Chapter 75 [Bonus Chapter] Reasons [1]

Screech-

-Thud!

The door of the Boss room closed after we stepped out. With this none of us can ever go inside again.

"What is it?"

Leon was staring intensely into the air, probably at his status screen.

He turned and spoke in a questioning tone.

"It's nothing, just… Don't you find it weird?"

"Weird what?"

"The Exp. Sure, it was 50,000 and if it was solo clear, then clearer will get all that Exp. For an Iota-rank 50,000 exp is 2 levels and more. It's just…."

Again with just. Does is hurt to speak in one go!?

"The Exp is less? Honestly, with how highly Stage-0 Dungeons are regarded, I thought we will get at least 100,000 Exp for everyone."

'Did he notice it?'

This was also how he got the hidden skill in the novel. Although he is an idiot, he is a smart idiot.

Let's shoot that thought out of his head. I won't give up on that utility skill.

"You are overthinking it. Though we didn't get much Exp, we did get a skill of Legacy and Legendary grade."

Leon sighed in disappointment at my answer, then muttered to himself.

"Stingy"

Ignoring him, we walked to the Elixir Pool.

In our path, Susan and Leon fought many slimes.

I didn't join because of my injuries. Though, the real reason was that the slimes were below Lvl.10. The exp reward was almost non-existent.

Reaching the Pool, I marveled at its beauty.

It was so clear that one could mistake it for an empty pit.

'No, it is empty.'

From my side, Susan walked ahead and pressed a stone beside the pit.

Immediately, water started gushing out of the walls of the pit. After a few seconds, the pit was filled with crystalline water.

Just standing near it made my arms ache less.

Originally, the first clearer, Tristan sucked the Pool dry. This is why Leon never got to use it and I didn't know how to make it appear.

"You can go in now."

I stared at Susan and Leon. Susan, taking the cue, left the area.

Leon, puzzled at her actions, looked at me with a questioning gaze.

"I need to dip my body in the pool. That way I will heal faster given that I have injuries all over my body and not just in one area."

He was still puzzled, so I had to put it clearly for him to understand.

"I need to get buck naked. Can you leave?"

"What?"

"I am going to get buck naked. If you don't want me to question your sexuality, please leave."

I could feel my cheeks burning from shame as I gave the excuse.

A few seconds later, a grin appeared on his lips.

"Oh my, our Nathan is embarrassed? Isn't he cute?"

I barely stopped myself from punching and breaking his grinning face.

'Endure it. Endure it. An insult of this level is nothing.'

Laughing for a few seconds, he stopped and spoke again.

"I'll go. But…"

- I am going to get buck naked. If you don't want me to question your sexuality, please leave.

"I'll go bye!"

He brought a phone out and grinned and immediately ran after the recording ended.

"….."

(Pffft)

(He is going to show it to Lilith, isn't he? Good luck, you'll need it)

Eth's laugh brought me out of my stupor. Promptly, I ignored Leon and focused on more important things.

As for Leon. If I don't make him regret this moment of his life then I'll change my name!

I removed my clothes and entered the pool.

'You up for an explanation? Why am I in a dungeon with them and why is my arm like this?'

My left arm was still pitch black and I couldn't feel anything with it. But now white lines were running on it.

White lines that one will see on circuit designs were embedded on his arm.

If I didn't know any better, I would've thought that it was a circuit board that looked like an arm.

(It all started on that day…)

***

"I can't believe it works."

Eth stretched his left arm high while laying on the bed.

It looked the same as yesterday, big black thick. Okay, not thick, only big and black.

But unlike yesterday, it had white patterns running on it.

These lines were made of malleable Aether-conducting metal and were embedded in his flesh. They connected his core to the bones in his left arm.

Now, if he uses the Ether from his core, he can directly manipulate the bones in his arm. And move it.

This was the result of the operation he went through today. His arm became cyberpunk-y.

Two days after he got the control of body he received an official mail from the Ward. It said.

-The investigation of the terror incident inside the Dungeon of Trails is complete.

With the collected evidence and the testimonies of eyewitnesses, Cadet Leon Barns and Cadet Lilith Ashdown, we have concluded that Cadet Nathan Hunt had shown exceptional mettle by trying to save his comrades.

We have also received a report of the injuries the Cadet suffered in the said rescue.

Taking the merit earned by the Cadet in account, Ward will be allowing the Cadet to use the new bio-design limbs operation….-

Eth knew from Nathan's memory that Ward wasn't kind enough to help him.

After re-reading the message, he understood why the vice headmaster was helping him.

'Testimonies from Cadet Leon Barns and Cadet Lilith Ashdown.'

They lied, saying that they saw Nathan helping in the rescue even when they didn't. And the location Nathan was found acted as evidence.

"Did she ask her dad to help me?"

Despite how strict the vice headmaster acted, he had a soft spot for Lilith. Yes, he never showed her any love.

But he will always fulfill her requests behind her back.

Eth didn't think mechanizing his arm will change anything. He only decided to undergo the operation blindly.

Since he didn't have any way to fix he might as well try it. This was what he thought before agreeing to the operation.

And this was the result.

Eth tightened his fist and punched the air. There was no gust of wind produced or a BANG as he had expected.

He recalled what the doctors said after the operation.

"I can move my arm, but its stats will remain around an unawakened human."

Despite Eth's concern, the surgery was successful. He gained a moveable arm now.

But it wasn't all perfect.

The speed of his punches was slow, and he couldn't put a powerful force behind them.

Eth could only muster strength and speed similar to the unawakened humans in his new arm.

This might not matter much in his daily life, but it will heavily affect battles. For ex- Eth might be able to lift 100KG sword with his right arm but he can only lift around 20Kg sword with his new left arm.

His left arm was the same as an unawakened human in terms of strength and speed.

But it was still better than before.

"At least there is some progress."

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Now that it was proven that mechanization works, a path to healing the arm was opened up.

Eth didn't know, but this arm was specifically made for him.

It was designed to work with his corrupted arm and it should have had stats similar to his own body.

Its developer, Trevor Hollered, Rank 2 of 3rd year and top student in the Research Department, was going crazy in his room.

For the past few weeks, Leon and Lilith have chased him to work on it. At first, he refused them, but when they showed him the official request from Ward, he was intrigued.

After a brief investigation, he found the unique requirements demanded modifications to the limb.

The patient's arm was corrupted from Nether. It was then he understood why he was asked to create the modified parts to add during the surgery.

He had a particular stigma that allowed him to mix all kinds of energies and imbued metals with them. Trevor wanted to see if it will work with Nether too.

But it did work as he had expected. The patient had thanked him for the successful operation, but in his eyes; it was a total failure.

The arm added zero battle prowess to its wielder. As such, he considered it a failure.

-TRING

In his room, Eth continued to stare at his arms when his doorbell rang.

Standing up from his bed, he walked toward the door.

"Is it Isabell? Or is it them?"

He was thankful to them, as they always helped him with everything. But Eth was dead tired of them.

He always felt his mental energy leaving his body at the speed of light years whenever he talked with them.

Who talks non-stop every second?!

They talked too much for Eth, who rarely spoke once a day.

CLICK-

"Susan?"

Behind the door was the Rank 1 silver-haired beauty. She was wearing a white cardigan and staring at him with her aloof face.

CLACK-

While he was trying to find the reason for her visit, Susan walked in and closed the door behind her.

Her presence greatly confused him. But since she had tried to rescue him, along with Lilith and Leon, he knew that she didn't mean any harm.

"Should I bring coffee or te-"

Swosh-

Bam-!

Suddenly Susan grabbed him by the neck and smashed him against the wall.

"W-what are you d-cough doing?"