Rubbing the soap along my body I realized I'd definitely need to work out from now on. My muscles were weak, my heart hurt from over exertion, and my breath was ragged under the hot water.
I was weak. I could feel the planet's pulse try to comfort me but I shook my head. I needed to get strong if I wanted to keep her safe. My fist clenches as I eye the countless wounds on my body. At least I have an excuse to skip school tomorrow.
My eyes quiver lightly. The truth is I'm not that used to pain, and this body is quite sensitive as it just focused on staying out of danger. The sting of soap against my closing wounds was a burning sensation but I'd powered through it.
Gaia had cleansed my body of something that found itself in me, and had helped speed up the healing process but I needed to do this. I needed to get used to the pain, even if it sucked right now.
Getting all of the blood off took only a few minutes, scrubbing myself clean of all the dirt was much harder. I'd eventually finished, but I was exhausted.
[Status]
Name: Emile Shemmer
Class: Wizard 1 -> 2
STR: 9
DEX: 10
CON: 9
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHR: 16
Skills:
Mana Flux I
Planetary Heartbeat I
[For completing Secret Objective: (Destroy the Homes of the Lead Lords) gain associated equipment.]
[Performance reward: None.]
[Choose Mana Boost or Formulization.]
[Choose to upgrade Mana Flux, or Planetary Heartbeat.]
[Choose Lead Legion's Fang or Pure Jewel of Lead]
I've gotta choose my rewards then? It didn't occur to me while I was in the dungeon but I didn't seem to get any experience while fighting the monsters. So objectives seem to be the only way to level up, increasing my stats is also probably done some other way as well.
What a strange game I've found myself in, I'm going to need to min-max the hell out of this if I want to get as strong as possible. Let's start at the top. I get to choose between Mana Boost or Forumilzation. I don't really know what those mean, but if Mana Boost is boosting myself with magic that could be could. Perhaps the other one allows me to create formulas for spells or something related?
Minimize my weaknesses, maximize my strengths. That is the rule for this game. Getting new spells would be good, but right now my main issue is that my body is weak. I can already boost myself a little bit, but hopefully having a skill will make that process way easier and way less dangerous.
My arm still stings from the uncontrollable power I'd shoved through it. Or maybe it's just the countless bites that had ripped into it. Letting out a sight I lay down on the bed and reach for a nonexistent phone to play some music.
Fuck. I need to get one of those.
As for my next choice I'll upgrade Planetary Heartbeat Gaia has been good to me, and communicating with her more is definitely very useful. Maybe the next time I go back to that Rainy park I can even get through the pain and reach out to the world to aid it or gain important information.
Speaking of which, I wonder if there are other dungeons around. Something to figure out another day after I'm done healing.
Then I have the Lead Legion's Fang or a Pure Jewel of Lead. The fang is probably a weapon for stabbing people, something I am not going to be very good at. Maybe it's something else but I doubt it. So I take the Pure Jewel of Lead.
[Pure Jewel of Lead]
This jewel is formed of Lead Amber, a very rare form of lead with anti-magical properties and doesn't give lead poisoning from exposure. It disperses magic around itself and has been used for a variety of purposes. Hiding magical presence, alchemical reasons, and even the core of anti-magic weapons.
That's actually quite useful. I don't know if wizards are a thing but this can hide me from any hostile magic users for now. I hold the lead stone in my hand and I feel Gaia try to flow into me again.
There's a brief pause before she overpowers the small stone, and I feel our connection return.
"Gaia, when we're in public don't flood me with mana. I appreciate it but I don't want any hostile eyes to be drawn to attention." I feel slight annoyance from her, accompanied by some anger towards 'hostile eyes'. Then begrudging acceptance, as she accepts my claim as reasonable.
"Thank you." I give her a small smile as I look in the mirror. A large gash right under my eye makes me frown though. I put a bandaid on it, and multiple large bandages on my other wounds.
If anyone asks, I got attacked by a pack of stray dogs. Suddenly the image of a beautiful woman shaking her head in disagreement comes to mind. What? Her inhuman beauty stuns me for a moment as I acknowledge the feelings she sends me.
Looks like animals are my friends now? Guess I'm a Disney Princess then. She lets out a snort at the thought.
Who knew Gaia was so hot? I feel her blush at my words, you know I've ready stories where the System comes with a free Waifu. But this is not exactly what I'd had in mind. Aren't I supposed to be her child anyways?
Feelings of disagreement enter me as she smiles, but my heart nearly stops at a realization
"Gaia . . . you know I'm not from this world?" She nods at my words causing my eyes to widen. Huh. Whatever, I trust her anyway. We are going to be working together for hopefully a long time so it's good that at least one person is aware of my strange situation.
"Please don't tell anyone." She becomes much more gentle and I nearly feel her caress my face giving me pause. Is our strengthened connection the result of my upgrade to Planetary Heartbeat? Her soft smile and nod is answer enough.
"Thank you Gaia." I smile at the warm feelings. I'd had friends in my previous life, but I never was with a lover. Gaia's blush is explosive from my thoughts. She doesn't refuse though.
"S-sorry. That's just the feeling I got . . ." She seems to let out a small sigh and I feel a light kiss against my cheek. Holy fuck did the planet just kiss me!?
Letting out a small gulp I feel her smile against my skin. Gaia is best girl! She laughs lightly at my words while blushing faintly. Then I feel her pull away, allowing my thoughts to be private once again.
[Status]
Name: Emile Shemmer
Class: Wizard 2
STR: 9
DEX: 10
CON: 9
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHR: 16
Skills:
Mana Flux I
Planetary Heartbeat I
Mana Boost
Equipment:
Pure Jewel of Lead
Looking over my status I spot the little equipment tab. Does that mean I get a hammerspace? Trying to put my lone toothbrush on it just bumps against the screen helplessly. No inventory for me . . . how unfortunate. Letting out a sight I palmed the stone in my hand, its form was about the size of a ping pong ball and smooth like one too. Running it through my fingers I nearly drop the thing, but manage to catch it after a moment.
Setting it on the nightstand I let sleep take me. At least with my injuries I don't have to go to school tomorrow!
[You have rested for 8 hours. You have healed.]
Oh come on. That's bullshit. Now I don't have an excuse . . . whatever. Flopping out of bed like a dead fish I throw on some new clothes and shove the Lead Jewel in my pocket. I also picked up my previously prepared backpack.
The previous shell was very efficient after all. The guy had even prepared a meal prep for the upcoming week. I threw a sandwich in my lunchbox, and a piece of toast in my mouth. Looking over my body in the mirror all my wounds seem to be gone, no doubt the combination of the system and Gaia juicing me- Oh good morning Gaia.
I send the woman a ping and she smiles at my words as she has returned our connection before I set off for school.
"I'm heading out, I'll commune with you again later." She lets out an annoyed huff before the connection vanishes, and her endless fountain of mana along with it.
Setting out to Reginald Vel Johnson high school I make my daily walk with a new soul behind these eyes. A strange feeling but I'm happy I'm alive. I decided that today I'm going to enjoy this walk to school. I move with a smile on my face, I stop to smell the roses, and enjoy the soft wind on my skin.
A stray cat runs up to me and even lets me pet it, no doubt Gaia's doing as I give the little guy a soft pat on the head.
"What the-" I hear a girl's voice next to me as I look up at her with a smile, only causing her expression to twist in terror further. My eyes widen at her fear and I can't help but see if she's alright.
"Is something wrong?" At my words she looked over my body, her jaw dropped.
"You just spoke to me." A frown appears on my face.
"Rude." She's stunned but shakes her head in a brief panic.
"N-no! Sorry I've just never seen you . . ." Ah. She must have noticed my shell being a miserable drone. My new self is quite a surprise then.
"Happy?" She pauses but inevitably gives a nod. I let out a laugh and smile brightly at her.
"Sorry about my previous self . . . I was in a bad place." My smile falls a little, my expression becoming sad as I grieve my original soul. I hold out my hand for her to shake, causing her eyes to widen just a tad.
"I'm Emile. Let's be friends." She smiles back and shakes my hand.
"I'm Samantha, but call me Eve." What a nice girl. Being friends with the loner kid, though I'll most likely be very busy and won't be able to spend much time with her. Moving forward through the front gate I can't help but let out a happy sigh and spread my arms to the school.
I hate high school, but this planet feels so deeply intune with me. I can't help but appreciate the life of the school square.
After that I decided to go to my first class with a smile on my face. Sadly I get lost in the halls and spot some kid getting bullied.
This is my first trial! One foot forward towards saving the world . . . starts with making someone smile!
"What seems to be the issue here?" I speak up at the large kid. I don't know his name, the shell had never bothered to learn it. He'd tried to bully the shell, but the shell literally didn't react in any way.
First we shall attempt a peaceful resolution.
"What the fuck? The depressed freak is actually saying something for once?" I spot the other kid looking completely stunned by my interference.
Mutters erupt from the surrounding crowd. It is then I realize that I may be about to get my ass kicked!
"Indeed I am, are you going to do anything about it?" His expression twists in anger and his fist flies towards my face. I feel Mana pool in my brain in the form of a Mana Boost. My thoughts accelerate and I crouch under the attack. His hand slamming into the locker behind me causes him to clutch it in pain with a winch.
"You little-" I rose up with an uppercut aimed at his stomach. I'd considered going for the groin but I don't want to remove his ability to have children. The attack isn't enhanced with Mana, I'm not trying to kill him either.
He keels over from the attack and falls to the ground, leaving everyone completely dumbstruck at what just happened. I look at the kid I'd just saved and give him a smile.
"Everything alright?" He blinks before looking down at the other guy.
"Y-yeah." I smile and nod.I've got to get to class so I start to leave.
"Watch out-" A fist descends into the back of my head sending me crumpling to the ground in pain. My head slams into the floor and I instantly feel wetness on my face. With a grunt I go to pick myself up off the ground, but a foot slams me back into the floor.
"Little freak thinks he's special?"
I'm so tempted to use Mana Boost but I refuse the temptation. I feel Gaia try to give me a flood of power to obliterate this guy, but the Lead gem in my pocket gives me just enough time to refuse her offer before I erupt with power and accidently murder this guy.
I'm not opposed to killing, but I'm not doing it like this. Not against someone who is just a dick.
"Get off of him!" A weight is lifted off of me and the kid I'd saved pushes the other guy away. Rising up I give him a nod and crack my knuckles.
I'm gonna beat the shit out of this fucker. A sucker punch is unforgivable.
I channel a drop of mana into my arm then send it right into his chest. I don't hear the sound of anything breaking but he lets out a harsh cough as he moves backwards. He brings a hand to it and nearly drops to the ground.
"If I had parents they'd probably say I'm there special little man." I let out a snort and turned to the kid who was now legally my friend. We were brothers in arms at the very least.
"I'm Emile, you?" He just kind of awkwardly stares at me, before he takes my hand and shakes it.
"Mark." I give a nod.
"Well then Mark, I've got to get to class. I'll see you later." I give him a casual wave and I briefly check over my shoulder to make sure the other guy doesn't try something stupid again. He doesn't and I make it through the day of school without issue.
Until of course the very end where I'm walking out the front gate. The large boy uncrosses his arms as he seems to go back for revenge.
"That was dirty you little fuck. Now that your boyfriend is gone you'll be easy pickings!" He walks towards me with a cruel smile, can he get any more cliche?
Then a stray cat jumps on his face and starts mauling him. Holy shit, Gaia does not fuck around. I think that's the same cat from earlier.
"I heard about what happened . . . Isn't the cat from earlier today?" Eve walks up next to me as the cat gives the boy hell on earth.
"I . . . I think so. Guess she just knew I needed help." She raises an eyebrow but doesn't press the obviously weird situation happening in front of us.
"So . . . who even is this guy?" She looks over at him then back at me.
"Todd." I let out a small hum at the name. There's no way I remember this guy. I nod nonetheless.
"I'm going to the library, you're free to join me if you'd like." I had realized that I actually lacked a lot of knowledge on superheroes in history class today, so I'd needed to catch up on the basics of supernatural bullshit.
She shakes her head in slight annoyance.
"Sorry, I've got to get home." I give a nod, Todd finally getting the cat off his bloody face while the little animal runs off after hissing at him.
"D-don't think this is over freak!" Then he runs off, probably to go get some bandages and to wash his face. Letting out a sigh at the boy I hope he grows up sooner rather than later.
As I head to my local library I realize I don't have a library card. It only takes about five minutes to get one, and then I start casually browsing.
However I notice something odd. There's a green portal just around this corner. Looking at the thing I raise an eyebrow.
[Library of Mavidra]
[This library was opened to commoners as a good place to learn fundamental magic and become more useful members of society. However a terrible curse has spread throughout and each floor has different awakened objects that claimed the library as their own. Reclaim the library for magic users who simply desire to further themselves in pursuit of helping others.]
[Stage One Unlocked]
[Animated Books]
I pause for a moment and let Gaia juice me up to my maximum capacity. After thanking the amazing woman I take a step inside.
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