Dario and his examiner walked into a spacious room filled with various equipment uniformly scattered around. Off to the sides were tables set up with comfortable looking chairs in a sort of lounge area. Up above, there appeared to be glassed balconies on three sides of the room overlooking the entire area. Apart from the two of them, there seemed to be nobody else in the room.
As they walked further in, Dario noticed some scorch marks on the walls along with small cracks spread around various areas. Some of the strange equipment around the room seemed damaged or distorted in some manner. Dario took this all in with a keen eye, but rather than feeling anxious, he felt excited. This seemed like a place that saw some action, and he loved experiencing new things.
When they reached the middle of the room, the tall bald lady turned around to face him. ¡°I¡¯m known as Miss Aimee, and you may refer to me as such.¡± She gestured towards him. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°The name¡¯s Dario,¡± he replied with a confident grin. Dario hoped to make a good first impression, and Superiors were supposed to be brimming with courage and boldness right?
¡°Well, Dario, why don¡¯t we get to know each other more. It¡¯s not often I get to be an examiner,¡± Miss Aimee said with a smile. ¡°Usually I¡¯m out there fighting the good fight but I took a week off to do something more relaxing.¡± She spread her arms out and stretched before assuming a more relaxed pose. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind if I take my time with you.¡±
¡°What¡¯s it like out there?¡± Dario asked eagerly. He was keen to go through with the examination but he was just too curious to let the opportunity pass. He had never been outside the colossal walls of the city and he¡¯d been interested to find out what horrors lurked outside in the Wildlands.
¡°Around here? Not much.¡± Miss Aimee shrugged. ¡°Most of the area surrounding the kingdom and the nearby cities and villages don¡¯t really have any of the truly terrifying monsters around. Most of those have been killed already or moved away. It¡¯s usually just minor threats like slimes, goblins or harpies.¡±
Despite finally learning something from someone who¡¯d actually been outside the walls, Dario felt disappointed. Was that really it? It sounded like there wasn¡¯t really anything threatening or world ending outside the walls. Dario had grown up with tales of bogeymen and monstrous beings that existed out in the Wildlands and his own mother had used them to scare him back to sleep as a kid. Now, apparently, he was told that there wasn¡¯t really much substance to those stories.
¡°Is it bad that I think that¡¯s kinda disappointing?¡± Dario asked with a frown. ¡°I thought there¡¯d be tougher things out there.¡±
Miss Aimee laughed and placed her hand on his shoulder. ¡°Hah, I like you newbie, I think we¡¯ll get along just fine. You sound like a combat addict, something I¡¯ve been accused of by many.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not that I like fighting,¡± Dario denied. ¡°Well, okay, I do get in a scrap or two, or ten, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m an addict.¡± Dario took a deep breath before explaining, ¡°It¡¯s just, I thought Superiors were really protecting us you know? Like you said, fighting the good fight and defending humanity from the terrors outside. I just thought there¡¯d be more to it than just slimes and goblins.¡± Dario looked down with a dejected look on his face.
Miss Aimee walked away and leaned on a nearby piece of metal equipment. She sighed and crossed her arms.
¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, there is more to it than just that. It¡¯s just that the higher class threats exist far outside our territory. If that wasn¡¯t the case, we¡¯d be in a lot more trouble.¡±
Dario perked up. ¡°So things like dragons, hydras, and giants do exist?¡±
¡°Among many other things, yes.¡± She nodded. ¡°They used to live a lot closer but we, humanity that is, eventually pushed them back and established an equilibrium. The A-Class threats never usually approach us, so it¡¯s not too bad. The B-Class and below are still around though, and last time I was really out there deep in the Wildlands, well, I was fighting a horde of undead in an underground cave.¡± She grimaced and shuddered. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very fun.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
¡°Fighting undead¡ that sounds fascinating,¡± he said honestly. It really was fascinating and he was learning so much. None of the things he learned since coming to register were things he was aware of previously. He didn¡¯t even know that there were Classes for threats! He had truly lived a sheltered life.
¡°In a way, it is fascinating,¡± she agreed. ¡°You won¡¯t believe some of the ways they¡ª¡±
¡°Wait a minute,¡± Dario interjected. Even though he¡¯d like to learn more about the world, he could do so after doing what he was supposed to be doing. ¡°As much as I appreciate this world lesson, aren¡¯t you supposed to be examining me or something?¡±
The bald, amber eyed woman grinned at him in amusement. ¡°I already did newbie. You¡¯re definitely a supe, just like everyone else in this building.¡±
¡°What? What do you mean, and what¡¯s a supe?¡± Dario asked, bewildered.
¡°A Superior,¡± she clarified. ¡°You don¡¯t think we refer to each other as Superiors all the time do you? That¡¯s just silly. It¡¯s a bit of a mouthful, and quite egotistical in my opinion, but it¡¯s more for the sake of normal people. Propaganda to keep the status quo, so to speak. We usually just call ourselves supes, or supers.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±
¡°Most non-supers don¡¯t, and its kept that way." She shrugged. "Apparently it¡¯s so we¡¯re glorified and not questioned, but as I said, I think it¡¯s just ¡®cause it¡¯s too long to say.¡±
¡°Okay, that¡¯s good to know.¡± Dario nodded before remembering the other thing she said. ¡°Wait, what did you mean when you said you examined me already? We haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡±
¡°I already examined you when I put my hand on your shoulder earlier,¡± she replied.
¡°What? How was that supposed to tell you anything?¡± Dario asked, baffled.
¡°One of my abilities is psychometry.¡± Seeing Dario¡¯s confusion, she explained, ¡°It¡¯s something that allows me to analyze an object or person. I can examine some of their history and see their potential.¡±
¡°Wow, that¡¯s... actually pretty cool,¡± Dario remarked. He was constantly amazed by all the things Superiors were capable of, and he could only imagine all the things one could do with a power like that. It made his own abilities somewhat lackluster and basic in comparison.
¡°And, even if I didn¡¯t have this ability, I could tell that you were a supe the moment I saw you,¡± Miss Aimee stated.
¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.
¡°Tell me, what is the first thing you think of when you see a supe?¡±
¡°Um, I think of how cool they are?¡±
¡°Not like that.¡± Miss Aimee rolled her eyes. Dario found that simple action to be somehow captivating, probably because he had never seen amber irises on a person before. It was as unique as his own amethyst orbs.
Was this what it was like when people told him he had pretty eyes?
¡°I mean, what do you think of when you actually look at them, at supes, physically,¡± she emphasized.
Dario took a moment to think of what she meant before realizing what she was hinting at. ¡°They all look stunning,¡± he stated. ¡°Like, physically attractive, more so than normal people.¡± It was an observation he made quite often, and it seemed he wasn¡¯t the only one who did.
¡°Exactly,¡± she said, satisfied. ¡°Every supe you¡¯ll ever meet will look intensely attractive, or at least above average. There is a reason for that.¡±
Miss Aimee walked over to a nearby table and sat on a chair, inviting Dario to sit across from her.
¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed your body changing, your facial structure improving, maybe you got taller, or you found you had more muscles than before?¡±
¡°I thought that was just puberty,¡± Dario muttered before taking a seat. ¡°And, not to be arrogant or anything, but I¡¯ve always been considered attractive so I didn¡¯t really notice too much.¡±
¡°Regardless, it¡¯s a well known fact that all supes become the ideal version of themselves. When you become a supe, your body changes itself to achieve its maximum potential, and sometimes beyond that,¡± Miss Aimee lectured, her chin on top of her interlaced fingers.
¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is... you found me attractive the moment you saw me,¡± Dario declared with a grin.
¡°Precisely.¡± She chuckled at Dario¡¯s dumbfounded face. ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, I find most supes attractive, as does everyone else. It¡¯s no big secret.¡±
Dario stayed silent while digesting this new information.
Did that mean that anyone who looked attractive had the potential to be a Superior, or already was one? That couldn¡¯t be true, otherwise there would be a lot more supes around, or were there more than he thought? What was the difference between normal person attractive, and Superior attractive? Wait, did that mean an ugly person could suddenly and randomly become beautiful? Heh, he knew some people who¡¯d like knowing that. However, he still didn¡¯t understand what gave Superiors their enhanced looks.
¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true and all Superio¡ª err, all supes look naturally good-looking, then what is it that makes them that way?¡± he asked.
Miss Aimee leaned back in her chair and placed her feet on the table. She gave him a coy, secretive smile, as if knowing what she had to say would change his world forever.
Chapter 6 - Basic Truths
After a moment of tense silence, Miss Aimee finally deemed to enlighten him.
¡°To answer that question, you¡¯d have to first ask how supes function in the first place and how they can do what they do.¡±
¡°Okay then.¡± Dario leaned forward in his seat with an attentive gaze. ¡°How is it that supes can do what they do? How is it they can fly and run faster than anyone else and do all sorts of unnatural things? How are they so amazing and so far above what normal people are like?¡±
These were all questions that burned in Dario¡¯s mind ever since he was a young boy. None of the supes he knew personally would ever give him a straight answer. and here was a chance to finally know the truth. He had probably never been more attentive in his entire life.
¡°First of all, you have to know that what I¡¯m about to tell you is something that only us supes are authorized to know, do you understand?¡± Miss Aimee asked with a stern face.
¡°Yes I understand.¡± Dario nodded. ¡°But if it¡¯s a secret, are you even allowed to tell me?¡± he asked despite being eager to learn more. ¡°I know I¡¯m a supe too, but you¡¯re making it sound like this is some top secret stuff.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not really top secret, but rather a fundamental truth that the public isn¡¯t really aware of. It¡¯s my job to teach you the basics of our world once you pass, and you have. Usually, other examiners take a bit longer to assess someone, but my unique powers allow me to expedite the process.¡± Miss Aimee crossed her arms with a smug grin on her face. ¡°Examiners have the dual purpose of educating new recruits as soon as they¡¯re confirmed supes. Personally, I think it¡¯s ¡®cause administration doesn¡¯t want to pay for another person to do it, but whatever.¡± She leaned forward in her seat. ¡°So, do you want to learn or not?¡±
¡°Yes, of course! Please go on,¡± Dario urged.
¡°Alright, so the reason us supes can do what we do is quite simple. It¡¯s because our bodies are capable of absorbing World Energy.¡±
¡°What¡¯s World Energy?¡±
¡°Nobody truly knows what it is, but it''s everywhere and seems to be some sort of passive ambient energy. According to historians and archivists, there was a period of time when this energy didn¡¯t exist. Back then, everyone was normal and animals were just animals, and there were no such things as monsters or supes. That bygone period is what we now call the Mundane Era.¡±
¡°I assume something changed that made things the way they are now.¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Miss Aimee nodded. ¡°One day, something which we call ¡®The Inception¡¯ happened, and World Energy was brought into existence. It happened one thousand eighty-six years ago and is what we base our calendar on.¡±
¡°What was The Inception?¡± he asked.
¡°Nobody really knows except for maybe a few people, but all we know is that it drastically changed the world as we knew it. The most significant change was the introduction of World Energy.¡± Miss Aimee stood up and walked over to a nearby jug before pouring herself a cup of water. ¡°World Energy changed not just us, but animals and plants as well. It mutated them and made them something more, something superior, as we like to call it.¡±
¡°So that¡¯s what makes supes the way they are?¡±
¡°Yes, most humans are generally incapable of absorbing World Energy, but supes are the few that can. We absorb it passively over time, and sometime between the onset of puberty and complete physical maturity, we manifest as Superior. It enhances us in literally every way.¡±
¡°That¡¯s fascinating,¡± Dario remarked for what felt like the hundredth time today. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t understand why there¡¯s such a wide variety of powers between people when we all get them the same way. Is everyone just different when it comes to that?¡±
¡°The specifics are unknown, but generally, it¡¯s believed that one¡¯s personality or frame of mind throughout their life influences what powers you get when you manifest. For example, consider someone who¡¯s been continuously hurt during their upbringing and has developed a strong emotional exterior. Perhaps they evolve into a supe with some kind of protective ability, that¡¯s one possibility. Keep in mind that manifestation is still considered supernatural and impossible to really analyze.¡±
¡°This is a lot to take in,¡± Dario muttered.
¡°That¡¯s alright, every supe had to learn this at some point. As your examiner, I¡¯m here to inform you of the basics and answer all your questions during our time together,¡± Miss Aimee restated.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
Dario stood up and paced around while ruminating on the things he learned. As a new Superior, it was important to know as much as possible, and if he wanted to be the adventuring type, he had to learn more.
¡°Is there anyway to force a manifestation, or predict whether someone has the potential to manifest? Like, make it happen earlier or something? I could only imagine how many more supes we¡¯d have on hand if we could do something like that.¡±
¡°So far, in the thousand plus years we¡¯ve been around, we haven¡¯t been able to do so. Or perhaps the method has been discovered somewhere, but whoever knows how is keeping it a secret. However, it is consistent as, like I said, it happens sometime between the onset of puberty and full maturity. We have no way of finding out who has the potential of being a supe before their actual manifestation.¡± Miss Aimee took a drink from her cup. ¡°Any other questions?¡±
¡°Yeah, I have one,¡± Dario said, noticing a discrepancy. ¡°If it happens sometime between puberty and full maturity like you said, and it happens consistently in that time period, why are we told early in life that you¡¯re either already born showing supe powers or not at all? You just said that it¡¯s not possible to know before maturing.¡±
¡°Ah, yes,¡± Miss Aimee muttered as she twirled the contents of her cup. ¡°We used to make the truth public knowledge a couple centuries ago, but tensions started to rise when people weren¡¯t gaining powers at the expected ages while others did. Add in the fact that manifestation is a shortcut to good looks and beauty, well, let¡¯s just say that there was a lot of resentment back then leading to some¡ incidents.¡±
She took another sip of her drink before putting it down to do some arm stretches.
¡°Needless to say, we put out the info that manifestation happens at a really young age and that if you didn¡¯t show powers as a child, then you simply weren¡¯t a supe. We usually just claim anydiscrepancies as anomalies since supes are extremely rare anyways. A binding contract with certain... conditions also help." She shrugged with indifference. "It¡¯s easier to place the disappointment and possible resentment early on in life, so it has less impact and fades by the time someone is a functioning member of society. So far, it¡¯s worked.¡±
Dario hummed in thought. ¡°I see... set expectations low so you won¡¯t be disappointed, but if it does happen, you feel amazing¡ª ecstatic even,¡± he murmured, nodding as he recollected his own experience. ¡°Is it inheritable? Like, from parent to child, can someone become a supe from having supe parents? I only ask ¡®cause my mother¡¯s a supe.¡±
¡°That¡¯s somewhat the case,¡± Miss Aimee confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s true that the children of two supes are more likely to be capable of absorbing World Energy, but the child of a supe and a normal person has no significant difference in potential from one born of two normal parents. It¡¯s one of the many reasons why supes tend to marry among each other.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Dario said with creased brows. ¡°I never knew my father so I don¡¯t know if my powers are a result of having two supe parents. Ah well, my mother is supe enough for the both of them.¡±
¡°On the topic of breeding supes, have you ever heard of the Kingdom of Erumon?¡± Miss Aimee asked rather abruptly.
¡°The kingdom up north? What about them?¡± He had heard of a reclusive kingdom in the forests far up north, but he didn¡¯t know much.
¡°At one point in history, a group of supes who thought very highly of themselves and their good looks collectively decided to only breed amongst themselves. After a while they separated from the rest of society and formed their own community. There may have been inbreeding involved to keep the lines pure. Can you guess what happened?¡± Miss Aimee quizzed.
¡°I don¡¯t know, their children became even more enhanced supes?¡± Dario guessed.
¡°Not quite.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Somehow, instead of making them more and more powerful, they slowly lost their abilities. Over time, they were completely without powers. The upside was that their physical bodies were completely reformed to become more beautiful and attractive compared to us normal humans, even growing pointy ears.¡± She placed her index fingers next to her ears and pointed outwards. ¡°They lived a lot longer, grew slightly stronger, and more agile than your average person. In a way, they became a completely different race. It¡¯s a sentiment they shared as they renamed themselves to Elves rather than Humans.¡±
¡°Why Elves?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe ¡®cause they only care about thems-elves. Damn stuck up inbred pricks, they¡¯re a bunch of useless bastards,¡± she muttered. From the annoyed look on her face, Dario guessed that she had some kind of grudge against them.
¡°So, what you¡¯re telling me is that it¡¯s dangerous to focus on marrying and having children with supes only?¡± Dario asked.
¡°What? No man, love who you wanna love. I just thought it was a cool fun-fact,¡± she cheerfully replied.
¡°Ugh, well thanks for that random bit of trivia then.¡±
¡°No problem.¡± Miss Aimee smiled. ¡°It¡¯s important to know just in case you run into one of them. Just remember that they don¡¯t have any powers and only have enhanced physiques. Their average citizen is only at about Physique 2, but their society¡¯s version of supes are much higher.¡±
¡°Physique 2, what¡¯s that?¡± Dario questioned while scratching his head. ¡°I heard the guards from before talking about it, I think one of them said he had Physique 4 or something. What does that mean?¡±
¡°There are twelve Power Classifications for supes,¡± Miss Aimee informed him. ¡°Most supes only possess one or two unique classifications, but Physique is one that every supe has. A Physique of 1 means that you only have enhanced physical looks and nothing else. A number higher than that means you have physical and slight mental enhancements. This includes improvements to existing senses. The higher the number, the higher the degree of enhancement.¡±
¡°Oh, in that case, I wonder what my Physique is at,¡± Dario pondered aloud while staring at his hands.
¡°Well, this is an exam after all, so let¡¯s find out, shall we?¡±
¡°Alright, so what do I¡ª¡±
The last thing Dario experienced before flying through the air was feeling pain in his gut while hearing Miss Aimee¡¯s manic laughter.
Chapter 7 - Aptitude Test
Dario flew for two whole seconds before landing on the ground several meters away with a grunt of pain. Dario¡¯s instincts honed through years of schoolyard scraps and back alley brawls forced his muscles to attempt some kind of roll to salvage his fall. His efforts weren¡¯t in vain as he was somehow able to avoid injuring himself any further. He rolled to a stop before lying on his back to take a deep breath.
Disoriented and swimming in pain, he put all his effort into trying to stand up. He¡¯d learned early on that staying on the ground was asking for a death sentence, especially against multiple opponents. Fortunately, there was only one adversary, but that didn¡¯t ease his worries a single bit.
With a groan of exertion, he managed to drag himself to his feet, albeit rather shakily. Somewhere in front of him, he heard soft chuckling.
¡°Hmm, impressive.¡±
Looking up, Dario saw Miss Aimee slowly and casually walking towards him with a predatory smile on her face. She almost seemed to have completely changed in attitude and bearing.
¡°Most people immediately puke when I hit them like that, but you took it like a champ, and you¡¯re even still somewhat standing! That¡¯s quite an impressive feat,¡± she praised. ¡°Your Physique must be fairly decent to handle that, or you have a good Defender score. How much punishment can you take, I wonder...?¡±
¡°That, wasn¡¯t fair,¡± Dario gasped. It was all he could do to stop himself from throwing up. ¡°You could, hah, at least warn me.¡±
¡°If life were fair, then we wouldn¡¯t need supes to go out and fight in the wilds now would we?¡± the pale, tattooed beauty patronized. ¡°Monsters can attack at any time, regardless of whether or not you¡¯re ready. Take this to heart Dario, it¡¯s a lesson that will serve you well.¡± She stopped a few feet in front of him with her hands on her hips. ¡°Nonetheless, you responded well to that surprise attack, even when it came from a supposed ally. You have good instincts so, as a reward, I''ll give you a few seconds reprieve before we continue.¡±
¡°Continue!?¡± Dario coughed.
¡°Of course,¡± she confirmed, spreading out her arms. ¡°This is my favorite part of the exam after all, can¡¯t let it finish in just a few seconds.¡± She leaned forward with an impish grin on her face. ¡°Unless you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯re the kinda guy who can only last so long.¡±
Oh, she was one of those types. Luckily, Dario had dealt with those kind of women his entire life. In fact, most of the adult women he knew of were like that now that he thought about it. They were always coy or playful, but ultimately underestimated you. In this case, that was good news. If she wanted a fight, he¡¯d give her one.
¡°Why don¡¯t you come closer and show me how long you can last then,¡± Dario retorted with as confident a smile he could muster. ¡°We can compare who has better stamina afterwards, but I¡¯ll have to warn you, I tend to outlast my opponents.¡± Thankfully, there was actually some truth to his blustering as he could feel his body quickly recovering.
¡°Mmm, I like a guy with confidence,¡± Miss Aimee chuckled. ¡°Makes breaking them a lot funner.¡±
As she approached, Dario subtly reached behind him and felt around the pieces of metal equipment he was leaning on to look for something to use. This was an experienced Superior he was up against, so a straight up fight would probably be pointless. He wasn¡¯t averse to using weapons, even against women, but this particular one seemed especially bloodthirsty. His next course of action was most likely a desperate gamble.
During his search, he feigned weakness by stumbling around and holding a hand to his stomach.
¡°Wait, wait, wait! I¡¯m still a bit dizzy, can you help steady me a bit first?¡± Dario asked as he took a firm grip on something long, heavy, and metallic behind him. It seemed to be some kind of metallic rod or staff.
Miss Aimee rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°Really now? Didn¡¯t I tell you that you won¡¯t get any rest when you¡¯re fighting in the wilds? I thought you said that you had better stamina than-¡±Stolen story; please report.
With a burst of speed, Dario swung the metal staff in a horizontal arc aiming straight at his opponent¡¯s midriff. He figured that aiming for her center would reduce the chances of her avoiding it by ducking or jumping over it. If he was fast enough, he could capitalize on the moment and move into another attack.
That was the plan at least.
Unfortunately for Dario, the staff he grabbed was shorter than expected and Miss Aimee was easily able to dodge it by taking a quick step back out of range. Without any hesitation, Dario moved forward with both hands on his makeshift weapon and immediately swung a flurry of blows in an attempt to keep his surprise advantage. He had little experience with using a staff as a weapon but he figured he could at least land one solid hit.
Expectations met reality in a disappointing way as not only did Miss Aimee dodge every swing, she also did so with an amused smile on her face and arms crossed the entire time.
¡°I assume this is your first time handling something so long and thick, huh?¡± Miss Aimee mocked, a wide grin on her face.
He ignored her jibe and focused on keeping up his attacks. After half a minute of Dario wildly flailing and missing as she repeatedly jabbed him with painful counterblows, he finally realized his efforts were futile. He really should have taken up his neighbour¡¯s offer of Bo Staff handling lessons...
Eventually, he slowed down and backed off in order to reassess the situation.
¡°What¡¯s the matter boy? Can¡¯t keep it up?¡±
¡°Just needed a quick breather, something I¡¯m sure your partners hear a lot,¡± Dario quipped back while panting. The punches he took during their exchange really took their toll on him. He had to end this fast.
His opponent laughed as they both began to circle each other.
¡°It¡¯s refreshing you know, having someone to banter with like this. Most people are so stuck up and prudish. All the newbies I¡¯ve met are always so formal and professional with me, it gets boring very quickly.¡± Miss Aimee smiled cheerfully. ¡°This is a nice change of pace, and one I hope you can keep up with.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll try my best m''am.¡± Dario focused and bent his knees at a slight angle in preparation for his next desperate gamble. Just like before with the guard, he began to channel energy into his body, his legs specifically.
¡°M¡¯am? I¡¯m not that old, newbie. I¡¯ve still got many years ahead of me and many more partners to go through, I¡¯d say.¡± She pouted, looking annoyed.
¡°I¡¯m sure you do, but until then, you¡¯d have to handle me first,¡± Dario said just as he threw the metal staff towards her, aiming for her knees. It went flying slightly off course and was easily dodged, but he paid it no attention as it wasn¡¯t his main goal.
The ground cracked the moment Dario pushed off with all his strength, determinedly sprinting towards the bald femme fatale. Miss Aimee reacted quickly, but Dario reckoned he was just a little bit faster, and there was no way for her to avoid his attack. The aim in his rush was to tackle her to the ground and bring her into a grapple, as he had more experience with grappling than stick-fighting. It was most likely his best chance of actually winning.
Sadly, luck was not on his side as he clumsily slipped on the very same staff he had used against her. Somehow, it had bounced back from where it veered off course and landed in his path, directly by his feet. Fortunately, his momentum carried him forward, albeit at a much lower speed. Continuing with the plan anyway, Dario tried to grab her as soon as she came within reach.
Miss Aimee was annoyingly calm during this short time span and simply moved backwards in line with his movements. She brought her leg forward and kneed Dario in the face, breaking his nose and knocking his head backwards.
In a display of astonishing acrobatic maneuvers and superior agility, she grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground before flipping over his body and landing gracefully on the other side, unblemished.
¡°Not bad, newbie. I give it a six out of ten, but A for effort,¡± Miss Aimee said, her hand on chin with a contemplative look on her face. ¡°You¡¯re quite fast, and you threw that staff pretty hard.¡± She looked down at the ground nearby where Dario cracked the surface. ¡°You also cracked the floor, so you¡¯re pretty strong too. Don¡¯t worry about damaging anything though, you¡¯re not liable for anything that goes on in this room,¡± she said, smiling with amusement at the innuendo. ¡°I¡¯d say your Physique level is at the very least C-tier, like a 5 or something. And maybe you have some levels in Traveler as well.¡±
Dario groaned and turned over onto his back while nursing his bloody nose. ¡°Is that good?¡±
¡°Yes, very good, it¡¯s way above average for a newbie for sure.¡± She frowned in thought as she stared at the dark haired teenager on the ground. ¡°You must have some levels in Defender too if you were able to withstand all that. Even normal C-Tier Physique wouldn¡¯t prevent you from passing out by now.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve always had great stamina,¡± Dario panted as he slowly and shakily stood up. ¡°I¡¯m told It¡¯s one of my few redeeming qualities.¡± He grinned and winked at Miss Aimee.
¡°Cute.¡± The corners of her lips twitched upwards. ¡°That would be more effective if your face wasn¡¯t covered in blood, though.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Dario sheepishly rubbed his face, catching some blood on his hands. ¡°Damn it.¡±
Miss Aimee shook her head and chuckled. ¡°Maybe next time.¡±
Chapter 8 - Power Classified
There was a brief period of silence where the two individuals mutually agreed to rest.
Dario tried wiping the blood off his face, but after a few moments of trying and failing to do so, Miss Aimee finally took pity on him.
¡°Here,¡± she said, gesturing to a nearby wall. The tall, bald beauty walked over to a sink off to the side and turned on the faucet¡¯s running water. ¡°Clean yourself up.¡±
¡°You sure I should clean up now? What if I get bloody and dirty all over again?¡± Despite his words, Dario walked over and started washing his face.
Thankfully, he could once again sense his body quickly healing itself. His headache and bruises seemed to be fading away remarkably fast. He could even feel some broken bones move themselves back in place. It almost made his beatdown worth it just to know how much damage he could heal from. Almost.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m done pounding into you.¡± She grinned at Dario¡¯s groan. ¡°Seriously though, normally I¡¯d play around with my examinees a lot longer, but you really got into it, and straight away too. You¡¯re probably the only one I¡¯ve had who¡¯s put up so much fight and the one who¡¯s taken so much damage so quickly. Most people just fall over and beg for the Status Band instead.¡±
Dario froze in his tracks.
¡°Status Band? Like that thing all supes have?¡±
Dario and anyone who was anyone knew of Status Bands. All supes had it and usually wore it somewhere visual on their body to denote their Superior status. He personally knew of several women who had them, but they never let him near theirs. Even his mother had one.
¡°Yes, it¡¯s not just for decoration, you know. It¡¯s how us supes keep track of progression in our power classes,¡± she lectured. ¡°It tells us our stats and whatnot.¡±
¡°Do you mean to tell me that I didn¡¯t have to go through all that ass whooping to know my power stats?¡± Dario asked dumbfoundedly. ¡°That was an option!?¡±
¡°Well, yes, but that¡¯s the boring way right?¡± The bald demoness laughed as Dario fumed. ¡°Not to worry though, it wasn¡¯t all for naught. In order to be able to see your status on the Band, your body has to have World Energy circulating within for the device to scan and assess. Most newbies can¡¯t do it on command, but after our short exercise, your body is definitely flowing with your own unique World Energy by now.¡± She then looked up at the ceiling and spoke aloud as if calling out to someone. ¡°All we need now is a Status Band to use!¡±
The door to the room suddenly opened and in walked a pale skinned young woman about the same age as Dario, and of similar height. She had familiar smokey eyes with amber irises, but unlike Miss Aimee, she had no facial tattoos and had long white hair that faded to black as it reached the tips, the sides braided and dreaded.
What she did share with Miss Aimee was the same distinctive fashion sense. The young woman wore tight leather pants and a sleeveless black shirt along with some kind of tool belt on her waist. In her hand was an identifiable hexagonal object the color of gold. It was clearly a Status Band.
¡°Right on time, and Lin sent you of all people? This is quite a treat,¡± Miss Aimee said cheerfully.
¡°Ms. Psylink had me waiting outside the door for a couple minutes,¡± the girl said sourly as she approached. ¡°Said that I needed to have perfect timing.¡±
¡°Yes, our illustrious Guild Master does love her little jokes,¡± Miss Aimee chuckled. ¡°I think she just enjoys peeking in on everything. She¡¯s actually a closeted pervert, did you know that? There was this one time where- ow, ow, okay I¡¯m sorry.¡± She clutched her head with a wince.
Dario simply looked on in wonder.
Ms. Psylink was the Guild Master? If that was the case, then he really hoped he had put on a good first impression. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had probably looked like an idiot during their interactions. Wait, could she hear everything he was thinking? Best not to think about it, or anything incriminating. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.
All of a sudden, a wave of calmness came over him and he felt at ease.
¡°Relax kid,¡± Dario heard the familiar voice of Psylink echoing within. ¡°I don¡¯t look into other people¡¯s heads unless they¡¯re screaming their thoughts or pumping out anxiety like you are, so just¡ relax.¡±
Dario took a deep breath and exhaled with a feeling of contentment. He certainly did feel calmer after whatever she did to him, yet in the back of his mind, he still felt a bit wary of her ability to just force him to calm down like that. The fact that she did it from some imperceptible, unknown, distant location made it even more terrifying. What else was she really capable of? Dario shook his head and tried not to think about it.
The teenaged girl rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation. She looked around and coughed to get everyone¡¯s attention. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
¡°Anyways, I¡¯m here because everyone else was too busy to fetch the new guy a Band, and I wanted to give you something before you left for the Wildlands again,¡± the girl said before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small black metal ball. ¡°Here, take this.¡±
¡°What is it?¡± Miss Aimee asked, rubbing her aching forehead as she took the small object.
¡°I finished making it this morning. It¡¯s a specialized smoke bomb attuned to whoever puts their blood into this small hole, see?¡± She pointed to a small crevice in the device. ¡°Any supe attuned to it can see through the smoke like it¡¯s not there. It has a ten meter radius, and takes about twelve hours to recharge, so use it carefully.¡±
¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you! Thank you!¡± Miss Aimee reached forward and hugged the shorter girl in a tight bear hug that lifted her off her feet.
¡°Alright, okay, you¡¯re welcome. Put me down now please,¡± the girl groaned in embarrassment.
Once she was placed back down on the ground, she turned towards Dario and handed him the golden hexagon shaped object.
¡°Here¡¯s your Status Band, just put it against any part of your body and press these two buttons at the same time.¡± She pointed towards two small buttons on the sides, opposite each other. ¡°Straps will come out of it to form a loop around whatever you place them on. Just press the buttons again to release.¡±
Dario placed the device on his forearm and pressed the two buttons. Immediately, two black strips with intricate golden engravings emerged from the object and formed a seamless loop around his arm. The metal of the device itself seemed to bend and conform perfectly to where it lay on his skin.
¡°That¡¯s pretty cool, I always wondered if these things did anything special,¡± he said in awe. ¡°Is just about anyone able to wear this?¡±
¡°No,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Status Bands are made by Artificers, like me, and have specialized traits. They only work on supes and can only be taken off by the user it¡¯s synchronized with. They¡¯re also extremely durable, but I recommend you don¡¯t test that. They can be pretty expensive to replace.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll be taking good care of it,¡± Dario said absentmindedly. He had always wanted one of those, and having one in his possession felt like holding a priceless treasure. It was a symbol of his childhood ambitions and meant a lot to him.
¡°Okay, any other questions before I go?¡± the young woman asked him.
¡°Hmm.¡± There were a few questions he wanted to ask, like¡ªWhat was an Artificer? How was she one of them? How did they make the Status Bands? There were many reasonable questions he could have asked, but for some reason, he chose none of them. ¡°Is your hair real?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Your hair,¡± Dario repeated. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that coloring before, pure white fading to black at the tips. It¡¯s really unique,¡± he remarked.
¡°Thank you, and yes, it¡¯s real. It¡¯s a genetic thing, everyone in my family has white hair that fades to black over time.¡± She placed her hands on her hips and gave a cocky smirk. ¡°No one else outside my family has it. It¡¯s completely unique to my tribe.¡±
¡°Even I have it,¡± Miss Aimee chimed in. ¡°You may not see it since I¡¯m bald and I have dark eyebrows, but my hair starts out white.¡±
Hearing this, Dario couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to prove that white is your natural hair color you know,¡± he told the older woman.
The girl looked at him in horrified disgust.
¡°Oh? You want to see if the carpet match the drapes, hmm? Perhaps I should show you.¡± Miss Aimee grinned. It was a bit nonsensical as she had no ¡®drapes¡¯ to speak of, but everyone knew what was implied.
¡°Mom! Please, stop. Not while I¡¯m around at least, that¡¯s just gross.¡± The young woman scrunched her nose in revulsion.
Miss Aimee laughed and placed her hand on the girl¡¯s hair, rubbing it back and forth. ¡°I¡¯m just joking around Deja, you know I like messing with people.¡±
Deja, the young woman, rolled her eyes as she pried her mother¡¯s hand off her head. ¡°Yes, and people wonder where I learned my shenanigans from.¡±
Meanwhile, Dario was stunned to find out that Miss Aimee was actually a mother! What¡¯s more, she was a mother old enough to have a kid around his own age! It shocked him as he had initially thought the two were sisters. It was hard to believe considering how Miss Aimee looked like she was in her late twenties at most. It made their past interactions seem a bit weird, but strangely enough, he¡¯d had worse. A Superior¡¯s vitality was truly an astounding feat of nature.
¡°It¡¯s part of our charm dear, it makes us memorable.¡±
¡°Whatever, anyways I gotta go now and work on some other stuff. I¡¯ll see you later, alright?¡±
¡°Wait!¡± Miss Aimee grabbed Deja¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see what this newbie¡¯s power classes are?¡±
The younger woman sighed. ¡°Do I have to?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to, but it¡¯s always good to know what your peers are capable of.¡±
After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Deja acquiesced. ¡°Fine,¡± she said, rolling her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t I get a say in this?¡± Dario asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°No,¡± they both replied at the same time.
¡°Ouch, double teamed by two women, how could I possibly resist?¡± Dario asked amusingly.
¡°Ookay Mister Suave, just place your finger in the center here and hold it there until it starts glowing,¡± Miss Aimee instructed.
Dario could think of several innuendos to respond with, but he decided to simply follow instructions.
Dario placed his finger on the center of the hexagonal Status Band, right in the middle of twelve different symbols arranged in a circle. Each symbol had three or four letters above them, most likely denoting the different power classifications. After a few seconds, some of the symbols began glowing with numbers inside each of them.
¡°Hmm, Defender level 4, that¡¯s pretty good,¡± Miss Aimee praised as she peeked over Dario¡¯s shoulder. She was probably talking about the number 4 glowing in the shield symbol with the letters DEF over it.
¡°That¡¯s better than mine,¡± Deja mumbled.
¡°Huh, only a Physique of 3 though. That¡¯s quite a bit lower than I expected based on your performance in our little spar,¡± Miss Aimee noted. ¡°There has to be something else that could explain it. Move your finger, I think there¡¯s another symbol glowing.¡±
Dario moved his finger, and sure enough, there was a third and final symbol glowing. It was the number 3 glowing in the middle of a circular serpent eating its own tail. Above it were the letters, ASS.
Dario chuckled at the absurdity of the newly revealed symbol.
¡±Apparently, I¡¯m an ASS, a level 3 ASS to be more precise.¡± He turned to look at the two ladies beside him, expecting amused expressions. Instead, he was met with shocked faces, paler than their usual complexion.
¡°Assimilator 3,¡± the older woman muttered. ¡°Oh, fuck.¡±
¡°Well, shit,¡± Deja agreed. ¡°You¡¯re fucked, dude.¡±
Chapter 9 - State Secrets
¡°What do you mean I¡¯m fucked?¡±
¡°I really didn¡¯t expect this when I woke up this morning,¡± Miss Aimee groaned, shaking her head. ¡°There¡¯s a lot you need to know before we move forward.¡±
¡°Are you sure we should tell him?¡± Deja asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°You weren¡¯t even supposed to tell me, mom.¡±
¡°It¡¯s the least we could do,¡± her mom shrugged. ¡°And if he survives even just a little bit longer, then I count that as a win in my book.¡±
¡°Ahem, excuse me,¡± Dario interjected. ¡°I¡¯m right here you know, and I can hear everything you¡¯re saying.¡±
The mother-daughter duo glanced at each other before turning back towards Dario.
¡°Right. Anyways, as I mentioned before, you¡¯re in a bit of trouble,¡± Miss Aimee said.
¡°Yes, I figured that was the case,¡± Dario sarcastically replied. ¡°I just want to know why I¡¯m in trouble. Is it because I¡¯m this¡ª what was it you called me earlier?¡±
¡°An Assimilator,¡± Deja helpfully replied.
¡°Yes, that. What does me being an Assimilator have to do with anything?¡±
¡°Well...¡± Miss Aimee sighed. ¡°Of all the Power Classifications, Assimilator is the rarest.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Dario blinked. ¡°That¡¯s a good thing right?¡± All this talk of trouble and foreshadowed doom had him feeling nervous.
¡°It¡¯s both good and bad, but generally bad in the long term.¡± Miss Aimee looked around and walked over to a nearby table. ¡°Come, let¡¯s sit down for this, it¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± She pulled out a chair and looked at her daughter still standing by Dario. ¡°You can leave if you want now, Deja.¡±
¡°And miss this?¡± she asked, an expression of intrigue on her face. ¡°No way, absolutely not. This is a once in a lifetime sort of thing, and I get front row seats to the start of it all.¡± She cheerfully skipped to the table and took a seat.
Miss Aimee shook her head in exasperation and sat down. She patted one of the empty chairs and gestured towards Dario. ¡°Well?¡±
Dario shook himself out of his stupor and walked over to stand by the chair. ¡°This isn¡¯t about anything world ending right?¡± he hesitatingly asked.
¡°No, of course not.¡± Miss Aimee paused. ¡°It¡¯s probably not,¡± she corrected.
¡°Alright.¡± Dario put aside any lingering fears and sat down with a determined expression. ¡°Hit me with it.¡±
Deja punched him in the shoulder in response.
¡°Ow, really?¡± Dario asked with a twitch in his eye.
¡°Couldn¡¯t help it.¡± She grinned without remorse. ¡°And you need to lighten up, you¡¯re gonna need it for this.¡±
Before Dario could respond, Miss Aimee cleared her throat to grab their attention.
¡°Children please, this is serious business.¡±
Once she had their attention, she turned to Dario and looked at him with a solemn expression. Her entire demeanor changed and nothing in her countenance showed even a hint of her previously flirty nature.
¡°For you to understand why you being an Assimilator is a bad thing, you first have to understand why us supes go out and fight monsters in the first place.¡±
¡°Because if we didn¡¯t, then we, humanity that is, would be in a lot of trouble, right?¡± Dario asked.
¡°While that is a big reason, it¡¯s not the only one.¡± Miss Aimee took a deep breath before exhaling. ¡°The other main reason is much more selfish. In fact, it¡¯s the reason most supes go out and take a shift as a Vanguard in the first place.¡±
¡°What¡¯s a Vanguard?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not important right now.¡± Miss Aimee waved her hand dismissively.
¡°Vanguards are supes who take on the role of culling out growing threats in the Wildlands,¡± Deja chimed in. ¡°It¡¯s one of the more higher paying jobs if you decide to work for the Guild.¡±
¡°Deja, please.¡± Her mother facepalmed. ¡°Let me finish.¡±
¡°Right, I¡¯ll be quiet now.¡± She mimed zipping her lips, and leaned back to place her feet on the table. ¡°It¡¯s weird seeing her in school teacher mode,¡± she whispered to Dario.
¡°As I was saying, supes go out in the Wildlands for one simple reason.¡± She lifted a single finger in his direction. ¡°And that¡¯s because it¡¯s the best way of improving and evolving our powers.¡±
¡°Powers can evolve?¡± Dario asked incredulously. If that was the case, then maybe he could improve his own dismally simple power set.
Miss Aimee nodded. ¡°Yes, and killing monsters is generally the best way of doing it.¡±
Dario leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. ¡°How does killing monsters evolve our powers, and what¡¯s that got anything to do with me being fucked?¡±
¡°Hold on, I¡¯m getting there, let me build up to it,¡± she chided. ¡°First, let me ask you something. Where do you think the World Energy inside a living being goes, when a supe or monster dies? Do you think it just disappears, never to be seen again?¡± She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. ¡°No, it never goes away, and it can¡¯t be destroyed either. So, I ask again, where does it go?¡±
¡°It goes back into the environment,¡± Dario reasoned.
¡°Yes, and no,¡± Miss Aimee corrected. ¡°You see, when World Energy has been in a person or a living being for so long, it tends to¡ for lack of a better word, ¡®desire¡¯ being in a live container.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s sentient?¡± Dario raised both eyebrows.
¡°Not exactly, but for our purposes, we¡¯ll say it is. Now, because of its need to be in a live host, as soon as a monster dies, the World Energy inside it explodes outwards and tries to integrate with nearby sources of life. Preferably one that already contains large amounts of energy similar to it.¡±
¡°What do you mean energy similar to it?¡±
¡°Over the centuries, we¡¯ve discovered that World Energy actually has twelve different constituents. Each one is unique and provides different effects. This is where we get our Power Classifications from,¡± Miss Aimee lectured.
In the corner of his eye, Dario saw Deja yawning with a hand to her mouth. This was probably old news to her, but it was a treasure trove of new information for him, so he gave the impromptu lesson his full attention.
¡°Let¡¯s take us for example. Both you and I have all twelve forms of World Energy.¡± She gestured towards Dario and herself. ¡°But each person can only utilize certain types, so you end up having a much higher concentration in those Energy types compared to the others.¡± She pointed at him. ¡°You have higher levels in what we dub as Assimilator, Defense, and the standard Physique. I, on the other hand, have more in the Manipulator and Diviner subtypes rather than Assimilator.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Dario quickly saw where she was going with the topic. ¡°And because World Energy has these traits, supes go out and kill monsters to absorb what¡¯s released from the corpses, thus increasing their own pools of World Energy. The more of it we have in our bodies, the more likely our powers evolve?¡±
¡°Precisely,¡± she confirmed with a satisfied smile. ¡°Luckily for us, each of the twelve types of World Energy converts into the most abundant subtypes in its new host during absorption, albeit at a very inefficient rate, with the excess that wasn¡¯t converted bleeding back into the environment. Because of this, we can go out and kill literally any monster and still gain progression in our specific power classes, regardless of whether or not they have similar Energy subtypes as us.¡±
¡°Is this getting closer to the part which concerns my wellbeing?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Miss Aimee solemnly nodded. ¡°The rate of Energy conversion is much less efficient the more powerful you are, and killing random monsters will only give you diminishing returns after a certain point.¡± She leaned forward and steepled her hands together. ¡°At some point, you will have to focus on killing beings that have the same Energy subtypes as you if you want to continue developing your powers.¡±
¡°Does that mean what I think it means?¡± Dario asked with a pale face.
¡°It is unfortunate, but there are those who will hunt down fellow supes with similar powers, or at least be nearby when they''re in near-death situations,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°There are strict regulations against this, but that doesn¡¯t stop some people from occasionally trying.¡±
¡°Great, just great.¡± Dario slumped down in his chair and laid his head on the table. ¡°And because I have the rarest classification or Energy subtype, I¡¯ll be in really high demand.¡±
¡°Not quite,¡± Miss Aimee rectified. ¡°I meant it when I said that Assimilator is the rarest power class. I could count on one hand all the Assimilator supes that are alive today in the entire world. The most recent one was born nearly a century ago.¡±
¡°Okay, so it¡¯s not so bad then, right?¡± Dario asked with hope in his eyes. ¡°There will only be a few people who might be interested in murdering me, and they¡¯re all old geezers by now.¡± He snapped his fingers and pointed at Miss aimee. ¡°And like you said, there are rules against killing fellow supes for power, so I have some protection,¡± he reassured himself. ¡°That¡¯s not so bad. I think that¡¯s manageable.¡±
¡°Do you know who the Assimilator that was born most recently is?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°No¡¡±
¡°He¡¯s the current reigning sovereign of the Arogard Kingdom, of which you and I are citizens.¡± She smiled humorlessly. ¡°He is our King, and way above the authority of any regulations. I assure you that he is far from the old geezer that you picture him to be.¡±
¡°...¡±
Miss Aimee continued, ¡°He was given the nickname ¡®The Bloody King¡¯ by the small minority who know of his abilities or have seen him in battle. The few classified reports of his battles state that he tends to act like a bloodthirsty killer whenever he¡¯s in combat. Most supes don¡¯t even know he¡¯s an Assimilator, due to his abilities being a state secret, but I happen to be privy to a lot of classified information.¡±
¡°...¡±
¡°In his free time, he likes to hunt down specific monsters that hold Assimilator Energy since he¡¯s hit a soft cap in power. He¡¯s reached a point where he can take on an entire legion of supes by himself.¡± She shrugged her shoulders helplessly. ¡°My sources tell me that he¡¯s the ruthless power hungry type.¡±
¡°...¡±
¡°He¡¯s also considered to be the weakest of the four known Assimilators alive today.¡± Miss Aimee tilted her head and looked up in thought. ¡°Although, technically, as the newest contender, you¡¯d be taking over that title. Congratulations, Dario.¡±
¡°...¡±
¡°Now you know why you¡¯re fucked,¡± Deja piped up with morbid amusement. ¡°I pray for the poor fools who get stuck in a team with you.¡±
They sat in silence as Dario took a few moments to process his latest predicament.
¡°Dario, are you alright?¡± Miss Aimee asked concernedly.
¡°I think his brain just melted,¡± her daughter said while using her hands to mimic liquids pouring out of Dario¡¯s ears.
¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Dario replied after a few seconds. He took a few calming breaths and rubbed his eyes before leaning back in his chair to look at the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, this is just another day in the life of Dario Sindred, moving from one shitshow to the next,¡± he said with a sigh of exaggerated melancholy. ¡°But that¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to it. I¡¯ve handled every shitty problem life dealt me so far, and I¡¯ll get past this one too.¡±
¡°I have to say, I expected you to be a bit more hysterical,¡± Miss Aimee admitted. ¡°I mean, being told that your future consisted of being hunted down by someone named The Bloody King would terrify most people, I think.¡±
¡°Well, when you put it that way¡¡± Dario muttered. ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t change anything. I¡¯ll deal with it when the time comes.¡± He sat up straighter in his chair and looked at the older woman with steely eyes. ¡°No one knows I¡¯m an Assimilator apart from you two right? Just don¡¯t tell anyone then. If he doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m like him, then he won¡¯t hunt me down, problem solved.¡±
Miss Aimee winced and said, ¡°Unfortunately, upon a new Status Band¡¯s first use, it sends a one-time, err, packet of information regarding the Power Classification of its user towards a central device known as the Registry. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s only a matter of time before the right people find out.¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Dario nodded in acceptance. ¡°Of course that¡¯s a thing.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry though, nobody really looks into or even cares about the Registry. It¡¯s only really used as a reference for which job offers a newly registered supe gets.¡± Miss Aimee snapped her fingers looking like she just remembered something. ¡°I happen to know the people in charge of that, and I don¡¯t think any of them are agents of the King, nor are they aware of his Assimilator status like you. It¡¯ll take a while for anyone who matters to find out, and if you stay incognito without causing any trouble, then no one will have reason to investigate you,¡± Miss Aimee assured.
¡°Right, everything is just peachy.¡±
¡°Look on the bright side, dude,¡± the white haired girl spoke up from beside him. ¡°You¡¯re an Assimilator, a supe with the literal rarest power of them all. You share the same power class as some of the most powerful people in the world. The possibilities are endless!¡± She spread her arms wide to accentuate her point.
¡°So, you two never explained this to me, but what exactly can an Assimilator do?¡± he asked.
¡°In general, it means that you can assimilate something,¡± Deja replied with a twitch of her lips.
¡°What does that even mean?¡±
¡°To Assimilate means to absorb and make part of you,¡± Miss Aimee responded. ¡°What that means when it pertains to you could be anything. Power Classifications are quite wide ranged when it comes to the specifics of a person¡¯s capabilities.¡±
¡°Once again, what does that mean?¡± Dario repeated.
¡°It means that you could be capable of absorbing any number of things, we just don¡¯t know yet,¡± Deja answered. ¡°Take the classification of Traveler for example,¡± she began to explain. ¡°It generally means powers that enhance a supe¡¯s capability of moving around. This could be anything from Super-Speed, to flight, teleportation, or even the ability to walk on water. The point is that Power Classifications only tell a supe¡¯s powers in the vaguest terms.¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± her mother agreed. ¡°The fact that Assimilator is extremely rare only makes it harder to guess what you can actually do. The best we can do is compare it to the few existing cases.¡±
¡°Alright, tell me what The Bloody King can do then, since he¡¯s an Assimilator like me.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve only seen him in battle once and what else I know of him I heard from other sources but¡ª¡± Miss Aimee looked off into the distance with her brows furrowed. ¡°His powers seem to revolve around absorbing emotions.¡±
¡°What kind of emotions?¡± Dario asked. He didn¡¯t even question how strange such an ability was and simply wanted to understand. It was always important to know one¡¯s future enemies after all.
¡°All of them, and he could pick and choose which to absorb at will,¡± the bald Superior replied. ¡°He would then use it to empower himself physically, in both strength and speed. The more emotions he absorbed, the more powerful and hulking he appeared. This ability seems to be the basic rundown of an Assimilator. They generally seem capable of absorbing some kind of abstract aspect and use it to empower themselves physically. Additionally, they can reutilize whatever it is they absorb. In this case, The Bloody King can project the emotions he consumed, outwards onto others.¡±
¡°Just how strong was he exactly?¡± her daughter asked with a curious expression. ¡°You never told me about any of this before, and he sounds like a badass.¡±
¡°Honestly? He could probably lift a small mountain,¡± her mother replied with certainty. ¡°He was nigh-invulnerable too, just tanking damage like it was nothing. And that¡¯s not even the most amazing thing too.¡±
¡°What could be more amazing than lifting a small mountain?¡± Dario incredulously asked.
¡°Well, imagine fighting alongside someone who can take away all your fears, all your anxiety, and just leave you with happiness and awe inspiring anger towards your enemies. It¡¯s one hell of a morale boost to your allies, that¡¯s for sure.¡± She chuckled in remembrance.
¡°Now, imagine being on the opposite end of that. Imagine fighting this indestructible war machine while you¡¯re filled with nothing but anxiety, and sheer panic-inducing fear. Nothing you do can change how you¡¯re feeling.¡± She shuddered in discomfort. ¡°And riding alongside him is an army of bloodthirsty, fearless troops, unafraid of injury or death ¡®cause they¡¯re so jacked up on happy juice that they don¡¯t feel pain. That is what fighting against The Bloody King is like.¡±
¡°And that¡¯s who you¡¯re up against,¡± Deja cheerfully told Dario with a grin.
In response, Dario simply sighed in acceptance before trying to show off a confident smirk of his own. It was more of an attempt to trick himself into feeling good than actual confidence, but they didn¡¯t know that.
¡°If he can lift a small mountain, then I guess I¡¯ll just have to get strong enough to lift an even bigger one, won¡¯t I?¡±
Chapter 10 - Plan of Action
The white-haired young woman let out a bellowing laugh, her mirth shaking a few dangling braids of hair.
¡°I like your style, dude.¡± Deja chuckled. ¡°Dario¡¯s your name right? You¡¯re a cool guy. Only a crazy person would think of challenging someone named The Bloody King.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice right?¡± Dario shrugged carelessly. ¡°It¡¯s either that or wait to be a pig for slaughter. If given a choice between dying or fighting, I¡¯d take the latter.¡±
¡°You could always just run away,¡± the girl mused. ¡°Go and hide somewhere to become a hermit or something.¡±
¡°What, like living off the lands?¡± he asked with an incredulous expression. ¡°You¡¯re saying I should go somewhere alone and build my own house, maybe even start a farm?¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a female hermit out there you could meet. You could start a family, maybe have a hermit job, have some hermit kids, the whole shebang.¡±
¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± Dario sarcastically agreed, nodding. ¡°In my free time, I could go read some hermit books, perhaps follow some hermit hobbies, and say hello to my hermit neighbours¡ª¡± He stared intently into her eyes, his own twinkling in hopeless mirth. ¡°And maybe when I run out of fresh water, I could just drink my own hermit urine while I¡¯m at it, because why the hell not, right?¡±
The two teenagers held a staring contest for all of two seconds before breaking off in crude snorts.
Off to the side, Miss Aimee held a palm to her face. ¡°While I¡¯m glad you two can make light of the situation, I do have to wonder what exactly you plan to do,¡± she questioned Dario.
After his chuckles subsided, he quickly became sombre and focused. ¡°Well, like I said, I have to get stronger in order to protect myself. I have to get at least as strong as the guy who¡¯s coming after me.¡±
¡°As strong as The Bloody King?¡± Deja asked with raised eyebrows.
¡°If I have to, yes,¡± he answered with determination.
¡°Actually, he likely won¡¯t leave the capital city to come after you, as he has a kingdom to run after all,¡± Miss Aimee said with a thoughtful expression. ¡°If anything, you¡¯re more likely to come across and face the agents who work for him.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Dario blinked at the information. ¡°Are his agents strong then?¡±
¡°They tend to be, yes.¡±
¡°Okay, so the plan is still the same. I have to get stronger,¡± Dario restated.
¡°And how do you plan on doing that?¡± Miss Aimee asked with a tilt of her head. Deja looked at him, equally curious.
¡°You said it before.¡± Dario smiled. ¡°All I have to do is go out and kill some monsters. Easy, right?¡±
Despite his words, Dario knew that it would be no simple task. He¡¯d only ever fought other people before and those were fairly scrappy fights. He had never even left the confines of the city, let alone seen an actual monster. However, he was always up for a challenge, and he considered himself a pretty good fighter. It was also enjoyable experiencing new things, and what could be more novel than going monster hunting?
¡°It¡¯s dangerous for a newbie to leave the city, even if there are only lower class threats around,¡± the older woman stated. ¡°Since you¡¯re a supe with your own Status Band now, you¡¯re technically allowed to leave the city, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend it.¡±
¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡± Dario asked in frustration.
She hummed in thought. ¡°Well... once you¡¯re fully registered, and after your information is looked at by our management, you¡¯ll be offered a job from the Guild. One of the options involve going out to exterminate monsters.¡±
¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Dario did remember being told this earlier. ¡°Vanguard, right?¡±
¡°Mhm,¡± Miss Aimee confirmed. ¡°You¡¯d be sent out to various places on the edge of human territory in need of help against incursions.¡±
¡°Alright, sign me up then,¡± Dario said eagerly.
¡°Not so fast.¡± She raised her hand, palm facing towards him. ¡°There¡¯s usually a seven day wait period before you get a job contract. Management needs time to sort through all the legal paperwork involved with bringing in a new supe, and they also have to look through your personal background, your history, and so on and so forth, blah, blah, blah.¡± Miss Aimee shook her head. ¡°I hate dealing with that stuff.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a wait period before supes get job offers?¡± The corner of Dario¡¯s eye twitched in annoyance. ¡°I thought I was done with job searching¡¡±
¡°This is still an organization Dario, and there has to be some form of order to all the chaos. This just happens to be one of them.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so bad about waiting,¡± Deja chimed in with a roll of her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just seven days of doing nothing but chilling. It¡¯s not like you¡¯d have to deal with period cramps the whole time or anything.¡±
¡°First of all, thank you for the imagery.¡± Dario shuddered. ¡°Secondly, I can¡¯t afford to waste any time. My supposed enemy¡¯s had almost a century to get stronger, and I won¡¯t catch up if I just sit around jacking off all day.¡±
¡°Well... masturbation is healthy for you,¡± Deja said with a thoughtful expression.
¡°...that¡¯s besides the point.¡± Dario ran a hand slowly down his face. ¡°I don¡¯t just want to get stronger... it¡¯s that I absolutely need to. I have to.¡± He looked at Miss Aimee and implored her, ¡°Can¡¯t you do something to make the wait time go faster? I want to get started right away.¡±
Miss Aimee stared at him with such intense focus that he almost ¡ª for a moment ¡ª thought she had psychic mind-reading powers like Psylink.
¡°If you¡¯re serious about this, then I¡¯ll see what I can do. I¡¯ll talk to management and try to get them to move faster.¡±
¡°Thank you, I¡¯d really appreciate that.¡±
The tall bald woman stood up from her chair. ¡°In the meantime, I urge you to wait before doing anything. Just relax and wait for a message from the Guild, okay? It will still probably take at least three days.¡±
¡°Sure. Wait three days for a job offer. Got it.¡± He stood up as well and began to stretch. ¡°Do you guys know where I live? How will you get a message to me?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Deja replied, pushing her chair back and standing up alongside him. ¡°Knowing Ms. Psylink, your address is probably already written down and listed somewhere.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
¡°She¡¯s not wrong,¡± her mother agreed with a smile. ¡°That old pervert can be a bit of a control freak,¡± she whispered surreptitiously. ¡°And, even if she didn¡¯t know your address, we have ways of finding people.¡±
¡°That''s... both reassuring, and terrifying,¡± Dario muttered.
¡°That¡¯s our motto.¡± Deja smirked.
¡°Come, we¡¯re done for today.¡± Miss Aimee led the group towards the door and headed out into the halls. ¡°Your examination is officially over.¡±
¡°Finally,¡± Dario groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to lie down and relax. I think you broke and displaced some of my bones earlier.¡±
Miss Aimee looked him up and down before adopting a flirtatious smile. ¡°You look perfectly fine and healthy to me. Do you need me to check your body for any bruises?¡±
Aaand, there she was, back to being her amorous self. She was a strange woman, true, but intriguing nonetheless.
¡°Mom, please.¡± Deja rolled her eyes at her smirking mother. ¡°You¡¯re a bit too old for him, I think.¡±
¡°Are you calling me ancient!?"Miss Aimee held a palm to her chest in faux indignation. "I feel hurt and betrayed.¡±
¡°Whatever, I¡¯m gonna go and tinker for a bit. I have some new ideas I want to test out.¡±
Before she could leave, Miss Aimee grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face Dario. ¡°Before you do that, could you escort Dario to the exit please? I need to head over to management to do what we discussed. Can¡¯t waste time after all.¡±
¡°Fine.¡± Deja sighed. ¡°Will I see you before you head back out?¡±
¡°Of course! I wouldn¡¯t ever miss saying goodbye.¡±
¡°Okay. Later then.¡± The younger woman turned with Dario in tow.
¡°Later!¡± Miss Aimee waved at their retreating forms. ¡°And, Dario!¡± she called out. ¡°Remember to stay out of trouble!¡±
Dario waved back before continuing to walk down the halls, following Deja.
For a few minutes, they traversed the various rooms and winding paths throughout the building in silence. Dario had a lot on his mind, so he understood his own lack of conversation, but Deja? He was surprised since she had seemed like a very cheerful and talkative girl earlier, but now she seemed subdued or distracted.
He looked at the young woman guiding him, and noticed that she was working on some kind of device in her hands.
¡°What¡¯s that you have there?¡± he asked.
¡°Just something I¡¯ve been working on for a while,¡± Deja muttered, her eyes glued to whatever was in her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get why the pressure angle won¡¯t match the others, even with the base cylinder being attuned to the Tellingbone gear." She brought the device closer to her face, prodding and poking it in various ways. "The pitch gears are equidistant with the tuning locks in place, so I don¡¯t understand why¡¡± she trailed off, muttering more nonsensical things.
¡°Riiight,¡± Dario drawled. ¡°I¡¯ll just leave you to it.¡±
Deja glanced up with a look of contrition. ¡°Oh right, sorry, I got a bit distracted,¡± she said with a sheepish grin. ¡°It¡¯s the curse of my power class. We can¡¯t help but think about the next best thing to make, or invent.¡±
¡°Your power class¡¡± Dario furrowed his brows. ¡°Ah, I remember. You said you were an Artificer, correct?¡±
¡°Mhm,¡± she absentmindedly responded. ¡°It¡¯s a rare class too, not as rare as yours of course, but definitely the most important.¡±
¡°Oh, really?¡± Dario asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°How exactly is your class the most important?¡±
She finally glanced up from inspecting her device and gave him a knowing smile.
¡°Look around you. Everything we have, all our infrastructure, all our creature comforts, it¡¯s all due to the contributions of an Artificer somewhere in history.¡±
She raised her hand and twirled it around, pointing at everything and adopting a lecturing pose.
¡°Society today was built on the backs of their innovations. While Artificers are capable of creating supernatural things, their most important contributions involved improving our quality of life. If it weren¡¯t for them, we wouldn¡¯t have sturdy roads, sewers, clean running water, or even toilets." She shrugged nonchalantly. "We¡¯d all be shitting in latrines or something, like back in the Mundane Era.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ interesting,¡± Dario admitted. ¡°But I doubt they¡¯re responsible for everything though.¡±
¡°Trust me, if you look back into something¡¯s history far enough, there was probably an Artificer involved in its creation at some point,¡± she said with certainty. ¡°They were all... geniuses, I guess you could say. It makes me a bit happy to be like them.¡±
¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re a genius too then?¡±
¡°Well... I¡¯d like to think so, but I haven¡¯t really done anything groundbreaking yet,¡± she muttered disheartedly. However, she quickly perked up with a fire in her eyes. ¡°But! It¡¯s only a matter of time before I think of something!¡±
¡°Of course.¡± The corner of Dario¡¯s lips twitched in amusement at her display of passion. Strangely enough, he actually did believe that she was capable of success, despite having a somewhat crude personality, as she seemed fairly intelligent and had apparently made that interesting smoke bomb for Miss Aimee earlier. ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t known you for very long, but I have a feeling that you¡¯ll do some great things,¡± he said reassuringly.
¡°Thanks.¡± She grinned, showing off her pearly whites. ¡°I know I haven¡¯t done much yet, but I¡¯m working on it!¡±
¡°We have that in common, at least.¡± Dario had a matching grin and presented a clenched fist towards her. ¡°Here¡¯s to working hard and achieving greatness.¡±
She raised a clenched fist in response and bumped his own.
¡°To Greatness!¡± she concurred. ¡°Although, you might not live long enough to get there,¡± she said with an amused expression.
¡°Wow, really?" Dario grumbled. "Thanks for that."
¡°I''m just kidding.¡± She rolled her eyes. "You''ll be fine, probably. For all we know, the king might not even care that you''re like him. Either way, you still have a lot of time to prepare, and you seem like the kind of guy who won''t go down without a fight." She patted him on the shoulder. "Just... keep your chin up, and stay focused, as my mom likes to tell me."
They eventually reached the end of a hall where a sturdy wooden door marked with the word ¡®Exit¡¯ was located. Deja opened it and stood by the doorway, holding it in place.
¡°This is where we part ways Mr. Ass-imilator,¡± she said with a joking smile. ¡°I wish you the best in your endeavors.¡± She bowed in a formal manner.
¡°And you as well, Ms. Genius Artificer,¡± he responded in amusement.
¡°If you survive long enough to become great or someone important, then remember me as that Artificer girl who can help make you cool things, like weapons or armor.¡±
¡°If I survive long enough, then I hope I won¡¯t have to,¡± he muttered as he walked outside into the cool night air.
¡°Until then,¡± she bid him farewell and walked back inside, her white hair swaying.
Dario waved goodbye before looking around to find a familiar landmark.
Once again, he was reminded of how isolated the Superiors Guild was as every nearby building stood at least one hundred meters away. Fortunately, he was able to spot a distant water tower belonging to the district where his inn was located and he started walking in that direction.
For several minutes, Dario ambled along the streets of Voirsten, trying to take the looming prospect of doom off his mind. He instead turned to positive thoughts and focused on taking a relaxing stroll through the city.
It was nighttime and all around him were buildings and houses with lights streaming out of various windows, almost appearing like fireflies during a dark night with how numerous they were. There was a cool breeze in the air that caressed his face, bringing relief to the usual hot summer days.
As he walked, he looked around and thought about what Deja said. Many of the things he took for granted apparently had beginnings tied to Artificers, and Superiors by association. He looked down at the roads nearby and noticed how uniform and robust they seemed, despite the numerous people and carriages that trampled over them everyday.
Glancing up, he inspected the various houses and buildings around him that stood undaunted to life¡¯s struggles, with some of them having multiple floors approaching double digits. Intuitively, he knew that the mix of wood and stone were capable of holding large amounts of people without collapsing, but the how of it all eluded him.
It was strange to think that all of it was due to the works of a single Superior Power Class. They had such large impacts on people¡¯s lives that it was hard to imagine what the world would be like without them. Each and every Superior alive today had integral roles in society.
Looking down, Dario stared at his hands and realized that he was just as capable of changing the world now.
It was with that thought in mind that he heard distant screaming.
Instantly, he was on high alert and dashed over to a nearby alley. He crouched down and peeked around to look for any danger as his paranoia reached new levels ever since he learned that someone named The Bloody King wanted to kill him. Well, technically, it wasn¡¯t paranoia if there really was someone after you.
After a moment of nothing happening, his caution abated and was replaced by curiosity. He eventually took a step outside the alley and looked towards the direction he heard screaming from. Strangely enough, none of the people around the streets seemed to be reacting to the faint noises. Were they deaf or something?
Shaking his head, he decided to go and take a closer look at what was causing all that racket. He started running and followed the sounds, going through various alleys and winding streets before coming closer to the source of all the commotion. As he neared the disturbance, he began hearing something crackling alongside some kind of roaring noise.
He turned the corner and finally saw what all the shouting was about. Up ahead was a large three-storey house with a dozen people around it in various states of pandemonium.
The building was wreathed in flames.
Chapter 11 - First Time Heroics
Dario stared at the burning building for only a moment before instinctively rushing forward.
He had seen something like this before as a child when a building near his home caught on fire. The thing he found most surprising was just how quickly a fire could spread and cause destruction. The one he had witnessed in his youth was quickly stopped by a Superior, but even so, the building was still devastated.
Luckily, it seemed that the fire in front of him had only just recently started since there were only small parts of the structure burning. There were no Superiors around to deal with it, however, so it was still most likely a lost cause.
Wait... he was a Superior now, so shouldn¡¯t he do something about it? He stopped in place and shook his head to dismiss the thought.
It just wasn¡¯t possible ¡ª his powers simply weren¡¯t capable of putting out fires. What could he do? Punch it out? That was ridiculous. He didn¡¯t have anything like wind or water abilities so it would be pointless to try. It really made it clear just how basic his skills were, currently amounting to just increased strength, speed and durability. He really needed to work on evolving his powers.
His musings were interrupted when a man nearby noticed the Status Band on his arm denoting him as Superior.
¡°Hey! It¡¯s a Superior!¡± he called out to the other bystanders. ¡°Sir! Sir!¡± he yelled at Dario. ¡°We need help!¡±
¡°Uhh.¡± Dario backed up a step as the man approached. ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t put out the fire. I dont have the right abilities,¡± he apologized. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for another Superior to come.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± the man said in distress. ¡°We cleared out as many people as we could, but we did a count and we¡¯re missing one of the teenagers. We think she¡¯s still inside!¡±
Dario looked around and finally noticed the groups of huddled children sitting on the nearby curb, staring at the burning building with a wide array of emotions. Many of the children were of varying ages and there was an alarming lack of adults around with them.
Was this an orphanage?
¡°Please sir, you need to save her, she could be dying in there right now!¡± The man¡¯s pleading brought Dario¡¯s focus back to the situation at hand.
He sighed and looked at the building in determination. As a young child, he had always wanted to be a Superior who helped people, and while he had changed drastically since then, there was still that kid in the back of his mind who wanted to pull through and do good.
There was only one thing to do at this point. It was time to step up.
¡°What floor is she in?¡± Dario asked.
¡°Her room is on the third floor, near the end of the hall,¡± the man quickly replied.
No more words were exchanged as Dario ran full speed towards the entrance of the building.
Immediately upon entering, he was blasted with a rush of hot air and hints of smoke. The heat made the skin on his face tingle, and he quickly looked around for the stairs. It was thankfully nearby, and he made a mad dash towards it.
As he ran up the stairs, a piece of flaming lumber fell down from directly above him. Dario saw it and tried to maneuver out of the way, but he was a second too slow. The burning wood grazed his left forearm and left a trail of burning ash on his skin.
¡°Shit!¡± he cursed, as he tried to wipe the ash off his arm.
Luckily, his durability held up and he was left with nothing but mild stinging and a small patch of slightly reddened skin. For a second, he stared at his arm and felt grateful for his new Superior self. If that heavy burning log had landed on him pre-manifestation, then he would¡¯ve had much more severe injuries.
Shaking his head, he continued running up the winding stairs to get to the third floor as fast as possible. He may not be able to get injured as easily, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t still die from inhaling too much smoke, and there was a lot more of it the higher he went. On the third floor, he was forced to crouch down low and cover his nose as the smoke started flooding the air, with most of it pooling on the ceiling like waves of water.
Unfortunately, there were two hallways on the third floor and he didn¡¯t know which one led to the girl. Grumbling at the lack of more detailed instructions, he went left towards the door at the very end of the hall.
¡°Urgh!¡± He grunted in pain when his hand tried turning the sizzling doorknob. Once again, he was thankful for his resilience as he suspected that his hand would have melted and fused with the hot metal had he been normal.
Without a moment of hesitation, he stepped back and delivered a resounding kick that shattered the door, scattering the broken pieces across the floor.
The insides of the room was a blazing inferno, with flames licking up along the surrounding walls. The heat was immense, but what truly astounded Dario was just how loud it was. He didn¡¯t realize just how much noise a fire could generate.
He was just about to turn and abandon the room when he noticed a figure on the floor, lying on their back. Upon closer inspection, he realized that it was a young blonde woman with soot covering most of her body and face.
She was unmoving, and looked more like a corpse than an actual person.
¡°Oh, fuck.¡± Dario felt a punch to his gut at the realization of his failure. He had been too slow and too late to save someone. It was his first ever rescue mission to save a life, something he had dreamed of doing, and he had failed.
She was probably someone who had friends and family who considered her a big part of their lives, and all of their potential futures together were now lost. And it was all because of him. He had hoped to accomplish at least one good thing in his life, but he couldn¡¯t even do that.
The despair he felt nearly crushed him, but he persevered. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try and stay calm. He immediately started coughing as smoke entered his lungs.
¡°Right, I need to get out of here,¡± he muttered. ¡°I really tried, damn it, I really did.¡± He sighed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±
He made to turn and leave, but paused in thought to look back at the girl. He furrowed his brows and went inside the room towards the soot-covered corpse. Since he had failed in saving her, the least he could do was to retrieve the body.
As he approached her fallen form, he noticed slight movements from her chest. Dario looked at her face and saw that her eyes were staring at the ceiling, occasionally blinking.
She was still alive!
With relief coursing throughout his body, he closed the distance between them and scooped her up before heading towards the doorway. He had to get out fast and get her medical assistance.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
To his dismay, the floor beneath them groaned and collapsed inward, causing both of them to fall downwards. Dario immediately reacted and maneuvered their positions so that she landed safely on top of his soft, squishy body. Fortunately, they landed in a room that was mostly intact.
From his position on the floor, the purple-eyed young man groaned and cursed at the world for all his misfortunes. He quickly regained his bearings and stood up with the young woman in his arms. She was still conscious, amazingly enough.
Dario hurried towards the stairs when he suddenly heard a noise from an open room to his right.
¡°Meow.¡±
Inside the room, and under the bed, was a small white cat. It¡¯s large sky-blue eyes were staring directly at him.
The two held a staring contest for all of three seconds before Dario burst out in laughter. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he still found amusement in his absurd predicament.
¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± He groaned at his own bad luck. ¡°Come here little guy, let¡¯s get you out of here,¡± he said as he approached the mewling feline.
The cat seemed to rear back from him, somewhat cautious and afraid.
¡°Not gonna hurt you." he said, offering his arm. "I¡¯m here to save you, so come here."
The cat warily stared at him for a brief moment before ¡ª after a bit of coaxing ¡ª it finally determined that he was a passable human. The white-furred feline mewled as it climbed up his arm and secured its position on his shoulders.
¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± With hurried steps, he moved towards the stairs.
Unfortunately, It collapsed before he could reach it.
¡°OH, COME ON! Seriously?¡± he shouted. ¡°Can¡¯t I get a break?¡±
The only response was the sound of ever increasing flames burning the air.
Dario peeked down where the stairs collapsed and only saw burning wreckage. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a no-go.¡± Glancing around, he saw his last saving grace in the form of a large open window. With no other choice, he quickly walked over with his passengers in tow.
He looked outside and estimated the two-storey fall to be a survivable jump, even with the injured person in his arms.
¡°Okay, so, we¡¯re gonna jump out this window,¡± he told his companions. ¡°Everyone cool with that?¡±
The girl in his arms remained silent while the cat started licking his dark, soot-covered hair.
¡°Cool,¡± he said before looking at the small feline on his shoulders. ¡°You have nine lives, right?¡±
The cat ignored him and continued grooming his hair.
¡°Eh, one is good enough.¡±
Without any more fanfare, Dario carefully lifted himself up on top of the window sill. He held the girl¡¯s head against the crook of his neck and cradled her as close to his body as he could. He took a deep breath¡ and jumped out into the cooler night air.
As they fell, the cat on his shoulders lost its grip and started flailing around, trying to grasp onto anything. It failed in latching back onto Dario and smacked face first into the wall before rag-dolling towards the ground. Fortunately, it was able to right itself mid-air and land on all fours, looking somewhat disheveled as it started running off into the distance.
Dario had much more success and was able to gracefully plant his feet on the ground with no discernable issues. Despite jumping out of a two storey window, from his perspective, it felt more like hopping off of a small table.
Being a Superior was awesome.
As soon as he landed, he hurried over to the man who had initially asked for his assistance. ¡°I have her here! She¡¯s still alive, but she needs medical attention,¡± he told the man.
¡°Thank you so much sir, thank you so much!¡± he bowed his head in gratitude before leading him to a group of nearby medics.
¡°Is she alive?¡± one of the medics asked.
¡°Yes, but she was in there for a long time,¡± Dario answered as he handed the young woman to the pair of medics. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll be alright?¡±
¡°Only time will tell, but she should make it out of this ordeal intact,¡± he said after a quick check of her vitals.
¡°Good.¡± Dario felt extremely relieved to hear the good news since it had been his first ever rescue attempt. It had nearly ended in failure, but he thankfully pulled through.
¡°How about you, sir?¡± the healer asked him. ¡°Are you injured?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Dario replied.
The medics nodded and left him alone. He was surprised they accepted that so easily, not even checking him physically, but he supposed that being a Superior meant different treatment.
As the medics carried the young blonde woman he''d rescued towards a makeshift medical tent, she turned her head towards him and stared at him with steely blue eyes. She tried to mouth something to him, but was unable to pronounce a single word. Dario liked to think that she had words of gratitude for him as she disappeared from his sight.
With all the action over and done with, he sat down on a nearby bench and stared at the roaring inferno devouring the orphanage.
It was a close call, in all honesty, and he still felt the adrenaline flowing throughout his body. It was always a hell of an experience coming down from a high like that. This was a first though, as he had never before run into a burning building to save a life. He usually got his adrenaline highs from street fights and back alley brawls, but this was very different.
From the moment he had entered the building, he began to feel energized. His earlier spar with Miss Aimee drained him of some of his inner energy, but now, he felt fully awake and invigorated. All of the minor burns and injuries he had sustained during the rescue all healed, leaving him blemish free.
Normally, he would tack this on to being normal Superior stuff, but he had a feeling that it had something to do with his Power Class.
Assimilator meant that he could absorb something and reutilize it right? That had to be what was happening here. Something in that building filled him with power and revitalized him. The only thing he could think of was the heat, since that was all he could feel when he was inside. Perhaps he could absorb heat, and that¡¯s where his constant source of energy was coming from.
Before he could continue theorizing the specifics of his abilities, there was a sudden commotion caused by the appearance of a strange looking figure.
In front of the burning building stood a stout, middle aged man with a bald head, sporting a thick beard. He stared at the fires with bright red eyes while taking deep breaths and exhaling. Each consecutive breath the man took released a small cloud of smoke that wafted around his crimson, heavily armour-plated body. He had a large black pipe with red markings dangling on his right hip.
Dario vaguely recognised him as the famous Superior known as Soldier Smolder.
The man raised his hand and made a pulling motion.
Instantly, the flames engulfing the broken structure moved in the direction of his fist like water being drained down a sink. There was a rush of air as the fires were quickly displaced into a single point directly in front of the stout man¡¯s fist. After half a minute, the ruins of the building came into clear view, no longer obstructed by any of the flames responsible for its destruction.
Above the man¡¯s fist, where all the fire coalesced, floated a brightly glowing ball of heat and light.
Soldier Smolder grabbed the black pipe from his hip and raised it to his lips. He started to inhale, and the pipe began siphoning the glowing ball into its confines. It wasn¡¯t long before it was completely consumed.
The crimson armored man belched a cloud of smoke as he put away his black pipe.
That was when the applause started, and Soldier Smolder bowed towards the clapping bystanders.
¡°Thank you all for remaining calm during this terrible fire,¡± he spoke with a loud, booming voice. ¡°I apologize for the late response. I only just recently arrived back from my excursion, and there were no other Superiors on hand for the task. All that matters is that everyone made it out alive and in one piece, thanks to everyone¡¯s quick actions.¡± He pointed and gestured towards the people around him. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who deserves praise here, you all deserve it as well!¡± The cheers of the crowd swelled at his words. ¡°Well done, everyone!¡±
After the clapping slowly subsided, Soldier Smolder looked around before spotting Dario. He began walking towards him with a confident stride.
¡°I heard you saved someone from the fires today, young man,¡± said the crimson armored Superior.
¡°And a cat,¡± Dario added with a timid smile. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t know where it went.¡±
¡°Good job, nonetheless,¡± Soldier Smolder praised just as he noticed the Status Band on Dario¡¯s arm. ¡°You a new supe? I haven¡¯t seen you around before.¡±
¡°Yeah,¡± Dario nervously replied. The man in front of him may not be one of his childhood idols, but he was still fairly known. ¡°Just had my examination earlier today actually.¡±
¡°Ah, new recruit huh? Was this was your first time rescuing someone?¡±
¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡±
¡°Well done then, you saved a life today.¡± Soldier Smolder smiled at him. ¡°You did a good thing, never forget that.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Dario said, feeling strangely pleased. ¡°I try my best.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all anyone can ask for,¡± the bearded man asserted, placing his hand on Dario¡¯s shoulder ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°Dario,¡± he replied. ¡°Dario Sindred.¡±
¡°Well, Dario, keep up the good work. This world needs more heroes like you.¡± Soldier Smolder nodded in acknowledgement before turning and walking away.
Dario stared at his retreating form and wondered if he would ever be as amazing and well known as him. Hah, that was probably unlikely, but a guy can dream right? He had other things to focus on first, like trying to survive into adulthood.
Despite the morbid thoughts, he leisurely leaned back in his seat and stared at the night sky, ruminating on the day¡¯s events in muted satisfaction.
Chapter 12 - The Slums
Dario didn¡¯t stay for very long after Soldier Smolder left the area. The civilians had been riled up in the wake of a well-known Superior being seen in action and had celebrated in fervent cheers following the dousing of the fire. Once their source of idolization departed, however, they quickly focused their attention on Dario. He may have been a new, inexperienced Superior, but he was still a Superior nonetheless. He was an unknown, and thus, a subject of interest to the regular folk.
The attention was both welcoming and awkward, as Dario felt that he didn¡¯t deserve all the recognition. He had always admired or revered the Superiors, so it was strange being on the other side of the coin. The bystanders had found out about his rescue of the girl and had showered him with praise, to his astonishment.
After a couple minutes of accepting their gratitude and taking questions ¡ª in which he simply answered by stating that he was a mere no-name supe ¡ª he quickly found an excuse to leave. He didn¡¯t mind being the center of attention now and then, but he still had a limit.
Dario jogged as far away as he could before slowing down near an unused, hidden alley. He took a few deep breaths to try and recollect himself. Now that he was away from all the distractions, he could finally focus on what he had been contemplating directly after the rescue.
Knowing what he was fully capable of was important information to know, and when he had entered that burning building, he had felt strengthened and invigorated. His inner pool of what he now considered his Assimilator Energy had slowly filled up. Miss Aimee had told him that it was unknown what Assimilators could and couldn¡¯t absorb, so the possibilities of his own aspect were endless.
In that burning building, he had discovered his first clue on what he could personally integrate. There was really only one thing that was abundant in a building on fire.
It was heat. He could apparently assimilate heat.
It was an idea that merited testing, and he immediately headed towards the inn where he had been residing in for the past couple of days.
Dario entered his room in the Cultured Cove and sat down on his bed. He grabbed a nearby candle and set it alight with a match, placing the open flame directly underneath his hand. If he was right, then he should feel a small change in his inner energy.
He held the candle in place for one second. Then two seconds. Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds.
Dario didn¡¯t feel any significant change other than a burning sensation on the palm of his hand. He held it there for a few seconds longer before giving up. He put out the tiny flame in aggravation.
¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work out,¡± he muttered in disappointment. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any more energetic than usual. Maybe I¡¯m doing something wrong.¡±
Darop tried to recall the exact circumstances he was in when he had felt his inner store of Energy fill up and compared it to his current experiment. Both utilized heat, but the only difference between the candle and the burning building was the sheer difference in quantity.
¡°Maybe I need to set myself on fire,¡± he murmured. ¡°Yes, that makes sense. That surely won¡¯t backfire.¡± He chuckled at how idiotic that plan was. Nevertheless, there was merit to the idea, and Dario came to a quick realization.
Okay, so maybe he couldn¡¯t literally set himself on fire, but he could simulate something close enough.
With his course set, he enthusiastically stood up and grabbed his meager belongings before leaving the room. The check out for his stay at the inn was the morning after, but he simply couldn¡¯t wait. As he passed through the ground floor, he gave the bartender his keys and gave a heartfelt goodbye.
¡°Thanks for the stay and for all the delicious meals!¡± he said to the tall barman. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to give good reviews.¡±
Before the older gentleman could respond, Dario was already out the door and quickly moving across the street.
It was a little past midnight, so the only lights that guided his journey came from the soft moonlight and the occasional street lamp. Despite the late hour, Dario still felt fully awake and energetic, with a certainty that he wouldn¡¯t be needing sleep any time soon. He was once again reminded of just how different he was from normal folk.
He traveled through various streets and alleys before arriving at the southernmost district of the city. The area was known as the poorest district and was often derogatorily called The Slums. It wasn¡¯t particularly dirty or run down, but it had a certain grimy feel to it that warded off most people.
He wasn¡¯t like most people.
Dario walked around The Slums and looked for signs of his old crew. He had grown up in a fairly well off part of the city and was well cared for, but his family ties made his peers shun him. As a result, he had resorted to hanging out in the less reputable parts of the city.
It might be a little sad to know that a few of his friends were street rats, but Dario considered them to be his brothers and sisters in arms. They had helped him out through a lot, and he was hoping that they could help him out again.
He continued wandering around, looking for any indication of their whereabouts. Most street rat gangs had call signs and symbols they used to denote their territory. The one he was a member of used a red letter A on top of a red circle as their symbol. They were called the ASH Gang, which the rival gangs snidely referred to as ¡®Arrogant Shitty Hoodrats¡¯. In reality, it actually stood for ¡®Affordable Student Housing¡¯. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
It was a bit of an inside joke, since they weren¡¯t really students, and the housing was affordable only in the sense that it was free for members. His particular gang took care of their own, whether or not they were homeless. They were a loyal bunch of misfits and he enjoyed hanging out with them. He had been recruited when he was caught in the middle of a gang fight, somehow contributing to the eventual takeover of a rival territory.
Those were good times.
After walking around for half an hour, he finally began to see the ASH symbol on hidden nooks and crannies in nearby alleys. He was definitely in their territory now. It was sometimes hard to know where their borders were since gangs moved around quite frequently. Luckily, he had an idea of where to go now.
As Dario continued walking through the dim streets of The Slums, ruminating on his past exploits, he failed to notice the group of people slowly sneaking around him. Deeply engrossed in his recollections, he was unprepared when he found himself suddenly surrounded by a group of darkly dressed individuals wielding knives and other sharp objects.
Dario stopped in his tracks and examined his supposed captors. They all wore hooded cloaks and outnumbered him five to one, surrounding him completely. Normally, he would be cursing up a storm at his bad luck, but at this point, he only felt a mixture of irritation and resignation. Hadn¡¯t he gone through enough shit today?
The presumed leader of the group took a step forward and spoke in an airy tone of voice. ¡°Lookie here, look what we got ourselves tonight. A little lost boy alone in the dark, with no one around.¡±
¡°I¡¯m taller than you shorty,¡± Dario noted wryly. He just didn¡¯t care anymore, simply wanting to get it over and done with.
¡°Fuck you,¡± the cloaked man grunted before turning towards his chuckling compatriots. ¡°And stop laughing, assholes.¡±
¡°Sorry, boss,¡± one of them apologized, before muttering under his breath, ¡°It¡¯s true though.¡±
¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, get your shit together and be professional for once! Can we have one night where we don¡¯t fuck around?¡±
At his raised voice, the rest of the cloaked individuals quickly became silent and focused on staring at Dario.
¡°Now then,¡± the lead man said. ¡°We can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. You can either come follow us, or we beat you ¡®till you¡¯re black and blue, and drag your body along with us anyway.¡± The man raised his arms in an open manner. ¡°Your choice.¡±
¡°Uhh, sorry, but my mother always told me to never be taken to a second location,¡± Dario replied with a serious expression. He quickly looked around, assessing everyone around him.
¡°Hard way it is then.¡± The ring leader shrugged. ¡°You have some pretty purple eyes, boy. That¡¯ll fetch us a decent price.¡± He gestured his associates forward.
As the individuals closed in on him, Dario enacted his plan.
He had been in similar outnumbered positions in the past before, except it was usually three, rather than five, so he had an idea of what to do. It was pretty much muscle memory at that point.
Dario purposefully widened his eyes and cowardly looked off in the distance behind the ringleader with an expression of hope and relief. ¡°Guards! Help! I need help!¡± he yelled out.
The cloaked leader instinctively turned around in alarm.
Dario promptly ran forward and tackled the shorter man, lifting him straight off the ground. He must have misjudged his strength as the man puked the moment he landed on the ground a short distance away where Dario had thrown him.
Nonetheless, Dario completed his objective in breaking the encirclement while taking out the guy giving orders. He didn¡¯t hesitate in taking advantage of the groups¡¯ shock and confusion, immediately rushing the next closest adversary.
The man he targeted tried to swing a knife at him, but was too slow and fell prey to Dario¡¯s fist. The sound of the man¡¯s jaw shattering echoed around him as he slowly fell to the ground, unconscious.
Dario never let the man reach the ground as he grabbed him by his lapels, lifting him off his feet. He threw the limp body at the man to his left with all his strength, before turning to block an incoming strike.
He caught the dagger aimed at his chest by the blade, and swiftly overpowered the man holding it. Thankfully, his Superior durability made his skin impervious to the dull blade. While the man tried to wrest control of the dagger, Dario did a quick jab to his throat that instantly disabled him, leaving him choking and gasping for breath.
There was only one opponent left standing, and Dario turned to face him, ready to knock him out.
¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± the whiny voiced man begged, finally noticing the Status Band on Dario arm. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you were a Superior! It was dark and we didn¡¯t see your Band! We can talk this out! Look, I¡¯m new here, I barely even know these guys. I¡¯m sorry, it won¡¯t happen again! Just let me go, please?¡±
Dario paused for a second in consideration. ¡°Nah.¡±
The man fell to the ground unconscious, Dario¡¯s fist claiming another victim.
The purple eyed teen looked around and inspected his work in satisfaction. Normally, his plan of action in outnumbered situations involved distracting the leader and knocking them out before running away. Pre-manifest, he would have definitely retreated, but here, now that he was Superior... well, there were a lot more options.
Dario listened to the groans and moans of the fallen individuals while contemplating on what to do with them.
With a shrug, he walked around punching out the ones still conscious and piled them up against a street lamp. He figured that the guards could take care of them when they were eventually found. That¡¯s what a Superior would do, right?
Dusting off his hands at a job well done, Dario walked off, continuing his search.
Eventually, after following a series of increasingly more pronounced ASH symbols, he finally came upon a tall three-storey house hidden inside a large alleyway. It was similar in structure to the other houses of the district, but held a more ramshackle look with metallic parts strewn into its construction.
There was a veranda on the side with an assortment of old furniture that helped to accentuate the stylized antique look of the open bar situated in the center. On some of the tables, he could see built in board games, some of which included chess.
From what he could see through the windows of the ground floor, the inside decorations had the feel of someone who enjoyed a warm and homey atmosphere. Or perhaps they were just too poor to afford anything fancier.
A large ASH symbol adorned the front of the house, above the doorway. This was clearly the gang¡¯s newest headquarters, and from the look of things, they had upgraded. There was light streaming through some of the windows, so there had to be some members awake.
Dario walked into the alleyway and took a few steps before stopping in surprise.
Up against his throat was a knife held dangerously close to his arteries. If he made even the slightest movement, it would slice into and cut him open. At least, that¡¯s probably what his captor thought would happen.
His assailant had attached themself onto his back, with their legs wrapped around his waist. Dario looked down, following the trail of the slender arm holding the dagger to his neck, and found the face of a tanned, hazel-eyed woman staring at him from over his right shoulder. She had dark purple hair shaved into a familiar undercut.
¡°Hello there, stranger,¡± she whispered in his ear. ¡°Fancy seeing you here.¡±
¡°Hey.¡± Dario chuckled in amused exasperation. ¡°Long time no see, Vira.¡±
Chapter 13 - Playing With Fire
¡°It¡¯s been a month since you last dropped by,¡± the purple-haired woman purred in his ear. ¡°What¡¯s with the long hiatus?¡±
¡°I¡¯ve just been busy, you know how it is Vira.¡± Dario nervously chuckled. The woman currently clasped onto his back was an ASH gang enforcer, and in his humble opinion, the most formidable of them all.
¡°Hmm.¡± Vira hummed while twirling the curved dagger in her hand. ¡°And what, exactly, has kept you so busy that you couldn¡¯t even bother to come visit for a little fun with the gang?¡±
¡°Graduating, work, dealing with clients, the usual,¡± Dario responded, trying to keep his cool.
He was a little distracted with the soft mounds pressed against his back, and the smooth, toned legs wrapped around his waist. The threat of the dagger held near his throat only served to increase his trepidation. In his earlier fight, he had blocked a knife attack with the skin of his hand, but it had come from a dull, almost blunt knife. Dario knew that Vira kept hers regularly sharpened, so he was uncertain of whether or not he could withstand something like that.
In that moment, he was both scared and aroused. Heh, ¡®scaroused¡¯ was exactly the word he would use to describe how Vira usually affected him.
¡°Also,¡± Dario continued. ¡°I found out a little something about myself recently.¡± He raised his arm to show off his Status Band.
Vira¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. ¡°Well fuck me sideways.¡± She jumped off his back and landed on the ground beside him. ¡°You¡¯re a Superior? How the hell is that possible?¡± She grabbed his arm and closely inspected the intricate golden armband.
¡°Yep. It turns out that you don¡¯t manifest early on after all, but keep that on the down low.¡± Dario stood straighter, posing with his biceps flexed. ¡°Don¡¯t I just ooze a Superior aura now?¡± he asked jokingly.
Vira eyed him in faux contempt. ¡°Yes¡ you do seem more smug than usual.¡± She sighed before perking up. ¡°Well, come on in then, we have a lot of catching up to do.¡±
As she walked off towards ASH headquarters, Dario glanced down to stare at her retreating backside. She had a nice, round, perky butt that smoothly filled the confines of her shorts. Despite how bountiful it seemed, he knew that it was mostly toned, firm muscle.
Staring at those cheeks reminded him of the short fling he had with her almost a year ago. That had been a dangerous decision, but well worth it, in his opinion. She was two years older than him, but their brief relationship quickly solidified his preference for older women.
Vira must have sensed his gaze, as she began purposefully swaying her hips. ¡°Well, are you coming or not?¡± she asked, looking over her shoulder with an amused, coy expression.
¡°I¡¯m coming alright.¡± Dario smirked as he followed her into the building. Why was it the dangerous women that attracted him so much?
The interior of the house looked surprisingly welcoming. The ceiling was a creamy white color, with the walls being a mix of soft brown hues. Despite being slightly well-worn, most of the furniture seemed tastefully organized around the room. It certainly wasn¡¯t a high quality Inn, but it was definitely a lot cleaner than Dario expected a gang residence to be.
¡°Like our new digs?¡± Vira asked as she plopped down on one of the couches. ¡°Took up most of the budget, but totally worth it. We got more people to house, so we really needed the space.¡±
¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re able to afford all this,¡± Dario commented. ¡°I may not have been the treasurer, so I don¡¯t know all the details, but I thought we barely had enough to maintain the last house.¡±
¡°Well, you thought wrong.¡± Vira shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t tell most members how much money we really have ¡®cause that just leads to people slacking off.¡±
¡°I was never a slacker, you know that. Yet, you never told me,¡± he accused.
¡°Yeah, we were going to tell you about it and bring you in on discussions about getting our new crib, but you suddenly stopped showing up.¡± The short haired woman shrugged. ¡°Not our fault.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m here now.¡± Dario raised his arms in the air before sheepishly rubbing his head. ¡°And, to be honest, I need your help.¡±
¡°I see.¡± Vira crossed her arms and stared at him with narrowed eyes. ¡°So, you only come back when you need something from us. How typical.¡±
¡°Okay, it sounds kinda bad when you put it like that,¡± Dario agreed before adopting a more serious expression. ¡°But this is something serious. It could be a life and death situation for me, and I could really use some help.¡±
The purple-haired femme fatale looked at him, trying to discern his true motives. After a few seconds, her expression softened.
¡°Okay, I¡¯ll believe you for now,¡± she said. ¡°Does what you need help with have anything to do with your new¡ condition?¡±
As Dario opened his mouth to reply, he was interrupted by a deep voice coming from behind. ¡°What condition is she talking about, Dario?¡±
The purple-eyed teen turned around and noticed a familiar dark-skinned figure walking down the stairs with a sleepy look on his face. He was very tall, and solidly built, with long black hair tied into a ponytail. He was one of the gang¡¯s leaders, as well as Vira¡¯s older brother.
¡°What¡¯s up, Vaughn?¡± Dario casually greeted. He had known the taller man for a long time, and had a friendly history with him.
¡°Nothing much,¡± Vaughn replied, yawning. ¡°Just wondering what a good for nothing layabout like you is doing back here.¡± He smiled to show he was only teasing.
¡°Like I told your sister, I came here because I needed some help from you guys,¡± Dario said. ¡°More specifically, I need to use The Fire Pit.¡±
¡°The Fire Pit?¡± Vaughn asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°What do you need that for?¡±
Dario raised his arm and showed off the golden Status Band on his arm. ¡°I need it to help me figure some things out, things related to me being a Superior.¡±
Vaughn looked at him in surprise before turning to Vira with a questioning look. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± she said. ¡°I just found out about it too.¡±
¡°Well, this is certainly a surprise,¡± Vaughn muttered. ¡°But, did you have to come here and drop that bombshell at two in the morning though?¡± His face scrunched up in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m half tempted to kick you out and tell you to come back in the afternoon.¡±
¡°Maybe we should hear him ou. After all, he¡¯s a Superior,¡± Vira said wryly.
¡°True, sister dear, he has official authority now.¡± The corners of Vaughn¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°You¡¯re not here to arrest us all, are you, sir?¡± He raised his hands in mock surrender.
¡°Oh come off it, you know I¡¯d never betray you guys.¡± Dario rolled his eyes. ¡°Achieving my childhood dream doesn¡¯t suddenly change who I am as a person, come on.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
¡°We know, Dario, we know. We¡¯re just messing with you.¡± The gang leader chuckled. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell us what you need The Fire Pit for.¡±
¡°As you know, I¡¯m a Superior now, or ¡®supe¡¯ as they call it,¡± Dario began. ¡°This only happened recently, like a week ago, and I still have to figure some things out. My powers are still a bit of a mystery to me, and I was hoping to find out more about how it works. I think The Fire Pit can help me with that.¡±
¡°What is it that you can do exactly?¡± Vira asked from her prone position on the couch. ¡°Can you shoot fireballs or something?¡±
¡°Err, no, nothing that cool,¡± Dario muttered. ¡°I¡¯m naturally stronger now, and a lot tougher. I can take a lot of damage and heal pretty fast too.¡± He saw Vira open her mouth to ask something, and interrupted her before she could speak. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to test that.¡±
The tanned woman closed her mouth and shrugged. ¡°Your loss.¡±
¡°Anyways, I¡¯m strong and durable, but there¡¯s another aspect to my power.¡± Dario hesitated since it was risky letting more people know about his Assimilator status. However, these were his people, so he didn¡¯t mind sharing a little bit. ¡°I think I can get even stronger and do more things if I absorb heat, which in this case means fire. I don¡¯t know for sure though, so I came here to test it out without actually having to set myself on fire.¡±
The two siblings glanced at each other, deliberating with their eyes and body language before looking back at him.
¡°Okay, why the hell not?¡± Vaughn turned and gestured, telling Dario to follow him. ¡°Come, we moved The Fire Pit out back.¡±
That was the thing he liked about the Dundev siblings, they were always straight to the point and did things fast.
Dario followed Vaughn through an adjacent hallway with Vira closely following behind. During their walk, he had to fend off the occasional butt pinch from her. Eventually, they exited the backdoor and walked down a few steps over to an open area with varying sizes of logs stacked in a corner next to some kind of large metal object.
The Fire Pit wasn¡¯t actually a pit and was more of a dark, circular, metal ring with a one meter radius. The ring itself was a curved trough covered in strange markings and glyphs. The ASH gang had discovered it in a forgotten alley somewhere and brought it home, believing it to be an interesting, if not useless, piece of junk.
However, it turned out that if any kind of wood was placed inside its curved interior, it would immediately light up all the symbols and glyphs covering it, whereupon the entire ring would burst into flames. The first time it occurred was a fairly hilarious event that resulted in some singed eyebrows and minor burns.
Regardless, no one could deny that it was supernatural in nature. Now that Dario knew more about Superiors, he came to the realization that it was once the creation of an Artificer. Why it was left abandoned in some alley was still a mystery, but one he was grateful for.
¡°How do you want to do this?¡± Vaughn asked, standing next to The Fire Pit.
¡°I¡¯m gonna stand in the middle, and you light it up. Simple as that,¡± Dario replied.
¡°Are you sure?¡± Vaughn raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°It gets really hot in there.¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the point,¡± he said with a smirk. If he could survive being in a burning building, then he could definitely handle The Fire Pit. Probably.
¡°Let him do it,¡± Vira chimed from her seat on a nearby log. ¡°I¡¯m sure he can take it.¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Vaughn shrugged.
Without any more fanfare, Dario walked to the center of the ring and waited.
¡°You ready?¡± the older Dundev sibling asked, his hand holding a wooden log over the curved trough of The Fire Pit.
¡°Do it.¡±
Vaughn heeded his call and dropped the log.
The effect was instantaneous as flames burst out around him, completely surrounding his field of view. The noise was immense, and all he could see was a wall of nearly blinding yellow fire that quickly changed the air around him. Dario was blasted with a wave of intense heat, and for a moment, felt like he was back in the burning building. Thankfully, that was exactly what he wanted.
He closed his eyes and focused on his inner Assimilator energy. He struggled to find tranquility amid the loud roaring sounds of the flames burning around him. Eventually, he was able to block out all the noise and pay attention to any minute change inside him. If he was right, then it shouldn¡¯t take long to notice...
There! He could feel it! His pool of Assimilator energy was slowly rising faster than usual, and he felt exactly like he did during the rescue of that girl in the building. Any hint of drowsiness instantly burned away and he felt fully awake. He deemed his experiment a success, and he couldn¡¯t have been any happier. It finally confirmed his theory, which meant he could assimilate heat.
The Bloody King was an Assimilator like him, and he was able to absorb and manipulate his source of power to his whims. Following that logic, if Dario¡¯s source of power was heat, then that meant he could absorb and manipulate flames too, right?
Dario stretched his hand forward to touch the flames directly.
¡°Agh!¡± Dario immediately retracted his arm, staring at it in pained confusion. ¡°Okay, that didn¡¯t work.¡± He cursed for a few seconds while cradling his slowly healing hand. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± He closed his eyes and started meditating once more.
Unfortunately, he was unable to go any further as it became increasingly more difficult to breathe. Dario abruptly realized that being in the center of a raging inferno was a bad idea for his lungs.
He began to choke and gasp before falling to his knees. He quickly looked at the various glyphs adorning the metal ring and found a familiar circular blue symbol. He crawled over to it and punched it before collapsing on the ground. The flames immediately disappeared.
Thankfully, he was able to deactivate The Fire Pit before he could lose consciousness.
¡°Are you alright?¡±
Dario looked up at the concerned faces of the Dundev siblings. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good. Although, I may have misjudged the situation a bit. I just need a short breather. Literally.¡± He chuckled. Despite the quick end to his experiment, he was still somewhat satisfied with the minor results. He would have to try it again, but probably not while standing in the center next time.
¡°See, I told you he could take it,¡± the female Dundev said. ¡°Pay up.¡±
Vaughn grumbled while handing over a few coins.
After a few moments of catching his breath, Dario stood up and dusted himself clean. ¡°I¡¯m glad you regard my health in such high esteem guys,¡± he reproached, stepping over the metal ring.
Before they could respond, the backdoor of the house opened and out walked a little blonde girl around the age of eight, dressed in sleepwear.
¡°Wuzz going on?¡± she blearily asked while rubbing her eyes. In her arms was a brown teddy bear clutched tight against her body.
¡°Ava!¡± Vira called out with a smile. ¡°Come meet Dario!¡± She gestured towards the slightly taller, purple-eyed teen beside her.
The small child sleepily shuffled over and stared up at him with bright blue eyes. ¡°Hello,¡± she muttered in a soft voice. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± She took a whiff of his slightly singed body. ¡°You smell funny.¡±
For the moment, Dario pushed any thoughts of his experiment to the back of his mind and smiled, bending down to reach eye level with the girl. ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡±
Street rat gangs were often looked down on by society, and Dario could understand that outlook, but he also knew of all the good they were capable of. There were many children living in The Slums, and they were quite frequently ignored or discarded. One of the reasons he joined the ASH gang was their generosity in sheltering wayward souls. He was lost, once upon a time, but was rescued by them and he hoped to one day pass on the favor.
¡°Is your name Ava?¡± he asked.
¡°Ya,¡± she said, tilting her head. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°My name¡¯s Dario, but you can call me big bro.¡± Dario grinned.
¡°Yay! Another big bro!¡± The small child moved forward and hugged him. ¡°I¡¯ll be the bestest little sis!¡±
Dario hugged back, feeling both awkward and moved. He was an only child so he never knew what it was like to have a little sister.
¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be sleeping right now, Ava?¡± Vaughn asked with a stern look in his eye.
¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± she muttered. ¡°I had a nightmare.¡±
¡°Aww, sweetie, come here.¡± Vira scooped the young girl up into her arms and began carrying her back to the house. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe with big sis.¡± She began whispering soothing words into the child¡¯s ear as they walked inside.
¡°Wow,¡± Dario muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Vira like that before.¡± In the five years he had known her, he had rarely seen her softer side, and never to that extent.
¡°Yeah, Ava¡¯s the youngest around here, so she tends to get a lot more care. She also went through a lot recently,¡± the gang leader informed him with a sombre tone. ¡°Ava¡¯s parents died during a mugging, and her foster parents were killed in a home burglary. We found her wandering around the streets in dirty clothing, trying to steal some food from a fruit stand.¡± He shook his head with an air of melancholy. ¡°A fucking fruit stand man. She was starving when we found her a few weeks ago, and she was lucky that we got to her when we did.¡±
¡°Damn.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
They stood still in quiet contemplation before the backdoor opened once more, and the small form of Ava came waddling towards Dario with a pouch in her hands.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said with embarrassment. She took Dario¡¯s arm and placed the coin pouch in his hand before rushing back to the house. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again!¡± she yelled just as she went back inside.
Dario looked down and opened the familiar pouch. Inside were all the coins he had brought with him.
¡°Oh yeah, sorry about that,¡± Vaughn said sheepishly. ¡°She picked up the habit of stealing and it stuck with her. She thinks she can help us out by pickpocketing people and bringing the money to us. We thought it was cute, so we let her be.¡± He shrugged unapologetically. ¡°She won¡¯t do it to you again, I think.¡±
¡°Right. Of course.¡± Dario sighed and pocketed the pouch in exasperation. ¡°Girls will be girls, I suppose.¡±
Chapter 14 - Making Progress
Dario sat on the ground a couple meters away from the blazing Fire Pit in silent meditation. He had been in the same position for several hours, repeatedly testing his Assimilating capabilities. Throughout the night, he had burned himself on various spots, but he persisted with his experiments. It wasn¡¯t all for naught as his inner pool of Assimilator energy had filled up overnight and felt full to the brim, so to speak.
At one point, he could have sworn he saw a brief flicker of flame move in a way he directed, but he wasn¡¯t sure. He had been awake for over twenty-four hours at that point, so hallucinations were a possibility, but unlikely with his new constitution.
He once more focused on the tall flame emanating from The Fire Pit and willed it to move in his direction. For the umpteenth time, his commands were ignored and Dario exhaled into the cool morning air in disappointment.
He really thought he was onto something, but he was stonewalled before he could even begin. What was it that he was doing wrong? Was he just not focusing hard enough? If so, then he had no hope of ever mastering it anytime soon if over four hours of concentrated effort couldn¡¯t do it. Perhaps it was his low Assimilator level?
He looked down at his Status Band and pressed a finger to its centerpiece. Three of the familiar symbols lit up and Dario looked at each one in turn, looking for any changes. Earlier in his experiments, he had found out that pressing directly on the symbols would show slightly more specific numbers. He was unsurprised to find Physique still at 3.3, and Defender at 4.1, with the most important number being the 3.9 of his Assimilator class.
He didn¡¯t know what it really meant, but he suspected that it was too low for him to have any noticeable abilities, and he needed to get it higher if he wanted any meaningful progress. It was the only thing he could conclude after all the hours spent staring at a fire. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was still something he could work with.
¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± a voice to his left asked.
Dario turned and spotted the approaching form of Vira with a plate of food in her hand.
¡°I¡¯m just about done, I think,¡± he said as he stood up and stretched. ¡°There isn¡¯t much left for me to learn here, but I learned enough.¡±
¡°Here.¡± She handed him the plate of food. ¡°You need to eat up, you¡¯ve been sitting out here all morning burning through all our logs.¡±
Dario looked over at the dwindling pile of logs he¡¯d been using to fuel The Fire Pit. ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. I¡¯ll pay you guys back for it.¡±
The older woman shook her head. ¡°No need, you dunce. We¡¯re family and if you really needed to use The Fire Pit for so long then so be it.¡± She crossed her arms and stared at him with an unreadable expression. ¡°You¡¯re more important to us than some pile of wood.¡±
¡°Aww, I¡¯m touched, really,¡± Dario said while munching on a soft piece of bread. ¡°But for real, I¡¯ll pay you back.¡±
Vira rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine, if you¡¯re so insistent then you can go and do a favor for us. We were going to ask you to do it anyway.¡± She leaned forward with an intent look in her eyes. ¡°Since you¡¯re a Superior now, you can probably bring this up at whatever meetings you guys have when it comes to dealing with shady shit.¡±
¡°Huh? What shady shit?¡±
¡°Look, there¡¯s been a bunch of abductions happening recently,¡± she said with a worried expression. ¡°None of our members have been taken so far, but we heard through the grapevine that other gangs have lost some of their people to these kidnappers. Hardly anyone knows anything about who¡¯s been taking kids from The Slums, but none of us like it. It¡¯s reached the point where we¡¯re willing to bring in the authorities, and we were hoping you could help us out with that. No Superior will listen to street rats like us, but if it¡¯s coming from another Superior, well¡ that¡¯s a different story.¡±
¡°Wait a minute.¡± Dario paused in chewing his food and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Would these kidnappers happen to wear completely black hooded cloaks, and move in groups of five?¡±
¡°From what we¡¯ve heard, that does somewhat match their description. Why? Have you seen them around?¡±
¡°Yeah, on my way here they tried to kidnap me, I think, but I beat them up and left them unconscious next to a street lamp.¡±
¡°Are they still there?¡± Vira asked, grabbing his shoulders.
¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe?¡±
¡°Then we have no time to waste.¡± She grabbed his arm and started dragging him. ¡°We gotta go get those sons of bitches and find out what their whole deal is. We could sell that information to other gangs for some nice profit too.¡±
¡°Can I finish my food first?¡± Dario asked, trying to stuff his mouth with as much food as possible.
Vira glared at him before briskly walking off towards the house. ¡°Do it fast,¡± she yelled.
¡°She never changes, that woman,¡± he muttered while chewing.
¡°Well, they¡¯re not here,¡± Dario said, sheepishly rubbing his head.
They were standing by the street lamp he had left his assailants the night prior, but they were nowhere to be found.
¡°Are you sure this is where you left them?¡± Vaughn asked, having followed them when told by his sister what they were doing.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m completely positive this is where I left them,¡± Dario confirmed. ¡°I knocked them out cold, so they should have still been here!¡±
¡°A person doesn¡¯t stay knocked out from a punch for over four hours straight, idiot.¡± Vira pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. ¡°You should¡¯ve tied them up with a makeshift rope or something! I thought I taught you better than that!¡±
¡°Okay, my bad, I wasn¡¯t really thinking,¡± Dario apologized. ¡°I just really wanted to see you guys and I didn¡¯t think those guys were a big deal or anything.¡±
Vaughn sighed before patting him on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright Dario, you still stopped them from taking anyone else last night, and that¡¯s good enough for me. For now, we can rest easy knowing they¡¯ll think twice about coming out again. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll look for another victim anytime soon.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure though,¡± his younger sister interjected. ¡°We still have to be on the lookout for them, just in case.¡± She turned to Dario and poked his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, make sure to tell your Superior buddies about this whole kidnapping thing going on here. I know they don¡¯t care much about The Slums, but I¡¯m sure you can put in a good word for us.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
¡°Uhh, I¡¯m not exactly an official member of the Superiors Guild yet. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll listen to me, but we¡¯ll see in about three, or rather two days from now,¡± Dario corrected. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when I become official in about two days, I¡¯ll bring it up with them.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± the older Dundev sibling said, turning away. ¡°In the meantime, I have to head back and handle some paperwork.¡± He paused and looked back at him. ¡°Are you sticking around here? Do you need to chill at our place still?¡±
¡°Nah, I have to get going and do stuff,¡± Dario answered with a shrug. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be pretty busy in the days to come.¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you around. It was good seeing you though.¡± Vaughn held out a hand towards him.
¡°You too,¡± Dario agreed, clasping hands with the taller man. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡±
Vaughn waved as he walked away, leaving Dario alone with Vira.
¡°Well, this was a waste of time.¡± Vira sighed in disappointment. ¡°It could have been worse, I guess.¡±
¡°True. For example, I could have decided to never come visit since I¡¯m an almighty Superior now, and you would have never seen me again.¡± Dario smirked. ¡°You¡¯d be bawling at the thought, I¡¯m sure.¡±
¡°Do you want me to beat you up?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to handle me anymore.¡± Dario said. He didn¡¯t know what came over him, but for some reason he felt like testing the waters with the dangerous woman.
Vira hummed as she stepped closer and began playfully tracing her hand down his chest. ¡°Mmm, you¡¯re lucky I¡¯m too tired to take you up on that offer.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Dario grinned. ¡°Some of the best times we had together involved us being¡ tired.¡±
¡°Hmm, tempting,¡± she murmured, lifting her hand to his face and tracing her fingers along the edge of his lips.
Dario tilted his head, and despite his better judgement, decided that getting back into bed with her might be worth it. ¡°I may not be your martial student anymore, but I¡¯m sure you can still teach me a thing or two.¡±
Vira placed a finger on her chin and narrowed her eyes in contemplation. Eventually, she smiled and patted his cheek. ¡°Perhaps another time.¡± She quickly turned and sauntered away, hips swaying. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger!¡± she called out with a hint of mirth in her voice. ¡°And don¡¯t forget to tell your Superior buddies!¡±
¡°Damn.¡± Dario cursed, staring at her retreating backside. ¡°Ah well, you win some, you lose some.¡± He chuckled and began walking in the opposite direction. ¡°Okay, back to thinking with the right head,¡± he muttered. He slapped his cheeks to clear his mind of any errant thoughts and began focusing on more important matters.
Having finished his tests by The Fire Pit, he now knew what to do. It was quite simple and straightforward in theory, but the execution might get complicated. If his Assimilator level was too low to be able to do anything significant with it, then he just had to level it up. Easy, right?
Getting stronger and mastering his powers was still his number one priority it seemed. All he had to do was kill some monsters and gain some World Energy to increase his class levels. In order to do that, he could perhaps wait a few days for his official membership from the Superiors Guild and go out on assigned exterminating missions, but he didn¡¯t want to waste a single day. He wanted to start making progress as soon as possible.
With the Status Band on his arm, he was technically able to leave the city and explore the Wildlands to his heart''s content. It would be dangerous, but Miss Aimee had said that there weren¡¯t any real threats in the nearby areas, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. As a precaution, he¡¯d probably only spend an hour or two at most outside the walls.
Additionally, Miss Aimee had said that he was above average for a newbie, so he could most likely take care of any of the weaker monsters in the nearby vicinity. Growing up, he had been involved in numerous fights, so he had some experience in handling himself during tough situations.
After mulling it over for a few minutes longer, he made up his mind and decided that going past the walls of the city to kill monsters was his best course of action, or at least the most efficient one. He had already successfully saved a civilian for the first time, so aiming for his first monster kill seemed like the logical progression as a Superior. The very thought of it had his heart pumping with excitement, and his six year old self would be jumping in joy seeing him now.
However, he realized that there was something he needed to do before taking such a monumental step in his life.
Dario strolled deeper into the familiar western block known as Gates Boulevard. It was a large, bustling district where the wealthier merchants and clientele congregated to exchange wares. It was the choice of residence for the more affluent people of the city. Most of the architecture was different from the rest of Voirsten, with many of the buildings having been constructed with sleeker designs and more robust materials. The roofs were all painted in warm colors, with red being the most common.
In passing further through the district, Dario began hearing the music of various street buskers and performers. It was still early in the morning, so most of them were still setting up their own instruments. Nonetheless, there were enough of them playing to fill the air with a jovial atmosphere.
There were other forms of entertainment off to the sides where Dario could see a group of four performers doing juggling acts under a veranda. Next to them, a dancing troupe of five individuals were performing an intricate, fast paced dance. Most of the people on the street paid them no mind, occasionally tossing a silver coin their way.
On both sides of Dario, various stands lined the long stretch of road. Many sold a wide variety of trinkets and tools that one would use in daily life, while others offered warm meals to satiate hungry stomachs. Behind these stalls stood their owners with predatory gazes as they watched everyone who passed by.
It was all a familiar sight to Dario, and one that brought a sense of nostalgia. There was a simple idyllic nature to the neighbourhood that made him feel a sense of peace whenever he strolled through its busy streets. There were many times in his childhood where he would simply take a walk and go people watching. The various interactions people shared throughout the day had been quite fascinating to him.
¡°Come right up and have a taste of my famous Komodo chicken! Seasoned and roasted to perfection, it¡¯s a taste you¡¯ll never forget! Order two plates now and get a third for half the price!¡± Dario heard from a nearby stall.
¡°Don¡¯t listen to that man,¡± a man from a stall on the other side exclaimed. ¡°Komodo chicken is a thing of the past! Komodo rhino is the new flavour everyone loves! Come over here instead and have a bite of this delicious meat! I¡¯ll even throw in a limited edition rhino figurine for the kiddies!¡±
Dario looked at the offered plates from both stands and was tempted to stop by and order some of the delicious smelling food. During times like these, he was reminded of how amazing the city¡¯s cuisine was.
¡°They¡¯re both wrong! Everyone knows that to taste true heaven, you must indulge yourself in truly exotic dishes!¡± a crazed, bandana-wearing young man shouted. ¡°Come over here and try out this delicious Smoked Sea Slug covered in squid ink and rice! It¡¯ll keep you healthy and virile!¡±
On second thought, the cuisine here could be quite baffling. Nonetheless, he decided to buy himself a plate of food from another nearby stall. Luckily, he received a discount due to the open display of his Status Band signifying him as a Superior. Normally, most Superiors didn¡¯t publicly wear their Bands when they weren¡¯t patrolling, but Dario was just too proud to hide it. Even the occasional civilian that would walk up to fawn over him couldn¡¯t deter him from proudly wearing his Status Band.
Regardless, Dario ate his food and continued onward, heading to a more remote area of the district. He passed by the Parks and Gardens, through the residential neighbourhood, and ended up on a street with only a few buildings occupying its lavish surroundings. He had arrived at his destination.
He walked over and stood in front of a magnificently decorated, three-story, creamy-white building. It was fairly wide and boasted expensive stained glass windows with gold leafed wooden frames. The exterior of the building was draped with a mix of silk and velvet curtains that hung in tantalizing arcs across several of its windows. Its entrance was marked with smooth marble steps that led to large double doors.
The building before him was widely known as the Hidden Haven, and held the reputation of being the only establishment to house Superior courtesans. It was considered to be the finest, most unique, high-priced brothel in the entire kingdom.
Dario, on the other hand, simply called it home.
Chapter 15 - The Hidden Haven
The interior of Hidden Haven was a sight reserved for only the wealthiest of clients. There were several brothels scattered throughout the city of Voirsten, but none were as remarkable or as luxurious as the lone bordello situated in Gates Boulevard. It was such an appealing prospect that many nobles from around the kingdom travelled far and wide just to have a taste of what was offered.
The size of the waiting list alone was a sight to behold, which was unusual since the costs were far above the norm for a house of ill repute. Despite all that, none of their customers ever regretted spending the time and money for the chance to have a once in a lifetime experience. The Hidden Haven was deemed by many to be a diamond in the rough, and being able to walk through its vaunted doors was considered a great privilege.
But for Dario, it was just another Tuesday.
At the front of the building, by the double doors of Hidden Haven, a large man was sitting on a chair with his arms crossed. Dario knew him to be part of the security detail for the morning shift and a person he was somewhat familiar with. He walked up the marble steps and nodded to the man as he passed by. The security guard only grunted before nodding back, allowing him entry.
Once he stepped inside, he closed the doors and stood still, basking in the feeling of being back at his home.
The interior of the building was as opulent as ever, with its high ceiling and extravagant decor. Up above were three chandeliers made of a polished silver color that hung from different corners of the ceiling. The walls were light tan in color, and were accentuated with slight hints of tinted gold wood. On separate corners of the tall chamber were two bars stocked with expensive wine and exotic beverages.
The entire first floor was a spacious lounge area with many couches and tables spread around in an organized fashion. All of the furniture were made of very fine materials ranging from high thread-count cotton to smooth textured silk. Next to the entrance was a coat room where armor and coats were placed.
The first thing Dario noticed was the silence. It was still early in the morning so many of the building¡¯s inhabitants were still asleep. He was fine with that since he had visited to find one person in particular.
He walked across the room and went up the stairs to the second floor. At the end of one of the hallways was a door with a silver plaque attached above it. It was engraved with the words ¡®The Madam¡¯ in golden calligraphy, and beneath it were the initials ¡¯A.S.¡¯.
Dario went and knocked on the door.
¡°Come in,¡± a smooth, feminine voice called from within.
He opened the door and walked into a lavish office room. It was very spacious and neatly organized with all the expensive decor tastefully spread around the chamber. On the walls were various paintings and depictions of random events, the largest and most noticeable illustration being the one directly behind the desk at the center of the room.
It was a picture of Darion Solaris, The North Star, and was what he¡¯d been named after when he was born.
Seated below the painting was a familiar beautiful older woman with long dark-red hair and sharp green eyes. Despite sitting behind a desk looking over some paperwork, it was clear to anyone that she was very buxom and shapely.
¡°Hey mum,¡± Dario said. ¡°I¡¯m back, and I need to tell you some stuff.¡±
¡°Dario!¡± She smiled affectionately as she stood up from her chair. ¡°Come here and give me a hug.¡± She went around the desk and walked over to Dario with her arms wide open.
¡°Oof.¡± Dario grunted as he was lifted off the ground in a tight bear hug. ¡°A little restraint would be nice,¡± he groaned in discomfort.
¡°Nonsense, I know you can take it,¡± she said with a proud glint in her eyes. ¡°Especially since you¡¯re a supe now.¡±
¡°Ah, damn. I was hoping to make it a big dramatic reveal or something.¡± Dario sighed as he was placed back down on the ground.
His mom chuckled in response. ¡°If you wanted to keep it a secret, then maybe you should have hidden your Status Band.¡± She reached up and rubbed his head fondly. ¡°Silly boy.¡±
¡°Right,¡± he said sheepishly. ¡°So, anyways, I¡¯m a supe now, just like you and the others. I¡¯m planning to head out and¡ª¡± He paused before narrowing his eyes. ¡°Wait a minute, how come you¡¯re not surprised at all?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just had a feeling you¡¯d become a supe sooner or later. It was only a matter of time.¡± She gave a nonchalant shrug. ¡°Also, I heard from Oliver that you were doing some interesting things down at the racetrack. Honestly, I sort of expected you to come running here straight away to tell me all about it.¡±
¡°Psh, I don¡¯t want to have to rely on you all the time, and you¡¯ve done enough for me already. Besides, you¡¯ve always refused to tell me anything specific about supes whenever I asked, so I figured I wouldn¡¯t bother. I just went to the Guild.¡±
¡°Hah, that¡¯s my boy, so big and independent now,¡± she chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°No child of mine is destined for mediocrity. I anticipated this to be the reason you were gone to be honest.¡± She smiled as she inspected him up and down, smoothing out any creases in his clothing.
¡°I¡¯m glad to know you have so much confidence in me." He rolled his eyes. "You know me oh so well.¡±
¡°Of course!¡± She went back around the desk and sat on her chair. ¡°Come, sit down and tell mummy all about your powers, I want to hear everything my darling boy can do now.¡± She smiled at him warmly.
Dario sighed before sitting down opposite his mother. ¡°I¡¯m seventeen now mom, that¡¯s practically an adult,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Do you really have to call me all these pet names still?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll always be my boy,¡± she stated, smile unwavering. ¡°That reminds me, have you eaten yet? Do you want me to go get you something to eat?¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m alright. I already ate some food earlier.¡±
¡°Good, good. You¡¯re still growing and you need all the food you can get.¡± She clapped her hands and leaned forward. ¡°Now, stop diddle-daddling and tell me all the details about your new super powers.¡±
Dario snorted and looked at her with amused irritation. ¡°Hah, why should I? You refused to tell me anything about supes all these years.¡± He crossed his arms in annoyance. ¡°And now you want me to spill my guts? That sounds a bit hypocritical to me.¡±
His mother smiled. ¡°Come now darling, you know it was in your best interests that I didn¡¯t tell you everything there was to know about supes. You were distraught enough as it was with what little I did tell you,¡± she patiently explained. ¡°Besides, as you should know by now, we¡¯re technically not supposed to tell regular people about supe stuff anyways. So you see, in the end, I was doing the lawfully correct legal action in not telling you.¡± The corners of her lips twitched in amusement.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
¡°Uh-huh, as if the law ever stopped you from doing anything before,¡± Dario muttered. ¡°The real reason, I think, was because you just wanted to mess with me.¡±
¡°I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation, darling.¡± She smiled with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°I assure you that I¡¯m simply dedicated to making sure you grow up as wise as possible. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±
¡°Riiight,¡± Dario drawled. ¡°Of course... I believe you.¡±
¡°As you should,¡± she agreed. ¡°Now, despite what you may think, I am concerned about your wellbeing, so please,¡± she gestured towards him. ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve been up to these past few days. Tell me all about your new powers. I want to hear everything.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± he relented. He took a deep breath and began explaining. ¡°Do you remember when I told you that I had trouble sleeping over a week ago?¡± At his mother¡¯s nod, he continued, ¡°Well, it turns out that that day was when I first manifested. The reason I couldn¡¯t sleep was because my powers wouldn¡¯t let me.¡±
The red-haired woman in front of him raised both her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like that before. I didn¡¯t know there was an ability that prevented you from sleeping.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t either,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I think it¡¯s because of my Power Class. I was told that the one I have is super rare and not much is known about it.¡±
¡°Oh? What were you classified as?¡± she asked with a curious expression.
¡°An Assimilator,¡± he tensely responded, waiting for the shocked outburst from his mother. Surprisingly, it never came.
Instead, she tilted her head and furrowed her brows. ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know of anyone with that class. What can they do exactly?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± he asked, dumbfounded. It was astonishing that she was unaware of what an Assimilator could do. All his life, he had this image of his mother as some sort of all-knowing figure, and it was startling whenever he found out that she didn¡¯t know something.
¡°No. Is it something I should know?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°Well, not exactly, but I thought you would know anyways,¡± he admitted. ¡°Especially since you manage so many supes daily, and meet and talk with so many important people.¡±
¡°My darling son, not even I can know everything,¡± she said with a sigh, softly smiling. ¡°And it¡¯s important to never assume what a person knows and doesn¡¯t know with absolute certainty.¡± She leaned forwards and steepled her hands in front of her. ¡°So, tell me, what is it that I should know?¡±
¡°Umm, it¡¯s sort of a long story, and kind of a secret too.¡±
¡°Tell me anyways,¡± she said with a voice that made it sound more like an order. She noticed his hesitation and rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m your mother Dario, you can rest assured that I only have your best interests at heart.¡±
¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°But try to keep it to yourself, okay?¡±
At his mother¡¯s nod, he began telling his tale. Over the next hour, he dutifully told her everything he had recently learned that pertained to his dilemma.
He told her of the few things he knew about his powers. He divulged how he was now one of the five Assimilators currently alive and that he might be hunted down because of it. He revealed to her that the current sovereign of their nation was an Assimilator as well, and was likely to kill him if he ever found out. And finally, he disclosed to her his plans of getting stronger by going out and hunting monsters.
Throughout his story, his mother remained quiet and contemplative. She did, however, spend some time congratulating him for rescuing someone from a burning building. Apart from that, she let him speak for most of their time, occasionally asking for clarification. In the end, she leaned back in her chair and looked upwards in thought.
¡°Hmm, this is a lot to take in,¡± she muttered.
¡°That¡¯s exactly what I said the first time I heard about it.¡±
¡°This is a bit above my paygrade, I¡¯ll admit.¡± She crossed her arms and furrowed her brows in contemplation. ¡°The king lives all the way in Zalantis, which is pretty far away, so that¡¯s good. The only threat to you are the possible agents or spooks he might have scattered around the kingdom.¡±
¡°Yep,¡± Dario said. ¡°But I don¡¯t know who they are, and they could appear at any moment in my foreseeable future, so I have to prepare.¡±
His mother sighed and looked at him with a serious expression. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect this to happen as a result of you manifesting, but things are what they are. I¡¯m just glad that you¡¯re not down in the dumps over it.¡±
¡°Well, you always did tell me to never give up and roll with the punches,¡± he said with a grin. ¡° ¡®Be proactive, not reactive!¡¯ as you like to say.¡±
¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡± She smiled affectionately. ¡°I expect nothing less from a Sindred. Nobody¡¯s going to bring us down, not even some trumped up king who lives across the country.¡± She grabbed a nearby writing implement and started jotting down notes on a piece of paper.
¡°What are you doing?¡± Dario asked.
¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can prepare,¡± she replied with a focused calm. ¡°There are ways to find out who the king¡¯s agents are, and even delay information from reaching the wrong ears.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°I only came here to tell you these things in case anything happened. I don¡¯t want to get you further involved in my mess.¡±
His mother paused in her writing and glanced up at him with sharp green eyes. ¡°Dario, you¡¯re my one and only son. I¡¯m not about to let you take this on by yourself. If this so called Bloody King wants to kill you, then he¡¯ll have to go through me first,¡± she said with an air of determination.
Dario leaned back in his chair and chuckled at her focused demeanor. He knew it was futile to try and stop his mother from accomplishing something she was adamant on doing. She was a force of nature in that aspect, and it was amazing seeing it in action every time. It was something he strived to simulate in his own life.
¡°You know, I feel a lot better about my chances now. Thanks, I really do appreciate everything you do for me,¡± he told her sincerely.
¡°You¡¯re welcome, darling.¡± She smiled at him before waving him away. ¡°Now shoo, go out there and go kill some monsters. Get big and strong enough to beat up that pesky king.¡±
Dario blinked at the sudden dismissal. ¡°Wait, what? You¡¯re not going to forbid me from leaving the city walls? You¡¯re not going to tell me to avoid fighting monsters?¡±
To be honest, he had expected that particular subject to be the biggest sticking point his mother would focus on during the explanation. She had always doted on him as a child, so it was strange that she would so easily allow him to go and purposely place himself in a situation as dangerous as fighting monsters.
¡°Let¡¯s be honest, if I forbade you from doing that, would you have listened and stayed here in safety?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Dario opened and closed his mouth several times before responding. ¡°Probably not,¡± he admitted.
¡°Exactly,¡± she said smugly. ¡°I know you too well my son. You¡¯ve always seeked out thrills, and what could be more thrilling than the prospect of hunting monsters? So no, I won¡¯t forbid you from leaving the city walls." She sighed with a forlorn expression. "You¡¯re a grown man now, and I know at some point you¡¯ll want to go your own way, under your own terms. I understand and respect that, so I won¡¯t stop you. However, what I will tell you is to take some gear from the armory with you.¡±
¡°You¡¯ll let me use stuff from the armory?¡± he asked in surprise. He had been planning to ask or beg for permission to grab some equipment, but it seemed that his mother was one step ahead of him.
¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t get all that gear just for it to go to waste. I knew that armory would come in handy one day.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°If I had my way, I¡¯d have some of the stronger girls here go with you to protect you, but I know they¡¯re not really made for fighting like you are. Only god knows how many fights you¡¯ve been in.¡± She shook her head in despondence.
His doting mother had always been saddened by all the fights and insults he¡¯d been on the receiving end of in his younger years. He had attended prestigious schools due to his mother¡¯s wealth, but had always been made fun of by the other kids for being the ¡®son of a whore¡¯ or rejected for being the ¡®child of a slut¡¯. Not even moving to different educational institutions changed anything.
It always led to him putting on a brave face and getting into fights to defend her honor and those of the other tenants in Haven. He knew his mother blamed herself for his childhood suffering and had wished for him to have a better life, but in all honesty, he wouldn¡¯t have traded his parent for anything in the world.
¡°Well, it turns out those fights were a good thing after all, huh?¡± Dario weakly grinned. ¡°I came out a better, stronger person in the end.¡±
¡°I hope so Dario, I hope so.¡± She smiled sadly.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see. Everything will be perfectly fine.¡± He stood up from his chair and walked over to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can, and hopefully in one piece,¡± he joked.
As he opened the door, he heard his mother call out to him. ¡°Dario, be safe out there,¡± she said concernedly. ¡°Don¡¯t take any risks, and don¡¯t go too far out. There¡¯s nothing wrong in giving up and running away if it gets too dangerous, okay?¡±
Leaving the room, he briefly looked back with a grin on his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful mom, you know how I am.¡±
¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so worried,¡± he heard his mother say just as the door swung shut.
Chapter 16 - Heading Out
When Dario walked downstairs to the first floor of Hidden Haven, he was greeted by the glorious sight of three scantily clad gorgeous young women draped over some of the couches. They appeared to be in the middle of eating breakfast when they noticed him.
¡°Oh, hey Dario. How¡¯s it hanging?¡± A green-haired woman wearing a loose shirt and mini shorts called out to him.
Another woman sitting opposite her with black raven hair tied into a ponytail waved towards him. ¡°Eyy, Big D! Where have you been, man?¡± she asked, chewing on her food with crumbs falling on top of her translucent nightgown.
¡°Been busy figuring things out,¡± he replied, calmly focusing on keeping his line of sight above their necklines. ¡°Turns out I¡¯m more like you guys than I thought.¡± With an amused twitch of his lips, he raised his arm to show off his Status Band.
¡°Oh damn, you¡¯re a supe now?¡± the third woman asked in surprise, brushing her blonde bangs back behind her right ear. ¡°It¡¯s about time! I knew you had it in you!¡± She clapped her hands in joy, shaking the generous bust hidden underneath her night robe.
¡°What¡¯s your powers?¡± the green-haired woman asked curiously.
¡°Yeah, tell us,¡± the raven-haired woman said with a mouth full of food. ¡°What can you do?¡±
¡°Sorry, but it¡¯s a secret,¡± Dario said, grinning an impish smile. ¡°Knowing might kill ya.¡±
¡°What!? That¡¯s not fair! You can¡¯t not tell us right after saying that!¡± They chorused in a cacophony of protests.
¡°It¡¯s what you all get for keeping Superior secrets to yourself all these years. Karma¡¯s a bitch ain¡¯t it?¡±
¡°That¡¯s completely different, and you know it!¡± the blonde pouted.
¡°Too bad, so sad.¡± Dario chuckled as he walked over to one of the bars and served himself a glass of water. He was pretty thirsty after the discussion with his mother.
¡°Dario,¡± he heard from behind. ¡°I order you to tell us.¡±
He turned around, ready to deny them once more, but paused when he saw the face of his mother staring back at him from the couch. She had a stern expression on her face, which clashed with the loose shirt and mini shorts she was wearing.
¡°Nice try Tova, but the hair¡¯s a little too light, and the eyes are a bit too large,¡± Dario critiqued.
¡°Damn,¡± Tova muttered, her hair slowly returning to its previous green color. ¡°I thought I had it that time.¡± The rest of her facial features returned to their normal state as well.
¡°You¡¯ll get it next time,¡± the blonde reassured her.
¡°I doubt that, Brie,¡± Dario told the blonde with a smirk. ¡°My mother''s one of a kind.¡±
¡°You really are a mama¡¯s boy, aren''t you?¡± Tova asked with an amused smile.
¡°Psh, would you argue against my mom being one badass woman?¡± Dario asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°It¡¯s true, Amarys is a badass bitch,¡± the raven-haired woman chimed while licking her plate clean. ¡°Can¡¯t deny that.¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s less of me being a mama¡¯s boy, and more like having a healthy respect and fear of her.¡±
¡°She is pretty scary,¡± Brie muttered.
Dario chugged down his water and placed it down with a pleased groan. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m off to go do stuff. I¡¯ll see you all later.¡±
¡°Wait!¡± Tova called out. When she noticed him stop and glance back at her, she gave him her most seductive smile. ¡°Are you sure there isn¡¯t anything we could do to get you to tell us about your new powers? Anything at all?¡± she purred.
¡°Nope,¡± Dario promptly rejected. He had dealt with their antics for several years now and knew to never expect them to go through with anything. ¡°If you really want to know, then go ask my mother. She knows all the details.¡± He turned and walked towards the back room hidden underneath the staircase. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯m gonna go raid the armory.¡±
¡°Ooo, the armory? What for?¡± the raven-haired beauty asked, sitting upright on the couch with a look of intrigue.
¡°Well, so I can go and kill monsters outside the city of course,¡± he proclaimed with a smirk. He continued towards the back room while the black-haired woman scrambled to follow him.
Dario stood in front of the tall imposing entryway of the armory with a look of excitement. He¡¯d only been inside once before, and he was eager to explore its confines once again. The security measures for the room were fairly straightforward, merely being a simple heavy metal door that could only be unlocked if you were keyed into it with blood. It was only now that he realized the entire vault was made by an Artificer. The idea was that ¡ª even if your blood was attuned to it ¡ª only someone with Superior strength could move the large slab of metal. Fortunately, he fit both criteria.
With a grunt of exertion, Dario tried prying the entrance open. After a few seconds, it finally budged and he sighed in relief before continuing to pull as hard as he could. Eventually, he managed to open it and he walked inside with a feeling of triumph.
The interior was filled with various armors and weapons that Dario knew cost hefty sums. His mother never did anything half-assed and that trend clearly continued here. From the floor to the ceiling, every bit of it was occupied by some manner of usable gear. There were many of the traditional weapons and armor, but there were equally as many that he had never even seen before. He was somewhat dumbstruck by the large array of choices, and he had no clue where to start.
¡°Are you really going out to kill monsters?¡± he heard from behind him.
Dario turned and saw the statuesque figure of the raven-haired woman standing by the doorway.
¡°If I said yes, would you try and stop me, Rox?¡±
¡°Hell no. I¡¯d join you if anything,¡± she replied, grinning. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have this place to call home, I¡¯d probably be out there hunting in the Wildlands.¡± She shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°For me, it was either fighting or fucking, and I chose the slightly more enjoyable option.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Dario said, bewildered. ¡°So¡ why did you follow me here?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
¡°Well, if I can¡¯t be out there killing monsters and fighting the good fight, then I figured I could live vicariously through you,¡± she stated.
¡°Uhh, what?¡±
¡°Look, I know most of the weapons and armor here by heart, so I¡¯ll help you gear up. In exchange, when you come back, you tell me all about your adventures out in the Wildlands,¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡±
Dario shook his head in amusement. ¡°You know what? Fine... Why not?¡± He spread his arms wide open. ¡°Gear me up, woman.¡±
Rox placed her hands on her hips and inspected him from top to bottom.
¡°Hmm, let¡¯s start simple. We don¡¯t want to overcomplicate things, and we definitely don¡¯t want you damaging the more expensive stuff on your first outing. Maybe when you¡¯re more experienced and actually need the good stuff.¡± Rox hummed as she walked past him and began picking out various items on a nearby stand.
Dario leaned back on a nearby wall and watched her work in silence. He liked to think that he was completely professional in his scrutinizing, but if anyone asked, he was simply observing her choice of gear and certainly not focusing on how she was bending over while wearing a translucent nightgown. That definitely never entered his mind.
Dario tilted his head in an almost ninety degree angle and stared with an appreciative grin. ¡°Damn.¡±
Nope, that totally wasn¡¯t the case.
Dario walked through the bustling streets of the city with a bounce in his step as he headed towards one of the city walls. Even from a distance, he could see the fifty meter tall stone barrier that separated the city of Voirsten from the Wildlands. It was an exciting prospect for him, knowing that he would soon pass through such an imposing structure.
He had decided to hide his Status Band for the time being since he didn¡¯t want to be hounded by more passersby asking for help. He was tired of receiving requests from random people asking him to go find their cat or something. At some point, he just wanted to get to where he was going in a timely manner.
That wasn¡¯t to say he didn¡¯t get the odd looks now and then. It wasn¡¯t as often as when he proudly displayed his Superior status, but it was still noticeable. He couldn¡¯t exactly go incognito with what he was wearing, much to his dismay. He noticed a nearby reflective window and decided to stop by to inspect his outfit once more.
Staring back at him from his reflection was a young man with amethyst colored eyes and short, messy black hair. Standing an inch over six feet tall, he was taller than most of his peers, but more notable than that was the gleaming armor covering the entire length of his body.
Atop his torso was a pure white chestplate trimmed with gold lining that was cut off to reveal his lower abdomen, which was instead covered in glimmering white chainmail secured by a leather belt on his hips. On his shoulders were a pair of white spaulders with rerebraces placed underneath them in a surprisingly comfortable setup. His arms were further protected by white elbow guards and forearm bracers. The gaps between them were covered in chainmail and were attached with cords strung through them.
His legs were armored correspondingly with thigh guards, knee guards, and greaves. He hadn¡¯t felt the need for feet protection as he deemed it unnecessary. Rox had insisted he represent the Hidden Haven, so she had given him gear that matched its outward color scheme. This, of course, resulted in him being covered in gold-trimmed white armor. It was a bit gaudy, but all in all, it wasn¡¯t a bad sight.
What he was most impressed with were the runes engraved on the armor. Rox had informed him that the entire armor set was crafted by an Artificer and had some minor effects. He considered each rune significant as he couldn¡¯t imagine wearing the armor without them.
First of all, they made putting it on much easier as the links between the armor would automatically connect to each other without any action on his part. He simply had to place the pieces against his body, and it would do the rest of the work. Secondly, the armor was a lot lighter than it had any right to be, and was kept cool at all times, regardless of external air temperature. Those quality of life improvements were more important to him than the slight increases in toughness the metal gained compared to other similar armors.
It was mind boggling to find out that it wasn¡¯t even one of the more expensive things in the armory, and was actually considered to be on the lower end. He could have grabbed more high quality gear, but he had actually agreed with Rox on the notion that he shouldn¡¯t be using more than what was necessary, especially for his first outing against weaker monsters. It would also be more challenging and fun.
For his weapons, he only took two items that could be considered as such.
The first was a pair of black gloves with white-colored metal plates covering the fingers, knuckles, and back of the hand. It had soft padding underneath that would soften the blow on his hand while increasing the damage to whoever was on the receiving end of his punch. It wasn¡¯t much, but he was used to fist fights and wanted to play to his strengths rather than wield weapons he had no idea how to use, like swords ¡ª he¡¯d probably end up hurting himself more with long blades than anything else.
The second item that could be considered a weapon was the shield on his back. Like his outfit, it matched his current color scheme, being pure white with golden inlays. Similarly, it was lighter and more durable than it had any right to be. He was reluctant in taking it at first, but it came with the armor set, so he decided he might as well take it. To his relief, it conveniently attached to his body without any need for straps and was fairly simple to use.
Artificers made some really handy stuff.
In the end, he was satisfied with what he was given, and he continued walking towards the opening on the southwestern wall. Once there, he was met by several imposing guards standing next to a large, dark metallic gate. It was then that he pulled out his Status Band.
¡°Halt!¡± one of the red themed guards commanded. ¡°State your business, sir.¡±
¡°I¡¯m here to go for a stroll outside and hunt monsters,¡± Dario said casually. ¡°I¡¯m a new Superior, so you may not have heard of me, but I have my Status Band here to prove it.¡± He raised the golden hexagon-shaped object in his hand and placed it against his forearm. It immediately latched onto him and formed a loop around his vambrace.
¡°Let me see,¡± the guard requested with his hand outstretched. Dario obliged and showed him the Status Band. After a few moments of inspection, he grunted in affirmation. ¡°It¡¯s legit,¡± he told the other guards.
¡°So, can I go through now?¡± Dario asked calmly despite the excitement racing throughout his body.
¡°One moment, you just have to write down your name on the Checkpoint List and tap your Band on our Record Device.¡± He brought Dario to a table situated against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s important to keep track of who goes in and out of the city, and at what times. It¡¯s standard procedure, you understand?¡±
¡°Makes sense,¡± Dario said as he looked down at the table. On top of it was a single long piece of paper and a strange cube-shaped device next to it. They were most likely the Checkpoint List and Record Device respectively. ¡°Where do I sign?¡±
¡°Right here.¡± The guard pointed to a section underneath a bunch of names that were already written.
Dario raised his eyebrows at the names on the list. He recognized most of them as some of the more famous Superiors around, and even saw the name ¡®Soldier Smolder¡¯. According to what he was reading, it turned out that the man had left the city with a bunch of other Superiors earlier in the morning. Interesting.
After signing his name and tapping his Status Band against the cube, the guards opened the large gate and led him through several smaller ones behind it. Eventually, he ended up on the other side, and for the first time, Dario was able to have a small glimpse of what lay in the Wildlands.
What he perceived was a vast collection of trees and green forestry as far as the eye could see. Near the gate was a cleared path through the woodlands that stretched for many kilometers. It was evidently used as some sort of road. He assumed that its purpose was to connect Voirsten to other smaller cities and outlying villages scattered throughout their area of the Wildlands.
He completely ignored it and went in the opposite direction, instead heading for the forest itself. If he wanted to hunt, then he would likely have to avoid the roads since they were probably marked by monsters as too dangerous to tread. It was more plausible that they would prefer sticking to the familiar surrounding of the trees. With that in mind, he wandered into the green of the Wildlands feeling excited, yet cautious.
For several minutes he walked deeper into the forest, the sunlight shining through the sparse open canopies. He checked every bush and looked behind every tree in search of any kind of prey. However, he came up empty each time and eventually decided to take a break, somewhat frustrated that he couldn¡¯t find a single beast to slay. He had come out here in search of glorious battle, but was instead met with disappointment.
¡°Isn¡¯t there anything around here?¡± he asked dejectedly, shoulders slumped down.
He turned to go off in another direction when he suddenly heard a strange noise. He looked up just in time to see a large eight-legged figure fall from directly above, heading straight towards him.
Chapter 17 - First Encounters
The falling figure¡¯s gleaming red eyes glared at him with unbridled malice. It opened its mouth to reveal sharp venomous fangs and made a keen hissing noise as it fell towards him.
Dario was completely blindsided and was barely able to raise his right forearm on instinct. It was only a half second later that he realized his shield was on his other arm.
The large arachnid latched on and immediately tried maneuvering around, ignoring his arm in favor of his more vulnerable face. From up close, he could see its gaping maw dripping with some sort of foul smelling substance.
In a panic, Dario quickly reacted by dropping down low while trying to shake it off his arm. As he crouched, he raised his shield in the small space between the beast and his face in a desperate attempt to stop its path. It was just in time as he heard a dull clang resonate from the impact of the spider¡¯s teeth against metal.
Shocked and infuriated by the sudden close brush with death, he swiftly retaliated. With a furious roar, he put all his strength into bashing the grotesque creature off his arm and as far away from him as possible.
It shrieked as it was flung away from him a short distance away. Dario thought he had landed a decent hit, but his hope was dashed when it righted itself midair and landed on all of its eight legs, completely intact. However, it seemed to be more cautious of him as it completely stopped moving and simply stared at him from the eight meter distance between them.
The two foes spared a moment to quickly assess each other during the short lull. With his heart pumping what felt like a thousand beats per second and all the adrenaline pumping through his system, Dario had never felt more focused.
These moments were the difference between life and death.
Upon closer inspection, Dario noted how it seemed to favor one of its front legs over the other, so perhaps he had done some damage. Despite that useful piece of information, he maintained his vigilance as it still seemed intent on killing him. Standing at just under two feet tall, with fangs the size of his palm, he knew that it was fully capable of going through with its threat.
It was strange, however, as it stayed completely still, almost like a statue. From the manner in which it attacked him, he would have thought that it was an ambush predator, but he was beginning to think otherwise. If that was the case, shouldn¡¯t it have run away as soon as it failed its initial surprise attack?
He had been ambushed before by street rats and upon failing they would either immediately run away or fully commit. However, the arachnid in front of him did neither, and it bothered him greatly. The damn thing moved much faster than any normal human, so why did it hesitate?
The tense silence was broken when the creature started tapping the ground with its front legs. This continued for several seconds, and Dario began to suspect that it was planning a surprise lunge. In response, he flexed his entire body and bent low, ready to move out of the way and counter at a moment¡¯s notice.
He was increasingly baffled when it raised its frontal legs and seemed to¡ wave at him? It moved its appendages in some kind of strange pattern that he had never seen before on an animal. Was it somehow trying to communicate with him?
Dario could put no further thought into the strange action as it stopped waving and began circling around him.
He moved along with the intimidatingly hairy creature as he wanted to keep it in his line of sight at all times. This was his first encounter with a monster in the Wildlands and he wanted to do it right. After all, how sad would it be if he died on his first monster fight, and to a dancing spider at that?
Eventually, the eight-legged, red-eyed menace stopped a short distance away from where it started. Just like before, it continued tapping the ground in some kind of strange pattern. However, this time it seemed to do it at a much more frantic pace.
Dario stared at the smaller creature in complete bewilderment. This wasn¡¯t turning out at all like how he expected his first outing to go. How was he supposed to react to a dancing ambush predator? First of all, why would an ambush predator even stick around to do nothing but stare at its prey? The only possible reason he could think of was if¡
Dario¡¯s eyes widened as he quickly turned around with his shield raised. He was just in time to block the fierce lunges of two more monster arachnids that somehow snuck up on him. Their hissing cries of frustrated rage echoed through his ears as he scrambled to fight them off his shield. He ignored the sounds of their clash in favor of prioritizing the soft crunching of leaves and branches behind him.
He abandoned his shield to the two arachnids and jumped to the side just as the original spider sliced through the space he stood in a second earlier. The airborne creature collided with its brethren and flew off to the side, slamming against a nearby tree.
Dario took the moment of reprieve to look around him in search of options. He had no choice but to fight as he couldn¡¯t outrun the speedy fuckers, and definitely couldn¡¯t hide up in some trees. Fortunately, there was a large rock nearby and he didn¡¯t hesitate in running over to pry it from the ground.
He was able to lift it into his arms at about the same time the three gangly spiders spotted him. They immediately took the initiative and pounced on him just as Dario raised the stone above his head.
¡°Come and get it, assholes!¡± he yelled as he hurled the heavy rock towards them.
Two of the arachnids were able to dodge out of the way, but the third was far less agile and was promptly crushed in a spray of dark ichor and foul smelling blood. Its compatriots wasted no time in mourning their lost brethren and continued rushing towards him. At the last second, they both jumped in the air with fangs bared.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
This time, Dario was prepared and instantly charged the spider to his left. He raised both arms above his head and swung down with the force of a sledgehammer, confident that his armor would protect him.
Incapable of dodging mid flight, the spider crumpled in the air and slammed against his legs before falling limp on the ground. The third spider flew past him with an irritated hiss.
With two of his assailants down, he quickly went to retrieve his fallen shield. He picked it up just as he heard the loud rustling of approaching feet from behind. With focused precision and speed, Dario whirled around and sliced the charging spider in two with a swift downward slash of his shield.
Groaning in disgust, he stood up and tried to wipe off the lingering bloodstains on his armor. In the corner of his eye, he noticed the still twitching form of the spider he¡¯d bashed mid flight. He walked over to it and looked down with an expression of contentment.
¡°I fucking hate spiders,¡± he muttered, hands shaking. ¡°It¡¯s nothing against you man. You weren¡¯t really given the choice of being born this way, so I feel you. You just gotta make do with what you got and live life to the fullest.¡±
He looked skyward and began to laugh uncontrollably. Adrenaline highs and lows always made him feel wonky, making him ramble nonsensically. After a few minutes of calming down, he lowered himself and sat crossed legged next to the twitching spider. He looked at it with an almost friendly expression.
¡°You couldn¡¯t help yourself in trying to eat me, and I understand that ¡ª respect it even. I couldn¡¯t stop myself in trying to kill you back, so all¡¯s fair I¡¯d say.¡± He raised the edge of his shield above the dying arachnid. ¡°We both did our parts in this world and did it well, I think. I wish you better circumstances in your next life,¡± he said as he slammed down with the sharp-edged metal.
With a whimpering hiss, the spider moved no more.
Despite the lingering stench of spilled blood, Dario took in a deep breath and sighed in satisfaction. After all was said and done, he pressed a finger against his Status Band to check on his progress. Immediately, three symbols lit up and showed his stats.
Two of his power classes stayed the same but his Physique increased by 0.1 and was now at 3.4. He was ecstatic, of course, as it showed that he was making headway, and he had only just started. However, he wondered why only his Physique increased, and not the other stats. Was it because the spiders were only abundant in World Energy of the Physique type and not Defender or Assimilator like him?
He glanced at the corpse in front of him and guessed that it was probably the case. During their brief exchange, he had noted how the spiders were neither sturdy nor capable of assimilation like him, at least as far as he was aware of. On the other hand, they were much more physically enhanced compared to regular spiders, so it stood to reason that they mainly gave out Physique levels. In that case, what manner of creature would he have to slay in order to improve his Assimilator stat?
Food for thought.
Dario stood up from his seated position next to the dead spider and began to stretch. ¡°The day¡¯s far from over, and I still have plenty of hunting to do.¡± He looked down at the corpse by his feet and smiled fondly. ¡°It was a short bout between us spidey, but it was fun. I won¡¯t forget my first time with you guys.¡± He nodded in deference to his fallen foe and turned to walk away. However, he paused mid step and turned back to give the corpse a kick. ¡°Spiders still suck though,¡± he muttered.
Having satisfied his sudden impulse, he went off to continue hunting.
For about two more hours, he searched throughout the forest looking for more prey to kill. He encountered a couple more spiders ¡ª which he quickly dispatched now that he knew how they behaved ¡ª and a few different forms of enhanced common creatures. During his hunt, he killed six giant centipedes the size of his leg, four rats the size of cats, and four cockroaches the size of his foot.
Overall, the trip was rewarding, if not a little disappointing. While the spiders were a surprise, it wasn¡¯t anything truly threatening to him. He had expected groups of goblins or harpies for his first foray into the Wildlands, but was instead met with slightly larger creepy crawlies.
Perhaps it was due to the close proximity of the city as he hadn¡¯t travelled too far off. He didn¡¯t complain too much though as any normal person would have been eaten alive in his place. No mundane human would have been able to react and move fast enough to handle the giant arachnids, for example.
He once more glanced at his stats to look for any changes after all his hunting.
His Physique was now up to 3.8 and Defender up to 4.2. Unfortunately, Assimilator was still stuck at 3.9, which was a bummer considering how it was the sole focus of the trip. He really wanted to get it to a solid 4 before he headed back. He had a strong feeling that something good would happen once he broke that barrier.
It was still afternoon with the sun high in the sky, so why not go deeper? That philosophy never failed him before. He had originally only planned to stay out for two hours at most, but it was going pretty well and another few minutes wouldn¡¯t hurt.
With a pep in his step he progressed further into the green depths. He walked for about half an hour, occasionally killing the stray creepy crawler. Eventually, he stumbled upon what he considered a jackpot, and he whooped out in joy.
Moving slowly across the ground in front of him was a watermelon-sized lump of gelatinous green liquid. Inside its translucent interior was a small red spherical stone. Dario guessed it to be the core of the slime he was ogling.
From the stories he was told during childhood, all one had to do to kill a slime was to take out its core or severely damage its body to the point of no recovery. The most important thing he recalled from those stories revolved around how a slime lived its life. More specifically, the details of how it ate.
To put it simply, slimes absorbed everything, and what screamed Assimilator more than that?
Fortunately, the slime didn¡¯t seem to have noticed him so he quietly picked up a large stone nearby and stealthily approached from behind a tree. After waiting a few seconds for the slime to get closer, he promptly popped out and swung the makeshift weapon down.
The slime was quick to react and moved with a speed that belied its slow appearance. The ambush was too sudden, however, and the slime was clipped on its side, partially damaging the integrity of its body. The slime almost seemed to scream in pain as it trembled and wobbled on the ground. Nonetheless, it was still alert and continued holding the will to survive. Before Dario could react, it speedily scuttled across the ground, away from him and the goo-covered stone.
He gave chase, unwilling to lose his only chance of evolving, even utilising some of his Assimilator Energy to catch up. However, the slime held advantage in terrain as the forest floors were covered in loose rocks and the occasional vines or plant life. Dario had to maneuver around trees and jump over dense bushes in order to maintain sight of the slime.
Just as he was about to catch up to the little bugger, they both reached a short downward slope with a cave situated near the bottom. Misjudging his speed and unable to slow down in time, he ended up sliding down in a haphazard manner. He eventually came to a stop at the bottom and watched in despair as the slime continued past the cave, going deeper into the Wildlands.
Dario slumped on the ground and stared up at the sky, groaning in discomfort. ¡°Damn it... That could have gone better,¡± he mumbled. ¡°But hey, I¡¯m still alive at least.¡± He chuckled humorlessly.
Just then, loud footsteps started emanating from the cave. Startled, Dario turned his head in time to see a massive humanoid figure step out from the shadows.
Chapter 18 - Friends Dont Fight, Right?
Dario paled at the sight of the figure emerging from the cave.
¡°Shit.¡±
The nude creature was twelve feet tall with a huge body made out of an even distribution of fat and muscle. In its hand was a scary-looking club seemingly made out of a fallen tree. Its large head turned towards him and stared him down with beady yellow eyes. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t have the signature green skin of a troll, instead being a pale yellow.
Dario quickly surmised that the creature in front of him was an ogre, and while not as scary as trolls, they were just as formidable. He knew that he was in a delicate situation the moment the ogre appeared, and he quickly tampered down the urge to metaphorically shit his pants. There was simply no time to panic, and he forcefully ignored the primal fear permeating his body. He had to handle things as calmly as possible from here on out.
From what he knew of their kind, they were apparently capable of speech and communicating with others, so he¡¯d try that avenue first before doing anything rash. Ogres were supposed to be volatile, but fairly dumb, so he could possibly use that to his advantage. He just hoped that the stories he¡¯d been told as a kid were accurate if he wanted to have any hope of surviving.
He slowly and steadily stood up with his hands in front of him in a placating manner.
¡°Easy there buddy,¡± he said in a soothing tone of voice, treating it like any other stray animal he¡¯d find in The Slums. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a fight or anything, I just got lost and ended up here. I¡¯m just gonna leave and go on my way, okay?¡± He began taking backward steps, never taking his eyes off the hulking figure.
¡°You.¡± The ogre grunted, pointing its club towards him. ¡°You food?¡± the clearly male ogre asked.
¡°No, no, not at all,¡± Dario denied, having paused in his step as soon as he heard the ogre¡¯s deep voice. ¡°I¡¯m not food. In fact, I taste bad ¡ª very, very bad.¡±
¡°What you, if not food then?¡± the ogre questioned as it started taking steps towards him.
¡°I¡¯m a friend! A really good friend!¡± he hurriedly replied.
He was very tempted to take off running as fast as he could, but he didn¡¯t really know how quick an ogre could move, and this part of the forest was difficult to maneuver around. He had a feeling that the beast was fully capable of plowing through everything while he struggled in retreat. He simply didn¡¯t want to risk it just yet.
¡°Me not see you before. You not friend.¡± The ogre stopped in its tracks despite its accusation, evidently curious about the smaller creature in front of him.
¡°I can be a friend,¡± Dario said with a nervous smile. ¡°I have lots of friends, and they all say that I¡¯m the bestest friend a friend could have. Do you have a best friend?¡±
¡°Best friend?¡± it asked with a tilt of its head. ¡°Me no have friend. Me alone.¡± The ogre seemed almost sad in its reply. ¡°Me always alone.¡±
¡°Well, you¡¯re not alone anymore friend, I¡¯m here now,¡± Dario replied, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead. He had absolutely no idea where he was going with the conversation. All he knew was that he didn¡¯t want to be eaten.
¡°You friend?¡± The ogre raised its eyebrows, looking comically surprised for a creature so intimidating. ¡°You not food?¡±
¡°Exactly,¡± Dario said as he placed a hand to his chest. ¡°Me friend, me not food.¡± He held his breath in anticipation and hoped for the best.
There was a brief pause as the burly creature stared at him with an unreadable expression. The purple-eyed teen tensed up, feeling worried that it would suddenly rush him. Fortunately, there was no sudden attack and it seemed to have come to a decision after a moment of contemplation.
¡°Okay,¡± it said with a smile and a satisfied nod. ¡°You friend. You stay with me now, yes?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, what did you say?¡±
¡°You. Staay. With meee,¡± the ogre repeated slowly, looking at him like he was a dim-witted animal. ¡°You and me friend now. We together always, never alone, yes?¡±
¡°Uhh.¡± Dario stuttered as he frantically looked for a way to dissuade the brute. ¡°Friends don¡¯t stick together all the time pal, we all need our space.¡± As the ogre furrowed its brow in annoyance, Dario came up with an idea. It was harebrained, but it was better than nothing at such short notice. ¡°Um... rather than a friend, I think what you¡¯re looking for ¡ª and what you need ¡ª is a mate.¡±
¡°Mate?¡± the heavily built humanoid asked, ears perking up in intrigue.
¡°Yes, I think what you really need is a female ogre. An ogress, I think they¡¯re called.¡± Dario straightened his posture and tried to smile as confidently as possible. It was time to use his minor talent of advertising females to thirsty males ¡ª something he''d learned from his old post at Haven. ¡°It just so happens that I know of an ogress nearby who is looking for a big strong ogre like you to claim her.¡±
¡°Ogress wants Gronk?¡±
¡°Gronk? Is that your name?¡± he asked. At the ogres affirmative grunt, Dario continued, ¡°Okay Gronk, like I said, what you really want is a mate, not me.¡±
¡°Where mate?¡± Gronk asked eagerly.
¡°Over that way.¡± Dario pointed vaguely to a direction away from where he had come from and away from where the slime had gone. ¡°If you head in that direction, you¡¯ll eventually see her. And let me tell you, she¡¯s a beauty.¡± Dario winked conspiringly. ¡°She won¡¯t wait forever though, so you best be going right away.¡±
¡°Show me,¡± Gronk commanded, lumbering closer towards him. ¡°Bring me to mate.¡±
¡°Wait, hold up! Friends need their own personal space remember?¡± Dario reprimanded, inwardly panicking. Surprisingly, the towering beast stopped a few meters in front of him. ¡°You don¡¯t really need me to show you, Gronk. All you need to do is walk in that direction and you¡¯ll be humping an ogress¡¯ fat behind in no time. You want that, right?¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
¡°Me like big butt,¡± Gronk agreed.
¡°Right... So, I¡¯ll just leave you to it and be on my way then.¡± Dario turned and started walking away at a fairly sedate pace. He didn¡¯t want to startle Gronk with any sudden movements after all. It was a moot point, however, as the ogre simply followed him. ¡°Gronk, why are you following me?¡± he turned to ask, body fully tensed.
¡°Me no want meet ogress alone. Me scared she no like me,¡± Gronk mumbled, looking strangely forlorn.
What the...? Was he nervous about talking to a female? This couldn¡¯t be happening right now, there was just no way. ¡°Gronk you¡¯ll be fine. Just go over there and show her how big and strong you are and she¡¯ll be yours.¡±
¡°No.¡± The ogre shook his head. ¡°If you friend, you show me, you help me.¡± Gronk stared at him intently. ¡°You friend or not?¡±
Dario stilled at the unspoken threat.
He¡¯d thought that things were going well and that he would be able to make his escape without forcing a confrontation, but now he wasn¡¯t so sure. He would have to go along for now and hope for a better opportunity. On the bright side, how cool would it be to tell others that he was able to trick an ogre into thinking it was going on a date? That would be priceless.
¡°Fine, Gronk, if you really need a wingman then I¡¯m your guy.¡±
¡°You not birdy,¡± Gronk observed with a confused expression. ¡°You no have wings.¡±
¡°Nevermind that.¡± Dario rolled his eyes, trying his best to appear calm and friendly. ¡°We¡¯ll get you a hot piece of ogress ass soon enough. Just follow me, but keep your distance though. Remember what I said about what friends need?¡±
Gronk walked uncomfortably close to him and scrunched his forehead in thought. ¡°Person space?¡±
¡°That¡¯s close enough.¡±
Dario travelled with his unlikely companion for about twenty minutes in the direction he¡¯d pointed earlier. At some point, he swerved and began walking towards where he thought the slime went. He figured that he might as well kill two birds with one stone.
During their walk, he became more relaxed as he chatted with Gronk. He learned more about the ogre than expected and found out that he had been abandoned in his section of the forest at a young age, living there alone ever since. He felt somewhat bad since he was tricking the oaf into something he was probably looking forward to, but they still had the potential to be enemies, so cautious he remained.
Gronk had stuck close to him the entire time despite his complaints of personal space. Up close and personal, he was acquainted with the terrible hygiene present in someone who never showered or cleaned themself. It was a testament to his fortitude that he was able to stand being in such close proximity, especially with his slightly enhanced sense of smell.
It was hard for him to escape when Gronk refused to leave his side. Throughout their jaunt, he''d been on the constant lookout for any kind of cave or flat open area that he could use as part of his story. How was he supposed to point out where an ogress would live if there were only trees in sight?
He was beginning to think that he would just have to make a run for it. On multiple occasions, he had looked around for avenues of getting away that would prevent the much bigger humanoid from catching up to him, but there wasn¡¯t much.
He looked up at the ogre next to him and noticed the annoyed agitation on his face. Ogres were supposedly very volatile creatures, so he was afraid that he was stretching its patience. Perhaps he needed to make his getaway sooner than he thought.
¡°Hey Gronk,¡± Dario said. ¡°Do you really want to see this ogress still? I think she may have gone off and moved somewhere else. I¡¯m sure it was around here, but I don¡¯t see her home anywhere.¡±
¡°No ogress?¡± Gronk questioned with his brows furrowed.
¡°Maybe, maybe not. I think we should split up to cover more ground. You head that way, and I¡¯ll go¡ this way.¡± He pointed in the complete opposite direction. ¡°Does that sound fair?¡±
¡°You said ogress this way.¡± Gronk grunted as he started rhythmically stomping the ground. ¡°She here or not here, but she not here. Why ogress not here?¡± the ogre asked with a tone of warning.
¡°Like I said, she probably moved somewhere else. The ogress isn¡¯t here so we should go our separate ways in order to search a larger area,¡± he bluffed.
¡°No ogress¡¡± Gronk muttered. He began shaking his head and clenching his club.
Dario started getting worried. ¡°Gronk? Are you listening pal? I said we should split up to have a better chance of finding her.¡±
¡°No ogress¡¡± the ogre repeated in an angry tone of voice, seemingly focused on those two words and nothing else. Gronk looked at Dario as if he was seeing him for the first time. ¡°No ogress¡¡± Slowly, his yellow beady eyes narrowed in sudden understanding. ¡°Friend lie¡ You lie...¡±
¡°Now wait a second! I never lied to you Gronk,¡± Dario lied. ¡°I¡¯m sure if we split up we can find her more easily!¡±
¡°You lie!¡± The hulking ogre accused, looking enraged.
¡°Gronk, listen¡ª¡±
¡°FRIEND LIE!¡± With a roar of rage, Gronk swung his club in an upward strike.
Having been tense the entire time, Dario was prepared for the sudden attack and immediately raised his shield to block. Gronk¡¯s strength was too great, however, and he ended up flying several meters away before slamming onto the base of a tree. The groaning young man slowly stood up and glanced at the ogre stomping towards him.
¡°Me feel hurt,¡± Gronk rumbled before pointing his club towards him. ¡°Now me make YOU hurt!¡±
Welp, it was time for his signature move.
¡°Gronk, the ogress is over there, right behind you!¡± Dario yelled, pointing behind Gronk with his eyes comically wide.
As soon as the giant oaf turned around, Dario started sprinting towards a crop of trees he¡¯d recently been eyeing. It was his best chance of escape and possibly the only thing that might slow the angered beast down.
¡°There no ogress there¡ª¡± Gronk paused when he turned back and noticed his human companion making a run for it. ¡°YOU LIE AGAIN!¡± he roared furiously. ¡°YOU DIE NOW!¡±
Dario ignored the bellows of rage behind him and continued running. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, but all he knew was that he had to get away. He could only hope that the trees would slow him down.
As he ran for his life, he quickly glanced back just to see how far ahead he was. He almost regretted doing so as the sight of an angry ogre tearing through trees like paper only served to make him feel despair.
Before he knew it, Gronk had caught up to him, being only a couple meters behind. In desperation, Dario threw his shield backwards, aiming for the pursuing ogre¡¯s face. However, the attempt failed as Gronk managed to block it with his club, knocking it right back to its owner.
In a stroke of luck, the shield landed on his back where it automatically reattached itself. This was just in time for Gronk¡¯s second swing. The blow struck his shielded back and he was once more catapulted to a nearby tree. Slumping against the trunk and spitting up blood, Dario glared at the approaching Gronk with a look of anger and determination.
Screw it... it was do or die at this point. Gotta be proactive, not reactive.
¡°Alright big guy, no more running away. It¡¯s on now.¡± Moving forward, he bent low on all fours and pulled on his Assimilator Energy.
Gronk raised his club above his head and roared, ¡°DIE!¡±
Before he could slam the wooden weapon down, Dario dashed forward towards the open space between the ogre¡¯s legs. As he passed under Gronk, he performed an uppercut straight to his hanging testicles, emerging on the other side behind the giant.
When Gronk bent over to cry out in pain, Dario immediately jumped on his back, climbing upwards with shield in hand. He latched onto the larger humanoid¡¯s neck and started slashing its eye sockets with the edge of his shield.
¡°RARGH!!¡± Blinded and furious, Gronk began flailing around in an attempt to dislodge him. Dario was relentless and maneuvered around the hits, simply enduring the ones he couldn¡¯t avoid. Frustrated, Gronk started running as fast as he could through the forest, trying to slam Dario against anything he could find.
Their struggle lasted for almost a minute in which they moved the battlefield much farther from where they started. Both combatants were injured and savagely upping their attempts to kill each other. In their scuffle, they failed to notice the rapidly approaching danger.
It all came to a head when they both suddenly found themselves in a perilous freefall.
Chapter 19 - Its All Ogre Now
Dario stared at the distant ground in utter disbelief. Did he just fall off a cliff, riding an ogre?
In the brief moment he was airborne, his mind instinctively assessed the situation. His first thought included a litany of curses, but he swiftly pushed those aside and focused more on survival.
From what he could tell, the cliff wasn¡¯t completely vertical, instead being slightly angled, so he wouldn¡¯t fall the full height of the cliff. However, he would still hit the quickly approaching cliffside wall and it was at a distance that would severely injure him, if not outright kill him. If he survived the initial impact, he would still continue falling and bounce along the sheer slope before eventually smashing into the ground. Overall, his chances weren¡¯t looking very good.
Luckily, he had options at his disposal to blunt the damage.
Throughout their fall, Dario had to use all his strength just to stay attached to the furious ogre as he was nearly thrown off with its continued struggles. With Gronk still blinded and disoriented, he took the opportunity to maneuver their positions mid-air so that he would be on top. Having twisted around several times during their fall, Dario ended up straddling Gronk¡¯s chest and staring him down face to face.
With the cliffside rapidly approaching, Dario braced himself for impact. ¡°This is gonna hurt,¡± he muttered.
The pain from the collision came instantly and without any warning. The air in his lungs was forcefully ejected as he smashed onto the meaty body beneath him. He felt some of the bones in his chest crack with a few of his teeth getting knocked loose. Gronk fared much worse and spat out a mouthful of blood as the sounds of his bones being broken echoed around them.
Dario paid none of it any attention as he struggled with his own hardships. Regardless, he was still satisfied despite the agony. He had survived the first and most dangerous part of his plan, so the rest should be a lot simpler ¡ª in theory.
Focused entirely on trying to not pass out, he was unable to stop their separation and found himself falling alone. Dario bounced against the slanted wall several more times before he was able to get his bearings and plant the shield underneath him in an attempt to control his descent.
After several painful tries, he was successfully able to maneuver himself into a slide rather than a continually bouncing nosedive. Bits and pieces of rock collided with his face as the shield scraped against the cliffside, but Dario powered through it. It was better than the alternative after all.
He eventually reached the bottom of the cliff where he landed with a loud thud. His slack body rolled along the ground for a dozen meters before slowly stopping under an open canopy of trees.
Dario stared at the clear blue sky feeling thoroughly stunned. Still in shock, he could only moan in pain as the sunlight glared down on his eyes. His breath came out in wheezing gasps and the entire length of his body felt numb as a small amount of blood trickled from his mouth. For several minutes, he lay unmoving, simply trying to recuperate.
Amazingly, his abilities seemed to include swift regeneration as he could feel his ribs mending and his teeth setting back into place. A tear streaked down his cheek from the pain and he wiped it away with a sigh of relief.
¡°Did that really just happen?¡± he mumbled in a daze.
His only replies were the chirping of birds and the sound of distant insects.
¡°I can¡¯t believe that just fucking happened.¡± He chuckled under his breath. ¡°I got one hell of a story to tell back home.¡±
Somehow feeling mostly recovered after his short rest, Dario sat up and glanced at the tall cliff he¡¯d plummeted down from. ¡°Damn, I survived that...?¡± he asked, astonished.
The rock face stretched up somewhere between two hundred and three hundred meters above his current position. Half way down the wall was an ogre-sized crater where the first impact occurred. It was hard to believe that he managed to slide down the rest of the way in one piece. However, that still left him with a dilemma.
¡°Where the hell am I?¡±
He looked around and realized that he was in an area completely unknown to him. He had deviated so much from his original path that he may as well be in another country. It wasn¡¯t quite as severe of course, but it was still undeniable that he was completely and utterly lost. His only point of reference was the cliff in front of him, but there was absolutely no way he would be able to climb back up. The only option now was to go around and hope for the best.
He hadn¡¯t brought any real sustenance with him since he''d thought that he would only be gone for a couple hours at most, which was clearly a bad decision in hindsight. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t feel any hunger or thirst at the moment, but that was subject to change. He had to start moving fast and get back to Voirsten before nightfall.
Dario stood up and examined his condition.
The good news was that most of his aching pains had gone away, and his armor seemed to be completely intact, only being dirtied in several places. Bad news was that his shield was missing. That circular piece of metal had saved his skin so many times that he felt like it was an obligation to go and recover it. There was no way he was leaving it behind.
It shouldn¡¯t be located too far from where he landed so he set off in that direction. Soon enough, he came upon the gleaming form of his pure white shield leaning against the trunk of a tree. He went over to pick it up and noticed in the corner of his eye the wobbling figure of a green slime. Dario turned and eyed it with resigned amusement as he picked up his dirtied weapon.
Maybe he could salvage something out of the situation after all.
Dario reattached the shield onto his arm and slowly approached the slime. Upon closer observation, he noted how it seemed to be the same size as the one he had nearly squashed. It was probably the very same one, which made sense since he had led Gronk in the direction he¡¯d thought the slime went off to. It was almost like fate rewarding him for all his struggles, and he wasn¡¯t about to turn down the opportunity.
With a sudden leap, Dario closed the distance between them and swung his shield down, hoping to completely smash it in one blow. The slime was once more too fast and evaded his attack. It seemed to recognize him and immediately wriggled away, opting for retreat over fighting. He gave chase, but unfortunately lost track of the slime as it headed inside a small human-sized opening situated in a nearby rock face different from the cliff he''d fallen from.
Dario peered into the hole and confirmed it to be a cave that was deeper than he''d initially thought. ¡°Damn it, so close that time.¡± He kicked away a pebble in frustration.
He was extremely tempted to enter the cave in order to follow the slime, but he didn¡¯t know just how far it went. He didn¡¯t want to risk possibly getting lost in a cave system, especially since he was lost enough already. Although, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to do a quick check. Maybe the slime hadn¡¯t gone too far or the tunnel was actually rather shallow. Either way, it probably wouldn¡¯t waste too much time if he took a quick peek.
As he took a few steps into the cave, he suddenly heard the sound of crunching wood behind him.
Dario turned to look at the source of the noise and froze. To his surprise, what greeted his sight was the lumbering form of a heavily injured Gronk. One of his eyes was completely mutilated, but the other was intact with only some minor cuts and bruises. The lone orb was glaring at him with undisguised hostility.
¡°YOU!¡± Gronk pointed at him with a newly acquired log, his old club nowhere in sight. ¡°You not dead?¡±
¡°Nope, and it¡¯s all thanks to you Gronk,¡± Dario said with a tired grin. ¡°What say we call it even and we go our separate ways, alright?¡±
¡°NO!¡± he roared. ¡°NOT EVEN! ME MAKE YOU DEAD NOW!¡± The rampaging ogre began running towards him with his makeshift club ready to swing.
Having nowhere else to go, Dario ran further into the cave. He was just in time as the large wooden weapon in Gronk¡¯s hand slammed through the space he had previously occupied. Fortunately, the ogre was too large to fit into the cave entrance.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°RARGH! COME OUT! FIGHT ME!¡± Gronk reached inside and swung his club around the interior of the entryway.
¡°How about no,¡± Dario said, staring at the club being smashed around the walls in front of him. Bits and pieces of jagged rock dislodged from the walls with the force of Gronk¡¯s blows. ¡°Guess I have no choice but to go deeper, I guess.¡± He chuckled airily. ¡°I¡¯ve been using that philosophy a lot today.¡±
Ignoring the roars of outrage behind him, the purple-eyed young man journeyed deeper into the dark depths.
Thankfully, his Physique stat allowed him to see somewhat in the dark so he wasn¡¯t walking around completely blind. There was the occasional small hole in the roof of the tunnels, but the small beams of light that shone through were negligible. It was actually a bit strange how he was able to navigate so easily considering how scant the light was.
The sounds of Gronk¡¯s rampaging had subsided a while back, but the silence that ensued was just as anxiety inducing. Luckily, the cave seemed to be devoid of any small bugs or creepy crawlers and smelled fairly decent. He assumed that it was the result of slimes cleaning up the place over however many years they had resided there. He almost felt bad that he wanted to kill them.
After travelling through the winding tunnels for several minutes, he finally discovered a greater source of light up ahead. Sighing in relief, Dario rushed forward to go check it out. Nearly blinded by the sudden increase in light, he blinked his eyes at what came into view.
He set foot into what appeared to be a large cavern with a sizeable opening in the ceiling that shed light throughout the entire dwelling. Along the edges of the cavern were several other tunnel entryways, most of them much larger than the one he had emerged from. Off to one side was a waterfall that streamed down into a river going through the length of the large cave. There was quite a bit of plant life in the form of glowing mushrooms and the occasional patches of grass scattered around the smooth stone floor.
In his mind, he dubbed the place as ¡®The Grotto¡¯ with how picturesque it looked.
He was so distracted by the beauty of the place that he almost missed the strange sounds coming from somewhere nearby. Startled, he turned his head to the right and discovered what was making the nearly inaudible sizzling noise.
Sitting not too far away from him was a gigantic green slime that was seven feet tall and ten feet wide. Inside its gelatinous interior were a bunch of monster arachnids and what appeared to be a large snake. The sounds he¡¯d been hearing were the byproduct of the Giant Slime digesting its food.
¡°Holy shit.¡± Dario froze in surprise.
Right next to the Giant Slime was the smaller slime he¡¯d been chasing. Dario tried to sneakily hide, but there wasnt much of anything nearby. It wasn¡¯t long before the small slime noticed him, upon which it started jumping up and down, seemingly extending a small tendril to point in his direction. Instantly, the idyllic setting was disturbed by a flurry of movement.
Dario leapt away just in time to dodge the Giant Slime¡¯s sudden lunge. It moved astonishingly fast for a creature of its size and shape, but he supposed that he shouldn¡¯t be surprised with how swift the smaller slime had been.
Regardless, wasn¡¯t there a rule that the larger a living creature was, the harder it was to move around? Wasn¡¯t that a thing!?
Dario¡¯s hysteria was disrupted by the sound of a loud roar coming from one of the larger entrances. Entering The Grotto was the bulky form of Gronk with a deranged look in his eye.
¡°ME FOUND YOU!¡± he bellowed.
No more words were spared as the large ogre immediately stomped towards him with club in hand.
¡°COME ON! Seriously?¡± Dario cursed his luck and started weaving between the dual attacks of the Giant Slime and the ogre. Both of his assailants seemed to ignore the other in favor of going after him. It took all his focus and previous battle experiences just to keep up, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t last.
The constant assault from both sides eventually succeeded as he was bashed away by Gronk and simultaneously swatted by a long green tendril. Dario screamed in pain as the brief moment of contact with the slime left the skin of his arm feeling like it was on fire. He panted on the ground and stared at the approaching figures.
In the background, he could see the smaller slime jumping up and down in glee.
He had to do something fast or he was done for. The two of them were blocking the path to the exits and were just as fast as him so he had no delusions of making a run for it. His only hope was to somehow get them to kill each other, and with how injured Gronk was, he knew that it had a small chance of success.
With a hysterical laugh of someone who had nothing to lose, he stood up and re-engaged his opponents.
Dario ran towards Gronk and threw his shield to distract him, but the giant blocked it and sent it flying away, repositioning for another attack. He was able to dodge the downward swing of the ogre¡¯s club, but was struck by the follow up punch to his stomach. Wheezing through the pain, Dario latched onto the arm and swiftly climbed up onto his shoulder.
¡°RARGH! NOT AGAIN!¡± Gronk howled in rage as he attempted to shake the smaller human off his body. ¡°GET OFF GRONK!¡±
It was almost a repeat of their previous scuffle with Dario nimbly dodging what strikes he could and enduring the ones he couldn¡¯t. The only difference in this instance was the addition of the Giant Slime.
His desperate scrambling to stay on top of Gronk paid off after several exchanges as the Giant Slime decided to make do with a two-for-one meal. Dario was hoping for that exact outcome and immediately jumped off the ogre as soon as he saw the massive slime leap towards them.
Despite the quickness of his action, he was still struck in the face with a small smidgen of green slime. Fortunately, he was able to wipe off the dangerous liquid before it could cause any blistering pain, instead suffering just a minor redness on his skin. Gronk, on the other hand, endured a much more painful outcome.
He watched as the ogre roared out in pain, flailing around in an attempt to get away from the Giant Slime. His efforts were futile, however, and he was slowly engulfed by the larger monster. The ogre¡¯s skin seemed to be holding up despite his predicament and it seemed like he would survive being digested for a long time.
Dario felt a bit bad for Gronk and decided to offer him a piece of advice. Maybe a miracle would happen and they would end up taking each other out after all.
¡°HEY GRONK!¡± The ogre¡¯s large head turned towards him. ¡°IF YOU WANT TO KILL THE SLIME, AIM FOR THE BIG RED STONE INSIDE AND CRUSH IT!¡± He pointed at the core of the Giant Slime.
Gronk¡¯s sole intact eye stared at him balefully before finally following Dario¡¯s line of sight. Close to his submerged hand was a watermelon-sized spherical red stone. After inspecting it for a few seconds, he looked back towards the dark-haired teen.
¡°Gronk smash red rock and slime die?¡± He grunted as the slime began crawling up his neck. It wouldn¡¯t be long before his mouth and nose would be covered.
¡°Yep, smash rock and Gronk wins.¡± Dario tiredly grinned, giving the slimed ogre a thumbs up.
¡°Gronk wins?¡± the ogre muttered with a painful grimace.
¡°HELL YEAH!¡± Dario goaded as he slowly backed away. ¡°YOU CAN DO IT! YOU CAN WIN!¡±
¡°Gronk wins...¡± After a moment of hesitation, the giant turned and reached towards the floating red stone embedded deep inside the Giant Slime. With a determined look of rage on his face, he grabbed the stone in both hands and began squeezing. ¡°Gronk WINS!¡± With a bellow of rage, he crushed the core in his hands into smithereens.
The Giant Slime seemed to shriek in anguish and wobbled dangerously before eventually breaking apart into formless liquid. What was left of it quickly dissolved and seeped into the ground, with Gronk falling flat on his face, groaning in pain.
Dario would have whooped out in joy if he hadn¡¯t immediately bent over and fell on all fours. He gasped as a surge of power suddenly filled the core of his being. The strange feelings coursing throughout his body were both painful and gratifying. Looking deep within, he felt a major change in his inner store of Assimilator Energy, and he could feel something click inside him like he had unlocked some sort of new avenue of power.
He could only shudder on the floor with the changes taking over his system.
Gronk paid no attention to Dario¡¯s struggles and stood up onto his feet. ¡°Gronk WIN!¡± he yelled skyward in satisfaction. Calming down after a few seconds, he finally noticed the prone form of his once perceived friend. ¡°No. Gronk not win yet.¡± Bending over to pick up his fallen club, he started limping towards the incapacitated form on the ground.
¡°Gronk, stop,¡± Dario grunted through his teeth, still paralyzed and shaking from the changes in his body. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. I didn¡¯t lie to you this time. The slime died like I said, didn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°Friend made me do this.¡± The heavily injured, blistered ogre ignored his pleas and raised his club with an expression of sadness. ¡°Now friend die.¡± He swung the large weapon downwards.
¡°NO!¡± Dario raised his hands up in a useless attempt to fend off the gigantic log barreling towards him. He had never felt the desire to live more strongly than in that moment, and all he wanted was for the ogre to get the hell away from him.
Strangely enough, it worked.
A blast of bright light flew out of his hands and tore through the club, shattering it into many pieces. The beam didn¡¯t stop and continued past the weapon straight into Gronk¡¯s chest. The effect was immediate and the hulking ogre released a soft gasp, stumbling backwards before falling down onto the ground, motionless.
The young man stared at his dimly glowing hands in shock, his sluggish movements gone. ¡°What the¡? Did I do that?¡±
Still shaken by the revelation, he slowly stood up and walked over to the fallen Gronk in a dazed stupor. Looking down, he quickly realized that the ogre was still alive despite the smoldering crater on his chest. He didn''t have very long to live, however, judging from the wheezing and the blood dribbling down his lips. Dario was just about to turn and walk away when he felt a hand grasp onto his leg.
Surprised, he nearly raised his arm to finish the job, but something about the look in Gronk¡¯s eye stopped his hand.
¡°You win little man.¡± Gronk chuckled hoarsely. ¡°Me lose.¡±
Dario stared down at the fallen giant and smiled sadly. ¡°Yeah, me win.¡± He bent down and patted the dying ogre¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You did good though. I nearly died, but¡ it was fun, in the end.¡± Dario had many failings, but he was still someone who respected a good opponent. ¡°You sleep now big guy. You¡¯ve earned a long rest.¡±
¡°Me thought... you friend.¡± A tear slid down Gronk¡¯s mutilated yellow eye. ¡°Me was happy... not alone anymore. Me made friend.¡± The edge of his lips twitched upwards in the ghost of a smile. ¡°But you lie and not friend. Me alone after all.¡±
He closed his eyes in tearful resignation.
¡°Me live alone... me die alone. Always alone.¡± His voice faded down to a whisper. ¡°Always¡ always alone.¡± A shuddering gasp escaped his lips and Gronk knew no more.
Chapter 20 - Wildland Hermit
The sound of crashing water filled Dario¡¯s ears.
It was a soothing noise that complimented the sense of cleanliness coursing throughout his body. His eyes were closed as he basked under the endless flow of rushing water. Despite the cold temperature, he was still content with the feel of dirt and grime being purged from his skin. The hard day¡¯s work had left him covered in sweat and he was relieved to be back to his normal self.
Stepping out from under the waterfall, he walked completely naked over to a nearby flat boulder that served as a table. On top of it lay his armor components looking polished and brand new. He¡¯d thought that there would be damages across several of its plates, but they were surprisingly all intact. It turned out that Artificers made really durable stuff.
Next to the table was a clothesline he¡¯d fashioned out of long strips of vine. As he reached over to grab some dry clothing, he noticed in the corner of his eye a green slime trying to sneak up on him.
He raised his hand in an almost carefree manner in its direction.
His hand glowed for a split second before shooting out a beam of light that crossed the entire length of the cavern. His aim was far off, however, and the slime quickly retreated having realized its cover was blown. Dario was calm and relaxed despite the failure as he knew it would come back for another try soon enough.
He sat down and looked at his hands, watching as it shifted between glowing and being completely inert. He had been working on mastering his newfound abilities ever since he attained them, and it was a pleasure trying to figure out exactly what he was capable of.
What were his limits? How versatile was the ability? How much damage could his beams dish out? Could they be redirected through the use of mirrors?
Those were the types of questions that plagued his mind ever since he shot that first beam. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, he now had all the time in the world to safely experiment.
Dario had been stuck in the Wildlands for the last couple of days and there seemed to be no end to his predicament in sight. He had left Tuesday afternoon and was still lost in the woods by Thursday night. It was dangerous for even a Superior ¡ª let alone a newly manifested one ¡ª to stay out for so long alone in the Wildlands, but he was thankfully able to circumvent the issue.
He didn¡¯t have to sleep like everyone else after all.
Constant vigilance wasn¡¯t a problem for someone who had no say in the matter. Dario didn¡¯t have a choice of whether or not he should keep a lookout because his body simply wouldn¡¯t allow him the alternative. He preferred to think of it as a positive thing, but he still couldn¡¯t deny that it was quite the double-edged sword.
Insomnia was his curse, but productivity was his blessing. Dario hadn¡¯t wasted his time lamenting over his circumstance and instead worked on surviving.
After the battle in The Grotto, he had left the cave to search for a way out of the Wildlands, anticipating that the way back would be a simple trek around the cliff. His hopes were dashed, however, as the tall rock face extended over a longer stretch of area than he¡¯d initially thought.
He had walked for nearly half a day before deciding to head back since nightfall wasn¡¯t the best time to be out and about in the Wildlands. Finding safe shelter was the most important goal in the long term, and he was fortunate enough that there was such a place for him to retreat to.
That was how he ended up back in The Grotto with the goal of making it his temporary dwelling. It was the territory of the slimes, but he¡¯d had no compunction over usurping the place, especially with the big boss taken care of.
It was a surprise when Dario had walked inside the cavern to find over a dozen slimes occupying its interior. Most of them were on top of where Gronk had been, slowly devouring his corpse. He¡¯d meant to drag the corpse out of the cave or at least make a grave for him, but it turned out to be a pointless gesture.
Dario had spent a few minutes blasting the slimes to smithereens before he¡¯d been able to take a look at what was left of the ogre¡¯s corpse. All that remained was his foot, completely sterile and moisture free. The slimes had thoroughly consumed him.
In memory of the strange giant, he had placed the remaining foot on top of a tall stone next to the waterfall as a sort of monument to his existence and in remembrance of Dario¡¯s first significant kill.
He didn¡¯t count the smaller monsters he¡¯d slain earlier in his excursion because they didn¡¯t seem real to him, like they were truly alive. Those had just been simple creatures enslaved to their base instincts, but Gronk had been different. He had been the first truly sentient creature he¡¯d killed.
Dario was told that he¡¯d change as a person fundamentally when killing a fellow sentient living being, but when Gronk died, he¡¯d only felt a little bit of guilt and regret, with none of the soul-crushing dread he¡¯d come to expect. He didn¡¯t know if that meant he was a psychopath, just numb to it, or Gronk¡¯s status as a monster made it easier for him. Either way, he now knew a little bit more about himself, and knew that he could, and would, handle anymore deaths in his future with a certain level of composure.
With the way his life was going, he really had no choice but to adapt if he wanted to survive.
On a lighter note, since he¡¯d killed the slimes who ate Gronk and therefore taken their World Energy, it technically meant that Gronk was a part of him and within him for the rest of his days. It had been a strange yet comforting thought. There were still some oozes that escaped, but it was only a matter of time before he got them all.
The past couple of days had Dario busy in trying to explore the other end of the cliff while fending off the occasional vengeful slime. During his downtime, he would experiment and try to learn more about his new capabilities. Fortunately, he was able to figure out several important pieces of information.
Dario looked down and tapped his Status Band to check on his progress after another day¡¯s worth of exploring and killing monsters.
The golden device lit up and showed him the glowing numbers of his stats ¡ª Assimilator at 4.6, Defender at 4.8, and Physique at 4.6. Dario grinned and felt extremely satisfied since it was a big step up from where he had started only a few days ago. All of his stats were now at 4 and he could feel the difference.
He was a bit stronger than before and it felt like he could hear slightly better, but he didn¡¯t know if that was his imagination or not. His Defender score hadn¡¯t changed much since he was at 4 when he had left the city, and he certainly didn¡¯t feel any more durable than usual. Judging from what changed and what didn¡¯t, he suspected that only jumps between integers could yield any noticeable differences.
The most significant progression during his time in the Wildlands was definitely his Assimilator stat. As soon as the Giant Slime perished, he had received its share of Assimilator World Energy, catapulting him forward and allowing him to figure out exactly what he could absorb.
What tipped him off was the fact that he could now shoot beams of light out of his hands. He recalled how The Bloody King¡¯s assimilator aspect was emotion, where he could freely absorb it and reutilize it in different ways, like projecting it back outwards onto others. He had applied that logic to himself and came to a swift conclusion.
It wasn''t heat that he could assimilate like he first thought. His aspect was actually light.
When he¡¯d been in the burning building, it wasn¡¯t the heat from the fire that empowered him, but rather the bright glowing flames. It explained why he always felt like he was gaining Assimilator Energy during the day, and less so during the night. Whenever the sun¡¯s rays landed directly on his skin, he felt rejuvenated and even empowered.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
After a few tests on some scattered pieces of dry wood, he had found out that any source of light added to his store of energy, whether it be from a small flame or a raging bonfire. Even the soft moonlight filling The Grotto increased his vibrancy if he paid close enough attention. Each gave various amounts to his supply of energy, but daylight gave him the most so far.
He found that whenever he was injured or low on energy, all he had to do was go out and lay directly under the sun¡¯s rays. That helped him out a lot during his hunts and explained how he was able to recover so fast after falling off a high cliff. In fact, it explained many of the instances where he was able to stand back up feeling perfectly fine despite suffering potentially fatal injuries.
Another amazing discovery was the effect his Light Assimilation had on his need for sustenance. He found that he could actually use his inner energy to help alleviate hunger pangs. It wouldn¡¯t make them go away completely but it still helped significantly. He would probably be starving at the moment if not for that.
He felt a lot better knowing that the sun would always cover his ass, figuratively speaking.
Interestingly enough, even being in a completely dark space gave him energy somehow, but in very small amounts compared to the gains from other sources. This told him that he was either very sensitive to light ¡ª to the point of absorbing the minute amount present in a dark room ¡ª or there was something else he was missing. He suspected it to be the former.
With his aspect, he was always gaining some amount of Assimilator Energy, and he would have to physically exhaust himself or continuously shoot light beams in order to feel drained. However, having an endlessly filling large store of energy didn¡¯t mean he could slack off and hope that the unfair advantage would be enough for his battles. He had to get better, and to do that, he had to be more efficient with his energy usage.
He could only move and hunt safely during the day so his nighttimes were spent practising his light control. His efforts were focused on lowering and increasing the intensity of his beams, trying to figure out what utilized the least amount of energy while inflicting the most damage. In the end, it was only a matter of time and practise.
Dario raised his glowing hands and started shooting light beams towards several marked spots on the opposite wall. He smiled in satisfaction at seeing the scorched craters spreading across the stone surface.
The sounds and bright lights of Dario¡¯s beams filled the cavern throughout the night.
A noise similar to a high-pitched shrieking warble filled the air before suddenly stopping.
Dario slowly lowered his hand and observed the smoking corpse of the arachnid still twitching on the ground a few feet away. His aim had gotten better over the hours he¡¯d spent practising and he was putting it to good use.
His hunts continued as soon as the sun rose from the horizon. He didn¡¯t want to waste a single moment as every second of daylight meant extra time to make his way back home. He had spent much of his efforts exploring one side of the cliff, but gave up when he realized that it seemed to go on forever.
Another big reason he¡¯d turned around was because of what appeared to be a colony of arachnids covering a large portion of the area. He had stopped at the point where there seemed to be more spider webs than trees.
His only options were to either go deeper into the Wildlands and further out from the city, or follow along the other side of the cliff and hope that it led him back towards Voirsten. Needless to say, he chose the latter.
Dario had spent the previous day exploring the path and finding out shortcuts through the dense forest so that his next venture would cross more distance over a shorter period of time. His efforts paid off as he reached twice as far as the previous day¡¯s travels. There was still the occasional monster that got in his way, but they were few and far in between with none of them more threatening than the average large arachnid.
He actually welcomed any encounters since it gave him an excuse to freely make use of his destructive light beams. He didn¡¯t hold back whenever he used his abilities as he wanted to see just how fast his energy stores filled up after such heavy expenditure. With the sun high up in the sky, his recovery rate was quite phenomenal.
During his excursions, he also tested the extent of his enhanced physical senses and durability.
He was thankful for his enhanced senses as they allowed him to hear any nearby monsters trying to sneak up on him. At one point, he had almost walked right into a group of large venomous snakes. Instead, he was able to shoot at them from a safe distance due to being able to hear their nearly inaudible hissing. He did, however, allow one snake to live in order to test out its fangs against the toughness of his skin.
It was a bad idea.
In hindsight, it was probably a better idea to have a less venomous monster bite his hand. Fortunately, he found out that he could recover from deadly venoms after some time in the sun, so it wasn¡¯t a wasted effort. It only cost him a few minutes and some nauseous pain, but the returns were worth it.
The fangs were only just barely able to pierce his skin despite its sharp features, so he now knew for sure that he had some protection against stabbing. All he had to do to become fully impervious was to increase his Defender level.
In general, all three of his Power Classes had amazing uses and it didn¡¯t matter what leveled up as they all benefited him in some way.
In spite of his less than fortunate circumstances, he was still happy to freely go around and kill monsters. He was rarely the kind of person to dwell on the negatives of a situation and always tried to see his way through it. In fact, since he was already out in the Wildlands with a safe shelter to retreat to, he might as well go a bit deeper to see if there wasn¡¯t more worthwhile prey.
He weighed the pros and cons of such an action and decided that no reward comes without risk, so he might as well give it a shot. He could always find his way back by using Darion Solaris, his namesake star, if he ever got lost at night.
With a pep in his step, he deviated from his path and went off into the woods, occasionally using light rays to burn holes in trees to mark the routes he¡¯d taken.
Dario traversed through the woods for several minutes, listening closely for any unfamiliar sounds. It would be amazing if he ran into another Giant Slime, but he didn¡¯t keep his hopes up. It was supposedly rare for slimes to get so big, so it was still a surprise for him that he had come across one in the wild.
In the corner of his eye, he spotted a single familiar green slime stalking him. It was the same size and coloration of the first slime he ever encountered.
¡°You again?¡± he asked, exasperated. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I still haven¡¯t gotten you. You know I killed all of your buddies already, right? You¡¯re by yourself now.¡±
The slime had no response, simply staying partially hidden behind a tree.
¡°First to meet, but last to go, huh?¡± Dario sighed and raised his arm in its direction. ¡°Sorry little guy, but I really need your Assimilator Energy.¡± He chuckled when an amusing thought crossed his mind. ¡°I want your Ass Energy, you could say. No hard feelings.¡±
As his hand started glowing, he was suddenly startled by the sound of a distant explosion.
¡°What the¡?¡± He looked off in the distance to try and see the cause of the commotion before remembering what he was doing.
He turned back to the slime just in time to see it bouncing away.
¡°Damn it, stay still!¡± After shooting a few beams of light towards its retreating form and missing, he eventually gave up, dropping his steaming hand with a feeling of discontent. ¡°I¡¯ll get you next time,¡± he grumbled.
The sound of more explosions echoed throughout the forest.
¡°Okay, now I really have to check it out.¡±
Dario headed off in the direction of the noise, passing through several dense crops of trees and bushes, nearly getting lost a couple times before being redirected by the sound of explosions. He eventually burst out of the woods and came upon an astonishing sight.
He arrived to the scene of a battlefield.
There, in front of his eyes, was an open road with a supply caravan consisting of over a dozen carriages all spaced out with about ten meters between each other. In the back of Dario¡¯s mind, he was happy to have discovered a way back home, but something else grabbed his attention.
Five Superiors were in a formation around one of the central carriages and engaged in combat with seven other Superiors. He was shocked to see so much firepower fighting over a simple supply caravan and was even more amazed to witness an actual fight between Superiors. Seeing it in person was hard to describe, especially with all the destructive forces being flung around like it was nothing.
Was this normal out in the Wildlands?
From a glance, it looked like the seven attacking Superiors were the bad guys and the ones defending were the good guys. He wasn¡¯t completely sure, but the cowering civilians hiding behind some carriages tipped the scales in the defenders¡¯ favor.
Like the foolhardy teenager he was, and drunk on his newly acquired power, he strode forward intending to help. Upon moving closer, he noticed one of the female defenders protecting the carriage being snuck up from behind by one of the rogue Superiors forming a fireball in his hands.
Dario yelled towards the unsuspecting woman, but she was unable to hear him amidst the sounds of battle and from such a far distance. He had little confidence that he¡¯d be able to hit the rogue Superior with a beam, so he had no choice but to personally intervene if he wanted to make a difference.
With a deep pull from his inner pool of energy, he burst forth from the forest tree line and started sprinting towards her.
In the past, when he had first used his power to enhance his legs, he had tripped over a lot. He¡¯d been very unused to the sudden increase in speed, but ever since then, he had practised diligently in order to make up for his shortcomings.
His efforts paid off.
In a handful of seconds, he crossed the nearly eighty meter distance between them and pushed the woman aside just as a blazing sphere of fire reached them. He was successful in saving her, but ended up placing himself in the crossfire.
That was when the fireball exploded.
He tried to jump away, but the blast was too close, and he was far too late. With the searing roar of an explosion deafening his ears, he felt a mind-numbing blast hit him, shaking every bone in his body. He was expelled with great force upwards into the air.
He briefly noticed a mangled foot flying away before passing out.
Chapter 21 - Cloud Envy
As his awareness gradually returned, Dario realized that he was lying face down in the dirt with a throbbing pain permeating his whole body.
There was a high-pitched ringing in his ears as his sense of hearing seemed to wane back and forth like a wave on a beach. He tasted the familiar tang of blood in his mouth before hacking and coughing to clear out his airways.
With a grunt of effort, the young man attempted to heave himself off the ground, only to fall onto his back facing the noonday sky. He looked down to see why he couldn¡¯t stand up and noticed his right leg covered in burns and his left foot completely missing from the ankle down.
¡°Well¡ fuck.¡± Dario sighed and laid his head back down to look at the clouds covering most of the sky. He blankly stared at nothing before softly chuckling under his breath, the dull aches leaving his mind hazy and dazed.
While it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been heavily injured, Dario had never before lost an entire appendage, so it was quite a shock to his system. Over the years, he¡¯d found ways to deal with annoying injuries, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it would be enough for his current condition. His coping mechanism for pain usually involved fantasizing and imagining being somewhere else entirely ¡ª where peaceful thoughts outweighed everything else.
Dario grunted and tried to weather the agony, but as the seconds passed by, the idea of escape seemed more and more appealing, especially with the pain of losing his foot slowly entering his awareness. Having nothing else to do, Dario closed his eyes and drifted away.
In the present circumstance, Dario imagined being just like the clouds, floating along without a care in the world, simply basking in the sun¡¯s warm rays. Formless and weightless, he coasted along the blue horizon, feeling nothing but the cool breeze against his face. For a while, the peaceful image overlapped his body, and all of his aches and pains faded into the background. He could almost imagine being in that state of bliss for the rest of his days, and Dario smiled at the thought.
The sound of a nearby explosion broke his reverie and he opened his eyes, wildly scanning his surroundings.
Dario groaned when he finally remembered where he was and recalled how he got there in the first place. He¡¯d love to lay idle all day, but it would probably be a bad idea since he was still in an active battlefield. If there was anything he¡¯d learned from his street fighting days, it was that he should never leave himself vulnerable out in the open.
¡°Hey! Can I get a little HELP here!?¡± he yelled. ¡°I could really use a hand or, heh, I¡¯ll even take a foot!¡±
Dario chuckled at his own morbid joke ¡ª humor being the other coping method he loved utilizing. Or perhaps it was the delirium and shock setting in, which would explain why he just stupidly gave away his position to possible enemies.
He smacked his face with both hands to try and get his head in the game. He had to stay sharp if he wanted to make it out alive, especially with his ailment.
He snuck a quick peek down to see if his foot truly was missing, and doing so reconfirmed his fears. His foot was really gone, but it fortunately cauterized so he still held hope. All he had to do was be patient since his power would heal him up eventually.
In the meantime, his main focus was to stay out of any more life-threatening situations. That was fairly hard to do considering how there was still an ongoing fight between Superiors. Looking skyward, he was nearly blinded by a collision between two flying figures, one glowing and the other covered in flames. Dario could feel the vibrations from their clash reaching his bones.
It was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
As the ringing in his ears somewhat abated, he could hear the sounds of other battles occurring around him. He flinched as a large piece of rock landed a couple meters away from where he lay on the ground.
¡°This is way out of my league,¡± he muttered. ¡°Why the hell did I think this was a good idea?¡±
Dario looked around the open clearing to see if there was anyone nearby who could help him and quickly came to the conclusion that nobody would be coming to his rescue. He guessed that it would probably be a bit rude to bother anyone in the middle of a life and death fight by asking to be carried away.
¡°Serves me right,¡± he mumbled, nearly inaudible amidst the sounds of battle. ¡°Ah well. If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.¡±
With a groan of exertion, Dario began dragging himself towards a dense group of trees in the nearby forest that seemed to have suffered the least amount of damage. Halfway to his destination, he changed his mind and headed towards an area with a more open canopy. He would need as much sunlight as possible If he wanted to recover faster.
Upon reaching what he considered a good enough safe spot, Dario laid down on the grass and sighed in relief. He looked upwards and scrunched his brows at the clouds covering most of the sky.
¡°Go away damn clouds, I don¡¯t need your shit blocking out the light. Nobody likes your lazy free-floating ways,¡± he murmured while looking for any signs of sunlight. Dario could feel his numbed senses returning and he really didn¡¯t want to deal with the pain. ¡°Sun, Sun, come to play, go ahead and make my day,¡± he sang as he tried his best to ignore the slowly increasing agony in his lower limbs.
Thankfully, a few clouds parted and revealed the Sun in all its blazing glory. As the rays of sunlight washed over him, he sighed in contentment as his headache and a portion of his bodily pains faded away. It wouldn¡¯t completely heal him, but it was enough to give him a second wind, and as long as the sun kept its rays on him, he could keep going indefinitely.
Unless he lost another body part.
Dario chuckled humorlessly as he waited for his healing ability to kick in. There wasn¡¯t much he could do except bide his time, but maybe afterwards he could rejoin the fight and help out. He¡¯d never reach his full potential as a Superior if he lay on his back all day.
Speaking of Superiors...
¡°Why the hell are there so many of them here?¡± he cursed. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a supply caravan for some random village?¡± He knew that the larger cities sent supplies to outer villages and smaller cities, but he never suspected there to be so much firepower used as protection. Wasn¡¯t it a bit overkill to use so many Superiors for an escort mission? Then again, it turned out to be the right thing in the end.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
His musings were interrupted by the sound of rustling branches.
Dario looked up and saw the familiar, hateful form of a watermelon-sized green slime. It seemed to be glaring at him despite having no eyes. As injured as he was, he had no time to react when the slime suddenly rushed towards him, leaping directly onto his face.
"Fuc-"
He instantly began choking as the green blob slowly suffocated him. He tried to grab a hold of it in order to throw it away, but his efforts were futile as his hands simply went through its body. Its core was near impossible to find with how obscured his vision was. He wanted to blast it away with his light beams, but with how tightly it latched onto his head, he feared that he would only end up hurting himself. He was tempted to do so anyways as the burning sensation of the slime¡¯s digestion started to really hurt.
Was this how he was going to go? Death by slime?
Silently roaring, Dario renewed his struggles with focused rage and decided to utilize a technique he¡¯d been working on. He encased his hands with a small coating of glowing light and began using it against the slime¡¯s liquid exterior. It worked to a certain extent, the glowing appendage burning away all it touched. However, the slime was able to maneuver around his head and keep the majority of its body intact.
Their silent battle dragged on for nearly half a minute before Dario grew desperate. The slime would eventually outlast his swipes and either fully digest him or drown him. It was only a matter of time before it would prove itself the victor of their three-day-long game of hide-and-kill.
He had to do something fast.
¡°GET THE HELL OFF ME!¡± With a furious roar, Dario¡¯s entire head and eyes briefly glowed bright white before shooting out a wide area blast. The slime instantly evaporated having been so close to the blinding source of light. Not a single drop of green ectoplasm remained on his face, leaving him lying on the ground gasping for breath.
There was a shocked silence as the purple-eyed young man tried to digest what happened.
¡°Damn, that was¡ something. Guess I¡¯m not limited to just my hands, huh?¡± In the aftermath of the explosion, Dario began laughing uproariously into the air. ¡°I win slime, I WIN! Took me a few days but I eventually got you!¡±
His laughing eventually subsided and Dario remained still, simply basking under the sun¡¯s warmth. He reached up to touch his head in order to inspect the damages. His skin felt tender, but he could already feel the flesh mending so he wasn¡¯t too worried. What bothered him the most was actually the loss of quite a few strands of hair. He probably looked mostly like himself, but closer inspection would reveal the truth.
Dario sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. He felt a bit drained with his powers working overtime to heal him. No one would blame him if he took a short nap, right? The battle could sort itself without him for now.
He closed his eyes and took a short rest to try and recover. There were times when one had to fight and other times where a little R&R was the better option.
This was one of those times.
With some of his strength recovered, he sat up to take stock of the situation.
His foot was still gone, but it wasn¡¯t getting any worse, so that was good. Looking at the scene of the battle, he realized that some time must have passed as it seemed to be winding down with the good guys winning. There were only three rogue Superiors left while all five of the ones protecting the carriage were still up and about.
They apparently came to the same realization as well.
Almost as one, all three of the rogues glanced at each other before backing off with each of them picking up one of their injured. As they ran away, one of them kept shooting small bolts of blue energy while another left behind a wall of flame to cover their retreat. The defending Superiors looked too tired and injured to give chase, but they at least had a small victory in the form of a rogue Superior¡¯s dead body.
Dario was startled when he took a closer look at the Superiors protecting the carriage. He was amazed to find out that he actually knew of, or at least recognized, a few of them.
Next to the dead rogue¡¯s body, inspecting it, stood a tall woman with shoulder length blonde hair and bright blue eyes set on a strikingly attractive face. The scar that ran along her right cheek and down through the right side of her lips further confirmed to him that she was the Superior known as Bright Star. The all white ensemble also helped.
A little bit behind her, a stout middle-aged man sporting a thick beard and a bald head kept staring at the sky with bright red eyes, loudly exhaling. Each consecutive breath the man took released a small cloud of smoke that wafted around his crimson, heavily armed body. Dario looked at the large black pipe with red markings dangling on the man¡¯s right hip and recognized the familiar hero who had put out the burning building during his first rescue ¡ª it was Soldier Smolder.
Leaning against the carriage in a relaxed and carefree manner was a man with dark red hair and a handsome face. He wore all-black clothing with red trimmings, along with a multitude of weapons such as daggers, throwing knives, and what seemed to be a machete. He was definitely the Superior known as Augur.
Sitting on the ground in a relaxed lotus position was the woman he had pushed out of the way and saved. She was wearing a tight blue outfit that clung to her body like a second skin. Her blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail which reached just below her shoulders where her dark red cape connected with the rest of her costume. He didn¡¯t know it when he first saw her, but now that the battle was over, he realized that she was the famous Nightingale.
He couldn¡¯t tell who the other black and yellow costumed Superior sitting on the ground was, but judging from the prestige of the ones he did recognize, she was probably top-tier as well.
¡°Well, at least it¡¯s all over now,¡± Dario muttered before taking a deep breath. ¡±HEY! OVER HERE! I COULD REALLY USE SOME ASSISTANCE!¡±
All at once, the vaunted Superiors turned in his direction. Nightingale ¡ª the one he''d saved ¡ª recognized him and said something to Bright Star who then approached him. She had a stern look on her face as she headed his way.
¡°Ah shit, they¡¯re probably mad at me, aren''t they? She definitely looks annoyed at least.¡± Dario sighed as he looked upwards. He inwardly reiterated his desire to be like the clouds. No one ever really berated them. They were carefree and went wherever they pleased without a care in the world.
The sky¡¯s the limit for them. Literally.
¡°Young man, what the hell are you doing out here of all places?¡± Bright Star demanded, standing a couple meters away from him. ¡°This isn¡¯t a place to play around! I don¡¯t even know why you look so happy for someone who just lost his foot. How¡¯re you even awake with all the pain you should be feeling right now?¡±
¡°I manifested a week or two ago.¡± He shrugged languidly. ¡°Regen¡¯s one of my abilities apparently. Takes away some of the pain.¡±
¡°Ah, figures.¡± Bright Star placed a palm over her face. ¡°Typical newbie. Figured that since you got powers now, you¡¯d go out and be a hero, huh? You thought it would be easy?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡± He grinned sheepishly.
Bright Star sighed before bending over to pick him up. She headed back towards her companions with Dario''s limp body over her shoulder.
¡°At least you saved Dahlia, so I guess you¡¯re not a complete fuckup, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can just go around doing whatever you want. You¡¯ll be branded as a vigilante or a rogue, and you don¡¯t want that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be branded as a what now?¡± Dario asked, somewhat distracted as he surreptitiously admired the view of her backside.
¡°Didn¡¯t the guild tell you anything?¡± she asked incredulously.
¡°Uhh, I haven¡¯t officially signed a contract with the guild or anything, so I¡¯m technically not a member yet,¡± he admitted sheepishly.
The blonde woman shook her head and sighed. ¡°Nevermind then. Just don¡¯t go doing things without at least giving the guild a heads up, alright?¡±
¡°I got it, no more vigilantisizing for me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not even a word.¡± She rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°Just tell me your name newbie,¡± Bright Star inquired as they approached the others.
¡°Dario,¡± he stated with conviction in his bright purple eyes. ¡°The name¡¯s Dario, and I¡¯m gonna be the best supe to have ever lived.¡±
He¡¯d never had that ambition before, but something about the recent events made it seem like the right thing to say. It was a strange and sudden epiphany, but it made sense. After all, being the best meant that you never had to worry about anything, right?
Bright Star chuckled at his declaration. ¡°Interesting goal, but the delivery could use some work.¡±
¡°Yeah... I know. I¡¯ll work on it.¡±
Chapter 22 - The Carriage Awaits
With the battle over, there was a sense of calm in the air despite the heavily damaged exterior of the surrounding landscape. Some of the trees were still burning, and a few of them lay broken on the ground. Large pockets of soil were simply missing or dislodged far away, and two of the carriages were torn asunder with many of the horses rattled. In spite of this, the Superiors seemed relaxed and even satisfied.
As Bright Star approached the rest of her team, Dario noted a hint of lemony fragrance in the air. He hadn¡¯t noticed it at first when the blonde Superior picked him up, but it was all he could smell now that his face was practically up against her back. Was that her perfume?
He spared no more attention to the idle thought as they finally reached the others.
¡°This was a shitshow, but at least we got some World Energy out of it,¡± remarked the stout, heavily armed man known as Soldier Smolder. ¡°It¡¯s been too long since I had a good fight. It¡¯s too bad they were only after the girl.¡± The man took a deep breath before pointing at the limp body hanging over Bright Star¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Who¡¯s that, Bright Star?¡±
¡°His name¡¯s Dario, and he manifested recently apparently,¡± Bright Star informed him.
¡°Wait a minute¡ Dario?¡± he said, brows furrowed. ¡°I recognize that name, I swear I¡¯ve heard it somewhere before.¡± He gestured towards her. ¡°Let me have a look at him.¡±
Bright Star turned around, whereupon Dario¡¯s smiling face came into view.
¡°Hey.¡± The cheerful teen waved. ¡°Fancy meeting you here.¡±
¡°Well, well, aren¡¯t you the one who rescued someone from that fire I put out? Dario... Sindred, right? What the hell are you doing out here?¡± Soldier Smolder asked in bewilderment. ¡°I know I told you to keep up the good work, but this is a bit much for a newbie innit?¡±
¡°I went for a stroll out here to kill some monsters, but I got a little lost,¡± Dario admitted. ¡°It turned out alright in the end though, right? I even managed to help you guys out during the battle.¡±
¡°And how exactly did you help us out?¡± the bearded man asked with a raised eyebrow.
Before Dario could respond, Bright Star chimed in, ¡°He saved Nightingale during the fight, but it cost him his foot, as you can see.¡±
Upon hearing her name, the nearby Nightingale perked up and stood from her sitting lotus position.
¡°Thanks for the save... Dario, was it? You really shouldn¡¯t be here, but I appreciated your help nonetheless,¡± she said, her voice soft and melodious.
¡°It was no problem, I only wanted to help.¡± Dario grinned with what he assumed was a charming smile. The effect was ruined due to his slightly reddened skin and missing pieces of hair.
¡°How¡¯d you even get in a situation where you needed a newbie to save you Nighty?¡± Soldier Smolder inquired with a raised eyebrow.
The woman in question had a sheepish grin on her face. ¡°I was out drinking last night. I must¡¯ve challenged a whole bunch of people in drinking contests ¡®cause I can¡¯t remember what happened and I still have a killer hangover. I just got really sloppy and wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± She shook her head before muttering, ¡°That¡¯s the last time I listen to Katie about drinking before an escort mission.¡±
¡°Ha! The secret to dealing with hangovers is to keep on drinking! I drank a keg this morning and I¡¯m perfectly fine!¡± Soldier Smolder chortled before pulling out his pipe to smoke.
¡°Not everyone can be perpetually drunk like you Smolder,¡± Nightingale said, rolling her eyes.
Dario was a bit astonished to see such well known Superiors acting so differently from their public image. The Soldier Smolder he¡¯d met a few days ago seemed so composed and heroic, but here he seemed like the typical average person, behaving more like a functional alcoholic than anything else.
Nightingale was one of his childhood idols back in the day, but she behaved more normal than expected as well. Regardless, there was a question in his mind that he¡¯d been meaning to ask ever since he first realized it was her.
¡°Can I have your autograph, Nightingale?¡± Dario asked.
It may have been a long time since he¡¯d last idolized Superiors, but he just couldn¡¯t help himself when there was one of his childhood heroes right in front of him!
¡°Oh! Um, sure!¡± The blue-clad, blonde Superior looked surprised before she turned and walked over to him. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since someone asked for one.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re always out here fighting, or in there drinking,¡± Soldier Smolder muttered.
When Nightingale approached, Dario noted the strange scent of lemons once more.
¡°Here you go.¡± With a pleased smile, Nightingale pulled out a card from a hidden pocket and handed it over to him. ¡°I don¡¯t hand these out very often, but I feel like it¡¯s the least I could do.¡±
Dario looked down from atop Bright Star¡¯s shoulder and inspected the card. It was a beautifully drawn rendition of a city with crystal-like spires. In the center was the floating form of Nightingale with her signature beneath it.
¡°Wow, thanks for this. It¡¯s amazing,¡± Dario stated honestly. It truly was a stunning piece of artwork.
¡°Thanks. I drew it myself.¡± NIghtingale smiled.
Bright Star rolled her eyes and coughed in annoyance. ¡°Anyways you two, where¡¯s the rogue¡¯s body?¡± Bright Star impatiently asked her compatriots.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
¡°Blink took it and went to find a carriage to store it in,¡± Nightingale replied.
¡°Good. How about the supply caravan? Are the civilians alright?¡±
¡°Yeah, the rogues were only after the girl so everyone is pretty much safe and sound, if not a little rattled,¡± Soldier Smolder said after blowing out a puff of smoke. ¡°Some of the carriages were destroyed, but none of them had any civilians. The supplies that were intact have already been moved to other containers.¡±
¡°Alright, the caravan should be okay to keep going, so there¡¯s no need to stop and take camp. We¡¯ll continue heading back to the city.¡± Bright Star turned and started walking towards the nearby carriage with her limp passenger in tow. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough for today.¡±
¡°Is he gonna be alright with the whole ''no-foot'' thing he got going?¡± Soldier Smolder asked in between hits of his burning pipe.
To Dario, his concern was understandable since he probably did look out of sorts, seemingly fading from sleepiness to drowsy awareness. Thankfully, the sun was slowly rectifying his situation.
¡°Yes, Smolder, I¡¯m gonna put him in the carriage so he can sleep it off. He apparently has regenerative powers that keep pain away, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Bright Star asked, shaking the limp body on her shoulder.
¡°Yeah, but lay it easy on me will you? I¡¯ve had a rough few days, and I¡¯ve spent most of it living like a hermit,¡± Dario complained.
¡°Alright then.¡± Soldier Smolder nodded towards them. ¡°He¡¯s your responsibility now,¡± he said before turning away to continue smoking.
¡°See you later, Mr. Sindred. Thanks again for the save!¡± Nightingale smiled and waved at him, her cape billowing in the wind as Bright Star continued carrying him towards the carriage.
Dario waved back with a grin. Being appreciated by such prominent Superiors felt quite surreal.
¡°So, you said you¡¯ve been out here all by yourself for the past few days?¡± Bright Star asked curiously.
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°I find that a bit hard to believe, but if true then that¡¯s quite an impressive feat for a newbie,¡± Bright Star said, somewhat impressed.
Dario preened under her praise and was eager to tell his tale.
¡°Yeah, and honestly, I still can¡¯t believe some of the stuff I went through. I was only out here for a few days, but I managed to encounter and take out this really big ogre and giant slime. There was this area in the forest where a colony of monster arachnids lived, and damn, you wouldn¡¯t believe the amount of ambushes I had to deal with. I even fell off like a three hundred meter tall cliff and survived!¡± he exclaimed, feeling happy at finally being able to talk about it. ¡°It¡¯s been a crazy few days.¡±
¡°Okay, now I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Bright Star snorted at what she perceived to be tall tales.
¡°Heh, I don¡¯t blame you.¡± Dario chuckled. ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t believe me, but it really did happen.¡± He paused in thought. ¡°At least I think it happened. Maybe I ate some bad shrooms and hallucinated the whole thing.¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the strangest thing.¡± The tall blonde shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s all kinds of plants and fruits that would mess you up out here in the Wildlands. If you really did live out here for a few days, then you were really lucky.¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t attribute it all to luck, though I guess there was a bit of it involved,¡± Dario admitted. ¡°In truth, I survived because I didn¡¯t have to eat as much due to me having some... unique light abilities.¡±
¡°Really?¡± she asked, intrigued.
¡°Yeah,¡± Dario said, feeling both proud and smug before coming to a realization. ¡°Wait a minute¡ your powers are based off of light too, right? Do you think you can give me some pointers?¡±
She very likely wasn¡¯t an Assimilator like him, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t teach him a thing or two since their powers were somewhat similar from what he remembered about her. Anything he could do to get stronger was always a good thing, and it didn¡¯t hurt to make social connections with people in high places.
¡°Hmm, maybe,¡± she said after a short pause. ¡°But now isn¡¯t really the time, and I tend to be pretty busy anyways.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Dario muttered dejectedly. ¡°I¡¯ll try again another day.¡±
Bright Star rolled her eyes. ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± she said as they approached the carriage. ¡°Now hush.¡± She turned to face the man leaning against the wooden transport.
¡°Augur, did you check on the girl?¡±
¡°Yeah, she¡¯s doing just fine, and the carriage seems to be all in one piece,¡± the red-haired Superior drawled. Augur then spoke into the wagon he leaned upon, ¡°I think you¡¯ve had just enough fresh air, don¡¯t you think so, princess?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t call me that, and no, I don¡¯t want to go back to the city just yet,¡± replied a feminine voice from within. ¡°Can¡¯t we stay out here for a bit longer and set up camp?¡±
Bright Star walked up to the carriage with Dario over her shoulder and opened the surprisingly ornate door.
¡°Amara, the agreement with your father was that you were allowed to travel outside the city and visit your aunt so long as you weren¡¯t in danger. We were just attacked by a bunch of rogues who were specifically after you, so I think that counts as you being in danger,¡± Bright Star said to the person within. "You should be satisfied with having seen your aunt as is."
Dario couldn¡¯t see who it was inside the carriage, but he could still hear their reply.
¡°They¡¯re gone now though, right? You guys took care of them so everything should be completely fine now.¡±
¡°Too bad. We had a list of terms and conditions for this trip and one of them was crossed. No more diddle-daddling out here, we¡¯re continuing back to the city,¡± Bright Star stated. ¡°Oh, and you¡¯re going to have a cabin mate for the rest of the trip.¡±
Dario was then unceremoniously dumped inside and placed on a comfortably soft seat. Sitting across from him was a young woman, around his age, in a plain maroon dress with her arms crossed in front of her.
He instantly acknowledged her as a fellow Superior with how striking she looked.
She had vivid blue eyes and bright red hair styled in the waterfall braid popular amongst noblewomen. Her face reminded him of the few nobles he¡¯d met, with her high cheekbones and straight-edged nose. She even had the same glaring, narrow-eyed look!
¡°Who¡¯s this vagrant?¡± she asked in disgust. ¡°Did you find him sleeping in the woods or something?¡±
Dario was about to reply with a sardonic remark when he paused and realized how his appearance made him look. He glanced down and saw the scorched and dirtied plates of his armor. Near his legs and missing foot were splatters of dried blood and earth covering most of the white metal. His face was no better having been attacked by the vengeful slime.
Overall, he probably did look like a hobo or a hermit, but the very thought of it only incited amusement.
¡°This is Dario and he¡¯s a new supe like you. He says he got lost in the woods here for a few days so we¡¯re bringing him back with us,¡± Bright Star explained.
¡°You? You were out here by yourself?¡± she asked him skeptically. ¡°And you survived? I find that hard to believe. You look like you couldn¡¯t survive a short walk, let alone a night in the Wildlands.¡±
Dario¡¯s eye twitched in annoyance. Nobles were truly something else ¡ª they really needed to chill out.
¡°Oh, I survived alright.¡± Dario grinned evilly as he raised his dirtied hand. ¡°See this hand? I¡¯ve been out here toiling away at the dirt for a few days just to survive.¡± He slowly started reaching towards her with said hand, intending to tease the uptight girl. ¡°Here, take a closer look.¡±
Her eyes widened in alarm. ¡°Get that away from me!¡± she yelped.
Instantly, Dario felt some kind of force press against his arm, pushing and expelling it back towards him. His hand smacked his face with a meaty thwack as Bright Star laughed in the background.
¡°Oh yeah, she¡¯s a telekinetic so I wouldn¡¯t mess with her if I were you.¡± The older woman chuckled.
¡°Don¡¯t tell him my powers,¡± the redheaded girl admonished after recollecting herself. ¡°That¡¯s rude.¡±
¡°Sorry Amara, but I think he already figured that one out,¡± Bright Star said, pointing towards the purple-eyed teen rubbing his nose. ¡°Anyways, Dario, meet Amara. Amara, meet Dario. Behave now you two.¡± She smiled at the both of them before closing the door shut.
The elegant redhead and unkempt stranger simultaneously turned to stare at each other from across the cabin.
Chapter 23 - Showed You Mine, Now Show Me Yours
There was a bit of an awkward pause before Dario broke the silence.
¡°Was that really necessary?¡± he asked, feeling somewhat annoyed at being forced to slap himself.
Amara raised one of her delicate eyebrows. ¡°Was it really necessary to try and touch me with your dirty hand?¡± she retorted.
Dario opened his mouth to reply before closing it in thought.
¡°You¡¯re right, I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he said with an apologetic look. ¡°But you have to admit, you were being a bit snarky.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not my fault. How else am I supposed to react when someone who looks like a vagrant is put in front of me, and I¡¯m told that he¡¯s to be my travel companion?¡± she asked in exasperation.
¡°You could be polite, for one.¡± Dario crossed his arms and smiled. ¡°Do you really think that supes like Bright Star would ever put some bum in the same room as you? I¡¯m not dumb. I can see how fancy this carriage is, and I saw how all the supes fought over this particular carriage in the battle earlier.¡± He pointed towards her. ¡°It all means that you¡¯re someone important, so do you really think that they would put me in here if I wasn¡¯t who they said I was? If I wasn¡¯t harmless to you?¡±
Amara opened and closed her mouth a few times before sighing in acceptance.
¡°Alright, I guess not,¡± she conceded after a moment of hesitation. ¡°I apologize for my earlier behaviour then.¡± She lowered her head in apology. ¡°Perhaps you aren¡¯t a vagrant after all, and maybe you really did survive out here by yourself.¡± The corner of her lips twitched as she looked up. ¡°Or maybe they know that I can beat you up if you get too handsy.¡±
¡°Hah, fair enough,¡± Dario said with a smile, feeling happy that his cabin mate wasn¡¯t as uptight as he¡¯d originally thought. Her change in demeanor was either her true self or her way of offering him an olive branch ¡ª either way, he¡¯d take it. ¡°But I¡¯m not as easy to beat as you might think.¡±
¡°Oh really?¡± Amara said with a raised eyebrow.
¡°Yes, really. My powers are pretty strong too, if I do say so myself.¡±.
¡°And what exactly can you do?¡±
¡°Why don¡¯t we first properly introduce ourselves,¡± Dario said as he raised his leg to show off his cauterized stump. ¡°Because I think we got off on the wrong foot.¡° He chuckled as the girl in front of him grimaced.
Despite her look of disgust, she seemed to find his pun somewhat amusing judging by the subtle twitching of her lips. ¡°Has that always been like that?¡± she asked with morbid curiosity.
¡°Nah, it¡¯s a recent thing, but it¡¯ll grow back. I think.¡± Dario shrugged before lowering his leg onto the floor and extending an arm towards her. ¡°Anyways, my name is Dario¡ª¡± As she glanced at his dirtied hand, he quickly encased it with a layer of light, burning away all the dirt and grime. When the light faded, his hand was completely clean and dry. ¡°¡ªwhat¡¯s your name?¡± he asked with a grin.
Amara snorted in amusement before reaching over to accept his handshake. ¡°My name¡¯s Amara, and that¡¯s a neat light show you have there.¡±
¡°Thanks. It¡¯s pretty cool and I can shoot some pretty strong beams at things, but I don¡¯t know how it would compare to your powers.¡±
¡°That depends on how good your control is,¡± Amara said. ¡°I¡¯m still working on mastering my telekinesis, but I think I¡¯m making progress.¡±
¡°Same here.¡± Dario raised his hand and made it glow brightly. ¡°I was practising making my beams as destructive as possible, but it usually takes up a lot of my inner pool of energy so I¡¯ve been trying to work on that.¡±
¡°Inner pool of energy?¡± Amara asked, suddenly giving him an unreadable, almost suspicious look. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±
¡°Umm, it¡¯s just part of my powers,¡± Dario said nervously, cursing inwardly at his little slip-up. He really didn¡¯t want more people knowing that he was an assimilator, but he should still be safe. He hadn¡¯t really said anything that would give away his power class. ¡°You know how it is with all the possible power combinations out there. It¡¯s just another quirk of my abilities.¡± He shrugged indifferently.
The redheaded girl narrowed her eyes before leaning back in her seat and smirking.
¡°Riiight,¡± Amara drawled. ¡°I¡¯m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that you¡¯re an assimilator, huh?¡±
Dario sputtered, ¡°W-What? How do you¡ª What are you talking about?¡± he asked in a panic. How could she tell his class?
¡°You mentioned having some kind of pool of inner energy, and I know of only one power class that has such a thing. Furthermore, you seemed to overly react when I mentioned it. Hence, you must be an assimilator,¡± Amara reasoned with a self-satisfied nod. ¡°Am I correct?¡±
Dario briefly opened his mouth before closing it with a resigned sigh. He could keep on denying it, but she seemed convinced in her conclusion, and to be honest, he¡¯d like to be able to talk about it with someone else his own age. ¡°Yeah¡ yeah, you got me.¡±
Despite her explanation, Dario was still baffled. From what he recalled, assimilators were generally only known as some kind of absorbers and nothing else. No one but other assimilators should know about the inner pool of energy, at least from what he could tell of his own experience, so how did she know? Only four other people in the entire world should know about it.
He explained as much to her and asked how she knew.
¡°Well¡¡± She paused with a look of hesitation on her face. ¡°Okay, so... don¡¯t treat me any differently, but¡ I¡¯m actually a relative of King Draxis. More specifically, I¡¯m one of his great granddaughters,¡± she explained. ¡°You know King Draxis, right?¡±
¡°...yes,¡± Dario replied with a slow nod of his head. He definitely knew him alright, though he usually referred to him as The Bloody King.
¡°I don¡¯t really know him that well, and I¡¯ve never met him, but a few of us in the family got to know some stuff about assimilators from him. My father¡¯s one of the few who was told about those things, and he proceeded to pass it down to me. He said it was part of my heritage or something,¡± Amara said with a roll of her clear blue eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the information to actually be useful for anything, but it turns out I was wrong.¡±
¡°Haha, what a coincidence, huh? Just my lucky day.¡± Dario chuckled humorlessly. ¡°Meeting royalty on my first foray into the Wildlands, and a direct relative of the king at that¡¡±
¡°I may be royalty, but I¡¯d prefer it if you treated me like a normal person.¡± She sighed in exasperation. ¡°Just treat me like you have been for the past few minutes. It was quite refreshing to be honest. Living in the castle can be such a bore.¡±
¡°Wait, since you¡¯re royalty and live in Voirsten like me I assume, does that mean your father is¡ª¡±
¡°The royal minister of Voirsten?¡± she interjected. ¡°Yes, you¡¯d be correct.¡±
¡°Huh¡ I didn¡¯t know he had a daughter.¡± It was true, while he did know of the powerful man who governed the city, he knew very little of his family.
¡°I¡¯m not surprised. He¡¯s very, very protective of me,¡± Amara said with a sour expression. ¡°I was homeschooled by tutors most of my life and he rarely lets me out. It took me a whole year of begging just to allow me out of the city to go see my aunt, and even then it wasn¡¯t without being under the supervision of so many Superior bodyguards.¡± She leaned back in her seat and sighed. ¡°I thought it was ridiculous at first, but now I see he was right to be cautious. If it weren¡¯t for them¡ who knows where I¡¯d be right now.¡± She chuckled humorlessly.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t be sitting in front of me and making a new friend, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Dario said.
Amara raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is that what we are now? Friends?¡± she asked with an unreadable expression.
¡°Sure. Why not?¡± Dario shrugged. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t have many friends myself and we seem to be getting along just fine. I see no reason why we shouldn¡¯t be friends.¡± He leaned forward with a timid smile. ¡°So... what do you think? We cool?¡±
Her vivid blue eyes stared at him for several moments before she snorted in amusement.
¡°Hah, you¡¯re amusing enough so I¡¯ll consider it.¡± She looked down and muttered under her breath, ¡°Figures that my first friend would be a one-legged, dirty vagabond.¡±
¡°I resent that.¡± Dario narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°I¡¯m actually one-footed, not one-legged,¡± he corrected.
¡°And a smartass too,¡± Amara muttered. ¡°Just great.¡±
Dario chuckled before shortly putting on a serious expression. ¡°Anyways, since we¡¯re friends now, do you mind doing me a favor?¡± he asked.
¡°What is it?¡± she asked suspiciously. From the look on her face, she seemed to almost expect him to make some kind of perverted demand. He didn¡¯t look that bad did he?
¡°Do you mind not telling anyone about me being an assimilator? I¡¯d prefer to keep that a secret if you don¡¯t mind.¡±
Upon hearing his request, she relaxed her tense shoulders. ¡°Oh, sure, I can understand that. Wanting to keep your powers hidden is fairly normal. Your secret is safe with me.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Dario said with a feeling of relief. ¡°It¡¯ll be our little secret between friends then.¡±
Amara chuckled. ¡°I guess so.¡±
It was then that the carriage suddenly shook and started moving. Dario pushed aside the window curtains and poked his head outside. He looked around and noticed the entire caravan slowly travelling along the road back to the city.
¡°Looks like we¡¯re heading back.¡± Dario sighed and leaned his head against the seat. ¡°I¡¯m finally getting out of this shitty place and back to my warm bed.¡±
¡°Speaking of that, did you actually stay out in the Wildlands alone for a few days?¡± Amara asked curiously.
¡°Yeah, that wasn¡¯t a lie, I really did live out here for a bit. I spent most of my time hunting and learning to control my powers, but I doubt you want to hear any of that.¡±
¡°On the contrary, I would love to know how you trained yourself,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°I find that hearing others¡¯ perspectives can help with one¡¯s own progress in controlling their powers, so please, feel free to tell me what you¡¯ve been trying to do.¡±
¡°Umm, alright then.¡± Dario shrugged and leaned forward. ¡°Well, for my light beams, I¡¯m currently focusing on making the ratio of ass energy expended to damage output more cost effective. I practised¡ª¡±
¡°Wait a minute,¡± Amara interjected, her brows furrowed. ¡°Did you just say ¡®ass energy¡¯?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡± Dario rubbed his head sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s what I sometimes call my inner pool of energy. It¡¯s assimilator energy, but I figured I¡¯d just shorten it.¡±
The redheaded woman snorted in amusement. ¡°I see. That¡¯s an interesting phrase...¡± She shook her head and chuckled under her breath. ¡°Anyways, carry on.¡±
Dario continued, ¡°As I was saying, I practised a lot on stone walls and compared the sizes of scorch marks and craters to how drained I¡¯d feel afterwards. I think I¡¯ve managed a decent equilibrium, but there¡¯s still room for improvement I think.¡±
¡°Can I see? From one academic to another of course,¡± she said eagerly.
Dario wordlessly lifted a finger and pointed towards one of the interior walls. He concentrated on only utilizing a very small amount of assimilator energy, but compressed it into a tight beam to increase the intensity.
A small beam of light burst from his finger and hit the wooden enclosure. It immediately caught fire with bits and pieces of wood falling to the floor from the impact. Dario was about to smother the flame with his bare hand when he noticed Amara tilting her head towards the flame, where it suddenly flickered out.
¡°Impressive,¡± they both said simultaneously.
¡°Not bad,¡± the redhead reiterated. ¡°I assume that didn¡¯t take up too much of your... ¡®ass energy¡¯, as you put it?¡±
¡°Nope,¡± Dario replied. ¡°I could do much more powerful beams, but I won¡¯t for obvious reasons.¡±
Amara hummed in thought. ¡°You know, control doesn¡¯t always mean shooting out the most impressive beam. For myself, I find that manipulating small complex things require the finest control. Have you tried maintaining your light at its¡ lowest setting?¡±
¡°Hmm... no, I haven¡¯t tried that yet, strangely enough.¡± Dario furrowed his brows.
¡°Well go on then, give it a try. Cover your hand with as little of your light as possible. Who knows, you might end up learning better control and making overall improvements.¡±
Dario lifted his hand and began to concentrate. All he had to do was lower the intensity, right? That shouldn¡¯t be too hard. He had been practising for several days in energy efficiency so this should be a piece of cake.
For several minutes he twisted and turned in his seat, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead as he stared at his radiant hand. It still glowed vibrantly and wasn¡¯t that much different from his light¡¯s regular intensity. No matter what he tried, he couldn¡¯t get the light to grow any dimmer.
Across from him, Amara sighed in her seat. ¡°You need to relax, you¡¯re too tense. Here,¡± She reached forward and pushed down on his shoulders. ¡°Relax your shoulders, and take deep breaths.¡±
Dario followed her instructions almost mechanically, completely focused on the task at hand.
¡°Good, good. Now focus on pulling back the light into yourself and leaving only a small gap for it to leak through. Yes, just like that¡ª no, you¡¯re going back to where you started. Focus, Dario, focus.¡± After a minute of Amara¡¯s coaching where she calmly berated him when he messed up and praised him for progress, Dario eventually managed a breakthrough.
His hand began to glow in an almost invisible tint of light.
¡°Congratulations. Looks like you managed to do it. You might be halfway decent after all,¡± Amara said with a smirk.
Dario stared at his hand for a long enraptured moment before he finally decided to test its effects. He reached over and touched his other forearm to see if anything happened. After a few seconds of holding it against his skin, he felt nothing. He didn¡¯t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
The red-headed young woman leaned forward to inspect his softly glowing hand. ¡°Is it safe to touch?¡± she questioned with curious blue eyes.
¡°Should be, I don¡¯t really feel anything when I touch myself.¡± Dario chuckled. ¡°Wow, that came out wrong.¡±
¡°Hmm, let me try,¡± she said with a curious expression.
Amara slowly reached out to grasp his hand. As soon as she made contact, she softly gasped and pulled her hand away. She made a bunch of incoherent noises, but he could¡¯ve sworn he heard her call him a pervert at some point.
¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I hurt you?¡± Dario asked in sudden alarm.
¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine,¡± Amara stuttered, looking slightly flustered. After a short moment of uncertainty, she raised her hand once more. ¡°Let me try that again.¡±
¡°Alright, but don¡¯t hold on too long if it starts to hurt,¡± Dario said concernedly.
She reached forward, and after a brief look of hesitation, firmly latched onto his hand. Immediately, she gasped out loud, but quickly muffled the noise by biting her lower lip. After a few seconds of squirming, she let go and took a few deep breaths.
Dario placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Are you alright? Did it hurt?¡±
¡°No, no, I¡¯m¡ fine.¡± Amara leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. ¡°It just¡ it felt weird. It didn¡¯t hurt or anything, it was just... strange and tingly.¡±
¡°Tingly...?¡± Dario asked with both eyebrows raised.
¡°Yeah¡ It felt kind of good actually.¡± The young woman blushed before coughing awkwardly. ¡°Anyways, yeah. You have decent control I think. Keep it up and you might even be average,¡± she said haughtily, looking purposefully away from him.
Dario stared at her reddened face before chuckling under his breath. His power never failed to surprise him.
Every day he learned something new, and in this case, it wasn¡¯t even him who had made the discovery! If it wasn¡¯t for the perspective of another person, he would have never known that his light power on low setting could affect others in different ways. He didn¡¯t feel anything when he used the light on himself, but from what he¡¯d just witnessed, it seemed to cause a tingly, seemingly pleasant experience on others! Perhaps he should tell more people about his powers, excluding the Assimilator part of course, and see what else he could learn.
Wait a minute¡ earlier, he had shot light beams out of his head, signifying that he wasn¡¯t limited to shooting only out of his hands. It meant that he might be able to project his aspect onto any part of his body. Did that mean he could potentially use his lowered light setting on... Hmm, that would have to be tested privately at a later date.
Dario smiled to himself at the intriguing thought before quickly remembering the girl in front of him. He was just as curious about the extent of her abilities as he was to his own.
¡°So, Amara... I showed you mine, now show me yours.¡±
She whipped her head back towards him with widened eyes. ¡°Wha¡ª? You really are a pervert, aren''t you?¡± She crossed her arms and glared at him.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± he said with a knowing smile. ¡°I was talking about your powers. I showed you mine, so I¡¯m asking if you could show me yours.¡±
¡°Oh. Right, I knew that¡± she said with a cough. ¡°Well, as you know, my powers involve telekinesis. I¡¯d say I¡¯m fairly good with it, but it¡¯s still a work in progress.¡±
¡°Perhaps I can help you too, like how you helped me,¡± Dario said.
¡°How do you plan on doing that?¡± she asked curiously.
¡°Maybe I could shoot some low-powered beams at you and see if your telekinesis can block or redirect them,¡± he suggested.
Amara tilted her head in thought. ¡°Hm, I¡¯ve never tried using it like that before. I guess I could give it a try.¡±
¡°Alright then. No time like the present.¡± Dario raised his hands towards her. ¡°Are you ready?¡±
She simply smiled at him. ¡°Go for it.¡±
Dario smiled back, and the carriage was suddenly filled with softly glowing light.
Chapter 24 - Back in the City
When the towering walls of Voirsten came into view, Dario sighed in relief.
Across from him, Amara kept herself busy by using her powers to play with her hair, trying out and discarding different hairstyles. It was a bit of a quirk of hers and one which she used as a form of practise. She¡¯d told him that controlling multiple strands of hair and forming knots took quite a bit of focus and skill.
From where he was sitting, that certainly seemed to be the case. To his untrained eyes, it simply looked like a tangled mess of writhing hair, but she somehow seemed to be enforcing some kind of order to all the chaos. He watched as she deftly arranged her hair in various styles before easily dismantling the tight knots to try out different ones. Eventually, the floating tendrils of red hair settled back into place in her usual waterfall braid.
¡°Man, that¡¯s so cool to see every time you do that,¡± Dario remarked.
¡°Thank you,¡± she said with an appreciative nod. ¡°It was quite an effort to learn, and while I was always praised by my maids and tutors, I never knew whether or not they were just saying it because I was their boss¡¯ daughter or if I really did have talent. It¡¯s nice to hear from an outsider¡¯s perspective.¡±
Dario smiled at being able to have a small peek into what her personal life was like. It showed him that she truly was warming up to him. It¡¯s always nice when you get to know people and they¡¯re willing to share, especially when they were frosty with you at first.
¡°I can see now why you were able to learn how to deflect my beams so fast earlier. If you¡¯ve been practising like that all this time then it¡¯s no wonder why your control is so good,¡± he complimented.
Earlier, during the start of their journey back to the city, he had thrown beams at her over the course of an hour just to see what she could and couldn¡¯t do. At first, she wasn¡¯t able to stop his beams with her telekinesis, which was about as much as he expected. After all, how would something he could see through block light itself?
Apparently, it was indeed possible, to a certain extent.
His light beams seemed to only be affected by things that were tangible, and so she had merely focused on forming a kind of invisible shield that felt solid to the touch. While it couldn¡¯t block the beams, it was somehow capable of altering the trajectory of his light after some adjustments. It hadn¡¯t been as simple as that, however, since it was her first time doing such a thing and took all of her concentration to maintain.
In fact, she hadn¡¯t been able to move at all while keeping up the shield, which he¡¯d deemed as a major weakness. During the entire journey back to Voirsten, she had been adamant on fixing the flaw in her mobility, thus roping him in to help her train. It took a while, but she was eventually able to move back and forth along the length of her seat comfortably without losing too much of her shield¡¯s integrity.
With their small success and the city quickly approaching, they had decided to call it quits and just relax for the rest of the journey.
¡°I¡¯ve had my powers for a little over a year, so of course I¡¯d be good by now,¡± she replied haughtily. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t do this much then I¡¯d probably die from embarrassment.¡±
¡°If you¡¯ve had your powers for a year now, does that mean that you¡¯re a member of the Superiors Guild?¡±
Amara frowned. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been meaning to join the guild ever since I got my powers, but my membership is still pending my father¡¯s approval. He told me he¡¯d let me join, but it¡¯s been so long now that I don¡¯t know if he really did approve or not. It¡¯s quite frustrating.¡±
¡°Oh,¡± Dario said, feeling somewhat disappointed. He¡¯d hoped that she was a member of the guild as that would mean he could find out more about the details of joining from her, but that plan was a bust now. ¡°Cheer up, if your dad knows anything about how good you are, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d let you join the guild no problem.¡±
¡°Not with how this trip went.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m more likely to get more restrictions and less freedom. It¡¯s the price of being royalty I suppose, even though I¡¯m not that high up,¡± she said with a dejected sigh.
¡°Oh, woe is me, I¡¯m royalty but my daddy won¡¯t let me have this one thing, poor me,¡± he mocked jokingly.
She glared at him. ¡°Shut up.¡± Amara twitched her finger towards him and he felt something painfully flick his forehead. ¡°As if you would know anything at all about what it¡¯s like to be me. I work hard for every single one of my successes. What do you know about hard work?¡±
Dario rubbed his forehead with a smile on his face. ¡°First of all, oww. Secondly, the fact that I survived out here for a couple of days was no mere fluke. I worked hard to stay alive, I¡¯ll have you know.¡±
¡°Oh? How hard could it have been? What was it really like out in the Wildlands then?¡± she asked with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms. Despite her dismissive attitude towards him, he could still see a glint of intense curiosity in her eyes.
¡°Oh, it was nothing much.¡± He gave a nonchalant shrug. ¡°I killed some two-foot-tall spiders and some other minor monsters. I fell off this really, really tall cliff. Oh, I also met this huge ogre and giant slime. I then had a threeway with them where I came out on top.¡±
The young red-haired woman stared at him with narrowed blue eyes before sighing and shaking her head.
¡°Never mind. If you¡¯re just gonna tell me some weird lies then don¡¯t bother.¡±
¡°No really, all of it did happen, I swear!¡± Dario protested.
¡°Uh-huh,¡± she said with a look of disdain.
For the rest of the ride, he tried convincing her that it was all true and spent much of his time retelling his adventure from start to finish. By the end of it all, she still wasn¡¯t convinced as she considered much of his story to be far-fetched.
According to her, someone who only just recently discovered their powers shouldn¡¯t have been able to do all the things he did. Even the two-foot-tall spiders were apparently deadly to newbie Superiors, and he should¡¯ve died facing the numbers he claimed to have encountered. Furthermore, encountering an ogre so close to the city was supposed to be unlikely since they¡¯d all been eradicated or forced to migrate. She was even more skeptical about his encounter with a giant slime as they were rarely found deep in the Wildlands, let alone near a thriving city.
By the time they were crossing through the gates of the city, Amara still didn¡¯t believe him despite his assertions. She seemed so adamant that even he was beginning to think he¡¯d hallucinated it all.
Dario slumped in his seat and sighed. ¡°How do you even know all these things about monsters? I thought you¡¯ve never been outside the city before the last couple of days.¡±
¡°When I¡¯m not having lessons I use my free time to find out more about the world. As I said, it gets really boring in the castle sometimes so I just read in the library or ask around for tales of the outside.¡±
¡°Lucky,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°You have your own library¡ that¡¯s so unfair.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Despite his general demeanor, Dario loved reading and learning new things. It was something his mother encouraged and nurtured during his childhood.
¡°The perks of being me I suppose,¡± Amara said with a shrug and a smirk.
Before Dario could make a witty retort, the carriage door opened and Bright Star¡¯s face peeked through.
¡°We¡¯re back now folks, safe and sound in the city.¡± She then pulled out a cube-shaped device and held it out in front of her. ¡°Please tap your Bands on this please.¡±
Dario recognized the object as the Record Device used on Superiors who went in or out of the city. Both he and Amara complied with her request, placing their Status Bands against the cube. Afterwards, Bright Star turned towards Dario.
¡°By the way, is this yours perhaps?¡± She showed him a slightly dirtied, pure white, metallic shield.
Dario¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wow, I was wondering where that went. I thought I lost it when I was hit by that explosion,¡±
¡°Well, Augur found it leaning against a tree earlier. You can thank him later.¡± She handed him the shield.
Dario took it and placed it onto his back where it automatically reattached itself.
¡°This is where you two part ways. Dario, I¡¯m gonna be taking you to the medical ward back at the guild. You may not be a full-fledged member yet, but you¡¯re still a supe. Perhaps we have something there that can speed up your recovery,¡± Bright Star explained.
¡°Alright,¡± Dario said, pausing just as he remembered something important. ¡°Before you do that though, could you send a message to my mother telling her I¡¯m okay? She¡¯s probably a bit worried that I¡¯ve been gone for a few days.¡±
Bright Star sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll send a messenger. What¡¯s the address?¡±
¡°I live at Hidden Haven,¡± Dario answered. ¡°My mom¡¯s the owner of the place. Just ask for The Madam, ¡®cause that¡¯s her.¡±
Bright Star raised a delicate eyebrow. ¡°Your mother is Amarys?¡±
¡°Yeah...?¡±
¡°I knew your last name sounded familiar,¡± Bright Star muttered. Her face disappeared as she walked away to send the message.
¡°Wait a minute,¡± Amara chimed in. ¡°You live in the supe whorehouse? As in, you¡¯re the son of a whore?¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Dario instantly scowled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call my mom a whore if I were you, but yeah, technically I am." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a short moment, he quickly regained his calm and opened his eyes, sternly staring at Amara. "Don¡¯t treat me any differently though,¡± he said with pursed lips. ¡°I may be a prostitute¡¯s son, but I¡¯d prefer it if you treated me like a normal person.¡±
She leaned back in her seat, reddening at having her previous words thrown back at her. ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered. ¡°That was completely tactless of me and I apologize.¡±
He looked at her intently, trying to discern her sincerity. After a quiet moment, he leaned back and loosened up his tense shoulders. ¡°Apology accepted," he sighed. "I''ll say it''s water under the bridge, so long as we treat each other like normal people from now on. If you agree to that, then we¡¯re cool.¡± He reached out a hand towards her. ¡°Deal?¡±
Amara looked at his hand and nodded meekly. ¡°Deal. Although, I doubt we¡¯ll be seeing each other again.¡± She reached forward and shook his hand. ¡°Thanks for being an amiable cabin mate." The sound of Bright Star approaching reached their ears and they let go. "Until next time.¡±
Dario smiled. "Until next time."
¡°You two done with your goodbyes?¡± Bright Star asked as soon as she returned.
¡°Yep.¡± Dario tried to stand up, but stumbled on his way out. "I''m good to go."
¡°Easy there.¡± Bright Star took hold of him and carried him bridal style outside the carriage, nearly hitting Amara on the way out.
¡°Hm, I feel like I should feel emasculated, but this feels strangely comfortable,¡± Dario commented.
¡°I¡¯m glad you think so, because I¡¯m flying you like this all the way to the guild.¡±
¡°Wait, wha¡ª¡±
With barely any warning apart from the slight bending of Bright Star¡¯s knees, they took off into the air at terrifying speed. The wind whipped past Dario¡¯s face, stretching his face to comical proportions.
¡°Holy shiiiiiiit!¡±
Dario¡¯s howls of delight echoed through the air.
He leaned back on the hospital bed and breathed out in relaxation.
While it was exhilarating to be flown over the city and seeing everything from a bird¡¯s eye view, nothing could beat the feeling of lying down after a long few days of pain and hardship.
The medical staff had been alarmed when Bright Star flew in through the open window with his limp body in her arms, but they quickly and calmly looked him over after learning he was mostly fine. He was actually surprised to learn that the nurses and medical workers there were simply regular mundane people. He¡¯d thought that only Superiors were allowed in the guild building, but that apparently wasn¡¯t the case. Perhaps there was an exception for medical employees or guild staff.
After checking him over, they¡¯d given him some painkillers and told him to wait for some kind of healer to attend to him. His foot was still missing, but he felt like it was slowly coming back. He¡¯d specifically requested his bed be moved under the ray of sunlight streaming through the window in order to hasten his recovery.
It seemed to be working, but if it wasn¡¯t, then it still made him feel better at the very least.
¡°Dario!¡±
He turned his head and saw a tall, bald, amber-eyed Superior heading towards him with a briefcase in hand.
¡°Miss Aimee! Long time no see!¡± Dario cheerfully called. ¡°I¡¯d stand up to greet you, but I¡¯m feeling a little under the weather. I started the day off on the wrong foot you see.¡±
Miss Aimee rolled her eyes. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d received some brain damage, but I didn¡¯t know it was this bad.¡±
¡°You jest, but I actually did receive a couple hard knocks to the head during my¡ foray in the Wildlands.¡±
¡°What the hell were you even doing out there? I told you to just sit back and relax while we wait for your membership to go through. You just couldn¡¯t help yourself could you?¡± she asked, the exasperation clear on her face.
¡°I did it because, you know¡¡± He leaned forward towards her and whispered, ¡°I gotta get stronger to take on The Bloody King.¡±
¡°That¡¯s bold of you to say out loud.¡± Miss Aimee pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°You never know who could be listening.¡±
¡°Relax, there¡¯s no one around to eavesdrop. Like you said, no one but us should know about that particular moniker so it''s perfectly safe. Besides, it was totally worth going into the Wildlands. I learned a lot.¡±
Miss Aimee sighed before giving him a stern look. ¡°Alright. Tell me everything or else I¡¯ll bend you over my knee and spank you.¡±
¡°Okay, but just know that everything I¡¯m about to tell you really did happen,¡± Dario said, ignoring her strange threat.
¡°Yes, yes, just tell me already,¡± she said impatiently.
And so he did. He spent half an hour telling her everything he did in his time spent out in the Wildlands, and of the things he¡¯d discovered.
¡°I see,¡± Miss Aimee said after a contemplative silence. ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult to believe everything, but my senses tell me you¡¯re being truthful so I¡¯ll accept it.¡± She crossed her arms and stared at him with narrowed eyes. ¡°It¡¯s unusual that you encountered an ogre and giant slime so close to the city and even harder to believe that you actually beat them, but I¡¯ve heard of stranger things happening. The most interesting part is how your assimilator aspect is light. That¡¯s very interesting indeed, and good to know.¡±
¡°Mhm,¡± Dario agreed. ¡°I found out that I could do many things. For example, did you know I can¡ª¡±
¡°Is that the patient Bright Star brought in?¡± a voice asked from behind Miss Aimee.
¡°It''s about time, what took you so long?¡± Miss Aimee asked as she turned around.
A man wearing a plain white coat came into view with long wavy hair and dark narrow eyes.
¡°I just came from the regular hospital. There¡¯s been a lot of people coming in with burns recently from building fires. Must be the summer heat.¡±
¡°Oh, is it bad?¡± Miss Aimee asked curiously.
¡°No, it¡¯s nothing too bad. It¡¯s all just minor burns, but there¡¯s quite a few of them so I went over to help for a bit.¡± The man turned towards Dario. ¡°So, young man, I heard you lost your foot recently, but I¡¯m told you heal by yourself. Is that true?¡±
¡°Yeah, I know I can regenerate, I just don¡¯t know how fast it takes. I lost my toe when I was younger, but when I manifested I got it back brand new in some time under a week,¡± he answered.
¡°Hmm, I see, I see¡¡± The man leaned forward to inspect his stump, poking and prodding with his finger. After a minute of silent inspection, he stood back up and pulled out a few glass vials from his pockets. ¡°Here, drink the red one now and rub a little bit of the green one over your stump once a day for as long as it takes. It should speed up the process.¡±
He handed Dario three glass vials, one of them red and the other two green.
¡°Anyways, I¡¯m leaving now. There are many more patients in more dire straits. If you¡¯re having any issues with the medication, don¡¯t hesitate in coming back.¡± The man turned towards Miss Aimee. ¡°Is he covered under guild insurance?¡±
¡°He will be,¡± Miss Aimee assured. ¡°I actually came here to formalize his membership.¡±
The man didn¡¯t even wait for her to finish her sentence before rushing off.
Dario blinked after him. ¡°Pleasant fellow.¡±
¡°He only has good intentions ¡ª he¡¯s one of our best.¡± Miss Aimee shrugged before pulling out several pieces of paper from her briefcase. ¡°Anyways, I was able to get your registration through earlier than usual like I promised. I have your membership contract here with me.¡±
Dario took the offered sheets and looked them over. On the top right corner of each page was the Superiors Guild logo, colored in both silver and gold. The symbol was made with the letters ¡®S¡¯ and ¡®G¡¯, intertwined together in the shape of a hexagon ¡ª similar to a Status Band.
There was a lot of technical jargon on all of the papers, but what caught his eye was the intriguing list of offered job titles on several of the pages.
Chapter 25 - Job Options
Dario read through the papers with a keen eye, looking for anything in the fine print that would be detrimental to his well-being. In the end, it turned out to be fairly clear-cut and legitimate.
He found the contract to be surprisingly standard for something that was meant for Superiors. It was actually quite similar to other contracts he¡¯d received when he used to go job hunting. There was the Commencement Date And Term, Employee Compensation, Employee Benefits, Confidentiality Agreement, Termination Terms And Conditions, and so on.
However, the part he found most astonishing was the salary.
¡°Fifty gold per month without doing anything? Just for being a member?¡± he asked, amazement clear on his face. ¡°That¡¯s more than what most people make working full-time jobs.¡±
Miss Aimee smirked. ¡°Mhm. A lot of everyday taxes goes into providing for Superiors. After all, we¡¯re humanity¡¯s defenders aren¡¯t we? It¡¯s only fair that we get compensated.¡± She gave a nonchalant shrug. ¡°Besides, supes make up less than one percent of the population so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re draining money.¡±
¡°I guess...¡± Dario muttered. He wouldn¡¯t really complain now that he was a beneficiary, and it made sense since anyone who risked life and limb would want to be paid well for it.
¡°Have you chosen which job option you want yet?¡± she asked. ¡°If you want to get stronger as soon as possible then I recommend Vanguard.¡±
Dario looked down and read through the available choices once more.
Job Titles And Descriptions
The guild member will be employed as a(n): _______________ (Choose Option)
Architect
Members will be designated a laboratory and provided with the necessary instruments and devices for designing, undertaking, and analysing information from controlled experiments, investigations, and trials. The goal of the Architect is to improve current technologies and discover new concepts and inventions. They may be assigned a team or mentor to help with projects. Architects may apply for patents and receive monetary earnings from the production and/or utilization of their innovation. They may also be assigned to the mass production and repair of weapons or medical supplies during times of crisis or general necessity.
Salary: 100 - 2,000 gold per month. Dependent on project and amount of interest.
Permitted Power Class(es): Artificer.
Additional Requirements: Must complete a test and brief evaluation in order to assess area of expertise.
Civvy
Members will go back to civilian life and continue a mundane career of their choice. However, they may be called upon during a crisis. Furthermore, the Superiors Guild receives priority assistance when a Civvy with skills in their mundane profession is required. E.g., a Superior blacksmith may be commissioned by the guild to craft metal ingots, or a Superior farmer may be commissioned to provide food produce.
Salary: None apart from the standard given to all guild members and commissions by the guild.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.
Additional Requirements: None.
Enforcer
Members will be responsible for the disciplining, capture, and/or termination of errant Superiors.
Salary: 100 - 300 gold per month. Dependent on Superior rank and level of experience. Additionally, Enforcers may earn extra rewards by completing bounties on wanted Superiors.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with combat capabilities.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training and evaluation from veteran Enforcers.
Freelancer
Members will work on a case by case basis and take on tasks available from all job roles so long as said Freelancer meets the requirements. Available assignments will be posted on a board in the Guild Hall or through an administrator. A Freelancer must complete at least one mission for the guild per month or face a penalty. Exceptions may be granted based upon review of mission difficulty, external interference, or physical and mental injuries.
Salary (Commission based): Dependent on rated difficulty of task. Large variance, see other job salaries for more information.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.
Additional Requirements: Must gain experience by working in a team with other Freelancers for a minimum of six months with at least one veteran in the group.
Healer
Members will be responsible for treating the sick and injured. Healers will examine patients, diagnose illnesses or injuries, administer treatment, and provide counsel for a person¡¯s health and well-being. This medical care is generally for (but not limited to) Superiors.
Salary: 100 - 1,500 gold per month. Dependent on level of medical expertise as deemed by evaluations, and threat level of surrounding area if assigned to a dangerous location.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with healing or diagnosing capabilities.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo evaluation from veteran Healers and receive further medical training if deemed necessary. Note: Priority will be given to individuals with a medical background or education.
Pathfinder
Members will be responsible for the exploration and mapping of uncharted territories. Pathfinders may also take note of enemy movements and locations, as well as monster habitats. This is not limited to Wildland areas and may include foreign hostile nations.
Salary (Commission Based): 50 - 1,000 gold per completed task. Dependent on rated difficulty of mission.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with the exception of Exploder.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training and evaluation.
Peacemaker
Members will be assigned to a specific location and given the task of maintaining peace and order for a provisional amount of time. The location could be a city, a district, a village, a building, or even a small encampment. Peacemaker duty includes (when possible) helping citizens in dire need, rescuing innocents, diverting natural disasters, as well as engaging criminals, rogues, and/or vigilantes. They may also be assigned as a bodyguard to a person or group.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
Salary: 1 - 20 gold per day for standard pay, or up to 100 gold for VIP locations and person(s). Dependent on size of location or importance of protected person(s), and threat level of surrounding area.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo brief training and evaluation.
Spook
Members are given the role of covert investigator. Spooks will take on a wide variety of roles, from the infiltration and surveyance of enemy structures to the execution of primary targets. They will be given clandestine missions upon which the sanctity of Arogard is paramount.
Salary (Commission Based): 100 - 5,000 gold per completed task. Dependent on rated difficulty of mission.
Permitted Power Class(es): Artificer, Controller, Diviner, Manipulator, Shifter, Spawner, Trickster, and/or Traveler.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo rigorous training specified for cloak-and-dagger operations.
Beast Tamer
Members will be responsible for the analysis and/or domestication of monsters when possible. Tamers may choose to work at a local Beast Menagerie or in controlled territories within the Wildlands.
Salary: 100 - 400 gold per month. Dependent on location and general threat level of monsters.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo training and evaluation.
Vanguard
Members will be stationed near or on the edge of human territory, bordering monster domains. The goal of the Vanguard is to protect humanity, to prevent the hordes and incursions of deadly monsters from invading human lands. If deemed possible, it is the Vanguard''s duty to tread onto monster soil and expand human dominion. It is a dangerous vocation, but a necessary one.
Salary: 200 - 1,000 gold per month. Dependent on threat level of surrounding area.
Permitted Power Class(es): Available to all with combat capabilities.
Additional Requirements: Must undergo brief training and evaluation.
Notes:
- Salary is additional earnings on top of the standard 50 gold per month given to all guild members.
- The Power Class - Physique - is not mentioned in the Permitted Power Class(es) section as it is considered redundant.
- Pay may increase depending on Superior rank: Newbie < Aspirant < Exemplar < Paragon
- Veterans refer to Superiors at the Exemplar or Paragon rank.
¡°Which one pays the most?¡± Dario asked after reading.
Miss Aimee tilted her bald head backwards and laughed. ¡°Hahaha, really? They all pay well newbie. The more skilled you are or the more qualifications you meet, the more pay you get. It¡¯s the same as any other job.¡±
¡°What about this one?¡± He pointed towards the Civvy job description. ¡°This one doesn¡¯t really pay anything apart from the standard fifty gold from membership. Why would anyone choose this option?¡±
Miss Aimee shrugged. ¡°Some people prefer the normal life. Not every supe wants to be someone important or be part of Superior society. Sometimes people just want a regular, mundane existence. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡±
Dario looked down and considered her words. He couldn¡¯t ever see himself choosing that option since he despised living a normal life. He preferred the action and excitement that came from unusual and extraordinary situations. On the other hand, there were times where an idyllic lifestyle was appealing, but he felt like it didn¡¯t really fit him.
¡°Why do people even join the guild if they just go back to being civilians?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Miss Aimee put her hands on her hips and tilted her head. ¡°Apart from registration being mandatory for all supes, joining the guild gives you a free fifty gold per month.¡±
¡°True,¡± Dario conceded. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered about that. What happens to supes who manifest and don¡¯t register?¡±
¡°Well, they¡¯re either forced to register or risk being branded a vigilante or rogue. When that happens, they sic the enforcers on you.¡±
¡°Ah.¡± He had read the description of enforcers in the job contract and wouldn¡¯t ever want to deal with them if it was up to him. ¡°What is a vigilante or rogue anyways? I¡¯ve heard the terms before from Bright Star but she never explained what they meant.¡±
¡°How typical of her.¡± Miss Aimee rolled her smokey amber-colored eyes. ¡°Vigilantes are basically supes who take the law into their own hands without the backing or authority of the Superiors Guild. Rogues are just supes who use their powers for criminal activities. Both are bad, but rogues are seen as worse and receive harsher punishment.¡±
¡°Wait, what if someone doesn¡¯t register and just continues living on as a normal civilian? Why would they be considered the same as vigilantes or rogues in that case?¡± Dario asked.
¡°Technically, by not registering, a supe can be considered as taking the law into their own hands since it¡¯s required by law to register when you manifest,¡± she replied with a shrug. ¡°That¡¯s the reasoning at least.¡±
¡°Hm, that kind of reasoning sounds a bit flimsy and open for abuse, but what do I know.¡±
¡°It¡¯s different in other kingdoms but that¡¯s just how it is in Arogard,¡± Miss Aimee said indifferently.
Dario stayed silent for a quiet minute as he pondered his options.
Enforcer was out of the question since it didn¡¯t sound very appealing, and how often was it that a Superior was killed anyways? It seemed like he wouldn¡¯t receive much World Energy in that line of work. Vanguard seemed the obvious choice in advancing his class levels since there was an abundance of monsters to kill, but he wasn¡¯t completely sure. It seemed like a big commitment and he felt like it was a choice that would consume a large portion of his life. He had to learn more.
¡°What about you?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯ve said before that you fought in the Wildlands, but you were also my examiner and I don¡¯t see a job description for that. What did you choose?¡±
¡°Oh, I¡¯m a Freelancer,¡± Miss Aimee replied, dramatically flexing her biceps. ¡°I take whatever jobs I feel like, but I tend to choose the ones where I go out and fight. I was having a rest week and that¡¯s why I happened to be your examiner a few days ago. There¡¯s actually another job contract, but it¡¯s only for administrators and guild staff responsible for running day-to-day operations. Examiner is actually one of those jobs, but it happened to be on the Freelancer board in the Guild Hall, so I decided to take it.¡±
¡°Freelancer, huh¡¡± Dario muttered. Having the ability to pick and choose what job you wanted sounded very appealing.
¡°As a matter of fact, most newbies start off as freelancers,¡± Miss Aimee informed him. ¡°It gives new supes the opportunity to try out different jobs and see what they like. After about a year or so, most newbies decide what they like and commit to that specific role. Me on the other hand, well, I¡¯m more of a free spirit and chose to stick with freelancer.¡± She placed a finger on her chin and looked upward in thought. ¡°In fact, a lot of experienced supes still are freelancers now that I think about it.¡±
¡°Is it easy to switch between jobs if you don¡¯t like it?¡± Dario asked.
¡°You¡¯re given a year of mandatory service before you can switch, but if you submit a request and give good enough reasons, you can lessen the length of time,¡± Miss Aimee explained.
¡°A whole year?¡± Dario sighed. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll take Freelancer. I¡¯d prefer the freedom to choose rather than be forced to one single thing. I can still just take the monster-killing jobs, right?¡±
¡°Correct,¡± she said.
¡°Good. It¡¯s decided then.¡± Dario leaned down and wrote his signature on the required lines before he could change his mind. He then extended the papers over to the patiently waiting bald lady by his bed.
Miss Aimee proceeded to take out a similar set of papers from her briefcase and swapped them with the sheets in Dario¡¯s hand.
¡°Here, take this.¡± She said as they switched. ¡°Those are your copies of the contract.¡±
Dario looked down and was surprised to find his signatures on the new pieces of paper. ¡°I never signed these. How come my signatures are on here?¡±
¡°It¡¯s Linked Parchment,¡± Miss Aimee said, smirking. ¡°What¡¯s printed on one piece goes on the other. It was invented by an artificer a while back and is quite hard to make, so only we use it.¡±
¡°Ah, of course,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even surprised anymore.¡±
Miss Aimee packed her briefcase and turned to leave.
¡°Well, Mr. Sindred, you are now officially a member of the Superiors Guild and a Freelancer. Congratulations.¡±
¡°Woo hoo,¡± Dario said, lazily fist pumping the air. ¡°When do I start? The contract said sometime within the month of signing, but it didn''t go into anything specific.¡±
¡°That''s because the Guild''s more lenient on newcomers, so it''s really up to you." She looked down in thought and pointed at his stump. "When do you think your foot will recover?¡±
¡°Umm.¡± He placed a hand under his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe a week, maybe a month¡ I¡¯m not too sure.¡±
¡°Either way, just start when you¡¯re ready. Since I¡¯m heading out for the Wildlands again, I¡¯ll tell administration about your injury before I go, although they should already know by now.¡° As she walked away, she paused and looked back. ¡°By the way, you owe me for getting you your contract this early. Also, you better check in with the guild in the alloted month or you¡¯ll make me look bad.¡±
¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°I got it, check in with the guild or else you¡¯ll spank me.¡±
Miss Aimee snorted and turned to leave the room. Before the imposing woman left, however, she swiftly grabbed a dagger from her hip and ¡ª without looking at him ¡ª flung it backwards. The sharp projectile whizzed through the air and pierced the pillow an inch next to his left ear.
¡°You better,¡± were her last words before leaving his line of sight.
The room was silent as Dario stared at his reflection on the blade¡¯s gleaming surface. ¡°Damn,¡± he sighed as he pulled out the dagger, placing it on the desk next to him. It was always an experience dealing with women like that, but now that she was gone, he could finally relax. However, his sense of peace was disturbed not five minutes later when a scowling buxom redhead entered the room.
As soon as she saw him, she spoke up in a frosty voice, ¡°Dario, what the hell?¡±
¡°Oh, hi mum¡ what¡¯s up?¡± He smiled nervously as she approached.
Today was just one alpha female to the next it seemed¡
Chapter 26 - Rest In Haven
¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to run away if things got too risky?¡± his mother asked in a huff. ¡°You had me so worried damn it.¡± Despite glowering at him, she still went over to sit on his bed and wrapped him up in a tight hug.
Most people considered Amarys Sindred to be an intimidating, sophisticated woman, but what they rarely saw was her caring maternal side. Unfortunately, Dario saw that part more than he¡¯d like to admit.
¡°I¡¯m okay mum, everything turned out alright,¡± he reassured, patting her back awkwardly.
¡°Alright?¡± she asked incredulously as she pulled back. ¡°You call this alright?¡± She pointed at his missing foot.
¡°Eh, I¡¯ll be back in shape in a matter of weeks or days.¡± Dario shrugged. ¡°Probably.¡±
Amarys sighed. ¡°Why are you always like this?¡± She shook her head in exasperation. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to know how this happened, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re back home.¡±
¡°Me too,¡± he mumbled as he leaned back with a relaxed expression. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to know how I lost my foot though? It was honestly kind of badass.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Amarys raised an eyebrow.
¡°Yeah, there was this big fight and I jumped in to save Nightingale,¡± he said proudly. ¡°I pushed her out of the way of some fireball and took the brunt of the explosion,¡±
¡°You? Saved Dahlia?¡± Amarys asked with a chuckle. ¡°I guarantee you that she would have been perfectly fine without your help. No simple fireball could take out the Nightingale. It sounds like what you did was more stupid than badass.¡±
¡°Nah,¡± Dario denied with a wave of his hand. ¡°It was definitely badass. If that doesn¡¯t convince you, then maybe you should hear about all the other crazy things I did in the Wildlands.¡±
Amarys rolled her eyes and stood up. ¡°Hold that thought until we get back to Haven, the Healer said you¡¯re clear to leave. Also, Rox wants to hear all about what ¡®crazy shit¡¯ you¡¯ve been up to out there, and you can tell us all at once without having to repeat yourself back home.¡±
¡°Sounds good.¡± Dario grunted as he stood up. He then grabbed the crutches next to his bed and turned to his mother. ¡°Do you mind putting that shield on my back?¡± He pointed towards the white-colored shield leaning against the bed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave it behind. The little guy helped me out of some tough spots.¡±
¡°Hmm,¡± Amarys hummed as she picked up the circular piece of metal. ¡°I remember buying this¡ White Aegis I think it was called. It came in a set I believe.¡± She gestured at the armor he was still wearing.
¡°Yep, and I¡¯d say it was worth every copper. If I wasn¡¯t wearing it, I might¡¯ve lost more than just a foot,¡± Dario said as Amarys attached the shield onto his back. ¡°Alright, time to head back to home sweet home.¡±
They both went to the exit and left the room.
While walking through the halls of the guild ¡ª or limping in his case ¡ª Amarys suddenly turned towards him with a concerned look on her face. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t need help walking? I could carry you if you want.¡±
¡°Please no, that¡¯s¡ no.¡±
He had already been carried bridal style by Bright Star earlier, but that was high in the sky where no one was around to see. Being carried around by his mother through the streets of Voirsten was just... no.
¡°I¡¯m good, thanks,¡± Dario declined.
Despite his words, Amarys started walking closer towards him with her arms outstretched. ¡°Come here son, I¡¯ll carry you back home just like when you were a baby,¡± she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, no one will care.¡±
¡°Wha¡ª no, damn it, no! Get away¡ªdon¡¯t!¡± He hurriedly waddled away with his crutches as his mother slowly chased after him. He ignored the mix of perplexed and amused stares of fellow guild members during the slow-moving pursuit.
¡°Come here Dario!" his mother gleefully called after him. "This is your punishment for not being careful out there like I told you to!¡±
The purple-eyed teen groaned in embarrassment. He was never going to live this down...
¡°And that¡¯s when I blasted Gronk in the chest and he toppled over like a stack of cement blocks,¡± he regaled his small audience.
It had been a week since he left the Guild Hospital and returned home, yet his fellow residents in the Hidden Haven still enjoyed each retelling of his foray in the Wildlands. Surprisingly, they actually believed him and enjoyed his story at face value.
Sitting in front of him around a large table were five scantily clad women intently listening to his tale, while another seven were off to the side busily inspecting their faces in front of mirrors. They were all in the bordello¡¯s dressing room and were preparing for the night¡¯s incoming clients. Dario, on the other hand, was just there to get them in a more jovial mood.
Rox was present, of course, as she always was whenever he retold his brief adventure. Each time, she would close her eyes and live vicariously through him and the picture he painted with his words. He could only imagine what she¡¯d be like if she had chosen the life of an active Guild member instead of a Civvy working girl. Rox would definitely be a Vanguard, or a Freelancer at the very least.
Next to Rox at the table were some of the other inhabitants of the Hidden Haven. Beauties such as the shape-shifting Tova, elongating Brie, duplicator Tryn, and fragrant Flo, all of whom seemed just as interested in his tale as Rox. Many men around the kingdom yearned for their attention, but right now, their focus was all on him.
¡°Damn, I wish I was there to see it,¡± Flo said, smacking the table with a loud thump.
¡°Hear, hear,¡± Tryn proclaimed. She leaned back and clasped her hands behind her wavy dark hair. ¡°I ain¡¯t never seen sumthin¡¯ like that before. Would be quite the sight, I reckon.¡±
¡°He sounded lonely.¡± Brie frowned as she brushed her blonde bangs back behind her ear. ¡°He probably just needed a hug.¡±
¡°Who, Gronk?¡± Flo raised a delicate, cherry-colored eyebrow. ¡°He was an ogre! The same as any other monster. Dario was right in taking him out.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems to me like Gronk had feelings and dreams, just like any other person,¡± Brie said with a pout. ¡°I would¡¯ve stretched my arms out and hugged him twice over.¡±
¡°I doubt you¡¯d be saying that if he was right in front of you,¡± Flo snorted.
¡°He was pretty terrifying,¡± Dario admitted. ¡°I mean, he was at first, but over time I kind of got used to him. I can understand your point of view though Brie, but don¡¯t forget that he was still a monster and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill any one of you. I did what I had to do.¡±
Brie sighed. ¡°I still would¡¯ve hugged him.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Dario hummed in thought. ¡°Well, technically, since I absorbed his World Energy, he¡¯s now permanently a part of me. So¡¡±
The blonde rolled her eyes. ¡°Come here then, Mr. Ogre.¡±
Dario yelped as he was suddenly pulled towards Brie by her elongated arms. He didn¡¯t complain too much, though, nestled comfortably in her soft bosom.
Flo laughed, nearly shaking her braided red hair loose. ¡°Save that energy for the clients, Brie. The night is still young.¡±
¡°Let them be,¡± the green-haired Tova chimed in with an amused smirk. ¡°Dario seems to enjoy it, and I think Brie prefers his company over the clients in the foyer anyways.¡±
¡°Speaking of which, I think it¡¯s time we go out there. The clients are waiting,¡± Rox said, opening her eyes as she finally finished visualizing and enjoying his tale. ¡°It¡¯s showtime.¡±
¡°Right,¡± they all chorused and stood up from their chairs as one, their attitudes turning a complete one-eighty.
Tova eagerly turned towards him and held out her hand. ¡°Top us up, Dario.¡±
Dario gave a roguish smile as he grasped her arm. Immediately, there was a sharp intake of breath as her face filled with contentment. She held onto him for a few seconds longer before letting go with a smile.
¡°Thanks,¡± Tova said as she sauntered off with an extra sway in her hips.
¡°Me next!¡± Flo declared, ignoring the others¡¯ glares.
One by one, Dario gave each of the girls what they wanted and they all walked away looking rosy and aroused.
For the past week, Dario had spent much of his time in his room ever since his mother forced him to rest and recuperate. With nothing much to do, he had practised his light powers throughout his sleepless nights and the others in the house naturally got curious. It wasn¡¯t very long before they discovered his unique technique.
He took great pleasure in seeing their blissful faces whenever he used his light touch on them, but it never really went any further than that. Despite making them feel stimulated, they still never did anything sexual with him since he was apparently a year too young for them at the tender age of seventeen.
It was a little frustrating for him as a young adult, but he didn¡¯t mind it too much since he was already used to the treatment. He had always been seen as the friendly male roommate in their eyes ¡ª almost like a brother, but not quite, thankfully. Living in such a sexually-charged household might have been awkward if that was the case.
Dario turned towards the other seven women in the room currently occupied with examining themselves in front of mirrors. ¡°Hey, you all want some of my light too? Before you head out?¡± he asked.
Cyra, Kirsi, Evana, Leah, Ayla, Jayna, and Viona all looked at him before heading his way.
While Dario may not be ¡®active¡¯ with any of the women in Haven, he could still at least help make their nights with clients easier. That¡¯s what friends would do, right?
¡°Thanks, Dario,¡± Viona said with a smile and a wink. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±
Dario nodded at each of their voiced gratitude as he went down the line. By the time all the women got their doses, Dario was left feeling alone and blue-balled.
¡°Damn it, now I need to go do something to get my mind off¡ all that. Preferably something productive,¡± he muttered.
He grabbed the metal cane leaning on one of the tables and started walking up the stairs. He found it amusing that he was using a walking stick like an old man, but it was still necessary as his foot hadn¡¯t fully recovered. Progress was being made, however, and his foot had regrown to about three quarters of its original size. It was a bit awkward, but he felt like he was quickly getting used to the phantom sensations. It was amazing what the human mind could adapt to.
Dario walked through the halls of the second floor, ignoring the faint moans and other sounds of copulation coming from a few of the doors, eventually reaching the end where his bedroom was located. He entered the room and hobbled over to one of the bookshelves next to his desk. He pulled out a thick tome and plopped down on his large comfy bed, ready to have a night of productive reading.
Apart from practising and honing his light control during sleep hours, he also liked to read some of the books his mother had recently gifted him. She had specifically given him volumes on the topic of monsters and surrounding territories, with the reasoning that he needed all the knowledge he could get in order to have an edge over any threats he might come across.
He completely agreed and was very thankful for the books.
¡°Let¡¯s see... Monster Bestiary, Volume 12,¡± Dario hummed as he flipped through the pages, trying to find his bookmark. ¡°Ah! Here we are. Chapter six, ¡®Creatures of Light and Their Distinctive Properties¡¯.¡±
Throughout his earlier readings, Dario had been disappointed to find very few monsters that actually employed light as a tool or weapon. He had been hoping to learn from nature itself and see if he could figure out other ways to utilize his assimilator aspect. Therefore, he was ecstatic when he reached the chapter on creatures of light, but the scant few light-based creatures listed made him feel like his efforts were wasted. There were only about two dozen of them, which seemed a small amount compared to the hundreds of monsters in other categories.
However, his concerns were quickly addressed when he looked closer and discovered just how unorthodox monsters could really be. He was only now able to continue where he left off.
¡°Lucent Chimera¡¡± Dario muttered as he stared at the terrifying picture of a grotesque looking, multi-headed beast.
The Chimera, as he quickly learned, was a creature the size of a large carriage capable of flight, and had the habit of engulfing its prey with elemental breath before swooping down to attack. The Lucent Chimera specifically used light as its element and was considered to be one of the deadliest types of Chimeras alongside Shadow Chimeras. They were both listed as B-4 monsters, with the letter being its threat class rating and the number its tier in said class.
A B-4 was fairly impressive considering how ogres and giant slimes were either rated D-3 or C-1, depending on size. Gronk was definitely C-1 since he had appeared to be on the upper end of ogre size according to the book. He wasn¡¯t too sure on the giant slime that died in The Grotto, but he assumed that it had a rating similar to Gronk. He was just happy he hadn¡¯t encountered any of the higher rated oozes.
The thing that fascinated him most about the Lucent Chimera was how it used its element defensively. According to the monster compendium, it was capable of bending light around its form, rendering it all but invisible. That was an extremely useful ability to have from both a utilitarian and combat perspective.
Not only that, it was also somehow able to form what was called ¡®Hard-Light¡¯ armor around itself. The very concept was mind boggling and sounded impossible, but it had apparently been confirmed through various firsthand accounts. The armor was reputed to be extremely hard and hazardous to touch, which somewhat reminded him of his own light encasement aura technique, although his didn¡¯t have the hardness feature.
Reading deeper into the chapter, he came across some more esoteric creatures such as the Prismatic Mist, a living, sentient cloud of brightly colored air capable of blinding and disorienting victims with multi-colored lights.
There was the Star Chameleon, a small creature which could turn invisible like the Lucent Chimera. Even more astounding was how it could perform Light Mimicry ¡ª temporarily transforming itself into light, thus allowing it to move around instantly. It could only do so occasionally and in short bursts, but that didn¡¯t make the feat any less impressive.
More light-based monsters were listed such as Blazing Orb-weavers, Radiant Golems, White Wisps, Light Lurkers, Glimmer Fiends, and Aura Apes, among others. All of them had interesting and intriguing ways of utilizing light. By the end of the chapter, Dario fully accepted that his assimilator aspect had more applications than he¡¯d initially thought. He really shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised, especially with all the things Superiors could do already.
Regardless, all his reading would amount to nothing if he couldn¡¯t put it to practical use. Unfortunately, Dario didn¡¯t have the first clue on how to accomplish what those monsters did. The only thing he had achieved during his training was the ability to extend his aura encasement to other parts of his body. He had originally only been able to use his hands, but now he could cover his forearms and the entirety of his head down to his neck. He still hadn¡¯t completed his ultimate teenage dream of encasing his crotch, to his dismay, but oh well ¡ª that¡¯s what practise was for.
Speaking of which...
Dario raised his arm and concentrated, trying to focus on the ambient light around him. The Lucent Chimera and Star Chameleon bent light around their bodies to turn invisible, right? He just had to do the same thing. It sounded simple enough in theory.
He furrowed his brows in concentration as he tried to turn invisible. Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine what it would be like to actually feel and control his aspect directly. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead as he stayed completely still, trying his best to drown out all physical senses. Frustratingly, he could neither feel nor sense what he was looking for, but he still persisted. Before he knew it, one minute had passed, then two minutes, then five. Eventually, ten minutes passed in muted silence before Dario suddenly farted.
The young man coughed awkwardly. ¡°Hm, maybe sitting around looking constipated isn¡¯t the best way to do this¡¡±
Dario sighed and raised his arm to try again. He would only attempt Light Camouflage for now, and not the more advanced illusions that some of the other light-based monsters were capable of. He certainly wouldn¡¯t try Light Mimicry as that seemed downright impossible in his current state. For now, he would just have to slave away and spend his time practising.
It was fortunate, then, that he could train all night every night for the rest of his life. After all, who needed sleep?
Chapter 27 - A Walk Down Memory Lane
A purple-eyed young man walked through the busy streets of Gates Boulevard with a barely noticeable limp. He paused and took a deep breath as the sun shined directly onto his face.
¡°Ahh,¡± Dario sighed in relief. ¡°It feels damn good to be back.¡±
Several days had passed since starting his practise sessions and Dario had begun feeling antsy. There was nothing wrong with resting and recuperating in a room all day long, but at some point, it just starts to feel boring and confining ¡ª he had to get out and move around. Luckily, he had already recovered a large portion of his foot with only a few toes still missing. It was thankfully enough for him to be given a free pass to leave and wander about.
Despite the desire to leisurely walk around, he still wanted to be productive and not waste the day away. Thus, he had decided to kill two birds with one stone by heading over to the Superiors Guild to check in and tell them that he could start working within the week. He estimated that it would only take another day or two for his foot to fully heal.
Dario walked along the smooth roads with a large smile on his face ¡ª having the sun¡¯s bright rays on his skin felt truly refreshing. It was a shame that no one apart from him would ever feel the invigorating touch of light, but at the same time, he reveled in his exceptional nature. He was unique even among Superiors, and while he tried to not let it inflate his ego, it nonetheless lurked in the back of his mind. Then again, the thought of there always being someone stronger than him ¡ª like The Bloody King ¡ª made it easier to stay humble. It was both disheartening and motivating.
Dario shook his head to clear his thoughts and tapped his pocket to make sure his Status Band was still there. Rather than openly displaying his Superior status, he had decided to try and remain incognito. Of course, there was always the off chance that someone might recognize and approach him, but he doubted it as he was still fairly new and wearing regular street clothes. There was nothing conspicuous about him.
His decision was based entirely on the fact that he didn¡¯t want to be hounded by random civilians and hero-worshippers on a simple walk. He had barely even started Superior work and he¡¯d had enough of them already! Perhaps he might get used to it with time, but he¡¯d pass on it for now. He really didn¡¯t know how Superiors who patrolled an entire city or district ever dealt with it.
It was interesting to realize that those Superiors he had witnessed doing heroic things throughout the city were simply doing a job ¡ª that of a Peacemaker. He¡¯d always thought that they were doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, but while that may be true, the money was probably the bigger motive. When he had first seen the Peacemaker role on the contract, he had dismissed it outright as it didn¡¯t really allow him to get stronger. However, the pay was really good ¡ª possibly enough to make him reconsider.
It might be strange to be thinking such things now, but he could only lay the blame for his musings on the Peacemaker in the midst of a chase right in front of him.
¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!¡±
A scraggly looking man in shabby clothing was running down the street with a panicked look on his face. He was clutching what appeared to be a small pile of pouches that rattled with the sound of coins. Far behind him was a man dressed strangely in bright red¡ silk? Dario wasn¡¯t sure, but the fabric looked smooth and shiny as it stuck to him like a second skin.
Nonetheless, he recognized the figure as one of the Superiors who patrolled Gates Boulevard, his home district. It was a strange twist of fate that the man also happened to be one of his childhood idols.
It was Red Step.
¡°Stop right there!¡± the brightly garbed Superior shouted. His form blinked in and out of existence in a forward direction, leaving a trail of fading red sparks wherever he materialized. In a quick second, he suddenly appeared directly in front of the running man. ¡°That¡¯s enough. It¡¯s time to give up.¡±
The disheveled man ignored his order and started running in a different direction, this time, towards Dario. Red Step sighed before flickering through ten meters of space, once more reappearing in front of the terrified thief.
¡°I warned you,¡± Red Step said right as he let loose a red-blurred jab.
The man with the bags of coin stood no chance and immediately fell backwards, his face a bloody mess. He silently toppled onto the ground, the coin pouches scattered around him.
¡°Woops, might¡¯ve overdid it there,¡± Red Step grimaced. ¡°Ah well, he had it coming.¡± The red-themed Superior whistled jauntily as he bent down to collect the coin bags. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡ one, two, three, four, yep! They¡¯re all here.¡±
Dario moved forward and eagerly approached Red Step.
¡°Uh, Red Step, sir? Can I have your autogr¡ª¡±
¡°One moment, civilian.¡± Red Step raised a hand towards him while continuing his search through the pouches. After a moment of perusal, he pulled out several coins of silver and surreptitiously placed them in one of his pockets. ¡°Hm, they won¡¯t miss this much,¡± the man muttered under his breath, something Dario would have missed if it wasn¡¯t for his slightly enhanced hearing.
¡°Uh¡¡± Dario stood flummoxed at the man¡¯s outright display of theft. Then again, the pouches might actually belong to him, but he somehow doubted it. Before he could comment on it, however, two men and two women appeared from around the corner and approached with relieved expressions.
¡°Red Step! Thank the heavens! You caught him!¡± one of the women exclaimed.
¡°All in a day¡¯s work m¡¯am.¡± Red Step grinned, though it was somewhat shrouded by his face visor. He then handed over the bags of coin to their respective owners.
¡°Thanks so much, sir!¡± the tall man of their group said. ¡°The money was for our wedding venue ¡ª I don¡¯t know what we would have done without it. We owe you one!¡±
¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t a bother, then a tip would be nice,¡± Red Step said with a cheeky smile.
¡°O-oh, yes! Of course! It¡¯s the least we could do,¡± the man said as he hurriedly reached into his stash. ¡°Here, take this.¡± He pulled out a few silver coins and handed them over to Red Step. The others in his group followed suit and hastily gave him some coins as well.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
¡°Ah, so generous of you all. Thank you very much.¡± Red Step nodded and smiled.
¡°No, it¡¯s you who deserves thanks, sir. You do your best to protect the city and you deserve a reward for all your hard work. Thanks again!¡± The group smiled and collectively thanked him once more before walking off into the distance.
¡°Hehe, suckers.¡± Red Step stood chuckling for a moment longer before finally remembering Dario¡¯s presence. ¡°Oh, sorry, almost forgot about you.¡± He turned and faced Dario, a smile still plastered on his face. ¡°So, what is it you need, civilian?¡±
The younger Superior shuffled his feet, bummed out at the older man¡¯s behavior. ¡°Well... I¡¯m not actually a civilian. I¡¯m a supe like you.¡±
¡°Oh? Truly?¡± Red Step raised an eyebrow.
¡°Yeah.¡± Dario pulled out his Status Band as proof. ¡°I came over to ask for an autograph, but I changed my¡ª¡±
¡°An autograph you say?¡± Red Step boomed cheerfully. ¡°For a fellow Superior? How novel! Of course I¡¯ll sign you an autograph!¡± The man pulled out a pen and a small notepad from seemingly nowhere and started to write. ¡±So, to whom do I sign this to? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t recognize you out of costume. What¡¯s your supe name?¡±
Dario¡¯s eye twitched in annoyance. His brief interaction with Red Step gave credence to that old saying of never meeting your heroes. If he had been younger and less world-weary, he might¡¯ve been overjoyed, but now, he was just disappointed. Thus, he decided to simply mess with the man by giving him a joke name.
¡°My supe name is... The Deuce.¡±
The red costumed man raised both eyebrows. ¡°Deuce as in¡ the number two? Or like... taking a dump?¡±
¡°...sure.¡±
¡°That¡¯s¡ pretty strange, but I¡¯ve heard worse.¡± Red Step chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what your powers might be. Don¡¯t tell me, I don¡¯t want to know.¡±
As soon as he finished writing on the notepad, he ripped out the sheet of paper and dramatically handed it over with a small bow.
¡°Here you are Mr. Deuce, one signed autograph by yours truly. Since I¡¯ve never heard of your name before, would I be right to say that you¡¯re new? That you¡¯re a recent addition to the Guild?¡±
¡°...yes.¡±
¡°Excellent! It¡¯s always nice to have more supes in the business.¡± Red Step smiled before leaning forward to whisper, ¡°If you want some advice, then I suggest you choose Peacemaker as a final career choice. We make easy money and pretty much relax most of the time.¡±
¡°Thanks, I think,¡± Dario muttered, still somewhat dazed at finding out one of his childhood idols wasn¡¯t like he expected. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
¡°Good, good. Anyways, I¡¯m off to make some more money. Good luck, and keep suping ¡ª cheerio!¡± He picked up and carried the injured thief off the ground and was gone in a red flash.
Dario stood still for a whole minute before he finally let out a sigh.
¡°I¡ I¡¯m not even gonna try to process that.¡± He shook his head to clear his thoughts before continuing on his journey to the Guild. ¡°That happened, and that¡¯s that. No need to waste any more brain power on it.¡±
Still somewhat traumatized, Dario decided to take a small detour to take his mind off things. He decided to pass by the old stomping grounds and see if anything else interesting happened. The Slums rarely disappointed on that front.
It was quite a bit of distance from Gates Boulevard to The Slums, but he didn¡¯t mind it too much. The more time spent walking, the easier it would be for him to get used to moving around somewhat disabled. He had a feeling that such a skill would be useful in the future. Monster hunting seemed like a hazardous task that wouldn¡¯t guarantee him the safety of his limbs. Judging from his brief experience in that world, it was very likely that he would lose more body parts, so knowing how to move around disabled sounded like a good idea, as morbid as that sounded.
A little while after exiting his home district, Dario finally noticed that he wasn¡¯t traversing through the hidden alleyways and backstreets like he usually did. He¡¯d had those habits ingrained early on from his interactions with street gangs, but now that he was a Superior who thrived on light, he found that he was subconsciously walking out in the open. It was a small difference from an outsider¡¯s perspective, but to Dario, it showed a significant change in who he was.
It was strange to think about.
Dario smiled and strode across the road to a nearby, dimly lit alleyway. It wouldn¡¯t do for him to forget how to live in the dark. It was best not to forget one¡¯s roots, especially if the skills learned during that time helped him out greatly. Besides, there was still light in the darkness, so he would thrive regardless.
Dario¡¯s semi-philosophical musings were interrupted as soon as he entered the alleyway when he heard rustling footsteps nearby. He turned just in time to see his assailant, but he allowed the shove to happen when he saw who it was.
¡°Dario, what the fuck!?¡± the tanned, purple-haired woman cursed at him. ¡°You said you were going to tell the Superiors about the kidnappings, but you haven¡¯t done shit!¡±
¡°Oh... OH! Fuck, I forgot Vira,¡± Dario cursed, rubbing his head sheepishly. ¡°My bad. A lot of shit happened to me recently and I¡¯ve been pretty distracted. I could¡¯ve sworn I did it, but I think I must have suffered a few too many head injuries.¡±
¡°What kept you so busy that you forgot something so simple?¡± She glared at him.
¡°Um, I lost my foot recently and I¡¯ve been super busy reading up on monsters and practising my powers.¡± He chuckled nervously. ¡°I¡¯m trying to prepare for some monster-hunting trips I¡¯m planning on taking.¡±
Before Vira could say anything, a small blonde head popped up from behind her waist.
¡°Big bro is going monster hunting?¡± the little girl asked with a curious expression.
¡°Oh, hello, Ava. What are you doing out here?¡± Dario asked, both eyebrows raised.
It was very strange to see the eight year old dressed as if she was ready to fight somebody. She appeared to be wearing dark clothing with pads at the joints and even wore fingerless gloves with small spikes on the knuckles. What the hell was going on?
¡°Umm, Vira said she was gonna go find you and whoop your butt,¡± she giggled. ¡°I wanted to watch.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been bringing her around with me and teaching her things like how to defend herself, and how to survive in a tough spot,¡± Vira explained. ¡°So far, she¡¯s taken my lessons like a fish to water.¡±
¡°Ya, I¡¯m a good student, right sis?¡± Ava looked up at Vira with bright blue eyes.
¡°Yes you are.¡± Vira smiled and patted the girl¡¯s head.
¡°So, you¡¯ve taken a new apprentice, huh?¡± Dario sighed. ¡°I guess that explains all the... clothing.¡± He gestured at Ava¡¯s strange appearance. ¡°How¡¯d you even get all that stuff?¡±
¡°I made them all myself,¡± Vira bragged. ¡°You like them right, Ava?¡±
¡°Mhm.¡± The little girl smiled, nodding.
¡°See? She likes them.¡± Vira then turned towards him with a frown. ¡°Anyways, she¡¯s proving to be a much better disciple than you ever were. How could any student of mine forget something as simple as reporting a kidnapping?¡±
¡°I said I¡¯m sorry, alright? It was my mistake and I won¡¯t forget this time.¡±
¡°Oh, you definitely won¡¯t, because I¡¯m coming with you to make sure,¡± Vira said as she grabbed his arm. ¡°Ava, come. Take his other arm and make sure he doesn¡¯t get away.¡±
¡°Okay,¡± Ava complied.
¡°Where are you taking me?¡± Dario asked as he was dragged along by the both of them, a steely grip on his right arm and a small hand on the other.
¡°We¡¯re heading to the Superiors Guild right now and telling them that people are being kidnapped in The Slums,¡± the scowling woman commanded. ¡°More and more people are missing and it¡¯s only a matter of time before an ASH member is taken.¡±
¡°It¡¯s getting that bad?¡± Dario asked with a frown.
¡°Yes,¡± Vira answered gravely.
¡°Damn, my bad. If I¡¯d known, I might not have gone out to the Wildlands,¡± he said regretfully.
¡°No use thinking about it now.¡± Vira sighed. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like you alone could¡¯ve done anything to find those bastards. We need real professionals.¡±
Ouch, his ego felt bruised, but she wasn¡¯t wrong.
¡°Did you really go out in the Wildlands, big bro Daree-oh?¡± Ava asked in a cheerful singing voice.
¡°Yep, and it was a pretty fun adventure, to be honest,¡± Dario said with a grin, glad that little Ava was around to counteract Vira¡¯s effect on his self-esteem.
¡°Really? What was the biggest monster you saw?¡± she asked, her free hand swinging around in large circles.
¡°Well,¡± Dario paused in thought, happy to tell his tale once more. ¡°There was once this ogre named Gronk¡¡±
Chapter 28 - Checking In
On the large open space in front of the Superiors Guild stood the ASH gang trio. Dario had spent the last half hour regaling both Vira and Ava of his exploits in the Wildlands. Throughout his tale, Ava had listened attentively with an expression of childish wonder. Vira, on the other hand, focused more on analyzing his choices.
¡°I¡¯m glad you put my lessons to good use at least. Going for the ogre¡¯s eyes and balls were truly inspired,¡± the purple-haired woman praised.
¡°Hah, desperate times call for desperate measures.¡± Dario chuckled. ¡°You drilled that into me enough times.¡±
¡°Mhm, and making that giant slime and ogre take each other out was pretty good too.¡±
He smiled cheekily. ¡°I learned from the best.¡±
¡°Hmph, perhaps you should pay me up then.¡± Vira smirked. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my advice, you¡¯d be long gone.¡±
Dario snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s not go that far now. I¡¯m pretty low on funds as is.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you rich?¡± Vira asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I heard you supes get big paydays. Besides, you should be rolling in gold, especially with the allowance you get from your mom.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not allowance, damn it. I worked for every copper I earned at Haven ¡ª you know this.¡±
¡°Uh-huh.¡± She smiled mischievously. ¡°From your job as a glorified pimp, right?¡±
Dario sighed. ¡°For the last time, I was a host, not a pimp. My official title was Master of Ceremonies ¡ª the MC. There¡¯s nothing pimp-like about that.¡±
¡°What¡¯s a pimp?¡± Ava asked innocently as she skipped alongside them.
¡°Nothing you¡¯ll ever have to worry about Ava,¡± Vira said. ¡°Not on my watch at least.¡±
¡°Okie,¡± the little blonde girl chirped.
¡°Anyway,¡± Dario rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t really do much hosting nowadays, especially since I¡¯m transitioning to monster-hunting. So... I don¡¯t really have much at the moment.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you get a lot working for the Guild?¡± Vira asked curiously.
¡°I technically haven¡¯t started yet, because of, you know, the whole losing my foot thing.¡± He grimaced.
¡°That¡¯s still hard to imagine,¡± she muttered, glancing down at his feet. ¡°And growing it back sounds really fucking weird. Ava, check again to see if his foot is really there.¡±
¡°Okay!¡± Ava said cheerfully. She then proceeded to hop up and down on his foot with child-like enthusiasm before eventually backing off. ¡°Yup! It¡¯s there.¡±
Dario shook his head and sighed.
¡°Just making sure,¡± Vira said with a smile. ¡°Just following the old saying, ¡®Trust, but verify.¡¯ ¡±
¡°Uh-huh. Can we go over and head inside the Guild now?¡± he asked.
¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask,¡± she said eagerly.
Ava nodded just as fervently beside her. It was only then Dario remembered that the two of them had never been near the Superiors Guild, let alone gone inside it, so he could understand their excitement.
As the three of them approached the entrance, the two guards who were in the middle of conversation moved forward to intercept them.
¡°Halt!¡± they called out. ¡°State your business!¡±
Dario had just pulled out his Status Band when he vaguely recognized the voice. ¡°Wait a minute¡ James? Is that you?¡± Dario asked, his eyes widening in recognition.
Aforementioned guard groaned, ¡°Oh please, not you again. I just started my shift!¡±
¡°Do you know this guy?¡± Vira asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°Yeah, I tackled him through that door a while back.¡± He pointed at the entrance. ¡°But he asked me to do it.¡±
¡°Wha¡ª I most certainly did not!¡± James, the guard, glared at him. ¡°You said you were just going to try and push past me!¡±
¡°And I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± Dario said in amusement.
¡°Gah, whatever.¡± James threw up his hands in frustration. ¡°Just tell me why you¡¯re here this time.¡±
¡°I¡¯m here as a Superior so I don¡¯t really have to tell you anything to enter now, do I?¡± Dario raised and presented his Status Band.
¡°No, but you did bring non-Superiors with you, so it actually is our business to question your presence,¡± James said.
¡°They¡¯re with me. These two are here to report on some strange kidnappings going on in The Slums, and I¡¯m here because I have to check in with the Guild,¡± Dario explained.
¡°Hmm, alright. You can go in.¡± James nodded his head and looked over at Dario¡¯s companions. ¡°But those two can¡¯t go inside. What they can do, however, is write down their statements on the forms over there.¡± He pointed towards a stack of papers on a table behind a nearby pillar.
¡°What? Why can¡¯t we go inside?¡± Vira asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°How do we know our reports will be taken seriously? We all know Superiors don¡¯t really give a shit about The Slums. I really think I should go inside and talk to someone about this personally.¡±
¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± James shook his head, steadfast. ¡°I assure you that your reports of criminal activity will be carefully reviewed and an appropriate response will be dispensed. Those papers over there are made of Linked Parchment so anything you write will be seen by the people inside.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.
Before Vira could angrily retort, Dario grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. ¡°Just do as he says, Vira. I¡¯ll go inside and tell someone that this issue should be taken seriously.¡±
The hazel-eyed woman angrily huffed in response. ¡°You better.¡±
¡°I will. You know I care about ASH just as much as you.¡± At her narrow-eyed stare, he rectified, ¡°Okay, almost as much as you.¡±
¡°Fine. Come along, Ava,¡± Vira ordered as she walked to the table. However, the little blonde girl stayed put in front of the guard.
¡°Are you sure I can¡¯t go inside, mister?¡± Ava asked, looking up at James with sad puppy dog eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see the Guild. May I please take a peek?¡±
James face softened for a brief moment before looking away, awkwardly coughing. ¡°...no.¡±
¡°Darn it.¡± The little girl snapped her fingers in frustration and trotted over to Vira.
Dario chuckled and called out to his travelling companions, ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be inside, so don¡¯t wait on me you two!¡±
Vira hummed in acknowledgement while Ava cheerfully waved.
Dario and James looked at each other, one in amusement and the other in resignation.
¡°Just go in,¡± the guard grumbled.
¡°Good to see you again too, James.¡± Dario nodded at the man as he went inside.
He looked around and noticed that the interior of the guild was the same as when he¡¯d first tumbled through all those days ago. In front of the newly refurbished door was the receptionist¡¯s desk, and to the right was a sizeable lounge with various couches and tables. There weren¡¯t many people around, as only about five people occupied the common room, some of them he vaguely recognized.
The receptionist, on the other hand, was someone completely new to him. It made sense since it was Psylink who had briefly taken the post the first time, and she was probably too busy with her duties as Guildmaster to be substituting again.
¡°Can I help you?¡± the dark-skinned, green-eyed woman asked, looking up from some paperwork as he approached.
¡°Uhh, yeah, I¡¯m here to check in and inform management or whoever¡¯s in charge that I¡¯m ready to start working. My name¡¯s Dario Sindred and I recently registered and joined the Guild,¡± Dario explained.
¡°One moment please.¡± She reached over to grab a nearby stack of papers and started perusing the contents. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡ Sindred, Sindred, Sindred¡¡± she muttered as she looked over a list of names. ¡°Ah, here we are! Dario Sindred¡ a Freelancer, huh?¡±
¡°Yup, that¡¯s me.¡±
¡°Excellent.¡± She then picked up a cube-shaped Record Device and placed it before him. ¡°If you will, please present your Status Band for confirmation.¡±
Dario complied and tapped his Band against the cube. The receptionist looked it over and nodded her head in satisfaction. She then took a moment to write something down on a formal-looking piece of paper.
¡°Okay, Mr. Sindred, you¡¯re good to go. As a Freelancer, you don¡¯t have to go under any mandatory training, however, you are still required to join a team with at least one veteran as a member to guide you. Are you aware of this?¡±
¡°Yes, I read it on the contract.¡±
¡°Good.¡± The woman nodded her head and steepled her hands. ¡°As you are currently solo, you have two weeks to find a team that fits the criteria. Otherwise, a group will be assigned for you. Once you have a team, you must complete at least one task each month every month, as stated in the job contract.¡±
¡°Err, I don¡¯t really want to spend any time looking for a team, so is it possible for the Guild to assign me one right away?¡± Dario asked sheepishly.
¡°That was actually what I was about to say next,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°As it stands, there does happen to be a free slot on a team that formed recently. The non-veteran members are all brand new Freelancers, like you, so it might not be the experienced group you¡¯d want, but¡ª¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± Dario said, feeling both enthused and relieved.
¡°Excellent, let me just mark you down for that team.¡± She quickly jotted something down. ¡°Alright, you are now officially a member of team V-33. That¡¯s your team designation as you all haven¡¯t named it yet,¡± she explained. ¡°But, you have a team meeting two days from now in one of the conference rooms here, so you can discuss it with your team there.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡± Dario said.
The woman looked down once more and pointed at something with her finger. ¡°It says here that you don¡¯t have an outfit yet or a Superior name. Is that correct?¡±
¡°Err, yeah? Is that bad?¡± he asked uncertainly.
He had seen in the contract that it was one of the requirements, but he didn¡¯t think he had to present it right away. If need be, he could always use the armor he¡¯d worn when he first went into the Wildlands. As for the name... well, he had one in mind.
¡°Not at the moment, however, it is mandatory to have a costume and Superior name before completing tasks set by the Guild.¡±
¡°Oh. I kind of have a costume, I suppose, and a name too,¡± Dario said.
¡°Excellent. However, I¡¯m not the person to discuss that with. In fact, let me set an appointment for you ¡ª if you¡¯re not too busy right now?¡± She looked at him questioningly.
¡°No, I¡¯m free today,¡± he replied.
¡°Good. I believe a designer of ours is available at the moment, and he should be able to provide you with an outfit, or help improve your current one.¡± She reached over and grabbed a small metallic device with a nearly transparent crystal embedded into its inner workings.
Dario recognized the object since it was similar to the few he¡¯d seen on his mother¡¯s office desk. It was a Call Stone and was apparently worth hundreds, if not thousands of gold, according to his mother. He had asked her about it once, but all she¡¯d said was that it allowed communication between partner Call Stones and required depleted World Crystals to make, whatever that meant.
Regardless, he got to see it in action once more.
The receptionist pressed some buttons and spoke into it when the Stone began faintly glowing. ¡°Walden, I¡¯m sending someone new for you to look over. Are you available?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m just finishing up some things,¡± a male voice emanated from the device. ¡°Who are you sending?¡±
¡°A young man by the name of Dario Sindred. He¡¯s on team V-33.¡±
There was a sound of shuffling papers before the voice came back, ¡°Ah, yes, I see it. Send him over.¡± The call abruptly ended as the stone returned to its normal state.
She put down the Call Stone and looked back at Dario. ¡°Okay Mr. Sindred, please head on to room 24. Just go down that hall and take the fifth left turn. It should be somewhere in that hallway.¡±
¡°Alright, thank you,¡± Dario said, somewhat confused by the whole thing. He went to leave, but turned back to address a certain issue. ¡°There¡¯s also something I want to report.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± the woman asked with a raised eyebrow.
¡°Yeah, my friend outside is writing a report too, but I just wanted to make my own statement. It¡¯s about some criminal activity going on in the city.¡±
¡°Okay, go on.¡± She pulled out a different sheet of formal-looking paper and started writing on it.
Dario proceeded in explaining to her the ongoing kidnappings in The Slums and how nothing was being done about it. He also told her of what he knew about those responsible and his own encounter with them, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation. To his relief, the woman seemed to be taking him seriously and was busily jotting down notes while asking him pertinent questions.
¡°Thank you for bringing this to our attention,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to look into it.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Dario said gratefully. ¡°There are some good people over there that I¡¯d hate to see hurt.¡±
¡°We¡¯ll do our best,¡± she said professionally. ¡°Now, you still have that appointment with one of our designers. Don¡¯t keep him waiting.¡± She looked down and continued working on some paperwork.
¡°Right. Thanks again miss¡?¡±
¡°Siona,¡± she absentmindedly responded.
Dario expressed his gratitude once more before heading down to room 24. While traversing the opulent halls, he was again reminded of just how large the Superiors Guild was as the corridors seemed to stretch on for a considerable distance. It was one thing seeing the castle mansion from the outside, and a whole different thing experiencing it from within.
Eventually, he reached his destination and entered the assigned room, excitement coursing through his body at the prospect of creating a new Superior identity for the world to witness.
If only his childhood self could see him now...
Chapter 29 - Names
¡°Ah, you¡¯re finally here.¡±
In a corner of the spacious room stood a man a bit shorter than Dario with his back turned away from the door. He seemed to be inspecting some sort of design on a table with his arms crossed. Dario looked around and noticed the many stacks of paper spread around the room on several countertops and workbenches.
¡°So, I¡¯m not exactly sure what I¡¯m supposed to be doing here, but I think you¡¯re the one I talk to about my costume and supe name?¡±
¡°Hm, an astute observation,¡± said the man, Walden, according to the receptionist. ¡°Come over here and look at this.¡± He gestured for Dario to approach without taking his eyes off his work.
Heeding the request, Dario walked over and stood next to the man. Upon closer inspection, he realized that Walden was actually an older gentleman, in appearance at least. He could be ancient by Superior standards, but traditionally, he looked more like he was in his fifties at most. He was thin with a greying beard, and had quite the prominent crow¡¯s feet around his eyes. Dario had never seen a Superior look so old before.
¡°What do you think of these?¡± Walden asked, finally looking at Dario with sharp blue eyes as he pointed down at his work.
¡°Um,¡± Dario paused as he looked over the various drawings on the table. ¡°They look great,¡± he said honestly.
What he¡¯d been inspecting was a series of sketches next to each other, depicting different designs for what he assumed to be costumes. Dario was no expert when it came to art, but he could clearly tell that they were drawn by someone very skilled. They were obviously for a male Superior, judging by the shape, but what surprised Dario were the numbers listed beside the illustrations. His measurements were correctly written down to the last millimeter.
How the...?
¡°Yes, but these are all just preliminary drafts and are more of a baseline for the final product,¡± Walden said. ¡°I still have to add unique flavour to it that would match you. I need your personal input for that part.¡±
Dario inspected the designs for a moment longer before turning towards the older man. ¡°Okay. What do you want to know?¡± Dario asked, intrigued.
¡°Well, first of all, what are your powers capable of?¡± the man asked with his hands clasped behind his back.
¡°Oh, I can use and manipulate light.¡± Dario raised a hand and encased it in aura, only making it glow as much as a candle. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know about it already. I thought you had some papers with information on me.¡±
¡°No, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s classified information,¡± Walden said with an annoyed expression. ¡°I¡¯m only allowed to incorporate what you¡¯re willing to divulge.¡± The man shook his head in disapproval before once more turning professional. ¡°So, I have some ideas that come to mind with such powers, but do you have anything you¡¯d like to have on your costume?¡±
¡°Hm, not really. Well¡ª oh! I¡¯d like it to be white, or have the general theme of white to match my powers and the color scheme of my home. I was wearing something like that when I went monster-hunting earlier and I think it worked out,¡± Dario said excitedly. ¡°I looked pretty conspicuous, but at least it looked cool.¡±
¡°Alright, white for light, I was thinking the same thing. Anything else?¡± Walden asked.
¡°Uh, I¡¯ve seen supes with outfits that change their color or shape on demand and I think I¡¯d like that. Maybe something that turns my costume from white to midnight black, so I can hide in dark corners and alleys or something,¡± Dario detailed with a hand on his chin, nodding and smiling.
¡°Unfortunately, customization like that doesn¡¯t come with the starter package for new Superiors, I¡¯m sorry to say,¡± Walden said with furrowed brows. ¡°Only the basic costumes are made for newcomers until they¡¯ve been in service for at least a year, or if you move up the ranks. Right now, you¡¯re at the Newbie rank, but if you work hard, you can move up to Aspirant, or maybe even Exemplar.¡±
¡°Can you please expand on that?¡± Dario asked curiously. ¡°I read about rankings somewhere in the job contract, but it didn¡¯t go into any details.¡±
¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s just our way of denoting seniority and who has more experience or ¡®prestige¡¯.¡± The old man rolled his eyes. ¡°In each line of work, the rankings deign who¡¯s in charge of who. It¡¯s similar to the military, where a captain would have authority or hold sway over a recruit.¡±
¡°Ah, so the rankings are only for combat roles?¡± Dario asked.
¡°No, like I said, it¡¯s for every line of work. An Architect Newbie would work under an Architect Exemplar for example,¡± Walden explained.
¡°I see¡¡±
¡°Anyways! Back to the topic of your costume.¡± The older man tilted his head and put a hand to his chin. ¡°Customization to the extent that you¡¯re asking for isn¡¯t possible for a Newbie, but¡ I suppose if you¡¯re willing to pay for it¡¡±
Dario sighed in disappointment. ¡°Alright, how much would it cost?¡±
¡°To put an incognito mode on your costume?¡± Walden hummed as he looked down in thought. ¡°Probably around one or two thousand gold.¡±
¡°...¡±
¡°Closer to two thousand, I think.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ nope, not happening.¡± Dario groaned and rubbed his face with both hands. ¡°That sucks. That really, really sucks. Why do we even need to have costumes and supe aliases anyways?¡± he asked in frustration.
¡°Well, it¡¯s mandatory for you to have a costume and Superior name before completing tasks set out by the Guild. It¡¯s used as both inspiration for the regular masses and as call signs for other supes to identify you with,¡± Walden said in a monotone, as if repeating a rehearsed line. ¡°It¡¯s good for our public relations and is useful for combat with the correct specifications. Blah, blah, blah... that¡¯s just how it is.¡±
Dario and Walden then spent a few more minutes talking back and forth about ideas for his costume. To the young man¡¯s irritation, a lot of his ideas were stonewalled by the limited resources spared for new Superiors. Over and over, Dario thought he¡¯d come up with something that would surely be approved for Newbies, but he was shot down each time. It all came to a head when he decided to forego Guild assets altogether.
¡°You know what? I have a proposition.¡±
¡°Yes?¡± Walden asked with a raised eyebrow.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡°I have an armory back home filled with all sorts of equipment that I barely know anything about. If I take you there and show you what¡¯s inside, do you think you could scrounge up an outfit that would do all the things I asked for?¡± Dario asked.
¡°Skipping over the fact that you have an armory in your home, it all depends on the quality of gear.¡± The old man crossed his arms with an amused expression. ¡°But... I suppose I could do it. Though, I must warn you that I have high standards.¡±
¡°I think they¡¯re all pretty expensive, but I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± Dario shrugged. ¡°Are you willing to give it a shot?¡±
Walden briefly looked around the room before sighing in acceptance. ¡°Sure, why not. I¡¯ve been cooped up in here long enough.¡± He gestured forward with his hand. ¡°Lead the way.¡±
¡°Alright, but I live in Gates Boulevard, so it¡¯s a bit of a travel distance,¡± the younger man said as he began leading them out of the room and through the halls, back to the entrance. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± Walden replied with a small smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to have some circulation going through these old bones.¡± He patted his legs proudly as he walked. ¡°A healthy body is a healthy mind.¡±
¡°Hm, that¡¯s a good saying. I¡¯m keeping that one.¡±
¡°Feel free, I have a lot more in stock.¡± The older man chuckled and waved at Siona as they passed by, the receptionist looking somewhat confused at seeing them leave. ¡°This journey better be worth it...¡±
Dario breathed in a lungful of warm summer air when he stepped out of the large intimidating building. To his relief, Vira and Ava were gone by the time he left the Guild with Walden in tow. If the two of them had still been around, he had no doubt that they would have pestered the older man incessantly. He was thankful that their journey would be a peaceful one.
As he guided the designer to his home, Dario asked him questions to sate his curiosity and to make conversation. He learned a lot about Walden during their time traveling through the city streets.
It turned out that ¡®Walden¡¯ was the designer¡¯s actual name and not a supe name as Dario initially thought. Apparently, it was deemed unnecessary for Architects to have an alias since they weren¡¯t often in the limelight, though they could still choose to use one if they so wished ¡ª an option that Walden declined.
The Artificer had been under the employ of the Superiors Guild for over four decades and hadn¡¯t once been in the public eye, which he claimed to be by choice rather than fate. It was something Dario could understand, as the adoration of civilians could be overwhelming at times. The old man apparently lived in the Guild Quarters like most other Superiors, which was why he was so surprised when he found out where Dario lived.
¡°You live at Haven?¡± he asked while staring at the lavish white building in front of them, both eyebrows raised.
¡°Yeah, you ever been?¡± Dario grinned.
¡°Been inside? No, of course not.¡± Walden slowly shook his head. "Brothels aren''t really my thing...¡±
¡°Well, it¡¯s your lucky day. Come on in, I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Dario chuckled as he went inside, his companion following with hesitation.
¡°Welcome to my humble abode.¡± Dario spread out his arms in an act of showmanship. ¡°I hope you enjoy your stay.¡±
Walden stayed quiet and silently inspected the surrounding interior of the Hidden Haven.
The lounge was as opulent as ever, with its high ceiling and elegant decor. Quite a few of the residents were present by one of the bars, busily chatting, while others sat around tables playing games. Some of them noticed their entrance, but aside from curious glances, paid them no mind.
After a moment of contemplation, the old man cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, yes, interesting home you have here, but I doubt I¡¯ll be here long.¡± He stood up straighter and adopted a more professional demeanor. ¡°May we continue with our purpose for this visit?¡±
¡°Sure, right this way.¡±
As Dario led him to the armory under the stairs, he noticed in the corner of his eye Walden slyly glancing at the women by the bar. Some things never changed...
¡°Oi, Big D, who¡¯s that?¡± a voice called from above.
Dario looked up and saw the statuesque figure of the raven-haired Rox walking down the stairs in a surprisingly conservative getup ¡ª by Haven standards. Sauntering next to her was the imposing form of his mother in a formal dress.
¡°Yes, dear, who is this?¡± Amarys asked curiously.
¡°Oh, this is Walden.¡± He gestured at the slightly shorter man. ¡°He¡¯s a designer from the guild, and he¡¯s here to help me with my costume.¡±
¡°A costume? I thought you already had the one I picked out for you,¡± Rox said with a confused expression.
¡°No, he¡¯s here to see if he can help make improvements for it with stuff from the armory,¡± Dario said.
Walden further explained, ¡°Yes, Mr. Sindred here has¡ certain demands he wants on his official costume that the guild cannot provide, unfortunately. However, he claims that the equipment in your armory will suffice.¡±
¡°Pfft, well of course they will! Have you seen all the things we have here?¡± Rox spoke animatedly as she rushed to their side. ¡°Come, let me show you all the good stuff. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m being left out of this.¡± She then grabbed Walden by the shoulders and began dragging him over to the armory.
The older gentleman looked baffled as he was led towards the runic vault door.
Dario laughed at her excitability. "Slow down Rox, don''t hurt yourself. I need him in one piece if he''s gonna design my outfit." Dario moved to follow the duo but was stopped by his mother.
¡°Wait a second, Dario. There¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡±
He briefly glanced at Rox and Walden¡¯s retreating forms before sighing. ¡°Okay, what is it?¡±
¡°Here, take this.¡± Amarys took out a slip of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. ¡°I¡¯ve written down a list of names of possible agents for the king that I learned from my contacts. Oh, and the girls also helped ¡ª apparently, some of the clients were quite loose-lipped.¡± She smirked.
Dario looked down at the short list of names and was startled to see Bright Star and Augur on the piece of paper, two people he¡¯d met recently. ¡°Wait, Bright Star and Augur are¡?¡±
¡°Oh, I doubt those two are working for the king, that¡¯s why they¡¯re at the bottom of the list, but I wanted to include every possibility,¡± she explained. ¡°There aren¡¯t really any active agents of the king around here from what I gathered, but the people on that list all worked as Spooks at some point.¡± She shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re all retired now, supposedly, but you never know.¡±
¡°I see¡¡±
¡°It should be safe in the city, but keep an eye on those names just in case.¡± Amarys tapped his shoulder with a comforting smile. ¡°Now, I have some business to attend to, so take care of yourself, alright?¡±
¡°I will, thanks.¡±
His mother smiled and patted his cheek before striding to the exit.
¡°DARIO! Get over here! We got some outfitting to do!¡± Rox yelled from within the armory.
The young man glanced at the list of names once more with a look of contemplation. He took a moment to remember the descriptions of each person and walked over to the open vault door.
¡°Good to see you again Mr. Sindred. Are you ready to meet your team?¡±
Dario nodded and stood up straighter in his new costume. It had taken two days for him to get used to his new setup, and there was still much to learn.
Siona, the receptionist, smiled. ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s nice to see you show up on time for your team meeting. I was starting to get worried.¡±
¡°Oh, am I late?¡± Dario asked worriedly.
¡°Not at all, you¡¯re just in time.¡± She gestured over to one of the halls. ¡°Head over to room 2C, it¡¯s located down that hall on the third turn.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Dario pivoted on his heels and followed her instructions, excitement and trepidation coursing through his body. He had worked in small groups of people before during his time with street gangs, but never had he teamed up with actual Superiors. From what he recalled of his assigned team, they were all Newbies like him, so they should all theoretically be around his age. Only time would tell how well they worked together.
Soon enough, he reached the room where a bored-looking man with blonde hair in formal wear stood leaning by the door.
The stranger looked at him. ¡°You Solaris?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s me,¡± Dario said.
¡°Cool outfit.¡± The man pointed at the small, dimly glowing gem at the center of Dario¡¯s chest, almost hidden by a midnight black cloak. Small hints of smooth, dark plated armor could be seen from underneath.
¡°Thanks, I¡¯m still getting used to it,¡± Dario said honestly. He was still trying to master the whole stealth mode aspect and had it currently set to semi-incognito.
The man grabbed the doorknob and made to turn it, but suddenly paused. ¡°So, Solaris, I¡¯m assuming you named yourself after The North Star? The one in the sky?¡± he asked curiously.
¡°Uh-huh. It was my namesake when I was born,¡± he replied.
¡° ¡®The light that guides¡¯, huh?¡± The stranger chuckled. ¡°Sounds pretentious, but all names are.¡±
¡°I suppose.¡± Dario shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s your name then?¡±
¡°Just call me Mr. B,¡± he replied with a professional smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be your advisor early on, and whether or not you want to keep me around afterwards is entirely up to you.¡±
Before Dario could ask what he meant, Mr. B opened the door and pushed him inside the meeting room. He stood stock-still in shocked surprise at seeing the individuals within.
¡°Welcome, Solaris, to team V-33.¡±
Chapter 30 - Meet the Team
His purple eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.
The conference room itself was a fairly large circular chamber, with dark brown walls that complemented a crisp white ceiling. Off to one side were overhanging windows, presenting the beautiful view of a scenic courtyard. On the opposite end, near the doorway, were intricately drawn maps of what appeared to be Voirsten and several unknown locations.
Scattered around each corner of the room were small tables next to shelves filled with books, papers, and various writing utensils. The main centerpiece, however, was the long rectangular table dominating most of the room. Around it were over a dozen high-quality wooden chairs, three of which were currently occupied by costumed individuals.
Mr. B walked forward with long strides and a practised smile.
¡°The last member is here folks!¡± he proclaimed, waving a hand to the entrance. ¡°This fellow over here is Solaris.¡± He turned back to look at the frozen Dario, gesturing for him to approach. ¡°Come on in and introduce yourself.¡±
The young man remained still, simply staring at the ladies around the table ¡ª two of whom were looking back in similar bewilderment, and the third smiling knowingly. After a moment, Dario released the breath he¡¯d been holding before laughing out loud.
¡°Haha¡ oh man,¡± he chuckled, wiping a fake tear from his eye. ¡°This is just... priceless.¡± He shook his head in amusement, widely smiling. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought, huh?¡±
Mr. B looked confused, glancing back and forth between him and the rest of his team. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m sorry, but¡ am I missing something here?¡±
A familiar woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and bright blue eyes leaned forward, her all-white ensemble looking cleaner than the last time he¡¯d seen her. The scar on her right cheek crinkled as she smiled. ¡°No, no, nothing to worry about,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡ it so happens that we already know our last member.¡± She turned to the redhead sitting beside her, a hint of mirth at the corner of her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t we, Amara?¡±
Next to her was a young woman with red hair styled in a waterfall braid, wearing what appeared to be padded dark clothing with golden lines running along the sides of her suit and across her chest. On her face was a look of befuddlement, but she quickly blinked out of her stupor at the mention of her name.
¡°Umm, yes¡ we¡¯ve met. Rather recently actually.¡± She leaned back in her seat and slowly turned to look at Bright Star with a narrow-eyed stare, arms crossed. ¡°This is... suspiciously convenient,¡± she said with a frown. ¡°Are you responsible for this? Did you set this up?¡±
Bright Star shook her head with an amused smile. ¡°Not at all. I actually had nothing to do with this for once. There just aren¡¯t that many new supes popping up right now.¡± She shrugged, gesturing at Dario. ¡°I only recently heard that he¡¯d be a part of your team. I thought it was a pretty funny coincidence so I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± She chuckled at the skeptical look on Amara¡¯s face. ¡°The look on your face was well worth it though.¡±
Amara rolled her eyes and sighed before turning towards the blonde advisor. ¡°Yes, both Bright Star and I know him,¡± she said. ¡°We only met him once before though, so it¡¯s not like we¡¯re best friends or anything ¡ª just enough to be familiar.¡±
Mr. B blinked in surprise before quickly regaining his composure. ¡°Well then, that makes this whole thing a lot easier. It should help with the initial team cohesion at the very least.¡± He paused and turned towards Dario. ¡°Your previous interaction with these two were positive, I hope?¡±
¡°Well, yeah, but we met on the same day I got my foot blown off, so I may have been¡ a little out of it.¡± Dario shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I was good company for them, but they were to me.¡±
¡°You were passable,¡± Amara chimed in with a quirk of her lips. ¡°Adequate even.¡±
Before he could reply with something witty, Mr. B stepped forward, clapping his hands.
¡°Wonderful,¡± the blonde advisor said with a relieved smile. He then pointed at where the last individual sat. ¡°If you¡¯re familiar with Bright Star and Imperia, then I guess that just leaves Devel-OP over there¡ª¡±
¡°Actually, it¡¯s just Devel now,¡± the fourth member of his team interjected, a wide grin on her face. ¡°I also happen to know this Solaris guy. I¡¯m even the one who handed him his Band.¡± She chuckled softly, white hair swaying as she shook her head. ¡°Small world, huh?¡±
Leaning back, with her feet resting on another chair, was the unmistakable figure of Miss Aimee¡¯s daughter. Her long hair was the same as ever ¡ª the sides braided and dreaded, fading to black at the tips. This time, however, she wore a dark padded uniform that was white at the shoulders, forearms, outer thighs, and calves. Across her chest sat a bandolier filled with all manner of weapons and strange objects. She sat there looking at him with an amused smile.
¡°Yeah, small world.¡± Dario snorted. ¡°What are you even doing here? You¡¯re not a newbie. If anything, I¡¯d have thought that you¡¯d be an Architect, not a Freelancer. Didn¡¯t you want to make innovations or something?¡±
Deja¡¯s smile quickly dropped and she looked away with a sigh.
¡°Uh, I was an Architect, but¡ it hasn¡¯t been going too well.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know... I just couldn¡¯t seem to make progress in any of my work. It was pretty rough, to be honest.¡± She looked up at the ceiling, brows furrowed. ¡°I''ve already spent a whole year as an Architect accomplishing pretty much nothing. I couldn¡¯t even make sense of what my specialty actually was. I thought it was in weapons and armor at first, but that wasn¡¯t quite right. I tried novelty gadgets and utility items, but that wasn¡¯t right either¡ I know that my Artificer specialty has to do with something mechanical, but I can¡¯t seem to grasp what it is.¡± She took a deep calming breath and crossed her arms. ¡°It pissed me off, so I left that gig and I¡¯m here now to find a solution.¡±
Dario blinked at how vexed she seemed. ¡°How¡¯s joining a Freelancer team going to help you with that?¡±
Deja shrugged. ¡°This is the only way for me to find out where my talent lies.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Amara leaned forward on the table. ¡°She¡¯s here for the same reason you are, judging by the conversation I had with her earlier,¡± she said. ¡°She wants to increase her levels, and from the sound of things, it¡¯s Artificer she¡¯s focused on, which is understandable. You can¡¯t really level up just by inventing stuff. You need World Energy for that.¡±
¡°Yup,¡± Deja confirmed. ¡°The only way for me to get more insight is to level up. Maybe then I can understand what my Artificer skill is, and actually make something useful.¡±
¡°Wait a sec,¡± Dario said, looking a bit taken aback. ¡°Are you saying that you get smarter the more levels in Artificer you have?¡±
¡°Uh, sort of? It¡¯s not that I get smarter in general, it¡¯s really only my Artificer specialty that improves.¡± the amber-eyed woman said. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m here, to find out what that specialty is in the first place¡¡±
¡°Come, sit down you two,¡± Bright Star chimed in, gesturing for Dario and Mr. B to sit at the table. ¡°It¡¯s annoying having to crane our necks to talk.¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± he said, quickly moving to sit across the three women. Mr. B smiled as he took the seat next to him, seemingly content with staying silent and letting others talk. When Dario got comfortable in his seat, he turned back towards Deja. ¡°Back to what you were saying... if all you wanted was to improve your¡ ¡®Artificing¡¯, why didn¡¯t you just start off as a Freelancer to get levels in the first place?¡±
¡°Heh, in hindsight, that definitely would¡¯ve been the better choice,¡± she said with a self-deprecating smile. ¡°I thought I knew enough to start inventing new shit right away, but as you can see... I was wrong.¡± She raised her arms and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m here now though, right? Better late than never.¡±
Mr. B suddenly clapped his hands with a small smile.
¡°That¡¯s exactly right, Devel,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s never too late to change your vocation, and we here at the Guild strive to make sure that all of our members excel in their goals.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Dario could hear Bright Star softly snort at her end of the table.
Mr. B either ignored it or didn¡¯t hear. ¡°Speaking of goals, since you all seem to be acquainted with each other now, I think it¡¯s safe to discuss your collective aim as a team.¡± He leaned forward and steepled his hands. ¡°Each team is different, and members tend to have their own ambitions. It¡¯s my duty to try and accommodate those needs.¡± He pointed at Deja. ¡°So far, she has an eye on leveling up, a pretty straightforward objective. What about the rest of you?¡±
Dario and Amara looked at each other questioningly, wondering who should go first. However, Bright Star beat them to the punch.
¡°I¡¯m just here to watch over Amara,¡± she said, patting the redhead on the shoulder. ¡°Just making sure she doesn¡¯t get into too much trouble. Her team is included by proxy, of course.¡±
Amara rolled her eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m here because¡ well, I don¡¯t have a particular goal in mind. I just want to go out and have adventures. But... leveling up is fine too.¡±
Despite the casual way she said it, Dario could tell that she was very earnest about her desire for adventure. It was similar to him, in a way.
¡°Hmm, okay,¡± Mr. B said, rubbing his chin. ¡°What about you, Solaris?¡±
He shrugged in response. ¡°Same as Dej¡ª err, Devel. I want to level up. As soon as possible, preferably.¡±
The blonde man tapped the table and hummed in thought. Eventually, he let out a pleased sigh. ¡°Hah, this team is the best I¡¯ve had to deal with so far,¡± he said happily. ¡°You¡¯re already acquainted with each other, and all of your goals seem pretty similar as well. Fantastic.¡± He leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms. ¡°At this point, all you need to do now is decide your team name, and how soon you want to go on a mission.¡±
Both Dario and Deja spoke simultaneously. ¡°Right away,¡± they said, quickly looking at each other in surprise.
Mr. B chuckled. ¡°What about you, Imperia? Bright Star? When do you want to go on a mission?¡±
The older blonde woman shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± She pointed at the redhead beside her. ¡°I just follow this one.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t mind going on a mission right away,¡± Amara said. ¡°The sooner the better actually.¡±
¡°In that case¡¡± Mr. B nodded as he stood up. He walked over to a nearby desk and picked up several sheets of paper, quickly discarding a few in the pile. He then headed back and spread the papers out on the main table. ¡°Here¡¯s some copies of several open missions from the Freelancer Board. I took out the ones that don¡¯t really involve any World Energy gain, like ones asking for aid with city fires and whatnot. Unfortunately, that doesn¡¯t leave too much to choose from.¡±
Everyone leaned forward to look over the available missions. There were only four sheets of paper, three of which had the letter ¡®D¡¯ at the top left corner, and ¡®C¡¯ on the last one.
¡°As a new team, you¡¯re only allowed to take D-rank missions and below, for now at least,¡± Mr. B explained. ¡°I included that C-rank because it only just barely counts as one, and all of the other qualified teams are busy, so you¡¯d probably be allowed to take it.¡±
Dario read through the listed missions, trying to discern which one would benefit him the most. Two of the D-rank missions were fairly similar ¡ª both were requests for clearing out some Wildland areas near the northern and eastern gates of the city. And by ¡®nearby¡¯, they meant only a minute¡¯s worth of walking away from the city walls, simply to lower the local arachnid population and obtain their corpses. The third D-rank was a request for some Peacemakers at a nearby village that was having some pest problems with large cockroaches and rats.
Dario shook his head and quickly dismissed those options, the C-rank being the obvious choice.
¡°This one,¡± he said, tapping on the paper with the ¡®C¡¯ in clear view. ¡°Definitely this one.¡±
Mr. B chuckled. ¡°I had a feeling that¡¯d be the case.¡± He turned to the others in the team. ¡°What about the rest of you?¡±
Amara hummed in thought. ¡°...yeah, the C-rank seems like the most appealing option. The others look boring.¡±
¡°I agree,¡± Deja said. ¡°The C-rank looks like it¡¯ll give out the most World Energy. I¡¯m totally down for that.¡±
Dario picked up the C-rank mission paper and glanced over it once more. It was a request for aid from a town called Rivercross that was quite a fair distance from the city, almost a hundred kilometers away. Apparently, monster activity had been on the rise, resulting in some people from the town going missing, occasionally being found mutilated or half-eaten. It seemed like the best place to gain some levels while doing some good in the world.
Nodding with a look of determination, Dario handed the sheet over to Mr. B.
¡°It¡¯s decided then,¡± the blonde advisor said. ¡°I¡¯ll inform administration of your choice, but keep in mind that the mission you chose is fairly time-sensitive, so don¡¯t dawdle for too long.¡± He started walking towards the door, but paused just before leaving. ¡°Oh, I forgot about your team name... Uh, you can tell me what it is later, or if you want to stick with V-33 than that¡¯s fine too.¡± He waved goodbye as he left the room. ¡°Nice meeting you all!¡±
Dario blinked at the man¡¯s sudden disappearance. ¡°Uh¡¡±
Bright Star rolled her eyes as she waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, most advisors are like that. They usually have several teams to manage, so they¡¯re always in and out, and are pretty straightforward.¡± She shrugged. ¡°When I was your age, I thought it was pretty annoying, but I prefer it this way nowadays.¡±
¡°...I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Dario leaned forward to place his elbow on the table and palm against his cheek. He looked at the others in the room. ¡°So¡" he drawled. "Team name...?¡±
¡°Yes, a team name.¡± Amara frowned and crossed her arms. ¡°We need to come up with a good one¡¡±
¡°Oh! I have some name ideas!¡± Deja grinned.
¡°Okay, what did you have in mind? Because I got nothing,¡± he said.
¡°How about... ¡®Team Extreme¡¯!¡± she exclaimed.
Amara facepalmed while Dario tilted his head, actually considering it.
Bright Star snorted. ¡°Already taken, sadly."
¡°Oh.¡± Deja frowned. ¡°Well, how about ¡°Dream Team¡¯?¡±
¡°Also taken.¡±
¡°Team Supreme?¡±
¡°Please no,¡± Amara sighed.
The white-haired Artificer pouted. ¡°Team Unseen?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Unforeseen Team?¡±
¡°That¡¯s barely any different, and also lame.¡±
Deja crossed her arms at the redhead¡¯s rejections. However, she quickly perked up and started listing off names at a rapid pace.
¡°Team Thirteen, Team Routine, Team Smokescreen, Team Latrine, Team Hygiene¡ª¡±
¡°Stop, please.¡± Amara groaned. ¡°You can¡¯t just use words that rhyme with ¡®Team¡¯! Most of those don¡¯t even make any sense!¡±
¡°Sure they do, if you really think about it.¡± Deja grinned.
The red-haired Superior grumbled and looked at Bright Star with an expression asking for help.
The blonde veteran simply chuckled. ¡°Leave it be for now. You don¡¯t have to come up with a name right away. In fact... my first team never even came up with a name. We just used our designation.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It worked well enough.¡±
Amara sighed. ¡°Coming up with a team name was something I was looking forward to though...¡± she muttered.
Deja nodded. ¡°I agree with Imp. Coming up with names is the best part of forming teams. We can¡¯t skip something like that!¡±
The corner of Amara¡¯s eye twitched. ¡°It¡¯s Imperia. Please don¡¯t call me Imp.¡±
The white-haired teen pouted. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t teammates have nicknames for each other? Imp is a pretty cool shorthand, in my opinion.¡±
Amara¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How would you feel if I called you¡ Dev, rather than Devel?¡±
¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Deja shrugged. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad actually¡¡±
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not bad,¡± Dario muttered.
The redhead glared for a moment longer before releasing a sigh, shoulders drooping. ¡°Fine, call me whatever. It¡¯s not like I spent a long time coming up with the name or anything¡¡± she grumbled.
Bright Star smiled mischievously. ¡°It was one of her maids that came up with Imperia actually,¡± she said. ¡°She couldn¡¯t come up with a name herself.¡±
Amara blushed as she turned to glare at the older Superior. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly capable of making up a good moniker myself!¡± She crossed her arms. ¡°Imperia just happened to be a good suggestion, so I took it, that¡¯s all.¡±
¡°Uh-huh.¡± Bright Star smirked.
¡°So... can I call you Imp?¡± Deja asked. ¡°It¡¯s short, rolls off the tongue, and kinda badass.¡±
Amara took a deep calming breath, and exhaled. ¡°...fine, so long as you use Imperia in more formal situations.¡±
¡°Great!¡± Deja turned towards the only male in the room. ¡°You hear that, Sol? She¡¯s cool with it.¡±
¡°Sol?¡± Dario raised an eyebrow.
¡°Yeah. It¡¯s your nickname.¡±
He rubbed his chin, looking upward in thought. ¡°...I like it,¡± he said. ¡°What about Bright Star? She¡¯s part of the team too.¡±
¡°Well¡¡± Deja tilted her head as she stared at the older blonde. ¡°I guess we could use the initials¡ª¡±
¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Ms. Vulori,¡± Bright Star said with a steely gaze. ¡°You will refer to me as Bright Star or not at all. Got it?¡±
¡°...right, sorry.¡± The white-haired teen rubbed her head sheepishly. ¡°Just Bright Star, got it.¡±
The Superior veteran nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Good. Keep in mind that we don¡¯t have to use our supe names all the time. We only use it when we¡¯re out in public, understand?¡± At their assenting nods, she continued. ¡°Now, since you¡¯ve all decided to go on a mission right away, and for a far one at that, it means that you¡¯ll all have to get your mounts earlier than usual.¡±
¡°Wait, mounts?¡± Dario perked up. There was only one creature that he''d seen Superiors occasionally ride. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯ll be getting¡ª¡±
¡°Raptors, yes.¡± Bright Star nodded. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be necessary if you chose a mission near the city, but that isn¡¯t the case with the one you all picked.¡± She stood up and gestured for them to follow her. ¡°Come, let¡¯s get you all some mounts at the Menagerie. Move quickly, the mission is time-sensitive. You can talk about names on the way.¡± Opening the door, she exited the room and started walking down the hall.
As the three young Superiors scrambled to follow, Deja suddenly paused with a look of epiphany.
¡°I got it! A name for our team!¡± she exclaimed, a playful smile tugging at the edge of her lips.
¡°What is it?¡± Dario asked curiously.
¡°It¡¯s simple. We just combine the first letters of our names.¡± She pointed at herself, then at her two teammates. ¡°Deja, Amara, and Dario.¡±
He blinked as the redhead beside him groaned.
¡°Team D.A.D.!¡± Deja cackled as she rushed out of the room.
The purple-eyed teen and elegant redhead turned to stare at each other.
¡°We¡ we¡¯re not actually naming ourselves that, right?¡± Dario asked.
¡°Absolutely not.¡± Amara rolled her eyes. ¡°The name¡¯s completely ridiculous. I¡¯m sure she was just joking.¡± She slowly started walking towards the door. ¡°From what I could glean during our talks before you arrived, Deja seems like the type to mess around.¡±
He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure she was just joking though?¡±
She frowned with a look of uncertainty. ¡°...okay, maybe we should go after her. Just in case.¡±
¡°Yeah... for all we know, she could be looking for Mr. B right now and trying to make the name official.¡±
Amara paused in place with a look of horror before suddenly speed walking out of the room, red hair flailing.
Dario chuckled as he moved forward to join the chase.