"Aughh." Frizz groaned, opening his eyes and spotting the darkened, unfamiliar ceiling. He instantly recognized that he wasn't home, nor anywhere he recognized.
The room was bare, yet it had many famous band pictures and posters. Whoever owned this room was undoubtedly a woman, Frizz noted as his eyes lazily darted around.
The soft shine of the morning rays hit his eyes, it was morning already.
He felt a heavy pressure on his right arm, turning and then spotting Yani using his arm as a pillow. (This must be her home. Did she carry me all the way back?)
Frizz glared at Yani's peaceful sleeping expression. The golden streaks of her hair covered her eyes, and her lips glowed along with the morning rays.
"Nope. I will not go to jail." Frizz retracted his right arm, trying to avoid any possible misunderstandings.
He was about to stand, but yesterday's battle took an absolute toll. His body wasn't fully healed, and there were still minor injuries all over.
"Healing Hands."
[System]
Name: New Name
Level: 22
Experience: 10/1200
Health: 69/81 (+23) [SL+2] [IF+9] [HM✬+12]
Mana: 78/78
Fatigue: 35/100 (peak)
Class: [Fighter]
Subclass: [White Knight]*
⬬ [Prowess Minimized] … >>
Perks: [Serene Life], [Righteous Fury], [Gluttonous Approach], [Telekinetic Bulwark II], [Mark of Decrepitude], [Iron Frame II], [Adaptive Predator], [Survivor], [Soothing Touch II], [Venomous Presence], [Wind Dash], [Friendliness], [✬Efficient Recovery II✬], [✬Single Minded Fool II✬], [✬Unique Battle Sense II✬], [✬All About Me II✬], [✬White Knight's Resolve II✬], [✬White Knight's Constitution II✬] … >>
Talents: 『Icarus』, 『Borrowed Time』, 『Intuitive Proficiency』
Fighter skill acquired:
Description:A passive skill. Each melee or unarmed hit will moderately slow the target.
Fighter skill upgrade:
Description:Significantly increases defense, reinforcing the skin and muscles for ten seconds. (6)
Fighter skill acquired:
Description:A passive skill. Each melee or unarmed hit will moderately scorch the target.
(Hmmm... no perk selections nor any class perk upgrades or acquisitions. Only skills.) Frizz mused, a bit disheartened about the gap in acquiring perks.
Feeling that the healing was sufficient, Frizz stood up and slowly stroked his body. His eyes darted to the fortress skill, causing him to facepalm.
(Fuck. Why do I keep forgetting my goddamned skills. I had fortress. It could've saved or prevented all this.) He mused, looking at his injured state.
"Errrrh?" Yani woke up and blushed at Frizz's bare upper figure, causing her to look away with a bashful smile.
"A-a-are you okay?" Yani asked, eyes fluttering.
Frizz observed Yani's expression, already aware of the cliché. (Yeah no... I don't like this trope.)
"Is this your place? Your home?"
"Y-yes," Yani replied, handing Frizz his already dried clothes.
"Did you drag me here? What happened to that giant yesterday? Is he...?" Frizz hesitated.
Yani smiled, a satisfied expression on her face. "Yep, he's dead. He tried to take you with him, but I managed to stop him."
A solemn expression formed. "Do you think there are more people like that? Like him?"
Frizz replied. "Certainly. It's a new reality that we must face."
"He said that we are second-rate. Do you have any idea what that is?" Yani inquired.
A few minutes of explanation...
Yani listened to Frizz's explanation with intense focus, nodding her head periodically.
"We're second-rates and under leveled."
"Yes. We're under leveled for the moment, but we will soon grow into a powerhouse, enough to threaten a whole country."
"I can't believe it," Yani said, chuckling. "We're the best version of humanity. All this power has to have a reason. We're destined to do great things. I just know it!"
"We can be the leaders of humanity. The one to lead it into the future. Our future, perfect. Led by the masters! A master race! "
Frowning, Frizz furrowed his brows at Yani's interpretation of the leveling system's existence.
(That's one way to look at it, albeit worrying.)
"Whatever you think it is. It's in your best interest to lie low. We don't want the massive attention, considering we're both low levels."
"I am level fourteen now!" Yani announced, proudly smiling and puffing her chest.
(I wonder if she has a contract of her own.) Frizz thought, crossing his arms while Yani leered at his figure.
"New Name! I love it!" Yani exclaimed as Frizz raised a brow. "?"
"My name is Aurora Stillabelle." Yani introduced herself, adjusting her clothes while her bare midriff was exposed with tight shorts almost showing her bare bottom.
(Middle school syndrome? I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of the reasons why she was bullied.)
"Yeah, that's a name. For sure. Not my type, but I respect your choice."
There was a pause as Frizz briefly looked outside the window. Yani softly chuckled, smacking her lips while caressing her midriff and glaring at Frizz. Her legs slowly shifted wide, signaling openness.
The silence was loud, and there was tension in the air. An inviting primal tension. Yani smiled, slowly puffing her chest while glaring with intent.
"No, you're not of age yet." Frizz broke the silence, breaking the tension and opening the window.
Yani was disappointed, extremely disappointed. She wanted to offer an activity to the strongest man that he knew, yet he rejected her advances; it was disheartening but understandable.
"So you one hundred percent prefer Mina..."
The sentence soured Frizz's expression. "I wouldn't put it like that."
"I need to go. There are some matters that I need to tend to. Keep leveling up, but make sure to keep a low profile. Try not to kill too." Frizz suggested, flying away and heading somewhere else.
Yani had a solemn expression on her face, watching as Frizz fly away. A certain frustrating feeling bottled up, and with no way to release it. An alternative option came.
"Time to pay Princess's boyfriend a visit."
Thirty minutes later...
Frizz hovered above a clearing, the marks of their previous battle with the hulking giant were everywhere. Several trees have fallen, and there is a huge crater in the ground.
There was only one issue. The hulking giant's body was gone.
"Where the hell did he go?" He mulled, clicking his tongue.
(I will not sleep easily knowing that that guy might still be alive.)
"You are an ultimate enigma." A voice behind surprised him.
"!?" Frizz faced forward, raising his arms, and spotted a floating eyeball. "Hei..."
"Are you really a second-rate? At this point. I don't even know what to say." The floating eyeball announced, there was a hint of exhaustion behind the voice.
"Were you watching? The whole fight?" Frizz asked, his expression intensifying.
The floating eyeball shook disapprovingly. "No. By the time that I tracked you. That second-rate coworker of yours was dragging you."
"What you did was impressive. Your victory over Heavy will have severe consequences. Good thing you are under our protection." The floating eyeball paused, reconsidering their words.
"Mostly under our protection."
The floating eyeball looked in the direction where Yani was located. "As for that little partner of yours. Did you have something to do with that awakening of hers?"
"Awakening? Awakening Yani? Also, what's that about, Heavy?"
"Heavy was the 'player name' of that giant and it seems like you've no idea as to how your coworker was awakened." The two silently hovered above the clearing. There was an uncomfortable pause.
Frizz suspected that it was because he didn't tell them about Yani.
(I don't want her to be in this mess.)
"Interesting... Frizz Jay Sadies. You are truly an enigma." The floating eyeball announced, Hei, who was controlling it, grinned.
"I didn't just defeat him. I killed him. I guess you took care of his body."
"I had nothing to do with that. It's not the first time that Heavy died. This is probably the fourth time."
"Fourth!?" Frizz exclaimed.
"He has a talent similar to your 'borrowed time.' Nathaniel Macaraeg fought him in the past." The floating eyeball informed as it spun. "He also holds grudges."
The revelation caused Frizz to shudder since it was a stroke of luck that had enabled him to inflict a killing blow.
"This is good for your progress, and I want you to kill him." The floating eyeball produced an experience shard, and Frizz took it.
"I hope you didn't forget your main objective. 'Clean this city, ' right?" The floating eyeball said as Frizz bit on the shard.
[System]
New Name is now level 23.
Select a perk: [Serene Life II], [System Inventory], [Cargo], [Flesh Wounds], [Vision].
"Give me system inventory."
[System]
New name received: [System Inventory].
Displaying descriptions:The perk user is able to store objects in a hidden and separate space, only accessible to them. The system inventory has a maximum hold of 100 kilos.
The floating eyeball observed Frizz, aware that he was selecting a new perk. "We are rather busy for now. We will contact you in due time."
"In the meantime. Do what you're told. You don't want Heavy to go after your new 'girlfriend.'" The floating eyeball spun and shot upward, quickly disappearing in haste.
Frizz clicked his tongue and quickly flew away, heading home.
⟐
A camouflaged figure suddenly reveals itself, hiding beneath the trees.
"Tell our boss that he's working for that eyeball guy." A rough voice declared over the phone.
"How's it feel to die again, Cheng?"
The figure's expression soured, intensifying in anger as his whole body grew. "Tell our boss that he's working for that eyeball guy, and I intend to correct my mistake." He said, crushing his phone. *Crack!*
⟐