Chapter 155: Curse or Blessing

The hooded figure drew a pattern in the air with its right index finger. A golden streak of energy was left lingering as a trail of its finger. Once the circle-like shape was completed a single throbbing sensation could be witnessed as the symbol pulsed in the air before it quickly faded. 

After that, it turned its head towards Aiden and spoke with its melodious angelic voice.

"You can go now Aiden, I have informed the guild about your results."

"What about your promise?" Aiden asked with a frowning expression on his face. 

"Tomorrow, when you come back for your Guild Membership Card, I will ask the attendees to bring you to me. I will tell you what you wish to hear then. Go now. We are finished for now." He waved with his hand. In the next moment, it stepped back, and silently turned towards the door in the upper floors and left. As the leader left, the group gave one last disdainful look at the boy then quickly followed behind their leader and left.

While the headscarf-wearing man was still unconscious in the far end, nobody seemed to care about him. The two black knights gave a slight bow and left Aiden as well. 

'What the hell was this? What does that figure want? And what is it anyway? I couldn't tell anything about it…'

He gave a tired sigh, and turned around, taking a glance at the door. He took a step forward, but shortly after he stopped, and checked the system. As the duels went on, there were a few messages that popped up, but he ignored all of them in the heat of the moment.

[The skill [Mystic Martial Arts - Level 1] gained 5 XP.]

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.

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[The skill [Mystic Martial Arts - Level 1] gained 10 XP.]

[The skill [Mystic Martial Arts - Level 1] gained 10 XP.]

Just like before, he gained some points as he actively used the skill during combat. This was different from usual, it was a direct increase to the specific skill and was added to his generic pool. 

He looked at the skill and glanced at his remaining generic experience pool as well.

[Mystic Martial Arts -( Level1 50/100 XP)]

[...Experience: 900 XP]

To test if he could still influence its progress, he used 50 points to upgrade the skill to the second level. He also wanted to know, if he could feel anything. He wondered if it would be somewhat similar when his [Soul Power] gained a rank.

Focusing on the floating screen in front of him, he focused his will on the Experience section on his Character Sheet. As the number changed colors, gaining a bright green background he then turned his attention towards the [Mystic Martial Arts] skill, under his Skills tab. Once he felt that a connection has been created between the two, he began streaming the points into skill. 

He felt as if he was directing a stream of a gentle river, altering its intended course. There was a slight resistance, but it wasn't too hard on his mind, he could easily withstand such mental pressure.

In the next moment, a visible curve began to express itself on his face as the number slowly began to grow. Slowly, but steadily the points began to approach the threshold. 

A few seconds later, as the number turned to 99, an uncomfortable sensation set in the back of his mind. The feeling was strange, and it was unlike anything before. If he wouldn't be testing the system directly, he wouldn't have been able to pinpoint the root cause. It didn't hurt at all, not physically and not mentally. It was more like a constant discomfort, a buzzing noise in the back of his head.

Aiden sucked in a large gasp of air into his diaphragm, only to exhale it a moment later, calming his mind by a great deal. Then, he continued focusing on streaming the flow of points into the skill. 

As soon as the threshold reached 100, and the level gained an increment, Aiden felt as if something broke through a dam inside his mind, and his mind was flooded with a sea of information about more precise control of the flow of energy and even new techniques of how he could more effectively utilize the potential of the skill.

Taking his time to process the information, Aiden sat down on the floor in a lotus position and closed his eyes. Once again, he sucked in the air and stored it inside his diaphragm for a few seconds before he slowly began to exhale.

He repeated this process while inwardly he continued to focus and process all the new information that flooded his mind. Unbeknownst to him, his body began to release a faint golden hue, giving him a holy, majestic visage. As he continued to process, and focus on the information, he did not notice the notifications that continued to relentlessly pop up in the system.

However, after several minutes, he felt as the previously calm flow of energy inside him turned violent, and began to rage. He stopped processing the information and checked the flood of notifications he received.

[The skill [Soul Power] gained 1 XP.]

[The skill [Soul Power] gained 2 XP.]

[The skill [Soul Power] gained 1 XP.]

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.

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[The skill [Soul Power] gained 2 XP.]

There were hundreds of these, shocking him quite a deal. All in all, he gained 350 points, putting him to 750 points but still far away from the threshold for an increase in level. Why is the flow of energy inside him so torrential then? 

'Hmm… Maybe it is the increase in the [Mystic Martial Arts] skill? That's the only skill that directly interacts with the flow and not just the energy…' He thought.

As he only knew two ways to solve the situation and the first would be too violent, he continued to focus and inhale large gasps of air, store it inside himself and slowly exhale to calm the tide inside him.

Several minutes passed in silence before he could feel the tide dying down inside him and his reserves returning to a calm state. As he did so, a new notification popped up in the system.

[The skill [Mystic Martial Arts] increased to level 2! You have been awarded 100 Soul Power as a reward!]

Deciding to test the system further in an attempt to understand these changes, he once again created a connection between his remaining Experience pool, and with his most basic and defining ability that he unfairly neglected, the [Primal Absorb]. After so many years, it only gained a tiny bit of experience, after all, he did not absorb many different and unique life forms.

Once again, focusing his will, he poured the points slowly and monitored the changes in himself as the experience slowly reached the threshold for the next level.

Just like before, he could feel as if a dam had been opened, but instead of a sea of information flooding his mind, he felt a comfortable warmth spreading through him. What surprised him the most, was that he felt his fading attention suddenly became sharp and refreshed once again, as if he took a few hours of sleep. A new notification also popped up. Opening it, he was shocked, and also a bit regretful about his stupidity.

[The skill [Primal Absorb] increased to level 2! You have been awarded 1 point to [Spirit] as a reward!]

'What is going on? Was it always like this? Or is this something that I gained after the last upgrade?!' he couldn't understand what was happening. Previously he never gained such bonuses, nor did he had this much control over the system. It was always something that was with him, but it was a separate entity. Now, however, he felt as if it was a part of him…

His thoughts once again went back towards Enya. He would have an answer for the changes that he was experiencing. The system felt as it became more active, as it was pushing him towards something while giving him the necessary power to accomplish its goals. He started to feel that this magical construct was not a blessing but maybe a curse. Ever since the appearance of the Main Quest, he felt as if the control over his own life was slipping away from him… 

Although first, he was happy that he received a goal with potentially great rewards, but with the time limit, and the impending death that his own system threatened him with turned the whole thing from a dream into a nightmare. 

His eyebrows creased and his closed eyelids trembled under his troubled thoughts as he continued to meditate. He continued to inhale and slowly exhale to calm himself and clear his mind of all the negative thoughts. There was no use of thinking about these, for now, he could only continue moving forward, while also setting up a new goal to fight against his fate, and wrestle himself free from the grasp of this construct.

He will regain his own freedom and free Enya in the process!