too?'
[Your Inner potential is being drawn by *****]
[Skill, Beastify Lv0 has awakened]
'Hum? Did they say something about this? I thought it was only meant to…'
[***** is trying to alter your memories]
[Mind Bastion LvMax Is trying to protect your mind from outside forces]
"!"
An immense headache took root inside his mind as if a bomb has been set.
For a moment, he was drawn elsewhere, to a world of pure white.
There, he saw the sky shatter as something peered inside…
[The strength is overwhelming! The first defense has fallen]
Pain. Excruciating pain as if a nail had been driven inside his brain…
[The Mind Paladin enhances the defenses of the Bastion]
A translucent being stepped from this blank world.
It raised its gaze to the wound in the Sky and raised its hand…
When it did, the world twisted as chains parted the earth, rising to tame and close the hole in the heavens.
[Mind Bastion LvMax has partially resisted the invasion]
[Your memories are being altered]
/Crack…/
The chains broke and the light seeped in further. Philip began to doubt his own thoughts, what he was seeing…
'No wonder no one doubted this… Their memories were altered from the beginning.'
'My instincts didn't warn me about this thing at all. It could be because it's not dangerous at all… But that doesn't make it safe.'
'That Maid is the same. I feel no threat from her, but my conscience tells me otherwise. There's no way someone with such influence over me is not a threat.'
'What is this strange light?...'
/TREMBLE!/
[The mind Paladin is enraged]
The translucent knight closed its fists in pure wrath, shaking the blank world…
It turned its gaze to "Philip", as if asking for something.
Even if no words were exchanged, he knew what he meant.
[The mind Paladin requests for strength!]
[Provide the mind Paladin with mind power?]
Maybe because Philip had no idea how to manage his powers, a System window appeared before him… And although he wondered why the System would provide him with the means to resist its procedures, he acted nonetheless. Unwilling to lose his memories now.
'Shit… Do it!'
A torrent of light fell onto the knight as if the very world was converging with him as its center.
The Knight, raised its hand to the heavens, and a tug of war began…
[The mind Paladin is resisting the strange energy]
For what seemed to be an eternity, Philip's mind became a battlefield between the Mind Paladin and his Bastion against the peculiar force.
Until…
/Close!/
The wound in the heavens had been closed, and the world returned to its peerless white color.
[The mind Paladin has successfully defended the Bastion!]
However, a strange mist of transient mist remained, covering the entire world in fog…
[A strange amount of ***** is left in your mind, the mind Paladin requests permission to absorb it]
'Huff… The what now?... I don't even know what's happening and now this…' Philip thought anxiously as he looked at the strange mist taking hold of… His Mind?
'I don't even know where I am… Is this the manifestation of my Mind? The thing I was trying to achieve before?... Or is this the manifestation of my Trait?'
'If this is the Bastion, then my mind must be somewhere beyond this white world… Either that or this is my Mind.'
'Anyhow… The mind Paladin is a manifestation of my Mental power. In short, it's my Will. Even if an unconscious kind.'
'If it gets corrupted by some strange force… "I" wouldn't be too far off the swing.'
'This is the same reason behind why I gave up on the Carryl Runes. It was far too dangerous to bring them up again when I can't even tell what etching them onto my Mind would cause.'
'Maybe Mind Bastion can protect me from their influence but I can't be sure. Maybe I never will…'
'I can still feel their presence, somewhere in this field of pure white. But as long as I don't peer onto them, they cannot influence this world.'
'Worse, if I corrupt this space, wouldn't my Trait be compromised? That would invalidate it's purpose.'
'I can't risk it. N…'
Having made his mind, Philip decided to deny this foreign power. Choosing not to absorb it.
Although he felt he was making his choice too hastily, whenever it came to his mind and sanity, Philip would prioritize them over anything else—a habit from his times in the nightmare.
But the moment I was going to say no...
{You should accept it}
'?!?!?!'
'A voice? Who!'
Something echoed in the white space, a voice from beyond, it quaked inside his skull.
{... I am sorry for being abrupt, but we don't have time}
{That energy inside your head is very, very valuable, and it will soon disperse. I know it's hard to take it face value but you have to trust me, even a little bit of it dispersing, and you will be wailing in anger in the future}
Philip was barely moved by his words, full of distrust.
He kept his guard up, ready to counterattack.
'And why should I trust you? A strange voice appearing in my head at this opportune moment is nothing short of suspicious.'
{I know… I would take it for myself if you were unwilling, but the situation calls for action over anything else}
{If it helps, even if little, I can swear by my very existence that if I am lying to you right now, my soul will dissipate into nothingness; you should know this is possible by the books you read}
{An Oath is sacred in this world, violate it and you'll be punished. The more you mean it, the more weight it has, the stronger and harsher it becomes}
'That is… How did you…'
Philip began to waver. However, he knew people could peer into things beyond his control and will.
For all he knew, someone may have read his Mind and was now playing with him.
He hadn't made all his journey just to let go of his principles here. He was better then this, he knew not to trust an unknown voice…
[The mind Paladin requests permission to absorb it]
But what about his unconscious Mind? Could he trust his instincts?
{We don't have time! How will it be? Philip Vinten?}
'... Did I ever say my name ever since I came here?'
Philip could feel it, the mist becoming thinner as it spread around.
'Shit… Even if I don't absorb it, something will still seep into my Mind regardless.'
'Instead of letting it spread around like oil in the ocean, I may as well contain it.'
[Absorb it?]
'Do I have any contingencies… Yes! I have that!'
His last card. Philip still had something outside of his Trait to protect himself if the worst scenario were to happen.
'If anything goes wrong, I am pretty confident in protecting my mind. Absorb it!'
The permission given, the Paladin raised its arms, and the world twisted, pushing the mist like a vortex, gathering it all around and encasing it in a cocoon of wind.
[The mind Paladin is absorbing *****]
[The mind Paladin has successfully absorbed *****. It has entered hibernation and will wake up soon]
Nausea soon flooded Philip's head as he felt himself grow faint…
The loss of the Mind Paladin, even if temporary. Only now had he realized how much of an impact it had on his Mental state.
It was a reminder to take good care of it and another reminder of how reckless he had been.
Next time, he would be ready, prepared to take on whatever destiny threw at him so he could precisely tell if his actions would benefit him… Or not.
Although… That was only his wishfull thinking. Fate had other plans…
/Shine…/
At the same time back in the material plane. The orb lit up with light, and its colors started to shift and change…
For him, an entire War had undergone inside his mind, but in reality, this whole event ended within a second.
As the light shone, "he" was pulled back from the white world. And once more, he was face to face with the Orb.
No confusion was visible in his eyes as he immediately grasped what happened. Still, he was momentarily surprised by his fast thinking.
'How fast was I even thinking?... This is ridiculous.'
[... Calculation finished]
[Your Rank is: Light Blue]
Philip pulled his hands from the Orb, trying to act like everyone else so far.
"Humm… This color seems to be Light Blue… Another special case?" Hyhuf asked as he wrote something on a clipboard
"What do you think, Miss Guyk?" Tione asked as he turned to the sexy Witch
Interpreting his silence as disappointment, Berinou said:
"There is no need to be disappointed! This only means you have to work harder!"
"This musclehead is surprisingly right, for once."
"Watch'a say?!"
Ignoring her antics, Berinou continued, jokingly saying:
"... What type of Class did you receive? If your type is under my wing, then I will make sure to train you pro"per"ly~"
"..."
'Do they think I'm disappointed? Light Blue or whatever I don't really care…'
'From what I observed from the others, most of them seemed to fall in between Purple and Orange. With a few receiving some sort of special Rank in between.'
'On that note, being Light Blue puts me beneath the lowest average. No… I'm closer to Green than I am to Purple. I'm beneath the average by almost three grades. It's no wonder they think I'm disappointed.'
'Technically speaking. I guess the marble was correct. I am reaching my Limit.'
'With this Class having its own Leveling System, I'll eventually reach the Stat Cap, and Levels will stop having meaning. From there on, I'll only be able to grow through training my abilities since I can't surpass the 99 Stat cap.'
'That is the limit of my power, maybe what the marble is evaluating. It doesn't mean its the limit of a Hunter's strength, but it's not like I can say for certain the marble wasn't evaluating its other aspects either.'
'Compared to these Kids, being a Hunter isn't that impressive at all.'
"Berinous… As I said before, you are scaring the young ones." Tione said as he shook his head
"Tsk! Let me have my fun, old man! You're all so stiff and boring."
"You should act your age and position!" Huhuf said as he pointed at her in anger
"#! I am acting my age! I'm just twenty!"
"What? Aren't you forty seve…"
/BANG!/
Berinou smacked Huhuf in the face with such might it sent him flying across the gymnasium. Breaking one of the walls as he flew beyond into the distance.
"..."
'She is strong… A beast wearing a woman's skin…'
A bead of sweat falling from his forehead, Philip bowed to the three remaining instructors and left the podium. Sitting on the ground not too far away as he wanted to avoid the chaos.
'Light blue… Potential…'
'I think my understanding of the word from back on Earth is influencing my understanding because I feel like I'm not seeing the full picture here.' He thought as he tilted his head lightly
'And that voice? What was that? WHO was it?...'
'… OI!'
/Silence…/
'ARE YOU HERE?'
/Silence…/
'Of course not…'
{I would appreciate it if you didn't scream; maintaining this connection is already hard. Much less if you thrown a fuss around. Thoughts carry power, especially yours}
/Baddum/
Philip's heart skipped a beat due to how sudden his reply came, but he soon calmed down as his eyes narrowed.
{Heh… Most would be already panicking, but I guess you truly are special}
'... Who are you?'
{You already saw me before, can't you tell who I am?}
'... I haven't memorized everyone's voices yet.'
{You're pushing yourself too much by even trying… Anyhow, this isn't my real voice anyway… A habit from another time, you could say}
'Habit? I thought he…'
{I'll answer your questions soon. If not for the situation, I would've revealed myself to you… But as I said, now isn't a good time}
{I apologize for invading your mind, I wouldn't have been able to speak with you like this if your Trait wasn't weakened in that sudden moment of carelessness… You have tough defenses for a newbie, don't you?} The voice said in amusement, albeit not in surprise
It knew more about him than it let on. Philip noticed that much.
'I need some questions no! What was that and what…'
{Look, I know you have questions, and I have those answers. But this isn't the place... We can't tell who's listening. I don't believe it's possible, but a sufficiently proficient and perceptive person could peer into our conversation just like I did with your mind. And that would do neither of us any good}
{Besides… It's already hard for me to talk with someone and use telepathy with another simultaneously. Not everyone can have parallel thoughts like you, so cut me some slack today will you?}
{... In the future, you will thank me for what you absorbed today. I expect many drinks…}
{We'll talk later}
'Hey! Don't… Shit!'
Philip gnashed his teeth in anger as he brushed his eyebrows with his right hand.
'That fucker!'
…
'Shit… Whoever that person was… He acted as if he knew me… Very closely at that.'
'Did someone gain a special skill capable of seeing my Status? It isn't impossible, but… That wouldn't explain everything.'
'That person knew what that was... And I find it hard that anyone would have such information apart from those six over there.'
'But could it have truly been one of them?... What purpose would they have to approach me like this? Curiosity in my abilities?... I don't like this.'
'Them being this mysterious individual would be the worst outcome.'
'They said we'd meet later… But how much later? Today? Tomorrow?... Sigh, overthinking won't lead me anywhere.'
Feeling spent, Philip put his head against the wall and closed his eyes…
'Open Secondary Status.'
[
Name: Philip Vinten
Class: Old Hunter (Rare)
Subclass: Military veteran
Caryll Runes: N/A
Insight: 26
Blood echoes: 22376920 (707617 for next Level)
Level 278
Vitality: 99
Endurance: 90
Strength: 99
Skill: 90
Bloodtinge: 50
Arcane: 40
Abilities:
Lady Maria Combat Technique Lv5 (8)(Hybrid)
Gehrman's Footwork LvMax (10+3)(Hybrid)
Ludwig's Combat Technique LvMax (10+3)(Passive)
SuperHuman senses LvMax (11)(Passive)
Greater Riposte LvMax (15+3)(Passive)
Perfect Throwing technique LvMax (Hybrid)
Stealth Mastery Lv4 (7)(Passive)
Handcraft LvMax (Passive)
Butchering LvMax (Passive)
Medicine Lv9 (Passive)
Tinkering Lv9 (Passive)
Smithing Lv8 (Passive)
(...)
Skills:
Summon messenger Shop Lv8 (Active)
Predator's presence LvMax (Hybrid)
Combat Genius LvMax (Passive)
Critical strike LvMax (Active)
Multi-Task LvMax (Passive)
Beastify Lv0 (3) (Active)
Traits:
Old blood infusion
Hardworking
Unyielding
Inventory(+)
]
'Nothing changed from the expected… Hum…'
[... Class: Old Hunter (Rare)... ]
'Rare? What does that mean?'
'Could it be that Light blue means that my class is a Rare one? Like a translation of some sort?'
Alas, no one was there to answer him…
'… If only the Beginner's help system was still here. I made fun of it, but it was quite useful…'
Just as he closed his eyes to take a deep breath…
"HAHA! Look at me Philip! My Class has Immense potential! I got a freaking Red Class!"
"..."
Philip's headache began aching again…
…
"..."
'At the same time, on the other side of the gymnasium. A young man looked at this situation and frowned'.
"It's the same all over again…"
…
.
.
.
Notes
I used to have a timeline here of things but it was a little of a spoiler so I took it down. I plan to make a side chapter and add some things to it when I have the time (bother)
As for the potential, I am sure many of you are confused. I'm no different.
Potential is kind of hard to describe because we have only seen the MC's point of view so far, and as we know, his situation is special due to his Skills.
Well, everyone is… Every Hero is "special" in his way… That's the entire point.
Although most heroes follow the already set system of the world, they are slightly modified to suit their Class. While the Mc is following the system set by his classes.
What I showed you is only the skeleton of this system. I plan to improve it over time. This may change in the future. I will try my best to not cause inconsistencies.
So I am open for ideas. :)
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder