Chapter 6: Challenge
Arthur:
Speaking of my luck. I went through many situations until I reached this crazy group.
The first situation was when I woke up and found myself in a completely dark room. After a while, I was received by a blood-loving lunatic, that one whose name… what was his name! Ah, it's Zeik.
He hit my stomach until it turned blue and broke my nose.
But fortunately, that fat man, Mr. Zeik, after he saw my condition, pitied me. He brought a healer to treat me and fed me for a week. From him I learned that I am not in the city of Midnight, from the fat man's words. I am sure he is afraid of the leader Carlos.
Until I was taken and transferred here. I really don't know where I am.
I looked around and saw crimes of different kinds happening in this village. I really pity it.
"Hurry men, quickly, quickly, finish it. We must go to the next." said Boss Grong with a smile on his face and a cigarette in his mouth.
I frowned as I looked at the back of this beast.
Oh system, why hasn't the skill [Cell Evolution (Level 1)] evolved yet? I really took a good beating from that Zeik.
[You have not yet reached the required conditions]
Conditions my ass! You just don't want me to evolve and become stronger, say it.
[Do not mistake with me, I am just an assistant. Do you want to regret? How about you run away in this state and your skills will evolve… hehehe]
Bastard! What's with the laugh at the end of the message? You want me to die?
I looked at the gray screen with disdain.
[Then shut up and try to live]
Tch… I remembered that I have statistic points and a skill book. Isn't that right?
[Yes]
[You have learned the skill: Burning Hand (Level 1)]
[Burning Hand (Level 1)]
[Description: A flaming hand emitting very high heat. Gives explosive power when it hits the target.]
[Usage requirement: 5 mana]
[Level 1 —> Level 2 Conditions: use it a lot]
[You have five statistic points. Where do you want to use them?]
Use them all in Strength, this body is too weak.
[Statistic points transferred]
[Character:
– Name and surname: Arthur Field
– Ethnicity: Human
– Ability: Learning – Rank S
– Level 2 (200/50)
– Statistic Points: 0 ]
[Properties:
– Strength: 3 + 5
– Agility: 5
– Defense (Vitality, Resistance): 4 + (5)
– Intelligence (Mana): 10 ]
Suddenly I felt power rising in my body, and some vitality returning.
Hmm?
While I was walking with Scott's group and Boss Grong, I looked at scenes that angered me a lot. Not far from us, there was one of Boss Grong's men beating a young man.
The young man with attractive green hair and a thin body was on the ground getting severely beaten.
"Take this and this… What do you think you are? Your mother's hero or what? Show me how you will resist now. Don't think that because you are pretty I will spare you."
The man continued beating the young man who was in a turtle defense position, protecting his face with his hands, his stomach with his legs, and giving his back.
"No… stop… stop… stop hitting him, please." An old woman around fifty years old was defending the young man with words, pleading, and trying to push the man away from him.
"You old woman, you are so annoying, get away." The man pushed the old woman with the least strength he had, but she fell and slipped a little on the dirt.
"Ahhhh…"
"You bastard!" When the young man saw the old woman pushed like that, he went and grabbed the man by the waist.
"You insect… you can still move? Wait, I'll show you, I'll make you crippled." The man started hitting the young man's back.
Ah, my anger is rising in my body. I don't like this sight, it reminds me of something I hated myself for because of my weakness.
Once, my mother was dealing with a customer. She worked as a tailor for clothes.
That customer asked my mother to sew him a suit that fit him, and from his appearance he was surely rich. I don't know why he specifically came to my mother's shop, surely it was intentional. I don't know the reason even now. He came despite there being many shops… Forgive me, mother, for saying it, better than us.
After agreeing to the request and working on it with all her effort, the time of delivery came. At the delivery, she was expecting a simple thanks from the customer; she had put her heart into it.
But what she received were only hurtful words, tearing the work she had put her effort into, and even she was beaten. At that time, I was very small, about ten years old I think. I couldn't protect the one who cared for me in good and bad. Thinking about it makes me angry and sad at the same time.
From that day, I could no longer bear seeing someone abusing another with words or body. I worked hard on training my body, not to bully the weak, only for my health. And another extra thing: like caring for some of my friends in high school at that time.
While I was thinking, an expression of anger appeared on my face unintentionally. I stopped in my path while I was looking at the fight between the young man and Boss Grong's man.
"Hmm?!"
Boss Grong noticed my stop. He turned and looked at me, and followed my gaze direction to see what I was angrily watching.
Boss Grong smiled and asked me: "Do you want to help them?"
"Haaa?!" I was shocked by the question. Am I imagining or is he asking me if I want to help them? Surely this human is mentally insane. There is something about him, I won't trust him no matter what.
"Yes, I'm saying if you want to help them." Boss Grong repeated the question.
"Yes sir." Without hesitation, and with a serious expression, I answered him, truly desiring to help them. Even though I won't gain anything from this, but I don't want to see this scene.
"Good, what happened? You are scaring me. What's this seriousness? Are you afraid of me, or do you really want to help them that much?" Boss Grong spoke between joking and seriousness. But he was wrong in both. I didn't want the other cheek to swell, after just one swelling.
"Let's play a game then, what do you think? I will let one of them go safely without a scratch if the game ends with your victory. The conditions are simple: you just have to not lose consciousness against that man for one minute and prevent him from hitting the old woman by any way. What do you think?"
"How do I know you won't trick me?" I asked with cold sweat on my neck.
"That's what bothers you… hahaha… It's simple. Not killing you now is proof that I am honest." said Grong while looking at me with glowing gray eyes.
"Come on, go now."
With the disappearance of the smoke that was binding my hands, I looked at the bald man, and my hands burning with fire.
<_____________________________>
[States]
[Character:
– Name and Surname: Arthur Field
– Ethnicity: Human
– Ability: Learning – Rank S
– Level 2 (200/50)
– Statistics Points: 0
]
[Properties:
– Strength: 8
– Agility: 5
– Defense (Vitality, Resistance): 4 + (5)
– Intelligence (Mana): 10
]
[Skills:
– [I'm not thirsty (Level 1)]
– [Damage Resistance (Level 1)]
– [Sword Art of the Field Family (Level 1)]
– [Cell Evolution (Level 1)]
– [Burning Hand (Level 1)]
]