[You have received a message]
Ace looked at the vibrating Atherband.
'What's up?'
As he poured in some spirit essence, the Atherband activated, forming words.
[Hey Ace! This is Morwen! Are you alright? I just returned home and I'm using an old version of the Atherband I had to see if I'm messaging the right person! Please let me know!]
Ace read through the message. Even though he grew up poor and abused by his parents, Ace was determined to learn. He had always strived for knowledge. So he knew how to read but not a lot. Sometimes he didn't know the meaning of some words, so he tried to play them off.
Ace checked how to write back and eventually found out the base of it. He only had to pour some more spirit essence and think of what he wanted to say.
[I'm doing fine, Morwen, I managed to survive that fearsome battle, and yes, it is me.]
He felt a little awkward sending a message like that, but he didn't have much of a choice. Without any further thought, he pressed send on the holographic screen.
Ace looked around at his familiar surroundings. Could he call it home now? The blacksmith was always filled with heat. The fire never went out, not even at night. He was technically eating dinner beside a forge.
Ace had been living here for a year and a half.
After his parents passed away, Doroth was the one who took him in. It hadn't been purely out of kindness, but Ace didn't mind. Doroth had accepted him, and that was enough.
Ace had yet to tell him that he had awakened. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to continue down the martial path after everything he had endured from dawn to dusk. Though he was determined to grow stronger so he wouldn't die easily, uncertainty still lingered in his heart.
Ace went through too much pain and suffering to think of this as an easy choice.
As a moment passed, his attention went to the Atherband. He gave it a thorough look. He poured some essence into it.
[Name: Ace.]
[Soul core progress: 21%]
Ace looked at the words. Surprise etched all over his face. He had awoken only a week ago. But being subjected to a tremendous battle and absorbing spirit crystals, he had reached the progress of someone from the third level that would need decades.
'The torment I had to endure was worth it somehow, I guess...'
Ace looked at the text written down below.
[Inmate attribute: Chains of Destiny.]
[Error. Couldn't identify the excess information]
Ace sneered.
'What?'
'What the hell is that supposed to mean? Error??'
Another minute passed, before he gave up pouring essence into the Atherband trying to understand what was supposed to be this error.
He scrolled down.
[Abilities: Venomous fangs, Storming voltage.]
[Venomous fangs: Your fangs contain a small amount of poison]
[Storming voltage: Your body contains a high amount of voltage. By imbuing spirit essence to a part of your body, you will be able to output it.
Passive: By coming into contact with an unknown force, your body will automatically output an amount of electricity by consuming your spirit essence.]
Ace read through the Atherband, interested in getting to know his abilities.
Scrolling down, he ended up in a newer section that wasn't explained to him by Morwen.
[News]
[Contacts]
[Modifications]
[Martial arts]
With newfound excitement, Ace quickly clicked on Martial Arts.
But for his surprise, only one text showed up.
[Basic combat technique]
'as I thought... Morwen said this was new after all... She must not have added anything except the base techniques.'
Ace quickly hid his disappointment. Finding even the base combat technique of someone from a level above was still a blessing for someone like Ace.
As he studied the hologram of the Atherband. From the corner of Ace's eye, he noticed something.
[Credits: 2.000.000]
"What!?? What is this number?!"
'I shouldn't yell. I don't need Doroth coming here to investigate. But how could there be such a number? Didn't Morwen say that this was new? What was her background?'
Though the credits were useless for Ace to use on the third floor. He knew it was money. And he knew that it wasn't a small amount.
With a tiresome look. He closed the Atherband. Ace had already finished eating the leftovers that Doroth had left him. With a sigh, Ace decided to head to his room and rest.
Ace wanted to test something tonight. Without lying down, he sat on the dusty floor, crossing his legs, he got into a meditating pose. Closing his eyes. He began to circulate his spirit essence. Which made his meridians open up slightly. Without a sense of time, his consciousness began to solely focus on circulating the spirit essence.
**
Ace opened his eyes to the light of dawn. As he expected. He was full of energy, most of the soreness from his muscles were gone.
Imploding with energy, Ace got up. Only one last thing was left for him to verify.
Quickly, he begun to pour spirit essence into the Atherband.
[Name: Ace]
[Soul core progress: 22%]
"Yes!!"
Ace yelled with excitement, before his already broken door shattered to pieces. With an arm going straight through it.
"Shut up brat!!"
Doroth snapped.
"What the hell is going on with you these days!? You're always out of it! Yelling out of no where! Always out of the blacksmith! Tell me what's happening this instance!"