Chapter 19 - Stat-hut

"The puff is normal, it will subdue in time." Vendette patted my head and proceeded to the big crystal screen, searching for articles about the earrings and showing us their purpose.

"These earrings are more than just accessories. I gave them for you so you can track your progress of training while I'm gone."

"This is a gadget?" I whispered to myself which Fily heard and answered,

"Yes, it's called a Stat-hut. These are very popular nowadays, especially for rich families and new guilds because of the upcoming new season for the Dekadalaw tournament."

I was waiting for Fily to explain the last words that she mentioned but it never came.

"And what is that--?"

"Shhh." She shushed me....

A gadget that is popular for rich families and guilds, huh?

So that explains why Von and Lei were also wearing these. I thought they might've been forced by Venedette to wear her gift to them but there was a reason after all!

"So what does it do?" Venedette's question caught my attention once more. I want to know how these works and how can I use them for the training!

"It tracks your training progress. It saves your progress data and if you want, you can also share them with your team."

"The gadget can only help you that much with your training. And despite attaching itself to your neurons, it is not programmed to control what you are thinking. Basically this will be your personal assistant in the superhuman world. We have been keeping a nice and peaceful environment thanks to this gadget but we must use it more offensively now for the time has come."

Venedette started to blabber her thoughts out loud that even Fily seems to be in confusion.

"Wait, are you saying...?"

"Yes. I will train all of you then we will participate in the upcoming Dekadalaw Tournament. One that can surely help me get back what I had lost." Venedette's face turned dark as if remembering something in her past that was bitter.

"No. Wait, super strength negative 1!???" It seems like Fily can now access her stats through the device.

"H-how did you make it work?" I asked her, really eager to see my stats and just how far I am from being someone that Venedette can rely on.

"You long-press it at the same time." She guided both of my hands to touch my ears and let them stay there for at least three seconds then Venedette suddenly made us jump by shouting "WAIIIT!"

But I already heard some ding that must indicate that the device is now working.

As if Fily had been woken up, she looked at me with a ghostly regret that didn't fail to make me worry about her sudden expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Hang on it'll hurt!" Venedette rushed to get some things from the cabinet behind our seat and Fily was suddenly curled up in a corner looking all guilty about her careless actions.

"It is not hurting at all--" As if on cue, a flat line of noise invaded my head from all corners, shifting from the left and into the right, and then it suddenly stopped.

[Loading....]

I can see Venedette and Fily opening their mouths but I couldn't hear a thing that they're saying.

[Starting Stat-hut...]

Instead, the voice that seemed programmed and soul-less, that's even more colder than my Salamandite resonated in my brain.

It was coming from all kinds of direction that I couldn't help but follow it with my eyes.

[Thank you for purchasing Stat-hut, we will now proceed with the installation]

It didn't give me enough time to recover my hearing when suddenly, I was bombarded with that same flat noise that's now being mixed with the sound of crystals crashing and rubbing with each other, creating a screech that sounded worse than that flat line!

"AAAHHHHH!!!!"

I tried to cover my ears and shake my head to stop it but it won't stop! I can't even hear my own screams!!!

Tears suddenly started flooding my vision that I just chose to close my eyes and hugged my knees because of the extreme pain it inflicted in my brain!

[Loading data...]

[Looking for connection...]

The voice was heard again but it was now unclear unlike the previous one, with the screeching and crystals clashing, I'm sure no one would understand what it just said.

As I closed my eyes, I started to imagine my veins, being invaded by these weird small things that flowed like water, giving more pressure to my veins than they normally should because they don't belong here!!

"Venedette!! Help me!!" Venedette and Fily were looking pity at me. Did they plan to kill me?

They were saying something but the noise was too loud that I heard nothing from what they were saying!

The noise was becoming louder and louder. I could see my feet curling from the cringe and my fingertips were bleeding because I squeezed my fist too much.

[Stat-hut connection established...]

[Downloading data...]

I took deep breaths when it slowly subdued.

The pressure they left on my brain did more pain than what a normal lump from banging on a wall could.

"I'm really really sorry, I should've at least warned you." I can now hear Fily's voice faintly and Venedette hastily gave me a glass of slightly blue water that I innocently gulped despite my trembling hands.

It tasted like cold water but I didn't feel a cold temperature by the glass and through my mouth. It just had that refreshing taste of tasteless but still tasty cold water.

I can feel the movement of the things that went inside my brain, sucking things from my neurons that tickled me every now and then.

"How do you feel?" Fily winced at me, I know she didn't mean it. I trust her.

"Still dizzy from that horrible horrible noise." Their voice was still muffled but I can manage, after all, I wouldn't be praised by my expressive hearing if I couldn't even handle this light inconvenience.

But I'm afraid that the noise may have done something to damage my ears and I might not be able to repair them because my gemstone is not cooperating.

I was called by another ding again and a screen-like message appeared in my vision.

What is this? "Can you see this??" I asked the two while looking at the coffee table where the message follows my line of vision.

"This device connects itself directly to your brain, but it's merely for long-distance communications within party members and viewing your or your opponent's status only. You can manipulate your memories using this but I advise you not to. It may fail miserably and rot in your brain forever..."

That installation was already scary enough! I wouldn't want this to be stuck in my head like a broken gadget!!

Venedette went on and on about the precautions that I must know when using this device called Stat-hut.

Apparently, it will need some time to travel around my body, observing every muscle, neurons, and energy that I have to be able to make an accurate training routine for me.

"In this time, superpowers were passed by the older generations, and the more frequent they pass it, the lesser powers it holds. That's why we were advised to train at such a young age to fulfill our duties for the Island." Venette lamented that caused me to feel better somehow.

"It also hurt like that when I first Stat-hut. But I was just a baby then! I just cried and cried all day and night until I got tired of crying and read a lot of books instead! I was able to reach level 8 super knowledge at the age of 14, surpassing all previous high scores of my ancestors."

"But isn't Super Puff your power?"

"No, Super Puff is a skill that can be learned. I just happen to be blessed with the ancient techniques of how to use Super Puff effectively, since it was the only one that required less physical training and rather just breathing techniques, I was able to learn and practice them regularly even while sleeping."

"Can I also learn these skills?"

"Well, that depends on the skillset that you will choose. Since a lot of skills cost a lot of time and energy to master, superhumans usually only stick to one skill."

"Like Von choosing to prioritize his flight rather than his combat skills?"

"No. He is just being lazy." Venedette laughed at the thought of her kid being lazy.

I knew Venedette wasn't just any normal parent, but sometimes I can't help but think if she's still okay in the head.

I have seen parents from Wayeland scold their kids for being tardy in class, yet here is Venedette, just laughing at her child's laziness.

"I have chosen to be a woman of steel, the role that I chose is a fighter. This skillset is practical for close combat, a very fitting option for me because I have trained to max out my physical level. Although I still have more to go."

Venedette transferred the data that she was only seeing by herself a moment ago to the black glass in front of us.

[Name: Venedette Lorestifa [Title: Princess of Yvandir

[Race: Superhuman [Blood: Engua

[Class: Royal [Rank: Princess

[Party: Leviathan

[Role: Fighter

[Level: 8

[Super's Attributes:]

[Sense: 20/30 [Hearing: 7 [Vision: 7 [Smell: 6

[Agility: 24/30 [Strength: 9 [Speed:7 [Resistance: 8

[Flight: 10/10

[Skills:]

[Iron skin Lvl.7]

Then, Fily also showed us her stats;

[Name: Fily Dela Cruz [Title: None

[Race: Superhuman [Blood: Indio

[Class: Maharlika [Rank: None

[Party: Leviathan

[Role: Sage

[Level: 10

[Super's Attributes:]

[Sense: 15/30 [Hearing: 5 [Vision: 5 [Smell: 5

[Agility: 9/30 [Strength: -1 [Speed: 0 [Resistance: 10

[Skills:]

[Super Puff Lvl.5]

[Knowledge Lvl.10]

I tried to look at mine but it only showed [Loading data...] and nothing else.

"Don't worry you'll be able to see yours tomorrow" Venedette patted my back and they compared their stats that Fily was so ashamed of.

Upon looking at their status, a realization dawned on me,

'They're too far ahead, I need to catch up fast!'

"You will use this to make your training even more productive and effective especially when we're gone okay Gem?"

"Okay!" god, I really want to see my stats already and start my training as soon as possible...