บท 10: Volume 1 - Chapter 10: At Least for a While
Aaron's aura had undergone a significant change, as the Auras of the Goddess and Elajiah's Fury merged and formed a unique form. He was completely consumed by madness, unable to see anyone else and solely focused on Black Annis.
After applying Elajiah's wrath to his sword, the Goddess's Aura ability was triggered, and the aura combined with Elajiah's wrath, infusing the sword. The weapon turned pitch black, so dark that any excess aura that couldn't adhere to it fell to the ground, creating an aura of darkness around him. Moreover, due to the intertwined auras, the enhancement effect of the Goddess's Aura ability only worked on Aaron himself. He was now in an incredibly powerful state.
With a single stride, Aaron began sprinting from the edge of the arena. It took less than five seconds for him to appear right in front of Black Annis, lifting his sword and executing a swift strike.
Black Annis, of course, couldn't anticipate this unexpected move and had one of her arms severed. "SKREEEE!!!" Black Annis screamed in agony. With one arm already severed and her defense significantly weakened, she had now lost her only remaining functional arm and became entirely incapacitated.
Black Annis collapsed to the ground, and Aaron stood before her. His aura was growing larger and more furious with each passing second. It was a rage-filled aura, so intense that the arena began to tremble, and the very ground, created by the system itself, started to crumble.
He knew he had to finish this quickly, so he took a step forward. Black Annis, with her remaining two limbs, tried to crawl away on the ground, attempting to escape in trembling fear, but she couldn't. Aaron approached, getting closer and closer, until finally, he raised his sword in the air and brought it down. Then a system notification appeared:
"Black Annis, F Level Boss Monster, has been slain.
You've leveled up.
You've leveled up.
Obtained a Random Spellbook (B Level).
The first Black Annis in the world has been slain, all stats increased by +5."
Aaron had succeeded, and once he realized it, the aura from Elajiah's Wrath slowly began to dissipate. He had deactivated the ability, and as a result, the Goddess's Aura had also turned off.
Aaron collapsed to the ground; he was exhausted. Using such a high-level physical ability all at once and pulling himself out of an unconscious state through the power of the skill had taken a toll on him mentally and physically.
He looked around and saw the condition of his family. His father was in a disheveled state, Dahlia's arm was bleeding, and his mother had suffered shallow cuts on her arm.
Aaron realized in that moment what his mistake had been. He had always aimed to protect his family, but what had he done now? What if the lock on that ability had never been opened? What if he had never woken up during this time? What would have happened then? His family, as strong as they were, couldn't defeat a boss monster of such a high threat level on their own. Yes, the abilities they had gained were valuable, and certainly, his father alone could hold off the boss monster for a long time with his fortification ability, but how long would that last? He had put them in danger with his own hands.
He understood in that moment that the only person who could harm his own family was himself. He realized that he needed to let them go and restrain his own twisted thoughts. He needed to leave, at least for a short while, and live on his own. They could live away from danger and take care of themselves. He had faith in them, after all.
"Sweetheart!" Valerie exclaimed, running towards Aaron and embracing him. She knew that if he left, she would miss this feeling, but if he stayed, that feeling of danger would never fade away.
"I'm fine, Mom. I'm not even injured. You should think about yourselves," Aaron said with a genuinely sad expression.
He was so upset at the moment that his hair and eyes had turned coral blue.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sean asked.
"I'm fine. No need to worry. But the real question is, what happened?" Aaron replied.
"I got sponsorship from the God Hercules," Sean said.
Aaron thought, 'Hercules!' One of the most powerful gods in Olympus. Some sources considered him an Olympian god, while others did not. But he was truly one of the strongest gods. He didn't act as if he belonged to Olympus or not. Even if the ability he would grant wasn't as high as those of Nyx or other high gods, he could give one of the best abilities for a tank-type player. Aaron was sure of that.
"I understand, that's good news. And what about you, Dahlia? Are you okay?" Aaron asked, and Dahlia nodded her head in response, indicating that she was fine.
"That's good."
Aaron opened his inventory and took out the magic book that dropped from the boss monster. Then he asked, "This is a skill book. Since it's a B-level book, it will contain a skill from the D, C, or B level, and on top of that, it will be one of the highest-tier skills in its respective level. The real question is, which one of you wants to use it?"
Everyone fell silent in response to this question, including the people in the arena who could hear and see everything through the system. Giving away something so valuable just like that was strange, especially considering that it was Aaron himself who almost killed the boss monster.
"I refuse, bro," Dahlia said.
"The same goes for me," Valerie added.
"No need to ask, just use it," Sean said.
"Are you sure? It dropped from the boss monster, and the skill that will come out of it will be among the top ten in their respective levels," Aaron said, but the trio nodded their heads in agreement, and Aaron didn't need to hesitate any longer. He immediately touched the book.
"Aaron Dion, do you want to use the Random Skill Book (B Level)?" Aaron saw this notification and tapped on the "yes" option, and the book opened, then glowed. After about three seconds, a personal notification appeared for him:
"The Eye Of Truth (Active) - B Level"
He was extremely delighted; he didn't expect to gain such an ability. He had hoped for a moderate-level active combat skill, but the skill he acquired was of a significantly higher caliber even within its own category.
"The Eye Of Truth (Active) - B Level
When activated, the user can discern whether the person in front of them is telling the truth or not.
Mana: None
Cooldown: None"
The skill was quite powerful, and the fact that it required no mana and had no cooldown made it even more remarkable. This made it a formidable ability.
There was only one thing left to do...Turning back to the world tower.
-----
The group returned to the Tower after sufficiently resting in the arena, and they were all resting and healing thanks to Valerie's ability.
While the group was healing, Aaron spoke up:
"I'm leaving. Again, this time for a long while." The group was surprised to hear this and they all exclaimed in unison:
"We don't understand?"
"There's nothing that can't be understood, I'm leaving."
"We get that, but what do you mean by 'for a long while?" Sean asked.
"For quite a while, I'll be wandering alone."
"Why?" Valerie added.
"Because I'm too weak. I couldn't protect you today. If it weren't for gaining the ability, you might have been killed. I was the one who convinced you to enter there. Why do you think I might be leaving, Mom?"
"I understand, but still..." Valerie said.
"Look, we've completed the mission. After the mission process is over, we'll receive mission rewards and be able to choose a class, as it's mentioned in the status window. The system will probably suggest the classes that best suit us, but don't immediately accept them. Look for others. If the system gives you a choice among a few classes, think it through directly. Got it?"
''I see…'' Dahlia said with a saddened voice.
"Dahlia, don't be sad," Aaron said in a somber voice.
"When I said I'm leaving, I didn't mean I'm abandoning you forever. It's better for all of us if I go solo until I become strong enough. I didn't tell you, but I've been fighting like crazy. In the 14.5 days I've been away from you, I hunted monsters without rest. I even went into a goblin cave alone and cleared it out. The truth is, having you all with me isn't good for any of us. You slow me down, and I put you in danger. Is that what a family does to each other?"
The whole family was saddened, but their sorrow wouldn't serve any purpose. They all knew that Aaron was right and he had to go. They were well aware of what they were doing. When they were with Aaron, he couldn't fight properly, always trying to protect everyone, especially when the situation was dangerous. If he didn't leave, they would create an irreversible situation, as if they had tied cement blocks to his feet and thrown him into the sea.
"Alright," said Valerie. Sean was surprised. He didn't expect a mother who was so attached to her child to allow him to leave in a situation like this.
Seeing Valerie's acceptance, Sean spoke up as well:
"Okay, but be careful, alright? I don't know how long you'll be away from us, but judging by your behavior, I don't think it will be less than a year. But please, please be careful. Don't act recklessly and don't worry your mother," Sean said.
Aaron felt relieved that they understood his decision. He nodded and said, "I understand, Dad. I will truly be careful, I promise. I won't worry you. I just need to take this time to strengthen myself."
Everyone remained silent for a while, understanding the weight of the situation. They knew that Aaron had to follow his path and that his journey would bring both challenges and growth. With a mixture of sadness and hope, they wished him well on his journey.
Aaron gathered the necessary items from the Tower market and hugged his family one last time before leaving the Tower of the World.
This was how Aaron had decided to protect his family, by staying away from them and returning only after he had gained enough strength.
With a heavy heart, he walked away from his loved ones, knowing that this was the path he had chosen for their safety. As he ventured into the unknown, he carried the determination to become stronger and return to them, a formidable force capable of safeguarding those he cherished.
Though it was a difficult and bittersweet farewell, Aaron held onto the hope that his absence would ultimately lead to their well-being. With each step he took, he carried their love and support in his heart, fueling his resolve to overcome any obstacle and fulfill his mission.
The world awaited him, and Aaron was determined to face its challenges head-on, knowing that he would one day reunite with his family as a stronger and more capable individual.
Because after all, the world changed, with new adventures that awaits him- he needed to be stronger for his lovely family.
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