章節 71: The Curse of Advance Ability
Kai felt as though he was a ship in a thunderstorm with no hand on deck to lower the sails.
The surge of pure emotions, ecstasy, anticipations, and joy that he was feeling, was drowning him, pulling him inch by inch towards the deeper depths of an unknown terrible sea, breaking his keel. Soon his mast would give away, and he would be left to roam the dark currents which only archaic ghost ships roamed underwater, from one sea to another, unseen and unheard. Unknown.
From his port came the wave of unimaginable Power, carrying magical creatures, which he could devour, and yet dared not.
From his starboard the water gave way, destroying the balance. He must spread despair, and destruction to stay afloat.
Kai clutched his chest, his hazel eyes trembling to go in and out of focus.
The blurriest hint of a black hood appeared and vanished across his face, his hands walking into the realm of the dead, and then back to life. The Thing in his chest was screaming, desiring the blood and flesh of so many magical creatures that have seemingly no end.
For the first time, Kai doubted if he should have ever come to this place, this World, or not.
Kai gritted his teeth, eyes bloodshot, fingers digging deep into his flesh. Step by step he walked through the crowd of young Pokemon Trainers and their Pokemon, through the jolly atmosphere, not hinting at the horror that was trying to burst out of him.
It was then Kai realized that getting the Advance Ability directly wasn't a blessing, but the vilest curse one could have cast upon him. The Emotions Manipulation Ability was going out of his hand, forcing him to bring out Dementor's Blood Essence and kill all the happiness. Never had he imagined that bypassing the Elementary Proficiency phase of an Ability could be this devastating.
"Hey! Are you alright?" a boy asked Kai, trying to peer at his contorted face. There was a blue Pokemon walking with him, reaching his knees. It had round ears and a zig-zag tail with a blue ball at its tip.
Kai ignored him or at least tried to ignore him.
"Marill…" the Pokemon cried, sensing Kai's distress. "Marill… Marill…"
"Huh? What is it, Marill?" the boy asked as Kai walked by him.
Since the very first step he had taken inside the Pokemon Center, it had become a cruel journey for him.
From the data of Thunder Faction, Kai knew a few perfunctory things about the Pokemon world. The concept of trainers, Pokemon types, battles and duels, research labs, and the Pokemon Center, having the letter P in front of the building.
Why had the map guided him to a place for Pokemon healing? Kai did not know.
The inside of this place was packed, with many computers lying against the walls. The map on the leaflet in Kai's hand had turned to words again after entering the building. Not merely words, but a name.
"Nurse Joy?" Kai asked the girl standing behind the reception desk. She had blue eyes and light pink hair. A big pinkish Pokemon, wearing a clinical hat, was walking behind her, taking medicine out of drawers and putting them back.
"Oh, hello!" Nurse Joy merrily said, not noticing Kai's agony as plainly as the Pokemon behind her. "How may I help you? Are you here to heal your Pokemon? May I see your ID?"
Kai had no answers to any of her questions. He looked down at the leaflet. The words must have changed when he was looking at her, for they said to pass the leaflet to her now.
Kai, in no mood to talk, passed the leaflet to Nurse Joy. The pink-dressed girl took the leaflet, looking confused, and in the next second, Kai noticed her stiffening as if she didn't have any life.
In a tenth of the moment, Nurse Joy returned to life and smiled at Kai. "Oh!" she exclaimed, giggling. "You've come. She has been waiting for you. Room No. 11 on the first floor, if you please?"
The girl said the last sentence, looking at the Pokemon behind her.
"Chansey?" The Pokemon gestured at itself, and then walked off, dropping the medicine into a drawer. Kai took it as a sign and followed the Pokemon. When the magical beast came out in the open, he saw it had an egg stuffed in a layer of pink-skinned pocket.
"Chansey… Chansey…" The Pokemon skipped, calling out its name.
When they reached the first floor, Kai finally took an exasperated breath. Something must be done about it, he promised himself. I can't count on not being in such a crowded place again, having such open emotions of joy and excitement, and then not feed on them.
"Chansey!" the excited cry of the Pokemon caught Kai's attention. They have come to a door on which the number 11 was etched in golden lettering. Kai gave the Pokemon a look and recognized the most absurd weakness about him.
Not knowing a Pokemon's specialization, its powers, and its prospects.
Something must be done about this too, Kai thought.
The Pokemon, not waiting any longer, returned, leaving him alone. Nurse Joy had taken the leaflet, and now he was empty-handed. He couldn't help but think why the System hadn't just teleported him into the room.
Kai prepared himself for what awaited him behind the door.
If Chaos wanted to give him just a Side Mission, then the leaflet would have been sufficient. Something was waiting for him in this room for this mission. Something sinister.
Click!
The door unlocked with the slightest turn of the door-knob.
When he entered, that something sinister turned out to be the most beautiful woman Kai had laid his eyes upon with both his previous and new life combined.
Her long red hair was so dark that there was a tinge of purple to them. There were curves on her body that even the long black, greatcoat on her failed to hide miserably. She was standing near the window, looking out. Then she turned around, letting Kai marvel her wild, brown pupils.
The notification appeared then.
…
[
Contestant Kai Stormborn, this Side Mission has been turned into an Officer Qualifying Mission.
You must refer to following points for the rest of your stay in this random world:
1. You are given the rank of Probationary Captain, allowing you to have one or more Assistants during your Mission
2. Unlike the team members of a Captain of Guard, Assistants can reject any Side Mission issued by the Probationary Captain
3. Probationary Captain is forbidden to kill Assistants without issuing a Side Mission to oneself, providing all the reasons
4. At the end of the Mission, the Probationary Captain will be judged based on the feedback given by the Assistants. In case of a favorable outcome, the said Probationary Captain will get promoted to the post of Captain of Guard. In case of an unfavorable outcome, the Officer Qualifying Mission will be deemed a failure
The Privileges available to a Captain of Guard are:
1. +10% Mission Credits (all rewards) - subject to change with higher posts
2. +5% chance to get a second random Item as a Loot
3. Can form a Party of up to 4 members
4. Free Party Mission Assignment once per Set
]
…
So that's why… the realization dawned on Kai. So that's why a person like Arlen became something as inconsequential as a Captain of Guard. No wonder.
Kai could see the sheer manipulation Contestants like him and Arlen could do using this post.
The Notification continued.
…
[
Current Assistant's Data
…
Code Name: Morning Mist
Floor: 3rd
Set: 1st
…
WARNING: Collect Morning Mist's leaflet to confirm her identity
]
…
Kai looked away from the notification and found beauty itself smiling at him.
"Aren't you too young for the post of the Captain of Guard… Mr. Red?"
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票