Chapter 45:
The Invasion
Part 4
Aden's POV
While we were all gathered and waiting to hear what the emperor was going to say, amidst everything happening around us, my curiosity got the better of me. I took the time to look at my profile. Although I was fascinated by it, I didn't have the opportunity to analyze it thoroughly. Even now, thinking about it alone doesn't yield any insights unless I discuss it with someone else.
There was no one around me whom I knew yet, so all I could do was check it out once more since the last time I looked, which was not long ago. Anyway, I didn't have anything else to do at the moment, so I opened my profile.
Name:
Aden
Age:16
Race:
Human
Rank:
A (Officer)
Level:6
Status:
Healthy
Skills:
Six skills gained
1- Skill Name: Flash
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
{This allows you to teleport a short distance ranging from a minimum of at least one hundred meters to a maximum of 300 meters. You can cross any distance while the skill is active.}
Skill duration: twenty seconds.
Skill cool-down period: one minute
2- Skill Name: Dodge
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
{This ability allows you to dodge any incoming attacks, with the limitation of only dodging visible attacks to you or within your perception range. Additionally, it increases the speed of your attacks for a longer duration while the skill is active.}
Skill duration: one minute.
Skill cool-down period: three minutes
3- Skill Name: Sprint
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
{This allows you to run at an extremely high speed, up to one hundred meters per second. You can increase or decrease your speed as per your will during the duration of the skill.}
Skill duration: ten seconds.
Skill cool-down period: two minutes
4- Skill Name: Slash
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
(This allows you to cut through any object using any sharp weapon or object.)
Skill duration: ten seconds.
Skill cool-down period: one minute
{All skills can be leveled up through continuous use; with each level upgrade, the duration will increase and the cool-down will decrease.}
5- Skill Name: Strike
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
{This ability allows you to strike with any weapon of your choice or with your hands using blunt force at very high speed. Additionally, you will be able to control both the force and the speed of your strikes.}
Skill duration: twenty seconds.
Skill cool-down period: one minute
6- Skill Name: Assault
Skill Level 1
Skill Description:
{A new skill that has been created by combining two different skills for the purpose of using speed and attack. This skill allows you to slash your enemies swiftly, preventing any chance of retaliation. It can be used both offensively and defensively.}
{All skills can be leveled up through continuous use; with each level gained, the duration increases and the cool-down will decrease.}
**Gifts:** two attributes unlocked
1- **Strength** 80/200
2- **Intelligence** 80/200
{All attributes can be leveled up through continuous use. To upgrade each level, you need to accumulate 10 points. Attribute points can be earned by leveling up or by successfully completing tasks and missions.}
**Grade:** 2
**Phase:** 2
**Points:** 05
**Inventory:** Six Items
**Remarks:** rewards are skills and attributes unlocked by surviving for 6 hours.
**Mission:** Survive
**Duration:** 17 hours
**Reward:** Mystery map + skill
You have unlocked the inventory.
**Inventory:** Six items unlocked
The only thing I noticed that had changed was a few words here and there, as if someone else had written the description. I wondered if my memory capacity had changed since I was able to detect that slight difference. I shifted my focus to the new skill and how I acquired it. The idea of combining two skills to create a new one was enticing me to try it one more time and see what would happen.
While I was deep in thought, the emperor began addressing all of us, saying, "Thank you for listening. There has been a change of plans, and we need to leave this place immediately for reasons concerning our safety. Our destination is the empire, but before we reach it, we will make a detour to amass some forces to help me capture and reclaim my country. Some of you may not know, but I was chased away from the country by traitors. Not only that, but they also attempted to kill me and my family."
The emperor looked at each of us one by one, then continued, "I don't know if it was mere chance or, as I would like to believe, fate that brought us all together during this daring time from all over the world." He then glanced at the two girls and hesitated to say what he wanted to say for a moment before speaking.
Apparently, he made up his mind and said, still looking at them, "Most of you have your own issues and reasons that brought you here, so if any of you want to separate from us, you are welcome to do so at the first town we reach. My journey is tough and dangerous, and I can't guarantee my safety or my family's, let alone anyone else's. So, I urge you to consider following me, although I don't mind if you choose to accompany me."
After he finished saying that he glanced at the young boy and said, "If you are all ready then let's move" and he started to lead us. My eyes lingered on the young boy, Adrian was his name, wondering if he was doing fine and capable of traveling after what happened to him earlier, also wondering if he had what are called seizures, although his symptoms were different than the regular seizures, but that was what came to my mind.
So I got close to him and asked him, "How are you doing now? Are you feeling better? By the way, my name is Aden, and I believe your name is Adrian, right." I don't know what made me ask all these questions at once; I myself would have felt weird if asked all these questions at once. The boy looked at me only without saying anything, like he was thinking about something else or studying my face.
I, on the other hand, just smiled at him and didn't rush him for an answer. Then he looked down and said, "I am doing fine thank you." That was it, he didn't add anything else. The atmosphere became weird somehow since the boy didn't say anything, I wouldn't pry with his business and he wasn't the talking type.
Finally, I gave up on talking with him when I noticed the young girl, Amran, approaching me. I had noticed that she was stealing glances at me and sometimes staring at me and I was wondering why. But maybe this a good time to ask her for the reason. The smile was still plastered on my face and when she saw me smiling at her, although it wasn't directed at her, I simply forgot to remove the smile from my face.
She smiled back at me, a fascinating and beautiful smile that gave me a strange feeling, not a bad feeling but a good one. It seems like that smile put me at peace and made me relax and smile back at her, but now a genuine one. She came to my other side and now I was between Adrian and her. Looking around me, I noticed that the percentage of the children in this forest is abnormal. If I included Raco and Adilne, who are not that much older than me and Adrian, it's not normal for all of us to be here.
By now I was used to myself being lost in thoughts most of the time. I don't know if that was part of my nature or something new I developed in this world, because I realized that she asked me something that I didn't even hear. So I turned to her and asked her, "Sorry, did you say something?" She smiled that wonderful smile and said, "I asked you if there is something wrong? I thought you are worried about something from the way you are thinking."
I smiled back at her and said, "No, not really. Nowadays I tend to overthink everything and find myself lost in thoughts even sometimes for no reason." I chuckled at myself and what I said, although I don't know why I would tell that to someone I barely know and talking to her like she used to know how I used to be, even me I don't know how I used to be before now since I don't remember anything concerning me personally in my past.
She chuckled at what I said like it was funny or maybe me laughing made her do the same, I couldn't tell. But what she said next was even stranger than the way I was acting or whatever I said before, "That is typical of you" and as soon as she said that her face changed because she noticed that she said something she wasn't supposed to say.